^^^^«^ 


HISTORY 

OF   THE 

SWEDES  OF   ILLINOIS 


TKe    Uinne    Monument,   Ltncoln    ParK.  Chicago 


HISTORY 


OF    THE 


Swedes  of  Illinois 


PART  I 


EDITKM    BY 

ERNST  W.  OLSON 

IN    COLLABORATIllN    WITH 

ANDERS  SCHON  and  MARTIN  J.  ENGBERG 


ILLUSTRATED 


CHICAGO 
The  Engberg-Holmberg  Publishing  Company 

1908 


1-550 
S?o5 


CopvriKllt   190S 

■•  •••  •    .  .  .  : 

by  The  Bngtitrs-HOlvfllif 'Ji*J'"'''"''''"B  Conipunv 

1;*.  '.  i  'i'".  !•.••• ' — • — I— •^- ' 

I 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


PART  I 

Iiitrodnction 7 

Chapter          I.     Summary  of  the  History  of  Illinois 9 

Chapter        II.     The  City  of  Chicago 86 

Chapter       III.     The  First  Swedes  in  Illinois 172 

Chapter       IV.     The  Bishop  Hill  Colony 197 

Chapter         V.     Other  Early  Settlements 271 

Chapter       \T.     The  Swedish  Methodist-Episcopal  Church    .    .    .  356 

Chapter     VII.     The  Swedish  Episcopal  Church 412 

Chapter  VI II.     The  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 423 

Chapter      IX.     The  Swedish  Baptist  Church 544 

Chapter        X.     The  Swedish  Mission  Church 583 

Chapter      XI.     The  Swedes  in  the  Civil  War 625 

Chapter    XII.     Music  and  Musicians 705 

Chapter  XIII.     Press  and  Literature 760 

Chapter  XIV.     Art  and  Artists 843 

Chapter     XV.     Organizations 888 

Bibliographical  References 916 

Acknowledgments 918 

Index 919 

PART   II 

Biographical  sketches,   Chicago 7 

Index 409 

PART   III 

Biographical  sketches,  Counties  at  Large 5 

Index 264 


M24723 


INTRODUCTION 


|W 


HEN  in  tlu>  forties  of  the  last  (•cntiiry  the  great  intiux 
of  Swedish  iiimiigraiits  to  the  United  States  began,  l)y 
far  the  largest  nunil)er  settled  in  Illinois.  Even  at  that 
early  period  Swedes  had  begun  to  form  sporadic  settle- 
ments in  the  territory  to  the  north  and  west,  but  these 
were  of  little  eonsequenee  as  compared  to  the  populous  Swedisli  com- 
munities that  sprang  up  in  the  soil  of  the  Prairie  State. 

The  Swedes  of  Illinois,  therefore,  rank  as  the  pioneers  of  this 
great  migr'atory  movement.  In  later  years  they  have  been  out- 
numbered by  the  Swedes  of  Jlinnesota,  and  nearly  all  the  western 
and  many  of  the  eastern  states  now  have  each  a  very  considerable 
Swedish  population,  yet  the  Illinois  Swedes  retain  pre-eminence  from 
a  historical  point  of  view. 

Illinois  was  the  central  point  from  which  the  Swedish  population 
spread  in  various  directions,  chiefly  to  the  west  and  the  northwest. 
The  Swedish  settlements  in  the  eastern  states  and  on  the  Pacific 
slope  are  of  more  recent  date  and  have  no  direct  connection  with  the 
pioneer  history  of  Illinois. 

In  intellectual  culture  as  well  as  in  material  development  the 
Swedes  of  this  state  led  the  way  for  their  countrymen  in  other  parts. 
In  Illinois  we  meet  with  the  first  properly  organized  Swedish  churches 
— the  mother  churches  of  no  less  than  five  distinct  denominations. 
In  Illinois  was  founded  the  first  Swedish-American  newspaper  of 
permanence,  and  the  great  bulk  of  the  Swedish  publishing  business 
in  this  coiuitry  has  always  been  done  here.  In  Illinois  was  foiuided 
the  first  Swedish-American  institution  of  learning,  followed  in  later 
years  by  a  score  of  others,  but  still  remaining  the  foremost  educational 
institution  among  the  Swedish  people  of  the  United  States.  In  Illinois 
were  put  forth  their  first  endeavors  in  the  literary  field,  which, 
although  modest,  yet  formed  the  nucleus  of  a  distinct  literature.  In 
the  cultivation  of  the  fine  arts  of  music  and  painting  as  well  as  in 
manufacture,  craftsmanship,  invention  and  industrial  art,  the  Swedes 
of  Illinois  also  led,  and  in  the  succeeding  pages  will  be  foimd  the 
names  of  Swedish  pioneers  in  a  variety  of  fields. 

In  public  life  Swedes  have  been  active  in  this  state  principally 
after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War.  In  that  conflict  large  numbers  of 
them  fought  as  volunteers,  contributing  skillful  commanders  and 
brilliant   tacticians   as  well   as   gallant   soldiers    in   the   ranks.     Their 


8 

military  history  goes  back  not  only  to  the  Civil  and  Mexican  Wars, 
for  there  were  Swedes  also  among  the  Illinois  troops  in  the  War 
of  1811'.  Ill  the  polities  of  this  state  a  Swede  made  his  mark  while 
Illinois  was  still  a  territory. 

Chicago  being  one  of  the  first  points  settled  by  the  Swedes  and 
having  graduall.y  grown  to  be  their  greatest  center  of  population, 
also  became  the  center  of  cnlture.  and  this  city  is,  in  a  figurative  sense, 
the   Swedish-American   capital. 

Illinois  having  thus  become,  from  the  first,  the  seat  of  culture  as 
well  as  the  fonntain-liead  of  material  development  among  the  Swedish- 
Americans  in  general,  it  is  fair  to  assume  that  the  Swedes  of  this  state 
ill  the  ])ast  sixty  years  have  exerted  an  appreciable  influence  not  alone 
ii]ioii  their  fellow-countrymen  elsewliere.  but  also  uimn  the  civic  life 
of   the   state   and    the  nation. 

The  story  of  the  Swedes  of  Illinois,  showing  the  part  they  have 
played  in  tin'  inalcinir  of  this  commonwealth,  is  here  told  for  the  first 
time  in  the  Enirlish  language  and  thus  placed  within  ready  access  of 
the  general  public. 


4^44 


CHAPTER    I 


Summary  of  the   History  of  Illinois 

Early  French  E,xplorations  in  North  America 


■  OT  long  after  the  discovery  of  the  West  Indies  by 
Christopher  Columbus,  in  1492,  and  the  successive  dis- 
coveries of  Central  and  South  America,  those  regions 
were  explored  and  settled  by  Europeans,  while  the 
colonization  of  the  North  American  continent  was  accom- 
plished only  by  slow  degrees.  Although  re-discovered  in  1497  by  John 
Cabot,  after  having  been  found  originally  by  Leif  Eriksson  and  his 
Norse  followers  about  five  hiuulred  years  earlier,  and  explored  during 
the  first  half  of  the  sixteenth  century  by  parties  landing  here  and  there 
on  the  southern,  eastern  and  western  coasts  and  penetrating  into  the 
interior,  it  was  not  until  Jie  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  century  that 
the  European  nations  obtained  a  firm  foothold  iii  this  part  of  the  New 
World.  So  slow  was  their  westward  progress  that  the  discovery  of  the 
Pacific  coast  was  practically  without  results  \ip  to  the  latter  part  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  when  finally  the  first  successful  colonies  were 
founded. 

The  Spani-sh,  the  French,  the  English,  and  to  a  slight  extent,  the 
Dutch  share  the  credit  for  the  discovery  and  exploration  of  the  variovis 
parts  of  the  North  American  Continent.  The  Spaniards  directed  their 
energies  principally  to  the  South,  the  Southwest  and  the  West,  the 
French  traversed  and  colonized  the  extreme  eastern  part,  the  region  of 
the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Mississippi,  the  English  settled  the  eastern 
coast  from  Maine  to  South  Carolina  and  the  Dutch  a  limited  area  on 
the  Hudson  Kiver. 

Sweden  also  claims  a  chapter  in  the  colonial  history  of  this 
country.  Through  the  colony  of  New  Sweden,  founded  in  1638,  extend- 
ing over  part  of  the  present  territory  of  Delaware,  Pennsylvania  and 
New  Jersey,  and  conquered  by  the  Dutch  in  1655,  Sweden  contributed 


lO  HISTORY   OF   ILLINOIS 

a  noteworthy  sharo  toward  the  earliest  development  of  North  American 
civilization. 

The  iliscovery  and  iiriniary  colonization  of  the  territory  now 
forming;:  the  state  of  Illinois  was  the  work  of  the  French  explorers  and 
pioneers.  Before  narrating  these  events,  let  us  view,  in  retrospect, 
their  causes  and  the  historical  factors  leading  up  to  them. 

As  earlv  as  150-t  the  French  began  to  frequent  the  banks  of  New 
PoundJand  btti'act'ed  by  the  abundance  of  fish  in  these  waters.  These 
fishins;  expeditions  Lave  continued  to  this  day,  and  but  for  them  the 
I'rehch  governnnint  nnght  never  have  had  its  attention  directed  to  this 
part  of  America.  King  Francis  I.,  in  1524,  sent  an  Italian  traveler, 
John  Verrazaui,  to  explore  these  regions.  He  sailed  along  the  coast 
from  the  present  site  of  \Vilmington,  North  Carolina,  to  Nova  Scotia 
and,  without  founding  any  colonies,  took  possession,  in  the  name  of  the 
French  crown,  of  the  entire  territory  termed  New  France. 

Ten  years  later,  in  15;i4.  a  I'"'renclnuan  l)y  the  name  of  John  Cartier, 
discovered  the  St.  Lawrence  River  and  on  his  second  expedition  sailed 
up  the  river  as  far  as  the  present  city  of  ilontreal.  On  his  third 
expedition,  in  1541,  he  founded  Quebec,  a  fort  which  formed  the  center 
of  a  penal  colony,  recruited  from  the  French  prisons.  In  1541  a  French 
nobleman  by  the  name  of  Francois  de  la  Roque  had  been  appointed 
viceroy  of  New  France.  He  arrived  and  took  up  his  duties  two  years 
later,  but  finding  his  province  a  wilderness  and  his  subjects  deported 
criminals,  he  returned  to  France  within  a  year. 

During  the  ticxt  fifty  years  the  i)ublic  mind  of  France  was  entirely 
engrossed  witli  tlir  .strife  between  the  nobility  and  the  royal  house  on 
the  one  hand  and  the  eciually  bittei-  conflict  between  the  Calvinists  and 
the  Catholics  on  the  other;  meanwhile  the  colonial  interests  in  the  New 
World  were  well-nigh  forgotten.  Not  until  the  beginning  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  the  project  was  revived.  Sanuiel  Champlain,  a  noted 
naval  officer,  having  explored  anew  the  shores  of  the  St.  Lawrence 
(1603),  Sieur  de  Monts,  a  Calvini.st,  received  a  large  portion  of  this 
territory  as  a  grant  from  the  government.  Two  years  later  he  founded 
Port  Royal,  which  rapidly  grew  lo  be  a  large  and  flourishing 
settlement. 

In  the  meantime  the  cause  of  converting  fhe  Indians  of  New  France 
to  the  Christian  faith  was  taken  up  in  the  mofher  country,  and  innner- 
ous  missionaries,  many  of  fhem  Jesuits,  were  sent  anu>ng  the  natives, 
gaining  great  prestige  among  them  in  a  short  time,  owing  to  their 
judicious  methods.  Missionaries,  fin-  traders,  settlers  anil  soldiers  soon 
found  a  l)asis  of  (ipcratinn  in  the  settlement  of  Q\ieliec  (KiOS)  and  that 
of  Montreal  (  1(>41),  froiTi  wiiirli  points  they  gradually  pu.shed  on  along 
flio  Si.  I,a\vi-i'iiee  K'iver,  iiitii  tile  re'.'ioii  of  the  (!re:it  Laki's.  and  through 


MARgrirrnc  and  joMirr 


II 


the  IMississipiii  hiisiii.  phmtiiig  the  ("jitlii)lir  slaiKhird  f)f  the  Cross  and 
the  flag  of  tlie  tlciu'  di'  lis  in  tho  Iiidiiui  viliaircs  as  i'ar  down  as  the 
Mississippi  delta.  In  a  shcnl  lime  Fi-ance  laid  elaiiii  not  oidy  to  all  of 
Canada,  but  to  ]\Iainc.  \'ei-inont.  New  York,  the  two  ('arolinas.  as  well 
as  the  entire  territory  between  the  Alleghanies  and  the  Mississipj)!. 

It  was  during  this  gradual  conquest  of  the  West  and  the  South 
that  Illinois  was  fir.st  seen  and  traversed  l)y  white  men.  As  early  as 
1641  P'reneh  missionaries  had  penetrated  to  the  outlet  of  Lake  Superior, 
and  in  K)58  traders  had  visited  the  western  end  of  the  lake.  Among 
French  missions  founded  in  these  distant  regions  after  the  year  1660 
was  one  at  Green  Bay,  Wis.,  established  in  KiBit,  and  named  after  St. 
Francis  Xavier. 

The  French  learned  through  the  Indians  at  this  and  other  missions 
that  a  journey  of  several  days  would  bring  them  to  the  banks  of  a  great 
river,  known  among  the  natives,  on  aeoount  of  its  size,  as  the  Jlissis- 
sippi,  the  Father  of  Waters.  Tliis  fact  was  reported  to  the  French 
governor  at  Quebec,  who  determined  to  take  possession  of  the  river 
and  adjacent  regions.  In  oi"cler  to  carry  out  this  enterprise  without 
molestation,  it  w'as  necessary  to  obtain  the  friendship  and  co-operation 
of  the  tribes  dwelling  along  its  banks.  For  this  purpose  Nicholas  Perrot 
was  dispatched  westward  in  1671,  with  instructions  to  assemble  the 
surrounding  tribes  in  council  at  Green  Bay.  After  this  meeting  Perrot 
set  out  with  an  escort  of  Pottawatomie  Indians  on  his  journey  south- 
ward, traversing  what  is  now  Illinois  and  visiting,  among  other  points, 
the  present  site  of  Chicago,  then  included  in  the  territory  of  the  Miami 
Indians.  Perrot  is  said  to  have  been  the  first  European  to  have  set  foot 
on  Illinois  soil. 

In  the  following  year  two  Jesuit  fathers,  Claude  AUouez  and 
Claude  Dablon,  left  the  Green  Bay  mission  on  a  journey  to  western  and 
northern  Illinois,  visiting  the  Fox  Indians  along  the  Fox  River  and  the 
Mascjuotin  tribe  that  dwelt  at  the  mouth  of  the  Milwaukee  River.  These 
missionaries  claimed  to  have  extended  their  explorations  as  far  as  Lake 
Winnebago. 

Explorations  of  Marquette  and  Joliet 


Father  Jacques  Rlarquette  and  Louis  Joliet,  a  fur  trader,  were 
subsequently  commissioned  to  continue  the  exploration  of  the  ]\Iissis- 
sippi  and  the  territory  through  which  it  flows.  In  the  spring  of  1673 
they  entered  upon  their  task,  accompanied  by  five  other  Frenchmen  and 
two  Indian  guides,  and  supplied  with  two  canoes.  Starting  from  the 
St.  Ignaee  mission,  opposite  ilackinaw  Island,  they  followed  the  north 
shore  of  Lake  Michigan,  They  soon  reached  Green  Bay  and  the  St. 
Francis  Xavier  mission,  the  uttermost  outpost  of  Frcncli  civilization 


12 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


The  Departure  of  Marquette  ami  Joliet  on  Their  First  Voyaj;e  to  Illinois 

westward  and  southward.  Here  the  party  rested  until  June,  and  then 
pressed  on  into  the  wilderness.  They  traveled  up  the  Fox  Hiver  as  far 
as  the  ridge  forming?  the  Wisconsin  watershed,  and.  earrying:  their 
canoes  across,  proceeded  down  the  Wisconsin  Kiver  to  their  soupht-for 
goal,  arriving  the  17th  of  June  on  the  banks  of  the  majestic  Jli.ssi.ssippi. 
Enraptured  liy  its  grandeur,  and  niindfid  of  the  divine  ])rotection  of 


Jactjui-.s  Mnrquctle 


l.ouis  Joliet 


the  Virgin  throughout   his  perilous  journey.   Kallirr  .M,iri|uelle  in  lier 
honor  named  it  Conception  liiver. 

The  exploring  parly  look  a  shorl  rest  on  the  lianks  of  Ihe  great 
river,  hut  soon  emharkcd,  more  eagei-  than  ever.  Floating  down  with 
the  curi-inl.  Ilii'v  had  on  cillicr  hand  vast  slretclu-s  of  prairie,  where 
the  liison  roamed  in  courilless  herds,  hul  nut  a  human  being  did  they 
see.     Il  was  like  traveling  tlirough  a  mvslerious  land  whose  iidmbilanis 


MARQrivTTE  AND  JOLIICT 


13 


i 


"  We  art"   Illiiii  " 

soinc  straiiii'i'  power  had  .si)iiMti'il  away.  The  mouth  of  the  Dcs  .Moines 
Kiver  was  reaelied  June  25th.  On  these  sliore.s  huiiiau  footprints  were 
diseovered  at  hist.  Following  up  the  tra(dvs  for  about  two  leagues,  the 
party  eanie  Ti])on  three  Iiulian  villages,  lieautifuUy  located  iiu  the  banks 


of  the 


},h 


i.  belonging  to  the  Peoria  tribe. 

As  soon  as  the  natives  noticed  the  strangers,  four  cliiefs  set  out  to 
meet  them.  "Who  are  you?"  demanded  Father  ^larquette,  in  the 
Algonquin  dialect.  "We  are  Illini,"  one  of  the  chiefs  replied.  The 
Peorias  belonged  to  a  coalition  of  tribes,  including  also  the  I\Ioingwenas, 
the  Kaskaskias,  the  Tamaroas  and  the  Cahokias.  The  name  Illini  meant 
simply  men,  and  had  been  adopted  by  these  tribes  to  distinguish  them 
from  their  hereditary  foes  to  the  eastward,  the  Iroquois,  whom  the.y 
abhorred  on  accomit  of  their  cruel  and  bloodthirsty  disposition,  deem- 
ing them  no  better  than  brutes.  In  course  of  time  the  name  Illini  was 
altered  by  means  of  the  French  suffix  -ois,  and  finally  this  name  was 
applied  not  only  to  the  Indian  tribes  but  to  all  the  newly  discovered 
region.  When  in  recent  years  this  tract  was  made  a  territory  of  the 
United  States,  this  name  was  made  official,  and  later  on  naturally  jiassed 
to  one  of  the  states  pai'celled  out  of  the  territory. 

The  fearless  little  band  still  pressed  on,  arriving  in  July  at  the 
junctiou  of  the  Missouri  and  Mississippi.  They  shortly  passed  the 
mouth  of  the  Ohio  River,  reaching  the  confluence  of  the  Arkansas  River 
and  the  ^Mississippi  a  few  days  later,  and  found  there  several  Indian 
villages.  From  that  jioint  tlie  mouth  of  the  great  river  was  to  be 
reached  in  a  short  time,  yet  ^Marquette  and  his  party  hesitated  to  pro- 
ceed farther,  fearing  a  conflict  with  the  Spaniards,  who  laid  claim  to  all 
the  surrounding  territory  by  right  of  discovery  by  Ferdinand  de  Soto 
in  1541.  Geographically,  further  progress  was  imnecessary,  Marquette 
being  already  convinced  that  the  ^Mississippi  emptied  neither  into  the 
Atlantic,  nor  the  Pacific,  but  into  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  On  July  19th, 
therefore,  he  turned  back,  retracing  his  coiirse  as  far  as  the  mouth  of 
the  Illinois  River,  which  he  entered  and  continued  up  this  waterway. 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


The  Death  of  Marquette 


At  OIK-  of  the  villages  of  tlu'  Kaskaskia  Indians,  near  tlie  present  site 
Utica,  La  Salle  county,  the  party  halted.  The  French  named  the  village 
La  Vaiitinii.  and  before  de|>ai-tinfr.  ^rarqiiette  l)apti7.i'd  the  villajre  ehief 
Ca.s.sagoae,  together  with  several  leadiuir  tribesmen.  Continuing  up  the 
entire  length  of  the  Illinois,  the  party  entered  its  tributary,  the  Des 
Plaines  Kiver.  earried  tlieir  canoes  across  the  wati'rsbed  l)etween  this 
and  the  t'liicago  River,  and  finally  by  way  of  the  soutii  branch  of  the 
latter  reached  Lake  Jlichigan.  Here  they  rested  for  several  days,  then 
pursued  their  way  along  the  west  shore  northward  to  Green  Hay. 
returning  thither  before  the  end  of  September  the  same  year.  Thus  was 
the  Illinois  River  traversed  for  the  first  time  by  whites,  and  the  sur- 
rounding territory  brought  within  the  sphere  of  civilizing  influences. 

Joliet  immediately  returned  to  Quebec  in  order  to  report  to  Fron- 
tenac,  then  governor  of  New  Fi-ance.  the  results  of  the  expedition,  while 
Jlarquettc  was  coiiipclled  by  ilhu-ss  to  rcnuiin  at  the  (ireen  Bay  mission. 

In  spite  of  ill  heallli  .Maniuette  a  year  later,  on  the  2'ith  of  October. 
1674,  revisited  the  Kaskaskia  village,  accompanied  by  two  young 
Frenchmen.  Pierre  and  Jacques,  together  with  a  nmuber  of  Indians. 
Retracing  the  course  of  the  ,i<iiu'ney  nortliward.  tiu\v  reached  the  mouth 
of  tile  Ciiieago  River  Decendier  4th.  Here  Marcpiette's  condition 
sudilenly  grew  worse,  forcing  the  party  to  tarry.  Near  the  head  of  the 
south  branch  of  the  river  his  companions  erected  a  block-house,  which 
siieltered  tliem  until  early  sprinsr.  when  Manpiefte  was  so  far  restored 
tiiat  Ihey  could  continue  their  .ioiuMiey.  arriving  at  their  destination  on 
the  8th  of  April. 

In  tills  wilderness,  with  no  saiiciiuii-y  luit  the  primeval  forest,  no 
choristers  but  the  winged  songstei-s.  Father  Marquette,  with  all  the 
solenuiity  that  the  occasion  afl'orded.  jierfornu'd  the  ('atholie  nui.ss  and 
subse(|ueiitly  |)roclaimed  tlie  sovci'cignty  of  I"'rance  ever  the  exjdored 
tei-ritory  in  the  name  of  the  Savior,  the  Holy  \'irgin  and  all  the  saints. 
In  till-  same  year  lie  made  another  four  along  the  Illinois,  exploring 
t lioi'oii^'lil V  its  banks  and  ad.jacent   regions. 

Divining  that    his  end   was  near.  .Mar(|uette  with  his  companions 


II 


I.A  SAM.].;     I-RICNCH  FORTS 

i"g  liear  J'„i„t,  in  the  state  of  Irtl  "'V'^^'ty  of  present  Sleep- 

-.ins,   .hieh  were  brl^  t  ,  ^^e    rihl^t    f  ""^  '^^'"'"^^  '"^ 
solenn.iy  interred  in  the  ,nLion  cl  ape  ftor    1    ^r^;!;  """'""   ^"^ 

long  revered  almost  as  a  saint   tn  .,  ''^^'  Marcpiette  was 

-"-a  p.a.  for  deiivirr;,r  ^nHf^;:^!"^^  °"  '^'^^  ^^""^^-^ 

Journeys  or  La  SaHe-K^encH  Torts  E:reote.  .n  n.no.s 

Ontario  a  for™erl'jt'™7Rr'.rr  '™  ''^^  °""'^*  °^  ^-^- 

to  New  Franee  in  16  "      D  v  tn,     I  ,^'    '"''  ^'°  '^^'^  '^'^'^'^^ 

visited  ahnost  all  the  bavs  o    1 1    O  T       '"  '"^'  *''^^'"^^'  '^^^  ^<^--l« 

I-ig-hted  and  recede   Fonte^ae  as  rr  T/  """';    '"  ^*^^^  '^  -- 

dition  that  he  ereet  a  fort  th  re     Pie  L'  l?"'  ''"  """^  °^  '^«- 

through  agriculture,  cattle  rasn/anda  l"'"/-^  aecunndating  wealth 

Joliet  on  his  visit  to  Ouebee  i         ?.  .  "^"'^  ^"'^'^"  t''^^'*^'  ^^'hen 

coveryof  theMisi^pp     I^^^:^ ':r     ■     "  ""  '"*  "P"^"*  °^  ^'^  bli- 
the idea  of  founding  Frnche,,^^"^"?"-^  "'"  immediately  conceived 

^p  .mercantile  eo,n^.ssirs::-/'p:t:^^trtt-"^"^^^ 

I'egion.  j-itince  ana  the   Mississippi 

the  exploration  begim  bv  7f.v     ?.  '  ^"^^^^^^^d  to  continue 

exclusive  right  t  ?"  trLf  Xff',  T  Z'^^"*'  '^'''^^^^  -^-  *'- 
France  in  1678,  together  with  an  It  r  "  ""'  ''''''^"^  *«  N-^ 
a  Franciscan  monk,  LrisTnuep  V       "^  '^  *'^  °"^"  °^  ^-^^^• 

artisans  and  sailor^  an     a  if     '^'  '"""'^^  ^"^^'^  ^""^  ^  ""'"^'er  of 

ehandise  for  theTn^d!:^  t^r  df  iTttellf  :?r '  ''''^''-  ^^  "^^ 
with  a  capacity  of  ten  tons  w.,  l„   h  t^  ^'^''  ''^  '™«^^  ^-^s^el 

La  Salle  and  his  follower.    I  ,  T"  ^'''  ^^^^enac.    In  this  ship 

of  the  Niagara  CwheTsrallw  ""  ^"^^™  *°  "^  "-"^'^ 

a  trading  post.  Above  the  fairi,  t  "T  """'''"^  ''  '  ''''''''''^  f^" 
sailing  vessel  with  a  to^  /e  M^oo^otrr'  '''^  '^™'  '^  '"^^*  ^ 
and  freighted  it  with  chandlLv  7  ^  '^''  '^^'^^^^  ^*  "^^  Griffin 
out  of  another  veTse   to  be  f  u  ^""i'^'r^'^'  ^^^-^^ed  for  the  fitting 

launched  Aug  Jt  7  ^g  ;^"f  f.  '  '''T'  ""''''■  '^^^  «"«^  -- 
songs.    This  wrthe  fir,;      r  "°^  °^  '^""""'^  ^'^^  the  singing  of 

Wi«i  it  L  sll  and  1  ere  "'  ""'.'  '^  ^^°"  *'"  ^^^^^  °^  ^'^^ke  Erie. 
Lake  St.  Clai  -e    said  the      '™"'^  *''  ''^^'  ^^^^^^  *^«  ^'^^^^^  -to 

straits  of  MacLLw    ll'erotirr  d"''^  """"^^  ^°^^  ^'^™"^'^  ^'- 
,  wnere  another  trading  post  was  established,  and 


i6 


HISTORY  Ol-   ILLINOIS 


finally  down  Lake  Micliigati  to  (irccii  Bay.    Here  the  eargo  was  trans- 
ferred to  smaller  boats  for  further  transportation  down  the  Illinois 


Ki-iic   RoIhtI  Ciivi-licr  ilc   l.ii  Salic 


Kivcr,  wliilf  I ln'  ( Jrilliii  took  a  rar^'o  ol'  I'lii-s  am!  ri'tiiriu'd  to  the  starting; 
]ioiiit. 

La   Salle   and    iiis   t-n-w    navi}rat<'d    Lalcc    .Miciiitraii   as    far   as   Si. 
Josej)!!,    iMicli.,    where   a    tradiiifr    j'osl    was   (■stal)lished,    proteeted    l>y 


7i 
o 


l8  HISTORY  OI-   ILLINOIS 

palisades  and  known  as  Fort  Miami.  They  waited  until  December  for 
the  return  of  the  Grifiin,  but  were  disappointed,  the  vessel  having  gone 
ashore  on  its  way  back  to  Niagara.  Then  they  prepared  to  continue 
their  voyage.  There  were  two  routes  between  Lake  ilichigau  and  the 
Illinois  River,  used  by  the  Indians  from  time  out  of  mind,  the  one  being 
that  taken  by  Marquette  and  Joliet  on  their  return,  the  other  leading 
up  the  St.  Joseph  Kiver  to  the  turning-point  near  South  Hend,  Ind..  and 
thence  across  the  watershed  to  the  Kankakee  and  down  that  river  to 
the  Illintiis.  La  Salle  chose  the  latter.  His  company  consisted  of  Tonti, 
Hennepin,  two  Franciscan  monks,  l)esi<les  thirty  sailors  and  colonists. 
Reaching  the  aforesaid  Kaskaskia  Indian  village,  and  finding  it  aban- 
doned, they  continued  the  journey  down  the  Illinois,  not  stopping  until 
the3'  reached,  on  January  1,  ItiJSC,  that  expansion  of  the  river  called 
Lake  Peoria.  Here  they  foiuid  Illini  Indians,  with  whom  La  Salle  en- 
tered into  a  treaty  of  fricndshij).  obtaining  also  pernii.ssion  to  build  a 
fort,  wliicli  was  located  on  the  cast  shore  of  tlic  i-ivi  r.  iicir  itu'  «<\\ih 
end  of  Lake  Peoria. 

The  situation  of  La  Salle  was,  however,  far  from  enviable.  Fil'teen 
hiuidrcd  miles  from  the  nearest  French  outpost,  his  followers  despair- 
ing of  a  successful  issue  of  the  enterprise  and  anxious  to  return,  he  was 
doubtless  himself  in  deep  distress,  as  evidenced  by  the  name  given  to 
this  stronghold,  viz.,  Fort  Creveeopur,  meaning  Broken  Heart. 

In  spite  of  untoward  circumstances.  La  Salle  di<l  not  lose  heart,  but 
set  about  building  the  intended  vessel.  The  work  had  not  advanced 
far  when  several  of  his  men  deserted  him.  forcing  a  temporary  delay 
and  necessitating  his  return  to  Fort  Frontenac  to  secure  otlier  work- 
men. With  three  companions  he  started  JIarch  1st,  reaching  the 
objective  point  May  Gth,  after  many  hardships  and  i)erils. 

Meanwhile  Hennepin  and  two  other  Frenchmen,  Du  Guy  and 
Michael  d'Accault,  journeyed  down  the  Illinois  to  the  point  where  it 
empties  into  the  Mississippi,  and  then  started  on  a  new  exploring  t(uu' 
up  timt  river.  Tiiey  pressed  on  as  far  as  the  present  site  of  Minneapolis 
and  discovered  the  great  falls,  named  from  St.  Anthony  of  Padua, 
their  pnlroii  saint,  the  St.  Anthony  Falls.  A  cross  having  been  erected 
here,  a  mass  was  licld  and  jiossession  claimed  in  tlie  name  of  France. 
All  that  snnnner  they  tarried  in  tiiis  dcliglill'iil  region,  returning  in  the 
fall,  not  to  Illinois,  but  to  Green  Bay. 

Tonti.  who  iiad  been  i'c(|ii('stcd  to  bnild  a  stronghold  on  a  liigii  clitT 
on  the  soutli  shore  of  the  Illinois,  wliicli  is  now  known  as  Starved  Hock, 
had  li  11  I'oit  ("rovecoenr  sinuillaneously  and  start cil  for  that  point. 
Till'  fort  was  I'onipletcd  and  received  the  appropriati-  iianie  of  Rockforl. 
While  Tonti  was  engaged  in  this  work  nearly  all  the  remaining  Frencli- 
men  (led,  after  having  razed  Fort  Crcvecu'ur  and  tin-own  all  its  supplies 


I,A  SAUJC— FRENCH   TORTS 


19 


HENRI    TONTI 


into  the  river.  Only  six  men  of  the  garrison,  including  two  priests, 
remained  faithfully  at  their  post.  To  complete  the  disaster,  a  band  of 
Iroquois  Indians  arrived  Sept.  10th,  threatening  the  fortress  with  anni- 
hilation. The  remaining  French- 
men fled.  At  Roekfort  Tonti  was 
taken  prisoner  and  upon  his  re- 
lease returned  to  JIackinaw. 

Upon  his  return  the  following 
year  with  the  advance  guard  of 
his  newly  recruited  force  of  men, 
La  Salle,  to  his  dismay,  found  both 
fortresses  deserted.  He  returned 
with  his  men  to  Port  Miami,  where 
he  met  the  main  body  of  the  new 
expedition,  and  quartered  it  there 
for  the  winter. 

In  furtherance  of  his  plans,  La 
Salle  promoted  a  defensive  alli- 
ance between  the  Miami  and  the 
Illinois  Indians  against  their  old 
enemies  the  Iroquois.  In  December 
he  called  a  council  of  tribesmen  at 
Fort  I\liami,  choosing  eighteen  out  of  their  number  Avho,  together  with 
his  twenty-three  Frenchmen,  were  to  accompany  him  to  the  mouth  of 
the  Mississippi.  In  the  meantime  Tonti 's  whereabouts  had  been 
revealed,  he  was  sent  for  and  put  at  the  head  of  the  expedition,  which 
started  southward  Dec.  21st.  The  supplies  were  carried  on  sleds  to 
the  Illinois  and  there  stowed  into  canoes,  in  which  the  expedition 
embarked  for  the  desolated  Fort  Crevecoeur. 

The  half  finished  vessel  was  foimd  almost  intact.  It  was  quickly 
completed,  whereui)ou  the  expedition  set  sail  for  its  destination.  The 
mouth  of  the  Mississippi  was  reached  April  6,  1682.  At  length.  La 
Salle  had  thus  reached  the  goal  for  which  he  had  strived  untiringly  for 
several  years.  The  French  possessions  in  America,  which  had  been 
boimded  by  the  Great  Lakes,  were  now  extended  to  the  Gulf  of  Mexico. 
Nor  was  La  Salle  slow  in  taking  possession  of  this  vast  territory  with 
the  customary  ceremonies,  consisting  of  the  erection  of  a  cross,  the 
holding  of  a  mass,  and  the  planting  of  a  standard,  bearing  the  roj^al 
arms  of  France.  All  of  this  new  territory  was  named  Louisiana,  in 
honor  of  Louis  XIV. 

The  expedition  returned,  doubling  on  its  former  course,  and  at  the 
mouth  of  the  Illinois,  Tonti,  with  a  few  men,  remained  to  establish  the 
claims  of  France  by  actual  possession.  His  first  work  was  to  erect  a 
fort  as  a  protection  against  the  Iroquois  tribes  and  a  nucleus  for  the 


20  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

contemplated  settlements  in  these  parts.  In  December,  1682,  Starved 
Rock  was  I'or  the  second  time  sch'ctcd  as  the  site  of  a  fort,  and  the  new 
stronj^liold  was  named  Fort  St.  Louis.  The  necessity  for  i)roteciion 
against  the  Iroquois  was  all  the  more  urgent,  as  these  savage  tribes 
were  furnished  with  arms  and  ammunition  by  the  English  colonial 
govcnnu-  at  Albany,  on  the  Hudson  Kiver.  and  sent  westward  to  hara.ss 
the  Frendi  and  destroy  their  lucrative  Indian  trade  iu  ihe  region  of 
the  Great  Lakes. 

La  Salle  now  returned  to  Quebec  in  order  to  obtain  authority  to 
colonize  tiie  newly  explored  territory.  L'nfortunatcly.  he  found  that 
Governor  B^rontenae  had  been  recalled  and  replaced  by  La  Barre.  who 
was  his  personal  enemy  and  antagonistic  to  his  plans.  In  vain  he 
pleaded  witii  La  liarre  to  co-operate  witli  liim  in  realizing  the  coloniza- 
tion plans.  Where  he  had  expected  to  find  synii)athy.  he  was  met  with 
derision.  La  Salic  then  resolved  to  return  to  France  in  order  to  nbtain 
the  jirivileges  denied  him  by  the  governor,  and  embarked  in  tlie  autumn 
of  1683.  In  tile  meantime,  La  Barre  sent  a  man  named  l)e  Baugis  to 
Illinois  (o  assume  tii(>  command  at  Fort  St.  Louis,  wliicii  was  cliecrfuiiy 
rcliuquisiied  by  Tonti.  Aitiiougii  deprived  of  tiic  connnand.  Tonti  scion 
afterwards  bravely  beat  back  a  .savage  attack  l)y  the  Iroquois. 

A  better  loeatiim  than  Starved  Kock  the  experienced  frontiersnnin 
could  scarcely  have  found  for  the  building  of  a  fiu-t.  It  consists  of  an 
isolated  and  almost  inaccessible  rock  l:$0  to  140  feet  in  height.  Tiic 
side  facing  north  toward  the  Illinois  Kiver  is  almost  perpeiulicular,  the 
opposite  side  forming  a  steep  slope.  The  rouinled  top  has  an  area  ot 
tlirec-foiu'tiis  of  an  acie.  Altont  a  mile  to  the  southward  was  the  nuiin 
village  of  the  friendly  Illinois  Indians,  called  La  Vantum  and  number- 
ing at  that  timi-  ri.OOO  or  7.0(1(1  iniiabitants.  With  these  he  exi)ecfed  to 
earry  on  a  prolitablc  Iratlc.  wliiie  depending  upon  tln'm  to  assist  in 
repelling  the  attacks  of  tlicir  nnitual  enemies,  the  Iro<|uois.  Fiu'ther- 
niore.  a  fort  at  tills  point  woulil  t'orin  tlie  strategic  key  to  tliis  part  of 
tlic  lower  Illinois  valley  as  well  as  tlic  Mississippi  valley. 

Fort  St.  Louis  consisted  of  eartliworks  and  palisades,  siu'roinidiug 
a  storelionse  and  also  a  liiockhonsc.  serving  liu'  dtnible  ptu'pose  of  trad- 
ing station  and  barracks  for  the  garriscni.  By  means  of  a  wiiidla.ss 
watei'  was  hoisted  from  the  river.  Two  small  bra.ss  cannon,  mounted 
on  the  breastworks  in  sucii  a  position  as  easily  to  dominate  both  the 
river  on  the  north  and  the  i>lain  on  Ihe  south,  completed  tiic  armament. 
The  fort  was  soieimdy  dedicated  by  one  Father  Mendire  and  soon 
became  the  favorite  n'lidezvous  <<{'  liic  natives  id"  La  Vantum  ami  Ihe 
siirroiniiliiiL'  i-inuitry. 

.\it  iiiiiigii  anticipating  siil)si'(|iiciit  events,  tiic  history  td"  Starved 
\iitrk  may  as  well  iil  tills  point  lie  told  to  tin-  end.     Fnrt  St.  Louis  was 


LA  SAIJ<K     FRENCH  I-'ORTS 


21 


garrisoned  until  1702.  wlicn  11u>  pjaiTisoTi  was  witlidr'awii.  As  a  tra<ling 
post  tlie  fort  was  still  iiiaiiitaiiicd  until  1718,  when  it  was  captured  and 
iiui-iifd.  supposedly  by  the  conunon  enemy,  the  Iroquois  Indians.  The 
Illinois  were  theneeforth  left  in  peace  until  1722.  when  the  Foxes  made 
an    luisuecessfnl    attack.     In   order   to   avoid  further   molestation    the 


The  La  Salle  ^Nlonuineiit  in   Lincoln  Park 


I 


I 


remainder  of  the  dwellers  about  the  fort  removed  to  their  tribesmen 
that  dwelled  along  the  Mississippi.  The  few  that  stayed  behind  fell  an 
easy  prey  to  their  enemies.  In  the  year  1769  they  were  attacked  by 
tribes  from  the  north,  and,  being  severely  pressed,  sought  refuge  on  the 
high  rock  formerly  covered  by  Fort  St.  Louis.  Here  they  were  besieged 
by  the  enemy  for  twelve  days,  and  then,  exhausted  from  lack  of  food  and 
water,  made  a  desperate  night  attack  with  the  hope  of  breaking  through 
the  lines.    The  attempt  failed  totally,  all  Init  one.  an  Indian  half-breed, 


22  HISTORY  OK  ILLINOIS 

being  .slaughtered  and  scalped.  Long  afterwards,  when  the  whites 
again  began  to  settle  here,  humau  bones  lay  thickly  scattered  on  and 
about  the  rock,  as  grewsome  evidences  of  that  savage  battle,  and  to 
this  day  bones  are  said  to  bo  found  here  and  there  in  the  accumulated 
soil.  It  was  this  siege  and  the  starving  out  of  the  captives  that  gave  the 
name  to  the  historic  landmark,  known  ever  afterwards  as  Starved  Rock. 
Having  thus  iu-iefly  sketched  the  history  of  Fort  St.  Louis  and  its 
famous  site,  we  return  to  the  story  of  La  Salle  and  his  colonization  of 
Illinois. 

La  Salle  had  better  success  with  the  king  of  France  than  with  his 
obstinate  representiitive  at  Quebec.  The  government  set  aside  a  suitable 
siun  to  defray  the  expenses  of  colonizing  the  western  territory,  and  in 
July,  1684,  La  Salle  was  able  to  return  to  America  with  a  flotilla  of  four 
ships,  laden  with  all  the  necessaries  of  the  prospective  settlements  and 
carrying  2S0  colonists.  Of  this  number  one  hundred  were  soldiers,  the 
remainder  farmers  and  their  families,  sailors,  and  members  of  monastic 
orders.  The  bulk  of  these  emigrants,  however,  had  been  picked  up  hap- 
hazard in  the  cities  and  proved  to  be  poor  material  for  colony  building. 
Aflrr  a  long  stay  on  the  island  of  San  Domingo,  the  expedition  at 
longlli  entered  the  Gidf  and  arrived  in  the  first  part  of  January,  ir>85. 
off  the  Mi.ssi-ssippi  delta,  where  Touti  with  twenty  Frenchmen  and  thirty 
Indians  awaited  his  arrival.  The  expedition,  however,  by  some  miseal- 
culalioii,  sailed  past  the  mouth  of  the  river,  and  when  La  Salle  dis- 
covered the  mistake,  he  was  unable  to  persuade  Beaujeu,  the  command- 
ing officer  of  the  fleet,  to  turn  back.  He  obstinately  held  to  westward 
until  they  reached  the  Matagorda  Bay,  where  they  landed  in  boats. 
When  the  vessels  subsequently  entered  the  bay,  the  supply  ship  stnick 
a  shoal.  Part  of  the  cargo  was  landed  during  the  day,  but  the  following 
night  a  severe  gale  wrecked  the  vessel  and  scattered  the  great  bulk  of 
its  cargo  over  the  waves.  To  add  to  the  disa.ster.  the  Indians  of  the 
surrounding  i-cgion  flocked  to  the  shore,  intent  on  plundering  the  stores 
saved  from  the  wreck.  A  fight  ensued  in  which  several  natives  were 
killed.  Two  of  the  remaining  ships  innncdiatcly  set  sail  for  France, 
leaving  La  Salle  and  2150  Frenchmen  behind,  "\o  shift  for  themselves  as 
best  they  might,"  according  to  the  obstinate  Beaujeu. 

After  having  searched  the  region  in  all  directions  willumt  finding 
any  of  the  channels  of  the  .Mississippi  delta,  La  Salle  determined  to 
found  a  colony  with  fortifications  on  an  eminence  west  of  Matagorda 
Bay.  The  purpose  was  acconiplishcd  ami  the  settlement  namctl  St. 
Louis.  The  stores  Imidcd  would  iiavc  sufliced  for  several  years,  had 
the  colonists  been  industrious,  provident  and  peaceful  among  them- 
selves. Being  quite  the  reverse,  the  colonizing  scheme  thus  forced 
ui)on  La  Salle  by  circumslances  proved  a  complete  failure. 


FRENCH  MISSIONS  23 

In  December,  1685,  La  Salle  iiudertook  auother  expedition  in  search 
of  the  ^Mississippi,  but  failed  again.  In  April  of  the  following  year, 
accompanied  by  twenty  men,  he  made  an  expedition  to  New  Mexico 
in  search  of  gold,  but  again  Fortune  frowned  upon  his  undertaking. 
On  his  return  the  discouraging  news  awaited  him  that  the  colonists 
had  been  reduced  to  the  nniuber  of  forty,  the  remaining  ship  lost,  mid 
the  last  of  the  provisions  consumed. 

.Still  imdaunted,  La  Salle  determined  to  bring  recruits  and  pro- 
visions from  Canada.  On  January  12,  1687,  with  a  company  of  sixteen, 
he  started  on  a  march  northeast  through  the  boundless  wilderness.  In 
this  party  he  had  a  stanch  friend  in  a  relative  of  his,  a  young  man  by 
the  name  of  Moranget,  but  also  two  secret  enemies,  Duhaut  and 
L'Areheveque,  who  held  La  Salle  responsible  for  the  loss  of  all  their 
propei-ty,  which  they  had  risked  in  his  enterprise.  At  one  of  the  tribu- 
taries of  the  Trinity  River  these  men  killed  Jloranget  in  a  qviarrel,  and 
then  lay  in  ambush  for  La  Salle  himself,  who  on  his  arrival  at  the  spot 
was  .shot  doAvn  by  Duhaut.  The  slayer  and  his  accomplice  then  plun- 
dered the  corpse  and  left  it  on  the  prairie,  a  prey  to  the  wild  beasts. 
Thus  ended  the  strenuous  career  of  a  brave  and  illustrious  explorer. 

Shoi'tly  after  the  foul  deed  the  murderers  and  the  rest  of  the  party 
became  involved  in  a  fight  among  themselves,  in  which  Duhaut  fell, 
whereupon  his  sympathizers  joined  an  Indian  tribe.  The  remnant  of 
the  expedition,  a  small  group,  numbering  seven  men,  reached  Canada 
after  an  arduous  journey,  replete  with  privation  and  peril. 

The  colony  thus  founded  by  La  Salle  in  Texas,  though  originally 
intended  for  Illinois,  was  destroyed  soon  afterward  by  Spaniards  from 
Mexico,  who  invaded  this  region  and  established  their  claim  on  Texas 
territory. 

French  Missions  and  Colonies  in  Illinois 

Marquette's  visit  to  the  Kaskaskia  Indian  village,  near  the  present 
site  of  Utica,  and  the  baptism  of  Chief  Cassagoac  Avas  the  first  step 
towards  christianizing  Illinois.  During  his  second  visit  in  1675,  this 
zealous  missionary  of  the  church  established  the  mission  of  the  Im- 
maculate Conception  and  built  a  chapel  of  logs  and  bark,  the  first  house 
of  worship  in  Illinois.  This  missionary  work  was  resumed  April  27, 
1677,  by  the  aforesaid  Jesuit  priest.  Father  Claude  AUouez,  who  in  1686 
took  up  permanent  residence  at  the  mission.  He  died  in  1690  and  was 
succeeded  by  Father  James  Gravier  who  in  1693  succeeded  in  establish- 
ing the  mission  post  on  a  more  permanent  basis.  A  small  French  settle- 
ment grew  up  gradually  on  the  outskirts  of  the  Indian  village. 

When  the  French  in  1699  founded  a  settlement  at  Biloxi  in  the 
present  state  of  ilis^iissippi,  several  Indian  tribes  of  Illinois  prepared 


24  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

to  move  there  and  locate  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  colony.  Among 
those  that  actually  broke  camp  were  the  Kaskaskias  who,  however, 
traveled  southward  <iidy  as  far  as  the  river  that  l)ears  their  name.  Here 
they  settled  down,  about  six  miles  above  its  eontluenee  with  the  Jlissis- 
sippi.  and  built  a  village,  to  which  the  old  Kaskaskia  nii.ssion  also  was 
removed,  both  retaining  the  old  name.  At  the  head  Df  the  nii.ssion  at 
this  time  was  a  priest  named  Francis  Pinet.  A  French  colony  was 
gradually  formed,  which  as  early  as  1721  had  attained  such  develop- 
ment and  importance  that  the  Jesuits  deemed  it  expedient  to  found  a 
convent  and  a  school  at  that  point.  Four  years  later  the  village  was 
incorporated  as  a  town  by  permission  of  King  Louis  XV.  of  France. 

Tile  reason  wli>  tlie  French  colonies  were  attracted  to  southwestern 
Illinois  is  sujjposed  to  be  a  desire  to  locate  near  the  thoroughfare 
between  the  French  settlements  in  Canada  and  those  at  the  mouth  of 
the  ^Mississippi.  Travelers  ajid  traders  alike  iiad  now  practically 
abandoned  the  route  via  Lake  ^lieliigan  and  the  Ciiieago  Kiver  for  the 
one  along  the  Fox  and  Wisconsin  rivers  to  the  Mississipi>i.  Kaskaskia. 
in  its  most  prosperous  days,  about  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
numbered  2,00U  to  8.000  inhabitants.  Toward  the  end  of  the  century 
this  nundjer  gradually  lessened,  amounting  in  17G5,  when  the  town  was 
taken  by  the  English,  to  only  450.  Of  the  fate  of  this  town  we  will 
liMVc  occasion  to  speak  in  subsequent  pages. 

A  few  months  prior  to  the  founding  of  the  new  Kaskaskia.  certain 
French  Jesuits  establi.sbed  nearby,  at  or  near  the  present  location  of 
Cahokia,  St.  Clair  county,  a  mission,  around  which  there  sprang  up  a 
settlement  wiiicb  has  the  distinction  of  being  the  earliest  permanent 
French  colony  in  Illinois.  In  1701  the  mission  work  here  was  left  in  the 
hands  of  priests  educated  at  the  French  .seminary  in  Quebec.  These 
eventually  limited  their  endeavors  to  the  French  settlers,  leaving  the 
si)irilual  care  of  the  natives  to  the  Jesuits.  They  contiinied  their  work 
at  Cahokia  until  that  point  was  surrendered  to  the  English.  After 
that  event  this  old  town  also  began  to  deerea.se  in  poi)nlation  and  im- 
portance. Farther  on  in  the  com-.se  ol'  the  narrativi-  it  will  again  claim 
our  attention. 

After  tlu'  destruction  of  Fort  Crevecieur.  friars  of  the  Recollect 
Oi'der  began  a  mission  on  the  same  site,  but  the  work  was  soon  aban- 
doned. In  1711  we  find,  however,  a  French  missionary  station  located 
on  the  western  bank  of  the  river  and  surrounded  by  French  settlei-s. 
These  were  the  first  iidndtitants  of  the  jiresent  city  of  Peoria.  It  is 
positively  know  that  there  was  a  colony  at  this  point  in  172;"). 

Other  French  colonies  grew  up  around  the  (.rigiind  three  heretof«ire 
mentioned.  sn<h  as  St.  Philip,  forty-tive  miles  south  of  Cahokia.  Prairie 
dn  Ifoeher,  northwest  from  Kaskaskia.  and  west  of  the  Mississippi,  in 


KRKNCH   MISSIONS 


25 


c 
r. 


CPC! 


o 


the  present  state  of  ^Missouri,  St.  Louis  and  St.  Geuevieve.  As  early  a.s 
the  second  decade  of  the  eighteenth  century  France  thus  possessed  a 
considerable  colony  in  the  Mississippi  valley,  midway  between  its 
Canadian  settlements  and  those  founded,  also  in  the  early  part  of  the 
same  century,  near  the  Gulf  of  ^Mexico.  About  the  year  1730  these 
Mississippi  settlers  numbered  140  French  families  and  about  600  con- 
verted Indians,  together  with  quite  a  number  of  traders.  For  the  pro- 
tection of  their  midland  possessions  the  French  in  1718-20  erected  Fort 
Ghartres,  sixteen  miles  northwest  from  Kaskaskia.  The  fort  was  built 
of  limestone  from  an  adjacent  hill  on  a  very  low  site,  near  the  river 
bank.  The  ground  plan  Avas  an  irregular  rectangle  formed  on  three 
sides  by  stone  walls  of  a  thickness  of  2  feet  and  2  inches  and  on  the 
fourth  by  a  ravine  which  the  spring  freshets  filled  with  water.     This 


26  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

was  tlie  seat  of  goverunieiit  in  Illinois  ilurinfr  tlic  French  colonial 
period.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  French  and  Indian  War  in  1756,  the 
fort  was  rebuilt  at  a  cost  of  a  million  French  croAvns  and  was  then 
considered  the  strongest  fortress  on  the  North  American  continent. 
Its  story  will  be  continued  in  succeeding  pages. 

The  Fox  tribe  of  Indians  vacillated  between  the  English  and  the 
French  in  disposing  of  their  peltries.  Tlicy  had  control  of  the  portages 
of  the  St.  Joseph  and  Des  I'laines  rivers  to  Lake  ^lichigan  and  exacted 
toll  from  the  French  traders.  To  remove  this  barrier  to  commerce, 
the  French  determined  their  destruction,  and  one  branch  of  the  Foxes 
was  exterminated  in  1712  by  the  French  and  their  Indian  allies. 
JIassacres  followed  in  1716  on  the  Wisconsin  River,  and  the  Foxes  were 
driven  away  in  1728.  In  1730  they  were  on  their  way  east  to  seek 
protection  from  the  Wea  JNIianiis  in  northern  Indiana.  They  were  over- 
taken by  the  French  under  the  command  of  St.  Ange,  the  commandant 
at  Fort  Chartres,  and  by  the  Kickapoo,  JIascoutin  and  Illinois  tribes. 
The  Foxes  took  refuge  at  the  Big  Creek  of  the  Rock  River,  in  Kendall 
county,  and  built  a  fort.  But  they  and  their  enemies  were  both  starved, 
and  a  part  of  the  besieging  force  deserted.  On  September  8,  1730,  a 
violent  storm  arose,  during  which  the  Foxes  made  their  escape.  The 
next  day  tliey  were  overtaken  and  300  warriors  were  killed  or  taken 
prisoners,  their  women  and  childi'en,  numbering  one  thousand,  also 
falling  into  the  hands  of  their  cnomies.  The  facts  about  this  massacre 
were  until  recently  buried  in  the  archives  of  France 

To  the  history  of  the  French  in  Illinois  may  be  added  that  slavery 
was  introduced  by  them  at  this  time.  The  first  slave  trader  was  Pierre 
F.  Renault,  who  about  1722  sold  a  number  of  slaves  to  settlers  at 
Ka.skaskia.  Henceforth,  slavery  continued  in  Illinois  for  120  years. 
Tlie  constitution  of  1S18.  when  Illinois  was  granted  statehood,  forbade 
the  bringing  of  slaves  into  the  state,  yet  such  were  found  up  to  the  year 
1840,  when  they  disappeared,  at  least  from  the  census  records. 

Illinois  Under  Elng'lish  Rule 

Witii  envious  eye  England  walclied  the  extension  of  the  French 
possessions  toward  the  west  and  the  south,  while  its  own  were  limited  to 
a  comparatively  narrow  tract  along  the  Atlantic  coast.  Before  long, 
disjjutes  arose  over  the  boundary  lines  between  the  English  and  the 
French  i)ossessions,  resulting  in  a  war  which  materially  reduced  tiie 
French  dominion  in  America.  The  territory  thus  ceded  to  England 
included  the  present  state  of  Illinois. 

The  first  cause  of  dis])utc  was  the  chartering  of  a  colonizing  syn- 
dicate, entitled  The  Ohio  Company,  consisting  of  eight  members,  among 
wlioin  (icoriT''  Washington,  the  man  who  was  to  play  such  a  decisive 


THE  ENGLISH  PERIOD  27 

part  in  the  sliapiiig  of  the  civic  destinies  of  the  North  American  con- 
tinent. The  charter  gave  this  company  tlie  right  to  colonize  a  large 
tract  of  land  in  the  present  state  of  Ohio.  In  order  to  obtain  possession, 
the  company  began  erecting  a  fort  on  the  present  site  of  Pitts])urg, 
bnt  the  men  engaged  in  building  it  were  driven  away  by  a  large  force 
of  Frenchmen  and  Indians.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  French  and 
Indian  War,  one  of  the  bloodiest  conflicts  in  the  history  of  our  country. 

The  war  lasted  from  1754  to  1759,  simultaneously  and  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Seven  Year's  War  in  Europe.  In  the  colonial  war  the 
Indian  tribes  of  Canada,  the  region  of  the  Great  Lakes  and  the  Ohio 
basin  fought  on  the  side  of  the  French,  while  the  Iioquois,  the  Dela- 
wares,  the  Shawnees,  the  Miamis,  the  Wyandottes  and  various  other 
Indian  tribes  took  up  the  cause  of  the  English.  The  French  colonists 
who  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  English  or  their  savage  allies  were  treated 
with  the  utmost  cruelty.  The  war  was  carried  on  with  ever  changing 
fortunes,  imtil  the  English  finally  gained  the  upper  hand.  The  last 
decisive  battle  was  fought  on  the  Plains  of  Abraham,  south  of  Quebec, 
Sept.  12,  1759,  Avhere  the  ilnglish  commander.  General  Wolfe,  with  a 
well  trained  army  corps  of  5,000  men  utterly  defeated  the  French  army 
under  General  ^Montcalm,  which,  though  numerically  equal,  consisted 
chiefly  of  militiamen.  Of  these  500  fell  and  1,000  were  taken  prisoners. 
The  English  loss  was,  however,  almost  as  great,  600  men  being  killed  or 
wounded.  Both  generals  fell.  Five  days  after  the  battle  Quebec,  the 
main  stronghold  of  New  France,  capitulated,  whereby  the  key  to  the 
French  possessions  in  America  fell  into  the  hands  of  Great  Britain. 

The  preliminary  peace  protocol  was  signed  at  Montreal,  Sept.  8, 
1760,  by  General  Amherst,  the  British  commander-in-chief,  and 
Governor  de  Vaudreuil  of  New  France.  Thereupon  the  English  im- 
mediately began  to  take  possession  of  the  conquered  domains.  This, 
however,  proved  no  easy  task.  From  generation  to  generation  the 
Indians  had  become  warmly  attached  to  the  French  and  had  fought  side 
by  side  with  them  in  the  war  just  ended.  No  Englishman  had  hereto- 
fore settled  northwest  of  the  Ohio  River ;  the  Indians  still  held  posses- 
sion without  the  slightest  fear  of  being  dispossessed  by  the  English. 
They  were  willing,  as  before,  to  carry  on  commerce  with  English 
traders,  but  this  was  the  extent  of  their  courtesies. 

On  Nov.  29,  1760,  the  British  under  Major  Robert  Rogers  captured 
Detroit.  The  following  summer  they  took  possession  of  Michilimackinac 
at  the  outlet  of  Lake  Superior,  also  Green  Bay,  St.  Joseph  and  San- 
dusky, which  with  their  fortifications  had  remained  intact  during  the 
war.  This  was  true  also  of  Forts  Vincennes  and  Ouatanon  on  the 
Wabash  River,  as  well  as  of  the  French  villages  and  forts  in  Illinois. 
Far  distant  as  these  were  from  the  arena  of  war.  thev  had  not  been 


28  HISTORY  or  ILLINOIS 

threatfiK'd  witli  attack.  Hut  before  aii\-  steps  had  lieeii  taken  to  suit- 
jugate  tliese  |K)iuts.  tlic  western  tribes  determined  to  drive  out  the 
Eufjlish  from  tlie  strongholds  already  eaittured.  The  brave  Chief 
Pontiac,  their  leader,  headed  a  secret  conspiracy  to  attack  and  re- 
capture at  a  prei-oncerted  moment  all  tiie  strontrholds  lost  to  the 
English.  The  jtlan  was  carried  out  and  all  the  forts  recaptured,  with 
the  exce])tion  of  Detroit  and  Fort  Pitt  (Pittsliurg).  The  Indians  were 
again  undisputed  masters  of  the  entire  Xortliwest.  They  kept  up  the 
siege  of  Detroit  until  August  26,  1763,  when  General  Bradstreet  with 
a  large  force  of  Englishmen  came  to  the  i-elief  of  the  garrison  and  dis- 
l)ersed  the  Indians,  who  for  one  whole  year  kept  the  i>lace  so  completely 
blockaded  that  no  provisions  could  be  smuggled  in.  Fort  Pitt  was 
similarly  besieged  until  General  Bouquet,  about  the  time  of  the  relief 
of  Detroit  by  Bradstreet,  came  to  the  rescue.  Nothing  more  remained 
for  the  English  to  do  to  fulfill  the  terms  of  the  protocol  but  to  capture 
Forts  Vineenncs  and  Ouatanon  and  subdue  Illinois. 

Four  years  had  elapsed  since  the  signing  of  the  protocol,  and  still 
tlie  Englisli  made  no  show  of  peiu'trating  into  the  wilderness,  hesitating, 
no  doubt,  on  account  of  the  vast  areas  of  forest  and  jilaiu  which 
sti'etehed  ijetween  the  English  colonies  in  the  East  and  tlie  French 
settlements  in  Illinois.  Their  lir.st  attempt  was  the  sending  of  a  numer- 
ous expedition  by  boat  up  the  Jlississippi  in  order  to  pi-eelude  attacks 
by  Indians  with  French  .sympathies.  The  expedition,  numbering  HIK1 
men,  was  led  by  Major  Loftus.  In  flat-bottomed  boats  they  left  the 
Enirlish  fort.  Bayou  JIanchae,  on  the  Gulf,  aiul  proceeded  up  the  river. 
Tliey  were,  nevertheless,  soon  attacked  by  natives  of  the  Tonica  tribe, 
encamped  on  both  sides  of  the  river,  and  Major  Loftus  had  no  recourse 
i)nl  to  return. 

Meanwhile,  peace  had  been  declared  between  France  and  Engbind. 
also  otiier  iiartieijiants  in  the  Seven  Year's  W'nv.  and  the  treaty  <d" 
Paris,  signed  in  ITfi.'!.  advanced  tlie  frontier  of  the  Knglish  dominion  in 
America  from  liie  Oliio  to  llie  .Mississii)])i,  thereby  subjecting  Illinois, 
nominally  at  least,  to  British  rule. 

While  waiting  for  the  final  treaty  of  peace.  French  traders  in 
Illinois,  as  heretofoj-e,  carried  on  tln'ir  connncrce  in  hides  and  fui's  with 
the  Indians,  disposing  of  their  stock  in  St,  Louis  and  New  Orleans  at 
high  prices.  This  put  n(>w  obstacles  in  the  way  of  the  final  ratilii-ation 
of  the  peace  treaty,  for  as  soon  as  this  was  don<'  th(  I'-nglish  tradi-rs 
would  supersede  the  French  and  the  commerce  wouUl  seek  a  channel 
over  the  (ireat  Lakes  insteatl  of  the  Mississippi,  and  England  deemed 
th<'  Indian  trade  of  Illinois  of  so  irreat  importance  that  Sir  William 
Johnson,  superintendent  ol'  ilie  Itriiish  Indian  Uureau.  was  authorized 
to  secure  coiifi-iil  of  it  at  once.    To  gain  tills  end.  Sir  William  Johnson 


I 


! 


Till-;  iCNCi.isii  riCRioi)  29 

appointed  George  Crogaii,  an  aeeoiiii)li.slir<l  uriiccr  and  a  man  ol'  ex- 
perience in  similar  matters,  as  his  special  coinnnssioini-.  Crofjan  set 
out  from  Fort  Pitt  for  Illinois  in  ^lay,  ITtl").  After  various  Indian 
skirmishes,  a  delegation  of  natives  under  the  leadership  of  the  haiighty 
Chief  Pontiae  met  him  in  eouneil  in  1h<'  month  of  July,  this  being  the 
first  time  the  Indians  would  meet  the  British  in  peaceful  negotiations. 
After  Pontiae  had  agreed  to  cease  hostilities,  to  use  his  influence  for 
peace  Avith  kindred  tril)es,  and  in  their  helialf  to  guarantee  the  British 
undisputed  possession  of  Illinois,  Ci'ogan  had  no  fui'tliei-  pnr|iiisi'  in 
proceeding  westward,  Init  turned  back  and  visited  Detroit,  where 
another  council  with  the  Indians  was  held.  Thence,  he  returned  to 
Sir  William  Johnson,  whose  headquarters  were  on  th^  ^Mohawk  Hiver, 
and  reported  the  successful  outcome  of  his  mission. 

In  accordance  with  the  original  plan,  the  British  military  forces 
started  from  Fort  Pitt  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  to  take  formal 
possession  of  Illinois.  It  consisted  of  120  men  of  the  Forty-second 
Highlanders  under  Captain  Stirling.  The  company  arrived  at  Fort 
Chartres  near  the  jimctiou  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi  rivers  on 
October  10th.  The  same  day  the  French  flag  was  hauled  down  and 
the  British  colors  hoisted  in  its  stead.  Henceforth  Illinois  was  British 
territory  in  fact  as  well  as  in  name. 

The  first  official  act  after  the  occupation  of  Fort  Chartres  was 
the  issuance  of  a  proclamation  guaranteeing  to  the  inhabitants  civil 
and  religious  libertj\  The  latter  was  all  that  these  Frenchmen  coveted, 
holding,  as  they  did,  that  hardly  anything  could  bi  done  to  extend 
their  political  freedom.  But  the  idea  of  reorganizing  their  communities 
along  British  lines,  with  various  office  holders,  did  not  enter  their 
mind.  They  continued  their  patriarchal  form  of  village  government, 
with  the  priest  as  chief  advisor  in  worldly  as  well  as  spiritual  affairs. 

Three  months  after  his  arrival  at  Fort  Chartres,  Captain  Stirling 
died  and  IMajor  Frazier  succeeded  him  as  governor  of  Illinois.  Though 
under  British  rule,  the  French  pioneers  continued  so  peaceful  and  law- 
abiding  that  the  British  troops  in  the  spring  of  1766  were  sent  away 
as  superfluous.  The  soldiers  departed  by  way  of  the  Mississippi,  des- 
tined for  Pensacola,  Florida,  whence  they  sailed  for  Philadelphia, 
arriving  Jime  15th. 

One  Colonel  Reed  succeeded  Frazier  as  governor,  but  his  despotic 
manner  brought  him  into  such  disfavor  with  the  people,  that  he  was 
soon  in  turn  succeeded  by  Colonel  Wilkins,  who  arrived  at  Kaskaskia 
Sept.  5,  1768.  The  21st  of  that  month  the  new  governor  was  ordered  by 
General  Gage,  his  superior,  to  establish  a  court  at  Fort  Chartres.  Seven 
judges  were  consequently  appointed  and  on  Dec.  9th  of  that  year  the 
first  English  court  of  law  in  Illinois  opened  its  sessions.    After  existing 


30  HISTORY  OH  ILLINOIS 

for  a  century  witliout  a  court  of  law,  the  Freucli  had  established  such 
a  court  iu  1722. 

The  principles  of  British  territorial  government  were  clearly  set 
forth  in  the  proclamation  of  Oct.  24,  1765,  by  King  George  the  Third, 
and  in  the  successive  proclamation  of  1772.  In  these  acts  private 
OAvnership  of  realty  was  forbidden,  which  fact  leads  one  to  believe  that 
the  government  purposed  to  divide  the  land  in  large  estates  to  be 
granted  to  favorites  by  the  crown.  Fortunately,  British  supremacy 
in  Illinois  did  not  last  long  enough  to  bring  about  a  system  so  dangerous 
to  the  future  develoimient  of  the  territory. 

June  2.  1774,  the  British  parliament  adopted  an  act,  known  as  the 
Quebec  Bill,  by  which  the  boundaries  of  Canada  were  extended  so  as  to 
iMiibrace  all  of  the  territory  north  of  the  Ohio  River.  This  was  the  first 
action  of  parliament  that  aroused  actual  dissatisfaction  among  the 
colonists,  principally  those  of  Virginia.  It  encroached  upon  the  terri- 
tory of  that  colony,  whose  original  grant  stretched  across  the  Ohio,  and 
was  particularly  odious  to  the  private  colonizing  companies  which  at 
that  time  planned  to  direct  emigration  into  the  valley  of  the  Ohio. 
Certain  acts  of  Lord  Dunmore,  the  last  colonial  governor  of  Virginia, 
angered  the  people  on  the  frontier,  and  they  made  their  di.si>leasure 
known  in  a  way  that  unmistakably  presaged  a  coming  uprising,  long 
l)i'fore  any  revolutionary  tendencies  could  In'  discerned  in  Boston  and 
Pliiladclphia. 

Captain  Hugli  Lord  seems  to  have  been  the  last  of  the  English 
governors  of  Illinois,  and  no  more  troops  were  sent  there.  The  popu- 
lation, now  made  up  of  half-breeds  as  well  as  French  and  Indians,  was 
left  to  govern  itself  under  tlie  direction  of  I'liilippe  Francois  de  Hast  el. 
Chevalier  de  Rocheblave,  in  the  capacity  of  military  commander,  terri- 
torial governor  and  .indge  of  the  provincial  council.  Rocheblave  was 
till'  las)  connuander  in  Illinois  inidcr  British  sovereignty,  contiiniing  in 
that  cai)acity  until  the  Americans  claimed  possession. 

F'ort  Chartres  remained  the  seat  of  government  initil  1772,  when 
one  side  of  the  f(H-1  was  destroyed  by  a  Mississippi  llood.  On  a  hill 
near  llie  Knskaskia  River,  opposite  the  town  of  the  same  name,  the 
English  erected  Fort  Gage  the  same  year,  making  this  the  administra- 
tivi!  Iiea(li|uarters.  Fort  Gage  was  built  enlirely  of  wood,  being  in- 
ferior to  the  former  stronghold  now  left  to  fall  into  ruin.  The  river 
floods  have  Ioiil'  since  completed  the  work  of  diMuolilion.  leaving  no 
vestige  of  this  wliiliun  prmid  mid  forbidding  citadel. 

The  American  Occupation 

The  Continental  Congress,  made  up  of  represeidatives  of  the 
thirteen  colonies,  assendiled  in   IMiiliidelphia  Sept.  5,  1774.     This  eon- 


Till-   AMKRICAX  OCCri'ATION 


31 


gress  soon  set  about  forming  an  American  home  govcM-nnient  to  take 
the  place  of  tlie  British,  which  had  became  oppressive  and  odious. 
On  June  13th  of  the  following  year  throe  Indian  departments  were 
instituted,  viz.,  the  Soutliern,  the  Nortliern  and  the  Central,  tlie  last 
named  end)racing  Illinois.    As  its  officers  were  chosen  Benjamin  Frank- 


Brigadier  General  George  Rogers  Clark 


lin  and  James  Wilson  of  Pennsylvania,  and  Patrick  Henry  of  Virginia. 
Owing  to  the  remoteness  of  the  territory  under  their  supervision  no 
practical  benefits  accrued  to  it,  the  plan  simply  denoting  the  first 
official  act  in  the  acquirement  of  the  western  territory. 

On  April  10,  1776,  Col.  George  ]\Iorgan,  a  former  trader  at  Kas- 
kaskia,  was  appointed  Indian  Agent  for  this  department  to  succeed 


HISTORY  OF  II.MNOIS 
32 

,.       ,  .-  1  w;u,.n      II.-  rcsKl.-a  at  Fort  Pitt,  but  his  office  reiiuired 

r^::;:^^  In  In-r^f  t,.  we.  for  the  purpose  of  befr^nd^ 
1,  "  ,[;..;,;  The  British  agents,  however,  had  already  obtatned  the.r 
friendship,  and  Mortrau-s  eff..rts  pn.ved  needless.  ,,-,„. 

n  the  meanthne  the  revolutionary  n,oven,ent  made  great  .s  nd  s^ 
Among  its  most  entlntsiastie  promoters,  and  those  who  ,na.le  h 
teatest  sacrifices  in  its  support,  were  the  people  on  the  N  .rgn  m 
fron  er  Prominent  among  them  was  Col.  George  Rogers  Clark 
h  ms  a  Virgitnan.  He  was  one  of  a  number  of  men  who  had  fotmded 
s  nJnts  in  Kentucky,  but  had  returned  Oct.  1.  1TT<.  to  subm.t  o 
Go  en  or  Patrick  Henry  of  Virginia  a  plan  for  the  occupat.on  of  I  h- 
nr  After  repeated  representations  the  governor  finally  approved  the 
nlan    and  Col.  Clark  prepared  to  carry  it  out.  .  .  ,    ,  , 

't  utmost  precauti..n  was  needed,  for  had  the  Unt.sh  learned 
of  th  cnterprisl.  they  would  have  immediately  scM,t  troops  fron. 
Detroit  to  interrupt  the  Clark  expedition  and  prevent  further  progress 
and  in  all  likelihood  would  have  reinforced  Fort  Gage  w.th  a  strong 
'"  rri  on  The  expedition  entbarked  at  Pittsburg,  followmg  the  Oh.o 
S  :iwn  to  a  iomt  near  its  Junction  with  the  M^s.ss.pp.^ whence 
it  proceeded  overland  to  Kaskaskia,  then  a  town  of  about   1.0..0  u.- 

'"^"irlh,.  evening  of  Jtdy  4.  1778,  Clark  and  his  n.cn  "'•'•J^-^"'^  «*  /•;;'^ 
Gage     No  Knglish  were  found  there,  only  a  handtul  ol  1-  rcnch  don., 
garrison  dutv  under  the  connnand  of  Roeheblave.    The  ndmb.tants  o 
S^kaskia  were  con,pletely  taken  by  surprise  by  the  Amencans    a   d 
no  resistance  was  offered.    A  Pennsylvanuin  who  chanced  to  be  an.on^ 
I  occupants  of  the  fort  secretly  admitted  the  Amer.cans  at  n  ,  r 
So  complete  was  the  surprise  that  the  ->'"'-;-l='"' .";'"'^':'   .^^"^ ]"; 
bv  the  entering  encn.y   soundly   asleep  by   Ins  w.te  s  sale,   and   x  as 
udelv  awakened  only  to  be  put  in  irons,  as  were  also  "  n-nber  of  h 
men.  while  the  remainder  of  the  population  were  f-'- :^-'  '; / '", . 
thei    houses,  on  penalty  of  being  shot  without  mercy       lo  add  to     u 
am  of  the   peL.ful  citizens,  the   Anu-ricaus  patrolhng     he  st  eets 
:    ;:;.ed  ..acklnd  .„..,,  ,„aking  nighf  hideous  by  no.e  >^ff^^^ 

Kn r  ha.l  porUaye.l  the  Anu-rican  soldiers  as  a  band  ui  unsd    s. 

Clark,  knowing  this,  .letcrn.incd  to  take  advantage  of  the  fact.     Is 
purpose  was  at  first  to  strike   terror   into   the   n.hab.tanls   b>    s h 
,,,entless  severity,  ami  afterwards  gain  th.-ir  fr.endsh.p  and  confide  u 
,,,    ,..,,..if..,    and    eonsiderate    trcatn.ent.      He    succeeded    admu-ablj 
liefore  thev   ha-l  any   inkling  .d"  his  ptu-pose.  the   mhalnlanis  sent    a 
llHegation -headed    by    their    priest.    Father    tiibauh.    w.th    a    hum.  le 
HMiuest  that  thev  be  pern.ilted  to  assend.le  once  nn.re  at  church  to  bid 
,„..!,  other  a  la.st  farewell  before  being  scattered  in  various  d.ree  lons. 
as   Ihcv   fean-d.     Their   r .est   was   irn.i.te.l   on   the  spee.t.e   cond.t.on 


THE  AMERICAN  OCCII'ATION 


33 


I 


o 


►4 
o 


-  '^K*:.^^' 


fe      V      fo        f 


34  HISTORY  Ol    ILLINOIS 

that  110  one  leave  the  town.  After  the  meeting  in  the  church  Father 
Gibault  and  a  eoniniittee  ajrain  railed  on  Clark,  i)rayiiig  that,  a.s  they 
were  aliout  to  be  exiled  from  their  lionie.s,  they  might  be  i)ermitted  to 
take  with  them  provisions  and  other  necessities,  and  that  mothers  might 
not  be  separated  from  tlieir  children.  Clark  listened  to  their  suppliea- 
tions  witii  visible  sui-prise  and  then  exi-laimed:  "Wiiatl  Do  you  take 
us  for  savages?" 

It  were  needless  to  say  tliat  tlie  reverend  father  and  his  eom- 
l^anions  were  equally  surprised  and  elated  at  this  good-natured  retort. 
Then  this  fierce  colonel  and  his  band  of  Americans  had  not  come  to 
drive  tlieni  from  tlieir TA^desJ  and  depi'ive  them  of  their  property  and 
religious  f reedpiii  .'^^  On  the  contrary,  tliey  had  eome  merely  to  institute 
the  new  government  find  place  Illinois  under  its  protection,  the  settlers 
learning  imw  for  the  first  time  and  to  their  satisfaction  that  this 
government  had  been  officially  recognized  by  France.  Cahokia  and  the 
other  French  villages  in  Illinois  willingly  recognized  the  authority  of 
Clark,  and  Illinois  had  thereby  all  Init  nominally  ceased  to  be  a  British 
dependency. 

Clark's  position  was,  however,  rather  precarious.  Fort  Pitt,  the 
only  point  from  which  he  could  obtain  reinforcements  in  an  emergency, 
was  situated  five  hundred  miles  away,  with  the  French  village  of 
Vincennes  and  Fort  Sackville,  still  held  by  the  British,  intervening 
between  him  and  his  military  base  of  supplies.  It  was,  therefore,  of 
the  utmost  importance  that  this  point  be  taken  and  that  the  British  be 
prevented  from  sending  reinforcements  from  Detroit.  Father  Gibault 
and  one  Captain  Helm,  together  with  a  small  number  of  men,  offered 
to  go  to  Vincennes  and  persuade  the  French  to  take  up  tlie  American 
cause.  Tlieir  mission  succeeded,  and  Captain  Helm  was  made  com- 
mandant at  Fort  Sackville,  but  all  too  soon  the  fears  of  Col.  Clark 
were  realized.  On  Dee.  loth,  Henry  Hamilton,  the  English  governor 
at  Detroit,  ajjpeared  outside  of  Vincennes  with  a  force  of  thirty  British 
soldiers,  fifty  French  volunteers  and  four  hundred  Indian  warriors. 
At  the  fort  Ca])tain  Helm  stood  ready  to  lire  what  appears  to  have  been 
the  ordy  cannon  of  the  fort.  When  Ilaniilton  and  his  soldiei-s  had 
arrived  within  iiearing  distance.  Helm  shouted  a  thundering  "Halt!" 
To  this  Hamilton  replied  with  a  demand  on  Helm  to  capitulate.  This 
Helm  agreed  to  do,  on  condition  that  he  might  depart  without  the 
cu.stoniary  military  honors.  Hamilton  consented,  and  out  marciied  the 
commandant  and  the  entire  garrison — oiu^  lone  soldier. 

This  made  Clark's  jiosition  more  perilous  than  ever,  but  he  proved 
himself  master  of  the  situation.  Having  been  informed  in  January, 
177II,  that  Hamilton  had  somewhat  reduced  the  garrison  at  Fort 
Sackville  by  sending  a  small  force  to  blockade  the  ()hio  IJiver  in  orilor 
lo  cut  olV  the  retreat  of  the  .\mericans,  the  fearless  Col,  Clark  deter- 


THE  AMI'RICAN  OCCIPATIOX 


35 


O 


a; 

o 


36 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


mined  to  take  flie  fort  by  surprise.  Forming  a  company  of  French 
volunteers,  which  raised  his  fighting  strength  to  170  men,  he  marched 
on  Fort  Sai-kvillc.  while  a  vessel  luider  John  Rojrers'  command,  witli 
a  crew  of  4ti  and  a  cargo  of  supplies,  was  dispatched  down  the  ^lissis- 
sippi  and  up  the  Ohio  and  Wabash  rivers  to  co-operate  with  the  laud 
forces.  It  was  only  with  the  Rreatost  difficulty  that  ("lark  and  his  men 
succeeded  in  crossing  the  swollen  Wabash.  The  vessel  failing  to  arrive 
on  time,  he  temporarily  provisioned  his  forces  at  an  Indian  village  and 
advanced  bravely  on  Fort  Sackville.  They  arrived  Feb.  24th,  and 
after  a  hard-fought  battle  of  twenty-four  hours,  the  fort  surrendered. 
This  was  practically  the  only  battle  incident  to  the  conquest  of  Illinois 
by  the  Americans. 

Previous  to  this  battle,  tlie  Americans  had  made  prei)arations  for 
a  system  of  government  for  the  territory.  The  legislative  a.ssembly  of 
Virginia  in  October,  1778,  resolved  to  institute  a  temporary  govern- 
ment, and  on  this  act  Col.  John  Todd,  second  in  command  under  Clark, 
based  a  proclamation,  issued  June  15,  1779,  declaring  the  entire 
territory  a  county  of  Virginia,  to  be  known  as  the  comity  of  Illuiois. 
The  same  year  a  fort  was  erected  on  the  east  bank  of  tiie  Jlississippi. 
a  short  ilistanee  below  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio,  designed  to  i)rotect  the 
territory  against  the  Spanish,  who.  besides  other  extensive  possessions 
in  the  Now  World,  since  1762  claimed  the  entire  territory  west  of  the 
Mississippi.  Col.  Todd  fell  in  the  battle  of  Blue  Licks,  Kentucky, 
August  18,  1782,  and  was  succeeded  by  Timothy  Montbrun,  a  Frencii- 
man,  as  eoniiiiandaiit  of  Illinois. 

An  old  li-adinfr  post  named  Fort  .Massac  was  established  about  1700 
by  the  French  in  soullnrii  Illinois,  on  the  Ohio  Kivcr.  In  1758  they 
rcl)uilt  it  as  a  bulwark  ajrainst  the  Knglisli  diirinjr  the  French  and 
Indian  War.  After  having  been  ceded  to  the  Hritish  in  17t!.").  the  fort 
was  left  imoccu|)ifd.  This  made  it  possible  for  Gen.  Clark  to  float  down 
the  Ohio  River  unniolested.  The  fort  was  rebuilt  in  17!U  and  was 
occupied  by  an  American  garrison  until  after  tin-  War  of  1812,  when  it 
wa.s  abandoned.  As  late  as  1S4:{  it  was  decided  to  build  an  arsenal 
here,  Imt  this  was  instead  established  at  Rock  Island.  Earthworks  still 
mark  the  site  of  the  fort,  which  is  now  a  state  park. 

In  1782  the  first  American  settlement  in  Illinois  was  founded 
in  present  Monroe  comity  and  significantly  named  New  Design.  Tiie 
settlers  were  .Jaiiies  ]\Ioore,  Sliadrach  Hond,  -lames  Garrison,  Robert 
Kidd  and  Larken  Rutherford,  the  la.st  two  having  served  in  Clark's 
little  band  of  soldiers.  In  the  summer  of  17S1  these  men  came  with 
their  families  acro.ss  the  Alleghany  .Monnlains.  boarded  a  river  vessel 
in  Pittsburg,  and  were  carried  down  the  Ohio  to  the  Mississipjii,  and 
up  this  river  to  the  point  selected  for  the  selllenient. 

ily  the  treaty  of  Paris,  Sejit.  '.\.  MS'.l,  Kngland  recognized  the  inde- 


TERRITORY  AND  STATE 


37 


pendeuee  of  the  I'liited  States.  The  territory  thereby  ceded  to  the 
new  republic  included  Illinois,  and  after  the  ratification  of  the  treaty 
of  peace  by  the  congress  at  Philadelphia,  on  Jan.  14,  1784,  Illinois 
became  an  integral  part  of  the  United  States  and  passed  into  a  new 
<tnd  important  epoch  of  development. 

Illinois  as  a  Territory  and  a  State  in  the  Union 

On  July  13,  1787,  congress  jiassed  the  Northwest  Ordinance,  by 
which  all  the  region  north  of  the  Ohio  River  was  organized  as  the 
Northwest  Teri'itory.    October  5th  of  the  same  year  Arthur  St.  Clair, 


•^^'y 


^ 


^^■^'^.■■•'^x,:'-^. 


The  Old  Cahokia  Court  House  (1795) 


an  officer  of  prominence  in  the  Revolutionary  War,  was  appointed 
governor.  July  9th  of  the  following  year  he  arrived  at  Marietta,  a 
newly  founded  settlement  on  the  Muskingum  River,  designated  as  the 
seat  of  government.  The  first  county  in  Ohio  was  organized  under 
the  name  of  Washington.  In  June,  1790,  Hamilton  county  was  or- 
ganized, and  a  few  weeks  later  the  governor  together  with  Winthrop 
Sargeant,  the  territorial  secretary,  made  a  journey  to  Kaskaskia  and 
organized  the  settled  portions  of  Illinois  as  a  county,  named  St.  Clair 
in  honor  of  the  governor.  A  court  was  established  at  Cahokia,  and  a 
justice  of  the  peace  appointed  in  each  village.     Five  years  later  the 


38 


HISTORY  OI-   ILLINOIS 


increase  in  population  necessitated  the  organization  of  another  county, 
which  was  named  Randolph. 

By  an  act  of  congress  ilay  7,  1800,  the  Northwest  Territory  was 
divided  in  two,  tiie  one  comprising  Ohio,  the  other  Indiana.  Illinois, 
Wisconsin  and  portions  of  Michigan  and  Minnesota.  Simultaneously, 
William  Henry  Harrison  was  appointed  governor  and  John  Gibson 
secretarv  of  the  latter,  called  Indiana  Teri'ilorv.    Vinccnnes  wa.s  chosen 


Niiiiaii    Ivilw^irils,  Tirrilnriiil    ('.nviTiior    1S09   iS.       liiiU'il    Stales    SiiiaUir    iSi.S  2.\. 

Third  Cmvenior  1S2730. 

capital  ;lih1  Ihc  new  governor  ai-rived  .l;m.  in.  IMM.  lU  order  of  llie 
governor  a  territorial  legislature  was  elect ed  .Ian.  ',i,  1805,  and  a.ssem- 
bled  at  \'inceimes.  Siiadrach  Hond  and  William  Higgs  were  eleefed 
represenlalivcs  of  St.  ("lair  county  and  (Jeorge  Fisher  representative 
of  Randolph  eounty.  These  three  men,  the  first  members  of  a  legisla- 
tive body  ill  Illinois,  met  for  their  first  session  .lidy  '2'Mh  of  the  smne 
year. 


TERRITORY  AND  STATE 


39 


Previously,  however,  Indiana  Territory  had  already  been  divided 
by  an  act  of  congress,  passed  Jan.  11,  1805,  the  lower  Michigan  penin- 
sula forming  a  separate  territory.  Four  years  later,  in  February, 
1809,  a  second  division  took  place,  making  a  new  territory,  nained 
Illinois,  out  of  the  present  states  of  Illinois  and  Wisconsin  and  the  upper 
peninsula  of  Michigan.  Ivaskaskia  was  made  its  capital  and  Edwards, 
the  first  governor,  entered  upon  his  administration  tlie  following  11th 
of  June.     The  census  of  1810  showed  a  population  of  12,282  in  the 


Old  Kaskaskia  house,  in  which  the  first  Territorial  Legislature 
is  said  to  have  met  in   1812 


territory.  Three  new  counties,  Madison,  Gallatin  and  Johnson,  were 
organized,  and  the  territorial  privileges  were  gradually  enhanced. 
Thus  it  was  given  a  seat  in  congress  in  1812,  Shadrach  Bond  being  the 
first  territorial  delegate. 

In  January,  1818,  Nathaniel  Pope  being  the  delegate,  the  territorial 
assembly  petitioned  congress  for  statehood.  The  petition  was  granted, 
and  out  of  the  aggregation  of  small  and  widely  scattered  settlements 
was  formed  a  state  of  the  Union  with  all  the  rights  and  privileges 
thereunto  appertaining.  The  boundaries  then  fixed  have  remained 
intact.  The  following  stimmer  a  constitutional  convention  was  held 
at  Kaskaskia,  with  attending  delegates  from  all  the  counties  then 
existing,  viz.,  St.  Clair,  Kandolph,  Madison,  Gallatin,  Johnson,  Ed- 
wards,  White,  Monroe,  Pope,  Jackson,  Crawford,  Bond,  Union,  Wash- 


40 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


ingtou  aufl  Franklin.  The  constitution  was  adopted  in  August  and 
the  first  state  election  took  place  in  September,  resulting  in  the  unan- 
imous election  of  Sliadraeh  Bond,  the  only  candidate,  as  governor, 
Pierre  Menard  as  lieutenant  governor,  and  Elias  Kent  Kane  as  secre- 


Sliailrach   Hoiid,   iMrst  Governor  of  Illinois 


tary  ol"  slate.  Those  entered  iiikhi  ilicir  tlutics  thi'  (itli  of  October 
rolliiwing. 

ill  1820  Vaiidalia  beeaino  the  caiiital  (if  tlir  new  state,  and  Kaskas- 
i<ia  from  that  time  began  to  fall  oil'  in  |>ii|iiilation  and  importance. 
Today  only  a  small  groiiji  of  iliiiiiiidatcd  Iniildiiigs  bear  evidence  of 
its  former  dignity. 

A  similar  fate  befell  the  still  older  eommuiiity  of  Cahokin.  Both 
places  havitig  for  a  time  siiared  the  functions  of  county  seat  in  S?t. 
Clair  county,  ("aiiokia,  after  the  organization  of  Handolph  county,  held 


TERRITORY  AND  STATE  4, 

that  distiuctiou  aloue  until  ISli,  when  Belleville  became  the  adminis- 
trative center.  This  meant  the  passing  of  Cahokia.  In  1890  the  place 
had  but  100  inhabitants,  a  considerable  number  of  whom  were  descend- 
ants of  the  early  French  settlers  at  that  point. 

Vandalia  became,  as  stated,  the  capital  of  the  new  commonwealth. 
The  first  capitol  building  was  a  plain  two-story  frame  structure.  The 
first  story  contained  a  single  room,  used  as  the  assembly  hall  of  the 
House  of  Representatives.  The  upper  story  was  divided  into  two 
rooms,  the  one  occupied  by  the  Senate,  the  other  by  the  Council  of 
Revision.  For  the  use  of  the  secretary  of  state,  the  treasurer  and  the 
state  auditor  individual  ofSces  were  rented  in  the  vicinity  of  the  capitol. 
The  state  archives  at  the  time  of  removal  from  Kaskaskia  to  Vandalia 
comprised  a  single  wagonload  of  documents.  The  legislature  at  its 
first  session  in  Vandalia  resolved  that  this  city  be  the  seat  of  govern- 
ment for  twenty  years,  beginning  Dec.  1,  1820. 

This  modest  capitol  building  was  destroyed  by  fire  Dee.  9,  1823. 
whereupon  a  larger  and  more  commodious  brick  edifice  was  erected  at 
a  cost  of  $15,000,  the  citizens  of  Vandalia  contributing  $3,000  towards 
this  amount.  Regardless  of  the  resolution  pertaining  to  the  location 
of  the  capitol,  agitation  was  begim  the  very  same  year  in  favor  of 
selecting  another  capital  city,  owing  to  the  fact  that  the  northern  part 
of  the  state  had  become  so  densely  populated  that  Vandalia  was  no 
longer  the  central  point.  At  the  legislative  election  in  August,  1834, 
the  question  was  submitted  to  a  popular  vote,  the  city  of  Alton  receiv- 
ing the  largest  niunber  of  votes,  with  Springfield  second.  One  of  the 
reasons  urged  in  favor  of  a  removal  was  that  the  capitol  building, 
though  little  over  ten  years  old,  did  not  meet  the  growing  requirements. 
The  enterprising  maj^or  of  the  capital  was  opposed  to  the  plan,  and  to 
stop  all  talk  of  removal  on  accoimt  of  the  inadequacy  of  the  structure, 
in  the  smnmer  of  1836  set  about  tearing  down  the  old  building  without 
reference  to  the  will  of  the  legislature,  and  subsequently  put  up  a  new 
building,  utilizing  the  old  and  adding  new  material  at  a  cost  of  $16,000. 
This  coup  proved  of  no  avail,  however,  for  on  Feb.  28,  1837,  the  legis- 
lature, disregarding  the  popular  vote  of  1834,  resolved  to  make  Spring- 
field the  capital  city.  The  legislature  assembled  in  the  state  house  at 
Vandalia  in  December,  1838,  for  the  la.st  time,  thereupon  turning  the 
rebuilt  structure  over  to  Fayette  county  for  a  courthouse  g,nd  school 
building.  Remodeled  in  1858-9.  this  same  structure  today  serves  as  the 
county  courthouse. 

For  the  capitol  building  in  Springfield  the  legislature  appropriated 
the  sum  of  $50,000  and  the  city  contributed  an  equivalent  amount, 
whereupon  the  cornerstone  was  laid  with  appropriate  ceremonies  July 
4,  1837.  On  the  same  day  two  years  later  the  administration  moved 
into  the   new   statehouse,   which,   however,   was   not    completed   until 


42 


HIST«)RY  OI-  ILLINOIS 


1853,  when  it  had  cost  the  state  $260,000  or  more  than  double  the 
original  estimate  of  $120,000.  The  building  was  considered  a  master- 
piece of  architecture  as  well  as  a  structure  of  extravagant  magnitude, 
yet  fifteen  years  after  its  completion  the  enormous  growth  of  the  .state 
had  shrunk  it  into  inadequacy.  The  legislature,  therefore,  on  Feb. 
25,  1867,  resolved  to  sell  it  to  the  city  of  i^pringfield  and  the  county 
of  Sangamon  at  a  price  of  .$200,000  and  to  erect  a  new  capitol.  the 


i 


i^l 


The-  SlaU-  Ca]>it()l  at  Springfield 


fifth  in  tlie  history  of  the  young  state.  The  cost  was  fixed  at  a  max- 
imum of  three  million  dollars.  The  cornerstone  wa.s  laid  Oct,  .'»,  1SG8, 
and  twenty  years  Avere  required  to  complete  the  building.  It  then 
represented  an  expenditure  of  about  $4.r)00.000.  During  tliis  long 
period  the  tax  i)ayers  had  repeatedly  fomul  fault  with  the  extreme 
laxity  in  building  operations  as  well  as  the  unwarranted  waste  of  the 
funds  of  the  state.  At  all  events,  a  capitol  worthy  of  the  state  was 
erected.  It  is  a  wortiiy  monument  to  the  enterprise  of  a  eonunonwealth 
that  had  so  suddenly  sprinig  from  an  isolated  territory  to  become  one 
of  tiic  most  lloui-ishing  and  iMiUiential  states  of  the  Union. 

Among  liie  early  problems  tiiat.  pressed  for  a  solution  was  the 
question  of  im|)roved  transportation  facilities.  The  slate  iiad  a  numbi'r 
of  inivigablc  waterways,  sueh  as  liie  .Mississippi,  the  Ohio,  the  Wabasii. 


TERRITORY  AND  STATE  43 

the  Illinois  and  the  Kock  rivers,  yet  the  vast  stretelies  of  prairie  that 
intervened  were  traversed  only  with  great  difficulty.  The  old  commer- 
cial route,  leading  from  Lake  Michigan  along  the  Desplaines  and 
Illinois  rivers  to  the  Mississippi,  again  came  into  extensive  use  as  the 
white  population  increased,  but  carrying  merchandise  in  canoes  and  on 
horseback  was  now  considered  too  slow  a  mode  of  transportation.  The 
idea  of  connecting  the  Mississippi  with  Lake  Michigan  by  means  of  a 
canal  suggested  itself,  and  the  first  step  in  the  realization  of  the  plan 
was  the  organization  of  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  Association 
in  1825.  The  following  year  a  memorial  Avas  sent  to  congress  by  the 
legislature,  requesting  a  grant  of  land  Ijy  the  government  toward  de- 
fraying the  expense  to  be  incurred  by  the  project.  In  1827  congress 
appropriated  224,322  acres  of  land  for  this  purpose.  In  1836,  nine 
years  later,  the  work  of  digging  was  begun,  and  twelve  years  later  the 
canal  was  completed.  This  waterway  remained  for  many  years  one  of 
the  principal  transportation  routes  in  the  state. 

During  the  construction  of  the  canal,  an  epidemic  of  speculation 
raged  throughout  the  state.  Villages,  towns  and  cities  sprang  up — on 
paper,  and  lots  sold  rapidly  at  exhoi-bitant  prices.  It  proved  the  golden 
age  of  the  real  estate  agents  and  promoters.  Finally,  in  1836,  the  fever 
spread  to  the  legislature  itself.  The  lawmakers  devised  a  plan  for  the 
improvement  of  transportation  facilities  which,  in  point  of  extensive- 
ness,  challenges  comparison.  Bills  were  passed  looking  to  the  building 
of  no  less  than  1,300  miles  of  railways  crossing  one  another  in  every 
direction.  Large  amounts  were  set  aside  for  the  improvement  of  rivers 
and  the  building  of  canals.  Counties  not  affected  by  these  public 
enterprises  were  set  at  rest  by  means  of  an  appropriation  of  $200,000 
to  be  parcelled  out  among  them.  The  legislature  was  in  such  a  state 
of  excitement  that  it  gave  orders  for  beginning  work  at  both  ends  of 
the  projected  railroads  simultaneously.  The  appropriations  for  the 
enormous  enterprises  amounted  to  a  grand  total  of  $12,000,000  and 
commissioners  were  sent  out  to  negotiate  loans  to  that  amount.  Con- 
sidering that  the  railway  was  still  in  its  infancy  and  was  looked  upon 
as  the  greatest  of  luxuries,  that  there  were  entire  counties  that  could 
scarcely  boast  a  single  settler's  cabin,  and  that  the  entire  population 
of  the  state  numbered  less  than  400,000,  the  legislature  of  the  young 
state  certainly  expended  a  tremendous  amount  of  energy  in  its  efforts 
to  develop  the  resources  of  the  commonwealth.  Meanwhile  the  legis- 
lature established  new  state  banks,  the  earnings  of  which  were  to  be 
used  to  defray  part  of  the  expense  for  the  new  lines  of  transportation. 

This  forced  and  abnormal  development  was  soon  followed  by  the 
inevitable  crash.  This  came  in  the  form  of  the  great  financial  panic 
of  1837  which,  while  it  affected  the  entire  country,  yet  caused  the  most 
serious  disturbance  in  this  state.    Business  was  practically  stagnant  and 


^^  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

all  public  enterprises  had  to  be  abandoned  for.  the  time  being.  The 
state  banks  discontinued  cash  payments,  and  the  credit  of  the  state  was 
still  further  impaired  during:  the  next  few  years  by  a  vigorous 
propaganda  in  favor  of  repudiating  the  public  debt.  So  great  was  the 
financial  embarrassment  that  state  bonds  offered  at  14  cents  on  the 
dollar  went  begging  in  the  money  markets.  Taxes  and  state  revenues 
narrowly  sufficed  to  defray  current  ex])enditures.  After  August.  1S41. 
no  fui'ther  efforts  were  made  to  pay  the  interest  on  the  state  debt,  and 
in  the  early  part  of  the  following  year  the  stati-  batiks  went  out  nf  bus- 
iness entirely.  The  state  debt  at  this  time  amounted  to  $14.00(i.(Ml(i.  an 
enormous  smn  for  a  young  state  with  a  small  population  and  with  its 
natural  resources  still  iuid('vclo])cd. 

In  1842  Illinois  thus  stood  on  the  verge  of  bankruptcy.  From  such 
a  catastrojilic  it  was  saved  by  Governor  Thomas  B'ord,  an  energetic 
man,  through  whose  <>n(leavors  a  plan  for  the  jiayment  of  the  state 
indebtedness  was  formed  and  successfully  carried  ont.  This  marked 
the  beginning  of  a  gradual  improvement  in  the  finances  of  the  state. 

Long  before  the  Illinois  and  ^[ichigan  Canal  was  o])ened  for 
traffic,  the  first  steamboat  had  appeared  on  tiic  Illinois  Hiver.  This 
was  in  1826,  but  several  years  elapsed  before  steamboats  came  into 
general  use  for  river  traffic.  In  the  late  thirties  railway  building  wiis 
begun  in  Illinois  as  well  as  in  the  eastern  states.  The  first  railway  in 
the  state  was  the  Northern  Cross,  with  Jacksonville  and  Meredosia  as 
its  terminal  i)oints.  This  stretch  of  road,  which  ])roved  the  beginning 
of  the  great  Wabash  Kailway  system,  was  completed  in  IS'-iiK  tiie  fii-st 
locomotive  having  been  imported  the  foregoing  year.  This  railway  wa,s 
built  at  state  exj)ense. 

In  1847  work  was  begun  on  the  first  railway  out  of  Chicago, 
namely,  the  Galena  and  Chicago  Union,  wiiich  had  been  chartered 
eleven  years  before.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the  great  North- 
Western  Railway  .system,  wiiich  has  contributcil  so  largely  to  the 
material  develoimient  of  the  state.  The  Ciiicago  and  Rock  Island 
Kailway  was  built  in  the  early  fifties,  opening  an  important  thorough- 
fare from  Chicago  to  tiie  Mississippi  and  tiic  West. 

In  the  financial  crisis  of  18:57.  Illinois  was  one  of  tiie  states  whieli 
suffered  the  greatest  loss.  Husiness  was  at  a  standstill  and  all  i>iiblie 
enterprises  were  indefinitely  i>ostpoiied.  liusiiicss  operations  were 
resinned  by  slow  degrees,  however,  and  Illinois  swung  again  into  tiie 
patii  of  progress.  A  new  period  of  prosperity  was  iiiaugurated  in  1850 
by  an  act  of  Congress  appropriating  extensive  land  grants  for  the 
completion  of  the  Illinois  Central  Kailway.  Immigrants  came  in  great 
numbers,  and  towns  and  villages  sprang  up  (|uickly  along  this  railroad 
as  it  iieared  its  completion  in   IS.'itl.     The  imlilic  delit  of  llie  slate  iiad 


TERRITORY  AND  STATE 


45 


increased  enormously  duriiij?  the  panic  of  1837  and  grew  continually, 
reaching  its  highest  point,  $16,724,177,  in  1853. 

Another  great  stride  in  the  development  of  the  state  was  taken  in 
1848,  when  tlie  telegraph  system,  established  a  few  years  prior,  was 
extended  into  Illinois. 

At  this  point  we  may  fitly  mention  an  event  in  the  early  history 
of  Illinois  which  at  the  time  was  considered  very  noteworthy.  In  the 
spring   of   1825,    at   the   initiative    of   Governor    Coles,    the   renowned 


General  Lafavette 


General  Lafayette  of  revolutionary  fame  paid  a  visit  to  Illinois.  The 
governor  had  formed  the  general's  acquaintance  in  Paris,  and  when 
the  latter  was  about  to  visit  the  young  republic  which  he  had  so  mater- 
ialh'  helped  to  establish,  the  governor  insisted  that  the  journey  ought 
to  be  extended  to  what  was  at  that  time  known  as  the  far  West. 
Lafayette's  visit  to  Illinois  was  hailed  with  the  utmost  enthusiasm  by 
the  Americans  and  not  least  by  the  descendants  of  the  old  French 
settlers.  The  expenses  of  the  trip  were  paid  out  of  the  state  treasurj^ 
amounting  to  $6,743,  or  one  third  of  the  tax  revenue  for  the  year. 

While  long  and  bloody  contlicts  were  raging  between  the  whites 
and  the  Indians  in  Ohio  and  Indiana,  Illinois  was  spared  the  ravages 
of  Indian  warfare,  owing  largely  to  the  French  element,  which  had 
early  gained  the  confidence  of  the  redskins  and  long  exercised  a  dom- 


46 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


inating  and  wholesome  influence  over  the  Indians  and  the  population 
in  general.  During  the  war  of  ]812  between  England  and  tlie  United 
States,  the  Indians  as  allies  of  the  British  conunitted  certain  outrages, 
which  were,  however,  of  small  significance  as  against  the  cruelties 
perpetrated  before  and  after  in  other  western  territories. 

The  most  serious  eoufiiet  of  this  kind  in  Illinois  was  the  Hlack 
Hank  War  of  1832.  Black  Hawk,  who  in  1788  had  succeeded  his  father 
as  chief  of  the  Sat-  Indians,  .sedulou.sly  giianb-d  tlic  interests  of  his  tribe 
against  the  inroads  of  the  whites. 
Bitter  rage  filled  the  chieftain's 
heart,  when  certain  other  chiefs 
of  the  Sacs  and  Foxes  in  1804: 
disposed  of  their  lands,  comprising 
a  stretch  of  700  miles  along  the 
Missi.ssippi,  to  the  whites  for  an 
indefinite  amount  payable  in  an- 
nual instalments  of  $1,000.  He 
held  that  liis  fellow  chiefs  must 
have  hci'ii  drunk  when  signing 
such  an  agreement.  Nevertheless, 
Black  Hawk  himself  renewed  the 
agreement  in  1816.  Having  tliu.s 
become  homeless  on  their  former 
donuiins  east  of  the  Mississippi, 
the  triljcsmen  were  coiiiijollod  to 
witli<lr;nv  in  ■jjrcat  uuirilicrs  lo  the 
government     reservation     opened 

to  them  in  1823  in  loM'a.  near  the  present  site  of  l)es  Moines.  Black 
Hawk  and  a  number  of  othei-s,  liowever,  remained  on  their  native  soil. 
In  1831  the  last  tract  oceuiiicd  l)y  the  Indians  was  sold  to  white  settlers. 
When  tliesc  began  to  plow  ui)  the  little  patches  already  planted  bj'  the 
Indians,  the  anger  of  the  savage  chief  and  his  followers  knew  no 
bounds  and  they  swore  bloody  vengeance.  To  ])revent  an  outbreak, 
the  state  militia  was  called  out,  and  Black  Hawk  and  his  warriors  were 
forced  to  retreat  beyond  the  Mississippi  under  promise  not  to  return 
to  Illinois  without  permission.  He  soon  broke  his  i)romise  and  invaded 
tile  state  in  liie  spring  of  1832,  at  the  head  of  a  band  of  fifty  warriors, 
but  was  met  and  re|)ulsed  by  the  militia.  The  band  was  broken  up  into 
small  i,'rou])s  that  attacked  the  white  settlers  wherever  found,  killing. 
scal|)ing  and  devastating.  General  Scott  was  sent  with  a  snuill  force 
to  put  a  stop  to  the  savagery,  but  his  operations  were  hampered  by  an 
outbreak  of  cholera  among  the  soldiers.  The  Indians  were  at  last 
driven  up  to  the  Wisconsin  River  where  General  Dodge  dealt  them  a 
telling  blow  on  .Inly  21st  and  Geiu-ral  Atkinson,  on  .\ui;ust  2nd.  totally 


BL.VCK     HAWK 


MORMONS  AT  NAUVOO  47 

defeated  tlicin.  Chief  Black  Hawk  was  taken  prisoner,  and  a  treaty 
was  made  by  which  the  remainder  of  the  lands  claimed  by  his  tribe 
were  sold  and  the  remaining  tribesmen,  aliout  3,000  in  number,  were 
transferred  to  the  aforesaid  reservation  in  Iowa.  The  chief  himself, 
two  of  his  sons  and  seven  warriors  who  were  lield  as  liostages  by  the 
government  for  some  time,  were  taken  through  a  number  of  the  larger 
cities  in  tlie  East  and  finally  imprisoned  at  Fort  ]\Ionroe.  They  were 
liberated  June  5,  1833,  and  permitted  to  rejoin  tlieir  tribe.  This 
famous  chief  of  a  dwindling  tribe  died  at  the  reservation  on  the  Des 
i\Ioiues  Kiver  on  Oct.  3,  1838,  at  the  ripe  age  of  seventy. 

The  Mormons  at  Nauvoo 

Peace  had  scarcely  been  restored,  when  a  new  disturbance  aroused 
the  inhabitants.  This  time  the  ilormons  were  the  disturbing  element. 
In  the  .state  of  New  York  Joseph  Smith  had  proclaimed  the  alleged 
revelation  of  the  hidden  tablets  of  gold,  by  the  aid  of  which  he  had 
written  a  book  embodying  a  new  religion.  In  April,  1830,  he  had 
organized  a  small  band  of  followers  who  were  called  Mormons  after 
that  weird  fabric  of  truth  and  falsehood,  the  Book  of  Mormons.  Joseph 
Smith  and  his  faithful  settled  in  Kirtland,  Ohio,  where  the  sect  grew 
so  rapidly  that  Smith  and  his  assistant,  Sidney  Rigdon,  soon  were 
obliged  to  select  a  larger  tract  farther  west  for  the  accommodation  of 
the  colony.  A  suitable  location  was  found  at  Independence,  Jackson 
eoimty,  Missouri,  and  here  they  determined  to  found  a  New  Jerusalem 
and  build  tlieir  temple.  Smith  and  Rigdon  returned  to  Kirtland  and 
set  about  raising  the  funds  needed  for  the  removal.  They  decided  to 
establish  a  bank  as  the  easiest  means  to  that  end.  but  omitted,  as  use- 
less, the  formality  of  obtaining  banking  i)rivileges  from  the  govern- 
ment. While  issuing  bank  notes  of  highly  questionable  value,  they 
provided  for  the  numerical  growth  of  the  sect  by  sending  out  mission- 
aries to  various  parts  of  the  country.  In  January,  1838,  the  bank  was 
forced  to  close,  while  Smith  and  Rigdon  escaped  being  imprisoned  as 
swindlers  by  leaving  the  city  by  night  and  making  their  way  toward 
Missouri  with  numerous  creditors  on  their  tracks. 

In  the  meantime,  large  numbers  of  Mormons  assembled  there,  the 
influx  being  marked  by  sharp  friction  with  the  inhabitants,  who,  with 
or  without  cause,  charged  the  strangers  with  robbery,  incendiarism 
and  murder.  After  numerous  conflicts  with  enraged  mobs,  they  were 
driven  from  one  county  to  another  and  settled  at  last  in  the  to^^^l  of 
Par  West,  in  Caldwell  count}*,  where  Smith  and  Rigdon  rejoined  them. 
The  conflicts  with  the  Missourians  continued,  while  an  internal  feud 
threatened  disintegration  among  the  Mormons  themselves.  This  strife 
was  quickl.y  settled,  whereupon  the  colonj'  again  presented  a  imited 


48 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


front  to  their  neighbors.    Toward  the  close  of  1838  the  conflict  had 

assumed  the  proportions  of  a  rebellion.  The  Mormons  armed  themselves 
and  assembled  in  large  numbers  in  fortified  villages,  openly  challenging 
the  authorities.  Finally  the  governor  was  forced  to  call  out  the  militia, 
and  Smith  and  Kigdon  were  arrested,  charged  with  fomenting  a  revolt. 

Realizing  the  fruitlessness  of  armed  opposition  to  the  people  of 
the  entire  state,  the  ^Mormons  now  submitted  to  the  authorities  and 
agreed  to  leave  the  state.  To  a  number  of  lo.OOO  they  crossed  over 
into  Illinois  in  1839,  receiving  a  friendly  welcome  in  spite  of  reports 
of  the  trouble  they  had  caused  in  the  neighboring  state.  Smith  mean- 
while fled  from  prison  and  here  reunited  with  his  flock  and  his 
comrade  Rigdon,  who  had  been  released  through  habeas  corpus  pro- 
ceedings. On  a  tract  of  land  in  Hancock  county,  jdaced  at  tiieir 
disposal  on  speculation  by  one  Doctor  Isaac  Galland,  the  Mormons 
began  to  build  the  town  of  Nauvoo.  By  sharp  transactions  in  real 
estate  Smith  amassed  a  foi'tune  in  a  few  years. 

On  the  strength  of  an  alleged  new  revelation,  Joseph  Smith  issued 
a  decree  to  his  followers  in  various  parts  of  the  world,  commanding 
them  to  assemble  in  Nauvoo,  whereby  the  populatiou  of  the  town  in- 
creased by  thousands  in  a  short  time.  A  charter  was  issued  by  the 
Ipgi.slatiu'p.  entitling  the  city  to  certain  exceptional  privileges,  which 
l)lafed  Smith  and  Rigdon,  together  with  other  leaders,  in  a  position  to 
assume  almost  ludimited  power  over  the  community.  Among  other 
privileges  was  that  of  organizing  a  military  force.  This  resulted  in  the 
forming  of  the  Nauvoo  Legion,  coniiJrising  nearly  all  ablebodied  men 
in  the  town.  Smith  assumed  the  chief  command  with  the  title  of 
Lieiiteiiaiit  General.  Besides  this,  he  was  luayor  of  the  city  and 
president  of  the  ^Mormon  denomination.  Having  thus  iniited  in  his 
own  person  the  civil,  llic  militiiry.  mid  the  ci-clesiastical  power,  lie  was 
not  slow  to  exeri'ise  the  prei'ogatives  voted  iiini  by  his  own  followers 
and  a  short-sighted  state  legislature.  lie  had  i)wrposely  so  worded  the 
Nauvoo  cit.v  charter  as  to  deprive  the  state  authorities  of  almost  every 
vestige  of  jurisdiction  Avithin  its  limits.  It  was  a  proud  moment  fi>r 
Joseph  Smitli,  when  on  April  (i,  1841,  at  the  head  of  tlie  Nauvoo  Legion 
and  surrounded  by  a  glittering  military  staff,  he  performed  the  pomp- 
ous ceremony  of  laying  the  cornerstone  of  I  lie  temple,  designed  to  be 
the  civil  and  religious  shrine  of  tiie  dreamed-of  ^lormon  empire. 

Up  to  this  time  the  ^lormons  had  sustaiiu^d  fairly  peaceful  rela- 
tions willi  tlH>  jieople  of  the  state,  but  wlien  Smith  in  1S43  aimouneed  a 
new  revelation  instituting  polygamy,  the  situation  was  at  once  changed. 
The  leaders  publicly  diselaime(l  and  denounced  the  tloctrine  but  to  no 
avail,  for  it  was  generally  known  that  Smitii  himself  had  lived  in  ])lural 
marriaire  since  1838.  Certain  men,  whose  wives  Smitii  had  approached 
seeking  to  induce  them  to  enter  into  illegal  relations  with  him,  estnb- 


MORMONS  AT  NAI'VOO 


49 


lished  a  newspaper,  the  "Expositor,"  which  mercilessly  exposed  the 
iiiiiiioral  life  of  the  prophet.  The  result  was  that  on  May  6.  1844.  a 
iniiuber  of  Smith's  faithful  attempted  to  destroy  the  office  and  properly 
of  the  paper.  The  ])erpetrators  were  oi'drred  Mri'cslcd  Imt  refused  to 
follow  the  officer  of  the  law  who  reail  the  warrant,  fortifying  them- 
selves by  the  charter  of  special  privileges,  and  the  officer  was  driven 


The  Jlonnoii  Temple  at  Xaiivoo 

out  of  town  by  force.  The  county  authorities  called  for  military  aid 
in  preserving  law  and  order ;  the  Mormons  also  took  up  arms  and 
bloodshed  seemed  imminent.  This  was  prevented  by  the  governor, 
who  persuaded  Smith  and  his  In-other  Ilyrum  to  submit  to  a  trial.  They 
were  taken  to  the  j^risou  in  Carthage  where  guard.?  were  posted  for 
their  protection.    In  the  evening  of  June  27th  the  prir.on  was  attacked 


JO  HISTORY  OF   ILLINOIS 

by  a  mob ;  the  guards  were  overpowered,  shots  were  fired  at  the 
prisoners  through  doors  and  windows,  and  Ilyruin  Smith  fell  dead 
on  tile  spot.  Till'  pniplict  rcturnt'd  the  fire.  defeiKlinjr  his  own  life 
with  a  revolver  until  his  ammunition  was  spent,  then  made  a  dash  for 
safety  tlirniitrli  a  window,  but  was  hit  by  a  bullet  and  fell  dead  in  his 
tracks.  This  ciMJi-d  the  career  of  Joseph  Smit"i.  tlie  relijjious 
adventurer. 

Profiting  liy  |>ast  cxpcricin-c.  (lie  legrislaturc  aiiiiullcd  ihc  diartcr 
111'  the  city  of  Xauvoo  tiu-  foUowing  \rnv.  and  tiie  .Mnrnions  were  forced 
to  seeic  new  ipiarters.  A  considerable  nund)er  broke  eanip  in  Febru- 
ary. 1S4C.  and  gatliered  in  Council  Bluffs,  wiience  they  travelled  afoot 
across  the  plains  and  mountains  to  I'tah.  The  renuiinin'j:  Mormons 
had  a  second  contlii-l  with  thi'ir  lu'ighbors.  In  September.  1846.  the 
city  was  fired  into  f'oi-  three  consecutive  days  ami  the  inhabitants  were 
finally  driven  out  ;it  flic  point  of  the  bayonet.  In  the  year  followintr 
there  was  another  e.\o(his  to  I'tah.  but  not  until  .May.  1848,  did  the 
iiiairi  iiody  of  (he  .Mormons  break  up  fnun  Xauvoo  and  follow  in  the 
path  of  the  advaiu-e  guards.  In  the  fall  of  the  sanu-  year  their  destina- 
tion was  i-cached.  In  I'tali  the  Mormons  soon  founded  the  eity  of 
Salt  hake  and  various  other  iniporlant  comiiiunit ies.  Judging  from 
the  <-ontiiiue(l  iiistory  of  the  ^Mormons,  particularly  that  of  the  fifties. 
the  sl.ite  of  Illinois  is  to  be  felicitated  upon  its  fortunate  riddance. 
after  but  ;i  few  yi'ars.  of  this  lawless  jind  obstinate  c'liMiient. 

The  Icarian  Community 

When  tlie  .Mormons  evacuated  Xauvoo  in  184(>.  tlie  place  was  im- 
mediately oceupii'd  li\'  a  p;n't>  of  l-'ri'iich  settlers,  known  as  leariaiis. 
who  formed  a  community,  the  stoi'v  of  which  has  a  [u-culiar  interest. 

Ktienne  ('abet,  born  at  Ui.ion.  France,  the  son  of  a  cooper,  became 

in   the  til I    lionis   I'liilippe  otic  of  the   leailing   French  .jurists  and 

ultimately  attorney-gcnei-al  during  the  SeeomI  Republic,  lie  was  a 
novelist  of  some  note,  his  best  known  works  l)cing  cntitletl.  respectively. 
"X'oyagc  to  learia"  and  "The  True  Christianity."  Having  lived 
through  the  horrors  of  the  revohuion.  ("abet  founded  the  Icarian  Ctnu- 
munity.  based  on  ideas  advanced  by  N'ictor  Hugo  in  a  novel  called 
"  leai'ia."  .\  number  of  liis  adherents  preceded  him  to  .\meriea,  lauded 
at  Xew  Orleans  and  planted  a  colony  in  Texas,  on  the  !{cd  Ixiver, 
op])ositc  Shrcvep(u-t.  La.  Finding  the  climate  lud'avorable.  they  re- 
turned to  New  (  h'le.llis,  W  lieri'  they  were  joined  by  Cabel.  who  ap- 
pointe<l  a  committee  of  three  to  sail  up  the  .Mississippi  to  select  a  site 
for  final  selllemenl.  This  committee  visiti'd  N'auvoti  and  agi'ced  to 
purchase  al>i>nl  twelve  acres  of  llu'  .Mormims'  properly,  on  which  the 
pMi'ly  subse(pienl  ly   locatcij. 


THK    ICARIAX  COMMIMTY  51 

On  Icaviiiji:,  tlic  Mormons  tried  to  burn  their  temple.  ;i  liandsoMii! 
structure  built  larjuely  of  massive  stone,  with  the  upper  portion  and 
steeple  of  frame.  The  lire  destroycil  only  the  uppci'  parts,  which  1  he 
leariaus  set  about  reeonstruetiufi;.  A  t<'ri'ifie  storm  undid  their  work 
and  idso  tore  down  part  of  the  masoni'y.  whereupon  they  used  what 
was  left  of  the  temple  in  i^rectiim'  othci-  imildins's.  The  principal  ones 
Wi'W  a  lari;e  structure,  the  lowei'  j)art  of  whieli  contained  one  vast 
hall,  which  served  the  (hiuble  i)ur-pose  of  dininji:  r(K)m  and  auditorium, 
the  upper  stoi'y  containinu'  lixin^'  rooms.  The  Indl  aecommodated  1,200 
diners,  who  were  all  served  almost  at  the  same  time.  The  next  largest 
buildint;'  in  Icaria  was  a  schoolhonse. 

The  administration  consisti'd  of  president,  secretary,  treasurer  an<l 
seven  direetoi's,  styled  miidsters,  all  elected  yearly  by  the  nieiid)ers 
of  the  community,  females  of  eighteen  aud  males  of  twenty-one  being 
entitled  to  vote.  They  also  elected  a  General  Assembly,  a  legislative 
bod.v  which  held  session  every  Saturday  evening.  I'ere  Cabet,  the 
founder  of  the  community,  was  its  president  for  many  successive  terms. 
Admission  into  the  comminiity  was  conditioned  by  the  pay-ment  of  300 
francs.  The  applicant  was  put  on  probation  for  three  months,  then 
voted  on  and,  failing  of  election,  his  mone.y  was  retuinied.  If  elected, 
the  applicant  was  required  to  turn  over  all  his  property  to  the  com- 
munity.   The  colony  was  strictly  communistic  in  every  detail. 

There  was  a  general  director  of  work,  with  special  foremen 
appointed  monthly  for  each  line  of  employment,  and  each  man  or 
woman  could  select  the  work  desired,  with  the  privilege  of  changing 
occupation  at  times  to  relieve  the  monotony.  The  children  were  put 
in  school  at  seven  and  kept  there  until  adjudged  competent.  In  the 
highest  classes  the  sciences,  astronomy,  geometry,  etc.,  were  tausht  to 
both  sexes.  The  instruction  was  liberal  in  the  extreme.  So  good  was 
the  school  considered  that  outsiders  went  there  to  receive  their  educa- 
tion. In  religion  the.v  were  also  liberal,  nuist  of  them  l)eing  free 
thinkers;  but  church  affiliation  was  no  bar  to  membership.  Sundays 
were  generally  set  aside  for  recreation.  After  dinner  the  great  hall 
Avas  cleared  and  given  over  to  discussion  or  to  music,  an  excellent 
orchestra  of  fift.v  pieces  being  maintained.  On  Sunday  evenings  in 
winter  the  colonists  were  usually  regaled  with  some  play,  there  being 
several  actors  of  talent  and  a  stage  at  one  end  of  the  hall.  After  the 
show,  adults  and  children  indulged  in  dancing.  There  were  hospitals 
for  the  sick,  an  athletic  field  for  public  sports  and  jdaygrounds  for  the 
childi'en.  Civil  cases  and  cases  of  misdemeanor  were  tried  by  the  assem- 
bly. Criminal  cases,  if  any,  were  turned  over  to  the  municipal  author- 
ities, for  the  colonists  were  loyal  subjects  of  the  United  States.  They 
had  a  periodical,  the  "Icarian,"  issued  more  for  prosely'ting  purposes 
than  for  the  news  it  contained.     Copies  circulated  in  Prance  from  time 


52  HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 

to  time  won  new  iiipiiiIhts,  jjiirliciilarly  from  the  coniniuiiistir  party. 
When  Napoleon  III.  ordered  the  arrest  of  the  eoniiiiiinists.  many  (led 
to  Ameriea  and  a  number  joined  the  learians  at  Xauvoo. 

The  learians  were  largely  skilled  workmen,  such  as  meehanit-s. 
tailors  and  shoemakers.  To  disi)ose  of  the  over|)roduetion  by  the  latter 
two  crafts,  a  store  was  opened  in  St.  Louis  for  the  sale  of  clothius  and 
shoes.  Other  surplus  ])roducts  were  sold  in  Keokidv.  la.  The  colony 
had  Hour  mills,  sawmills,  a  cooper  shop,  a  wa^on  factory  and  a 
distillery.    JIuch  of  their  textile  goods  was  manufactured  at  home. 

All  told,  there  were  about  1,800  learians  during  their  so.journ  in 
Xauvoo,  but  never  more  than  1,200  at  one  time.  Most  of  the  members 
were  French,  with  a  sprinkling  of  other  nationalities.  Early  in  the 
fifties,  forty-eight  of  the  colonists  were  sent  to  pre-empt  government 
lands  near  Coiuicil  Bluffs,  la.,  and  acquired  .some  8,000  acres,  the  com- 
munity apparently  foreseeing  the  day  when  its  present  quarters  might 
become  too  cramped.  In  the  course  of  time  the  ser]>ent  of  disruption 
entered  the  Icarian  Kdcn.  Though  most  economically  managed,  the 
maintenance  being  but  7i/'  cents  daily,  per  capita,  the  colony  was  going 
slowly  but  surely  to  the  wall.  To  redvice  the  constantly  growing 
indebtedness,  the  more  praetical  membei-s  urged  that  the  plan  of  keep- 
ing skilled  workmen  on  a  plane  with  common  laborers  should  be 
abolished  and  the  former  set  to  work  in  manufacturing  goods  on  a 
larger  scale  for  the  general  market.  enal>ling  the  colony  to  li<piidate 
the  debt.  Tiiis  clashed  with  the  theory  of  "Father  C'abet,"  who  held 
that  commerce  iind  intercourse  with  the  outside  world  would  s|)oil 
cnmnnniity  life,  lie  also  claimed  tlir  position  of  suprenu^  dictator  for 
lilr.  When  at  tlie  next  election  he  was  defeated  .for  president,  he 
williilrcw  in  (lisai)pointment,  going  to  Cheltenham,  near  St.  Louis,  with 
his  minority  of  about  200  colonists,  lie  did  not  long  survive  the 
defeat;  his  adherents  disl)anded  or  .joined  the  settlement  in  Iowa:  the 
coniMiiinil\'  pi-<i])crty  was  sold  to  pay  tlie  debts.  Today  the  only  trace 
left  of  till'  Icai'ian  community  is  a  group  of  sonu-  forty  memlters. 
engaged  in  rrnil   faiMiiing  in  ("alifornia. 

Having  in  thi'  I'oregoin'r  pajres  roliowcd  the  nuiterial  developnuMit 
of  Illinois  tlirout;li  its  siieccssive  stages,  we  turn  now  to  a  lirief  revi<'W 
of  its  constitutional  histoi-y.  The  successive  territorial  i.'overnments 
wei'e  similarly'  organized,  consisting  of  governor,  secretary  and  .judge, 
appointed  liy  the  president.  This  same  organization  was  retained 
when  in  ISdII  Illinois  was  separated  from  Indiana  ami  lieeame  a  ilistinci 
territoi-y.  Tlic  go\<'rnoi'  was  clot  lied  witii  almost  indimiled  power  in 
the  matter  of  a|>p"'i>l'ii''i>'^'  'be  only  ollicial  not  appointed  by  him 
being  the  secretary.  The  legislative  jiower  lay  in  the  hands  of  the 
governor  and  llirci'  .judges  appointed   by  the  president.     This  triinnial 


CONSTITITIONAL  CHANGES  53 

iiu't  !rune  16,  1809.  ami  IVaiiicd  i\  ((uii'.  nnhdilyiii};  llic  iiriiicipal  laws 
in  force  up  to  that  time.       , 

This  admiuistrative  system  obtained  until  1812,  when  congress 
entitled  the  territory  of  Illinois  to  local  self-governmont,  implying  the 
right  of  the  people  to  elect  their  own  cdunty  and  town  officials,  mem- 
bers of  the  legislature,  aiul  the  territorial  representative  in  (-ongress. 
The  franchise  was  granted  every  citizen  who  paid  taxes  to  the  teri-itoiy. 
The  legislature  comprised  two  houses,  called  the  Legislative  CdUiicil 
and  the  House  of  Representatives,  and  made  up  o.l  five  and  seven 
members  respectively.  The  governor  had  absolute  veto  power,  en- 
abling him  to  set  at  naught  every  act  of  the  legislature  at  his  own 
discretion.  The  first  members  elected  to  the  assembly  met  in  Kaskaskia 
Nov.  2.'3.  1812.  and  ratified,  during  their  first  session,  all  the  laws  passetl 
to  date  by  the  Indiana  legislature  and  the  governor  and  judges  of 
Illinois. 

In  the  year  1818,  as  we  have  seen,  Illinois  was  raised  to  the  dignity 
of  statehood.  The  state  constitution  then  adopted  was  a  brief  docu- 
ment, patterned  after  the  constitutions  of  Kentuck.v.  Ohio.  New  York 
and  Indiana.  A  proper  distinction  was  drawn  between  the  legislative, 
the  executive  and  the  judicial  authorities,  the  maximum  of  power  being 
lodged  in  the  first-named  branch  of  government,  while  to  the  second 
was  allotted  a  comparatively  small  share.  The  governor,  the  lieutenant 
governor,  the  sheriffs,  the  coroners,  the  county  commissioners  and,  as 
a  matter  of  course,  the  members  of  the  legislature  and  the  state 
representatives  in  congress,  were  elected  by  the  people.  The  secretary 
of  state  was  appointed  by  the  governor  with  the  advice  and  consent  of 
the  legislature.  Almost  all  other  officials  were  directly  or  indirectly 
chosen  by  the  legislature,  which  designated  them  either  for  appointment 
by  the  governor  or  election  by  the  citizens  of  the  various  counties.  The 
governor's  veto  was  replaced  by  a  Council  of  Revision,  consisting  of 
the  governor  and  the  members  of  the  state  supreme  court.  This  tribunal 
was  empowered  to  examine  all  acts  of  the  legislature  and  resubmit 
all  disapproved  legislation  for  further  action.  An  absolute  majority 
was  required  for  the  passage  of  any  bill  or  act  over  the  veto  of  the 
Council  of  Revision. 

The  ever  growing  demand  for  local  self-government  soon  forced 
the  legislature  to  surrender  part  of  its  appointive  power  to  the  people. 
Thus  the  offices  of  justice  of  the  peace  and  of  constable  were  filled  by 
election  after  Dec.  12,  1826,  and  that  of  probate  justice  of  the  peace  in 
a  similar  manner  after  ]March  4.  1847. 

The  right  to  vote  was  the  prerogative  of  every  white  male  citizen 
having  attained  to  the  age  of  twenty-one  years  and  resided  six  months 
in  the  state.    General  elections  were  held  everv  four  veai's.    All  voting 


54 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


was  done  viva  voce.  It  is  a  reiiiarkahli'  fa<-t  that  this,  tlie  first  consti- 
tution of  the  state,  was  never  submitted  to  the  people  for  ratitieation. 

As  the  eonunonwealth  Ki'ew  and  deveh>ped  apace  and  new  cxitren- 
eies  arose,  the  need  of  a  new  constitution  l)ecanie  imperative.  This  was 
.spoken  of  as  early  as  1824  and  again  in  1842.  but  not  until  April.  1S47. 
were  delegates  to  a  constitutional  convention  chosen.  The  convention 
met  in  June  of  that  year  and  comiileted  its  work  in  August.  The  new 
constitution  was  subniitlcd  to  a  vote  ;it  tin-  next  election,  March  6. 
1848.  was  then  ratified,  and  went  into  eft'ect  on  the  fii-st  day  of  Ai»ril 
the  same  year.  The  iilea  of  local  self-government  which  hail  steadily 
gained  ground  throughout  the  country  since  1818,  wa.s  as.serted  in  the 
new  constitution  thi-ough  a  curtailment  of  the  extensive  appointive 
power  of  the  legislature.  This  powci-  was  transferred  to  the  people. 
whii  were  given  the  right  to  fill  the  great  ma.jority  of  offices  at  the 
general  elections,  while  the  right  of  local  self-government  was  made 
almost  al)S()lute.  The  ballot  was  given  to  all  white  males  who  had 
attained  their  ma.jority  and  had  resided  one  \ear  in  the  slate.  To 
the  governor  was  given  the  riirht  of  veto.  formerl\-  exercised  by  the 
Council  of  Revision.  Even  in  other  res|)ects  the  prerogatives  of  the 
legisiittiiic'  wcic  lui-tMilcd.  The  tiiiancial  experiences  of  the  la.st  decade 
which  had  cost  the  state  deai'ly.  caused  the  insertion  of  a  clause  strictly 
forliiddiiig  the  legislature  to  use  tlie  credit  of  the  statt-  to  further 
hiiilding  opei'ations  or  for  otlicr  |>ui'|>oses.  Henceforth,  such  public 
woi'lvs  <levolve(l  uixiii  the  various  communities  singly  or  in  conuuon. 
K\cry  c((Uiity  was  granted  the  right  to  subdivide  itself  into  townships. 
tliis  in  deference  to  the  wishes  of  the  people  of  the  northern  i)art  of 
the  state,  w  ho  had  come  largely  from  New  Yoi-k  and  the  New  Knglaml 
states. 

During  tlic  rapid  industi-jal  dcvclopnicnt  from  1S.")(I  to  ISliO  new 
problems  ar<isc.  which  could  not  be  solved  under  the  constitution  of 
184<S.  The  increasing  niunber  and  jtower  of  the  corporations  was  gen- 
erally considered  a  serious  |nil>lic  menace,  in  the  absence  of  restrictive 
legislation  on  that  iminl.  It  was  li'ai'cd  that  these  would  abuse  their 
power  in  III)  cIVort  to  procuic  special  legislation  in  their  l)ehalf.  hence 
the  drsirr  to  place  tliciii  Understate  control.  .\  proposed  constitution. 
formulalcil  li\  llir  coiisl  it  ul  ional  convention  of  18(12.  was  dc'cmetl 
inadcipiati'  and  laili'd  ol'  ratitieation  at  the  snbseipient  election:  but 
the  need  of  a  ni'w  <-(iiisl  itui  ion  remained  and  caused  the  calling  of  a 
foiM-th  constitutional  convention  in  18ti!l.  This  convention  labored 
with  liclti'r  success  than  its  predecessor,  ami  on  May  l.'{.  187<l.  sub- 
milted  till-  dralt  of  a  new  constitution,  which  was  ai'cepted  at  an 
eleelion  held  on  the  second  day  o\'  July  followinir.  and  went  into  idTect 
.\ugusl  8lh  i>\'  that  year.  It  augmented  the  veto  power  id'  the  goveriuir, 
prohibited    special    legislation    in    favor   id'   corporations,    limileil    the 


THE  si<avi':ry  question  55 

bonded  drl))  of  state  i'(iunt>'  aii<l  iiiuiiii-i|ialit y  in  aiiniimts  not  to  over- 
burden the  taxj)ayers,  enlarf::ed  the  inthu'iice  of  llie  peoiile  on  le^jisla- 
tion,  while  limiting  in  a  measure  the  authority  of  the  legislature, 
added  to  the  responsibility  of  the  .judic'ial  executives,  and  placed 
restrietions  \ipoii  the  ojierat  inns  of  railroads  and  other  liusiness  eor- 
poratious. 

The  Slavery  Question 

A  remarkable  chapter  in  tli<'  history  of  Illinois  is  that  dealinti-  with 
slavery  and  the  attitude  of  its  people  toward  that  ((uestion  from  time 
to  time. 

To  the  P^'reiich  the  credit  is  due  for  the  discovery  and  exjihtration 
of  Illinois  and  the  foimding  of  its  earliest  colonies;  theirs  is  the  blame 
for  the  introduction  of  slavery  into  its  territory.  Shortly  after  the 
establishment  of  the  first  French  settlements,  certain  Frenchmen, 
acting  on  the  supposition  that  all  kinds  of  valuable  ores  were  to  lie 
found  here,  organized  two  companies  with  a  view  to  exploiting  the 
ore  fields.  The  second  established  headijuarters  in  the  St.  Phillips 
settlement,  with  a  Frenchman  by  the  name  of  Philip  Francis  Renault 
as  its  representative. 

In  1720  Renault  purchased  500  negroes  in  San  Domingo  and 
brought  them  here  to  work  in  the  prospective  mines.  No  ore  beds  could 
be  found,  however,  and  part  of  the  slaves  were  put  to  work  in  the 
lead  mines  discovered  near  the  present  city  of  Galena,  as  early  as  the 
year  1700,  also  near  the  site  of  Dubuque,  Iowa,  and  in  similar  mines 
in  present  Jlissouri,  while  the  remainder  were  sold  to  French  settlers 
in  Illinois.  This  event  mai-ked  the  beginning  of  the  slave  trade  iu  the 
state.  In  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  the  English 
and  the  Americans  in  turn  invaded  Illinois,  protection  of  life,  lilierty 
and  property  was  guaranteed  to  the  French  settlers  and  their  rights 
and  privileges  were  safeguarded.  The  slaves  were  naturally  classed 
as  property.  In  the  Northwest  Ordinance  of  1787,  by  which  all  the 
tract  northwest  of  the  Ohio  River  was  made  one  territory,  slavery 
was  expressly  forbidden  within  its  borders,  yet  the  inhabitants,  par- 
ticularly the  French  and  Canadian  settlers,  by  exemption  were  i)er- 
mitted  to  follow  their  established  customs.  This  stipulation  was 
commonly  interpreted  to  mean  that,  while  the  statutes  prohibited 
traffic  in  slaves  and  the  extension  of  slavery  in  the  territory,  they 
implied  that  the  slaves  already  in  the  territory,  and  their  descendants, 
were  to  remain  in  bondage  forever.  However,  protests  were  raised, 
questioning  the  validity  of  this  stipulation  in  the  crdinance  on  the 
ground  that  congress,  in  passing  it,  had  exceeded  its  authority.  Othei's 
maintained  that  all  children  born  to  slaves  after  1787  were  free.    Still 


56 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


another  frroiip  insistiMl  that  no  material  i)rosperity  would  be  possible 
without  slavery.  In  the  course  of  time  a  eousiderable  number  of 
inhabitants  inclined  to  this  view.  After  the  division  of  the  Northwest 
Territory  in  1800.  the  slave  <|uestion  grew  more  serious  than  ever,  the 
adherents  of  slavery  obtaining  strong  support  in  William  Henry 
Harrison,  governor  of  Indiana  Territory.  A  convention  to  discuss  the 
question  was  called  by  him  at  Vinccnnes  in  1804.  Then  and  there  a 
petition  to  congress  was  drawn  up,  demanding  that  the  section  in  the 
ordinance  of  1787  prohibiting  slavery  in  the  Northwest  Territory  be 
rescinded  or  modified.  The  consressional  committee  to  which  this 
petition  was  first  referred,  reported  advei-sely,  but  a  second  committee 
recommended  that  the  slavery  clause  be  suspended  for  a  period  of  ten 
years.  Congress,  however,  took  no  action  in  the  matter.  In  1807  a 
counterpetition  with  a  great  number  of  signatures  was  sent  to  congress, 
where  it  met  the  same  fate.  In  the  meantime  tiie  advocates  of  slavery 
kept  up  a  vigorous  agitation  and  succeeded  in  having  a  territorial 
law  passed  which,  under  certain  limitations,  authorized  the  bringing 
in  and  enslavement  of  negroes  and  mulattoes  over  fifteen  years  of  age. 
According  to  the  same  law,  slaves  imder  fifteen  years  of  age  could  be 
procured  and  held  in  bondage,  males  to  the  age  of  35  and  females  to 
the  age  of  :iO  years.  Descendants  of  registered  slaves  were  to  serve 
the  owner  of  the  mother  up  to  the  age  of  30  and  28  years,  respectively, 
according  to  sex.  As  a  result  of  this  law.  which  was  ratified  in  1S12. 
tile  numl)er  of  slaves  increased  rapidly  in  tlie  territory. 

The  first  state  constitution  of  Illinois,  adopted  in  1818,  prohibited 
all  form  of  slave  traffic  in  the  future,  causing  great  dissatisfaction 
among  the  slaveholders.  An  agitation  was  set  on  foot  in  1822  to  force 
a  change  in  the  stiitulos.  making  Illinois  a  slave  state.  Their  first 
effort  was  directc(l  toward  securing  a  new  constitutional  convention. 
For  a  year  and  a  half  a  bitter  fight  was  waged  i)etween  the  so-called 
Conventionisls  ;inil  their  ()p|)onents.  At  a  general  election  AugiLst  2, 
1824,  the  Convent  ioMJsts  were  defeated  by  a  heavy  majority,  this  being 
the  final  settlcniciit  of  liie  slavery  i|nestion  in  Illinois. 

Tile  negroes  and  imilattoes  already  in  servitude  remained  slaves 
during  the  term  stipulated.  Tlie  census  of  1S20  thus  showed  017  slaves 
in  the  state.  Ten  years  later  tlii-ir  nunil)er  had  been  reduceil  to  747 
and  in  1840,  when  they  last  figured  in  the  census  report,  their  number 
was  331.  Hefore  18r)0  the  last  trace  of  slavery  had  been  wiped  t>ut  in 
the  slate. 

Ivlward  Coles,  who  had  Just  become  the  second  governor  of  IllinoiK, 
had  i)een  pri\ate  seei'elary  lo  President  JIadison  anil  was  an  intinnite 
friend  of  'rimiiias  .letl'erson  ami  Patrick  Henry.  He  had  iidierited  a 
plantnlioii  mid  a  iininlier  of  slaves  in  Virginia.  Disliking  the  institution 
of  slaverw  he  lia<l  reiiiii\fd   in  lS2lt  with  his  slaves  to  Illinois  and  set 


THK  si-avi;ry  yncsTioN 


57 


tlit'iii  fi'ee.  u-iving  to  each  head  of  a  family  KiO  acres  of  land.  In  liis 
iiiaujjural  address  in  IH'2'2  he  I'ecominended  that  the  lei;isiatiire  revise 
the  laws  so  as  to  jirevent  the  kidiiai)iiifr  of  free  iieiri'oes,  a  ci-iiiie  then 


Edward  Coles,   Second  Governor  of  Illinois 


committed  with  impunity.  He  devoted  his  four  years'  salary,  amount- 
ing to  $4,000,  to  the  anti-slavery  cause.  Coles  was  a  forerunner  of 
Lincoln  and  his  influence  was  paramount  at  a  critical  period  in  the 
preservation  of  Illinois  as  a  free-soil  state. 

The  champions  of  slavery  continued  their  eft'orts,  in  spite  of  their 
defeat  in  1824,  fighting  the  abolitionists  at  every  point  and  with  all  the 
means  at  their  command.  Two  eminent  leaders  in  the  anti-slavery 
movement  were  Elijah  Parish  Love.ioy.  a  Presbyterian  minister,  and  his 
brother  Owen  Lovejoy,  a  clergyman  of  the  Ct)ugregational  Church.  In 
the  early  '30s -Elijah  Lovejoy  published  from  St.  Louis  a  religious 
weekly,  the   "Observer,"   condemning  the  slave   traffic   in    unsjiaring 


58 


HISTORY  OI-"  ILLINOIS 


y-r^( 


Till';  SLAVERY  QUESTION 


59 


terms.  Tlis  life  bciiis  tlireat('ti<>(l  by  ciirii'icd  sl;i vclidldcrs,  li(>  rcinovcd 
to  Alloii.  111.,  in  July.  LS;!(i.  (■(nitiiiuiiif!;  tlic  |)iii)licatiiiii  from  that  point. 
lie  wau'i'd  a  t'carli'ss  cainpaii;'!!  for  the  nolilc  cause  wiiicli  lie  liacj 
c.si)ou.s('d.  and  a  year  latci-  he  iuid  a  ninidtcr  of  .sympathizers  or<;anized 
a  secret  leaijfiie  for  the  abolition  of  slavery.  Hut  not  even  on  Illinois 
soil  was  he  [x-rniitted  to  carry  on  his  woi'k  uuniolesled.      In  the  course 


y 


V 


y 


Owen    Luxejoy 


of  one  year  his  printing  slinp  was  attacd-ced  three  different  times  l)y 
violent  mob.s,  which  destroyed  his  presses  and  other  property.  After 
he  had  purchased  his  fourth  press,  a  number  of  his  friends  offered  to 
protect  it  from  the  assaults  of  the  rabble.  In  the  evening  of  Nov.  7. 
]837,  a  mob  surrounded  the  l)uildin'j:  where  it  was  kept  and.  to  make 
short  shrift  with  it.  one  of  their  nnndjer  climbed  to  the  roof  for  the 
purpose  of  setting  the  building  on  fire.  Stepping  outside,  together  with 
two  of  his  friends,  to  see  what  was  going  on.  Love.joy  was  shot  from 
andnish  and  died  in  a  few  moments.  His  fellow  aljolitiouists  considered 
him  a  martyr  to  the  cause,  and  his  death  formed  the  theme  of  many  a 
bitter  invective  against  the  slave  power.  His  example  became  an 
inspiration  to  every  friend  of  the  downtrodden  serfs  and  his  violent 


6o  HISTORY  OI-   ILLINOIS 

death  aided  materially  in  strengthening  the  anti-slavery  sentiment  at 
the  North. 

Owen  Lovejiiy  lived  to  take  a  distin^ruished  part  in  the  great  final 
struggle  for  abolition  and  the  presei-vatioii  of  tlie  Union.  He  wa.s 
elected  to  congress  in  1856,  and  Lincoln  had  no  more  faithful  and  loyal 
sujjporter  of  his  policy  in  congress  than  was  Owen  Lovejoy.  It  wa.s  the 
consciousness  of  this  fact,  which,  after  the  anti-slavery  champion's 
death  in  1S(M.  called  lortii  I'roni  Lincoln  the  warmest  tribute  to  his 
memory. 

Abraham  Lincoln,  the  Greatest  Illinoisan 

At  this  juuctiu'c.  there  passed  from  a  humble  itiouecr  home  out  in 
public  life  a  man  foreordained  by  Providence  to  become  in  due  time 
the  deliverer  of  the  slaves,  the  great  emancipator,  Abraham  Lincoln. 
A  review  of  the  history  of  Illinois  would  be  incomplete  and  lacking  in 
value  without  the  name  and  achievements  of  him.  the  noblest  of  its 
citizens. 

Abraham  Lincoln  was  born  in  Kentucky  ami  came  as  a  young  man 
of  21  to  this  state,  to  the  progress  of  which  he  gave  the  best  efforts  of 
his  matui'c  manhood.  Scarcely  two  years  had  pa.ssed  from  the  day  he 
began  s|)litting  rails  for  the  enclosure  of  the  homestead  the  family 
selected  in  ]\Icnard  county,  when,  after  serving  both  as  a  jirivatc  and 
an  officer  in  the  Black  Hawk  War.  he  appeared  as  a  candidate  for  the 
state  legislature.  He  was  defeated,  but  two  years  later  lie  reached  the 
goal  of  his  first  jiolitical  amliitions.  having  in  the  meantinu*  succcssfidly 
completed  a  course  in  law  and  also  worked  as  a  surveyor,  showing 
skill  and  aptness  for  the  vocation.  In  the  legislature  he  was  made  a 
member  of  the  committee  on  ai)propriations  and  accounts.  After 
re-election  in  IS.'Jtl  he  was  api)ointed  on  the  conimittee  on  finan<'es;  and, 
being  re-elected  again  in  1888  and  1840,  he  was  twice  the  Whig 
candidate  for  the  sjieakershii).  Hecognizing  the  wants  of  the  state,  he 
advocated  a  uniform  system  of  imblii-  inipi'ovements.  In  .March.  1S.'{7, 
the  Democratic  ina.iorit.\-  in  I  lie  Icgislaluic  passed  several  resolutions 
favorable  to  the  slave  power;  against  these  Lincoln  went  on  record  by 
registering  a  foi-cible  ]>rotest.  According  to  the  liest  information  at 
liand.  this  was  Lim-olns  (ii-sl  public  primonnccniciit  on  the  slavery 
(piest  ion. 

'I'lic  siiMic  year  Lincoln  was  admit  ted  to  the  bai'.  and  hencefortli 
we  ol'trii  liiid  liini  in  ccmrl.  dci'endinir  those  charged  with  assisting 
runaway  slaves  i'roni  the  South.  Owing  to  tin'  steady  growth  of  his 
law  practice,  he  was  obliged  to  decline  renomination  for  tin-  legislature 
in  1H42.  As  a  candidalc  I'or  presidential  clei'tor  in  1S4(I  and  1844,  he 
electioneered  with  great  energy  for  the  Whig  candidate  for  |iresident. 
His  debates  with  Stephen  A.   Douglas  on  tlic  buniiiitr  ipn'siion  of  the 


ABRAHAM    I.INCOLX 


6l 


tiiiK'.s,  lu'kl  bi't'di-c  yrcal  audicin-cs  in  a  latrr  i'aiii|)ai^'ii,  are  a  iiiaUcr  of 
history.  Lincoln  was  a  warm  admirer  of  Henry  ('lay.  whose  defeat 
caused  him  deep  regret. 

Having  up  to  that  time  devoted  himself  to  Illinois  jtolitics,  Lincoln 
in  1846  was  elected  to  congress  and  became  a  national  figure.    His  Dem- 


Abraham  Lincoln 


ocratic  opponent  in  this  campaign  was  Peter  Cartwright.  the  famous 
Methodist  clergyman.  In  congress  Lincoln  strenuously  opposed  the 
policy  of  President  Polk,  and  pronounced  the  war  with  ^Mexico  a 
national  infamy.  He  voted  for  the  anti-slavery  petitions  laid  before 
congress,  urged  an  investigation  as  to  the  constitutionality  of  slavery 
in  the  District  of  Columbia,  and  in  1S49  moved  its  abolition.    He  might 


62  HISTORY  OI"  ILLINOIS 

have  liiul  tlu'  rciiDiiiinatioii.  Imt  diTliiUHl.  Jii  tin-  Wlii^  natiotial  coii- 
vt'iition  ill  1S4S  lie  furtluTcMl  Taylor's  iioniiiiatioii  to  tlic  im'siiicin-y 
anil  iiiailc  a  caiiipai^'iiiiiir  tmir  in  New  Kni;Iaiiil  iluriii^  the  sii1)Kequi-iit 
(■aiiijiai<:ii.  In  1S41I  ln'  sloml  for  I'Icrtion  to  the  seliatf.  liiit  was  ilcfi-ati-il 
by  Cii'iicral  Shields.  I'rcsidciit  Filliiiorc  otTi-ri-d  him  the  frovi-i-iiurship 
of  Oregon  Territory,  which  was  deelined. 

The  re])iidiatioii  ol'  tlle  .Missouri  ("oinproinise  caused  Lincoln  a^raiii 
to  enter  the  political  arena,  and  in  a  short  time  lie  became  the 
recosnized  leader  of  the  Kepubliean  party,  then  in  proeess  of  formation. 
At  the  national  convention  of  that  party  in  IS.lfi  he  was  by  the  delcfra- 
tion  from  his  .state  i)ut  in  nomination  for  the  vice  presidency,  but 
failed  to  get  the  requisite  number  of  votes  to  eonfirm  the  nomination. 
In  June,  IH'jH.  the  Kepubliean  eiuivention  held  at  S|)riniirlield  nominated 
Lincoln  for  United  States  Senator  to  succeed  his  okl  antagonist. 
Stephen  A.  Douglas,  who  .sought  reelection.  During  the  campaign  the 
two  held  seven  ]nihlic  debates,  pi-incipally  on  the  leading  issue  whether 
Kansas  should  be  admitted  to  the  I'liion  free  or  slave.  It  was  geiierall\' 
adiiiitti'd  that  Lincoln  was  the  superior  of  his  astute  ]iulitical  opponent 
ill  argiiiiieiit.  He  receixcd  a  iiia.jorily  of  4.(100  votes  over  him  in  the 
following  election,  iiut  the  legislative  districts  were  so  gerrymandered, 
that  the  Democrats  succeeded  in  getting  a  ma.jority  of  eight  on  a  joint 
Vote  in  lie'  legislature,  and  Douglas  was  seatetl. 

Lincoln,  however,  continued  his  crusaile  against  the  slave  iiower  in 
forceful  speeches,  delivered  in  various  parts  of  the  eo\nitry.  including 
Kansas  and  the  New  England  states.  .\ot  only  his  own  opinion,  but 
tile  prevailing  seiiliinent  of  the  liepiililieaii  party  was  thus  voicetl. 

The  strain  between  the  North  ami  the  South,  owinsr  to  the  slave 
(|uestioii.  was  ever  on  the  increase.  Slavery  was.  or  was  claimed  to  be, 
an  essential  fai-tor  in  the  economx  of  the  South,  aiol  the  slave  ownei-s 
looked  upon  the  aiit l-sla Very  moveineiit  as  a  danger  to  be  warded  olT 
at  all  hazards.  Feai'  of  econoniic  collapse  was  the  ultimate  cause  of  the 
desperate  tenacity  with  which  they  lii'id  last  to  the  slave  system  aiul 
fought  the  abolitionists.  The  theory  of  stale  sovereignty  was  urged  in 
behalf  of  the  slave  slates,  and  the  secessionist  movement  began  in 
earnest,  aiming  toward  the  establishment  of  a  new  confederacy  of 
states  all  for  the  purpose  id"  preser\iiig  to  the  South  this  institution 
on  the  plea  that   it   was  indispensable. 

Till'  slavery  iiiiestiini  was  brought  to  an  issue  when  the  Ixepublican 
parly  at  its  natiunal  cuM\-eiilioM  in  Chicago  in  .Ma\-.  USliO,  iidopleil  a 
plalforiii  eiiiplial  iciilly  declaring  that  neither  congress,  nor  the  slate 
li'gislaliires,  nor  any  individuals  were  empowered  to  legali/.e  slavery  in 
nny  pari  of  Ihe  rniti-d  Stales,  and  at  the  same  lime  iiominat(>d  Lincoln 

for    Ihe    presidelii'y.       When    he    was   eli'cted    ill    November   of   Ihill    year. 


AHRAIIAM   LINCOLN 


63 


thereby  defeating-  his  intrepid  opponent  Donglas.  who  was  one  of  the 
three  presidential  candidates  of  the  disintegrated  Democratic  party, 
the  slaveholders  took  this  as  a  sure  sign  of  the  impending  destruction 
of  their  cherished  system  of  economy,  although  it  was  well  known  that 
Lincoln  was  by  no  means  disposed  to  precipitate  the  change. 

In  order  to  prevent  the  abolition  of  slavery,  the  slave  states 
determined  to  withdraw  from  the  Union  and  set  up  a  government  of 
their  own.  South  Carolina,  whence  originated  the  principle  of  state 
sovereignty,  led  the  way  by  calling  a  convention,  which  on  the  20th  of 


64 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


DeceuibiT.  tlu'  same  year,  voted  in  favor  of  secession.  Within  six 
weeks  the  states  of  ilississippi.  Florida,  Alabama.  Georgia.  Louisiana 
and  Texas  took  similar  action.  These  states  sul)sequently  united  under 
the  name  of  the  Confederate  States  of  America,  and.  on  the  8th  day  of 
February,  1861,  elected  Jefferson  Davis  president.  Lincoln  thas 
entered  upon  his  duties  as  president  in  March.  18til.  under  the  most 
trying  circumstaiu-es.  lie  realized  from  tiie  fii-st  that  a  peaceful  settle- 
ment af  the  contest  was  impossible;  that  the  Union  could  be  saved 
only  by  an  appeal  to  arms.  On  JIarch  13th  two  commissioners  of  the 
Confederacy  ap]ieared  at  Washiiifrton  offering  to  treat  with  the  govern- 
ment ret;ardinir  tiie  ((uestions  arising  out  of  the  secession.    The  govern- 


The  Liiiciilii   1  .iiiiih 


ment,  however,  refused  to  recognize  them  on  the  ground  that  the 
secession  was  illegal  and  without  the  consent  of  the  people  of  the 
United  States.  This  rej)ly  was  made  [uiblic  Ajiril  Sth.  and  on  the  l'2tli 
the  rebels  fin-d  on  l-'ort  Sniiilcr.  Tliis  was  tiie  opening  gim  of  the 
Civil  War. 

The  acciniiit  of  that  great  coiitlict  ilipcs  not  ciiIit  into  the  plan  of 
this  work.  Attenlinn  iiia.w  however,  be  called  to  the  enornutiis  task  that 
was  thereby  thrown  upon  llii-  shoulders  of  President  Lincoln,  as  well 
as  to  the  tiri'less  pcrscvcranei-.  tlic  lofty  statesmanship  and  the  glowing 
patriotism  lie  evinced  1  liroiiglioiil  :  how  he,  with  the  great  goal  of 
human  freedom  ever  belori'  him.  issued,  on  Scjit.  "JL'.  \S{\'2.  his  Kman- 
cipation  I'roeiauiat  ion.  by  which  slavery  was  abolished  in  the  I'nili'il 
States;  how  he  was  again  elei-led.  with  an  overwhelming  nuijorily. 
in  lH(i4;  how  he.  with  the  raithful  aid  and  support  of  the  peopb', 
brought  the  war  to  a  close,  with  honoi-  ti>  the  N'orlli,  benevolence  to  the 


RICHARD    VATICS 


65 


entire  country,  and  tlie  restoration  of  the  Union,  one  and  inseparable; 
and,  finally,  how  he,  after  his  life  had  often  been  placed  in  jeopardy 
by  persons  seeking  revenge  for  the  alleged  losses  sustained  by  his  great 
work  of  emancipation,  died  by  the  hand  of  an  assassin. 

The  people  of  Illinois  will  ever  point  with  pride  to  the  fact    that 
this  man,  the   peer  of  Washington   in   our  history,   was  one  of  their 


Richard  Yates,   War  Governor  of  Illinois 


number.  And  as  long  as  the  human  heart  cherishes  the  deeds  of  the 
great,  they  will  visit,  with  a  reverence  akin  to  worship,  the  mausoleum 
at  Springfield,  where  Abraham  Lincoln  lies  entombed. 

Among  the  earnest  supporters  of  the  national  administration  in  its 
measures  for  the  suppression  of  the  rebellion  was  Richard  Yates, 
governor  of  Illinois,  1861-4,  who  was  later  styled  "the  Illinois  War 


66 


HISTORY  Ol-   ILLINOIS 


Governor."     He  served   as   Uuited   Slates  seuator   1865-71,   and  died 
in  187:3. 

One  of  the  military  heroes  jjroduccd  l)y  Jllinois  was  Jolin  A.  Logan, 
a  nienibor  of  eongress  at  the  outbreak  of  hostilities.  Leaving  liis  seat, 
he  fouglit  in  the  ranks  at  Hull  Kun.     Commissioned  eolonel  of  the  31st 


Jiiliii  .\.   Lo^nii 

Reginiiiil  illiiniis  liirantry  by  Governor  ^'illl's.  in-  went  In  the  front  and 
was  rapidly  promoted  to  niajor-gcni-riil  llr  was  in  1884  an  unsueeess- 
fnl  candidate  for  the  vice-presidency  willi  .lames  O.  Mlaine.  TiOgan 
die(l  in  IKSti  as  a  I'nited  Stales  senator. 

The  greatest  military  figure  brougiil  owl    by  the  Civil  War  was 
furnishi'd   by   lilinnis   in   the   person   of  Ulysses  S.  Craiil,   who   was   in 


ULYSSES  S.  (iRANT 


67 


1861  a  tanner  in  Galena.  After  serving  as  clerk  and  drill-master  he 
was  commissioned  colonel  of  the  21st  Illinois  Volunteers.  As  brigadierT 
general  he  captured  Forts  Donelson  and  Henry  in  1862.  He  soon  had 
charge  of  all  western  operations  and  his  capture  of  Vieksburg  after  a 
siege  was  the  chief  Union  victory  of  1803.     He  became  major-general 


Ulysses  S.  Grant 


and  then  lieutenant-general  in  1864,  taking  command  of  all  the  North- 
ern armies.  Grant  personally  directed  the  campaign  against  Richmond 
which  resulted  in  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appomattox  on  April  S,  1865. 
and  the  downfall  of  the  Confederacy.    The  rank  of  general  was  created 

for  him  in  1866,  after  wliieh  the  nation  chose  him  president  in  1868  and 


68  IIISTOKV  (11"  ILLINOIS 

again  in  1872.  During;  tlu-  years  l.sTT-il  lie  made  a  tour  of  the  world 
and  was  received  everywlierc-  with  llic  lii^'liest  lionin-s.  General  Grant 
died  July  23,  1885. 

Illinois  during  tlie  Civil  War  contributed  to  the  Union  army 
214,133  men,  34,834  of  whom  fell  in  battle  or  died  of  disease  during 
service  in  the  field  or  as  war  prisoners  in  the  South. 

In  spite  of  the  Civil  War  of  18(51-1865  the  economic  development 
of  the  state  progressed  almost  unimpeded.  In  1860  Illinois  already 
took  first  rank  among  agricultural  states,  and  its  industrial  progress 
was  rapid.  During  twenty  years.  1850-1870.  Illinois  advanced  from 
fifteenth  to  fifth  place  as  a  manufacturing  state.  At  the  present  time 
it  stands  third  in  rank  with  reference  to  manufactures  and  varied 
industries.  This  i)henonienal  growth  was  principally  due  to  the  rapid 
extension  of  the  railroad  system,  that  work  going  forward  at  such  a 
pace  that  Illinois  in  1870  had  more  miles  of  railway  than  any  other 
state  ill  the  Union,  a  distinction  which  it  still  enjoys. 

Up  to  1870  agriculture  was  the  cliief  occupation  of  its  people,  the 
farmers  outiiumberiiig  those  of  all  other  occupations  combined.  Since 
then,  however,  this  condition  has  changed,  and  in  1900  those  engaged 
in  manufactures  and  varied  industries  outnumbered  the  agricultural 
population.  The  number  engaged  in  ciunmerce  and  traiisi)ortation  was 
almost  as  large  as  the  industrial  class,  there  being,  however,  no  material 
difference  in  the  numerical  strength  of  the  three  groups. 

With  respect  to  the  value  of  the  crops,  Illinois  in  1900  ranked  first 

among  the  states,  and  in  coal  production  it  had  second  place.     Its 

banking  business  gives  it  a  jilace  among  the  leading  comiiiereial  states. 

No  better  exponent  of  the  development  is  foiuid  than  the  census 

records,  which  give  the  increase  in  population  by  decades  as  follows: 

Year  No.  of  Inhabitants         Year  No.  of  Inhabitants 

1820 55.162  1870 2,539,891 

1830 157.445         1880 3.077.871 

1840 476.183         1890 3.826.351 

1850 851.470         1900 4.821.550 

1860 1.711.951 

The  Educational  System 

The  first  step  in  estalilishiiit;  tree  imlilie  si-iinols  in  tlie  part  of  the 
rountry  now  coiiiprisin^'  the  state  nf  Illinois  was  taken  by  congress 
May  20lh.  1785,  in  ;i(lo|il  inj.'  'An  Onlinanee  for  A.seertaining  the  Mode 
of  Disposing  Lands  in  the  Western  Territi>ry."  Hy  this  act  the 
system  of  survey  still  in  force  was  introduced  into  the  United  States. 
The  system  was  the  work  of  Captain  Thomas  Ilutehins,  who  at  the  same 
lime  was  appointed  surveyor-general.     The  net  stipulati'd    that  section 


Till-;  i;i)i  cATioNAi,  svsti-:m 


69 


IG  of  overy  towii,shi|i  was  to  be  rosorvcd  for  the  iiiHintciiaiice  of  public  ] 
schools  witliin  tlu'  towiisliip.  The  same  provision  w;is  made  in  all  I 
siilise(|iiiiit    (irdiiiances  pertainiiij;'  Id  the  disposal   dF  piildii-   lands.      In      ' 


t'uiversity  of  Illinois     Library  Kuildinsj 


70 


HISTORY  or  ILLINOIS 


the  Xorthwost  Orilinaiite,  adopted  in  1787,  this  declaration  was  made  : 
"Whereas  religion,  morals  and  education  are  necessary  to  human 
happiness,  the  establishment  of  si-hools  and  other  means  of  education 
should  be  constantly  encouraged."  The  stipulations  regarding  land 
grants  for  the  support  of  schools  were  renewed  in  an  act  of  congress 
April  18,  1818,  giving  to  the  people  of  the  Illinois  Territory  the  right 
of  self-government,  and  they  were  formally  adopted  by  the  lirst 
constitutional  convention.  This  act  also  inclmled  a  provision  that, 
besides  the  lands  set  aside  for  school  purposes  in  the  act  of  1804,  an 
entire  township  was  to  be  reserved  for  the  maintenance  of  a  seminary 
of  learning  and  that  three  per  cent,  of  the  proceeds  of  the  sale  of 
public  lands  in  the  state  should  be  devotctl  to  the  promotion  of 
education  as  directed  by  the  legislature.  One-sixth  of  this  fund  was 
to  be  used  for  establishing  and  endowing  a  college  or  university.  Tlie.se 
acts  and  resolutions  form  the  I'ouiidiition  of  the  educational  system  of 
the  state. 

Prior  to  their  adoption,  however,  primary  schools  had  been 
established.  One  John  Seeley  is  said  to  have  begun  teaching  school  in 
a  blockhouse  in  present  Monroe  comity  as  early  as  1783,  thus  being  the 
first  known  public  school  teacher  in  Illinois.  Seeley  was  followed  by 
Francis  Clark  and  a  man  named  llalfperuiy.  Among  the  early 
educators  during  a  later  period  we  note  John  Boyle,  a  soldier  in  the 
little  army  commanded  by  Col.  George  Rogers  Clark,  who  taught  in 
Randolph  county  some  time  during  17!)0-1800:  John  Atwater.  who 
taught  near  Edwardsville  in  1807,  and  John  ilessinger.  a  surveyor, 
who  was  a  mendjcr  of  the  constitutional  convention  of  1818  and  speaker 
of  the  first  general  assembly.  The  last  named  taught  in  the  vicinity  of 
Shiloh,  St.  Clair  county,  at  the  point  where  Rev.  John  JI.  Peck's  Rock 
Spring  Seminary  was  subsequently  erected.  These  schools,  nil  of  a 
primitive  nature,  were  supported  privately  by  the  parents  of  the  pupils. 

The  first  etVort  to  establish  a  general  school  system  for  the  entire 
state  was  made  in  January,  1825,  when  Joseph  Duncan,  who  was  after- 
wards elected  congressman  and  governor,  submittcil  to  the  legislature 
a  bill  to  appriipriitte  two  dollars  out  of  every  $100  of  state  revenue  for 
distribution  anmng  lliosi'  paying  taxes  or  otherwise  contributing  to  the 
support  of  schools.  The  reveinies  of  the  slate  at  this  time  wen-,  how- 
ever, so  insignificanl  (a  trifle  over  $()(). (100  jier  annum),  that  the  sinn 
thus  r-iali/cd  I'm-  selHinj  pin  piiscs  wdiilil  havt'  amounted  to  about  $1.'2(H1 
anmially.  if  the  ai-|  had  bi'en  enl'ureed.  It  remained  a  dead  letter  until 
ISL'lt.  wlicM  it  was  inillifieil.  and  the  state  authorities  began  to  ilispose  of 
the  sc'iiiinai'v  lands  and  msi>  ilie  proceeds  of  the  sale  for  defrnyiuR 
current  expenditiins.  In  this  manner  4.?. 200  aeri's  were  sold,  leaving 
onlv    I'liiir   and   ninh.-iH'   sect  inns,    nnij    the   sum    ri'ali/.ed    was   less   than 


THR  KDICATIONAI,  SVST1';M 


71 


$60,000.     The  first  sjilc  of  townsliip  school  land  took  place  in  Greene 
county  in  ISlil,  iind  two  years  later  Ihe  Rrealer  part  of  the  sehool  lands 


o 


n 
o 


> 

orq 


in  the  heart  of  present  Chicago  were  sold  for  about  $39,000.  These 
sales  continued  until  1882  and  brought  an  average  of  $3.78  per  acre. 
Certain  lands  were  sold  as  low  as  70  cents  per  acre.  These  meager 
results  were  not  chargeable  to  the  system,  but  to  the  administration  of 
it.    Had  the  authorities  exercised  foresight,  the  school  fund  doubtless 


72 


IlISTdKV  Ul'  ILLINOIS 


would  have  grown  vastly  frreatcr.  The  first  free  i)iiblic  school  in  the 
state  was  opened  at  Chicago  in  1834,  the  second  at  Alton  in  1837,  the 
third  at  Springfield  in  1840,  and  the  fourth  at  Jacksonville  the  same 
year. 

The  present  school  sj'stem  dates  from  1855,  when  a  law  wius 
passed  creating  a  permanent  school  fund  by  general  taxation.  Since 
then  the  school  law  has  been  frequently  amended,  yet  the  fundamental 
principle  that  every  child  is  entitled  to  the  advantage  of  an  elementary 
education  has  always  been  carefully  guarded.  It  may  be  said  without 
exaggeration,  that  the  Illinois  school  .system  in  the  last  forty  years  has 
been  developed  into  one  of  the  best  in  tiie  country.  Tiie  following 
figures  will  convey  a  fair  idea  of  this  remarkable  development : 

In  1902  the  state  had  12,855  free  public  schools  with  27.186 
teachers,  6,800  male  and  20,38G  female,  and  (171.841  pupils.  The  cost 
of  maintenance  was  .$19,899,624.54,  including  teachers'  salaries  to  liie 
amount  of  $12,075,000.14.  In  the  same  year  the  private  schools  in  tiie 
state  iHunberod  3,961  teachers  and  144,471  jnipils. 

There  are,  furthermore,  350  higli  or  continuation  schools,  supple- 
menting the  public  schools.  These  are  the  natural  results  of  the  devel- 
opment of  the  edui-ational  system,  not  the  creation  of  any  legislative 
statute.  Eighty-eight  of  the  350  high  schools  own  buildings  valued  at 
$4,000,000,  and  one  has  a  permanent  endowment  fund,  while  the  others 
are  maintained  by  local  taxation.  They  were  attended  in  1902  by  41,951 
pupils,  5,230  of  whom  were  graduated. 

Higher  education  in  Illinois  dates  from  the  time  when  it  was 
still  a  part  of  the  Indiana  Territory.  In  November,  1806,  the  territorial 
legislature,  asscmliled  at  Vinceinics,  resolved  to  establish  at  that  point 
an  institution  to  be  known  as  the  University  of  Indiana  Territory.  The 
necessarj'  funds,  estimated  at  $20,000,  were  to  be  raised  by  means  of  a 
lottery.  A  board  of  regents  was  at  once  selected,  with  tieneral  William 
Henry  Harrison  as  chairman.  This  enterprise  advanced  as  far  as  tiie 
erection  of  a  building  and  then  collapsed. 

Twenty-one  years  later,  in  1827,  tiie  first  successful  effort  at 
estaliiishing  a  higher  institution  of  learning  in  Illinois  wix-s  made.  Tlie 
credit  belongs  to  Rev.  John  IM.  IVck.  a  minister  of  tlic  Baptist  denomi- 
nation. Peck  was  born  in  Litclificld,  ("onn.,  in  1789,  settled  in  Greene 
county,  N.  Y.,  in  ISll  ;  took  charge  of  a  congregation  in  Amenia,  N.  Y., 
in  1814,  and  was  sent  in  1817  as  a  missionary  to  St.  Louis,  Mo.  During 
the  following  nine  years  he  made  exli-nsivi'  .journeys  in  Missouri  and 
Illinois,  and  linally  set  I  led  in  Ivocic  Spring.  St.  Clair  county,  where  lie 
founded  in  1826  llic  lunk  Spring  Seminary  and  High  Scliool  for  the 
ediiealion  of  cIiTgyiin'ii  and  scliiinl  Icaciiers.  This  was  tile  prcileeessor 
of  SlnirliclV  College,  cstahlislnMl  by  the  llaptists  in  1835  at  I'pper  .\lloii, 


Till';   IU)rC.\TI()N.\I.  SYSTlv.M 

r-^ 


73 


s 

i 


3 


being  subsequently  mei-o-cd  witli  that  iustitutiou.  In  promoting  liis 
enterprise  Peek  traveled  thousands  of  miles,  collecting  meanwhile  the 
sum  of  $20,000,  a  considerable  aniDunt  in  that  day.  For  many  years  he 
continued  a  member  of  th.e  board  of  directors  of  the  school.  This 
educational  pioneer  of  Illinois  was  awarded  the  honorary  degree  of 


74 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


Doctor  of  J)ivinity  by  Harvard  University  in  1852.    He  died  at  Rock 

Spring  March  15.  1858. 

lu  1828  a  ilethodist  seminary  was  established. at  Lebanon  under 

the  name  of  Lebanon  Seminary.    After  two  years  it  was  made  a  coUeire 

and  named  after  Hishop  ilcKendree.     Illinois  College  was  founded  in 

December,  1829,  at  Jackson- 
ville with  the  support  of  the 
Presbyterians,  and  from  this 
in.stitution  the  first  graduates 
in  the  history  of  Illinois 
.schools  were  sent  out  in  1835. 
These  schools  of  learning 
were  legally  recognized  by 
the  state  the  same  year.  Next 
in  order  came  Knox  College, 
founded  by  Presbjlerians  in 
1838,  at  Galesburg.  and  the 
Episcopalian  Jubilee  College, 
established  in  1847,  at  Peoria. 


I'liivrrsity    of  Illinois — Campus  Scene 


For  the  promotion  of  general  education  there  were  held,  during 
tlie  tliirties  and  forties,  a  series  of  educational  conventions,  attended 
not  only  by  teachers  but  also  by  legislators  and  others  devoted  to  the 
cause.  The  first  convention  was  held  in  the  then  capital  city  of 
Vandalia,  in  183.3.  In  1854  these  conventions  resulted  in  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  State  Teachers'  Institute,  its  name  being  changed  three 
years  later  to  the  State  Teacliers'  Association.  The  question  of  electing 
a  state  superintendent  of  public  instruction  had  been  raised  as  early  as 
1837  and  debated  at  the  educational  conventions,  in  the  educational 
journals,  and  in  tlie  state  legislature,  but  imt  luitil  1854  did  the  proposi- 
tion materialize  in  the  establishment  of  that  office. 

It  was  during  this  progressive  period  that  the  idea  of  founding  a 
state  university  was  conceived.  At  a  farmers'  convention,  held  Nov.  18. 
1854,  at  Cranville,  Putnam  county,  one  Prof.  Joiuithau  B.  Turner  from 
Jacksonville,  111.,  ])roposed  the  jilan  for  a  uniform  .system  of  polytechnic 
schools  throughout  the  United  States,  with  one  scientific  school  in  each 
state  and  territ(U-y,  ami  a  national  institute  of  science  in  the  federal 
capital.  The  same  plan  was  received  with  favor  elsewhere,  especially 
in  New  York  and  New  Knglaiul,  and  not  without  interest  in  Illinois. 
The  meeting  at  (iranville  was  followi'd  by  others,  and  at  one  of  these 
convent  i(»ns,  held  at  Spriiiglichl  in  .laiiuary,  lS5:i,  was  organized  the 
Induistrial  League  of  the  Slate  of  Illinois  to  further  the  project  and 
arouse  ]i()pular  interest  by  means  of  lectures  thro\ighout  the  state. 
It  was  decided  al  this  meeting  to  petition  congress  for  land  grants  o\it 


Till'',   IvDICATIONAL  SVSTKM 


75 


of  the  proceeds  of  wliieh  to  support  these  institutes.     In  1853  Illinois, 
tlirouj?h     its    lei;islatui'e,    uniinimously    refoiiiinendcd    the    plan    and 


3 
I 

n 
o 


requested  its  senators  and  representatives  in  congress  to  promote  its 
adoption.  The  matter  was  taken  np  in  congress  and  a  bill  authorizing 
such  institutions  was  passed,  biit  annulled  in  February.  1859,  by  the 


76 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


veto  of  President  Buchauan.  Tlie  matter  was  again  taken  up  and  a  bill 
passed,  which  received  the  approval  of  President  Lincoln  July  2,  1862. 

Thus  a  great  movement  in  the  Prairie  State,  advocated  by  an 
Illinois  man.  supported  by  Illinois  people,  was  confirmed  by  an  Illinois 
president. 

By  this  act  the  national  government  donated  to  each  state  in  the 
Union  public  land  scrip  in  quantity  equjil  to  30,000  acres  for  each 
senator  and  i-epresentative  in  congress  "for  the  endowment.  sui)port. 


Iiiivcrsitv  of  Illinois     .\uiliUiriuiii 


iinil  inainti  nance  of  at  least  one  college,  whose  leading  object  shall  be. 
without  excluding  other  scientific  and  classical  studies,  and  inclu<ling 
military  tactics,  to  Icacli  sui-li  liraiichcs  of  learning  as  are  related  to 
agriculture  and  tin-  molianical  arts  •  •  *  in  order  to  promote  the 
liberal  and  practical  cdui-ation  of  tlic  indiisti-ial  classes  in  the  several 
pursuits  and  ])i'()f('ssi()ns  of  life." 

On  account  of  tliis  ;;ran1.  amounting  to  480.000  acres  in  Illinois,  the 
stale  pays  the  university,  semiannually,  interest  at  the  rate  of  five  per 
cent,  on  about  !i;(ilO,00();  and  deferred  payments  on  land  contracts 
amount,  approximately,  to  $35,000. 

To  secure  the  location  of  the  university  several  counties  entered 
into  competition  by  jiroposing  to  donate  to  its  use  specified  sums  of 
money,  or  their  e(|uivaleiit.  Champaiun  county  olTered  a  large  brick 
building  in  the  suburbs  of  I'rbana,  erected  for  a  seminary  and  nearly 
completed.  al)out  1.0(11)  acres  of  land,  anil  .^lOO.OOO  in  comity  bonds. 
To  tills  the  Illinois  Central  railroad  added  ^.'id.dUO  in  freight. 

The  state  has  from  time  to  lime  approjiriated  various  sums  for 
pei'iiianeiil  im|iro\-emenls.  as  well  as  l'<ir  maintenanee.     l-'or  1I)()7    -ltt08 


THH  HUrCATKiNAI,  SYSTEM 


77 


it  ai)pi-opriated  $305,000  for  the  Colle^'e  of  Agriculture,  $900,000  for 
ordinary  operating  expenses,  and  $502,700  for  various  extensions,  be- 
sides which  $100,000  was  set  aside  for  the  Graduate  School,  $250,000  for 
a  physics  laboratory,  and  $150,000  for  an  addition  to  the  Natural 
History  Hall.  The  present  value  of  the  entire  property  and  assets  is 
estimated  at  $3,250,000. 

The  institution  was  incorjjorated  February  28.  1867,  under  the 
name  of  the  Illinois  Industrial  University,  and  placed  under  the  control 
of  a  board  of  ti"u.stees,  constituted  of  the  governor,  the  superintendent 
of  public  instruction  and  the  president  of  the  state  board  of  agriculture, 

as     e  x-o  f  f  i  c  i  o     members, 

and  twenty-eight  citizens  ap- 

poiuted     liy     the     governor. 

The    chief    executive    officer 

was  called  Regent,  and  was 

made    an    ex-officio    member 

of    the    board    and    presid- 
ing    officer     both     of     the 

board  of  trustees  and  of  the 

faculty. 

In     1873     the     board     of 

trustees  was  reorganized,  the 

number    of   appointed   mem- 
bers    being    reduced    to    nine  university  of  IlUnois— Wom.-iirs  Building 

and  of  ex-officio  members  to 

two — the  governor  and  the  president  of  the  state  board  of  agriculture. 
In  1887  a  law  Avas  passed  making  membership  elective  at  a  general  state 
election  and  restoring  the  superintendent  of  public  instruction  as  an 
ex-officio  member.  There  are,  therefore,  now  three  ex-officio  members 
and  nine  by  public  suffrage.  Since  1873  the  president  of  the  board  has 
been  chosen  by  the  members  from  among  their  own  number  for  a 
term  of  one  year. 

The  univei-sity  Avas  opened  to  students  Jlareh  2,  1868,  wlien  there 
were  present,  beside  the  Regent ,  three  professors  and  about  fifty 
students — all  young  men. 

During  the  first  term  instruction  was  given  in  algebra,  geometry, 
physics,  history,  rhetoric  and  Latin.  Work  on  the  farm  and  gardens 
or  about  the  buildings  was  at  first  compulsory  for  all  students,  but  in 
March  of  the  next  year  compulsory  labor  was  discontinued,  save  Avheu 
it  Avas  made  to  serve  as  a  part  of  class  instruction.  A  chemical  labora- 
tory Avas  fitted  up  during  the  autumn  of  1868.  Botanical  laboratory 
work  began  the  following  year.  In  January.  1870.  a  mechanical  shop 
Avas  fitted  up  Avith  tools  and  machinery,  and  here  Avas  begim  the  first 


jg  HISTORY  Ol-  ILLINOIS 

shop  instruction  given  in  any  American  university.  During  the  summer 
of  1871  tlie  present  engineering  laboratory  was  erected  and  equipped 
for  students'  shop  work  in  both  wood  and  iron. 

By  vote,  March  9,  1870,  the  trustees  admitted  women  as  students. 
During  tlie  year  1870-1871  twenty-four  availed  themselves  of  the 
privilege.  Since  that  time  they  have  constituted  from  one-sixth  to  one- 
fifth  of  the  total  number  of  students. 

In  1890  the  congress  of  the  United  States  made  further  appropria- 
tions for  the  endowment  of  the  institutions  founded  imder  the  act  of 
1862.  Under  this  enactiiiont  each  such  college  or  university  received 
the  first  year  $15,000,  and  thereafter  $1,000  per  annum  additional  to 
the  amount  of  the  preceding  year,  until  the  amount  reached  $25,000. 
wliich  sum  was  to  be  paid  yearly  thereafter. 

On  Jlay  1,  1896,  the  Chicago  College  of  Pharmacy  foimded  in  1859, 
became  the  School  of  Pharmacy  of  the  University  of  Illinois.  Its  build- 
ing is  located  at  j\Iichigan  ave.  and  12th  st.  in  Chicago. 

Pursuant  to  action  of  the  board  of  trustees,  taken  Dec.  8,  1896,  the 
School  of  Law  was  organized,  and  opened  Sept.  13,  1897.  The  course 
of  study  covered  two  years,  in  conformity  with  the  existing  require- 
ments for  admission  to  the  bar  of  Illinois.  In  the  following  November, 
however,  the  supreme  court  of  the  state  announced  rules  relating  to 
examinations  for  admission  to  the  bar  which  made  three  yeai-s  of  study 
necessary,  and  the  course  of  study  in  the  law  school  was  immediately 
rearranged  on  that  basis.  On  Feb.  9,  1900,  the  name  of  the  School  of 
Law  was  changed  to  College  of  Law. 

Negotiations  looking  to  the  affiliation  of  the  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  of  Chicago,  with  tlic  university,  wiiicii  iiad  been  going 
on  for  several  jears,  were  concluded  by  the  board  of  trustees  in  March. 
1897.  According  to  the  agreciiicnt  made,  the  College  of  Physicians  and 
Surgeons  became  in  April,  1897,  the  College  of  Medicine  of  the  Univer- 
sity of  Illinois.  The  college  is  located  at  Congress  and  Honore  streets, 
Chicago. 

In  1897,  the  niallcr  of  the  rcorgani/ation  of  the  University  Librarx 
was  considered  by  the  board  of  trustees,  with  the  result  that  the  School 
of  TJbi'ary  Economy,  M-hicli  had  been  established  in  ISit:?  at  the  Annonr 
Inslitiilc  of  Technology,  in  Chicago,  was  transferred  to  tiie  \niivcrsity. 
;uiil  I  111'  director  of  that  school  was  appointed  librarian  of  the  Univer- 
sity Library.  Tn  accordance  with  liiese  jilans  the  State  Library  School 
was  opened  at  tiie  university  in  September,  1897. 

Pursuant  to  action  taken  by  the  board  of  trustees  in  March,  1901, 
a  School  of  Deiilistry  was  organized  as  a  dci>artment  of  the  College  of 
Medicine.  Tlie  si^hool  was  opened  October  M,  1901.  The  name  was 
i-hnngcil  t(i  CiiJlcge  of  Dentistry  in  1905. 


THK  KDICATIONAI,  SYSTEM  yg 

The  land  occupied  by  the  university  and  its  several  departmeuts 
embraces  220  acres,  exclusive  of  the  stock  farm,  experimental  farm,  and 
forest  plantation,  whicli  eiiihraee  some  400  acres  additional.  The 
principal  buildings  are:  the  university  hall,  agricultural  building, 
armory,  library  building,  astronomical  observatory,  chemical  labora- 
tory, engineering  hall,  laboratory  of  applied  mechanics,  mechanical 
engineering  laboratory,  metal  shops,  wood  shop  and  foundry,  natural 
history  hall,  men's  gymnasium,  vpoman's  building  and  auditorium.  The 
general  university  library  contains  90,400  volumes  and  pamphlets,  and 
has  a  subscription  list  of  1,100  periodicals.  To  this  is  added  the  library 
of  the  state  laboratory  of  natural  history,  6,000  volumes  and  16,500 
pamphlets,  and  those  of  the  college  of  medicine  and  dentistry,  and  the 
school  of  pharmacy,  in  Chicago,  and  the  college  of  law.  The  depart- 
ment of  education  has  a  special  collection  of  1,500  books  and  3,000 
pamphlets.  An  art  gallery  was  established  in  1874.  the  gift  of  citizens 
of  Champaign  and  Urbana. 

The  appropriations  made  by  the  congressional  act  of  ilarch  2,  1887, 
were  for  the  purpose  of  establishing  and  maintaining,  in  connection 
with  the  colleges  founded  upon  the  congressional  act  of  1862,  agricul- 
tural experiment  stations,  "to  aid  in  acquiring  and  diffusing  among  the 
people  of  the  United  States  useful  and  practical  information  on  subjects 
connected  with  agriculture,  and  to  promote  scientific  investigation  and 
experiment  respecting  the  principles  and  applications  of  agricultural 
science."  Under  this  provision  the  Agricultural  Experiment  Station 
for  Illinois  was  founded  in  1888  and  placed  imder  the  direction  of  the 
trustees  of  the  luiiversity,  and  a  part  of  the  university  farm,  with 
l)uildings,  was  assigned  for  its  use. 

The  federal  grants  to  the  station  have  been  liberally  supplemented 
with  state  appropriations,  until  its  revenues  have  become  the  largest 
of  those  of  similar  institutions  throughout  the  world. 

Investigations  are  conducted  in  the  growing  and  marketing  of 
orchard  fruits,  the  methods  of  production  of  meats  and  of  dairy  goods, 
the  principles  of  animal  breeding  and  nutrition,  and  in  the  improve- 
ment and  the  economic  production  of  crops.  All  the  principal  types  of 
soil  of  the  state  are  being  studied  in  the  laboratory  under  glass  and  in 
the  field.  A  soil  survey  is  in  progress  which  when  finished  will  map 
and  describe  the  soil  of  every  farm  of  the  state  down  to  an  area  of  ten 
acres.  Twenty  to  thirty  fields  and  orchards  are  rented  in  different 
portions  of  the  state  for  the  study  of  local  problems,  and  assistants  are 
constantly  on  the  road  for  the  conduct  of  experiments  or  to  give  instruc- 
tion to  producer  or  consumer.  The  results  of  investigation  are  pub- 
lished in  bulletins,  which  are  issued  in  editions  of  40,000,  and  disti-ib- 
uted  free  rf  charge. 


8o 


HISTORY  Ol"  ILLINOIS 


The  Engineering  Experiment  Station  was  established  by  action  of 
the  board  of  trustees,  in  December,  1903.    It  is  th»-  first  and.  so  far  as 


known,  the  only  exporinicnt   station   eonnoclctl   with   any   eoUejro   of 
<'ii|;ini>(-ring  in   this  country.     Its   jiurposcs   arc   the   stiuiulntion   and 


THK  KDrCATIONAI,  SYSTEM  gl 

elevation  of  engineering  education,  and  the  study  of  problems  of  special 
importance  to  professional  engineers,  and  to  the  manufacturing,  rail- 
vfay,  mining,  industrial  and  otlier  interests  of  importance  to  the  public 
welfare  of  the  shitc  and  Ihc  i-dunlry. 

Up  to  the  present  time,  eleven  bulletins,  of  value  to  engineering 
science,  have  been  published.  The  experiments  have  related  chiefly  to 
tests  of  concrete,  reinforced  concrete  beams,  tests  of  high  speed  tool 
steels,  the  resistance  of  tubes  to  collapse,  fuel  tests,  and  the  liolding 
power  of  railroad  spikes. 

In  1885  the  legislature  passed  a  bill  transferring  the  State  Labora- 
tory of  Natural  History  to  the  University  of  Illinois  from  the  Illinois 
State  Normal  University,  where  it  was  founded  in  1877  by  the  present 
director.  Dr.  Stephen  Alfred  Forbes,  a  noted  scientist,  who  is  also  state 
entomologist.  This  laboratory  was  created  for  the  purpose  of  making  a 
natural  history  survey  of  the  state,  the  results  of  which  should  be 
published  in  a  series  of  bulletins  and  reports,  and  for  the  allied  purpose 
of  furnishing  specimens  illustrative  of  the  flora  and  fauna  of  tlie  state 
to  the  public  schools  and  to  the  state  museum. 

The  herbarium  contains  about  50,000  moiuited  specimens  of  plants. 
The  flora  of  North  America  is  fairly  well  represented,  the  collection  of 
species  of  flowering  plants  indigenous  to  Illinois  is  particularly  com- 
plete, and  a  considerable  collection  of  foreign  species  has  been  made. 
The  collections  of  fungi  amount  to  32,000  named  specimens  and  include 
a  full  set  of  those  most  injurious  to  other  plants,  causing  rusts,  smuts, 
moulds,  etc.  There  are  specimens  of  wood  from  200  species  of  native 
trees  and  shrubs,  which  well  illustrate  the  varieties  of  native  wood. 
t  The  work  of  the  state  entomologist's  office  has  been  done  at  the 

University  of  Illinois  since  January,  1885 ;  and  by  legislative  enact- 
.V  ment  m  1899  it  was  permanently  established  at  the  vmiversity.     It  is 

the  function  of  the  entomologist  to  investigate  the  entomology  of 
Illinois,  and  particularly  to  study  the  insects  injurious  to  the  horti- 
culture and  agriculture  of  the  state,  and  to  prepare  reports  of  his 
researches  and  discoveries  in  entomology  for  publication  by  the  state. 
Over  700  pages  of  reports  have  been  issued  from  this  office.  He  also 
inspects  and  certifies  annually  all  Illinois  nurseries,  and  maintains  a 
general  supervision  of  tlie  horticultural  property  of  the  state  as  respects 
its  infeetation  by  dangerous  insects  and  its  infection  with  eontagioiis 
plant  diseases. 

The  chemical  survey  of  tlie  waters  of  the  state  was  begun  in 
September,  1895.  by  Dr.  Arthur  W.  Palmer.  In  1897  the  legislature 
authorized  the  continuance  of  the  work,  and  directed  the  board  of 
trustees  to  establish  a  chemical  and  biological  survey  of  the  waters  of 
the  state.  Its  purpose  is  to  collect  facts  and  data  concerning  the  water 
supplies  of  the  state ;  to  demonstrate    their    sanitary    condition    by 


82 


HISTORY  OF  ILLINOIS 


examination  and  analysis;  to  determine  standard  of  purity  of  drinking 
waters  in  the  various  sections,  and  publish  the  results  of  these  investiga- 
tions. Analyses  of  water  for  citizens  of  the  state  are  made  on  request. 
An  act  of  the  general  asseml)ly  on  July  1,  1905,  provided  for  the 
establishment  of  a  bureau  to  bo  known  as  the  state  geological  survey. 


t'niversily  of  Illinois     Ivli-cliioiil  ninl   .Miilmiiii'al   Iji)K>niU>r_% 
and    I.iilionilory  of  .\|)])lii(l   .Miolianios 

Its  pui'poso  is  primarily  llic  study  and  cxplnitation  of  the  niineral 
resources  of  Illinois.  Field  i)artii's  are  organized  for  tlie  iuvcsl igatiou 
of  clay,  coal,  stone,  art(-sian  wiiliT,  ci'inent  nuiterials.  road  materials 
and  griicral  scictitilic  invi-slignlinns.  The  bureau  is  charged  also  with 
the  duty  of  making  a  complftc  topographieal  anil  geological  survey  of 
the  state.  The  topograjiliical  wmk  will  lead  to  the  publication  of  a 
series  of  bidlctins  and  of  maps,  eventually  covering  the  entire  state. 


TIIH  KIKCATIONAI,  SYSTEM  83 

The  attoiidance  at  the  state  university  increased  very  slowly  year 
by  year,  until  the  nineties,  when  an  exceptional  increase  set  in.  In 
1889-90  there  were  but  469  students.  In  1891-2  the  number  of 
students  was  583,  but  six  years  later  it  reached  1,582,  and  in  the  school 
year  of  1901-2  the  3,000  mark  was  passed.  Four  years  later  the 
number  exceeded  4,000,  and  the  summer  of  1906-7  showed  4,316  students 
in  attendance.    In  1907-8  the  attendance  was  over  4.700  students. 

John  Hilton  Gregory,  the  first  president,  came  to  the  university  in 
1867  and  laid  the  plans  for  the  new  type  of  college  whose  appropriate 
motto  was  chosen  as,  "Learning  and  Labor."  His  life-work  was 
fostering  the  idea  of  laboratory  education.  His  faith  and  earnestnes'^ 
of  purpose  made  the  present  university  possible.  He  resigned  in  1880, 
died  in  1898,  and  is  buried  on  tlie  miiversity  grounds. 

Selim  Ilobart  Peabody,  the  second  president,  had  been  professor  oL' 
mechanical  engineering  and  consequently  was  well  acquainted  with 
Gregory's  plans.  It  was  in  1885,  the  sixth  year  of  his  presidency,  that 
the  legislature  was  persuaded  to  change  tlie  name  of  the  institi^tion  to 
University  of  Illinois.  It  was  perhaps  this  as  much  as  any  other  fact 
that  awoke  the  people  of  Illinois  to  the  splendid  opportunities  of  their 
own  institution.    Dr.  Peabody  resigned  in  1891. 

Prom  1891  to  1894  Vice  President  Thomas  Jonathan  Burrill  admin- 
istered the  affairs  of  the  university.  He  declined  the  presidency,  pre- 
ferring to  devote  his  entire  time  to  botany.  During  this  period  the 
natural  history  hall  and  the  engineering  building  were  erected. 

Andrew  Sloan  Draper  became  the  third  president  in  September, 
1894.  The  imiversity  grew  phenomenally,  not  only  in  numbers,  bui  in 
material  equipment.  Eighteen  buildings  were  erected  on  the  campus 
during  his  term  of  office.  He  resigned  in  1904  to  resume  the  position  of 
commissioner  of  education  in  New  York  state,  which  he  had  held 
before. 

Edmund  Janes  James,  the  fourth  (iresident  of  the  miiversity,  was 
bom  May  21,  1855,  at  Jacksonville,  111.  He  prepared  at  Illinois  State 
Normal  School  and  continued  his  studies  at  Northwestern  University 
in  1873,  at  Harvard  in  1874,  and  at  University  of  Halle  1875-7, 
receiving  the  degrees  of  M.  A.  and  Ph.  D.  Keturning  to  this  country, 
he  was  principal  of  tlie  Evauston,  111.,  liigh  school  1878-9,  then  trans- 
ferring his  activities  to  the  Illinois  State  Normal  School,  at  Normal, 
where  he  was  professor  of  Latin  and  Greek,  and  principal  of  the  high 
school  department  until  1883.  After  a  year  of  research  in  Europe  Dr. 
James  was  called  to  the  professorship  in  public  administration  at  the 
University  of  Pennsylvania.  He  organized  the  graduate  school  and  wa.^ 
director  of  the  Wharton  School  of  Finance  and  Economy  at  that 
university.    Owing  largely  to  his  efforts  similar  departments  have  been 


84 


HISTORY  OK  ILLINOIS 


established  iii  the  Universities  of  California,  Chieatro.  Mieliifrau  aiiJ 
Columbia  University.  His  report  on  coniinereial  ediK-ation  to  business 
men  in  Europe,  made  in  1892,  has  become  a  standard  authority  on  this 
subject.  Dr.  James  is  the  author  of  more  than  one  hundred  papei-s  and 
monographs  on  various  economic,  legal,  educational  and  historical 
topics.  He  is  president  of  the  Illinois  State  Historical  Society,  and  is  a 
member  of  varioas  patriotic,  historical,  scientific  and  educational  so- 
cieties. Dr.  James  is  a  man  of  broad  attainments  and  the  Univei-sity 
of  Illinois  is,  imder  his  guidance,  rapidly  advancing  by  leaps  and 

boiuids  toward  its  probable 
position  as  the  greatest  of 
the  American  state  universi- 
ties. 

The  development  of  the 
.school  system  necessitated 
provision  for  the  education 
of  competent  teachers.  The 
initiative  was  taken  by  the 
icjiisiature  Feb.  18.  1857.  in 
authorizing  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Illinois  State 
Normal  University,  at  Nor- 
mal, which  was  opened 
October  5th  of  the  same 
year.  This  was  the  first  teachers'  seminary  in  the  Mississippi 
valley,  and  it  has  furnished  teachers  to  the  majority  of  the  normal 
schools  since  estal)]ished  in  various  states.  At  tiie  .same  time  the 
legi.slature  established  the  State  Board  of  Education,  comprising  a  state 
superintendent  of  public  instruction  and  fourteen  other  members. 

The  normal  school  soon  proved  inade(|iiate  to  meet  the  demand  for 
teachers,  and  on  March  9,  1869,  the  legislature  resolved  to  foiuid  a 
second  institution  of  the  same  order,  which  was  located  at  Carbondale. 
beinj;  conii)letcd  Jiuie  30.  1S74,  and  known  as  tiie  Southern  Illinois 
Normal  University.  Duriii^;'  the  nineties  three  othii-  nurnial  schools 
were  established,  namely,  tlie  K;ist(Tn  Illinois  Xorniiil  School  at  Charles- 
ton, and  the  Northern  Illinois  Normal  School  at  DeKalii.  by  act  of  the 
legi.slature  May  22,  18!l.'i.  Iiotli  being  opened  in  September.  18!t9.  and 
last  till'  Western  Illinois  .Normal  Scliool  at  !\racond>.  authorized  by  the 
legislatnri'  ,\pril  L*4,  1S!I!I,  .iiid  o|icncil  lu'l'oi-c  coniiilet  ion  in  Seplcnilier. 
1902. 

In  addition  to  tlic  alorcsaid  institutions,  the  stale  nniintains  four 

special  scl Is,  vi/.,  the  Institution  for  the  Kducation  of  the  Deaf  and 

Dumb,   and    tlic    Institution    lor   (he    Ulind,   both   at   Jacksonville,   the 


University   of  niinois — Men's   Gyinnnsiuin 


TIIK  KDlCATKiNAI,  SYSTEM 


85 


Asylum  for  the  Feebleminded,  at  Li In.  and  the  Soldiers'  Orphans 

Home  at  Normal. 

The  religions  denominations  maintain  a  great  number  of  educa- 
tional institutions,  the  mere  enumeration  of  which  would  require  pages. 
The  most  prominent  ones  are  the  Chicago  and  the  Northwestern  Univer- 
sities, which  will  be  dealt  with  in  a  subsequent  chapter  on  the  City  of 
Chicago. 

With  this  synopsis  of  the  educational  system  this  outline  of  tlie 
history  of  the  state  of  Illinois  may  fitly  end. 


CHAPTER  II 


The  City  of  Chicago 


Early  History 


m 

C 

IIICAGO,  as  a  city,  date  from  tlic  year  1S37,  but  its 
early  history  stretches  back  into  the  latter  part  of  the 
sixteentli  century.  The  name  Chieajro  or  Chikafr<»u  fii-st 
iieeui's  on  a  map  of  Illinois  drawn  by  the  Frenehman 
Franqueliu  in  1C84.  It  was  applied  both  to  a  river  emp- 
tying into  the  Desplaines  just  above  the  mouth  of  the  Kankakee  aiul 
to  a  point  on  the  shore  of  Lake  Michigan  identical  with  the  present 
site  of  Chicago.  Some  years  later  the  French  explorers  used  the  name 
("hekagou  to  denote  the  present  Desplaines  River. 

The  next  recurrence  of  the  name  was  in  the  memoirs  left  by  the 
aforementioned  Tonti.  This  explorer,  who  in  168")  made  a  journey 
from  Canada  to  Illinois,  writes:  "October  30,  1685  I  embarked  for 
Illinois,  but  on  account  of  the  ice  I  left  my  canoe  and  proceeded  by  land. 
Having  traveled  120  leagues,  I  arrived  at  Fort  Chieagou  where  M.  de 
la  Durantaye  was  commaiulant."  There  is  no  doubt  that  Fort  Chieagou 
was  one  of  the  strongholds  erected  by  the  French  to  secure  their 
po.ssession  of  the  newly  discovered  territory,  nor  is  it  (juestioned  that 
the  fort  was  situated  ou  ground  now  a  jiart  of  the  great  metropolis. 
The  time  and  circumstances  of  its  fouiuling  are  utdvuown.  From  the 
memoirs  of  Tonli  we  learn  thai  in  l(!!)ll  tlicre  was  a  mi.ssion,  where  tin- 
gospel  was  i)reached  to  the  neighboring  Miami  Indians.  It  appears 
from  contemporary  rejiorts  that  adjacent  to  the  mission  an<l  the  fort 
was  a  Fren<-li  village  of  modest  size,  but  we  tind  no  information  as  to 
how  long  this  settlement  was  maintained. 

The  name  Chicago  is  an  Inilian  word,  concerning  whose  original 
meaning  philologists  aiM>  not  agreed.  Some  hold  that  it  meant  onion  or 
garlie,  others  skunk,  still  others  derivi'  it  from  two  ln<lian  words  mean- 
ing "wood  gone."  The  first  interpretation  is  liased  on  the  |)rolitie 
growth  of  garlic  along  the  Chicago  Kiver  in  early  days;  tlie  second  on 
the  supposition  that  skuidcs  were  |ileiilirul  in  tin-  neighborhood;  wiiile 
the  (bird  |H-esu|)pose.s  llial  tile  pliiee  ill  "Me  lime  liMil  becu  Covered  with 


KARLV  HISTORY 


87 


7 


woods  wliieli  wore  afterwards  cut  down.  In  the  absence  of  definite 
knowledge  on  this  i)oiut  one  explanation  may  be  as  acceptable  as 
another. 

About  1730  the  name  was  also  borne  by  a  cliief  of  the  Indian  tribes 
of  Illinois.  When  these  tribes  in  1736,  through  a  treaty  with  the 
French,  had  reached  the  acme  of  their  power.  D'Artaguette,  a  French- 
Canadian,  asked  their  aid  against  the  Chickasaw  Indians  of  Mississippi, 
who   were   maldiig   war    upon   the   French   at   New  Orleans.     At  the 

head  of  a  force  of  500  l)raves 
Chief  Chicagou  accompanied  him 
to  the  land  of  the  Chickasaws, 
wliere  they  were  to  join  a  French 
force  under  Bienville.  The  latter 
did  not  arrive  at  the  time  and 
place  appointed,  and  the  Illinois 
warriors  together  with  the  fifty 
French  soldiers  proceeded,  imder 
the  command  of  D'Artaguette,  to 
capture  and  occupy  two  of  the 
Chickasaw  strongholds.  In  a  third 
attack  D'Artaguette  was  wounded 
and  made  prisoner.  Chief  Chica- 
gou then  returned  with  his  men  to 
Illinois,  while  the  Chickasaws,  with 
the  enemies'  scalps  at  their  belts, 
marched  in  triumph  to  Georgia  on 
a  visit  to  Governor  Oglethorpe,  with  whom  they  had  made  a  friendly 
treaty. 

Certain  historians  claim  that  the  name  Chicagou  was  applied  to  a 
long  line  of  subsequent  chiefs  of  the  Illinois  tribes.  Whether  or  not 
these  chieftains  had  any  comiection  with  the  place  bearing  that  name 
is  not  established. 

Not  until  a  hundred  years  after  Tonti's  visit  at  Chicago,  do  we 
find  the  place  again  mentioned  in  the  early  accounts.  In  1796,  we  are 
told,  a  mulatto  named  Jean  Baptiste  Pointe  du  Sable,  who  was  born 
in  San  Domingo,  settled  on  the  north  bank  of  the  Chicago  River,  near 
its  mouth,  built  a  hut  and  began  trading  with  the  Indians.  A  short 
time  afterwards,  he  sought  to  become  their  chief,  which  would  indicate 
very  friendly  relations.  His  effort  failed,  however,  and  in  his  chagrin 
he  sold  the  hut  with  the  .surrounding  patch  of  cultivated  soil  to  a 
French  fur  trader,  named  Le  Mai,  and  moved  to  Peoria. 


CHIEF    CHICAGOU 


88 


CHICAGO 


Fort    Dearborn 

After  the  purchase  of  the  Louisiana  tract  from  Napoleon  Bonaparte 
in  180-'3.  it  Ijecaiiio  necessary  for  the  United  States  to  estal>lish  a  fort 
for  its  protection.  A  coniniission  was  sent  from  the  war  department 
at  "Washington  to  select  a  suitable  site,  and  on  its  recommendation  it 
was  decided  to  build  a  fort  at  the  mouth  of  the  St.  Josepb  Rivor.  on 
the  east  sliore  of  Lalce  !\IicliiLMii.     I'n-|)ai-ations  for  buildiiifr  liad  al- 


-.v,.,^,(. 


FROM    KKANQUELIN's    LARGE    MAI',   1 684. 


Ivarly    M:i]>  <>l     Illiiuiis  RiviT   liiisiii 

ready  been  made  wlicii  tin-  .Mii-higan  Indians  refused  to  grant  the 
necessary  site.  To  force  their  consent  was  dccnied  unwise  and  hazar- 
dous, tlioreforo  tlie  government  chose  the  alternative  of  erecting  tiu» 
fort  at  tile  inoutli  of  the  ("liieago  Hiver,  wliere  it  owned  a  tract  com- 
prising six  M|ii;ii'c  miles  (>r  ground  ei'ded  by  the  Indians  as  early 
as  ITOfj. 

To  liuild  a  l'oi-t  so  far  out  in  the  wilderness  was  a  risky  imder- 
taking,  Iml  no  othei-  site  being  available,  the  building  orders  were 
issued  in  the  early  sinnnier  of  1803.  ,\t  that  time  Detroit  ami  Michili- 
mackinac  wi-re  the  farthest  western  outposts  of  the  United  Slates  on  the 
Great  Lakes.  A  military  company  was  in  garrison  at  Di-troit  under 
comtnand  of  Caiilain  John  Whistler,  aiul  to  him  was  given  the  duty 
of  sui>crvising  (he  erection  of  the  fort  as  well  as  the  command  at  the 
new  (Miti)osl.     Thi'  other  oflicers  at    Deli-oit    were  two  lie\itenants.  Ins 


FORT  DKARliOKN 


89 


oldest  son,  William  Whistler,  ami  James  S.  Svvearingen  from  Chilli- 
cothe,  Ohio.  The  latter  was  ordered  to  hi-jid  the  soldiers  afoot  through 
the  forests  to  Chicago,  wliili'  raptjiiii  Wliistlor  himself,  togetlior  with 
his  wife  and  their  son,  the  liciitcnanl,  with  his  young  bride,  embarked 
in  the  government  schooner  Tracy  for  the  same  destination. 

Chicago  at  this  time  consisted  of  three  little  huts  occupied  by  as 
many  French  fur  trad(>rs  witli  their  Indian  wives  and  half-breed 
children.  One  of  these  traders  was  the  aforesaid  Le  ]Mai,  the  others 
Ouilmette  (after  whom  tlie  town  of  Wilmette  has  been  named)  and 
Pettell.  The  schooner  arrived  off  the  moutli  of  the  Chicago  River  July 
■1th  and  anchored  at  a  sand  bank  jnst  opposite.  Here  its  cargo  of  arms, 
ammunition  an.'  provisions  was  loaded  into  small  boats  and  brought 
ashore  at  Uie  point  on  the  river  bank  selected  as  the  site  of  the  fort  to 
be  erected. 

Two  thousand  Indians  were  assembled  on  the  shore  to  witness  the 
landing.  The  schooner  itself  was  the  object  of  their  especial  interest 
and  admiration,  and  was  styled  "the  great  winged  canoe."  After 
debarking.  Captain  Whistler  ordered  the  crew  to  return  with  the  vessel 
to  Detroit,  and  soon  its  sails  disappeared  at  the  eastern  horizon. 
The  total  force  left  at  Chicago,  aside  from  the  three  commissioned 
officers,  consisted  of  four  sergeants,  three  corporals,  four  musicians, 
a  surgeon  and  fifty-four  privates,  numbering  altogether  69  m-en. 

Their  first  duty  was  to  build  a  blockhouse  for  shelter.  This  would 
have  been  an  easy  task,  except  for  the  fact  that  the  logs  had  to  be 
brought  from  a  considerable  distance.  For  lack  of  horses  or  oxen  the 
soldiers  themselves  were  obliged  to  drag  the  required  timbers  from 
the  nearest  woods  to  the  point  selected  for  the  blockhouse.  This  point 
was  on  the  south  side  of  the  river,  on  rising  groimd  near  present 
Rush  street.  The  river  did  not,  as  at  present,  flow  directly  east,  but 
curved  southward  and  emptied  into  the  lake  at  the  foot  of  Madison 
street.  On  the  ground  within  this  bend  the  fort  was  subsequently 
erected.  The  whole  summer  and  part  of  the  fall  had  paissed  before  tlie 
building  was  so  far  advanced  that  it  afforded  shelter  for  the  men,  and 
the  fort  was  not  completed  until  the  following  year.  The  fort  then 
consi.sted  of  two  blockhouses,  one  in  the  southeastern,  the  other  in  the 
northwestern  corner  of  a  palisaded  area  sufiSciently  /arge  to  serve  as 
military  drill  grounds.  From  the  palisades  a  subterranean  passage 
led  to  the  river's  edge.  The  armament  consisted  of  three  small  cannon. 
West  of  the  palisades  was  built  a  loghouse  two  stories  high,  with 
shingled  roof  and  walls.  This  was  to  serve  as  the  warehouse  of  tlie 
Indian  agency  which  was  established  simultaneously  and  served  as  a 
distributing  center  for  large  quantities  of  goods  sent  by  the  govern- 
ment as  gifts  to  the  Indians  by  way  of  winning  their  confidence  and 
good  will.     The  Indian  agent  also  served  as  the  quartermaster  of  the 


90 


CHICAGO 


'lliL   I'li^l  .mil   llic  Suii'ii'l    l"il    I'.iil'.ini 


FORT  DKARKORN  C), 

garrison.  The  post  was  uamcd  Fort  JJearboi'ii  after  General  Henry 
Dearliorn,  then  secretary  of  war  under  President  Thomas  Jefferson. 
Life  at  Fort  Dearborn  during  that  first  winter  was  a  dreary 
monotony,  wliich  must  have  seeme<l  like  exile  or  imprisonment,  par- 
ticularly to  Lieutenant  Whistler's  girl  wife  of  sixteen,  formerly  Miss 
Julia  Fenson  of  Salem,  IMass.  There  was  practically  no  opportunity 
to  associate  with  people  outside  the  stockade,  there  being  no  whites, 
with  the  exception  of  the  three  French  fur  traders  with  Indian  wives. 
The  monotony  was  somewhat  relieved  liy  a  number  of  Americans 
settling  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort  in  the  next  few  years.  In  the 
following  pages  we  will  introduce  a  few  of  these  Chicago  jjioueers. 

John  Kinzie  and  His  Contemporaries 

In  1801  John  Kinzie,  a  fur  trader,  arrived  at  Fort  Dearborn  and 
purchased  from  Le  Mai  the  house  built  by  Du  Sahle  and  changed  by 
its  second  proprietor  into  a  general  store.  This  house  was  situated  on 
the  north  bank  of  the  river,  dii-ectly  opposite  the  fort.  Kinzie  enlarged 
and  improved  the  building,  which  may  thus  be  considered  the  first 
American  private  residence  in  Chicago. 

John  Kinzie  was  born  in  Quebec  in  1763,  of  Scotch  parents,  and 
came  with  his  mother  and  stepfather  to  New  York  at  an  early  age. 
There  he  was  sent  to  a  school  on  Long  Island  at  the  age  of  twelve,  but 
he  soon  ran  away  from  home  and  returned  to  Quebec  where  he  went 
to  work  as  a  jeweler's  apprentice.  Later  Kinzie  rejoined  his  parents 
who,  meanwhile,  had  removed  to  Detroit.  Here  he  established  himself 
as  a  jeweler  and  began  trading  with  the  Indians.  He  wedded  a  young 
girl,  Margaret  McKenzie,  from  Virginia,  who  together  with  her  younger 
sister,  Elizabeth,  had  been  carried  off  by  an  Indian  Chief  and  held 
prisoner  for  years.  After  McKenzie 's  return  to  Virginia  together 
with  his  two  daughters,  Kinzie  removed  in  1800  to  the  St.  Joseph  River. 
No  sooner  had  he  heard  of  the  establishment  of  Fort  Dearborn  than 
he  decided  to  move  there  with  his  second  wife,  Mi-s.  Eleanor  ]\IcKillip, 
widow  of  an  English  officer.  He  arrived  in  lSO-4,  as  stated,  and  estab- 
lished himself  as  an  Indian  trader,  gaining  and  retaining  the  confidence 
of  the  natives.  On  aecovmt  of  his  craft,  they  called  him  Shaw-nee-aw- 
kee,  the  silver  man. 

Already  in  1805  Kinzie  had  established  auxiliary  trading  posts 
in  Milwaukee,  on  the  Rock,  the  Illinois  and  the  Kankakee  rivers,  and 
in  the  region  now  named  Sangamon  comity.  Every  post  had  its  repre- 
sentative, its  French  servants,  called  voyageurs  or  engages,  and  horses, 
boats  and  canoes  for  the  transportation  of  merchandise.  From  the 
majority  of  posts  furs  were  carried  on  horseback  to  Chicago  and  goods 
for  trading  purposes  brought  back  in  the  same  manner.  Ordinarily, 
two  sailing  vessels  arrived  at  Chicago  annually,  in  the  spring  and  fall. 


g2  CniCAOO 

In  these  tlie  furs  were  shippeil  to  ^lackiiiaw  where  the  depots  of  the 
great  fur  companies  were  located.  In  other  seasons  of  the  year,  the 
furs  were  sent  iu  open  boats  to  the  same  destination.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  the  parrison  at  Fort  Dearborn,  everybody  at  tlie  fort  was 
directl}'  or  indirectly  interested  iu  fur  trading,  and  the  percentage  of 
servants  in  proportion  to  the  total  population  was  exceptionally  high. 
Hut  the  masters  themselves  were  mostly  subordinates  of  the  large  fur 
companies. 

There  were  two  of  these  companies  that  early  established  com- 
mercial relations  with  Chicago.  These  were  the  Hudson  Bay  Company 
and  the  Northwest  Fur  Company,  and  a  third  competitor  was  the 
JIackinaw  Company,  luitil  John  Jacob  Astor  formed  the  American 
P"'ur  Company,  and  in  conjunction  with  the  Northwest  (.'ompaiiy  pur- 
chased the  stock  of  the  ^lackinaw  Company,  forming  the  Southwest 
Company,  its  stockholders  being  largely  English  capitalists.  In  1815, 
however,  Congress  prohibited  foreigners  from  engaging  in  the  Amer- 
ican fur  trade,  whereui)on  Astor  purchased  the  stock  held  by  English- 
men and  two  years  later  formed  a  new  concern  named  the  American 
Fur  Company. 

John  Kinzie  was  doubtless  one  of  the  shrewdest  fur  traders  of  his 
time.  Though  a  frontiersman,  he  had  killed  but  one  man  and  that  an 
Indian  interpreter,  Lalime,  whom  he  killed  in  self-defense,  in  1812. 
Kinzie  had  several  children  with  each  of  his  two  wives,  one  of  his 
daugiitcrs,  Ellen  Clarion,  being  the  first  wliite  ciiild  born  in  Chicago, 
and  some  of  these  settled  at  Fort  Dearborn,  whither  other  members  of 
the  Kinzie  family  were  gradually  attracted,  so  that  in  a  decade  or  two 
tlie  ]tlace  had  a  considerable  white  population.  They  ilwelt  principally 
on  the  north  side  of  the  river,  near  the  fort,  but  in  the  course  of  time 
huts  began  to  (lot  tlic  i)lan  at  some  distance  from  it. 

'i'lie  first  Indian  agent  at  the  fort  was  a  \'irginian,  named  Charles 
Jouett.  He  retained  the  position  until  1811  wlien  he  was  succeeded  by 
one  Captain  Natlianaol  llcald.  .louctt  was  also  tiie  superintendent  of  a 
so-called  factoi'v  cstablislicd  tiierc  liy  tiic  government.  The  circum- 
stances were  as  follows:  M'lien  the  government  learned  of  the  enor- 
mous sums  earned  by  the  great  fur  companies  in  the  f\n'  trade  with 
the  Iniliaiis,  it  was  deemed  expedient,  by  way  of  improving  tiie  tinancial 
condition  nl'  tin'  ymini;  repulilic,  to  establisli  factories  or  trading  sta- 
tions at  the  I'nintier  forts  witli  a  view  to  sharing  the  prosperity  of  the 
private  enterprises.  'Die  government  purposed  to  make  honest  l>ay- 
ment  for  all  furs  bought  of  tlie  Indians  in  tiie  f(U-ni  of  necessaries  of 
life.  The  presumption  was  that  the  natives  would  rather  deal  with  the 
g(jveriinient  re|)resentative  tlian  witli  trailers  who  usually  made  them 
drunk  unci  llieii  eheated  them  sluunefnlly.  lint  the  government  agents 
provi'il   \astly    iiil'erior  to   tlie   private   trailers   in   shrewdness  and   ex- 


JOHN  KINZIR 


93 


HAP-ILUK0I9  IN  UU-UU. 


perience,  this  resulting  in  the  total  failure  of  the  factory  system.  The 
American  Fur  Company,  after  its  reorganization  in  1817,  swept  away 
the  government  factories  as  well  as  all  the  individual  traders  and  for 


94  CHICAGO 

a  time  enjoyed  a  practical  monopoly  of  the  fur  trade  in  the  Northwest. 
The  government  withdrew  from  the  field  none  the  richer  but  much  the 
wiser  from  its  experiment  in  traflit-kins'  with  the  Indians. 

The  second,  and  presumably  the  last,  Indian  ajrent  at  Fort  Dear- 
born was  one  Matthew  Irwin  of  Philadelphia,  who  occupied  that 
position  from  the  year  1811  until  the  destruction  of  the  fort  in  the 
following  year. 

The  Fort  Dearborn  Massacre 

Altliongli  the  relations  between  the  savages  and  the  Americans 
were  less  cordial  than  the  friendship  that  liad  existed  between  them 
and  the  French,  yet  the  Fort  Dearborn  garrison  had  nothing  to  fear 
from  them  during  the  first  few  years,  and  could  go  about  their  peaceful 
pursuits  in  and  about  the  fort  in  com[)arative  safety.  Soon,  however, 
lowering  clouds  threatened  the  settlement,  its  fort  and  garrison  with 
the  storm  and  stress  of  warfare. 

During  the  winter  of  1804-5,  Tceuiiiscii,  tiic  brave,  sagacious  and 
eloquent  Shawnee  chief,  and  his  brother  Elskwatawa.  called  the  Proph- 
et, started  on  a  tour  from  tribe  to  tribe  in  the  Northwest.  pei*suading 
the  tribesmen  to  form  a  federation  for  the  jmrpose  of  driving  out  the 
Americans.  In  spite  of  Tecumseh's  glowing  elo(|uence  and  his  brother's 
auguries,  based  on  revelations  from  the  Great  Spirit,  that  the  campaign 
would  be  successful,  the  Illinois  redskins  remained  peaceful.  In  l!)lt>. 
a  council  of  the  Pottawatomies,  Ottawas,  and  C'hippewas  was  held  at 
St.  Joseph,  ilich..  icsultiiig  in  a  compact  not  to  join  the  Tecumseh 
federation.  (leneral  Ilari-isoirs  victory  over  the  Shawnees  ami  other 
tribes  in  the  battle  of  Ti|)pecanoe,  Ind.,  Nov.  7.  1811,  highly  enraged 
even  the  Illinois  Indians  against  the  encroachers,  and  in  April,  1812. 
unfriendly  hordes  of  Winiiebagoes  appeared  in  the  neighborhood  of 
tlie  foi-t.  tcri-orizing  the  settlers,  many  of  whom  sought  refuge  within 
the  palisades. 

After  thQ  Ignited  States  declared  war  against  F.ngland  in  ISIJ, 
numerous  Indian  ti-ibcs  allied  themselves  with  the  English,  hoping 
with  Ihrir  ai<l  tn  drive  tlir  iiatcd  Americans  from  their  territory.  The 
fortunes  (if  war  al  first  favored  the  British.  On  the  Hth  of  August  tlie 
friendly  I'ottawaloinie  chief,  Winnemeg,  came  to  Fort  l)earbi>rn  as  a 
courier  from  General  Hull  at  Detroit,  bearing  the  message  that  on  July 
KJtli  the  forniidalilc  Fort  .Michilimackinac.  the  headi|uarters  of  tin- 
fur  trailers,  bad  fallen  into  the  hands  of  Indians,  lie  also  brought 
orders  for  ('aiitain  .Xallianael  lleald.  who  a  year  befo-e  had  siieccediMl 
Captain  Whistler  in  coniMiand  at  Fort  Dearborn,  to  abandon  tin'  fori 
and  relreal  with  the  jrarrison  to  Detroit.  Almost  simidtanei>usly  the 
Indian  swarmeil  arouiiil  the  lorl.  cjeinanding  the  distribution  among 
them  of  supplies  si  i|>ulale<l.  as  lliey  claimed,  in  previous  Ireatii's 


Tin-;  FORT  DICARIiORN  MASSACRIC 


95 


The  Fort  Dearborn  jjarrison  consisted  of  only  54  regulars,  12  lui- 
litianient  and  besides  the  commander,  2  officers,  namely  Lieutenant  L. 
T.  Helm  and  Ensign  R.  Ronan.  Of  the  men  a  number  were  ill,  reduc- 
ing the  available  tighling  strength  to  about  forty.  Besides,  there  were 
about  a  dozen  women  and  twenty  children  under  their  protection. 
Captain  Ileald  knew  only  too  well  that  under  such  unfavorable  cir- 
cumstances it  would  be  difficult,  if  not  impossible,  to  defend  the  fort, 
and  equally  precarious  to  hazard  a  retreat.  Contrary  to  the  advice  of 
John  Kinzie,  Winnemeg  and  other  friends,  to  evacuate  the  fort  before 


(SSIHOA©®  SH  mi&o 


j;^^^^      MICH /CAM. 


Site  of  Fort  Dearborn  Massacre 


the  Indians  had  time  to  complete  a  plan  of  attack,  he  delayed  action 
for  six  days,  faintly  hoping  that  the  formerly  friendly  Pottawatomies, 
through  whose  territory  he  planned  to  march  away,  would  permit  him 
to  depart  without  annoyance.  Jleanwhile,  500  or  600  Indian  warriors 
gathered  near  the  fort.  AVith  these  Captain  Heald  held  a  parley  on 
August  12th,  promising  them  all  the  supplies  and  other  property  found 
at  the  fort  and  the  agency  in  return  for  safe  escort  to  Fort  Wayne, 
Ind.  The  Pottawatomies  agreed,  knowing  tliat  the  fort  held  large 
quantities  of  ammunition  and  whisky.  At  this  jiuictui'e  (Ai;gust  13th) 
Captain  Wells,  the  Indian  agent  at  Fort  Wayne,  arrived  with  an  escort 
of  30  friendly  Miamis.  Captain  Wells,  who  Avas  an  uncle  of  Mrs.  Heald, 
decried  as  senseless  the  idea  of  abandoning  these  supplies  to  the 
savages,  Kinzie  and  the  officers  and  men  of  the  garrison  joining  in 
support  of  his  view.  Heeding  the  advice,  the  commander  had  all  the 
arms  and  ammunition  he  was  unable  to  take  with  him  destroyed  and 
the  casks  of  whisky  emptied  into  the  river. 

The  news  reached  the  ears  of  the  Indian   chiefs,   who  charged 
Captain  Heald  with    gross   deception   and   treachery   and    disclaimed 


96 


CHICAGO 


ability  to  keep  their  warriors  from  attacking  the  Americans.  A  council 
of  war  was  held,  resulting  in  a  decision  to  massacre  the  garrison  and 
settlers  in  the  vicinity  of  the  fort  just  after  their  departure.  At  9 
o'clock  in  the  morning  of  August  15th  the  gates  swung  open  and  the 
garrison  marched  out.  At  the  head  rode  Cajitain  Wells,  followed  by  15 
of  the  Miami  escort,  the  remaining  15  bringing  up  the  rear.    A  number 


TIk-   I'orl   Diarliiirii   Mas.saori'  Miimiiiuiil.  Cliioajjo     lUaik   I'arlriilni' 
Saviiij!  Mrs.   lU-lm 

of  Pottawatomies  also  joined  tiie  jtarty,  explaining  that  they  desired  to 
reinforce  the  escort.  Kin/ie.  however,  having  lieai-d  that  the  Potta- 
watomies intended  to  and)uscad<'  I  lie  retreating  garrison,  joined  the 
soldiers,  thinking  liis  inlluenee  with  ttie  Imliaiis  might  dissuade  them 
from  carrying  out  tiu'ir  savage  plan.  Hel'iire  starting  hi'  left  in  the 
care  of  two  trusty  Indians  a  boat  containing  Mrs.  Kinzie,  her  younger 
chiMri-n,    (Jnittc.    the    iiui'se,    a    iKKiUUci'pci-.    two    servants,    two    other 


TIIIv  I'ORT  DEARBORN  MASSACRIv  g- 

Imlians  aud  two  oarsiiion.  The  soldiers  inarelicil  slowly  souUiward 
along  the  Michigan  shore.  Their  wives  and  children  followed  in 
wagons  and  on  horseback.  The  Pottawatoinies  soon  separated  from 
the  escoi't  and  hurried  away  beyond  the  sand  dunes  to  lie  in  wait  for 
the  company. 

Cajitain  AVells  at  once  suspected  their  purpose  and  rode  back  to 
the  main  body  apprising  the  soldiers  of  the  treachery  and  telling  them 
to  prepare  for  a  fight.  They  did  not  wait  long  for  the  expected  attack. 
Officers  and  men  resisted  the  onslaught  with  great  bravery,  but  what 
did  a  handful  of  men,  however  courageous,  avail  against  hundreds  of 
savages?  The  provisions  soon  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands;  many 
women  and  children  were  butchered.  The  Miamis  fled  in  consternation 
at  the  first  attack.  Of  the  whites.  Captain  Wells,  Ensign  Ronan,  and 
Surgeon  Isaac  Van  Voorhis  fell  dead ;  Captain  Heald  and  his  wife. 
Lieutenant  Helm  and  his  wife,  a  stepdaughter  of  John  Kinzie,  and 
many  others  w^ere  wounded.  The  killed  were  scalped,  and  the  heart 
of  Captain  Wells  was  cut  out  and  distributed  in  small  pieces  among  the 
tribes.  In  a  few  moments  the  Port  Dearborn  garrison  and  population 
had  been  reduced  to  25  men  and  11  women,  who  were  .spared  through 
the  magnanimity  of  Black  Partridge,  a  friendly  chief,  on  condition 
that  they  lay  down  their  arms.  The  prisoners  were  subsequently  sent 
to  the  British  commander  at  Detroit.  The  battle  here  described  is 
known  in  the  annals  of  Illinois  and  Chicago  as  the  Fort  Dearborn 
Massacre. 

On  the  day  after  the  massacre  the  Indians,  having  looted  the  fort 
and  the  agency  during  the  night,  set  fire  to  the  buildings,  which  soon 
burned  to  the  groimd.  The  same  day  General  Hull  surrendered  not 
only  the  fort  with  its  garrison  and  supplies  at  Detroit  but  all  Michigan 
into  the  hands  of  the  British  and  their  Indian  allies. 

While  the  Port  Dearboi-n  garrison  fought  the  Indians  among  the 
sand  dunes,  John  Kinzie 's  craft  with  its  passengers  still  lay  moored 
at  the  mouth  of  the  Chicago  River.  The  purpose  had  been  to  depart 
at  once  for  St.  Joseph  across  the  lake,  but  the  trip  was  interrupted  by 
the  battle.  After  the  massacre  the  boat  was  brought  back  to  the  fort, 
and  the  members  of  the  Kinzie  family,  Mrs.  Heald  and  the  rest  re- 
turned to  the  Kinzie  home  under  the  protection  of  friendly  and  faith- 
ful Indians.  Here  they  w-ere  threatened  with  destruction  by  a  horde 
of  Wabash  Indians  that  had  arrived  for  the  purpose  of  participating 
with  the  Pottawatomies  in  the  plunder,  but  found  to  their  exasperation 
that  they  were  too  late.  The  Pottawatomie  warriors  and  their  sons 
were  already  disporting  themselves  in  the  articles  of  feminine  apparel 
left  behind  at  the  evacuation. 

Through  the  intervention  of  several  chiefs,  and  particularly 
through  the  efforts  of  one  Billy  Caldwell,  a  brave  and  sagacious  half- 


98 


CHICAGO 


breed,  the  little  eompany  was  saved  from  annihilation,  whereupon  the 
Kinzie  family,  luuler  the  guidance  and  protection  of  an  Indian  escort, 
was  brought  to  St.  Joseph,  thence  in  November  to  Detroit,  where  they 
were  delivered  up  as  prisoners  of  war  to  Col.  JleKee,  the  Britisli 
conunaiider.  During  the  winter  John  Kinzie  himself  also  wji.s  brought 
as  a  prisoner  to  Detroit.  He  was  at  once  set  at  liberty  on  parole,  but 
was  again  arrested  some  time  afterwards  under  suspicion  of  corre- 
sjjonding  with  General  Harrison  of  the  American  army,  and  wjus  then 
separatc<l  from  his  family  and  sent  to  Canada.  Four  years  later  he 
returned,  together  with  his  f;imily.  to  the  desolated  homestead  on  the 


Wolf's  Point,  Chic.iKo,  in   1S32.     A  TnidiuK  IV'sl  CoiiduoU-cl  In-  Wolf 

at  the  Kork  of  the  North  ami  the  South  Itranch  of  the 

Chicago  River 

Chicago  Kiver.    One  by  one  the  scattered  settlers  returned  and  settled 
once  more  on  Chicago's  banks. 

The  second  war  with  England  was  ended  by  a  treaty  signed  Dec. 
24,  1814.  This  also  ])iit  an  end  to  the  Indian  wars,  it  being  stipulated 
in  tin'  articles  of  i>eac('  that  thenceforth  neither  power  should  arouse 
tlic  Indians  against  the  other.  The  American  government  was  now  left 
to  arrange  matters  peaceably  willi  Ihe  western  tribes.  In  ISHi,  by 
a  treaty  signed  al  St,  Louis.  .Mo.,  it  purchased  from  the  Ottawas  and 
Cliippewas  a  trart  .•ilnng  liakc  ^.Michigan.  extending  ten  miles  u<irth 
Mill!  I  III  miles  snntli  Iriiin  the  Chicago  Hiver  and  bai-k  as  far  as  the 
]\aniialvi'c,  iilinois  and  l"'ox  rivers.  In  order  to  keep  up  communications 
with  the  vast  territory  luirciiascd  thirteen  years  before  from  l-'rance 
and  to  protect  the  fur  trade  and  other  nu>reautile  intercst.s,  a  fort  on 
Tiaki'  Michigan  was  (Iccnicd  necessary.     The  following  year,  therefore. 


Till'.  I'ORT  DEARBORN  MASSACRK  gg 

tlic  goveniiiiciil  issued  orders  for  tlio  crcctioTi  of  u  new  Foi't  Dciirhiir-ii 
on  the  ruins  of  tiic  old.  The  commission  was  given  to  Captain  Heze- 
kiah  Bradley,  who  arrived  on  the  site  July  4th  of  that  year,  just 
thirteen  years  after  ('aptain  Wliisth'i-.  the  Iniihler  and  first  eoniniander 
of  the  first  Fort  Dearborn,  hindcil  with  liis  men. 

The  new  fort  was  built  on  a  larger  scale  than  the  old.  To  the 
administration  building  and  barraidvs  were  added  magazines  and  a 
supply  storehouse,  and  the  buildings  were  protected  by  a  square  of 
palisades  and  two  bastions  in  opposite  corners.  This  fort  was  evacu- 
ated in  1823,  reoccupied  in  182S,  and  again  abandoned  in  1831,  only  to 
be  taken  possession  of  by  a  new  garrison  the  following  year,  at  the  out- 
break of  the  Black  Hawk  War.  The  final  evacuation  occurred  in  1836, 
after  the  Indians  had  withdrawn  west  of  the  Mississippi.  The  fort 
shared  the  fate  of  many  other  historic  structures,  being  left  to  gradual 
decay  and  final  annihilation  at  the  hands  of  vandals.  Thus  one  Judge 
Fuller,  some  time  in  the  forties  or  fifties,  had  part  of  the  administration 
building  and  one  other  structure  torn  down  and  rebuilt  on  sites  owned 
by  him  on  the  south  side.  In  1857,  one  A.  J.  Cross,  a  city  employee, 
had  the  remaining  buildings  torn  down,  except  one,  and  the  sandhill 
on  which  the  fort  had  been  located,  graded  to  a  level  with  the  sur- 
rounding grounds.  The  remaining  structure  was  moved  to  another 
part  of  the  Fort  Dearborn  site.  The  great  Chicago  fire  of  1871  re- 
moved this  last  trace  of  Fort  Dearborn. 

The  development  of  Chicago  in  its  early  stages  was  very  slow. 
In  1823  Major  Long  wrote:  "This  village  offers  no  promise  for  the 
future,  in  view  of  the  fact  that,  although  quite  old,  the  place  numbers 
only  a  few  huts,  inhabited  by  a  lot  of  miserable  creatures,  little  better 
than  the  Indians  whose  descendants  they  are.  Their  loghouses  are 
low,  uu'xy  and  uninviting,  lacking  every  requirement  of  home  comfort. 
In  a  business  sense,  it  holds  out  no  inducement  to  strangers,  the  busi- 
ness of  the  village  being  limited  to  the  disposal  of  the  cargoes  brought 
here  by  five  or  six  schooners  annually."  As  late  as  1825  the  village 
nimibered  only  75  or  100  inhabitants,  14  of  whom  owned  taxable  prop- 
ert}-.  Eeal  estate  being  non-assessable,  the  total  value  of  taxable 
property  amoimted  to  .$9,047.  The  most  well-to-do  settlers  were,  John 
Crofts,  agent  of  the  American  Fiar  Company,  with  property  worth 
$5,000,  John  B.  Beaubien.  worth  $1,000,  Archibald  Clybourn.  worth 
$625,  Alexander  Wolcott.  worth  $572,  John  Kinzie,  worth  .$500.  From 
the  last  item  it  appears  that  Kinzie,  who  is  improperly  called  "the 
father  of  Chicago."  at  this  time  was  a  man  in  very  moderate  circum- 
stances.   Kinzie  died  Jan.  6,  1828,  at  the  age  of  65  j'ears. 

The  village  site  was  first  surveyed  in  1829  and  divided  into  lots, 
a  plat  of  which  was  made  the  following  year.  This  survey  embraced 
three-eights  of  a  square  mile.     A  po.st  office  M'as  established  in  1831. 


lOO  CHICAGO 

It  was  a  primitive  affair,  according  to  tlie  report  that  Jonathan  Bailey, 
the  postma.stcr,  nailed  up  old  bootlegs  on  the  wall  as  receptacles  for 
incoming  and  outgoing  mails. 

Chicago  as  a  Town  and  City 

In  the  year  1833  the  former  Indian  village  and  trading  station 
entered  upon  a  new  stage  of  development.  On  August  10th  of  that 
year  it  was  incorporated  as  a  town,  and  a  town  council  of  five  members 
was  elected,  with  John  V.  Owen  as  its  president.  The  town  comprised 
an  area  of  560  acres,  175  buildings  and  550  inhabitants,  29  of  whom 
were  entitled  to  vote.  The  property  value  was  $60,000,  with  an 
assessed  value  of  $19,560,  and  the  taxes  for  the  fii-st  year  amounted 
to  $48.90. 

Nov.  6th  of  that  j'car  the  first  newspaper  was  issued,  being  the  first 
issue  of  "The  Chicago  Democrat;"  and  the  following  year  tiie  first 
public  school  was  established  in  Chicago,  being  also  the  first  in  the 
state.  Several  brick  buildings  were  erected,  and  a  bridge  was  built 
across  the  river,  which  since  1831  had  been  crossed  by  means  of  a 
ferry.    In  1835  were  added  a  courthouse  and  a  school. 

In  four  years  the  town  of  Chicago  grew  to  be  a  point  of  no  small 
importance  commercially,  as  the  following  figures  will  show:  In  1833 
four  vessels  with  a  total  tonnage  of  700  arrived  at  Chicago ;  in  1834  one 
hundred  and  seventy-six  vessels  with  a  tonnage  of  5,000.  entered  this 
port;  in  1835  two  hundred  and  fifty,  with  a  tonnage  of  22,500,  and  in 
1836  four  hundred  and  fifty,  with  a  tonnage  of  60,000.  A  shipyard  was 
established,  and  on  Jlay  18th  of  the  last  named  year.  Chicago's  first 
vessel,  the  sloop  Clarissa,  went  down  the  ways.  On  July  4th  the  entire 
population  witnessed  tlio  liiniing  of  the  first  sod  in  the  work  of  ('iyging 
llic  Illinois  and  Michigan  canal,  a  waterway  whicli,  completed,  became 
an  iiii|)()rtaiit  line  of  transportation  for  Chicago's  ci>mmcrce  and  for 
general  traffic 

The  great  financial  panic  of  1837  naturally  affected  Chicago,  but 
it  could  iu)t  stop  the  development  so  recently  begun.  Even  at  this 
eaily  date  Chicago  seemed  to  possess  a  goodly  amount  of  that  spirit 
of  enterprise  for  which  it  has  since  become  famous.  In  the  midst  of  the 
general  ci'isis,  the  town  sought  atu!  ohiiiined  a  city  charter,  dated 
March  4.  1837.  On  the  1st  of  May  rolluwing  the  first  city  election  was 
hold,  at  wliich  W.  B.  Ogden.  a  wealtliy  and  iiilliiential  i-iti/en,  was 
elected  Chicago's  first  nuiyor.  The  first  census  was  taken  July  1st. 
when  the  citj'  was  found  to  niunber  4,179  iniiabitanls. 

To  give  a  detail  ac<'onnt  of  the  city's  riuiiicr  development  would 
re(|uire  volumes,  but  a  lirief  outline  will  answer  our  present  purpose. 

Ill  its  second  year  as  a  city,  the  foiuidation  was  laid  for  that 
enorniiius  line  of  (•oiiniiiTce.  the  wheat  trinle,  for  which  Chicago  be<'ain 


Town  and  city  i,,. 

knowu  in  the  markets  of  the  worhl.  'I'lic  first  cargo  of  wheat,  100 
bushels,  was  now  shipped  east  from  Chicago.  Before  that  time,  grain 
and  flour  had  boon  sliipped  to  C'liii-ago  from  the  East.  Wlien  the 
farmers  in  tlie  vicinity  of  Cliicago  learned  that  tliere  was  a  marlcet  for 
their  grain,  they  hauled  their  wheat  to  the  city  by  the  wagonloads, 
and  the  buyers  and  sellers  made  their  deals  in  the  street.  The  un- 
practicabilit.y  of  this  method  led  to  the  establishment  of  the  Chicago 


Chicago  ill   1S5S.     Northeast  View,  Taken  from  the  Old  Court  House 


Board  of  Trade,  which  in  a  short  time  did  an  enormous  business.    As 
early  as  1854  Chicago  exported  more  grain  than  New  York. 

Other  steps  in  the  making  of  Chicago  followed  in  quick  succession. 
Its  first  railroad.  The  Chicago  and  Galena  Union,  was  begun  in  1847. 
The  following  year  telegraphic  connection  was  established,  first  with 
Milwaukee,  then  with  the  Atlantic  coast  cities.  The  same  year  (1848) 
the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  was  opened  for  trafSc,  giving  Chicago 
through  the  Illinois  and  Mississippi  rivers  a  waterway  to  St.  Louis 
and  the  Gulf  cities.  In  another  two  years  a  gas  lighting  plant  was 
established.  Steamer  routes  between  Chicago  and  other  points  on 
Lake  Michigan  were  established  in  1852.  During  the  fifties  several 
railroad  lines  radiated  from  Chicago,  viz.,  the  ilichigan  Southern  and 


<02  .      .    ..  CHICAGO 

the  Miclii^Mii  Central  in  1852.  the  Chicago  anil  Hock  Island  iu  1854. 
the  Chicago  and  Alton  in  1855.  and  the  Illinois  Central  in  1856.  A 
waterworks  sj'stem  was  established  in  1854,  and  in  1859  the  first  fire 
engine  was  purchased,  marking  the  initial  step  in  introducing  a  modern 
fire-fighting  sj'stem.  The  same  year  the  first  street  railway  was  liuilt 
in  Chicago. 

The  growth  of  the  system  ot  transportation  was  followed  by  a 
phenomenal  business  development.  The  volume  of  business  iu  \bo'2 
was  $20,000,000,  in  1856,  $85,000,000,  and  in  1860  .$97,000,000. 

The  manufacturing  industry  increased  correspondingly.  In  18.50 
the  value  of  Chicago  manufactures  was  $2,562,583;  ten  years  later  it 
had  increased  to  $13,555,671.  The  banking  business  naturally  kept 
pace  with  tlie  increase  in  other  lines  of  business. 

A  powerful  factor  in  the  speedy  development  of  Chicago  was  tiie 
influx  of  immigrants  to  the  West.  This  began  in  the  early  forties  and 
increased  steadily  for  each  succeeding  decade.  Labor  and  capital  met 
in  Chicago,  making  that  city,  in  tiu'  course  of  a  few  decades,  a  center  of 
business  enterprise  and  human  activity  without  a  parallel. 

Intellectual  and  spiritual  develoi)ment  went  hand  in  hand  with 
the  material  growth.  Congregations  of  various  denominations  were 
early  established,  increasing  rapidly  in  numbers.  Imposing  ciuu-th 
edifices  were  erected  at  short  intervals.  The  public  school  system  was 
carefully  nurtured  and  improved;  many  higher  institutions  of  learn- 
ing were  founded,  among  which  several  medical  schools.  Various 
kinds  of  charitable  institutions  sprang  into  existence.  The  Chicago 
Historical  Society  was  organized  in  1856  and  tlie  Academy  of  Sciences 
the  next  year. 

The  press  has  been  not  the  least  essential  factor  in  the  upbuilding 
of  Chicago.  "The  Chicago  Daily  American,"  its  first  daily  newspaper, 
was  established  in  1839.  During  the  followuig  two  decades  several 
large  newspaper  enterprises  were  launched,  such  as  "The  Evening 
Chicago  Tribune"  in  1847.  and  "The  Chicago  Times"  in  1854. 

This  ])rogress  along  all  lines  continued  througliout  tlie  sixties. 
Figures  to  show  tiiis  progress  wouhl  ])rove  a  bewildering  array,  suflice. 
therefor(>.  tiu-  l)are  mention  of  tlie  |>riiieipal  enterprises  of  that  di'cade. 
First  ill  importance  beyond  eoiiii>are  was  the  eslalilishmeiit  of  the  I'nion 
Stock  Yards.  The  packing  industry  of  Chicago  dates  back  to  the 
forties,  but  not  until  th(>  founding  of  the  Stoek  Yards  did  it  assume 
the  proportions  of  a  giant  iiulustry.  The  Stoek  Yards  proved  a  power- 
ful sliiiiulus  to  the  stockraising  industry  of  the  West  and  Southwest, 
and  in  a  few  years  Cliieago  was  the  lea<liiig  live  stoek  market  in  the 
United  Slates.  The  exports  of  the  |iai'kiii'_'  jilants  increased  year  by 
year,  making  Chicago  a  household  word  aliroad  as  well  as  at  home.   The 


TOWN  AND  CITV 


103 


shipments  of  cattle  to  Chicago  shows  the  following  increase :  in  IS.jT. 
48,524  heads,  in  1866,  384,251,  in  1870,  532,964;  the  corresponding  ex- 
ports were,  25,502,  268,723  and  39] .709  heads.  The  hog  shipments  to 
Chicago  were,  in  1857,  244,345,  in  1866,  1.286,326,  and  in  1870.  1.953,372 
heads;  the  coi-responding  exports  were,  123,568,  576,099  and  1,095,671 
heads. 

In  the  iron  industry  Chicago  also  made  a  name  for  itself.    At  the 
Illinois  Steel  Works  North  Chicago  plant  was  rolled  in  lS(i5  the  first 


THE    SAUGANASH    HOTEL. 

Built  by  Mark  Beaubieii  on  the  S.-E.  Corner  of  Lake  and  Market 
Streets,  Previous  to  the  Black  Hawk  War 

iron  rail  manufactured  in  America.  This  marked  the  new  birth  of  the 
railway  system  in  the  United  States. 

The  constant  increase  in  population  made  new  demands  on  the 
sanitary  drainage  system.  The  sewerage,  emptied  into  the  Chicago 
River  and  carried  by  its  current  out  into  the  lake,  made  the  city's 
water  supply  a  source  of  danger  to  the  health  of  the  inhabitants.  To 
circumvent  this  peril,  the  city  in  1864  began  the  construction  of  a  two- 
mile  water  tunnel,  terminating  in  a  crib  or  intake.  This  tunnel  was 
completed  in  1866  and  opened  for  use  in  ]\Iarch  the  following  year. 

The  bridges  spanning  the  river  soon  became  inadequate  for  the 
lively  trafSc  between  the  various  portions  of  the  city.  This  led  to  the 
construction  of  timnels  under  the  river  for  the  transportation  of  pas- 
sengers. The  Washington  street  tunnel,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  the 
United  States,  was  built  in  1868,  and  the  La  Salle  street  timnel  two 
years  later.  A  third  street  railway  tunnel  was  constructed  at  Van 
Buren  sti-eet. 


I04  CHICAGO 

During  the  saiiic  decade  the  laying  out  of  Chicago's  extensive 
park  system  was  begun.  Tliree  park  boards,  authorized  in  1869  by  the 
state  legislature,  were  appointed  and  charged  with  this  work  on  the 
north  side,  the  west  side  and  the  soutli  side  respectively. 

In  1866-70  a  considerable  stretch  of  the  Illinois  and  ^lichigan  Canal 
was  deepened  and  improved  at  a  total  expense  to  the  city  of  $3,251,621. 

The  Great  Chicago  Fire 

As  described  in  tlie  preceding  outline,  such  was  Chicago  in  the 
beginning  of  the  seventies.  In  some  thirty  odd  years  it  had  grown  from 
an  insignificant  village  with  three  or  four  thousand  inhabitants  to  a 
great  metropolis  with  a  population  of  300,000.  In  point  of  rapid  growth 
it  had  outstripped  almost  every  other  city  in  the  world.  There  yet 
seemed  to  be  no  limit  to  its  development. 

Then  came  that  great  catastrophe  which  with  one  fell  swoop 
reduced  to  charred  ruins  the  structure  of  tliree  fruitful  decades. 
Chicago,  the  young,  tlie  undaimted,  was  vanquished  by  the  fiery  fiend. 
In  a  few  hours  the  conflagration  completed  its  work  of  destruction, 
swept  over  an  area  of  2.100  acres,  or  nearly  3^^  square  miles,  reduced 
17,500  buildings  to  ashes,  made  98,500  people  homeless,  and  destroyed 
property  to  the  value  of  $190,000,000. 

Great  in  its  prosperity,  Chicago  proved  itself  grander  still  in  ad- 
versity. What  seemed  like  a  crushing  blow  only  served  to  spur  it  on  to 
greater  exertions  towards  a  new  and  greater  development.  Ere  the 
ashes  had  cooled,  j^reparations  were  made  for  rebuilding  the  city,  and 
out  of  the  ruins  there  rose,  in  less  than  a  year  after  the  fire,  a  new 
Chicago,  great  in  wealth  and  power,  compelling  the  admiration  of  the 
world. 

The  Ciiicago  lire  was  the  worst  disaster  of  its  kind  iu  history  uii  to 
that  time,  being  more  destructive  than  the  great  London  fire  iu  1666, 
those  of  New  York,  1835.  Hamburg,  1842,  Constantinople,  1852,  and 
is  only  stirpassed  by  one  similar  calamity  the  burning  of  San  Franeiseo 
in  April,  1906. 

This  terrible  disaster  occurred  on  the  8th  ami  !>th  of  October.  1871. 
The  main  conflagration  was  preceded  by  a  smaller  fire  which  broke  out 
in  the  evening  of  Satni-day  the  7tli.  on  Clinton  street,  near  Van  Ruren, 
on  the  west  side,  and,  fanned  by  a  strong  wind,  destroyed  buil<lings  on 
an  area  of  twenty  acres,  causing  a  jiroperty  loss  of  fibout  .■};7tlO,000  on 
dwellings,  lumber  yards  and  coal  sn|)|ilies.  and  leaving  several  hiuulred 
families  withoul  shelter. 

The  following  Sunday  was  a  bright  aulnnni  day.  Tens  of  thou- 
sands visited  the  I'liun'hes  while  other  lens  of  tliousandN  preferred  to 

p; tlie   streets,   viewing   the   splendid    decorations   in   lionor  of   the 

expected  visitor,  (iraiid  Duke  .\lexis  i>{  Kiissia.    Maiiv  a  devout  church- 


THE  GREAT  FIRK  I05 

goer  doul)tles.s  breatliod  silent  Uiaiiksf^iviiigs  to  the  Aliiiiy^lity  for  hav- 
ing avert-ed  the  visitation  that  had  threatened  the  city  the  night  before. 
The  great  mass,  on  the  contrary,  seemed  to  have  no  thought  of  the 
disaster,  oblivious  as  ever  of  the  misfortunes  of  others,  and  intent  only 
on  their  pleasures. 

In  the  evening  the  city  presented,  if  possible,  a  still  more  animated 
aspect.  The  devout  again  thronged  toward  the  houses  of  worship, 
while  the  frivolous  in  still  greater  numbers  surged  to  the  theaters  and 
other  places  of  entertainment,  how  to  find  the  greatest  possible  enjoy- 
ment being  the  question  uppermost  in  every  mind.  The  inhabitants 
of  Pompeii  and  Hereulaneum  were  probably  no  more  light  of  heart  the 
evening  before  they  were  buried  in  a  rain  of  ashes  and  a  stream  of 
glowing  lava  than  were  the  people  of  Chicago  in  the  evening  of  the 
fated  Sth  of  October. 

At  half  past  nine  o'clock  in  the  evening,  just  as  the  people  were 
leaving  the  churches  at  the  conclusion  of  the  evening  services,  while 
the  theatrical  performances  were  nearing  the  acme  of  interest  and 
dancing  was  in  full  swing  in  the  halls  of  social  pleasure,  the  fire  alarm 
Avas  given  anew.  The  fire  fighters,  exhausted  by  the  exertions  of  the 
previous  day,  again  hurried  with  engines,  hose  carts  and  ladders  to 
the  field  of  battle  on  the  west  side.  This  time  a  fire  had  broken  out  at 
the  corner  of  Jefferson  and  DeKoven  streets,  a  point  far  to  the  south  of 
the  area  devastated  the  night  before.  Following  is  the  generally  ac- 
cepted story  of  how  the  fire  started.  An  old  Irishwoman,  Mrs.  O'Leary 
by  name,  who  during  the  day  had  entertained  a  crowd  of  merrymakers, 
went  out  to  the  stable  in  the  back  yard  at  this  late  hour  to  milk  her 
cow.  A  lamp  which  she  placed  beside  her  was  kicked  over  by  the 
animal,  the  litter  of  the  stall  Avas  saturated  with  the  oil  and  set  on  fire; 
the  flames  soon  reached  the  fodder  supply,  and  in  a  few  seconds  the 
stable  was  ablaze.  The  flames  spread  rapidly  to  neighboring  frame 
buildings. 

During  the  entire  fall  no  rain  had  fallen;  the  frame  structures  with 
their  shingled  roofs  were  very  dry  and  burned  like  tiuder.  To  add  to 
the  disaster,  the  strong  wind  of  the  previous  day  had  increased  almost 
to  a  hurricane,  adding  to  the  fury  of  the  rapidly  spreading  flames. 
In  vain  the  firemen  tried  to  stop  the  spread  of  the  fire  northward ;  step 
by  step  they  were  driven  back.  The  fire  soon  divided  its  forces  into 
two  mighty  columns  which  raced  northward  with  incredible  speed. 
The  storm  flung  masses  of  sparks  toward  the  northeast,  and  these 
advance  scouts  made  independent  attacks,  setting  buildings  on  fire 
far  in  advance  of  the  main  column  of  the  fire-fiend.  In  this  manner  the 
firemen  were  repeatedly  snrroianded  and  forced  to  beat  a  hasty  retreat 
or  perish. 

The  public  as  well  as  the  firemen  hoped  that  the  fire  would  die 


io6 


CHICAGO 


out  from  lack  of  sustenance  upon  reaching  the  burnt  area  from  the 
ni«rht  before.    This  hope,  however,  proved  a  delusion.    That  point  was 


reached  at  half  past  eleven  in  the  even  ins;,  but  tlio  llanics  leaped  .|iiickly 
over  th.'  <  li,u-n>.l  dislric-t.  lit  once  alliM-Uintr  tlic  planing  mills  an.l  fac- 


Till';  CRIvAT  l-IRK 


107 


torios  ou  the  west  I)niilc  of  the  south  hraiieh  of  tlie  river,  which  fur- 
nished ample  nourislimcnt.  A  sudden  shift  of  the  wind  now  hurled 
firebrands  across  the  river  to  the  main  business  district. 

While  the  fire  was  limited  to  the  west  side,  the  inhabitants  of  the 
south  and  north  sides  felt  comparatively  safe,  trustinj^  to  the  skill  and 
perseverance  of  the  fire  brigade.  Besides,  the  river  was  depended  upon 
to  sto|>  the  onrushing  element.  But  this  last  hope  fled  when  they  saw 
the  firemen  rushing  their  engines  at  top  speed  across  the  bridges  to 
the  business  district,  and  flames  began  to  shoot  up  from  the  roofs  of 
buildings  in  the  heart  of  the  city.  It  was  now  apparent  that  this  dis- 
trict also  was  doomed,  and  the  work  of  saving  portal)le  property  here 
was  at  once  begun  amid  the  stampede  of  the  panic-stricken  thousands. 

Meanwhile  the  fire  grew  in  extent  and  fury,  being  now  absolutely 
beyond  control.  As  it  raged  through  the  business  district  it  afforded  a 
spectacle  well-nigh  indescribable  in  its  terrible  grandeur.  Great  six 
and  seven  story  buildings  of  brick  and  stone  melted  down  like  tapers 
before  the  fire.  So  intense  was  the  heat  that  an  ordinary  building 
would  be  leveled  with  the  ground  in  the  brief  space  of  five  minutes. 
The  moment  the  flames  penetrated  into  a  structure  the  windows  would 
glow  as  though  reflecting  a  sunset ;  in  an  instant  the  flames  would  leap 
skyward,  forming  a  colossal  pillar  of  fire  which,  erect  but  for  a  second 
or  two,  would  waver  in  the  wind  and  then  be  hurled  down  to  ignite 
adjoining  structures.  This  process  was  repeated  again  and  again.  A 
sea  of  fire  rolled  its  gigantic  waves  over  the  city  with  nothing  to  im- 
pede their  course.  Now  and  then,  when  the  flames  reached  a  shop  or 
storehouse  containing  explosives  or  highly  inflammable  licjuids  a  series 
of  explosions  would  hurl  firebrands  and  redhot  rocks  high  in  the  air, 
as  from  the  crater  of  a  volcano  in  action.  The  flames  would  take 
difi:"erent  colors  according  to  the  materials  consvuned,  thus  producing 
a  play  of  color,  remarkable  for  its  varied  splendor.  Like  varicolored 
snakes  flames  crept  along  cornices  of  copper  or  zinc,  until  they  mingled 
in  the  fiery  blast  as  the  walls  fell  in.  The  spectacle  was  reflected  in  the 
heavens,  which  for  miles  around  were  glowing  red,  while  the  darkness 
beyond  hvmg  as  a  dark  pall  about  the  awful  picture. 

The  noises  produced  by  the  fire  were  infinite  in  variety  and  made 
a  weird  concert  that  no  hearer  can  ever  forget.  Writhing  flames 
hissed,  firebrands  crackled.  When  the  limestone  walls  of  the  buildings 
were  exposed  to  the  extreme  heat,  the  masonry  would  scale  off,  particles 
flying  in  all  directions  with  a  sound  as  of  a  discharge  of  musketry. 
The  roar  of  the  storm  and  the  incessant  thunder  of  falling  walls  con- 
stituted the  bass  in  this  infernal  orchestra.  Through  the  terrific  din 
came  now  and  then  the  mournful  sound  of  a  bell.  It  was  the  bell  in  the 
courthouse  tower,  which  up  to  2  o'clock  in  the  morning  kept  sounding 
the  death-knell  of  the  passing  city. 


io8 


CHICAGO 


The  people  of  the  doomed  city  became  frenzied.  Judging  alone 
from  their  appearance  and  actions,  one  would  have  been  led  to  the  con- 
clusion that  the  entire  population  had  gone  mad.  The  jam  and  panic 
in  the  .streets  beggared  description.  Crowds  of  men,  women  and  chil- 
dren rushed  along,  howling  and  gesticulating  like  maniacs,  stumbling 
over  one  another  and  colliding  in  great  numbers  at  the  street  corners. 
Not  all,  however,  lost  their  senses.  Some  cool  heads  there  were  who 
took  the  matter  philosophically,  some  even  who  looked  on  the  ludicrous 
side  of  it  all.  Such  stoical  characters  shrugged  their  shoulders  and 
drew  their  faces  to  a  grim  smile  while  witnessing  the  process  of  anni- 
hilation that  plunged  them  in  a  moment  from  opulence  to  poverty. 
Others  gnashed  their  teeth  in  helpless  rage  to  see  the  results  of  years 
of  toil  shattered  thus  beyond  repair.  Still  others,  apparently  hale  and 
strong  men,  wept  like  children. 

Sidewalks  and  yards  to  the  south  of  the  bm-ning  district  were 
heaped  with  furniture  and  household  articles  of  every  description. 
The  gilded  trappings  ivom  the  mansions  of  the  rich  were  thrown 
helter  skelter  among  the  modest  belongings  of  the  pauper.  Among 
these  scattered  fragments,  i-escucd  from  a  thousand  homes,  the  owners, 
men  or  women,  had  generally  stationed  themselves  so  as  to  keep  a 
watchful  eye  on  their  chattels.  Proud  ladies,  who  ordinarily  would 
not  stoop  to  the  menial  duty  of  lifting  a  chair,  were  seen  staggering 
imder  the  weight  of  trunks  or  heavy  loads  of  books,  pictures,  and  other 
articles  of  value.  Some  decked  themselves  out  in  all  their  jewels  and 
finery,  only  to  be  relieved  of  Ihcir  valuables  l)y  the  first  robber  they 

encountered.  Young  girls  strained 
their  tender  frames  in  carrying 
away  pieces  of  furniture  or  heavy 
burdens  of  clothing  and  household 
goods,  while  aged  women  tottered 
along  with  armfuls  of  pei-sonal 
cfi'ccts.  Here  and  there  groups  of 
rhildren  stood  guard  over  the 
property  of  their  parents;  other 
gi-oups  were  bitterly  bt>wailing  the 
loss  of  jiareiits  or  guardians  in  the 
1  iiisli  of  humanity.  At  one  point 
a  bareheaded  wonuni  would  be 
kneeling  on  the  groiuid  before  her 
crucifix,  telling  her  beads  witli 
nervous  lingers  and  iniMiililing 
silent  prayers;  at  jinollier  n  man.  era/.ed  by  misfortinie,  would  shake  his 
clinched  lists  in  the  face  of  heaven  as  if  challenging  the  Almighty. 
Again  a  I'mIIici-  peai-efnl  and  bueolie  scene  might   be  witnessed  in  the 


ll  ijft 

UJ 

^^^ 

Kiiiiis  iiftiT  tlie  ("■real   Hire.     Clark 
St.,  North  from  Wasliin^toii 


TIIK  CKIvVT  I'lKIC 


109 


midst  of  the  havoc.  I'or  iiistaiR-e,  a  I'aiiiil.v,  haviiii;  saved  little  or  nothing 
hesides  the  coffee  pot  and  the  necessary  ingredients,  settling  down  in 
the  open  to  enjoy  the  poinilnr  beverage  cooked  over  a  heap  of  glowing 
embers  in  the  street. 

Numbers,  however,  sought  comfort  iu  far  more  stimulating  bever- 
ages than  coffee  during  that  grewsome  night.  The  lower  elements  were 
afforded  the  most  ample  opportiuiities  to  indulge  their  taste  for  liquor. 
Saloons  were  recklessly  plundered,  casks  of  whisky  and  wine  were 
rolled  out  in  tlie  street,  the  heads  were  knocked  out,  and  men  and  boys 
crowded  about,  draiiiinii-  the  (■(iiiteiits  till  they  staggered  and  fell,  many 


The  Great  Fire.      Wap  of  the  Burned  District 


perishing  where  they  lay  when  the  flames  reached  them.  Others  suc- 
ceeded in  crawling  out  of  harm's  way.  and  dropped  into  sobering 
.sleep  in  yards  and  alleys. 

When  the  fire  threatened  the  jail,  the  prisoners  were  set  free. 
These  immediately  joined  the  criminals  at  large  in  a  riot  of  loot  and 
plimder.  Without  the  slightest  hesitation  they  would  enter  the  mer- 
chant's shops,  hurl  articles  of  value  to  their  accomplices  at  the  door, 
and  depart  with  their  plunder,  with  the  air  of  having  saved  their  own 
property,  not  a  hand  being  raised  to  prevent  their  escape  through  the 
crowds.  However  great  the  losses  by  theft  that  night,  they  were  prob- 
ably insignificant  as  compared  with  the  amount  of  goods  and  chattels 
destroyed  in  the  streets  or  consumed  by  the  flames.  Many  purposely 
destroyed  their  own  property  rather  than  have  it  stolen  or  burned. 

With  the  aid  of  draymen  many  succeeded  in  having  their  goods 
hauled  to  places  of  safety  far  from  the  burning  area,  but  these  men, 
who  were  often  unscrupulous,   charged  a  rate  of  cartage  amounting 


no  CHICAGO 

to  a  liigli  iicrcentage'  of  the  actual  valui-  of  the  goods  saved.  Thus, 
a  hundred  dollars  might  be  demanded  for  hauling  a  load  of  goods  only 
a  few  blocks.  Karlj'  in  the  evening  the  bridges  leading  to  the  north 
side  became  so  crowded  with  people  and  vehicles  that  many  were 
severely  injured  in  the  crush,  ilany  businessmen  on  the  south  side  had 
goods  worth  millions  brought  to  the  river  bank,  where  loads  upon 
loads  of  valuable  merchandise  was  destroyed  by  fire  before  morning. 
At  3  o'clock  in  the  morning,  the  fire  had  practicall.v  finished  its 
triumphal  march  through  the  business  district,  leaving  nothing  but 
smoking  ruins  behind,  and  prepared  to  cross  the  river  to  the  north  side, 
having  i)reviously  sent  scouts  aliead  in  the  form  of  sparks  and  fire- 
brands hurled  across  by  the  wind.  It  was  also  fearei  that  the  flames 
would  again  be  directed  toward  the  west  side,  the  main  portion  of  which 
was  still  intact,  but  tlie  tlaiiger  was  averted  by  a  systematic  protection 
of  the  buildings  nearest  the  river.  The  people  of  the  north  side,  many 
of  whom  had  retired  for  the  night,  were  in  turn,  like  the  inhabitants 
of  the  west  and  south  sides,  routed  out  of  bed  and  forced  too  liee  for 
their  lives.  It  was  high  time  they  did,  for  the  flames  were  alread.v 
hovering  over  their  roofs.  The  gas  plant  soon  caught  fire  and  was 
shattered  by  a  tremendous  explosion,  instantly  followed  by  the  ex- 
tinction of  the  street  lamps,  leaving  the  district  in  darkness  but  for  the 
reflection  from  the  blazing  buildings  to  the  south.  In  a  short  time  the 
flames  reached  the  water  works  at  the  foot  of  Chicago  avenue,  nearly 
a  mile  north  of  the  river.  "With  that,  the  fire  department  was  com- 
pletely disarmed,  all  hope  of  resistance  was  gone,  and  the  phalanxes 
of  the  fiery  comiueror  marched  on  undeterred. 

Here  was  repetition  of  the  scenes  alread.v  enacted  on  the  south 
side,  while  the  terroi-strickeii  inhabitants  were  engaged  in  precipitous 
flight  for  safety.  Tiiousiinds  took  refuge  westward  acro.ss  the  north 
liiaiich  of  the  river,  while  oilier  thousands  tied  to  the  lake  front.  The 
latter  soon  discovered  tiicir  mistake.  As  the  fire  ai>proaeluHl,  they  were 
enveloped  in  dense  clouds  of  smoke  and  exposed  to  a  shower  of  sparks 
and  flying  embers  that  ignited  the  personal  projierty  deposited  there. 
The  heat  grew  more  suffocating  for  every  jiassinEr  minute  and  liiially 
became  unendurable,  foi-eing  those  who  had  not  fled  north  along  the 
lake  front  to  wade  into  the  water  for  protection  and  remain  tiiere  until 
they  could  be  taken  away  in  boats.  The  flames  spared  not  even  the  city 
of  the  dead.  The  Catholie  cemetery  near  Lincoln  Park  was  ravaged, 
charred  wooden  crosses  and  cracked  nwiri)le  siiafls  bearing  evideiK'e  of 
the  destrui'tion  wrought. 

Not   until   4   o'clock   on    ^londay   afternoon    had    llu'    lire   run    its 

course.      Its  spread    southward    had    1 n    checked    by    v<dunteer   fire 

fighters,  assisteil  1>.\  a  iiiililMry  troop  in  coniiiiand  of  ticneral  Philip 
Sheridan.     On  the  north  side,  however,  the  tire  raged  as  long  as  any 


THIC  CRRAT  KIRK 


III 


houses  remaiiHHl.     At  l<'iilleitoii  avenue,  wliere  lay  a  .streteli  ul  (jpcn 
prairie,  the  flames  died  out  at  last. 

A  host  of  people  were  left  homeless,  penniless,  without  clothes  or 
shelter  against  the  cold  autunui  uight.    Many  camped  on  the  prairies 
outside  the  city  or  among  the  mounds  of  the  dead  in  the  cemeteries, 
not  a  few  doubtless  heartbroken, 
and  wishing  that  they  too  were 
asleep  under  the  sod.     Their  fu- 
ture seemed  as  black  and  cheer- 
less as  the  area  strewn  with  the 
ruins  of  the  Chicago  of  yesterday. 

The  one  bright  spot  in  the 
desolate  picture  was  the  energetic 
assistance  and  succor  furnished  by 
city  authorities  and  the  people  of 
the  intact  portion  of  the  city. 
Churches,  schoolhouses,  station- 
houses  and  other  public  buildings 
were  thrown  open  and  turned  into 
asylums  for  the  distressed,  while 
tents  were  furnished  to  thousands 
of  other  sufferers.  The  railways 
offered  free  transportation  to  all 
who  desired  to  seek  shelter  with 
relatives  and  friends  elsewhere  or  simi)ly  wanted  to  leave  the  stricken 
city  for  anywhere.  It  is  claimed  that  about  15,000  people  availed  them- 
selves of  the  opportunity  and  left  on  outgoing  trains  the  same  day. 

While  the  fire  still  raged  on  the  north  side,  the  mayor,  jointly 
with  the  department  chiefs  of  the  city  administration,  issued  a  procla- 
mation to  the  effect  that  the  City  of  Chicago  assumed  the  liability  for  all 
expenses  incurred  in  rendering  aid  to  the  tire  sufferers,  and  promised 
protection  for  all  exposed  personal  property.  As  soon  as  the  disaster 
had  been  telegraphed  abroad,  money  and  supplies  began  to  pour  in 
from  all  parts  of  the  country,  and  later  from  almost  every  part  of  the 
civilized  world.  The  first  outside  aid  was  in  the  form  of  provisions, 
sent  from  Indianapolis,  reaching  Chicago  by  express  at  3  o'clock 
Tuesday  afternoon.  This  was  followed  in  a  few  hours  by  another 
train  from  St.  Louis,  bringing  clothing  and  provisions,  and  a  delegation 
of  citizens  bearing  this  greeting:  "Brethren,  be  of  good  cheer!  All 
that  we  have  is  at  your  disposal  imtil  you  get  on  your  feet  again.  We 
have  come  to  stay  and  help  you."  Similar  messages  were  received 
from  other  points.  Troops  were  called  in  from  Fort  Leavenworth. 
Kansas,  to  assist  a  volunteer  corps  in  patrolling  the  burned  district, 
and  the  better  to  preserve  order  General  Sheridan  placed  the  city  under 


Ruins  after  the  Great  Fire.     Honore 

Block,  N.-W.  Corner  of  Adams 

and  Dearborn  Streets 


112  CHICAGO 

militaiy  rule.  Tlie  Chicapo  Relief  and  Aid  Society  was  organized 
and  took  charge  of  the  distribution  of  incoming  supplies.  On  Nov.  7th, 
one  month  after  the  fire,  there  had  been  .subscribed  for  the  relief  fund 
$.J,500,000,  $2,050,000  of  which  had  been  paid  in.  Sixty  thousand  peo- 
ple were  then  receiving  a.ssistauce. 

Sliortly  after  the  fire,  the  state  legislature  was  called  in  extra 
session  and  appropriated  a  generous  sum  to  the  relief  work.  The 
relief  funds  in  cash  already  amoiuited  to  .^,820,148.10.  out  of  which 
$973,897.80  had  I)cen  contributed  from  foreign  countries.  The  total 
value  of  all  fuinls  iiiul  supplies  aggregated  almost  seven  millions 
of  dollars. 

To  the  figures  given  in  the  foregoing,  the  following  are  subjoined 
to  show' the  full  extent  of  the  disaster.  Among  the  buildings  destroyed 
were  60  church  edifices  and  convents,  32  hotels,  29  bank  buildings,  15 
aeadeniies  and  seminaries.  11  puljlic  schools,  10  theaters  and  other 
places  of  amusement.  9  offices  of  daily  newspapers,  7  orphan  asylums, 
5  hospitals.  5  telegraph  offices.  5  grain  elevators.  3  railway  stations. 
besides  the  courthouse,  the  customhouse,  the  postoffice.  the  board  of 
trade  building,  the  gas  plant  and  the  water  works. 

The  fire  loss  was  estimated  at  $190,000,000.  including  $50,000,000 
on  buildings  and  $140,000,000  on  other  property.  If  the  loss  by  shrink- 
age in  realty  values  and  reduced  incomes  be  included,  the  sum  total 
would  pass  $200,000,000.  All  city  property,  real  and  personal,  was 
valued  at  $620,000,000  just  before  the  fire.  Thus  about  one-third  of 
this  had  been  wiped  out.  The  loss  was  partly  covered  by  insurance 
totaling  $96,533,721,  of  which  $6,000,000  had  been  written  by  foreign 
companies,  'i'lie  insurance  paid  anioinited  to  only  $44,000,000.  owing 
|iiin(ipall\-  to  the  fact  that  not  less  than  57  fire  insurance  companies 
were  l)aiikrui)te(l  by  the  enormous  losses  sustained. 

The  exact  lo.ss  of  life  was  never  determined,  the  approxinuite  num- 
ber of  jieople  who  perished  being  set  at  three  hundred. 

The  setback  given  to  the  commercial  development  of  the  city  was 
of  sliDrt  duration.  Before  winter  set  in.  many  businessmen  were  estab- 
lished in  tcmjiorary  (luartcrs  in  various  parts  of  the  city.  The  home- 
less, who  could  not  be  otherwise  ])rovided  for,  were  sheltered  in  tem- 
porary wooden  barracks.  Free  coal,  free  ju-ovisions  and  free  lumber 
was  disti-ibuted  to  the  nu)st  unfortunate  victims.  Within  a  year  a 
lai'ge  |)orti(in  of  tiie  burned  district  liad  been  rebuilt  at  a  total  cost  of 
$40,500,000,  while  the  increa.se  in  the  volume  of  business  and  iiuuni- 
factures  had  surpa.ssed  all  previous  records.  With  remarkable  energy, 
cipmlled  nowhere,  the  work  was  pursued  night  and  day.  Wages  were 
high  and  lalxirers  were  pjenliful.  In  two  years  the  population  was 
irwreased  liy  6S.41II. 

'riiice  years  after  the  (ire,  almost   every  trace  of  tiie  catastrophe 


LATKR    I)EVELOPMI;nT 


"3 


had  been  erased.  A  remarkable  chapter  in  the  annals  of  Chicago 
closed  with  the  great  fire  of  1S71,  and  another,  e(iually  wonderful, 
opened  with  the  rebuildiny:  of  the  city. 

Later  Development  of  Chicago 

During  the  thirty-six  years  that  have  elapsed  since  the  great 
fire,  Chicago  has  developed  into  one  of  the  great  cities  of  the  world, 
with  the  evil  as  well  as  the  good  features  of  a  metropolis.  Following 
are  a  few  of  the  important  facts  in  its  latter  history. 


Linculii   jMi.)muiR-nt — Lincoln   I'ark 


Less  than  three  years  after  the  fire  the  city  was  again  threatened 
with  destruction.  July  14,  1874,  another  extensive  conflagration  de- 
stroyed property  valued  at  four  million  dollars  before  the  flames  could 
be  subdued. 


114  CHICACO 

As  has  been  shown.  Chii-ago  ccirly  attained  importance  as  a 
business  center  and  shipping  port.  Its  industrial  phase  next  added 
new  activity,  giving  the  city  high  rank  as  an  industrial  conununity. 
Besides  the  great  stock  yards  and  slaughter  houses,  iniiiien.se  steel 
mills,  farm  implement  factories  and  other  similar  cstabiislnnents  were 
l"ounil('(i.  The  year  1880  marks  a  new  epoch  in  the  indiLstrial  history 
of  Chicago.  Then  the  Pullman  Palace  Car  Company,  organized  in  1867. 
founded  the  town  of  Pullman,  twelve  miles  south  of  the  heart  of 
Chicago.  The  new  commiuiity,  comprising  the  extensive  car  factories 
and  cottages  for  its  thousands  of  workmen  and  their  families,  grew 
rapidly  and  soon  became,  in  many  respects,  a  model  town. 

Workmen  from  all  parts  of  the  civilized  world  flocked  into  Chi- 
cago, making  it  pre-eminently  a  city  of  labor  and  of  laborers.  Here. 
as  elsewhere  in  industrial  communities,  the  war  between  capital  and 
labor  was  soon  raging.  The  fight  waxed  all  the  more  fierce  on  the 
labor  side,  dwiiig  to  the  fact  that  the  labor  movement  had  been  taken 
in  charge  by  Gei-inan  socialists  in  the  early  seventies,  a  few  years  after 
llic  fire,  they  having  emigrated  from  their  native  land  on  account  <if 
the  iron  i-ule  of  Bismarck.  Thus  Chicago  soon  became  famous  for  her 
laboi'  oi-g;itiizatioiis  and  tlu-ii-  incessant  struggle  for  what  they  held  to 
be  tlicir  i-ighls.  Shm-tei'  hours,  increased  wages  and  legislation  favor- 
iiiir  111''  Morking  classes  were  the'demands  made  by  the  socialists  and 
supported  by  them  on  tiie  rostrum  and  in  the  press.  The  ballot,  they 
declared,  was  liicir  most  jiowcrful  ally. 

InliirtiiiiMlcly.  liiis  agitation  soon  sunk  to  the  level  of  anarchistic 
pi'opaganila.  In  the  laic  seventies  ami  the  early  eighties  there  arrived 
from  Europe  a  luuiilier  jiei-sons  intimate  with  tlu-  leaders  aiul  the 
principles  of  anan-lix  and  niliiiisni.  and  these  succeeded  in  acquiring 
a  I'ontrolling  inlluenee  over  the  labor  organizations.  These  held  the 
ballot  to  be  altogether  too  inetl'cctual  a  weapon  with  which  to  light  the 
capitalists  aiul  their  hirelings,  the  civic  authorities  as  well  as  the  un- 
organized workingmen  being  classed  with  the  latter,  (inns.  reV(dvciN. 
bombs,  these  were  the  great  cnuuicipators  of  the  workers,  thi-  means 
of  overturning  the  effete  social  order  of  the  jtre.sent. 

The  first  great  strike  in  Chicago  occurred  in  1877.  when  the  rail- 
way employees  strncic  work  here  as  in  Baltimore.  Pittsburg  and  other 
eastern  centers.  The  <lragon"s  teeth  sown  by  aiuirchy  gave  its  harvest 
on  July  'J")th.  in  the  form  of  a  skirmish  between  the  strikeiN  and  the 
police,  the  fornnM-  being  worsted  in  the  light.  This  had  a  cooling  ctTecl 
on  I  lie  hotheaded  leailers,  causing  all  violenc(>  to  subside  and  gradually 
bringing  the  strike  to  a  close. 

The  anarchistic  ])ropaganda.  howi-ver.  being  earrieil  on  inichecUed. 
brought  about  eonspii-ai-ies  amotig  labor  organizations,  designed  to 
make  short   sliiil't    with  the  capitalistic  class  and  every  other  form  of 


i,ati;r  development 


i'5 


opposition  in  tho  next  conflict.  The  (icrnian  anarchist  papers  in  par- 
ticular openly  nrfjcd  force  anil  bloodshed.  In  February.  1881),  an  event 
oeeuiTcd  which  causcnl  i-eiie\ved  activity  in  the  anarchistic  camp.  At 
the  oji-eat  ]\Ic("orniiclv  Harvester  "Works  a  strike  of  the  woi'knien  was 
promptly  met  l)y  a  lockout.  "When  Ihe  sti-ikers  found  that  their  foi-mer 
employers  had  ai'ranged  to  sup|)lanl  them  with  non-union  workers, 
their  rage  knew  no  bimnds.  Two  organizations,  the  Metal  Workers 
Union  and  the  Cariienters  Union  No.  1,  agreed  to  arm  themselves  with 
guns,  i-evolvers.  and  liomlis  in  order  to  pi-eveiit  the  strike  breakers  from 


f 


.^.^mtm 


The  Ottawa  Indian   Monnnient — Lincoln  Park 


taking  their  places.  For  reasons  unknown,  the  fight  never  took  place, 
and  on  ilarch  1st  the  new  men.  protected  by  a  squad  of  police,  went  to 
work  unmolested.  Before  and  after  noon  of  the  same  day.  however, 
fighting  occurred  between  the  strikers  and  the  police  guarding  the 
factories,  resulting  in  the  arrest  of  several  strikers  and  the  discovery 
of  bombs  and  other  weapons  in  their  possession. 

It  was  believed  that  the  anarchists,  after  having  made  such  a 
lame  showing,  would  take  a  new  tack,  but  this  hope  proved  illusive. 
They  operated  in  secret  and  were  biding  their  time.  The  crisis  came 
on  May  1st,  when  from  40,000  to  50,000  workmen  in  varioiis  trades 
struck  for  an  eight  hour  day.  The  JleCormick  works  were  now  running 
almost  full  force,  thanks  to  the  strike  breakers  or  so-called  scabs.     In 


Il6  CHICAGO 

the  vicinity  of  the  factory  was  held  a  mass  meeting  attended  by  about 
8,000  strikers,  3.000  of  whom  were  Germans  and  an  equal  number  Uo- 
hemians  belonging  to  the  Lumber  Shovers  Union.  August  Spies,  the 
editor  of  the  radical  "Arbeiter  Zeitung."  and  one  of  the  foremost 
leaders  of  the  anarchists,  climbed  into  a  dray  and  made  a  speech  to  the 
crowd,  characterizing  capitalists  and  employers  as  oppre.s.sors  and 
vampires,  and  tlic  laborers  as  their  slaves.  His  words  struck  fire  in  the 
minds  of  the  assemblage,  and  the  speaker  had  scarcely  finished  when  a 
mass  of  strikers  stormed  in  tiie  direction  of  the  factory,  breaking  the 
windows  of  the  gatekeeper's  house  and  maltreating  the  workmen  fii*st 
encountered.  The  crowd  soon  forced  its  way  into  the  factory  yards. 
witli  the  evident  purpose  of  wreaking  bloody  vengeance  on  the  "scabs" 
and  destroying  the  works.  This  |)laii  was  defi-ated  by  the  police  who 
hurried  to  the  scene  and,  after  a  brief  hut  sharp  encounter,  cleared  tin- 
grounds  and  put  the  strikers  to  flight.  Although  firearms  and  missiles 
were  freely  used,  no  one  was  killed.  Tlic  leaders  of  the  raid  were 
arrested  the  same  day. 

At  this  sorry  outcome  of  the  onslaught  on  the  powers  that  be.  the 
anarchists  were  still  more  enra^'ed.  and  swore  terrible  vengeance. 
tSpies  hurried  to  his  editorial  room  and  wrote  a  circular  in  English  and 
German,  urging  the  strikers  to  arm  themselves  and  take  remorseless 
revenge  upon  the  police.  Immecliatcly  thereupon,  he  published  in  his 
paper  an  incendiary  article,  relating  to  the  disturbance  his  words  had 
caused.  In  this  he  charged  that  four  strikers  had  been  .shot  to  death  by 
the  i)olice.  despite  the  fact  that  not  a  man  had  l)een  seriously  wounded. 

In  the  afternoon  of  ]May  .'h'd,  rei)resentatives  of  all  the  auarciiist 
organizations  in  the  city  held  a  secret  meeting,  at  which  it  was  resolved 
that  at  the  next  encounter  with  the  authorities  the  anarchists  at  a 
given  signal  would  simultaneously  blow  up  the  i)olice  stations  with 
dynamite  and  shoot  all  s\n-viving  policemen.  Then  they  would  march 
to  the  heart  of  the  city,  where  the  principal  struggle  was  to  take  place. 
The  main  buildings  were  to  be  burned,  the  .iails  stormed  and  the 
prisoners  set  free,  to  make  connnon  cause  with  the  revolutionists.  In 
order  to  arouse  the  populace  to  a  higii  spirit  of  vengeance  against  the 
police  a  mass  meeting  was  called  at  Ilaymarket  S(|uare,  at  Desplaines 
and  lian(lol|)h  streets,  tiie  following  evening.  The  anarchist  dclcL'atcs 
separated  after  agreeing  that  tiie  word  "Kuhe"  (peace)  inserted  in 
the  "Letter  liox"  in  the  cohnnns  of  the  "  .\rl>citcr-/cit\nig"'  was  to  be 
the  signal  for  a  general  uprising. 

hiiring  Tuesday,  May  4th.  a  niuiil)ci-  of  anarchists  were  busily  at 
Work  manufacturing  bombs  of  every  description,  while  others  dis- 
tributed circulars  aiuioniicing  the  great  ma.ss  meeting.  In  the  evening 
"Zeitinig"  the-  cmiinous  word  appeared,  advising  every  anarchist  in  the 
city  thai  the  Imur  of  \  cngiaiice  li.id  come.     The  fact   that  the  city  had 


Till';  I lAYMARKKT  TRAGEDY  u-^ 

a  powerful  militia  at  its  disposal  and  that  well  diseiplined  United 
States  troops  were  at  hand,  ready  to  step  in  at  once,  should  the  Chicago 
police  be  unable  to  cope  with  their  antagonists,  evidently  had  not 
entered  the  minds  of  the  revolutionists. 

The  HaymarKet  Tragedy 

It  was  the  evening  of  May  4th,  a  memorable  date  in  the  history  of 
Chicago.  At  8  o'clock  about  3,000  people  had  gatliered  at  the  ap- 
pointed place.  Editor  Spies  and  the  other  anarchist  agitators  were 
promptly  on  hand.  A  few  moments  later,  Spies  mounted  the  speaker's 
stand  and  entered  upon  a  severe  criticism  of  the  ]\IcCormiek  Company's 
treatment  of  the  strikers.  This,  the  speaker  maintained,  ought  to 
teach  the  workingmen  to  arm  for  their  own  protection  against  the 
capitalists  and  their  hirelings.  The  next  speaker  was  Albert  R. 
Parsons,  editor  of  the  American  anarchist  paper,  "The  Alarm."  His 
speech  was  also  of  an  inflammable  character.  Next  in  order  came 
Samuel  Fieldeu.  a  teamster,  whose  untutored  eloquence  seemed  to 
impress  the  crowd  more  strongly  than  the  polished  harangues  of  his 
predecessors.  "The  advance  guard  skirmish  with  the  capitalists  forces 
has  taken  place;  the  main  battle  is  yet  to  be  fought,"  said  he. 

Peai-ing  an  outbreak,  the  authorities  had  detailed  a  force  of  176 
policemen  to  the  Desplaines  street  police  station,  imder  command  of 
Inspector  John  Boufield.  When  he  learned  through  detectives  at  the 
meeting  that  the  speakers  were  growing  extremely  bold  in  their  expres- 
sions, and  the  masses  showed  signs  of  tlireateuiug  disorder,  he  marched 
his  forces  to  the  square.  From  his  elevated  position  in  a  dray  wagon, 
Fielden  saw  the  police  approaching  and  shouted : 

"The  bloodhoimds  are  upon  us!    Do  you  duty!    I  will  do  mine." 

A  minute  later,  the  front  line  of  police  halted  a  few  feet  from  the 
wagon,  and  Police  Captain  Ward  stepped  up,  saying : 

"In  the  name  of  the  people  of  the  state,  I  order  you  to  disperse 
peaceably  at  once." 

Fielden,  who  had  meanwhile  .jumped  from  the  wagon,  shouted 
aloud:  "We  are  peaceable!"  This  seemed  the  secret  signal  of  attack 
(compare  the  watchword,  "Ruhe").  for  the  next  instant  an  ob.jeet 
resembling  a  lighted  cigar  was  hurled  through  the  air  and  fell  between 
the  lines  of  the  second  platoon  of  police.  One  second  more,  and  the  im- 
pact of  an  explosion  shook  the  air  far  aromid.  Numbers  of  policemen, 
were  hurled  in  all  directions,  some  dangerously,  others  slightly  injured. 

The  exploding  bomb,  thrown  by  some  anarchist,  was  taken  as  a 
signal  for  general  fighting  with  revolvers  and  pistols  between  the 
revolutionists  and  the  police.  In  a  moment  the  latter  force  had  re- 
gained its  presence  of  mind  and  made  a  concerted  sortie  upon  the 


Ii8  CHICAC.O 

masses,  whit-li.  tliuugh  armed,  were  uiiabk-  to  witlistaiul  tlie  attack, 
and  were  soou  disjjersed. 

The  tliree  aeitators  were  among  the  first  to  seek  safety  iu  tlitrht. 
The  projected  slaughter  at  Ilayniarket  S(|uare.  the  destnietion  of  tlie 
police  stations,  and  the  ineendiary  raid  of  the  business  district  had  lieen 
set  at  naught.  The  anarchists,  comparatively  few  and  uiulouhtedly 
cowardly  as  they  were,  had  lost  their  first  and.  one  may  well  hope,  last 
battle  in  Chicago. 

The  bloodshed  at  this  encounter  was  considerable.  One  policeman 
fell  dead  and  seven  others  were  fatally  wounded.  Hesides  these,  sixty- 
seven  of  the  police  were  injured  more  or  less  seriously  in  the  affray.  A 
number  of  the  rioters  were  shot  and  serioasly  wounded  by  the  police. 
The  number  who  died  from  their  injuries  never  became  known,  for 
their  relatives,  prompted  by  fear  or  shame,  refused  to  make  known 
their  exact  loss.  It  leaked  out.  nevertheless,  that  several  anarchists 
were  secretly  biu'ied  at  night  shoi-tly  after  the  riot.  Of  the  wounded 
l)olicemen  two  died  May  (itii.  one  May  f<th.  one  May  14th.  one  May  Itith. 
and  the  scNciith  and  last  on  -luiie  13,  1888. 

A  great  nundier  of  suspects  were  at  once  taken  into  custody, 
among  others  almost  the  entire  woi-king  force  of  the  " Arbeiter-Zcit- 
ung. "  Other  arrests  were  nuule  later  at  short  intervals.  The  police 
investigations  soon  i-evealed  the  fact  that  the  principal  conspiratoi-s. 
besides  Spies,  J'arsons  and  Kichb-n.  were  Adolph  Fischer,  foreman  of 
the  printing  office,  Michael  rf'chwab.  a.ssistant  editor.  Balthasar  Kau. 
an  agent  of  the  paper.  Louis  Lingg.  a  car]>enter.  (Jeorge  Kngei.  a 
painter.  Oscar  W.  .Neebe.  a  yeast  dealer,  and  others.  Linszg  was  found 
to  be  the  most  energetic  niaiuit'actiirer  of  bomi)s.  and  the  one  causing 
tlie  destru<'tion  on  Ilayiiiai-kct  S<|uare  was  doubtless  his  handiwork. 
The  man  who  hui-jcd  it  at  the  jiolice  platoon  was  Kudolph  Scimauln-lt. 
who  was  also  arrestc<l  luit  again  set  free  on  the  strength  of  an  impres- 
sion macb'  on  the  police  authorities  that  he  was  innocent.  Schnaubelt 
lo.st  no  time  in  leaving  Chicago  for  parts  unknown.  Thus  it  happened 
that  the  actual  i)erpetrator  of  the  crime  escaped  trial  and  punishment, 
while  most  of  tlic  consiiii-atoi-s  wlm  had  |>bnnic(l  the  t'oid  <\i'ft\  paid  the 
penalty  with  tiie.ir  lives. 

Thanks  to  the  thorough  work  of  the  police,  a  mass  of  evidence 
against  the  ]irisoners  was  gatlu-rcd.  and  on  May  ITtii  they  were  indicted 
iiy  the  gfaiid  jury.  The  ti'ial  was  begun  June  21st.  and  the  selection  of 
(I  trial  jury  cunsunicd  Inui'  weeks,  the  actual  trial  of  the  prisiuiers 
opening  .July  l.'itli.  and  lasting  until  the  lltth.  when  the  ease  went  to 
the  ,iiu\\.  Till'  following  day  they  brought  in  a  venlicf  of  guilty  and 
lixecl  the  penalty  at  ib'alli  on  tiie  gallows  tor  Spies.  Schwab.  Kieblen. 
Parsons.  Fischer.  F<ngel  and  liingir  as  the  instigators  of  the  llaynuirket 
bloodshed,  and  fifteen  years'  imprisonment  for  .\cebe  for  complicity  in 


Till',  HAYMARKHT  TRACKDV 


119 


tlie  i-riinc.  'I'lif  (•(luiiscl  tnr  llic  (IdViisc  iiiiinediiitely  asked  for  a  new 
trial,  but  ou  Oet.  Ttli  the  motion  was  denied.  The  only  reeoiirse  was 
an  ai)peal  to  the  state  supreme  court.  The  appeal  was  taken  in  JMarch, 
1887,  and  on  Sept.  14th  this  trilninal  sti-uek  dismay  to  the  hearts  of  the 
anarchists  and  their  sympathizers  by  sustaining  the  verdict  of  the  lower 
court.  But  even  then  the  culprits  clung  to  a  faiut  hope,  and  took  an 
appeal  to  the  court  of  last  resort,  the  Supreme  Court  at  Washington. 


The  Schiller  Moiuinient — Lincoln  Park 


The  appeal  was  taken  up  for  consideration  Oct.  27th,  resulting  on  the 
second  of  November  in  a  decree  sustaining  the  former  verdict.  Par- 
sons, Engel,  Fischer  and  Lingg,  still  headstrong,  then  petitioned 
Richard  J.  Oglesby,  governor  of  Illinois,  for  unconditional  pardon, 
while  Spies,  Fielden  and  Schwab  made  the  more  humble  request  that 
the  death  penalty  be  commuted  to  life  imprisonment.  The  governor's 
answer,  given  Nov.  10th.  granted  the  petition  of  Fielden  and  Schwali 
but  denied  the  request  of  the  other  four. 

Before  the  governor's  reply  came,  Lingg  seemed  to  have  a  pre- 
monition that  all  hope  was  gone.    To  go  to  the  gallows  and  submit  to 


I20 


CHICAGO 


the  authority  of  hnv  aud  social  ordt-r  was  revolting  to  this  sworn 
enemy  of  the  law,  aud  he  found  another  way.  In  some  mysterious  way 
he  had  a  bomb,  consisting  of  a  piece  of  loaded  gaspipe.  smuggled  into 
his  cell  by  a  friend,  and  on  the  morning  of  Nov.  10th,  he  placed  this  in 
his  mouth,  lay  down  on  his  bed  and  lit  the  fuse  with  a  candle.  The 
explosion  tore  away  half  of  the  face.  At  2.45  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  same  day  death  relieved  him  from  his  sufferings. 

The  remaining  four  were  executed  the  following  day,  Nov.  11th. 


',/• 


^ttsm^" 


*»>• 


'smf^ff^ 


»-^ijMili...:i.^* 


=5i      ..    ■-» 


Xewberrv  Lilirar\ 


at  the  county  jail.  They  were  unrepentant  to  the  last,  giving  vent  to 
anarchistic  sentiments  on  the  very  scaffold.  On  the  sanu>  day.  Fielden 
and  Schwab  wei'c  coniiiiittcd  to  the  penitentiary  at  Jolict. 

The  general  iiism  reclidn  tln-eateiied  by  the  culprits  as  a  sequel 
to  the  execution  failed  to  materialize.  Not  a  sign  of  a  revolutionary 
movement  could  be  discerned.  The  energy  and  promptness  with  which 
the  authorities  had  acted  deprived  the  lawless  league  of  all  inclination 
toward  a  n^newal  of  violence,  and  in  a  short  time  the  anarchist  prop- 
aganda had  been  silenced  in  Chicago.  The  labor  movement  was  again 
directed  into  its  normal  course. 

After  six  years,  Fielden,  Schwab  and  Neebe  were  pardoned  out 
of  prison  on  June  L'litli,  lS!i:i.  Since  that  time  they  have  not  been 
kiiipwii  1(1  plan  any  new  sdcial  order  lo  be  brought  about  by  means  of 
bombs  and   hlDciclsliccl. 

In  the  same  year  llial  witnessed  the  anarchist  uprising,  a  strike 
was  declared  on  November  Tlli  among  the  jiackinghouse  workers  in 
Chicago.  Two  regiments  of  tin'  national  guards  were  ordered  out  to 
preserve  order.     No  disturbances  nccnrrcd  and  the  troops  were  with- 


FACTS  A\I)  I'lCrRES  121 

drawn  dii  I  lie  1.")tli  of  the  same  nionlli.  'I'lic  next  great  strike  was 
euaeted  April  7tli,  ISyU.  when  seven  thouijand  carpenters  threw  down 
their  tools  to  enforce  their  demand  for  an  eight  hour  day.  Four  years 
later  there  came  a  new  conflict  between  capital  and  labor,  when,  on  the 
12th  of  April,  1894,  a  general  lockout  of  ■workmen  in  all  the  building 
trades  was  declared,  throwing  10,000  woi-kmen  out  of  employment. 
The  11th  of  May  following,  2,000  employees  of  the  Pullman  Car  Com- 
pany went  on  strike,  and  to  make  this  more  effective  all  other  labor 
organizations  were  called  upon,  June  28tli.  to  lioyeott  all  railway  lines 
using  Pullman  ears. 

This  move  resulted  in  violence,  for  the  quelling  of  which  President 
Cleveland  ordered  out  government  troops.  This  was  done  July  3rd. 
Two  daj's  later.  Governor  Altgeld  demanded  the  withdrawal  of  the 
troops  on  the  ground  that  their  presence  was  not  needed.  The  Pres- 
ident replied  to  this  on  July  8th  by  declaring  Chicago  under  martial 
law.  This  action,  together  with  that  of  the  federal  grand  jury,  in- 
dieting  Eugene  V.  Debs,  President  of  the  American  Railway  Union, 
for  declaring  a  boycott  interfering  with  the  United  States  mail  service, 
hastened  the  settlement  of  the  difficulties.  On  July  19tli  both  the  .strike 
and  the  boycott  were  declared  oft",  and  quiet  was  restored.  Since  that 
time  a  number  of  strikes  have  occurred  in  Chicago,  resulting  favorably 
to  one  side  or  the  otlier,  but  none  has  been  attended  by  disorder 
necessitating  military  interference. 

Facts  and  Figures  of  the  CKicag'o  of  To-day 

In  the  course  of  time,  the  city  has  grown  rapidly  to  the  north, 
south  and  west,  while  new  suburbs  have  sprung  up  on  every  hand,  in 
turn  merging  with  the  metropolis  according  as  their  interests  dictated. 
Not  less  than  sixteen  annexations  have  thus  been  eft'ected.  The  largest 
addition  of  territory  was  acciuired  in  1889,  when  the  to-wns  of  Lake 
View,  Hyde  Park,  Lake,  Jefferson  and  part  of  Cicero  were  absorbed. 
Since  then  considerable  areas  have  been  added  from  time  to  time, 
bringing  the  total  area  of  the  city  of  Chicago  up  to  190.6  square  miles. 

The  Chicago  River  divides  the  city  into  three  sections  known  as 
the  south  side,  the  west  side  and  the  north  side.  These  sections  are 
connected  by  means  of  60  bridges,  mostly  of  the  swinging  type,  which 
are  gradually  being  replaced  by  the  more  modern  bascule  bridges. 

The  total  street  mileage  is  3,946.  The  longest  street  is  Western 
avenue,  extending  22  miles,  and  Halsted  street  extends  nearly  the 
same  distance  north  and  south.  The  city  has  fifteen  parks,  the  largest 
being  Lincoln,  Humboldt,  Garfield,  Douglas,  Washington  and  Jackson 
parks.  These  are  connected  by  wide  and  attractive  boulevards  and 
thus  form  as  extensive  and  fine  a  park  system  as  any  city  can  boast  of. 
The  entire  system,  including  boulevards,  has  an  area  of  about  3,300 


,22  CHICAGO 

aeri's,  the  latter  liaviiij^  a  total  length  of  48  miles.  Under  the  streets 
extends  a  system  of  sewers  measuring  about  1,600  miles  in  length.  The 
city's  water  mains  have  a  combini'd  length  of  approximately  •J.OCMt 
miles.  By  means  of  enormous  ])umps  the  water  is  loreed  into  the  eity 
from  a  series  of  cribs  located  far  out  in  the  lake,  through  water  tiuinels 
running  under  tlie  lake  and  iniderground  a  total  distance  of  ."58  miles, 
and  emi)tying  into  an  extensive  network  of  watcrmains  and  snmller 
pipes.  The  pumping  stations  have  a  combined  capacity  of  529.500,000 
gallons  daily.  The  lighting  system  is  e(iually  extensive.  Numberless 
gas  mains  and  electric  conduits  form  an  undergrnnnd  mesli  extending 


l'r;iiikliii   JliimiiiiiiU      I.iniiiln   I'lirk 


\:w  (lilt  til  the  iiidst  (lisliinl  siil)Ui-lis,  'riiere  were  in  1!)05  37,(X)0  gas 
anil  electric  street   lani|>s. 

The  preservation  of  law  and  ordei'  is  entrusted  to  a  police  force  of 
3,300  men,  liislriluited  among  45  police  stations.  The  tire  department 
com])rises  l.'JdO  men.  divided  into  !t2  larger  aiul  27  snmller  companies. 
About  15.(1(10  people  are  variously  employed  in  the  service  of  the  eity. 

Frciiii  Cliieago  radiate  20  lines  of  railroad,  several  of  which  extend 
to  the  .\!liintie  and  I'aeitie  coasts.  T,ake  Superior,  and  the  (lulf  of 
Mexico.  There  are  six  great  railway  terminals  having  a  system  of 
eoiiioinii  ir.ick  c(inin-etions.  The  incoming  and  outgoing  trains,  tiirough 
and  snloir-liaii,  nnnil)er  l.ddd  per  day  and  carry,  on  a  rough  estimate, 
several  liuiidrcd  thousand  passengers. 

The  street  railway  system  is  one  of  the  most  extensive  in  the  world. 
comprising  alxiul  120  separate  lines  with  a  total  of  1.000  niiles  of  track. 
Including  the  suliuri)an  and  elevated  system,  the  trackage  is  1,3G0  miles. 


FACTS  AND  I'lClRES  ,2-, 

'I'lic  pr'iiUMpal  iridtivc  |ii(\vcr  is  elect  i-ii-ily.  'I'hr  djiily  jivcrjiye  iiiiiiiliiT 
dl'  street  ear  |)iisseni;'ers  exceeds  hall'  a  million.  Iiiit  I  hi'  full  capacity 
of  the  sysleiu  is  claiiiied  to  lie  otie  iiiillioii  and  a  liall'.  E(|ually  irii- 
|)oi-taiit  as  ii  system  of  passeiiKei"  ti'aiisportat ion  are  the  four  elevated 
railway  lines,  with  tlieii'  hrauches.  One  of  these,  the  Xort  liwestern 
Kit'vated,  has  four  track's,  runs  e.KjJi'ess  as  well  as  local  trains,  and  is 
claimed  to  have  the  only  eom()lete  traction  system  of  the  kind.  Th(? 
elevated  railroads  have  a  conihiiied  trackage  of  about  1")0  miles,  iti 
1905  the  daily  average  number  of  i)assengers  on  surface  and  elevated 
lines  was  1,354,450. 

Chicago  has  235  large  and  a  great  number  of  small  hotels,  capalile 
of  aeeommodating  200,000  guests.  There  are  over  1,000  restaurants  and 
cafes,  with  a  daily  capacity  of  several  hundred  thousand  guests.  IMany 
of  the  hotels  are  palatial,  famous  at  home  and  abroad  for  the  comfort 
and  luxury  they  afford.  From  twenty  to  thirty  thousand  people  daily 
visit  the  city's  tlieaters,  which  are  40  in  number.  Besides  these  public 
entertainment  is  furnished  at  a  number  of  other  places  of  amusement. 
In  the  history  of  Chicago  theaters  there  must  be  recorded  that  appal- 
ling catastrophe,  the  fire  in  the  newly  built  Iroquois  Theater,  at  Ran- 
dolph St.,  on  the  30th  day  of  December,  1903,  the  flames  starting  in  the 
scenery  and  sweeping  out  over  the  auditorium,  throwing  the  audience 
into  a  panic,  and  causing  the  death  of  588  persons  by  burning,  crushing 
and  suffocation. 

There  are  fift.y  clubs  of  different  kinds,  many  of  which  having  their 
own  club  houses.  The  sick  are  being  cared  for  in  not  less  than  68 
hospitals.  To  these  must  be  added  fifty  other  charitable  institutions, 
such  as  asylums  and  homes  for  the  feeble-minded,  the  crippled  and  the 
aged.  For  the  care  of  the  poor  and  indigent  there  are  eighteen  large 
and  a  numljer  of  smaller  benevolent  associations.  Sick  benefit  societies 
and  others  for  mutual  assistance  in  emergencies  are  too  numerous  to 
be  counted,  as  are  also  the  organizations  for  social  pleasure. 

The  educational  system  of  ( 'hicago  is  w(n-ld-renowned,  and  rightl.v 
so.  The  number  of  public  schools  in  1906  was  250.  with  5,900  teachers 
and  287,000  pupils.  Higher  courses  of  study  are  pursued  in  fifteen 
high  schools.  For  the  education  of  teachers  there  is  a  normal  school, 
besides  two  training  schools.  The  schools  founded  by  religious  denom- 
inations and  puldic  spirited  individuals  nund)er  twenty-two.  Principal 
among  these  are  the  Armour  Institute  and  the  Lewis  Institute,  both 
technological  schools  of  a  high  order.  The  well-known  Chicago  Musical 
College  leads  a  number  of  excellent  musical  scliools  conducted  here. 
Higher  education  is  represented  by  two  great  universities,  the  North- 
western University  of  Evanston  and  the  University  of  Chicago. 

Libraries  and  museums  are  not  lacking.  Of  the  former  tliere  are 
thirteen,  the  largest  being  the  Chicago  Public  Library,  which  on  June 


124 


CHICAGO 


1,  1906,  contained  323. GIO  volumes,  the  Newberry  Library,  with  21 S.. 525 
books  and  pamphlets  on  Oct.  1,  1906,  and  the  John  Crerar  Lil)rary,  with 
194.000  volumes  and  50.000  pamphlets  on  O.t.  1.  1906.     The  museums 


o 


aiM',  the  Academy  nl'  Scii'm-i-s,  (•iiiilainintr  natural  history  collections. 
the  museum  of  the  Chicafro  Historical  Society,  witii  a  large  historical 
colicclion  perlaiiiiiifT  lo  the  curly  iiistory  of  the  city,  the  Field  ("niinn- 


FACTS  AND  I'lCIRES 


125 


biaii  JIuseuiii,  with  cxtcusive  t'tlinoli)^ic;il  i-ulk'ction.s,  and  llic  Chicago 
Art  Institute,  comprisinfj;  a  considerable  collection  of  paintings, 
sculptures  and  art  objects  from  the  remotest  to  tlie  most  recent 
times.  The  Art  Institute  includes  a  scliool  of  art  with  a  large  annual 
attendance. 

The  Chicago  Historical  Society  was  foxuided  in  1856  for  the  pur- 
pose of  collecting  and  iireserving  the  nuiterials  of  history  and  to  spread 
historical  information  concerning  the  j\Iissi.ssippi  valley.  The  great 
fire  of  1871  destroyed  the  priceless  collection  of  100,000  volumes  and 
manuscripts,  among  them  being  the  original  draft  of  the  emancipation 
proclamation  by  Abraham  Lincoln.  Tlie  nucleus  of  a  new  collection 
was  consumed  in  1874.  A  third  collection  was  started  which  now 
niunbers  more  than  140.000  volumes,  manuscripts  and  pamphlets. 
Among  the  manuscripts  are  the  James  Jladison  papers,  James  "Wilkin- 
son papers,  Ninian  Edwards  papers  and  Pierre  Menard  papers.  There 
are  letters  in  the  handwriting  of  Joliet,  Allouez,  Tonti,  Frontenac  and 
La  Salle.  The  collections  comprise  also  many  oil  paintings,  bronzes 
and  antiquities.  A  fire-proof  granite  building  was  erected  1892-6  at 
Dearborn  ave.  and  Ontario  st.,  at  a  cost  of  $190,000.  Historical  lectures 
are  maintained  each  winter.  Some  forty  papers  on  subjects  presented 
at  its  meetings  have  been  published,  besides  which  four  large  volumes 
of  historical  collections  have  been  issued.  The  library  and  museum  are 
open  daily  to  visitoi-s. 

Almost  every  church  denomination  in  the  United  States  is  repre- 
sented in  Chicago.  The  number  of  church  edifices  is  about  800.  In  this 
connection  may  be  added  that  there  are  forty  cemeteries,  a  number 
of  which  are  maintained  by  church  organizations. 

About  600  newspapers  and  periodicals  are  published  in  Chicago, 
a  large  number  being  in  foreign  languages.  The  leading  daily  news- 
papers are,  "The  Chicago  Daily  Tribime,"  "The  Chicago  Record- 
Herald."  "The  Inter  Ocean,"  "The  Chicago  Daily  News,"  and  "The 
Chicago  American."    Several  of  these  are  issued  in  enormous  editions. 

The  book  publishing  business  has  likewise  attained  gigantic  pro- 
portions. A  great  number  of  houses  are  annually  putting  out  immense 
editions  of  original  and  reprinted  works  of  every  description.  One 
result  of  this  is  a  high  development  of  the  publisher's  art  and  all  its 
auxiliary  branches. 

The  mail  service  of  the  city  is  excellent.  At  the  central  post 
office  and  the  47  district  stations,  2,600  persons  are  employed  in  hand- 
ling the  enormous  mass  of  incoming  and  outgoing  mail.  The  collection 
of  mail  from  letter  and  parcel  boxes  and  the  distribution  of  incoming 
mail  matter  requires  the  service  of  1,650  collectors  and  carriers.  The 
free  delivery  system  prevails.  In  addition  to  the  district  post  offices 
there   are   246   sub-stations   di.stributed  throughoiit   the   citv   for   the 


126 


CHICAGO 


ai'C-(inini<><lati(>n  of  tlii>  i)iil)lic  in  tlu"  matter  of  stamps,  postals  cards, 
money  orilcrs  and  the  regi.stry  of  letters.  The  vohiine  of  the  Cliicago 
postal  husine.ss  i.s  shown  by  these  figures:  during  the  year  ending  June 
aO.  ]90(i.  l.i:W.nS4.4S0  pie.-es  of  mail  were  handled,  the  total  weiirht 
being  12<i..")42.5()!)  i>ouiuls.  The  total  ineome  for  the  department  for 
the  same  year  was  $12,885,149. 

The  building  and  real  estate  interests  are  extremely  aetive.  Dur- 
ing I'JO"),  not  less  than  S.442  buildings  were  erected  at  a  total  cost  of 
$63.970.9on.     The  dealings  in  realty  are  equally  brisk.     The  year  1902 


The  Grant  Moiiuineiit — I.incolii  I'ark 


showed  ],S.()tJ3  real  estate  transfers  aggregating  $11 1.441. ll'J  in  value, 
those  figures  having  since  been  materially   increased. 

Tile  taxable  value  of  realty  in  Chicago  in  1!MI.")  was  estimated  at 
$2!»r>..')14.44:i  iind  that  of  personal  pi'operty  at  $112,477.1^2.  making 
a  total  valuation  of  .$4(l7.!t!ll.(i2:).     The  tax  levy  was  $27.!l.")9.;t(i,s. 

MiKiriiHius  progi'ess  ill  iii.iiiufaelures  and  varied  inilustrios  has  been 
made  since  (he  gi'cat  tire.  In  IIMMI  Chicago  had  within  its  limits  1!t.2(>.'{ 
nianufai-lnriiig  establishments  with  a  c(inil)incd  capitalization  of  $.'>:t4.- 
000,089.  The.se  iiiiployed  2(i2.(;21  p,rs,.iis.  who  were  paid  $l:n.0l)r..:<:i7. 
The  cost  of  materials  used  amounted  to  $.'):tS.4(ll,,')t;2  and  that  of  the 
(inished  product  to  .'|;.sSS.!l4.">.:n  1 .  For  comparison,  the  value  of  manu- 
faetiind  piiiilmis  in  the  entire  state  in  IIKI.")  was  $9r).">,OH(i,277.  and  in 
Chicago  alone  alioiil  $.'i( (().()( )().()( HI.  or  more  than  half  of  tin-  total. 

Tile  greatest  of  Chicago  industries  is  the  slanghtcritig  and  packing 
industry.  During  the  \ear  named,  it  endu-aced  Ihirty-eiglit  packing 
plants,  with  a  capilal  of  $117.1  •'(7, fUiO,  2r).."l4."i  worki-i-s.  with  wages  aggre- 


FACTS  AM)  I'ICIRES  127 

gatiiifi  !|<12.87.'J,G7fJ.  a  eoiisuiiiptioii  of  live  stock  ami  othei-  iiiatcrials 
amounting  to  i}!218,241,331  ami  an  output  valued  at  !l'2r)6.")27.n4!>,  this 
latter  sum  representing  35.6  per  cent,  of  the  product  of  the  cntii-e 
packing  industry  of  the  coimtry. 

Second  in  order  of  importance  is  the  foundr.\-  ami  iiuu-hinc  manu- 
faeturiiig  jndustry,  represented  by  441  separate  establishments,  capi- 
talized at  $3(),336,1'''^-  employing  20,641  workers,  paying  !f!ll.2fi4..^44 
in  wages,  consuming  $2U.(l7(>.r)16  worth  of  raw  nuiterial  and  showing 
an  annual  production  valued  at  .'li44,561,071. 

The  nutnufacturing  of  agricultural  implements  stands  third,  with 
six  plants,  a  cajjitalization  of  .t36,02.").3.')r).  10,24.")  workers,  and  an 
annual  expenditure  of  $5,180,958  for  labor.  The  materials  used  cost 
$10,842,290  and  the  finished  products  sold  at  $24,848,649. 

The  tailoring  industry  ranked  fourth  with  874  shops,  $12,991,669 
of  capital  involved,  13,855  workers  employed,  $5,551,561  in  wages,  and 
a  production  of  $36,094,310,  at  a  cost  of  $17,547,665. 

In  the  fifth  place  comes  the  iron  and  steel  industr.v,  with  nine 
plants,  a  total  capital  of  $24,271,764.  6,112  workers,  $4,329,342  paid 
in  wages.  $22,448,511  as  the  cost  of  production  and  an  output  estimated 
at  $31,461,174. 

Other  large  industries  are.  the  building  of  railway  coaches  and 
street  cars,  with  an  annual  output  of  $19,108.(185.  printing  and  binding. 
with  $18,536,364,  and  brewing  and  distilling,  with  $14,956,865  as  the 
value  of  their  respective  output. 

Chicago  is  the  headqxiarters  for  the  grain  market  of  the  great  West. 
There  are  in  the  city  twenty-six  immense  grain  elevators  with  a  total 
capacity  of  32,550,000  bushels.  The  grain  market  shows  no  steady 
increase  but  fluctuates  according  to  the  crops  and  other  trade  con- 
ditions dependent  thereon.  For  instance,  in  1886,  192,778,757  bushels 
of  grain  was  inspected  here,  in  1890,  290,251,109  bushels,  in  1895, 
265,737,585  bushels,  in  1900,  462,758,523  bushels,  in  1902,  287,337.599 
bushels,  in  1903,  237,532,024  bushels,  and  in  1905.  260.675.693  bushels. 

Although  not  a  seaport,  Chicago  is  the  greatest  shipping  point  in 
the  United  States,  a  fact  not  generally  known.  Its  shipping  will  doubt- 
less acquire  still  greater  proportions  when  the  new  waterways  in 
process  of  construction  shall  be  completed,  giving  access  to  the  ili.s- 
sissippi  and  the  Gulf.  During  1897,  9,156  vessels,  with  a  combined  ton- 
nage of  7,209.444,  entered,  and  9.201  vessels,  with  a  tonnage  of  7.185.- 
324.  left  this  port.  In  1903.  7.456  vessels,  with  a  combined  capacity  of 
7,603,278  tons  cleared  out  of  the  Chicago  port,  and  in  1905  the  arrivals 
and  clearances  were,  respectively,  6,949  vessels,  of  7,218,641  tons,  and 
7,014  vessels,  of  7,281,259  tons.  The  decrease  in  shipping  in  later  years 
is  mainly  chargeable  to  the  obstructed  condition  of  the  river. 

These  figures  regarding  Chicago's  grain  trade  ai:d  shipping  show 


128  CHICAGO 

the  city  to  be  one  of  the  foremost  t'onimercial  centers  of  the  country. 
Some  additional  figures  will  serve  to  substantiate  the  statement.  The 
value  of  goods  sold  l>y  ("liicago's  wholesale  and  jobbing  houses  during 
1903  was  more  than  :|i  1,058,000,000.  This  includes  dry  goods  and 
carpets.  $lfi2..')()0.000.  groceries.  .'JsllS.oOO.OOn.  iron  and  steel  wares.  ^~0.- 
500,000,  lumber,  $70,500,000.  men's  ready-made  clothing.  .$(i6,0lKl,O00, 
goods  sold  through  mail  order  hoases,  $55,000,000,  boots  and  shoes, 
.$48,000,000,  poal,  $47,000,000.  diamonds  and  jewelry.  $40,000,000.  metal 
wares,  .$34,000,000,  furniture,  $34,000.(100,  books  and  music,  $20,5OO.CK.»0. 
paper,  $20,000,000,  leather.  $17,500,000,  tobacco  and  cigars,  $16,500,000, 
medicines  and  chemicals.  $l(i.000.000.  musical  instruments.  $15,500,000. 
hats  and  caps,  $15,000,000,  furs,  $15,000,000,  women's  clothing,  $12.- 
500,000,  baskets  and  wickerwork.  $12,000,000,  millinery.  $11,000,000, 
china  and  plassware.  $11,000,000.  wool.  $10,000,000,  etc. 

During  tlie  last-named  year  the  following  packing  house  products 
were  shipped  from  Chicago :  cured  meats,  580,282.643  pounds ;  pre- 
served meats,  1.835.035  pomids;  dressed  meats.  1.252.233.702  pounds, 
tallow,  373,000.959  jjounds;  beef.  82.010  barrels;  pork.  175,795  barrels. 

Farm  products  were  received  and  shipped  as  follows:  cheese,  re- 
ceived, 82.129,852  pounds,  shipped.  57.277.361  pounds;  butter,  received, 
232,031.484  poimds,  shipped  197.620.8.59  pounds;  eggs,  received.  3.279,- 
248  cases,  shi[)ped,  1.699,302  cases. 

During  1902  imports  from  foreign  countries  to  Chicago  reached 
$18,329,390,  duties  on  same  amounting  to  $9,565,452.96. 

In  that  year  Chicago  jiaid  internal  revenue  on  spirituous  liquors, 
tobacco,  oleomargarine,  playing  cards,  etc.,  amounting  to  $8,839,042.06. 

It  is  but  natural  that  a  city  with  so  extensive  manufacturing  and 
connnercial  interests  should  develop  a  banking  business  of  great  mag- 
nitude. In  June,  1904,  the  number  of  baidvs  was  44,  witli  a  total  capital 
of  $.50,875,000  and  deposits  amoiuiting  to  $550,068,287.  The  liank 
clearings  of  the  yenr  i:i()2  were  $8.31)5.872,35] .59. 

The  Population  of  Chicago 

l?i  jiievious  pages  we  iiave  endeavored  to  sliow  how  Chicago  grew 
from  an  insignificant  Indian  village  to  a  trading  station,  from  trading 
station  to  town,  from  town  to  city,  and  from  city  to  metropolis.  The 
rajjidity  of  tliis  development  is  best  exemplitied  by  figures  giving  tlie 

[Kipiliat  ion  by  decaili's.  as  follows: 

Yciir  Tciliil  rop'ii  Yeiir  Totnl  I'op'n 

i«37 1.179  'S70 19S.977 

iHo -t.-l""  iSJio Su.l.iSs 

1850 28,269  1890 1,099,850 

i860 112,162  1900 1.698,575 


XORTHWESTERX  I  XIVHRSITV  ,29 

Chicago  is  a  cosmoi)olitaii  city,  nearly  every  nation  in  the  worlil 
being  here  represented.  More  than  three-fourths  of  the  inhabitants  are 
foreign  born  or  descoiulants  of  foreigners. 

According  to  the  school  census  of  1902,  the  city  had  2,007,695 
inhabitants,  as  follows: 

Nationalities  Population.         Nationalities  I*opulation. 

German 534.o83  Dutch iS,555 

Irish 254,914  French  Canadian I3i533 

Polish 167,383  Hungarian 1 1,658 

Swedish 144,719  Swiss 7,922 

Bohemian 109,224  French 7>493 

Englisli 72,876  Welsh 4,863 

Russian 61 ,976  Greek i  ,493 

Norwegian 59.898  Chinese 1,179 

British  Canadian 48,304  Belgian i,t6o 

Italian 42,054  Finnish 416 

Austrian 29,760  Jliscellaneous 3, 132 

Scotch 28,529  


Danish 25,355  Total 1,651,079 

Subtracting  this  from  the  grand  total  of  population,  2,007,695,  the 
remainder,  356,580,  indicates  the  number  of  native  born  Chicagoaus. 
This,  however,  includes  all  descendants  of  foreign  born  parents  after 
the  first  generation,  all  persons  of  mixed  foreign  and  native  parentage 
and  some  35,000  colored.  Should  their  nimiber  in  turn  be  substracted, 
there  would  be  a  very  small  remainder,  denoting  the  number  of  Ameri- 
cans in  the  limited  sense  of  the  word. 

It  may  be  added  that  the  most  recent  estimates  of  Chicago's  popu- 
lation vary  from  2,049,185,  the  figures  given  by  the  health  department, 
to  2,300,500,  the  more  sanguine  estimate  based  on  the  city  directory. 

Northvrestem  University 

May  31,  1850,  three  clergymen,  three  law.yers,  two  businessmen 
and  one  physician,  all  members  of  the  Methodist  Church,  met  in  the 
little  office  of  Attorney  Grant  Goodrich,  on  Lake  st.,  near  La  Salle  st., 
in  Chicago,  to  lay  plans  for  the  establishment  in  that  city  of  a  univer- 
sity, tmder  the  patronage  of  that  church.  At  that  time  there  was  not 
one  higher  institution  of  learning  in  Chicago,  and  in  the  entire  state  of 
Illinois  only  a  few,  including  McKendree,  Illinois,  Ivnox  and 
Shurtleff  colleges.  At  this  meeting  three  committees  were  appointed, 
one  to  procure  a  charter  for  the  projected  institution,  a  second 
to  enlist  the  interest  and  moral  support  of  the  various  Methodist 
conferences,  and  a  third  to  canvass  the  field  for  possible  pecuniary 
support. 

After  three  weeks  the  first  named  committee  had  the  proposed 
charter  drafted.     Northwestern  Universitv  was  the  name  susrgested, 


I30 


CHICAGO 


and  the  charter,  beiug  grauted  by  the  legislatui-e,  was  signed  by  Gover- 
nor French  on  Jan.  28,  1851.  The  first  trustees  were  a  number  of 
Chicago  residents,  besides  representatives  of  the  Rock  River,  Wisconsin, 
Northern  Indiana,  Iowa,  and  Micliigan  conferences  of  the  ilethodist 
Episcopal  Church. 

These  held  their  first  meeting  June  14th  the  same  year  and  or- 
ganized for  the  great  task  before  them.  A  college  was  first  determined 
upon,  its  president  to  serve  as  professor  of  philosophy.  Other  pro- 
fessors were  suggested  for  the  chairs  of  mathematics,  natural  sciences, 
and  ancient  and  modern  languages.  Another  resolution  was  passed  to 
establish  a  preparatory  dcpartnu'iit  in  the  city  and  to  i)urehase  ground 
for  the  necessary  buildings.  A  lot  was  purchased  at  the  corner  of  La 
Sallo  and  Jackson  sts.,  at  a  co.st  of  $9,000.     September  22,  1852,  the 


:.'rt 


Nortluveslcni  rniversily  liuilding,  Chicago 

board  of  trustees  decided  to  erect  a  building  acfommodating  three  luni- 
dred  students,  and  also  ai)i)ointcd  a  coniniittee  (o  select  a  site  for  the 
proposed  college  building.  Simultaneously,  a  request  was  issued  to  the 
members  of  all  tlie  aforesaid  cdnferences  that  no  otlier  higher  institu- 
tions of  learning  be  established,  l)ut  that  all  energies  be  concentrated 
upon  this  one,  to  the  end  that  the  university  jilan  niiglit  be  realized. 
At  this  time,  also,  the  board  decided  to  petition  the  legislature  for 
authority  to  establisli  branch  preparatory  schools  in  various  parts  of 
the  Northwest  and  to  merge  already  existing  schools  with  the  proposed 
university. 

The  decision  to  erect  a  imilding  in  Chicago  for  the  i>reparatory 
school  was  never  carried  out.  Tlie  ground  purchased  for  that  purpose 
is  now  occupi(>(l  liy  tlii'  Illinois  Trust  and  Savings  Mank  whicli  pays  a 
large  rental  to  the  Northwestern  I'nivcrsity.  At  a  meeting  of  the 
trustees  June  23,  185:J,  Dr.  Clark  T.  Ilinnian  was  luianiniously  elected 
its  first  president.  Heing  a  iii;in  ol'  unusual  energy,  lie  at  once  took  up 
the  work   with  great    vigor.     .\   iilau   to  raise  funds  through  the  sale 


NORTHWKSTFRN  INIVHRSITY 


131 


of  scholarships  was  inaugurated.  Those  seliolarships  were  of  different 
kinds.  Ojie  kind  was  a  permanent  scliolarsliip  of  one  hundred  dollars, 
entitling  the  holder,  his  son,  or  grandson,  to  free  tuition  at  the  institu- 
tion for  a  fixed  term.  Anotlier  form  was  the  transferable  scholarship, 
which  could  be  bougiit  and  sold,  always  entitling  its  holder  to  the  privi- 
leges therein  set  down.  The  one  hundred  dollar  scholarship  entitled 
the  holder  to  $500  in  tuition,  while  one  quoted  at  fifty  dollars  guaran- 
teed s|i200  in  tuition.  One-half  of  the  income  from  scholarships  was  to 
be  used  for  paying  teachers'  salaries,  the  other  half  to  go  to  a  fund 
for  the  purchase  of  a  tract  of  land,  not  exceeding  1,200  acres,  partly 
to  be  used  as  a  site  for  the  university  buildings,  partly  to  be  sold  in 
lots  for  the  benefit  of  the  building  fund.  Dr.  Hinman  filled  his  grip- 
sack with  scholarship  certificates  and  started  out  to  peddle  them  among 
the  people.    So  great  was  his  power  of  persuasion  and  such  the  entliu- 


Northwesltrn   I'niversitv  Wfilical  School,   Chicago 


siasm  for  the  prospective  university  that  he  succeeded  in  disposing  of 
$64,600  worth  of  scholarships  in  Chicago  and  elsewhere  in  a  very  short 
time.  In  the  meantime,  other  persons  raised  .$37,000  in  the  same 
manner. 

The  committee  appointed  to  select  a  site  recommended  the  purchase 
from  John  H.  Foster  of  a  tract  of  280  acres  situated  on  the  lake  shore 
eleven  miles  north  of  the  city  hall.  The  price  asked  was  $25,000,  one 
thousand  to  be  paid  in  cash  and  the  balance  in  partial  payments  during 
the  next  ten  years.  The  offer  was  accepted  and  the  deal  closed  in 
August,  1853.  The  following  October  the  trustees  offered  for  sale 
thirteen  acres  of  this  tract  at  a  price  of  $200  per  acre.  February  3, 
1854,  the  site  of  the  projected  university  was  named  Evanston,  in  honor 
of  John  Evans,  M.  D.,  then  president  of  the  university  corporation. 
Soon  after,  other  portions  of  the  tract  were  platted  and  put  on  the  real 
estate  market. 

One  Eliza  Garrett  had  foiuided  a  Methodist  theological  seminary 
called  the  Garrett  Biblical  Institute.  Upon  invitation  extended  in 
February,  1854,  by  the  university  trustees,  this  institution  was  removed 
to  Evanston,  where  it  occupies  ground  leased  from  the  university.  It 
has  always  been  in  close  co-operation  and  has  served  as  the  theological 
department  of  the  university,  but  is  an  independent  institution  finan- 
cially and  in  other  respects. 


132 


CHICAGO 


In  June  of  the  same  year,  the  resources  of  the  luiiversity.  including 
real  estate,  notes  and  suliscriptioiis,  amounted  to  $281,511').  wliik-  the 
liabilities  stopped  at  $32,255.04. 

When  the  hoard  of  trustees  met  in  March,  1855,  Dr.  Ilinman.  the 
president  of  the  university,  was  no  more.  His  successful  carci-r  in  the 
service  of  the  institution  had  been  ended  by  death.  His  last  effort  had 
been  to  increase  the  fiuid  accumulated  by  disposinfr  nf  scholai"shi|)s  to 
$25,000  and  the  buildin'r  fund  to  .•);  1(10.(1(1(1.  and  if  deatii  had  not  claimed 
him,  he  doubtless  would  have  attained  the  goal.    Meanwhile,  one  build- 


Northwestern   I  iiivcrsity     I  iiiversity  Hall, 
ICvatisloii 


iny  liuil  l)een  erecteil.  beintJ  a  wooden  structure,  with  suites  of  rooms 
for  six  professors,  a  chapel,  a  snmll  museum,  nu^etinp  halls  for  several 
literary  societies,  and  a  few  sindent's  nxniis  in  the  attic. 

In  this  buildinp,  the  collctre  departnu-nt  of  the  university  bejran 
work  November  5th  of  that  year.  It  was  a  nuulest  heginninjr:  only  two 
teachers  and  a  small  sironp  of  students.  A  year  lati'r,  in  185(i.  K.  S, 
Foster,  1).  1).,  was  elected  i)rcsident  at  a  salary  of  $2,(100  per  year.  At 
his  Rtiggestion,  the  board  i)roceeded  to  plan  pi'rnuinent  university 
halls  and  a  library  building. 

The  same  year  (185())  steps  were  taken  to  incorporate  the  (iarrell 
liiblical  Institute  and  the  Hush  Medical  College  in  Chicago  with  tiie 
luiiversity   in  oi-dci'  lliiil   llicy  might    issue  diplomas.     .\   girl's  seliool, 


NORTHWESTERN  INI VIvRSITY 


•33 


the  Northwestern  Fcinuli'  CollcfiC  had  also  been  rdiinilcd  in  Evanston, 
but  the  similarity  between  its  name  and  that  of  the  university  caused 
the  latter  so  much  annoyance  that  the  board  requested  the  girl's  sem- 
inary to  change  its  corporate  name.  The  request  was  not  granted,  the 
institute  continuing  under  that  name  and  later  under  the  name  of 
Evanston  College  for  Ladies  until  1873,  when  it  was  absorbed  by  the 
universit.y.  The  proposed  absorption  of  Rush  Jlcdical  College  did  not 
materialize. 

In  1857  the  board  made  arrangements  to  establish  a  department  of 
law,  a  jtreparatory  dejiartment   and  a  chair  of  science.     At  this  time 


Northwestern   I'niversit}' — Orrington  Lunt  I,il)rar_v,   Evanston 


the  librai'y  contained  2,000  volumes,  and  a  museum  of  natural  history 
had  been  established.  In  April,  1859,  the  proposed  law  school  began 
its  sessions,  not,  however,  as  a  part  of  the  Northwestern  University, 
but  of  the  old  University  of  Chicago.  In  June  of  the  same  year  the 
college  department  held  its  first  graduation. 

The  following  year  Dr.  Foster  resigned  the  presidency.  Dr. 
Erastus  0.  Haven,  who  was  chosen  his  successor,  declined  the  position. 

During  the  Civil  War,  the  activity  of  the  new  imiversity  was 
greatly  impeded,  several  of  its  professors  and  many  of  its  students 
enrolling  in  the  Union  army. 

Through  wise  administration,  the  university,  during  this  same 
period,  freed  itself  of  debt,  whereupon  the  board  devoted  all  its  ener- 


134 


CHICAGO 


gies  to  the  erection  of  necessary  buildings.  The  first  of  these  was  a 
dormitory.  In  1865,  the  sum  of  $25,000  was  set  aside  for  the  erection  of 
a  main  building  to  cost,  when  completed,  $100,000.  This  building, 
called  University  Hall,  was  begun  in  1866  and  completed  in  three  j-ears. 

Charles  H.  Fowler  was  called  to  the  presidency  in  1866,  but  re- 
signed the  following  year  before  entering  upon  his  duties. 

The  iuiiver.sity  now  comprised  a  divinity  school,  a  college  and 
an  academic  department,  and  next  was  added  a  medical  school  in  the 
following  manner.  Since  1859  there  had  existed  in  Chicago  a  medical 
institution,  connected  with  the  Lind  (now  Lake  Forest)  University.  In 
1864.  til  is  connection  was  severed,  and  the  school  became  independent. 


Northwe.slerii   t'liivcrsitv      lavinvcallRr  Hall  nl   ScK-iu'f,    l-.\ jmsImii 


under  the  name  of  the  Chicago  Medical  College.  This  same  school  in 
1869  was  merged  with  the  Nortlnvcstorn  University,  but  retained  its 
name  initil  1891,  when  it  was  changed  to  the  Northwestern  I'nivei-sity 
Medical  School.  This  branch  of  the  university  occupies  buildings 
specially  erected  for  fli;it  purjiose  at  Dearborn  street,  between  24th 
and  25th  streets,  in  Cliicago,  in  dose  proximity  to  the  Wesley,  the 
Mercy  and  the  St.  Luke's  hosi)itals.  where  its  students  obtain  their 
cliiiical  training. 

The  same  year  tiial  tiie  nicdit-iil  school  was  incorporated  witli  the 
university,  the  library  re<"cived  a  valuable  addition  in  the  form  of  a 
collection  of  20,000  vohnnes,  ])urcliased  for  the  institution  by  one 
Luther  (irccnleaf.  That  year  also,  Krastus  O.  Haven  was  a  .second  time 
called  to  the  i)residcnt's  chair,  which  he  occupied  till  1S72,  when  he  was 


NORTHWESTERN  UNIVERSITY 


135 


succeeded  b\'  tlie  aforesaid  Cliarles  II.  Fowler,  who  served  with  great 
credit  for  four  years. 

The  aforesaid  school  of  law  also  became  a  department  of  the  Nortli- 
western  University  in  1873  and  then  assumed  the  name  of  Union 
College  of  Law.  It  continued  in  connection  with  botli  imiversities  until 
1886,  when  it  became  an  independent  institution.  In  1801,  it  was 
reorganized  and  again  became  a  part  of  the  Northwestern  University, 
being  named  Nortiiwestern  University  Law  School. 

In  1S81  Joseph  Cummings,  senior  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
university  professors  and  for  many  years  president  of  the  Wesleyan 
University,  was  made  the  head  of  the  Northwestern.    During  a  period 


Xortlnvestern  Universit}' — Dearborn  Obser\'ator}-,  Evaiiston 

of  ten  years,  he  filled  this  responsible  position,  gaining,  meanwhile,  the 
highest  respect  of  teachers  and  students  alike.  During  his  presidency, 
in  1886,  the  Illinois  College  of  Pharmacy,  just  established,  was  made  a 
part  of  the  university.  In  1891  its  name  was  changed  to  the  North- 
western Univei-sity  School  of  Pharmacy.  The  Dental  School,  estab- 
lished in  1887,  three  years  later  was  added  to  the  university.  This 
department  in  1896  absorbed  a  similar  school,  the  American  Dental 
College. 

A  donation  of  $25,000  by  James  B.  Hobbs  in  1888  enabled  the 
university  to  erect  the  Dearborn  Observatory,  where  the  valuable  in- 
struments of  the  old  observatory  of  the  same  name,  located  in  Chicago, 
were  moved  and  set  up. 

After  the  demise  of  Dr.  Cummings,  Dr.  Henry  Wade  Rogers  was 
elected  his  successor  in  1890.     He  also  served  for  ten  years,  and  like 


136  CHICAGO 

his  predecessor,  accomplished  iiiueli  useful  work  for  the  institution. 
During  his  term  of  office,  in  1801,  the  Woman's  iledical  College,  con- 
nected with  the  Chicago  Hospital  for  Women  and  Children,  was  added ; 
thi.s  department,  liowever,  was  discontinued  in  l!t02  on  account  of  the 
great  expense  to  the  university. 

In  18f)3.  the  Orrington  Lunt  Lil)rary.  an  iiii|iosing  structure,  was 
erected,  with  funds  raised  by  tlie  i)hittinjr  and  sale  of  157  acres  of  land 
near  Wilmette,  donated  to  the  university  in  1865  by  Orrington  Limt. 
one  of  its  founders.  A  musical  school  was  established  in  1895,  and 
two  years  later  a  building  was  erected  for  its  special  use. 

In  the  summer  of  1899,  Dr.  Rogers  resigned  the  presidency.  He 
was  succeeded  in  1002  l)y  Dr.  Edmund  James,  formerly  a  member  of 
the  faculties  of  the  Universities  of  Pennsylvania  and  Chicago.  This 
eleetiim  was  satisfactory  to  all  the  friends  of  the  university,  who 
know  Dr.  James  as  a  man  of  erudition  and  power,  of  whom  much 
energetic  work  migiit  be  expected.  Dr.  James,  in  1904.  accepted  the 
presidency  of  the  University  of  Illinois,  the  next  choice  for  president 
being  Dr.  Alu-am  W.  Harris,  who  entered  upon  his  duties  in  July.  19(Mi. 
Dr.  Harris  was  born  and  educated  in  riiiladelphia,  studied  at  the  Wes- 
leyan  University  at  Jliddletowni.  Conn.,  and  in  the  Universities  of 
I\Iunieli  and  Berlin.  President  Harris  organized  for  the  Department  of 
Agriculture  the  Bureau  of  Experiment  Stations.  He  spent  some  years 
in  teaching  and  in  1892  was  called  to  the  presidency  of  the  Elaine  State 
College.  Under  his  direction  it  expanile<l  and  became  the  University  of 
Maine.  In  1901  he  resigned  to  become  the  Director  of  tiie  Jacob  Tome 
Institute  at  Port  Dupont.  Md..  which  in  five  years  assumed  a  high  place 
among  secondary  schools. 

One  of  the  greatest  ac(|uisitions  of  property  of  tlie  Xortiiwestern 
University  wa.s  the  purchase  in  1901  of  the  old  Treniont  hotel  building, 
located  at  the  comer  of  Dearborn  and  Lake  sts.,  in  Chicago.  For  this 
property  tlie  in.stitution  paid  half  a  million  dollars  and  expended  an 
additional  $275,000  for  changes  and  repairs.  This  structure,  known 
as  the  Northwestern  University  Building,  now  contains  the  Law  school,, 
the  Dental  school  and  the  school  of  Pharmacy.  In  1907  the  univei-sity 
property  was  valued  at  !i!9.0.'U.212.  and  the  current  expenditures  for 
educational  |)urposes  alone  in  190()  amounted  to  .iifiOti.lSO. 

From  its  college  dejiartment  about  2.000  students  have  been  grad- 
uated, from  the  medical  2,200,  from  the  woman's  medical  school  559, 
from  the  law  school  1.800,  from  the  school  of  pharnnu'y  1.500,  from 
the  dental  school  UfiOO.  and  frnm  the  school  of  nnisie  ■■?(>0.  nud<ing  a 
total  of  Kl.OOO  graduates. 

During  the  year  1905-6  the  lotnl  ninnlier  oi'  sluibnls  attending  the 
universilv  was  '].HC>:l. 


TIIIv  INIVERSITY  Ol-  CHICAC.o  137 


The    University    of    Chicago 

This  institution,  planned,  as  it  is,  on  a  large  scale,  has  a  history 
dating  back  to  the  fifties.  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  the  renowned  states- 
man, whose  home  was  in  Chicago,  in  1854  offered  to  donate  ten  acres 
ol  ground  at  the  southern  limits  of  the  city  as  a  site  for  an  institution 
of  learning,  on  condition  that  a  building  costing  $100,000  would  be 
erected  for  this  purpose  within  a  specified  time.  The  cornerstone  of  the 
future  university  Iniilding  was  laid  July  -i,  1857,  but  the  general  busi- 
ness depression  tlien  prevailing  caused  a  long  delay  in  completing  the 
building.  The  liberal  donor,  therefore,  granted  additional  time,  but 
even  this  did  not  hurry  the  work,  and  finally  he  concluded  to  donate 
the  site  without  any  conditions. 

Under  the  name  of  the  Douglas  University  and  with  Rev.  John  C. 
Burroughs  as  president,  the  imiversity  was  opened  in  1858.  According 
to  the  plan,  it  was  to  comprise  a  prejiaratory,  a  college,  a  law  and  a 
theological  department.  The  university  was  started  imder  the  auspices 
of  the  Baptist  denomination.  The  law  department  was  added  the 
following  year. 

The  theological  department  was  not  added  luitil  the  following 
decade.    Its  early  history  reads  as  follows : 

At  a  meeting  of  Baptists  in  Chicago  in  1860  a  society,  called  the 
Theological  Society  of  the  Northwest,  was  formed.  This  was  folhnved 
by  the  organization  of  another  society,  termed  the  Baptist  Theological 
Union,  which  was  incorporated  Aug.  27th  of  that  year.  February  16, 
1865,  it  was  granted  a  charter  to  found  and  maintain  a  theological 
seminary.  A  beginning  was  made  the  same  year,  when  Rev.  N.  Colver, 
D.  D.,  began  giving  theological  instruction  to  a  limited  number  of 
students.  The  following  year  this  in.struction  was  given  at  the  uni- 
versity, where  Prof.  J.  C.  C.  Clarke  was  made  assistant  instructor  in 
theology.  These  arrangements  were  merely  temporary.  The  theolog- 
ical department,  however,  soon  was  permanently  organized,  for  in 
1866  two  professors  of  theology  were  called,  followed,  one  year  later, 
by  a  third,  whereupon  the  regular  theological  department  was  opened 
in  the  fall  of  1867.  Two  years  later  it  was  provided  with  its  own  build- 
ing, located  at  the  corner  of  Rhodes  ave.  and  34th  st.  This  building, 
costing  $60,000,  had  accommodations  for  sixty  students,  besides  the 
lecture  halls.  The  department,  having  no  permanent  funds  to  draw 
on,  was  maintained  by  private  contributions.  During  the  first  five 
years  the  Baptist  Union  Theological  Seminary,  as  it  was  called,  was 
attended  by  97  students,  of  whom  .37  were  graduated. 

During  the  seventies,  the  school  was  on  the  verge  of  collapse.  The 
great  fire  of  1871  made  it  impossible  for  its  friends  to  contribute  as 


138 


CHICAGO 


genei'ously  as  before,  and  the  second  fire  in  1874  still  further  demor- 
alized it  financially.  The  trustees  were  forced  to  look  about  for  an- 
other location.  One  was  found  in  Morgan  Park,  where  the  Blue  Island 
Land  and  Building  Company  in  1876  donated  to  the  seminary  fifty 
acres  of  groiuid.and  a  large  brick  building,  into  which  the  seminary 
moved  in  the  fall  of  1877. 

During  this  decade  a  Scandinavian  department  was  added  to  the 
seminary,  designed  to  equip  pastors  for  the  Scandinavian  Baptist  con- 
gregations in  America.    The  history  of  this  department  will  be  told  in 


The  liiiversity  of  Chicago — Across  the  Cani])us 


a  succeeding  chapter  on   educational    institutions  of  the   Swedes   of 
Illinois. 

Now  the  seminary  owned  its  own  site  and  its  own  b\iilding.  had  n 
faculty  and  students,  but  still  ftuuls  were  lackinfr.  Up  to  this  tinu>  all 
efforts  at  estalilisiiirifr  oiidowiiu'nts  had  faiifd.  Tiic  trustees  were 
driven  to  extremes  in  their  efforts  to  provide  the  requisite  means  for 
its  supiiort  from  year  to  year.  They  had  to  draw  continually  \ipon 
liii'  lilii'i-ality  ot"  thr  coii^rrc'rations.  Eviilently,  this  could  not  go  on 
iiidiliiiilily.  Tlir  si'iiiiiiary  must  liavi'  penuanent  funds  or  cease  to 
exist.  A  wealthy  Chicagoan,  K.  Xcisou  HIake,  at  this  juncture  came  to 
the  assistance  of  the  trustees  by  donating  to  tiie  institution  the  sum  of 
$;}0,()()0.  With  great  exertions,  they  succeeded  in  raising  !li7(),0(K1  from 
other  s(uirc('s,  thus  crratimr  an  entlowiueni  of  $100,000.  Hut  this 
proved  inadequate,  and  an  eijual  amount  had  to  be  raised  in  order  to 


THE  UNIVERSITY  Ol'  CHICAGO  139 

continue  the  work  of  tlio  iiistitiitioii  witli  auy  degree  of  success.  To- 
ward this  amount  Jolin  1).  Rockefeller,  the  oil  magnate,  contributed 
$40,000  and  other  persons  $11,000,  whereupon  the  suI)Scription  work 
was  at  a  standstill  for  a  long  period,  threatening  failure.  Finally, 
after  nearly  ten  years'  effort,  the  second  one  hvmdred  thousand  dollar 
fund  was  completed. 

Still  the  requirements  of  the  institution  were  not  fully  met.  New 
buildings  were  needed.  The  building  donated  by  the  land  company  liad 
up  to  this  time  housed  every  de])!irtnient  of  the  institution,  containing, 
as  it  did,  library,  chapel,  lecture  hall,  students'  rooms  and  dining  hall. 
Owing  to  the  cramped  quarters,  the  library,  which  then  contained 
25,000  volumes,  was  partly  arranged  on  shelves  along  the  Avails  of  the 
lecture  hall,  partly  packed  down  in  boxes  and  thus  inaccessible  for  use. 
For  the  same  reason  only  about  half  of  the  students  could  be  housed 
at  the  seminary.  In  1886  a  call  was  issued  with  a  request  for  $.50,000 
to  be  used  partly  for  the  erection  of  a  building  containing  lecture  halls 
and  chapel,  partly  for  a  library  building.  Mr.  Rockefeller  at  once 
donated  $10,000,  and  promised  $10,000  more,  provided  the  remaining 
$30,000  were  raised  before  Jlay  1,  1887.  The  condition  was  success- 
fully met,  and  the  same  year  the  first  named  building  was  erected  at 
a  cost  of  $30,000.  It  was  named  Blake  Hall,  in  honor  of  the  aforesaid 
E.  Nelson  Blake,  who  had  given  one-third  of  the  required  sum.  Later 
the  library  building  was  also  erected. 

During  all  these  years  the  inner  development  of  the  institution 
kept  pace  with  its  outward  progress.  The  faculty  was  reinforced  time 
and  again  and  the  number  of  students  increased  iintil  in  1891-92  it 
reached  nearly  200.  During  the  twenty-five  years  of  its  existence,  the 
seminary  had  graduated  several  hundred  Baptist  ministers,  of  whom 
a  large  number  had  gone  to  distant  lands,  while  the  remainder  were 
scattered  throughout  the  Union.  In  the  new  library  building  the 
books  were  sy.stematically  arranged  and  catalogued,  available  for  use 
by  students  and  teachers. 

The  Baptist  Union  Seminary  was,  as  stated,  a  part  of  the  Douglas 
University,  or.  as  it  was  soon  called,  the  University  of  Chicago.  Each 
had  its  own  administration,  and  if  the  finances  of  the  seminary  were  in 
a  bad  way,  those  of  the  imiversity  were  still  worse.  While  the  former 
gradually  improved,  the  latter  deteriorated  year  by  year,  until  the 
iiniversity  foimd  itself  in  a  precarious  position.  In  1885  its  mortgages 
amounted  to  $320,000,  and  the  board  could  no  longer  pay  the  interest 
accruing  and  make  payments  as  they  fell  due.  In  these  straits  the 
board  turned  to  the  Baptist  clergymen  of  Chicago  for  advice,  and  the 
matter  was  taken  up  at  one  of  the  weekly  meetings,  held  Feb.  8,  1886. 
President  George  W.  Northrop  of  the  theological  seminary  then  ex- 
pressed as  his  opinion  that  any  attempt  to  maintain  the  university 


I40 


CHICAGO 


would  prove  fiitile.  Better,  then,  rent  a  few  rooms,  retain  the  faculty, 
and  look  about  for  a  suitable  president.  Further,  the  sum  of  $10,000 
ought  to  be  raisfcl  aniuially  for  three  years  to  defray  current  expenses, 
while  efforts  were  made  to  raise  a  fund  of  ■"}>25tl.O00.  The  financial 
difficulties  experienced  by  the  board  would,  in  his  opinion,  urge  well- 
to-do  Baptists  to  come  to  the  rescue  of  the  institution  with  liberal  dona- 
tions, so  that  within  ten  years  an  excellent  institution  might  be  firmly 
established.  Dr.  Thomas  W.  Goodspeed  spoke  to  the  same  purport. 
He  reeoniniended  that  ground  be  purchased  ten  miles  south  of  the 
southern  limits  of  the  city,  a  new  charter  procured  and  a  new  board 
of  regents  elected.    Now,  said  he.  is  the  time  to  act. 


rmTrjTrrr-iTgig 


Tlie  Ihiiversily  of  Chicago     I 


After  a  lengthy  discussion  those  present  gave  foniial  expression 
to  the  prevailing  (>|iiniiin  to  the  efTeet  that  it  was  prarti<-ally  impos- 
sible to  raise  the  funds  wlierewilli  to  lift  the  mortgages  on  the  univer- 
sity property,  and  recommended  that  a  eonnnittee  of  fifteen,  appointed 
the  ])i-evi()us  year  at  the  educational  coiivcMtiou  held  in  Farwell  Hall. 
Chicago,  be  empowered  to  plan  a  new  univei-sity.  The  result  of  these 
resolutions  was  the  conveyance  of  the  univei-sify  property  to  the  mort- 
gagees, the  Mutual  T'uion  liife  Insurance  Company,  thr  saiin'  year  and 
the  dosing  of  the  university. 

Tliiis  till'  old  Ciiiversity  of  Chicago  disappi-ared  after  an  existence 
of  '_'ll  years  of  pecuniary  end)ai'rassment.  Its  patrons,  however,  desired 
that  it  be  supplanted  by  a  new  institution,  ami  this  view  was  shared  by 
jirominent  Baptists  in  other  parts  of  llu'  lounlry.  During  the  next 
two  years  the  project  was  discusst'd  exlensivrly  at  meetings  aiul 
through   corri'spondeniT.      The   tirsi    move   towanls   realizing   the   plan 


TH]';  INIVICRSITV  OI'  CHICAC.O  141 

was  made  in  ilay,  1888,  when  a  society,  called  tlie  American  Haptist 
Education  Society,  was  organized  in  Washinj^ton,  D.  C,  for  the  pur- 
pose of  establishing  a  college  in  Chicago — a  university  they  dared  not 
think  of — and  to  raise  funds  for  the  support  of  Baptist  institutions  of 
learning  in  other  parts  of  the  country. 

These  initiative  steps  were  followed  with  great  interest  li.\  Ali-. 
Rockefeller,  who,  as  ali'cady  shown,  had  contrihuted  to  the  inainlctjance 
of  the  theological  school.  He  conferred  with  Professor  Williim  K. 
Harper,  of  Yale  University,  a  man  who  then  already  had  attained  a 
reputation  as  a  scholar  and  a  man  of  exceptional  executive  ability. 
These  two  men  soou  agreed  that  the  Baptist  Church  should  again  take 
up  its  educational  work  in  Chicago  and  on  an  enlarged  scale.  Mv. 
Rockefeller  declared  his  willingness  to  contribute  several  hundred 
thousand  dollars  to  such  an  institution. 

In  December,  1888,  the  preliminary  work  had  advanced  to  a  stage, 
where  the  plan  could  be  laid  before  the  directors  of  the  American 
Baptist  Education  Society.  The  plans  were  approved,  and  they  pledged 
their  hearty  support  in  carrying  the  enterprise  forward,  instructing 
their  secretarj-,  Rev.  Fred  T.  Gates,  to  do  everything  in  his  power  to 
insure  its  success.  Early  the  following  year  Rev.  Gates  opened  nego- 
tiations with  Mr.  Rockefeller,  and.  after  numerous  conferences  between 
them,  a  committee  of  nine  was  appointed  to  draft  a  plan  for  the  new 
institution,  propose  a  site,  estimate  the  amoimt  of  money  required  for 
safeguarding  the  enterprise  financially,  and  to  learn  to  what  extent  the 
support  of  the  Education  Society  might  be  coimted  upon.  Prof.  Harper 
was  the  first  man  appointed  on  that  committee. 

After  thorough  inquiries  this  committee  submitted  a  full  report 
on  the  basis  of  which  the  Education  Society,  at  its  annual  meeting  in 
Boston,  in  May,  1889,  passed  a  formal  resolution  to  establish  the  pro- 
posed college  in  Chicago.  Immediately,  a  letter  from  Mr.  Rockefeller 
was  read,  wherein  he  pledged  himself  to  give  $600,000  as  a  fund  for  the 
institution,  on  condition  that  others  contributed  $400,000,  before  June 
1,  1890,  to  be  used  for  the  purchase  of  a  site  and  the  erection  of  build- 
ings. Shortly  after  this  meeting,  another  one  was  held  in  Chicago, 
attended  by  fifteen  Baptist  clergymen,  and  fifty-five  businessmen.  At 
this  meeting  a  college  committee  of  thirty-six  members  was  chosen  to 
issue  a  call  for  subscriptions  toward  the  $400,000  fund.  Before  this 
meeting  was  adjourned,  one  quarter  of  the  amount  required  had  been 
subscribed  bj'  those  in  attendance. 

In  January,  1890,  Mr.  Marshall  Field,  the  Chicago  millionaire 
merchant,  announced  his  willingness  to  donate  a  tract  of  land,  situated 
between  Washington  and  Jackson  parks,  to. the  proposed  college,  pro- 
vided the  conditions  set  up  by  Mr.  Rockefeller  were  met.  At  the 
meeting  of  the  board  of  the  Education  Society  in  the  spring  of  that 


142 


CHICAGO 


year  it  was  announced  that  the  aggregate  sum  of  $402,000  had  been 
subscribed,  books  and  scientific  apparatus  valued  at  $15,000  promised, 
and  that  subscriptions  were  still  coming  in  at  the  rate  of  $1,000  a  day. 
These  numerous  and  generous  responses  to  the  call  for  funds  made 
it  clear  to  the  connnittee  that  the  previous  plan  to  establish  a  college, 
which  was  to  be  gradually  enlarged  to  a  university,  had  to  be  aban- 
doned and  the  institution  laid  out  on  university  lines  from  the  start. 
This  line  of  action  was  subsequently  followed.  To  begin  with,  ground 
was  purchased  adjoining  the  tract  comprising  one  and  one-half  blocks, 
donated  b.v  "Sh-.  Field.  The  Education  Society  board  for  the  sum  of 
$132,000  bought  of  Mr.  Field  an  eiiual  tract,  making  a  total  of  20  acres. 


Tlic   1  iiivirsily  of  Cliican"     T'k.'  Walker   Museiiiii 


bounded  on  the  nortii  and  soutii  by  ;')()! h  and  59th  streets  and  on  the 
east  and  west  by  fircenwood  and  Kills  avenues.  Shortly  afterwards, 
the  block  located  farthest  nortii  was  Iradeil  for  one  boumletl  by  r)7th 
and  58th  streets,  and  Greenwood  and  Lexington  avenues,  whereupon 
still  another  bbick  was  purdiased.  eom])bMing  a  {piadrangle  two  blocks 
square  in  a  beautiful  and  rai)idly  developing  part  of  the  city.  A  better 
location  for  a  university  would  be  difficult  to  find. 

Ill  iii-ilcr  III  jireveiit   possible  complications,  arising  from  the  fact 


THE  UNIVERvSITY  oi'  CHICAGO  j^-^ 

that  au  institution  named  the  University  of  ('hiea^o  had  existed  before, 
the  directors  of  tliat  institution  met  June  14,  1890,  and  formally  author- 
ized the  use  of  that  name  for  the  new  university.  At  another  meeting 
September  8th  the  same  board  decided  to  call  their  institution  The  Old 
University  of  Chicago  and  to  turn  over  all  its  books  and  records  to  the 
new  university  corporation.  This  was  done  i)artly  to  distinguish  the 
graduates  of  the  old  institution,  partly  to  enable  them,  if  they  so 
desired,  to  be  recognized  as  graduates  of  the  new  university. 

These  and  other  preliminaries  having  been  disposed  of,  the  new 
university  was  chartered  September  10,  1890,  luider  the  name  of  the 
University  of  Chicago,  the  incorporators  being  John  D.  Kockefeller, 
E.  Nelson  Blake,  Marshall  Field,  Francis  E.  Hinckley,  Fred  T.  Gates, 
and  Thomas  W.  Goodspeed.  The  charter  stipulated  that  the  university 
regents  should  be  twenty-one  in  number,  two-thirds,  as  also  the  presi- 
dent, to  be  members  of  the  Baptist  Church.  On  the  contrary,  church 
affiliations  were  to  play  no  part  in  the  selection  of  professors  and  in- 
structors. 

Scarcely  had  the  institution  been  incorporated  when  Mr.  Rocke- 
feller, on  the  16th  of  September,  made  an  additional  donation  of  one 
million  dollars,  one  of  the  conditions  being  that  the  Baptist  Union 
Theological  Seminary  should  be  moved  from  Morgan  Park  to  the 
university  grounds,  be  made  its  theological  department,  and  furnished 
with  a  special  building.  These  terms  were  gratefully  accepted  by  the 
Baptist  Theological  Union. 

At  their  second  meeting,  held  September  18th,  the  trustees  elected 
as  president  of  the  university  Dr.  W.  R.  Harper,  who  after  six  months 
accepted  the  call  and  shaped  the  destinies  of  this  great  university  with 
superior  energy  and  ability. 

The  working  plan  of  the  university  had  alread.y  been  prepared 
and  submitted  to  the  boards  of  more  than  fifty  different  universities 
and  colleges  for  approval.  Having  been  thus  criticised,  the  plan  was 
made  public  Jan.  1,  1891.  According  to  this  plan,  the  work  of  the 
institution  was  to  be  arranged  luider  the  following  three  heads,  the 
university  proper,  the  university  extension  work  and  the  university 
publication  work. 

The  first-named  department  was  to  comprise  the  following  sub- 
divisions :  (a)  Academies,  or  preparatory  departments,  the  first  to  be 
established  at  Morgan  Park  and  other  branch  institutions  to  be  either 
formed  from  existing  schools  or  erected  anew,  as  oppoi-tunity  offered; 
(b)  Colleges,  as  follows,  (1)  the  College  of  Liberal  Arts,  with  a  coiirse 
leading  to  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts,  (2)  the  College  of  Science, 
leading  to  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science,  (3)  the  College  of  Liter- 
ature, giving  also  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science,  (4)  the  College  of 
Practical  Arts,  with  comprehensive  courses  in  practical  sub.jects,  lead- 


144 


CHICAGO 


ing  to  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Science;  (c)  affiliated  colleges,  the 
nature  of  whose  relations  to  the  university  was  to  be  determined  by 
the  conditions  in  each  individual  case;  (d)  schools,  as  follows:  (1)  The 
Graduate  School,  to  comprise  all  non-professional  post-graduate  work. 
(2)  the  Divinity  School,  with  the  customary  theological  courses.  (3) 
the  Law  School,  (4)  the  Medical  School,  (5)  the  School  of  Engineering. 
(6)  the  School  of  Pedagogy,  (7)  the  School  of  Fine  Arts,  (8)  the  School 
of  Music.  The  two  first-named  were  to  he  established  at  once,  the 
remaining  six  in  due  order,  as  financial  conditions  would  permit. 

The  university  extension  work  was  to  comprise,  (a)  regular  courses 
of  lectures,  to  be  given  in  Chicago  and  elsewhere,  according  to  the 
best  plans  for  university  extension;  (b)  evening  courses  in  college 
and  university  subjects  in  and  outside  of  Chicago;  (c)  correspondence 
courses  in  college  and  university  subjects  for  students  all  over  the 
coimtry;  (d)  special  courses  in  biblical  subjects,  studied  from  the 
original  texts  and  translations;  (e)  library  extension. 

The  university  publication  work  was  to  embrace,  (a)  university 
bulletins,  catalogues  and  otiier  otiicial  documents;  (b)  special  news- 
papers, journals  and  reviews  of  a  scientific  nature,  written  and  edited 
by  instructors  in  the  various  departments:  (c)  books  written  and 
edited  by  instructors  of  the  imivei'sity;  (d)  collection  by  exchange  of 
newspapers,  journals  and  reviews,  similar  to  those  published;  (e) 
l)urcliase  of  books  and  disposal  of  same  to  students,  professors  and  to 
the  university  librarj'. 

In  connection  herewith  the  inner  organization  of  the  institution 
in  the  matter  of  faculties,  officers,  the  division  of  the  school  year,  etc., 
was  mapped  out.  Tn  tlicse  resjiects  the  University  of  Chicago  was  to 
differ  materially  from  otlic  r  universities  and  colleges  in  the  United 
States.  For  instance,  while  most  of  these  divide  the  scholastic  year 
into  three  terms,  viz.,  the  fall,  tiie  winter  and  tiie  spring  term,  with  a 
long  vacation  following  the  latter,  its  year  was  to  be  divided  into 
quarters,  beginning  with  the  first  day  of  .Tidy,  October.  January  and 
A])ril,  respectively,  each  quarter  to  comprise  twelve  weeks,  with 
intervals  of  one  week's  vacation.  In  order  to  acconuuodate  those 
desiring  to  spend  a  still  shorter  period  at  the  university  each  (pmrter 
was  subdivided  into  two  terms  of  six  weeks. 

The  advantages  of  this  new  arrangement  were  apparent.  In  the 
first  jdace  the  waste  of  time  under  the  old  system  was  jirechuled ;  in 
the  second,  it  enal)led  students  to  attend  one  or  two  tpuirters  nntl 
spend  the  renuiinder  of  the  year  in  sonu'  profitable  occupation,  earning 
tile  means  to  continue  their  studies;  in  the  lliinl.  il  was  nmde  possible 
to  prepare  for  examinations  in  shorter  time;  in  the  foiuMh,  the  courses 
of  instruction  could  be  arranged  more  eonveiiiently  for  the  professors 
and  instructors.      While  llii^ir  term  of  service  was  nine  months  luit   of 


THE  fNIVERSITV  OV  CHICAC.O 


145 


tlie  year,  they  iiii^lit  In'  gfauted  pcniiissioii.  at  any  liiiu'  suitiiit:  tlicir 
purpose,  to  pursue  speeial  studies  >tv  take  a  vaeation  for  their  health. 
By  servinu;  lontrer  tiiau  tlie  ])rescrilie(l  pcridds.  tliey  might  earn  either 
longer  vacations  or  an  extra  incdiiie. 

Another  result  of  this  division  nf  tlu'  univei'sity  calendar  was  tiie 
abolition  of  classes  and  their  names,  such  as  Freshman.  Sophomore. 
Junior  and  Senior,  and  with  that  the  class  spirit.  The  result  of  the 
quarter  system  was  that  a  student  might  begin  his  studies  any  time  of 


The  l'iii\ersity  uf  Chicago— The  Women's  Dorniitories 


the  year  and  take  his  examinations  at  the  end  of  any  of  the  four 
quarters. 

The  University  of  Chicago  held  its  first  convocation  October  1, 
1892.  All  imposing  corps  of  professors  and  instriietors  had  already 
been  selected,  comprising  men  who  had  served  at  American  and  Eum- 
pean  universities,  and  no  less  than  five  hundred  students  had  then  been 
enrolled.  Adding  to  this  the  fact  that  the  financial  position  of  the 
institution  had  been  further  strengthened  by  new  donations  by  ;Mr. 
Rockefeller  and  others,  it  will  apjiear  that  the  future  of  the  new  uni- 
versity was  exceptionally  bright.  The  rich  promises  given  at  the  start 
have  been  most  handsomely  realized. 

The  development  of  the  University  of  Chicago  has  been  phenom- 
enal in  every  respect,  and  at  its  present  pace  the  university  inspires 
the  confidence  that  it  will  in  a  short  time  become  one  of  the  best  organ- 
ized  and   most   largely   attended   universities    in    the   world.      A   few 


146 


CHICAGO 


fifrnrcs  may  Ix'  (iiuitcd  as  showing  most  ulearly  the  rapid  propress 
already  made  during  the  lirst  deeade  of  its  existenee.  The  enrollment 
increased  during  the  decade  of  1892-02  from  698  to  4.450  and  tlie 
endowment  funds  durinnr  tiie  same  period  from  .+1  .."):5!t..">()l  to  .t!l.lti.").12ti. 
the  value  of  the  real  estate,  building,  etc..  from  .$1.1)18.778  to  .'};i).OOU.(MK» 
and  the  total  value  of  all  the  property  of  the  university  to  $15,128,375; 
the  numi>er  of  jjrofessors  and  instruetors  grew  from  1-'15  to  323.  and  the 
current  annual  expenditures  from  $l()!).4!)b  to  $944,348. 

This  niagnifieent  material  growth  wa.s  made  possible  by  continued 
donations,  aggregating  over  .$lcS,()(l(l.(i(l()  for  the  same  period.  The  prin- 
cipal donor  is  ^Ir.  Koekefeller.  whose  gifts  diu-ing  this  same  ileeade 
amounted  to  more  than  .$10,000,000.  8inee  then  he  has  donated  millions 
more.  Other  wealthy  men  and  women,  especially  Chieagoans.  have  con- 
tributed miniificeiitly  to  the  luiiversity.  such  as.  Miss  Helen  Culver,  who 
gave  one  million  In  tiie  de])artment  of  biology;  ^Irs.  Kmmons  Hlaine. 
who  donated  over  a  million  to  the  School  of  Education  for  the  training 
of  expert  teachers;  Martin  A.  Ryerson.  who  founded  the  Kyerson 
l^hysieal  Laboratory  in  memory  of  his  father  and  gave  large  sums 
towards  its  equipment ;  Sy<lney  A.  Kent,  who  founded  the  Kent  Chemi- 
cal Laboratory;  Charles  T.  Yerkes.  who  gave  to  the  university  the 
Avorld's  largest  teleseope  and  besides  eontributed  liberally  toward  the 
equipment  of  the  university  observatory  at  Lake  Geneva.  Wis.,  which 
bears  the  donor's  name;  Marshall  Field,  who  made  large  donations  to 
the  general  funds;  Silas  B.  Cobb,  foiuider  of  Cobb  Hall;  tJeorge  C. 
Walker,  who  donated  the  Walker  Museum  and  has  shown  his  generosity 
in  other  ways;  Mi-s.  Charles  Hitchcock,  who  erected  the  dormitory  for 
boys  as  a  memorial  to  hci-  iiiisl)iiii(l.  .Mr.  Charles  X.  Hitchcock;  .Mrs. 
Ciii-iilinc  Iv  Haskell,  wlm  (jonatcil  a  building  and  established  a  lecture- 
ship ill  ineiiiory  of  her  liushaiid.  .Mr.  Frederick  Haskcil.  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
(1.  Kelly,  who  fcuiiided  Kelly  and  (Ireeii  halls  for  female  students; 
Mrs.  .Miiry  lieeeiier.  .Mi-s.  Ilenridta  Snell  and  Mrs.  Nancy  S.  Foster, 
who  have  each  had  iiiiiversily  halls  erected,  bearing  their  names: 
Adol|)hus  C.  Harllell.  who  e(iui|)|(e(l  the  Hartletl  (lyninasiuin  in  mem- 
ory of  his  son.  l-'iaiik  Dii-kinson  Martlelt  ;  Leon  .Mandel.  who  founded 
lllc  .\ssembly  Hall;  llie  William  15.  Ogdeii  estate,  wllii'h  has  donated 
proj)erty.  the  income  from  which  was  used  in  founding  tin-  (*g«len 
(iraduati'  School  oj'  .Scieiie<';  .loliii  .1.  .Milihcll  and  Charles  L.  Hutchin- 
son, who  have  also  rciiiciiibcred  ihe  miiversily  with  substantial 
donal  ions. 

Till'  miiversily  buildings  in  l!Mr_'  iiuiiiliered  "Jd  and  the  grouiuls 
I'oiiipi-ised  7.')  aci'cs  in  Chicago  and  (i">  acres  at  Williams  Hay,  Wisconsin. 

|{y  an  agreement  between  Ihe  direclors  iif  Ihe  Kush  .Me<lical 
College,  cNlablishccI  in  Chicago  in  1H37,  and  the  regents  of  Ihe  Cniver- 
sily    ol"   Chii-au'o.    Iliat    reiiowiii'd    incdical    iiisl  ilut  ion    in    .\pril.    1901, 


Tin-;  WURLU'S  FAIR 


147 


hcciiiiio  idciit  ificil  with  tlic  university  to  the  extent  tliat  tlie  nieilical 
students  iliu'ing  the  tirst  two  ye;u's  of  the  eoui'sc  pursued  tlieir  studies 
at  tlie  \iniversity  proper.  A  yeai-  hiter  the  directors  of  tlie  medical 
seliool  i)ro[)osed  a  eoniiilete  niei'j;-er  which,  h(iwev<'i-,  lias  not  yet  lieen 
eti'ected.  owing  eliietly  to  economic  ohstacdes. 

On  Marcii  11.  l!l()2.  the  university  regents  appropriated  .>{<.■)().()()() 
towai'ds  the  purchase  of  a  law  lihrary  and  the  estalilishment  of  the 
law  school  already  decided  upon.  Other  professional  and  technical 
schools  are  to  be  established  as  the  exigencies  will  permit. 

The  si)le!ulid  progress  made  by  this  university  is  proof  positive  of 
the  wisdom  and  care  with  which  the  broad  and  practical  plans  were 
mapped  out. 

The  total  attendance  for  the  year  ending  July  1,  1907,  compiled  on 
the  basis  of  three  quarters  or  nine  mouths  to  the  school  year,  was 
5,070.  Of  these  2,629  were  men  and  2,441  women.  Since  1893  the 
number  of  grauates  has  been  4,131. 

On  Jan.  10,  1906,  the  university  suffered  an  incalculable  loss  in  the 
death  of  President  William  Rainey  Harper,  who  had  served  through 
fourteen  and  one-half  years.  On  the  death  of  Harper,  Harry  Pratt 
Judson  was  appointed  acting  president  of  the  university,  and  on  Feb. 
20,  1907,  he  was  elected  to  the  presidency.  Judson  prepared  at  Williams 
College,  from  which  he  graduated  in  1870  and  received  the  degree  of 
A.  M.  in  1883 ;  was  principal  of  the  high  school  in  Troy.  N.  T. ;  pro- 
fessor at  the  University  of  ^Minnesota  1885-92 ;  received  the  degree  of 
LL.  D.  from  his  alma  mater  1893.  and  has  the  same  title  from  the 
Queen's  liuiversity,  Ontario,  the  State  University  of  Iowa  and  the 
Washington  University,  St.  Louis;  was  co-eclitor  of  the  "American 
Historical  Review"  1895-1902;  became  professor  of  political  science 
and  head  dean  of  the  colleges  of  the  ITniversity  of  Chicago  1892 ;  after 
two  years  he  was  made  head  of  the  department  of  political  science 
and  dean  of  the  faculties  of  arts,  literature  and  science,  a  position  held 
until  1907,  when  elected  president  of  the  imivei-sity. 

The    World's    Fair    at    Ctiicag'o 

As  the  four  hundreth  anniversary  of  the  discovery  of  America  by 
Columbus  drew  near,  suggestions  were  made  from  various  directions 
that  the  event  be  celebrated  by  means  of  a  world's  exposition,  just  as  in 
1876  the  one  hundreth  anniversary  of  the  independence  of  the  United 
States  was  celebrated.  The  first  step  toward  the  400th  anniversary 
celebration  was  taken  in  November,  1885.  when  the  directoi's  of  the 
Chicago  Inter-States  Exposition  Company  passed  a  resolution  declaring 
in  favor  of  such  a  plan.  The  second  step  was  taken  July  6th  of  the 
following  year,  when  the  Iroquois  Club  of  Chicago  invited  six  other 
clubs  of  the  city  to  co-operate  with  it  in  arranging  for  "an  international 


148 


CHICAGO 


celebration,  in  Cliieago.  of  the  four  luin<lretli  anniversary  of  the  dis- 
covery of  America  l)y  Colnnilms,"  With  tliat  thi'  matter  reste(l  for 
some  time. 

The  newspapers  of  the  country,  however,  began  to  discuss  the 
pro.iect  anil  cast  about  for  the  most  suitaltle  location  for  a  new  world's 
exposition,  Wasliinfrtoii.  \ew  Yoi'k.  Chicago,  and  St.  liouis  being  stren- 
uously advocated  l)y  their  respective  papers.  Then  the  citizens  of 
Chicago  no  longer  contiiied  themselves  to  a  discussion  in  the  abstract, 
but  look  action  long  before  the  other  three  propost-d  <-itics  iiad  closed 


'2^H^2!!^' 


'firiP*^ 


World's  Fair-   Administration  Kuildiii^ 


the  debate.     Thus  Chicago 
and  progressive  community 


by    Tliomay 

t  bi'iiu^'hipiil     Ibi-     I'liiteil    States.       .\n    exeeutive    committee    also    was 

appointed,  eonsisting  of  ."il    persntls,   to   inki-  active  eharge  of  the   pre- 


Till';  WORLD'S  FAIR 


149 


limiiiary  prepai'atioiis  tor  tliu  i'Xi)osil  inn.  Its  tirst  act  was  to  form  an 
exposition  company  with  a  capital  stodv  of  $5,000,000  in  shares  of  $10 
each.  So  rapid  was  tiie  i)rofrress  made  that  the  company,  whose  cor- 
porate name  was  The  World's  P^xpositioii  of  ]H!I2.  was  le^'ally  incor- 
porated on  the  14th  of  the  same  month,  and  ;it  once  proceeded  to  sell 
stock. 

The  competition  aiming-  the  four  cities  bidding  for  the  exposition 
now  grew  extremely  brisk.  Prom  New  York  and  Washington  it  was 
urged  that  Chicago  was  situated  entirely  too  far  inland  to  attract 
foreign  participation.  These  and  other  objections  were  succes.sfully 
combated  by  the  Chicago  committee,  which  was  ably  assisted  by  the 
iiiHuential  men  of  Illinois  and  neighboring  .states. 

On  Jan.  12,  1890,  the  committees  of  the  four  cities  had  a  hearing 
in  Washington  before  a  special  committee  appointed  by  the  senate. 
New  York  was  represented  by  more  than  one  hundred  of  its  foremost 
citizens,  whose  combined  wealth  aggregated  several  hundred  millions, 
and  who  lost  no  opportunity  to  press  the  claims  of  their  city.  But 
the  Chicago  representatives  proved  conclusivelj'  that  their  city  had  a 
greater  volume  of  trade  in  portion  to  its  population  than  New  York  and 
had  a  far  more  suitable  site  to  offer. 

While  congress  had  the  matter  under  consideration  its  decision 
was  awaited  with  the  greatest  interest.  Along  towards  spring  the 
question  was  passed  on,  and  Chicago  was  the  choice. 

On  April  25,  1890,  President  Harrison  signed  the  congressional 
act  by  which  the  quadri-centennial  exposition  was  located  at  Chicago. 
According  to  the  terms  of  said  act,  the  president  named  eight  com- 
missioners-at-large  together  with  two  commissiouei-s  and  two  alternates 
from  each  state  and  territory  in  the  Union  and  the  District  of  Columbia. 
This  commission  chose  as  Director-General  of  the  exposition  Col. 
George  R.  Davis  of  Chicago,  as  President  ex-senator  Thomas  W.  Palmer 
of  ilichigan,  and  as  Secretary  John  T.  Dickinson  of  Texas.  The  eom- 
commission  delegated  part  of  its  authority  to  a  Board  of  Reference 
and  Control,  half  of  its  members  being  appointed  by  the  exposition 
company. 

Pending  the  act  of  congress,  stock  had  been  liberally  subscribed, 
so  that  at  the  time  congress  took  action  the  number  of  stockholders 
had  reached  about  30,000.  These  were  called  to  meet  in  Battery  D,  on 
April  10th,  when  the  organization  was  completed  by  the  election  of 
forty-five  directors,  picked  from  among  the  wealthiest  citizens.  Two 
days  later  the  board  of  directors  met  at  the  Sherman  House  and  chose 
a  committee  on  finance  and  a  committee  to  draft  by-laws.  At  the  next 
meeting  April  30th.  Lyman  J.  Gage  was  elected  president  of  the  board, 
Thomas  B.  Bryan  first  and  Potter  Palmer  second  vice-president.  On 
Jlay  6th  the  board  elected  William  J.  Ackerman  auditor  and  Anthony 


15° 


CHICAGO 


P.  Seeberger  treasuror.  and  finally  on  .Inly  lltli  lienjainiii  Hiitterworth 
secretary.  The  prcsidi'iit  ol'  the  hoard  appointed  a  nund)er  ol"  auxiliary 
committees  to  have  charge  of  various  departments  of  work. 

Jmu'  12th  the  stockholders  at  an  extra  meeting  dianged  the  name 
to  The  World's  Cohnnhian  Exposition  Company,  in  aeeordanee  witii 
the  congressional  act.  and  al.so  decided  to  iiicrea.se  the  capital  stock 
from  .to.OOO.OnO  to  .tiO.OOO.OOO.  to  comply  with  another  eonditioii  named 
by  congress,  that  the  time  and  place  of  the  exposition  should  be  fixed, 
the  grounds  and  Imildings  assured  and  ten  million  dollars  sub.scribed 


World's  Fair — Governiiieiit  Building 

I'oi-  tlie  enterprise  before  the  President  of  the  Inited  States  would  issue 
to  foreign  nations  the  official  invitation  to  take  part. 

Besides  these  two  boards  there  was  still  another,  tiii-  Board  of 
Lady  Managers,  consisting  of  two  lady  representatives  and  alternates 
from  each  state  ami  territory  and  nine  for  tlie  city  of  Chicago.  Mrs. 
I*ii1t<'r  I'alnier  of  Chicago,  a  woman  of  prominenee  no  less  for  her  high 
intellc<'tnMl  attainments  tiiati  for  her  great  wealth  and  s.icial  position, 
was  chosen  as  its  iircsidcnt.  To  this  i)oard  was  entrusted  the  manage- 
im-nt  (d'  everylliing  pertainini:  to  the  jiart  ii-ipal  ion  id"  womi'U  in  the 
exposition  and  lo  the  woman's  department  of  exhibits. 

In  liic  Miader  of  choosing  a  siti-  a  diversity  of  o|iinions  arose.  Some 
of  the  direcloi-s  suggested  .lacUson  Park,  in  the  southern  part  of  the 
city,  while  others  favored  a  more  i-cntra!  location.  The  former  opinion 
] in- vailed,  .iiid  liiiilding  opera t  ions  were  liegnn  as  soon  as  a  construction 


Till':   WORLD'S   I'AIR 


151 


(Icpiirtnic'iit  liail  licrii  I'liriiicd,  with  l):iiiifl  II.  r.iinili:im  ;is  cliicF.  .Jiiliii 
\V.  l»iiiit  iis  architccl.  Alir'aiii  (Intllich  as  cii^'iiicci-,  and  tlic  linn  of 
Olmslcad  i5i  Cn.  as  landscapc'ari'liitccls.  ]n  order  to  liavc  the  buildiii^;s 
eonstrurti'd  witii  a  view  to  artistic  l)('auty  as  well  as  practical  uses, 
a  hoard  of  consult  iiii;  architects  was  picked  IVoiii  ;uuou<j  the  most 
skillful  men  of  the  craft  in  Chicago.  Besiiles,  architects  from  Xew 
York,  Boston,  and  other  cities  wore  called  in  to  assist  in  making  the 
drawings.  The  expenditures  tor  the  grading  of  the  fjite  and  the  erec- 
tion of  the  buildings  were  estimated  at  ^HiS)l'),-i^h]. 


World's  Fair — Illinois  Building 


Ground  was  broken  for  the  exposition  on  Feli.  11,  1891.  Swamjjs 
were  drained,  depressions  filled,  old  lagoons  and  ponds  dredged  and 
new  ones  scooped  out.  walks  and  drives  constructed  and  extensive  im- 
provements in  the  landscape  planned.  Piles  were  driven,  foundations 
were  laid,  and  soon  the  "White  City"  began  to  rise  in  splendor,  fii 
spite  of  changes  that  had  to  be  made  in  the  plans  from  time  to  time, 
the  work  progressed  without  interruption,  thanks  to  efficient  manage- 
ment both  of  the  finances  and  the  actual  operations. 

It  was  not  an  easy  matter  to  raise  the  necessary  ten  millions,  but 
the  leaders  of  the  enterprise  were  equal  to  the  task.  Through  their 
influence,  the  state  legislature  was  prevailed  upon  to  grant  Chicago  the 
privilege  of  issuing  bonds  to  the  amoiuit  of  five  millions  in  onler  to 
invest  said  amount  in  exposition  stock.     But  besides  this  amount  and 


152 


CHICAGO 


the  afJTfjrt'gati'  amount  subscribed  by  iiulivi<hials.  six  or  seven  millions 
were  still  needed.  Xiinierous  jjlans  to  raise  money  were  devised,  buv 
none  was  found  altogether  satisfactory.  Finally,  it  was  proposed  to 
issue  souvenir  <'oins  to  be  sold  at  an  advanced  price  as  a  means  of 
raisiuf;  the  additional  amount  re(|uircd.  The  |)lan  was  laid  before 
congress,  which  with  some  reluctance  resolved  that  souvenir  half 
dollars  should  be  struck  to  the  amount  of  !}!2.r)00.(HM)  and  .sold  at  one 
dollar  each,  thus  netting  the  exposition  $.").( !()(),( )()(!.     Furthermore,  the 


World's  }'"air — Agriciillural  Ruildiiif; 


cx|iositioii   company    issucil    IkhhIs   In   I  he   aiiiiiMiit    of  !|!r>.0(M).(KM)  niin'e. 
payable  Jan.  1.  1S!I4. 

Neither  plan  brouglil  llu'  desired  results,  aiitl  new  exertions  were 
iiiadi'.  To  I  lie  I'aiiway  c()nii)anies  were  sold  !);S.")(t.( K 10  worth  of  bonds 
and  several  C'liicago  banks  nnidc  iojiiis  In  the  exposition  conipaii\  tak- 
ing unsold  souvenir  coins  as  securitv'. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  April,  ISDl.  Lyman  .1.  (iaire  resigned  tiio 
presidency  and  was  succeeded  by  William  .1.  linker. 

Despite  all  preparations,  there  pri-vailcd  in  the  Kast  and  especially 
throughout  Europe  a  lack  of  confidence  in  Chicago's  ability  to  uninage 
a  universal  exposition,  'riic  notion  was  general  that  Chicago  was 
loi-atcd    on    the    outskirts    of   civili/jit  inn    atul    lliercforc    incapable    of 


THE  WORIjrS  1-AIK 


153 


producing  a  world "s  lair  .such  as  had  hccii  seen  in  Loudon,  Paris  and 
Vienna.  The  exposition  management  resolved  to  overcome  this  preju- 
dice and  to  that  end  appointed  a  special  cdimiiissidn  tn  visit  the  nations 


of  northcin  Europe  and  their  governments.  This  commission,  con- 
sisting of  five  members,  started  for  Europe  in  JuIa  ,  1891,  and  per- 
formed its  arduous  work  .systematieally  aiul  with  marked  success.  As 
a  result  of  its  efforts,  coupled  with  those  of  the  government  in  the  same 
direction,  favorable  responses  to  the  invitation  extended  to  the  nations 
were  received  from  a  great  number  of  governments  aud  private  cor- 
porations. To  represent  the  exposition  in  a  similar  manner  in  southern 
Europe.  Thomas  B.  Bryan  and  Harlow  X.  Higinbotham  were  ap- 
pointed.    The   first   gained   an    audience   with   the   Pope   himself   aud 


154 


CHICAGO 


succt'ciU'il  in  {rainiiifr  his  co-oiH-riition  aiitl  good  will.    The  Holy  Kather 
with  his  own  hninl  wrote  a  i-onliai  ciKlorsi'mciit  of  the  enterprise,  whieh 


\v:is  .siilisiM|iii'nt ly  Iraiislaled  into  a  nuiiiher  of  lan<^ua^es  ami  piihlished 
lar  and  wide,  lis  reassuinint^  elTeet  on  the  Cntliolie  nations  was  nn- 
((neslionaide.  The  elVorts  ol'  the  two  eoniinissioneiN  were  erowned 
with  success  tiiroujihout.     In   recognition   of  ids  services,   Mr.   Ili^in- 


TIIK  WORLD'S  I   \IR  jcj 

bothain.  ujxni  liis  return  lo  ('liicMun  in  l''i'liru;iry,  ]S1)2,  was  elmsi'ii  viee- 
presidi'iit  of  the  exposition. 

While  this  work  was  in  progress  abroad  the  exposition  l)iiildings 
were  rapidly  Hearing  completion  and  the  time  for  the  opening  of  the 
fair  was  not  far  off.  I'p  to  this  time  the  board  of  directors  and  the 
board  of  eonnnissioners  had  borne  tlic  entire  responsibility  fur  the 
finaneiid  administration.  The  nundxT  of  members  being  equfd  in  tiie  tw(j 
boards,  a  tie  might  easily  result  in  important  decisions.  Jn  order  to' 
preclude  deadlocks  and  resultant  delays  a  council  of  administration 
was  created,  consisting  of  members  from  both  boards.  As  representa- 
tives of  the  directoi's  were  chosen  Harlow  X.  Higinbotliam  and  Charles 
II.  Schwab  and  for  the  commissioners  George  Ci.  llassey  of  Delaware 
and  J.  W.  St.  Clair  of  West  Virginia.  These  elected  ^Ir.  Higinbotham 
their  chairman,  and  he  was  about  the  same  time  chosen  president  of 
the  exposition.  This  council  had  absolute  authority  to  determine  all 
(piesti(uis  of  administrative  policy,  but  were  not  empowered  to  pass 
appropriations  beyond  those  made  by  the  directors.  One  of  the  fir.st 
acts  of  the  council  was  to  postpone  the  date  of  the  dedication  of  the 
exposition  from  October  12th,  the  day  fixed  by  coufrress,  to  October 
21st.  This  was  done  partly  because  the  city  of  New  York  had  fixed 
on  the  former  date  for  the  holding  of  a  grand  naval  review  in  com- 
memoration of  the  400th  anniversary,  partly  from  a  desire  to  l)ring  the 
celebration  as  near  as  possible  to  the  date  of  the  lauding  of  Columbus 
on  American  soil. 

The  dedicatory  exercises  six  months  prior  to  the  opening  were  held 
in  order  to  publish  to  the  world  the  extent  of  the  preparation  and  the 
magnitude  of  the  undertaking.  The  exercises  opened  with  a  salute  of 
cannon  at  smirise.  In  the  forenoon  the  directors,  commissioners,  lady 
managers  and  specially  invited  guests  assembled  in  Michigan  avenue, 
in  front  of  the  Auditorium  hotel,  where  thej"  formed  in  line,  the  parade 
passing,  with  flags  tlying  and  music  playing,  down  the  avenue  and  on 
to  the  World's  Fair  grounds.  Here  they  were  joined  by  Vice-President 
Levi  P.  Morton,  representing  the  President  of  the  United  States,  and 
President  Thomas  AV.  Palmer  of  the  board  of  commissioners.  In  Wash- 
ington Park  15,000  national  troops  from  various  points  passed  in  re- 
view before  the  guests  of  honor,  the  procession  then  passing  along 
ilidway  Plaisance  to  the  entrance  to  the  grounds.  The  place  of  as.sem- 
blage  was  the  gigantic  Manufacturers'  Building,  where  luncheon  was 
served  to  70,000  people.  At  the  time  set  for  the  dedicatory  ceremonies 
an  immense  mass  of  people  crowded  about  the  gateways  to  the  ex- 
position groimds,  and  at  the  command  of  President  Higinbotham  the 
gates  were  thrown  open  and  the  public  given  free  admittance  for  that 
day. 

The  order  of  ceremonies  was  as  follows:  Columbian  March,  com- 


156 


CHICA('.0 


posed  for  the  oeeasion  by  I'rot.  .J.  U.  I'aiiie  of  Cambridge,  was  ren- 
dered Ity  the  Coluiiil)iaii  Orrheslra  and  thorns.  FoHKwintr  a  prayer, 
offered    by    Bishop    Fowler,    an    iiitrndiu-tiiry    address    was    made    l)y 


Direetor-Ocncral  (iiin;,^'  [{,  Davis.  .Miiym-  I  liMi|isti  ad  Wiishluinir  ni-xl 
welcoMii'd  N'ii'e-i'rcsidcnl  .Miirhm  ami  the  fon-i^rn  represcnial  ivi-s.  ofl't-r- 
injr  them  the  freedmn  nl'  Ihc  i-ity.  .Mi-s.  Sarah  Lr  .Mnyne  then  reail  the 
Wiii'ld's   Fair  Ode    wrilli'ii   liy    .Miss   Ilariiil    Mmiiiir.    pdrlimis   iif  tlie 


Till',   WORLD'S  HAIR  j^y 

l)oi'iii,  set  t(i  imisic  l)y  (J(.'(jrj;c  W.  ( 'limlwii-k.  Iiciii^  .siibsequi'iiUy  ren- 
dered 1)\'  the  Colunibian  Chorus.  Diicrloi'  of  Works  Daniel  II.  Biirii- 
h;iiii  iKiw  presented  the  l)uihlings  to  l'resi(h'nf  lliiriiibothani  Mini  iii- 
trotluced  to  him  the  ensrineers.  architects  and  artists  who  had  cou- 
strueted  and  decorated  (hem.  President  Iliginbotliani  responded,  pre- 
senting to  each  of  these  a  special  inedal  in  recognition  of  their  work  in 
helialf  of  the  exposition.  During  tliis  presentation  the  chorus  rench'red 
Jleiidelssohn's  "To  the  Sons  of  Art." 

Mrs.  Potter  Palmer,  president  of  the  Board  of  Lady  Managers, 
then  followed  with  an  address  on  the  work  aceomplisiied  by  that  l)ody. 
whereupon  President  Iliginbotham  i)resented  the  exposition  buil<lings 
to  President  Palmer  of  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  Commis- 
sioners, he  in  turn  presenting  them  to  Vice-President  Morton.  M'ho 
dedicated  them  to  their  various  uses.  The  Columbian  Choi-us  sang 
the  "Alleluiah  Chorus"  from  Handel's  Messiah;  Col.  Henry  Watter- 
son  of  Kentucky  made  an  address,  followed  by  another  song.  "The 
Star-Spangled  Banner,"  by  the  chorus;  another  address  was  made  by 
Mr.  Chauucey  M.  Depew  of  New  York,  and  tlie  ceremonies  were  con- 
cluded with  a  prayer  by  Cardinal  Gibbons  of  Baltimore,  the  singing  of 
Beethoven's  "In  Praise  of  God"  by  the  chorus  and  the  benediction, 
pronounced  by  Rev.  Henry  C.  McCook  of  Philadelphia.  Lnmediately 
following  tlie  conclusion  of  the  dedicatory  ceremonies,  the  artillery 
post  stationed  in  the  park  fired  the  national  salute. 

The  ojjening  of  the  World's  Fair  was  set  for  ilay  1,  1893.  and  an 
enormous  amount  of  work  still  remained  to  be  accomplished  during  the 
intervening  six  months.  Thanks  to  the  energy  and  pusli  of  the  directors 
almost  all  exterior  work  was  finished  in  the  time  fixed.  The  arrange- 
ment of  exhibits,  however,  recjuired  additional  time,  and  the  exposition, 
therefore,  was  not  in  proper  order  until  the  first  of  June. 

The  festivities  in  eonneetion  with  tlie  formal  opening  were  held  in 
that  part  of  the  grounds  called  the  Court  of  Honor.  Here  gathercil.  in 
the  forenoon  of  May  1st,  the  following  guests  of  honor  and  officiating 
personages,  namely,  the  Duke  of  Veragua.  specially  invited  as  the 
direct  descendant  of  Columbus,  together  with  his  family;  Grover  Cleve- 
land, President  of  the  United  States;  Adlai  Stevenson,  Vice  President 
of  the  United  States;  members  of  the  cabinet,  of  the  diplomatic  corps 
and  of  congress;  the  three  departments  of  the  exposition  management, 
namely,  the  Board  of  Directors,  the  Board  of  Commissioners  and  the 
Board  of  Lady  ]\[anagers ,'  foreign  commissioners,  members  of  the 
different  state  commissions  and  chiefs  and  other  officials  of  the  various 
exposition  departments. 

The  opening  of  the  exposition  took  jilace  according  to  tlie  following 
order  of  ceremonies:  Music,  Columbian  March  (John  H.  Paine),  by  the 
orchestra;  prayer  by  Rev.  W.  II.  IMilburn  of  Washington,  D.  C. ;  poem. 


158 


CHICAGO 


"the  Prophecy,"  by  W.  A.  (rofliit  of  Washington;  nuLsic,  "Overture 
to  Rienzi"  (Wagner),  by  tlie  orehestra;  address  by  the  Director- 
General  of  the   exposition;   address  by   tlie   President   of  the   United 


Slates;  starling  ol'  llic  niadiinery  in  .Maeliini'iN  liiill.  wliilf  Handel's 
"Aneluiaii  ChoiMis"  was  sung;  olVieiai  reception  in  the  Mannfaeturers' 
IJnilding,  by  President   Cb-vebiml  an<l  thi'   Wmlii's   Kair  directors,  of 

the    i'di'eigii    (■(iiinilissiiiliers. 


THI-;  WORLD'S  I'AIR  1 59 

IiuiiiediaU'ly  at'trr  tlir  clnsc  ol  the  I'rcsidcnl  "s  address,  the  cliicf 
magistrate  pressed  tlie  Inittdii  i>\'  an  drctric  line  connecting  with  a 
great  steam  engine  of  L'.OOII  horse  powers,  starting  the  engine  and  this 
in  turn  bringing  the  tVmntains  and  easeach's  of  the  Court  of  Honor  into 
play.  At  the  same  instant  the  Hags  of  all  the  Fair  buildings  were 
\niftirled  to  the  breeze,  and  amid  the  roar  of  steam  whistles  throughout 
the  city  and  harbor,  the  firing  of  cannon  and  the  thundering  huzzas  ol' 
the  sea  of  himianity  assembled  in  the  grounds,  the  Columbian  Exposi- 
tion was  opened  the  the  world.  Chieago,  (jueen  of  the  West,  had 
reached  the  goal  of  her  ambiti<in:  the  World's  Fair  was  an  aeeom- 
pli.shed  fact. 

Before  describing  the  further  progress  of  the  exposition  and  the 
manner  in  which  the  directors  managed  to  carry  the  enormous  financial 
burdens  laid  upon  their  shoulders,  a  comparison  may  pi'operly  be 
drawn  between  this  and  previous  world's  expositions  with  reference  to 
area,  number  of  exhibitors,  and  visitors,  appropriations,  etc.  This  is 
given  in  the  following  table  : 

No.  of  No.  of  No.  of 

Year.         Place.  exhibitors.  visitors.  Acres,      daj's  open. 

1851       London 15. 5°°  6,039,195             13.  144 

1855       Paris 23,954  6,162,330            22.1  200 

1862       London 28,653  6,225,000            25.6  171 

1S67      Paris 52,200  9,238,967            31.  217 

1873       Vienna 42.584  7.254.6S7            56.5  1S6 

1876      Philadelphia 60,000  9,910,966  236.  159 

1S7S      Paris 40,366  16,032,725  100.  191 

1889      Paris 55.000  28,149,353  173.  183 

1893       Chicago 27,539,521  645.  183 

The  capacity  of  the  various  buildings  of  the  Chieago  exposition  is 

shown  in  the  following  table : 

Buildings.                                                                                            Square  feet.  Acres. 

Administration 51.456  i-iS 

Agriculture 589.416  13.53 

Art 261,073  5-99 

Electricity 265,500  6.09 

Fisheries 104,504  2.39 

Government 155.896  3-57 

Horticulture 237,956  5.46 

Machinery 796,686  18.28 

Manufactures 1,345,462  30.88 

Mines 246,181  5.65 

Transportation 704,066  16.16 

Woman's 82,698  1 .89 

Minor 1,630,514  37.43 

State 450,886  10.55 

Foreign 135.663  311 

Concessions ( Midway  Plaisance buildings,  booths,  etc.)   801,238  18.39 

Miscellaneous 317,699  7.29 


Total 8,176,894         187.69 


l6o  CHICAGO 

ilithvay  J'laisancf  was  tlic  iiaim-  nf  tlio  iiarmw  stretch  of  optMi 
space  extending  from  Jac-kson  to  Washington  parks.  Tliis  was  at  the 
disposal  of  the  commissioners  and  was  utilized  for  the  extra  attractions 
or  side  shows  to  the  exposition.  Here  various  semi-  and  uncivilizi'd 
nations  were  a.ssigued  spaee  for  their  exhibits  and  performaiu-es.  simw- 
ing  the  life  and  customs  of  varioits  races.  Great  panoramas  of  natural 
sceneries  from  foreign  laiiils  were  exhibited.  Products  and  curios  from 
every  clime  were  sold,  and  in  numerous  variety  theaters  the  plays  and 
pastimes  of  the  nations  were  more  or  less  correctly  presented.  Also  a 
great  number  of  restaiu'ants  and  cafes  of  various  kinds  were  located 
there.  One  of  the  most  original  attractions  of  the  Midway  was  the  so- 
called  Ferris  Wheel,  constructed  by  Engineer  Ferris  and  nanu'd  after 
him.  It  was  the  ("hieago  counterpart  of  the  Eiffel  Tower  at  the  Paris 
Exposition  of  188i).  From  the  hanging  cars  of  this  gigantic  wheel  was 
aft'orded  a  chiirming  birds-eye  view  of  the  White  City  and  its  environ- 
ments. 

Thirty-seven  states  of  the  Union  had  tiieir  own  buildings  at  the 
Fair.  The  majority  of  these  Avere  a  comi)ination  of  ex|)osition  building 
for  products  of  a  state  and  meeting  place  for  its  citizens.  Forty-seveu 
foreign  nations  had  made  ai)propriations  to  the  exposition  aud  of  these 
eighteen  had  their  own  buildings.  i)esides  being  represented  in  one  or 
more  of  the  .seventeen  main  departments.  Exhibitors  from  no  less  than 
eighty-six  countries  were  present. 

Among  exiiiljiting  nations  was  the  I'nitcd  Kingdom  of  Sweden  and 
Norway,  the  Swedish  riksdag  having  made  an  appropriation  of  .S'lU.dOO 
crowns  for  the  i)urpose.  A  national  ])avilion  of  a  distinct  type,  capped 
by  an  anti(|uate(l  steeple,  was  built  in  Sweden,  the  nutterial  shipped 
(i\cr  :iiiil  Hk'  buililing  reconstructed  on  its  site  at  the  exposition 
grdiiiids.  Portions  of  tiie  Swedish  exhibits  were  arranged  in  this 
pavilion,  while  the  remainder  were  apportioned  among  the  proper 
(li'partiiienls.  The  roval  ciunmissioncr  of  the  Swedish  exhibit  was 
Ai'thui-  Ijctl'ler.  tile  secri'tai-y.  .\xel  Welin.  Tom  H<'rgendal  repri'sented 
the  Swedish  Iron  Institule.  eriihT-a<-iiig  fourteen  industrial  eslablish- 
iiicnls,  and  a  large  iimnlicr  uf  niaiiura<-l  nrers  and  institutions  and 
organ iziit  ions  in  Sweden  li.id  si'mI  pei-sonal  representativi-s  lo  tin- 
exposit  ion. 

Besi<les  the  ^L>.r)()(l.(MMi  appi'opriali'd  by  I  lie  I'nited  States  in  the 
foi'iii  of  soiivenii-  coins,  tln'  nalion.'d  government  set  aside  the  amount 
needed  lor  the  erection  of  a  splendid  governiuiMit  liuibling  and  $.'>(HI.(MMI 
lor  a  suitable  exhibit  llieri'in.  The  total  amoinil  appropriatetl  by  the 
iiidividnal  stales  was  !|;(i.PJ(l,(HMl.  Illinois  alone  .'xpending  ,i:S(l(l.(MMI.  The 
total  rorei^Ni  appropriations  were  approxinuilely  ,'t;t),.'iii(i.(iii(i.  Private 
citizens  of  (  hieago  signed  for  shares  !|!r),ti()H,20(i,  and  the  city  of  I'hicago 
piifeliased  shares  for  the  sum  of  :};.">. (10(1, 11(10.  raised  b\'  an  issue  of  boiuls. 


TIIIv   WORLDS  r.VIR  l6i 

III  order  to  iR'i^'lilcii  the  inliTcsl  in  llic  c'.\|i(isit  imi  a  scries  ol'  iiiter- 
iiatiniial  eongresses  was  arraiijicil  l)y  a  s|)eeial  ImaiMl,  established  Oct. 
80.  18!)(l,  as  the  AVdi'M's  Coiif^ress  Auxiliar\'  oi'  tlie  W'orhl's  ("oliiinhiaii 
E.xpdsitioii.  Iieadetl  liy  Chai-les  CaiTdll  Homiey.  the  oi'i<!:inati>i'  of  tiie 
idea.  'I'iiis  work  was  divided  into  twenty  depaiiiiients.  each  of  wiiieli 
was  siiiuiiv  i<led  into  various  divisions,  numbering  altogether  224.  The 
congresses  held  1.288  sessions,  making  a  total  of  75:}  days.  Aeeording  to 
the  printed  aniionneeiiients.  thei-e  were  5.978  addresses  and  papers  by 
5,822  s]ieakers  and  authors.  The  most  notewoi'thy  one  was  doubtless 
the  Parliament  of  Keligions.  in  which  many  prominent  re|)r(>sentatives 
of  the  principal  religions  of  the  world  in  addresses,  treatises  and  discus- 
sions endeavored  to  show  their  I'clative  (lositions. 

Swredish   Day   at  the   World's   Fair 

A  great  number  of  festivals,  special  days  set  aside  for  various 
nationalities  or  occupations,  memorial  days,  etc.,  furnished  the  addi- 
tional events  of  the  Fair.  Among  the  national  festivals.  Swedish  Day. 
July  L'dlh.  may  be  mentioned  as  one  of  the  most  successful  and  pictui'- 
e.s(iue  celebrations  during  the  entire  exposition. 

Swedish  Day  at  the  World's  Fair  was  a  gala  day  for  the  Swedish 
nationality  in  Chicago,  The  celebration  began  early  in  the  day  with  a 
street  jiarade  in  the  down-town  district,  participated  in  by  10,00(1 
people,  according  to  estimate.  On  the  exposition  grounds  there  was  a 
second  parade,  followed  by  an  afternoon  concert  at  Festival  Hall, 
exercises  at  the  Swedish  pavilion  at  smiset  and  a  ])yrotechnic  display  iii 
the  evening. 

Early  in  the  morning  Swedish  organizations  of  the  north  and  west 
sides  began  to  assemble  on  Chicago  avenue.  _JIarshalled  by  Dr.  Svini 
Windrow  and  ]Mr.  L.  F.  Ilussander.  they  marched  to  Lake  Front  Park, 
to  .ioin  the  south  side  organizations  and  other  participants.  Forming 
in  ilichigan  avenue,  the  parade  w'ound  its  way  through  the  eit.v,  on  the 
following  line  of  march:  ]Michigan  ave.,  Monroe  st..  State  st..  Lake  si., 
Fifth  ave..  ^Madison  st.,  Market  st.,  Monroe  st..  Fifth  ave..  Jackson  st.. 
Wabash  ave..  Congress  st..  ]\lichigan  ave. 

The  parade,  headed  by  Robert  Lindblom  as  chief  marshal,  v.jih 
N.  X.  Cronholm  as  ad.iutant.  was  made  up  of  three  divisions,  in  the 
following  order:  First  division — platoon  of  police;  band;  Ajnerican 
Union  of  Swedi.sh  Singers;  distinguished  guests  and  ladies  in  carriages. 
Second  division — marshals;  band;  John  Ericsson  Legion,  Select  Knights 
of  America;  Belmont  Legion  of  the  same;  First  Swedish  Uniformed 
Ranks,  Knights  of  Pythias;  Svea  Societ.v  in  carriages;  Swedish  Glee 
Club  members  in  carriages ;  First  Swedish  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows ;  North 
Star  Lodge,  Knights  of  Honor ;  band ;  Svithiod  Club  members  in  car- 
riages; Linnaeus  Club  members  on  horseback  and  in  carriages;  publish- 


1 62 


CHICAGO 


ers  and  personnel  of  Swedisli-Anicrii-an  in'\vs|>apcrs,  "Svenska  Ameri- 
kanaren,"  "Sveuska  Tribiuien"  and  "Ilunioristeu,"  in  carriages; 
band;  Gustaf  Adolf  Society;  Court  Vega  Pleasure  Club;  Monitor 
Council,  Royal  Areanuni.  in  carriages;  Xordenskjold  Lodge,  Knights 
and  Ladies  of  Honor;  (jiJtha  Lodge  of  the  same;  Thor  Society;  Led- 
stjernan  Lodge,  Sons  of  Temperance;  Court  Stockholm,  Independent 
Order  of  Foresters;  band;  Independent  Order  of  Vikings.  Third 
division — marshals;  band;  Svenska  Gardet,  preceded  by  their  band; 
Uniformed  Ranks,  Knights  of  Pythias,  South  Chicago;  Swedish  Gym- 


*                                                 1 

? 

1 X. 

TTjtDf^^H 

'^^^^^^Hl^V-^'^i.dHK      A 

^M^^^^^K^^** ' V^ '- ^H^^THtg^j^  l^SH 

^^^^V^Kl  J  .^^IJM^^^     >  *jf^&ftk  "^a^l^H 

^ 

Worlil's  Fair — Swedish  Huihliiiy 


nastic  and  Ftiieiiig  Clui);  ladies  in  Swedish  provincial  costumes;  Nord- 
stjernan  Society,  preceded  by  their  band;  United  Brotherhood  of  Car 
pentcrs  and  Joiners;  Iduna  Society;  Verdandi  Lodge.  K.  of  P.,  Burn- 
side;  BaldcT  Sitcicty;  Liiinea  Society;  Svenska  I'nderstodsfiireningon  ; 
Pullman  l'.aii<l;  llaniHuiy  Lmliri'.  K.  of  P.,  Pullman;  Lyran  Singing 
("hill.  Piiiliiiaii ;  I'licii'iiix  Lodge,  .\o.  7.  \V.  S.  A..  Knglewood ;  citizens  in 
carriages.  Scattered  through  the  parade  were  a  number  of  jiicturesiiue 
and  eharaet eristic  lloats  and  groups,  as  follows:  John  Erics,son's  "Mon- 
itor," funiislied  by  John  luiessoii  Lodge;  "A  Feasl  in  Valhall."  by  the 
Svilliiod  Club;  "Svea.  Coliiinliia  and  Fama."  by  the  Svea  Society; 
"The  Uellnnm  Room,"  by  ,Mr.  Colliander;  group  of  Laplandei's.  exhibit- 
inir   at    Midway    Plaisance;   groups   of  ladies   in    provincial    eostunu'S; 


THH  WORLDS  I'AIR 


163 


"Old  Time  .Swedish  Iron  ISiiieltei-";  "Swedes  of  Dclawiire  in  1638''; 
"Swedes  and  Indians",  by  Iduna  Society. 

From  the  piers  on  the  lake  front  the  paradcrs  boarded  tlie  bouts 
waiting  to  carry  them  to  the  exposition  grounds.  Upon  arrival  tliey 
were  met  by  a  procession  from  the  Swedish  pavilion,  headed  by  the 
Swedish  commissioner,  Ai-thur  Leffler,  and  his  suite,  escorted  by  a  detail 
of  Columbian  Guards.  At  the  Casino  the  paraders  again  formed  ni 
line  and  marched  through  the  Court  of  Honor,  past  the  principal  build 
ings  to  the  Swedish  pavilion  where  they  disbanded  and  scattered 
through  the  grounds. 

Thousands  repaired  to  Festival  Ilall,  which  was  crowded  long 
before  four  o'clock,  the  hour  set  for  the  grand  concert,  given  under  the 
auspices  of  the  American  Union  of  Swedish  Singers.  For  this  occasion 
no  less  than  three  celebrated  artists  from  the  Royal  Opera  at  Stockholm 
had  been  engaged,  namely,  Caroline  Cstberg,  soprano ;  C.  F.  Lundquist, 
tenor,  and  Conrad  Belirens,  basso.  Adding  to  this  the  Theodore 
Thomas  Orchestra  and  the  United  Singers,  led  by  John  R.  Ortengren, 
a  grand  chorus  of  four  hundred  male  voices,  and  the  array  of  talent 
was  such  as  to  make  this  a  notable  Swedish  musical  event  in  Chicago, 
rivaled  only  by  the  appearance  of  Christina  Nilsson  twenty  years  prior. 

Following  the  concert  and  after  a  medley  of  Sw^edish  melodies  had 
been  played  on  the  chimes  in  Machinery  Hall  by  A.  E.  Bi-edberg  of  St. 
James'  Cathedral,  the  people  gathered  for  a  folkfest  at  the  Swedish 
pavilion.  Addresses  were  made  by  Arthur  Leffler,  Swedish  commis- 
sioner, T.  B.  Bryan,  of  the  exposition  directors,  and  Dr.  J.  A.  Euander; 
songs  were  rendered  by  Mr.  Lundquist  and  the  A.  U.  S.  S.  chorus,  and 
"greetings  from  fifty  thousand  Swedish-Americans"  were  telegraphed 
to  his  majesty.  King  Oscar  TI. 

All  day  the  flag  of  yellow  and  blue  was  everywhere  in  evidence, 
floating  over  the  parading  hosts,  draping  the  interior  of  Festival  Hall 
and  waving  beside  the  stars  and  stripes  on  many  a  pinnacle  in  the 
White  City.  The  days'  celebration  added  about  50,000  to  the  average 
daily  attendance  at  the  fair,  raising  the  total  to  more  than  126,000.  It 
was  a  day  of  national  inspiration  to  all  Swedish- Americans  participat- 
ing and  in  every  way  a  splendid  success,  fully  comparable  to  the 
celebrations  of  other  nationalities. 

The  principal  historical  celebrations  were  Patriotic  Day,  Inde- 
pendence Day  and  Chicago  Day.  the  last-named  in  commemoration  of 
the  great  Chicago  fire  in  1871.  This  celebration  occurred  October  9th 
and  was  marked  by  an  enormous  attendance  from  the  city  and  the  state 
at  large.  The  number  of  visitors  to  the  Fair  that  day  was  716,880,  this 
being  undoubtedly  the  greatest  concourse  of  people  in  the  United  States 
at  any  one  time  and  place.  During  the  sinnmer  the  exposition  manage- 
ment gave  several  banquets,  the  most  brilliant  affair  being  the  reception 


1 64  CHICAGO 

frivoii  to  the  foreisjn  c-oiiiniissionprs  OctobiM-  lltli.  This  was  hdti  at  tin- 
ilusif  Hall  aiitl  was  very  lartrt-ly  atti'iiilcil. 

During  the  month  of  May  tlie  total  reeeipts  amounted  to  $583,(>:il. 
and  during  June  to  !t!l.2r)().180.  The  promise  implied  in  these  figures 
was  made  good.  Thus  the  month  of  August  showed  the  remarkable 
total  of  $2,837,856.25.  The  receipts  of  the  exposition  from  all  st)urees. 
ineluding  city,  state  and  national  aj)pro])riations.  were  .$2S.151.1(>8.75. 
The  gate  receipts  amounted  to  .'|;Ul.ti2(>. :!:{(•. Tti  and  the  special  concessions 
realized  $3,699,581.43. 

The  expenditures  of  the  Exi)osition  Company,  including  cost  of 
organization,  construction,  and  ailministrat  ion.  were  summed  up  .March 
31,  1894,  at  $27,151,800.  If  the  expen.ses  of  tJie  various  states  and  the 
foreign  nations  are  added,  the  total  outlay  for  the  ("olundtian  Exi>osi- 
tion  will  be  found  to  reach  almost  forty-five  million  dollars. 

Extensive  preparations  were  made  to  dose  the  Fair  October  30th 
in  a  manner  befitting  its  grandiMU'.  i)nt  a  laniciitable  event  threw  a  jtall 
over  the  city  and  made  it  expedient  to  simiilil'y  the  closiui.'  celebration 
to  a  degree.  On  October  28th,  Carter  II.  Harrison,  the  mayor  of  the 
city,  fell  by  tlic  hand  of  an  assassin,  an  Irish  fanatic,  named  Patrick 
Prendcrgast.  In  coMsc(picncc  the  events  of  the  closing  day  were 
marked  b.\'  gloom  rather  than  gayety.  Festival  Hall  was  packed  with 
lnniianit>'.  President  Palmer  of  the  Board  of  Commissioners  stc]iped 
forward  with  tiie  announcement  that  owing  to  the  sad  circumstances 
nu)st  of  the  iiunil)ers  of  the  ])roposed  program  had  l)ccn  eliminated. 
wlieren]ioii  he  pronounced  the  exposition  officially  closed.  After  a  few 
brief  )-cniai-ks.  I)r.  Harrows  pronounced  the  benediction  over  the 
ass(iiil)liil  hosts,  whicli  then  regretfully  departed  from  the  hall  to  the 
sti-ains  of  Beethoven's  "  l-'unei'al  March."  The  flags  on  the  j)innacles 
of  the  exposition  lialls  were  loweretl.  the  iloors  were  closed,  ami  t.:' 
eclio  of  ihr  litial  artillery  salute  died  as  daylight  waned  on  the  donu-i 
of  tile  exi)osition  city.  A  strong  sense  of  the  vanity  of  all  things  created 
by  the  hand  of  nmn  pressed  honu-  to  every  thoughtful  spectator  as  he 
ba<ic  till-  fabulous  beauty  and  splen<lor  of  the  White  City  a  last  fare- 
well. Thus  the  World's  Columbian  Kxposition,  the  pride  of  Chicago 
and  of  the  nation.  i)assed  into  history. 

The  Chicago   Drainage  Canal 

The  growth  of  Chicago  made  it  apparent  to  the  municipal  author- 
iliis  that  somethinL'  had  to  be  done  to  li'ad  the  tbtw  from  tlu'  extensive 
sewer  system  of  the  eity  into  some  other  i-lianm-l  than  the  Chicago 
Kivcr.  whii-li  empties  into  tin-  lake,  oi-  the  water  supply  from  this  last 
named  source  would  eventually  bceomi-  entirely  until  for  use.  At  tirst 
they  tried  to  renxiiy  the  matter  by  deepening  the  Illinois  and  Michigan 
('anal  so  as  to  cause  the  river  to  run  west  insti'ad  of  east.  i.  e..  from  the 


Till';  DRAINAGE  CANAK 


165 


lalvc  insli'iid  of  info  it.  'JMiis  work  wiis  carficd  oiit  in  18fi.")-lS71. 
Altliiiiii^li  ;i  pumping'  station  was  ('stal)lisli('(l  at  the  junctufc  of  the  i-ivcr 
and  till'  canal  al  ISriilLscpoi'l,  calculated  I0  assist  in  the  rcvci'sal  of  llic 
ciiiTcnt  of  the  ri\Ti-  and  I'oi'cr  it  into  the  canal,  yet  this  cNpcriiiicnt 
proved  iinsnecessfiil. 

The  intakes  of  the  water  woi'ks  wei'e  tiu'ii  located  scvcivd  miles  out 
in  the  hd\e.  hut  even  that  arranu'enicnt  was  ina(h'(piato.  Spring  Hoods, 
storms  and  heavy  I'ainfalls  would  at  fi-(M|uent  iidervals  carry  f;-reat 
\dlumes  of  impure  \\'ater  out  as  far  as  the  crilis,  where  it  would  he  ah- 
sorhed  at   the  intal<es  and  cai'ried  1)aelc  thi'oiiiiii  the  mains  and   he  dis- 


Tlie  Drainatje  Canal — Gates  at  Controlling  Works,   Lockport 

tributed  tliroug'hoitt  tlie  city,  imperiling  the  health  of  its  inhabitants. 
This  condition  was  not  to  be  tolerated,  and  other  remedies  were  sug- 
gested from  time  to  time,  yet  no  plan,  however  plausible,  pointed  out  a 
way  of  sm'mounting  the  ehief  obstacle,  a  lack  of  funds. 

Toward  the  close  of  the  year  1885.  II.  B.  Ilurd,  who  had  served  on 
the  Board  of  Drainage  Comndssioner.s  in  LSoo.  was  urged  by  a  numlier 
of  leading  nuni  to  make  a  careful  .study  of  the  jn'oblem.  After  he  luul 
convinced  himself  and  others  that  the  question  offered  no  legal  difficul- 
ties, provideil  the  legislattu'e  would  pass  the  necessary  measures,  the 
city  council  on  Jan.  27,  1886,  passed  a  rescdution  authorizing  the  mayor 
to  name  a  conuidssion,  consisting  of  one  engineer  with  a  knowledge 
of  sanitary  affairs,  and  two  as.sistant  engineers,  to  investigate  the  water 
and  sewer  systems  and  submit  a  report  on  the  result.  The  cldei'  Mayor 
Harrison  ajipointed  as  expert  engineer  Kudolph  Ilering  of  Philadelphia 
and  as  his  assistants  two  Chicago  engineers,  Benezette  Williams  and 
S.  G.  Artingstall.  At  the  next  session  of  the  legislature,  in  1887.  two 
bills  on  this  subject  were  subndtted.     The  one.  tlx'  so-called  llnrd  bill. 


1 66 


CHICAGO 


I)ropo.sccl  that  the  neeessary  funds  for  sanitary  iiiiprovi'inciits  be  raised 
by  general  taxation  and  by  an  issue  of  bouds;  the  other,  known  as  the 
Winston  bill,  proposed  special  taxation,  or  assessment,  for  the  same 
purpose.  When  it  became  evident  that  neither  bill  had  any  chance  of 
passage,  a  new  and  simpler  one,  called  the  lioche-Wiustou  bill,  was 
submitted  and  passed  toward  the  end  of  the  session.  This  provided  for 
a  commission,  consisting  of  two  senators,  two  representatives  and 
Mayor  Roche  of  Chicago,  to  investigate  the  drainage  question  still 
further,  and  also  proposed  a  canal  running  from  the  Desplaines  River 
north  of  the  city  to  Lake  ^Michigan,  to  carry  off  the  waters  of  that  river 


The  Drainage  Canal — The  Bear  Trap  Dam,  from  Downstreaui 

and  thr  iiDi'lli   liraiich  nf  thf  Chicago  River.     Nothing,  however,  was 
accomplished  to  this  end. 

In  the  next  legislature  (1889)  the  commission  made  a  favorable 
report,  and  a  new  drainage  bill  was  submitted,  essentially  providing 
for  the  organization  of  a  so-called  Sanitary  District,  the  digging  of  a 
drainage  canal  of  suitable  width  and  de|)th  tiirough  the  watershed 
between  the  basin  of  Ijake  Micliigan  and  the  Desplaines  river  valley, 
the  appointment  of  a  drainage  board  of  nine  membei"s  and  the  raising 
of  the  retiuisile  funds  by  general  assessnuMit  on  all  taxable  property  in 
the  district  created.  The  bill  met  with  strong  opposition,  jirineipally 
from  the  people  dwelling  along  the  Illinois  River,  who  feared,  partly 
that  Chicago's  sewage  would  ])crnianenlly  impair  the  wholesomeiiess 
of  the  river  water,  partly  that  the  volumes  of  water  from  the  canal 
would  flood  the  bottondands  along  the  river.  The  friends  of  the  bill 
urged  to  the  contrary  that  if  the  canal  were  built  and  the  Desplaiiu's 
and  lllinciis  rivers  were  di-edged  belw(>en  .loliel  and  riaSnIle.  an  cxeel- 
leiil   waleru.iy   iM'lwc'eii   lijikc   .Mieliigiiii  ar.cl  the   .Mississippi  woubl  be 


TIIK  DRAINAGH  CANAI, 


167 


opened.  During  the  ciglitt>i'n  months  that  tliis  bill  hunf^  in  tin-  lialanee, 
largely  attended  conventions  wei*e  held  in  Peoria,  Memphis  and  other 
cities,  at  which  the  bill  was  warmly  endorsed.  The  fear  that  tiie  canal 
woTild  lower  the  watermark  in  the  lake  was  dispelled  by  experts,  wiio 
explained  that  even  with  a  flow  of  G00,000  cnbic  feet  per  minute,  this 
being  the  maximum  estimate,  the  surface  of  the  lake  would  In-  lowered 
at  most  three  inches. 

Thi.s  bill,  so  highly  important  to  the  city  of  Chicago,  was  passed  by 
the  legislature  May  29,  1889.  At  the  general  election  in  Chicago  Nov. 
5th  following,  the  proposition  to  organize  the  aforesaid  sanitary  district 
was  carried  by  a  large  majority.  This  district  comprises  all  that  part  of 


B^^HHI^fe.-  iH 


The  Drainage  Canal — Seventeen  Miles  of  the  Canal  are  Sawed  Out 
of  the  Solid  Rock 


Chicago  north  of  S7th  street,  together  with  an  area  of  about  -17  square 
miles  in  Cook  county,  otitside  of  the  city  limits.  It  measures  18  miles 
north  and  south,  has  a  maximum  width  of  15  miles,  its  area  being  185 
square  miles,  with  a  population  of  1,800,000.  At  a  special  election  Dec. 
12th  the  same  year  the  members  of  the  drainage  board  were  chosen. 
Their  first  important  duty  was  to  make  the  authorized  assessment, 
amotmting  to  one-half  per  cent,  of  the  tax  value  of  all  property  foimd 
in  the  district.  When  later  it  became  apparent  that  the  amotnit  thus 
realized  was  inadequate,  the  board  was  authorized  to  raise  the  assess- 
ment to  one  and  one-half  per  cent,  for  a  period  of  five  years  from  1895, 
at  the  expiration  of  which  the  former  rate  was  to  prevail.  In  addition, 
the  board  was  empowered  to  raise  funds  by  i-ssuing  bonds. 

The  financing  of  the  entire  enterprise  was  thus  assured.  But  owing 
to  differences  arising  among  the  trustees,  actual  work  on  the  canal  was 
delayed  almost  two  years.     Four  trustees  having  resigned  and  other 


1 68 


CHICAGO 


Jiu'ii  cleetpd  to  fill  their  |)lact's.  the  work  was  licfruii.  Tlif  first  sod  was 
turnt'd  near  Li'iiinnt  Sept.  -i.  If<!t2.  l)y  Frank  Wfiiti-r.  j)ri'sidi'iit  of  the 
]ioar(l.  Xccfssary  frradiiifrs.  surveys,  eoiideiiinatiuns  and  letting  of 
coiitraets  had  previously  been  iiiatle.  The  work  was  now  pushed  with 
vigor  towards  eoiiiplet ion.  despite  obstaeles  ot  one  kind  or  another. 
The  route  was  divided  into  sections,  each  being  let  to  one  or  more 
contractors  according  to  the  nature  of  the  work  to  lie  done.  For  lonjr 
stretches  the  hedi'oek  was  lieinj;  blasted  by  means  of  dynamite,  firetl 
nif^lit  and  day  by  electric  contacts,  in  other  localities  laborers,  busy  as 
ants,  were  diKfiinfr  through  soil  and  clay,  while  still  others  were  work- 
ing   like    beavers    constructing    eostly    dams.      The    work    i)rogressed 


Tlu-  DrainauL-  Canal     Walls  of  Solid  Stmu-  .VitifKially   I.aiil 


steailily.    and    sev(>ii    yeai's   al'Icr   srivmnd    was    broken    the   canal    was 
eomi>lctic|. 

The  drainage  canal  starts  in  tlie  southwestern  part  of  the  eil.v.  at 
the  ]ioint  were  Robey  street  ero.sses  the  south  branch  of  the  river,  and 
runs  |)aial!cl  willi  the  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  in  a  straight  line 
southwest  1(1  Suinniil.  a  dislanee  of  eight  miles.  This  stretch  of  canal 
has  a  width  cif  lln  tcct  at  the  liottiini  and  lUS  feet  at  the  waterline.  an<l 
a  niiriiniuMi  depth  of  22  fi'cl.  .\t  Sniiiniit  the  canal  turns  southward  and 
a  little  larllier  ilnwn  takes  a  westward  coiu'se  to  Willow  Springs,  live 
miles  iVniii  SuMuiiit.  This  section  is  2(12  fee!  wide  at  the  bolti>m  and 
2!)(t  at  the  wati'f's  edge,  the  depth  being  iniitorm  throughout.  From 
Willow  Spring's  it  runs  west  past  Sag  and  l.cmorit  to  Komen  whei-c  it 
makes  a  sharp  curve  southward  towarils  Lockport.  the  western  ler- 
minus,  located  about  (ifteen  miles  fr-oni  Willow  Springs.  This  slretidi 
is  cut  through  sidid  rock  and  the  corresponding  measurements  are  1(i() 
and  lti2  I'cel.     The  entire  length  of  tlie  canal  is  2S  miles. 


THE  DRAINAC.K  CANAI- 


169 


The  total  excavations  eoiii|iri.sc(l  41,41(),()(K)  eiiliie  yanls,  JS.oOO.OOO 
being  earth,  clay  and  gravel  and  12.!)1(),00(),  rock.  Hut  other  work  was 
also  necessary.  The  Desplaines  Kiver.  which  was  cut  or  touched  hy 
the  canal  route  at  a  number  of  points,  luul  to  he  led  into  other  channels, 
and  for  this  jjurpose  an  extra  can;il,  1:!  miles  in  lciii;lli,  was  dug  and  a 
levee  built  for  a  distance  of  1!)  miles.  The  new  ri\cr-l)e<l  is  200  feet 
wide  at  the  bottom  and  represents  an  excavation  of  2.0()S,().")9  cubic 
yards,  bringing  tlie  total  excavations  up  to  43,478,f)r)f)  cubic  yinils.  If 
all  this  material  bad  been  dumped  into  the  lake  it  would  lia\c  ronncd 
an  island  one  sijuarc  mile  in  area  and  12  feet  high  al)ove  water  lr\i'l. 
The  total  cost  of  digging  the  canal  was  >|<:'!;^.r>25.fi91.20. 


Tlie  Draiuai^e  Canal     Two  Jlilc  Curve  at  Romeo,   111. 


For  the  regulation  of  the  current  costly^  locks  were  constructed  at 
the  western  terminal  of  the  canal  at  Loekport.  There  are  seven  smaller 
locks  20  by  30  feet  and  one  large  one,  the  so-called  Bear  T'l-ap  Dam 
with  a  width  of  160  feet  and  a  vertical  play  of  17  feet.  The  latter 
consists  of  two  huge  sheet  iron  plates  joined  liy  means  of  hinges,  the 
lower  one  being  firndy  fastened  to  a  substantial  sulistructurc.  while 
the  npper  one  is  so  placed  as  to  obstruct  the  cui-rent.  This  mechanism 
is  operated  by  the  power  of  the  current  itself,  the  water  being  let  into 
special  conduits  and  regulated  by  a  set  of  valves  placed  directly  under 
the  iron  dam.  This  is  claimed  to  be  the  most  ingenious  piece  of  mechan- 
ism of  its  kind  in  the  world.  Near  the  locks  there  is  a  basin  large 
enough  to  permit  vessels  of  maximum  draft  to  turn. 

This  gigantic  piece  of  engineering  work  was  completed  in  seven 
years.  On  Jan.  2.  1900.  the  current  was  turned  into  the  canal,  and  on 
Jan.  17th.  when  this  had  been  filled,  the  great  locks  were  opened, 
causing  tlie   interesting  spectacle   of  the  Chicago   River   r(>versing   its 


l-jO  CHICAGO 

current.  Its  waters,  thick  with  filth  and  sewage,  foul-smelling  and 
almost  stagnant,  yet  sluggislily  moving  in  the  direction  of  Lake  ilichi- 
gan,  now  suddenly  changed  their  course  and  began  to  move  with  a 
speed  of  a  mile  and  a  half  per  hour  in  the  opposite  direction,  away  from 
the  river's  mouth  toward  its  source.  Its  color  quickly  changcil  from 
its  traditional  mud  color  to  a  light  greenish  tint,  lent  by  the  pure  waters 
drawn  from  the  lake.  Thus  the  constant  danger  to  the  purity  of 
Chicago's  water  supply  was  practically  averted  by  reversing  the  cur- 
rent of  a  navigable  stream.  At  the  same  time,  a  portion  of  waterway 
between  Lake  Jlichigan  and  the  ^lississippi.  planned  years  before,  had 
been  completed. 

The  Hennepin  Canail 

For  tlie  sake  of  completeness,  a  brief  sketch  of  this  latter  project 
is  here  subjoined.  The  old  Illinois  and  ilichigan  Canal  soon  was  found 
too  narrow  and  too  shallow  for  large  deep  draft  vessels,  and  in  the 
early  seventies  the  question  of  buildincr  a  new  canal  across  the  state 
was  raised.  A  canal  bill  was  presented  in  congress  and  in  1871 
government  engineers  made  a  preliminary  survey.  In  1890  an  appro- 
priation bill,  based  on  said  survey,  was  submitted,  and  Sept.  19th  the 
needed  ai)propriati(iii  was  granted.  Work  was  begun  at  the  western 
canal  terminus  in  July,  1892,  and  at  the  eastern  end  in  1894,  and  has 
been  in  progress  ever  since. 

The  Illinois  and  Mi.ssi.ssippi  Canal,  also  termed  the  Hennepin  Canal. 
starts  at  the  Illinois  River  one  and  three-quarters  of  a  mile  above  the 
city  of  Hennepin,  at  the  point  where  the  river  changes  its  course  from 
west  to  south.  Passing  the  Hurcau  Creek  valley  it  cuts  the  watershed 
between  llic  Illinois  and  Mississippi  rivers  and  empties  into  the  Rock 
River  at  the  point  where  the  Green  River  empties  into  that  stream, 
thence  following  the  Rock  its  entire  navigable  length  and  reaching 
the  Mississippi  after  flanking  the  rapids  at  the  village  of  Milan.  This 
the  main  line  of  the  canal  is  7;")  miles  in  length.  A  branch,  or  feeder, 
constructed  at  its  higlicst  altitude,  extends  from  a  point  near  Slieftield. 
located  28  miles  fidui  its  eastern  terminus,  in  a  northerly  direction  to 
Sterling,  where  it  tajis  the  Rock  Falls.  A  dam  built  at  that  jxiint  to 
force  the  current  into  the  canal  makes  the  Kock  Kivcr  navigable  to 
Dixon,  several  miles  northeast  of  Stcrlini.'.  This  feeder  has  n  length 
of  29  miles,  which,  added  to  the  main  channel,  makes  a  total  of  1t)4 
miles  of  waliTwiiy.  or  seven  miles  more  than  the  Illinois  and  Michigan 
Canal.  I-'iumi  llic  Illinois  Ki\-er  to  the  highest  point  there  is  a  rise  of 
19(j  fci'l,  and  this  section  has  21  locks,  varying  in  height  from  six  to 
fourteen  feet.  From  that  point  to  llu'  Mississippi  the  incline  is  9;i  feet 
which  is  overconii'  li\  iiiejnis  of  ten  similar  locks.  The  canal  is  80  feet 
wide  and  7  feet   deep  I  liroiiglioiil .     .Mong  its  entire  liMiglh  the  banks 


Till-:   IIICNNEPIN  CANAI,  171 

are  reinforced  ■with  solid  masonry.  The  sluices  are  170  feet  in  lengtli 
and  35  feet  in  width,  admitting  vessels  140  feet  long,  32  feet  wide  and 
Avitli  a  tonnage  of  600.  The  locks,  bridges  and  aqueducts  are  all  built 
of  cement  and  steel,  the  smaller  culverts  of  steel  mains. 

This  canal  shortens  the  route  by  water  from  Chicago  to  the  Missis- 
sippi by  no  less  than  400  miles  by  cutting  across  from  the  great  bend 
of  the  Illinois  River  almost  directly  westward  to  the  Mississippi.  The 
extension  of  the  old  canal  was  the  Illinois  River  which,  after  meander- 
ing through  the  state,  empties  into  the  Mississippi  not  far  from  the 
confluence  of  the  IMissouri.  But  in  order  to  open  a  deep  waterway 
all  the  way  from  the  lakes  to  the  ilississippi  it  will  be  necessary  to 
deepen  the  old  Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal  between  the  terminus  of 
the  drainage  canal  at  Lockport  and  the  city  of  La  Salle,  where  the 
Illinois  becomes  navigable.  The  first  steamer  passed  through  the  Hen- 
nepin Canal  in  November,  1907. 

The  cost  of  the  Hennepin  Canal  was  estimated  at  $6,926,000,  in- 
cluding $1,858,000  for  the  feeder,  but  through  certain  changes  in  the 
course  and  reduced  cost  of  material,  a  substantial  saving  was  made. 


CHAPTER   III 


The  First  Swedes  in   Illinois 


Raphael  Widen,  the  First  Sv^edish  Pioneer  in  the  State 


HE  first  Swede  in  Illinois  was.  so  far  as  known  to  a  cer- 
tainly, one  Raphael  Widen.  The  year  and  plaee  of  his 
iiirtli  arc  unknown,  bnt  it  is  a  matter  of  reeord  that  at 
till'  age  of  eight  he  was  brought  from  Sweden  to  F^-ance 
where  lie  was  educated  for  the  Catholic  priesthood.  It  is 
nut  known  when  he  emigrated  to  Ihe  I'liitcil  States.  It  is  noted  in  the 
Territorial  Records  of  Illinois  that  Raphael  Widen  was  appointed 
.jiisti<-e  of  the  peace  of  St.  Clair  <-ount,v  on  Jan.  12.  1814.  by  the  terri- 
loi'ial  governor.  Xinian  Edwards.  He  lived  at  Cahokia.  the  county  seat, 
where  he  married,  in  1818.  into  a  Fi-cncli  family  of  that  place.  Remov- 
ing to  Kaskaskia.  Randolph  comity,  he  was  one  of  the  fourteen  terri- 
torial .justices  who  conducted  the  affairs  of  Randolph  county  during 
the  iiitcrrcgnuiii  from  December.  1818.  to  .Ma.\.  1S1!I.  the  last  meeting 
being  held  April.  1!).  1810.  Widen  c(tntinucd  to  ai't  as  justice  i>f  the 
pea<M'  as  late  as  18H1  and  [jresmnably  still  lonirer. 

I'llexcii  iii.iniiNiripts  in  Widen 's  liand  ari-  preserved  in  the  Menard 
collection  of  niainisci'ipts  at  the  Chicago  Historical  Society.  The  i.irliest 
is  a  contract  for  the  rent  of  a  piece  of  land.  It  is  written  in  French,  is 
dated  Hay  24.  181!i.  and  covers  two  pages.  The  signatures  of  the  con- 
tracting parties  are  made  in  Widen 's  band,  thev  each  marking  a  cross. 
A  |iliot()gra])li  of  a  promissory  note  written  in  French  is  repro- 
duced nil  the  njiposite  page.  There  are  four  notes  in  English,  two 
executions  and  two  summons  jiapcrs.  The  lalesi  dale  on  Ihe  papi-rs  is 
Oct.  24,  1S:{1.  There  is  also  a  trust  deed  for  .1;4(I!I.!I7  lo  secure  a  loan 
ri'(iiii  rieire  .Miiiai'd.  first  lieuteiiaiil  governor  of  Illinois,  lo  .Manriec 
I).  Smith  and  wife,  l»;ipliai'l  Widen  ami  Felix  St.  \' rains  being  named 
as  trustees. 

\Vi<len  became  a  mail  of  iimre  limn  loejil  prominence.     He  was  the 
repri'si'iital  ive   uf   b'aiidnlpli   eoiml\    in    Ihe  sei'niid   and    tliinl   (ieneral 


R.M'IIAia,   WIDEN 


173 


Assfiiihlies  (if  the   vouiij,'  state   (1820-24).  and  a   iiiciiilici-  iit  tlic  senate 
ill  tlie  fourth  and  fifth  (ietieral  Asseiiihlies  (1824-28).  Duriii-r  the  second 


o 


3 

Gfq 

t    4 

o 


lis  ^  t  V 


session  of  the  fourth  General  Assembly  iu  1826,  he  was  president  of 
the  senate. 

His  career  as  legislator  of  the  new  frontier  state  was  coincident 
with  the  period  of  heated  debate  over  the  question  whether  the  state 
was  to  be  slave  or  free.     Widen  took  a  stand  by  which  he  deserves 


174  THK  riRST  SWETJES 

lasting  houor  and  rcsijoct.  He  was  the  sworn  oiieniy  of  slavery  and 
expressed  his  views  freely  and  fearlessly  in  the  legislature.  When"  on 
the  11th  day  of  February,  1823,  while  he  was  serving  his  second  term 
as  representative,  a  motion  was  made  in  the  house  to  submit  to  a 
popular  vote  the  question  of  calling  a  convention  for  the  revision  of 
the  constitution  in  tlie  interest  of  slavery.  "Widen  was  amon«r  those 
who  voted  resolutely  against  it.  This  is  all  the  more  notable  when  it 
is  considered  that  he  was  one  of  the  only  two  anti-convention  repre- 
sentatives from  the  middle  or  southern  portion  of  the  state  to  oppose 
the  bill.  The  motion  carried  with  a  majority  of  oue  vole  in  the  house, 
after  having  passed  the  senate  by  a  majority  of  two-thirds,  and  as  told 
in  foregoing  pages,  the  question  was  submitted  to  the  people  at  the 
election  of  August  2,  1824.  The  pro-slavery  convention  proposition 
was  lo.st  by  a  vote  of  6,640  against  it  to  4,972  in  its  favor,  settling  the 
slavery  question  for  all  time  in  the  state. 

Widen  lived  in  Kaskaskia  when  Lafayette  made  his  visit  at  that 
place  April  30,  1825.  A  reference  has  been  found  to  "Edward  Widen, 
the  polished  gentleman  and  enterprising  merchant."  as  having  been 
one  of  those  present  at  the  reception  to  the  French  hero.  This  un- 
doubtedly refers  to  Raphael  Widen  in  spite  of  the  inaccviraey.  Widen 
died  in  Kaska.skia  from  cholera  in  1833. 

That  there  were  a  number  of  Swedes  among  those  who  settled  in 
Illinois  in  its  territorial  period  admits  of  no  doubt.  Though  Widen  is 
the  first  of  whom  we  have  definite  information,  most  likely  there  were 
othei-s  of  whom  we  will  never  know.  In  the  annals  of  early  Illinois 
names  characteristically  Swedisli  are  not  infrequent.  One  Paul  Haral- 
son (also  written  Ilarrolson  and  Ilarelston),  is  said  to  have  settled 
on  tlie  west  side  of  the  Kaskaskia  River,  near  the  mouth  of  (\uni>'s 
Creek,  in  Randolpii  county,  in  1802.  He  became  a  man  of  prominence 
in  those  early  days  and  is  said  to  have  held  the  office  of  sheriff  for  a 
short  time.  In  the  ])('i-iod  of  1803-01)  he  served  as  county  eonnnissioner. 
and  also  as  county  clerk  of  Randolph  county,  being  the  third  nuni  to 
hold  that  office.  The  public  records  make  no  nuMition  of  him  as 
sheriff,  but  in  the  official  list  of  surveyors  the  name  of  Taul  Harrolson 
is  third  in  order.  His  appointment  by  Gov.  Edwards  to  the  latter 
office  was  dated  April  7,  1814.  In  the  absence  of  proofs  of  his  Swedish 
origin,  we  can  nuTcly  suppose  that  he  was  a  Swedish  descendant, 
whose  name  was  originally  written  llaraldson. 

In  looking  over  tiic  lists  of  nuunbers  of  the  Illinois  militia  in  the 
War  of  1812,  several  names  instantly  impress  one  as  being  Swedish. 
One  is  that  of  Hankson  an  Americanized  form  of  Hengtson.  common 
among  liie  Delaware  colonists.  One  of  liie  eminent  pei-sonages  anuing 
tlie  Delaware  Swedes  was  .\n(lrew  Mankson.  Aiul  here  we  find  the 
same  name,  borne  li\-  a  iiinn  who  was  a  lienlenant   in  the  Second  Regi- 


JACOI!     FAI.STROM 


175 


luent,  from  St.  Cliiir  coiinly,  before  tlir  wjir  ami  diiriiiu:  tin;  war  a 
private  in  a  company  of  mounti'd  liflcini'ii.  IIi^  was  subsequently 
jiromoted  set'oiid  liciiliMiaiit  iiiidcr  the  nanu^  of  Hanlistoii,  manifestly 
a  misspelling,'. 

On  April  5,  1817,  Andrew  Bankson  was  appointed  major  of  the 
second  militia  regiment  by  Ninian  Edwards,  the  territorial  governor, 
and  on  March  3,  1818,  promoted  colonel  of  the  tenth  militia.  He 
resigned  his  colonelcy  Sept.  9th  following  but  the  name  of  Col.  Andrew 
Bankson  reappears  in  the  old  records  ten  years  later,  in  the  list  of 
thirty-three  men  chosen  managers  of  SIcKendree  College  in  1828. 

In  the  military  lists  are  mentioned  two  other  men  of  the  same 
surname — James  Bankson,  sergeant  of  Capt.  Nathan  Chambers'  com- 
pany of  infantry,  and  Patten  Bankson,  private  in  the  same  company. 
One  Elijah  Bankson  was  a  brother  of  Andrew  and  Patton  Bankson. 
Not  unnaturally  the  inference  may  be  drawn  that  these  were  descend- 
ants of  Delaware  families  of  the  same  name,  but  the  probability, 
admittedly  slight,  is  not  strengthened  by  the  known  fact  that  the 
Banksons  here  encountered  came  to  Illinois  from  Tennessee. 

Among  the  comrades  of  Andrew  Bankson  was  one  David  Eckman. 
That  he  was  a  Swede  or  of  Swedish  descent  cannot  be  doubted.  Of 
him  we  know  nothing  more  than  this,  that  he  voluntaiuly  shouldered 
the  musket  and  risked  his  life  to  protect  the  commmiity  against  its 
foes.  Again,  in  the  list  of  privates  in  the  Foui'th  Eegiment  we  find 
two  names  with  a  decidedly  Swedish  ring — John  and  Andrew  Hallin. 
These  men,  i^resumably  brothers,  were  members  of  Capt.  Dudley 
AVilliams'  company  of  the  Fourth  Illinois  ililitia. 

Jacob  Falstrom,  Frontiersman  and  Missionary 

In  the  Northwest  Territory  there  lived  among  the  Indians  for 
about  forty  years,  dating  from  the  early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century, 
a  Swede  by  the  name  of  Jacob  Palstrom.  He  seems  to  have  come  to 
the  West  contemporaneously  with  Raphael  Widen  and  is  said  to  have 
arrived  in  Minnesota  prior  to  the  year  1819.  Falstrom  was  born  in 
Stockholm,  July  25th  in  the  year  1793  or  1795.  He  left  home  at  twelve 
or  fourteen  years  of  age  and  went  to  sea  with  his  imcle.  Stories  diif er 
as  to  how  he  came  to  emigrate.  One  version  has  it  that  he  lost  his  way 
in  London  and,  unable  to  find  his  way  back  to  his  uncle's  ship,  took 
passage  to  America ;  another  that  he  ran  away  from  his  uncle,  who  was 
cruel  to  him,  both  agreeing  that  he  landed  in  Canada.  Col.  Hans 
Mattson,  who  met  Falstrom  at  St.  Paul  in  1854,  saj's  that  the  boy 
deserted  a  Swedish  ship  in  the  port  of  Quebec  and,  picking  his  way 
through  the  wilderness,  sought  refuge  among  the  Indians.  He  was 
content  to  stay  among  the  red.skins  and  ultimately  became  more  closely 


176  THE  FIRST  SWEDES 

allied  with  the  natives  iiy  iiiarryiiif;  into  one  of  their  trilies.  He  was 
a  man  well-known  to  the  Hudson  Hay  Company,  and  to  the  early 
settlers  in  the  upper  ilississippi  valley. 

Falstriim.  who  sj)oke  Frencli  and  several  Indian  lantruau'es.  was 
employed  by  the  American  Fur  l"om|iany  to  trade  with  the  natives 
around  Lake  Superior.  With  iiis  Indian  wife  he  had  several  ehildren. 
Some  of  his  deseendanls  are  still  livitifr  in  'Washinfrton  eounty.  Miiui., 
where  Falstroni  staked  a  elaim  in  1)S:{7.  In  relating  his  e.xperienee  to 
f'ol.  .Mattson.  he  stated  that  for  about  thirty-five  years,  or  until  he  met 
the  (ir.st  Swedish  settlers  in  the  St.  Croi.x  valley,  he  had  not  heard  a 
word  of  Swedish  s|)okeii  and  as  a  ennse(|iienee  had  almost  eom|>letely 
lost  e<iiniii;inil  of  Ills  unlive  lipnirue.  Duriiijr  his  later  years  Falstrijm 
was  very  relitrious  and  for  a  loii'r  time  acted  as  a  missionary  anion*; 
the  Indians,  apparently  atliiiatinu;  with  Methodism.  As  a  missionary 
he  probably  antedated  all  other  Swedish  jiioneer  preachers  in  the  West. 
Falsli-iim  jjassed  away  in  the  year  IS.')!).  He  exerti'd  but  little  of  a 
eivilizinji  intiuence.  and  his  ilescendants  are  said  to  live  in  semi- 
savajrery  to  this  day. 

Christian  Benson,  the  First  Swedish  Farmer  in  Illinois 

III  I  lie  year  1M;{.')  a  Swedish  pioneer  .if  Illinois  arrived  in  tin-  person 
of  ('lirJNlian  Benson,  who.  however,  made  no  mark  in  public  life,  but 
li\i'il  <|uietly  as  a  farmer. 

lie  Wiis  born  in  (Joteborfj  in  ISO."),  went  to  sea  at  the  age  of  seven 
and  Fiilloweil  that  occui)ation  until  his  thirtieth  year.  He  first  eame  to 
.\iiieric;i  in  IS]!).  In  1827  he  married  Maria  Hantherson  at  Providence. 
K.  I.  Ijater  he  returned  to  his  seafaring  lifi'.  coming  to  America  for  the 
third  time  in  ]H.S').  That  year  he  settleil  in  I'oi-tland  township.  White- 
side eounty.  illinnis.  not  tai-  fi-oni  the  present  city  of  Kock  Island,  and 
went  to  farming.  In  his  old  age  he  was  eared  for  by  his  two  children. 
Benson  was  tiie  liist  known  Swedish  fanner  in  the  state.  He  was 
still  living  in  ISSO  aiul  was  sjiokeTi  of  as  a  stanch  adherent  of  the  Ke- 
piiblieaii  party. 

Jonas  Hedstrom,  the  First  Swedish  Clergyman  in  Illinois 

.\iiiong  the  tirst  Swedes  to  set  foot  on  Illinois  soil  was  Jonas 
Iledstriim.  As  Widen  had  aci|nired  |)rominence  in  the  field  of  politics, 
so  HedstiN'im  became  renowned  as  a  jtioneer  in  church  work.  He  was 
the  first  mail  \i>  |iriaili  the  gosi)eI  in  the  Swedish  langiuige  here  and 
became  the  foinidei-  and  pioneer  of  Swedish  Methodism  in  Ihi'  West. 

An  elder  brother.  Olof  (instaf  lledstrc'im.  persmided  , Jonas  to  emi- 
grate to  .\merica.  The  elder  Iledstriim  was  born  in  Tviuneshe<l«,  Notle- 
biick  parish.  SMuihiiicI,  .M.iy  11.  ISO:!.     The  puri'iils  were  Corporal  Hed- 


JONAS  HEDSTROM 


'77 


strciiii  iiiul  liis  wife  Kariii,  who  luiil  rmir  sons  besides  Oiof  Gustat'.  and 
two  ilanghters.  The  eldest  son  was  put  to  work  as  a  tailor's  apprentice 
at  au  early  age,  but  in  1825.  at  the  a{i;e  of  twenty-two.  he  left  the  old 
country  and  came  to  the  United  States  the  following  yeai'.  His  trip 
across  the  Atlantic  was  made  under  remarkable  circumstances.  He 
became  secretary  to  the  commander  of  a  frigate  named  "af  Chapman." 
one  of  the  Swedish  war  vessels  sold  to  the  republic  of  Colombia,  to  be 
used  by  that  and  other  South  American  colonies  in  their  war  for  indc- 
jiendenee  against  Spain.  Tliis  transaction,  as  every  one  familiar  with 
Swedish  history  knows,  caused  interiiati()nal  complications  and  came 


Olof  Gustaf  Hedstroiii 


near  involving  Sweden  in  war.  This,  however,  was  averted  when  a 
later  sale  of  three  other  warships  was  annulled.  The  frigate  "af  Chap- 
man," which  departed  from  Karlskrona  in  the  summer  of  1825  arrived 
safely  at  Cartagena,  Colombia,  but  orders  awaited  Commodore  C.  R. 
Nordenskiold,  its  commander,  not  to  transfer  the  ship  to  the  Colombian 
government.  In  ilarch,  1826,  the  frigate  was  ordered  from  Cartagena 
to  New  York,  where  the  expedition  disbanded  after  numerous  diffi- 
culties and  complications,  and  the  vessel  was  sold.  Having  been  fully 
paid,  the  crew  were  granted  passage  back  to  Sweden,  but  young  Hed- 
striim  and  several  others  chose  to  remain  in  New  York. 

Hedstrom  had  no  intention  of  remaining  permanently,  but  a  mis- 
fortune forced  him  to  do  so.  The  same  day  that  the  crew  was  paid  and 
mustered  out  of  service,  Hedstrom  and  a  number  of  comrades  went 


178 


THE  FIRST  SWEDES 


ashore  to  see  the  city,  and  at  niorlit  they  took  lodgiug  at  a  hotel  for 
seamen.  When  he  woUi-  up  in  the  morning  he  fouad  to  his  chagriu 
tliat  he  had  been  roldjcd  of  everythinfr.  t-veii  to  his  eh»thes.  lie  toKl 
his  liosti-ss,   ui  Irisinvonian.  of  his  misfortune  and  slie  kindly  jiromred 


Jdiius  Ilfilslrom 

a  suit  of  I'liilhcs  liir  him.     Deslituli'  as  hi'  was.  a  .jciufni-y  to  Swi'di^n  was 

out  of  till'  i|Ui'st  iiiii.  so  he  sul)mitted  to  fati'  and  i-cinaiiicd  \\  lnTe  he  was. 

Tile  tradi'  he  had   IcaiMU'd   in  Sweden   now   proved   very   useful  to 

hiiM.      ill-  was  employed  hy   an    Amerii-an   tailor.   Townsend   liy   name. 


JONAS  HKDSTROM  1 79 

and  at'tcr  a  yi'sir  or  two  he  sct'urod  eiii[)l()\iiiciil  as  cultcr,  earning  f^ood 
wages,  fii  the  same  shop  was  employed  a  yonug  woman,  Caroline 
Piuckney,  a  cousin  of  Townsond,  to  whom  Ilcdstrom  w.as  married  June 
11,  182!).  Slio  was  of  the  Methodist  faith,  and  tlirough  her  intlueiu-e 
Iledstrcim  a  few  weeks  later  joined  that  denomination,  becoming  at 
once  an  ardent  worker  in  the  ehureh.  Later  he  removed  to  Pittsville, 
Pa.,  where  he  opened  a  tailor  shop  of  his  own.  The  venture  proved 
rather  uiisueeessful,  causing  him  to  sell  out  his  stock.  He  returned  to 
Sweden  in  1833  apparently  with  a  view  to  awakening  his  parents  to 
their  spiritual  wants,  a  mission  in  wliieh  he  s(>enied  to  have  heen 
successful. 

On  the  return  voyage  the  same  year  Iledstriim  brought  with  him 
his  younger  brother  Jonas,  born  Aug.  13,  1813,  and  at  that  time  a 
youth  of  twenty.  The  trip  was  a  perilous  one.  One  awful  night,  when 
death  seemed  to  lurk  on  every  side,  the  younger  Hedstrom  underwent 
a  total  change  spiritually,  to  the  great  .joy  of  the  elder  brother.  On 
their  arrival  in  America,  Olof  Gustaf  Hedstrom  began  to  preach ;  in 
1835  he  was  received,  on  probation,  into  the  New  York  Conference  of 
the  Jlethodist-Episcopal  Church;  for  ten  years  he  labored  as  itinerant 
preacher  among  the  American  ]\Ietlu)dists  in  the  Catskill  region.  By- 
dint  of  his  fiery  and  convincing  eloquence,  equalled  by  few,  he  met 
with  great  success.  It  was,  however,  not  among  the  Anu^rican  popula- 
tion, but  among  his  own  countrymen  and  other  Scandinavians,  that  he 
was  to  perform  his  life-work.  In  1844  he  entered  into  earnest  corre- 
spondence with  friends  in  New  York  with  reference  to  the  opening  of 
a  new  Methodist  mission  among  the  large  numbers  of  Scandinavian 
seamen  who  annually  visit  that  port  and  among  the  immigrants  and 
the  few  Swedes  that  had  already  settled  in  New  York  City.  The  ship 
"Henry  Leeds"  was  purchased  with  money  subscribed  for  that  pur- 
pose, the  vessel  remodeled  as  a  mission  ship  M'ith  chapel  and  Sunday 
school  rooms,  re-named  the  "John  Wesley"  and  anchored  at  suitable 
points  in  the  North  River.  In  this  mission  ship,  better  known  as  the 
Bethel  ship,  HecLstrom  conducted  the  first  services  on  Whits-uiday, 
May  25,  1845.  He  was  ably  assisted  by  several  others,  among  whom 
Peter  Bergner,  a  former  sailor  and  ship's  carpenter.  In  1857  a  new 
Bethel  ship  took  the  place  of  the  old  one,  but  Hedstrom  remained  at  his 
post.  He  made  occasional  trips  to  other  ports,  and  founded  the  Swedish 
Methodist-Episcopal  churches  at  Jame.stown,  N.  Y.,  and  Chandler's 
Valley,  Pa.,  in  1851,  and  at  Chicago  the  following  year.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1863  he  re-visited  Sweden,  preaching  in  many  places  to  large 
concourses  of  interested  listeners.  He  labored  without  interruption 
imtil  1875  when  he  was  forced  to  retire  owing  to  failing  health,  but 
still  retained  much  of  his  former  fire  and  vigor  even  in  old  age.  Hed- 
strom died  in  New  York  City  May  5,  1877,  at  the  age  of  74.    A  hand- 


l8o  THE  FIRST  SWEDES 

some  nionuiiu'iit  in  Gri't'iiwuod  ("ciiu'tery,  Brooklyn,  marks  his  last 
lesting  i>laee.  By  his  side  reposes  his  beloved  wife,  who  died  in  1890 
at  the  rij)e  affe  of  eijrhty-six  years.  They  had  three  ehildreii.  one  being 
Dr.  Wilbur  Iledstriini.  who  is  still  living. 

We  have  traeeil  the  life  of  the  elder  Iledstrom  thus  minutely  by 
reason  of  its  intimate  eonuection  with  that  of  the  younger  brother,  to 
whose  career  we  now  turn. 

Jonas  Iledstrom  remained  for  a  sliort  liiiu-  in  New  York,  then 
spent  some  years  in  Pennsylvania,  where  he  earned  his  living  iu  the 
blacksmith's  trade,  and  a  very  good  blacksmith  was  he.  At  this  time 
he  formed  tiie  ac<|uaintanee  of  a  family  by  the  name  of  Sornberger 
wliicli  soon  afterward  removed  to  Knox  county.  HI.  The  young 
Swcdisli  artisan  had  formed  an  attachment  for  Diantha  Sornberger.  a 
daughter  in  tlic  family,  anil  in  1SU7  or  18.'5S  Hedstriim  followed.  After 
marrying  his  affianced,  he  removed  to  the  little  village  of  Farmington, 
in  Fulton  county,  where  he  opened  a  blacksmith  shop.  Shortly  after- 
wards he  began  preaching,  having  been  duly  licensed  by  the  local 
authorities  of  the  Methodist  Church.  His  license  was  renewed  the  next 
year.  Later  he  removed  to  Knox  county  and  l)ecanu'  one  of  the  found- 
ers of  the  town  of  Vietoi-ia.  where  he  lived  at  the  tinu'  of  the  tiret 
Swedish  immigration  fi>  Illinois,  and  continued  to  reside  until  his  death. 
By  diligent  and  skillful  ap|)lication  to  his  trade,  he  there  accpiired  a 
sufficient  incimie  to  build  a  rather  comfortable  houu'.  where  nutny  a 
poor  inunigrant  and  weai  \  wayfarer  enjoyed  hospitable  entertainment. 
And  he  ])rcachcd  as  energetically  as  he  sledged.  During  the  years  fol- 
lowing, he  preached  in  the  Knglish  language  to  the  Americans  in  the 
various  school-houses  round  about  Victoria  as  well  as  in  the  neighbor- 
ing towns  of  Lafayette.  Knoxville  aiul  others.  There  being  no  Swcilish 
settlers  in  that  region  or  in  auy  other  part  of  the  state  at  this  tinu'.  he 
had  no  occasion  to  preach  the  Gospel  in  his  mother  tongue.  By  con- 
stant disuse,  the  Swedish  language  was  gradually  forgotten  by  him: 
but  when  in  the  early  sunnncr  of  1.^4")  he  received  a  letter  from  his 
brother  saying  that  he  had  been  appointed  missionary  to  the  Scandi- 
navian seamen  and  had  already  begun  preaching  in  the  Swedish  lang- 
uage, it  occurred  to  the  younger  brother  that  he  also  ought  to  ri-vive 
his  mother  tongue,  in  order  that  he  might  expound  the  Gospel  to  the 
Swedish  immi'.'riints  which  his  brother  ])rcdicted  soon  wo\ild  begin  to 
arrive  and  settle  in  those  parts.  He.  tlu'reforc,  procured  tirst  a  copy  of 
the  .\"ew  Testament  in  Swedish  ami  Knglish.  then  a  Swedish  Bible  com- 
plete, ami  fell  to  study  his  forgotten  native  tongue  with  gn-at  assiduity. 
His  brother's  predictions  were  soon  fidlillcd.  Group  after  group  of 
Swedish  innnigrants  arrived  at  New  York,  where  they  were  lli-st  met 
by  the  elder  Iledstrom,  who  took  a  keen  interest  iu  their  lempi>ral  a.s 
Well  as  their  snirilnal   welfare.     With  his  knowb'dge  of  conditions  in 


JONAS    HKDSTROM  i8l 

Illinois,  acquired  thr()uj;li  his  l)rotlK'r,  lie  whs  in  a  position  to  reeoni- 
niend  that  region  as  a  desirable  plaee  of  settlement.  I\Iany  were  they 
who  followed  his  advice,  jonrneying  westward  to  Victoria  where  the 
younger  Hedstrom  stood  ever  ready  to  assist.  By  renewed  use,  in  the 
next  few  years  he  again  ae(inired  the  ability  to  speak  the  Swedish 
tongue  fluently. 

Although  great  tracts  of  good  agricultural  land  were  to  be  had 
much  nearer,  large  numbers  of  .Swedish  immigrants  came  all  the  way 
to  Illinois,  owing  to  the  activity  of  the  brothers  Hedstrom.  To  them  is 
due  also  no  small  share  of  credit  for  the  continued  influx  of  Swedes 
into  this  state.  But  there  is  a  third  Swedish  pioneer  who,  as  we  will 
presently  see,  played  an  important  part  in  directing  Swedish  immi- 
grants to  Illinois. 

Hedstrom  preached  his  first  sermon  in  the  Swedish  language  Dec. 
15,  1846.  in  a  little  blockhouse  in  the  woods,  about  three  miles  south- 
east of  the  present  town  of  Victoria,  the  occasion  being  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  first  Swedish  :\Iethodist  Church.  This  congregation,  started 
with  five  members,  was  also  the  first  church  organization  of  Swedish 
natiorjality  in  this  country  since  the  time  of  the  Delaware  settlements. 
The  Erik  Jaussonists  of  Bishop  Ilill.  who  will  be  dealt  with  in  the 
following  chapter,  had  begun  to  arrive  in  July  of  the  same  year  and 
constituted  a  sort  of  religious  band,  but  could  not  as  yet  lie  said  to 
exist  as  a  church  in  the  strict  sense  of  the  word.  The  Jlethodist  prop- 
aganda among  the  Swedish  settlers  grew  apace  under  the  direction  of 
Hedstrom,  several  new  churches  being  founded  in  the  course  of  the 
next  few  years.  This  growth  will  be  more  full.v  shown  in  the  chapter 
dealing  especially  with  Swedish  Methodism  in  Illinois. 

Owing  to  his  restless  endeavors  and  the  great  privations  attending 
his  constant  travels  in  the  service  of  his  cause,  Hedstrom 's  health 
broke  down,  compelling  his  retirement  in  the  fall  of  1857.  His  powers 
continued  to  wane,  and  on  I\Iay  11,  1859,  he  ended  his  useful  career, 
dying  at  the  age  of  nearly  46  years.  His  body  was  buried  in  the  Vic- 
toria cemetery,  where  a  monument  was  placed  upon  his  grave.  His 
wife  died  in  1874  and  was  biiried  at  his  side.  The  pair  had  five  chil- 
dren, two  of  whom  are  thought  to  be  still  living,  viz.,  Luther  Hedstrom 
and  ]\Irs.  Becker. 

Hedstrom  has  been  very  differently  .judged  according  to  the  sec- 
tarian viewpomts  of  those  making  the  estimate.  B.v  his  adversaries  he 
has  been  made  out  a  l.ving,  cheating,  deceitful,  fanatical  and  selfish 
person,  while  his  close  friends  and  brethren  in  the  faith,  on  the  other 
hand,  ascribe  to  him  every  virtue  and  set  him  up  as  a  model  of  per- 
fection. Both  sides,  however,  appear  to  have  exaggerated  his  personal 
traits.  During  this  eai-ly  and  formative  period  in  our  history, 
the  lines  were  sharply  drawn  between  the  different  religious  groups. 


1 82  THK   FIRST    SWEDES 

To  respect  the  opinions  of  others  these  early  settlers  had  n-it  yet 
learned,  and  intnlt  rame  reifjiied  sii|)renie.  Hedstriini  was  fana'ieally 
devoted  to  Methodism  and  did  everything  in  his  power  to  disseminate 
its  teaehiiifrs  ainnn<r  his  coimtrymen.  Possessing  a  greater  propiirtion 
of  zeal  and  <'iitliiisiasin  than  of  erudition  anil  good  judgment,  he  fre- 
(juently.  l)y  a  lack  of  deference  and  tact,  gave  rise  to  serious  contro- 
versies with  n-pri'sentativcs  of  other  dciioniinations.  themselves  devoid 
of  spiritual  moderation.  That  he  acted  from  jiurc  motives  and  with  a 
sincere  purpose  of  benefiting  his  fellowmen,  no  one.  however  bigoted, 
can  deny. 

As  his  elder  brother.  O.  G.  Iledstrom.  may  be  styled  the  father  of 
Swedish  Methodism,  and  the  Bethel  ship  in  New  York  harbor  its  cradle. 
so  Jonas  IlfMlsti'iim  may  with  ('(|ual  .justice  l)e  called  the  fiunuler  aiul 
pioneer  of  ^lethodism  anujug  the  Swc(les  of  the  West,  and  thi-  rude 
blockhouse  near  Victoria  the  starting-point  of  his  endeavors.  Jonas 
Iledstrom  was  not  only  the  first  Swedish  i)i-caflier  in  Illinois.  I»ut  the 
first  Swedish  exponent  of  material  progress  in  these  regions.  For  these 
reasons  his  name  will  always  have  a  prominent  place  in  the  history  of 
the  Swedes  in  the  state  and  in  flic  entire  countrv. 

O.  G.  Lang'e,  tKe  First  Sv/ede  in  Chicago 

0.  (i.  Lauge  was  another  early  Swedish  i)ioneer  of  Illinois,  and 
he  also  had  the  distinction  of  being  the  first  known  Swede  in  Chicago 
and  Cook  county. 

Olof  Gottfrid  Lange  was  born  July  4.  USl  1.  in  tlic  city  of  Goteborg. 
July  27.  1S'J4.  he  hired  as  cabin  watch  on  an  .Vmerican  brig,  bouiul  for 
Boston,  where  he  landed  Sept.  :i(»th.  lie  renuiined  a  sailor  for  more 
than  ten  years,  serving  in  the  .\merican  and  the  British  navies. 

In  18.'58  he  a1)audoned  the  sea  for  the  great  West  and  arrived  on 
Sept  IHtli  at  Chicago,  which  had  received  its  city  charter  one  ycir  ago. 
If  there  h;iil  been  any  of  his  countrynu-Ti  ahead  of  him.  he  would  have 
had  no  ditlicully  in  finding  them,  for  at  that  time  the  city  had  a  popu- 
lation of  oidy  4,17!).  Several  Norwegians,  however,  had  settlctl  here, 
and  these  he  gave  lessons  in  the  English  language,  meeting  his  pupils 
at   Fort   Dearboi-n. 

Later  he  opcne<l  a  drug  store  ui'ar  Chicago,  at  a  point  on  the 
Illinois  and  Michigan  Canal,  which  was  then  being  dug.  A  severe 
attack  of  the  ague  soon  cau.sed  him  to  give  uj)  the  business,  whereupon 
he  went  lo  .Milwaukee  and  became,  as  in  Chicago,  the  first  Swedish 
settb'r  in  the  conununily.  It  was  his  privilege  to  receivi'  (iustaf 
Unonius  and  his  companions,  when  they  arrived  in  Wisconsin  in  the 
fall  of  1.S41.  In  .Milwaukee  Lange  became  the  numager  of  a  hanlware 
store,  owned  by  a  man  who  later  became  govenuir  of  Wisconsin.  .Vfter 
a  slioi-l    time,   Lange  went    into  business  for  himsi-ir  in   eoiiartiiei-ship 


O.  C.  I.ANGH 


183 


■with  one  llulbcrt  Keed.  It  was  at  tliis  tiiiii!  Fi'cdrika  Hri'iiKT,  the 
Swedish  authoress,  visited  the  United  States.  Wiicn  siic  k'ft  Chieago 
for  Milwaukee  in  September,  1850,  iJange  received  her  into  his  liome, 
entertained  her  for  several  days,  and  then  accompanied  lii'i'  on  :i  visit 
to  the  Pine  Lake  settlement  founded  by  Gnstaf  Unonius. 

Afterwards  Lange  became  traveling  representative  of  the  Rath- 
bone  &  Corning  stove  manufacturing  company  of  All)any,  X.  Y.  Hav- 
ing lived  a  sliort  time  in  Ciiarleston.  S.  C,  he  settled  in  Watertown, 


Olof  Gottfrid  Lange 

Wis.,  and  became  passenger  agent  for  a  section  of  the  Chieago 
and  Northwestern  Eailway.  Not  content  with  this  occupation, 
Lange,  who  had  cultivated  a  taste  for  change  and  variety,  moved  to 
Kenosha,  Wis.,  in  1856  and  there  started  a  foundry  which  four  years 
later  was  removed  to  the  corner  of  Kingsbury  and  Michigan  streets, 
Chicago.    Thus  Lange  became  a  Chicagoan  for  the  second  time. 

In  1S66  he  made  a  trip  to  Sweden  for  his  health.  On  his  return 
he  brought  a  library  of  500  volumes  together  with  a  number  of  art 
portfolios,  for  the  Svea  Society,  a  Swedish  association  alreadj' 
existing  in  Chicago.     A  large  part  of  the  collection  was  donated  by 


1 84 


THE  FIRST  SWEDES 


King  Charles  XV.  of  Sweden  ami  his  family.  For  this  service  to  the 
society  Laiige  was  made  an  lioiiorary  meiiil)er  and  jiresented  '.vith  a 
valuable  badge.  Tiie  library  of  this  society  was  totally  destroyed  in 
the  great  fire  of  1871. 

Lange  is  said  to  have  tried  his  fortune  at  one  time  on  the  board  of 
trade.  The  fact  that  he  did  not  continue  to  trade  on  the  board  would 
seem  to  indicate  that  his  venture  was  not  siiecessfnl.  The  last  twenty- 
five  years  of  his  life  he  devoted  to  solieitinir  life  insuranee  for  various 
companies.  Willi  reference  to  the  250th  anniversary  of  the  landing  of 
the  Swedes  on  the  Delaware,  eommemorati'd  in  the  fall  of  1888.  Lange. 
in  tlie  issue  of  "The  Swedish-American'"  for  Ajiril  18.  1889,  proposed 
tiiat  liis  coiiiitryiiH'ii  in  America  annually  celebrate  "Forefathers' 
Day,"  and  in  many  localities  the  .suggestion  was  carried  out  during  the 
next  few  years. 

In  July.  ISO'-i.  the  venerable  pioneer  had  an  attack  of  pneumonia 
and  was  pro.strated  at  his  homi-.  202  Irving  ave..  Ciiieago.  During  his 
illness  he  was  visiteil  by  Kt.  Rev.  K.  II.  G.  von  Seheele.  Bishoj)  of  tJot- 
land,  who,  on  his  first  tour  of  the  I'nited  States,  took  the  opportunity 
to  bring  cordial  greetings  from  Lange 's  old  schoolmates  in  the  old 
country.  Jul.v  ]:{th.  two  da.vs  after  this  visit,  Lange  breathed  his  last. 
He  reached  the  ripe  age  of  82  years.  Having  taken  a  deep  interest  in 
the  Swedish  fraternities.  Xordstjernan.  Balder  an<l  many  others  had. 
like  Svea,  conferred  upon  him  honorary  membei-ship,  and  now  r.howed 
their  api)reeiation  by  .sending  large  delegations  to  attend  the  obsequies. 
A  bronze  bust  in  memory  of  him  may  lie  seen  in  tiie  lodge  hall  of  the 
Svea  Society. 

Lange,  commonly  called  ■■Captain"  Lange,  presumably  on  a'-count 
of  his  early  career  as  a  sailor,  was  one  of  those  Swedes  who  are  not 
ashamed  of  their  nationality.  Although  having  spent  the  greater  i>art 
of  his  life  away  from  his  native  country,  he  never  forgot  or  concealed 
his  Swedish  nativity,  but  took  every  occasion  to  glory  in  the  fact  and 
extol  all  that  is  best  in  Swedish  character  and  culture.  The  best  proof 
of  the  giMuiineness  of  his  Swedish  patriotism  is  fom\d  in  his  jiropo.sal 
of  a  Swedish  "Forefathers'  Day"  eelebratitui.  Being  kind-hearted 
and  generous,  he  gave  freely,  but  without  ostentation,  to  his  less  fort- 
unate fellows,  lie  was  twice  nnirried.  his  tirst  wife  dying  early.  With 
his  second  wife,  Catharine  O'Brien  from  Ireland,  he  was  united  April 
2.'i  184:i,  the  goliicn  ainiiversary  of  that  lu-casion  occurring  n  few 
months  before  his  demise.  .Mrs.  Lange  was  a  lady  of  retinemenl.  Fred- 
rika  Bremer  describes  her  as  "a  kindly  little  Irishwoman."  They  had 
live  children,  one  son  and  four  daughters.  The  eldest  daughter  was  the 
wife  of  h.  A.  K.  Landcr'fren.  deceased,  who  was  for  many  years  chief 
deputv    in  lln'  InlerMal   Uevi'nni-  ollice  at  Chicago. 


NELSON -ri.ACK 


Sven  Nelson,  the  Recluse  of  Andover 


185 


The  next  Swede  to  ai'i-ivc  in  Illinois,  rollowiiig  Laiige,  was  doubt- 
less Sven  Nelson,  like  two  of  his  predecessors  a  sailor.  TTe  came  to  the 
state  in  18-K)  and  settled  in  Andover,  Henry  county,  a  settlement  found- 
ed five  years  before  l)y  Americans  from  tlu>  JIast.  TIutc  he  dwell  in 
peace  and  almost  perfect  seclusion  for  almost  forty  years,  dying  in  the 
late  seventies. 

Nelson  in  the  latter  forties  married  a  woman  known  by  the  name 
of  Stigs  Lena,  who  in  1849  came  over  from  irassela.  Ilelsingland,  with  a 
party  of  Erik  Janssonists. 

Gustaf  FlacK,  the  First  Svredish  Merchant  in  Chicago 

Following  Sven  Nelson,  the  next  Swedish  immigrant  to  Illinois 
was  Gustaf  Flack  from  Alfta  parish,  Helsingland.  The  year  of  his 
arrival  is  unknown,  as  also  his  early  life  here.  In  the  early  forties 
we  find  him  in  Victoria,  111.,  and  in  1843  in  Chicago,  where  he  owned  a 
small  store  near  the  ferry  landing  at  Clark  st.  His  stay  in  Ciiicago 
and  America  was  cut  short  by  his  return  in  1846,  to  Sweden,  where  he 
suddenly  died  on  the  way  from  the  city  of  Gefle  to  his  native  home. 
During  his  sojourn  in  Illinois,  Flack  wrote  letters  to  his  friends  at 
home  freely  lauding  this  state  and  predicting  for  it  great  future  pros- 
perity. His  glowing  descriptions  primarily  caused  the  Erik  Janssonists 
to  emigrate  and  settle  here.  Flack  thus  shares  Avith  the  Hedstrom 
bi-others  the  credit  for  directing  the  main  current  of  early  Swedish 
immigration  to  the  Prairie  State. 

The  Pine  LaKe  Settlement  in  Relation  to  S\Arec£ish 
Immigration  to  Illinois 

"While  only  individual  Swedes  kept  moving  into  Illinois,  Gustaf 
Unonius  and  others  in  the  early  forties  founded  at  Pine  Lake,  in  the 
neighboring  state  of  Wisconsin,  the  first  Swedish  settlement  in  America 
since  the  time  of  the  Delaware  Swedes.  The  history  of  this  settlement 
and  of  its  founder  sustain  so  intimate  a  relation  to  that  of  the  Illinois 
settlements  as  to  merit  a  brief  sketch  in  this  connection. 

Gustaf  Elias  Marius  Unonius  was  born  Aug.  25.  1810.  in  Helsing- 
fors,  the  son  of  Israel  Unonius,  a  barrister,  and  Maria  Gardberg,  his 
wife.  The  father  came  of  an  old  Swedish  family  in  Finland,  and  re- 
moved to  Sweden  when  Finland  was  ceded  to  Kussia.  He  became  post- 
master and  revenue  collector  at  Grisslehamn.  A  military  career  was 
mapped  out  for  the  son,  who  at  thirteen  became  a  cadet  at  the  Karlberg 
military  school.  Among  his  comrades  were  C.  F.  Ridderstad.  Georg 
Adlersparre,  and  Wilhelm  von  Braun,  whom  he  .ioined  in  literary  pur- 


1 86 


THE  FIRST  SWEDES 


suits,  tho  results  f>f  whii'h  apix'arcd  in  tlie  literary  periodicals  of  that 
time. 

Young  Unonius  soon  left  the  military  aeademy  for  Upsala,  where 
he  finished  his  college  course  in  1880  and  the  course  in  law  three  years 
later,  lie  subsequently  entered  upon  a  course  fitting  him  for  practice 
before  the  highest  courts  of  the  realm,  but  when  iu  183-t  a  cholera 
epidemic  caused  the  closing  of  the  sessions  at  the  university,  he  took  a 
jjositiuu  as  assistant  physician  at  one  of  the  pe.st  houses  of  Stockholm 
and  became  interested  in  that  profession.  When  the  epidemic  subsided, 
he  returned  to  Ui>sa]a  to  take  up  medical  studies,  but  shortly  after- 


mM 

" 

Gustaf  I 'nonius 


wards  he  again  Id'l  the  utiivei-sity  to  take  a  position  in  tiic  jn'ovincial 
government  offices  at  Upsala. 

In  1841  he  was  inarricti  to  ('li;irlotta  .Mar-rarcta  (Mirstriinu'r.  and 
soon  at'tei'wai'ds.  for  reasons  known  only  to  liiniscH',  he  decided  to 
emigrate.  On  .May  lltli  of  that  year  the  couple  left  I'psala  for  tietle  to 
enibai'k  for  America  together  with  a  small  company  of  friends  au<l 
a<M|naintances.  In  the  party  were,  an  old  maidsei-vant  from  the  home 
of  .Mrs.  riMiiiius.  ( 'lii'ist iiu'  by  Tianie.  Ivar  llagberg,  a  young  student  of 
twenty-one.  and  a  relative  of  rnonins  by  the  name  of  Carl  (Jrolh. 
According  to  the  statement   of  rnonins  himself,  he  and   his  company 

were  the  lirst   to  lai<e  advantage  of  a  n nt  decree  granting  the  right 

to  leave  the  <-oiiiili-y  willimil  oiitaining  a  special  permit  from  the  crown. 


THK  PINl'   LAKI'   SKTTLEMENT  187 

For  some  reason  llu'  vessel  did  iiol  f^et  ready  tn  wei^li  Miirlinr  until. 
June  3rd.  The  vessel  was  named  "Minnet,"  and  its  ea|itain  was  C.  J. 
Bohlin,  with  whom  Unonius  had  eonfnvefed  for  passa^'e  for  the  entire 
party  to  the  port  of  New  York  for  a  total  sum  of  five  hundred  S\.'edish 
crowns,  the  passengers  to  supply  their  own  i)rovisions.  Hefore  they  got 
ready  to  sail,  still  another  i)erson  .joined  them,  viz.,  one  Vilhelin  Pol- 
man,  a  former  university  student.  The  ship  carried  a  earfjo  of  iron. 
Having  made  the  ports  of  Elsinore  (Ilelsingor)  and  Portsmouth,  the 
vessel  finally  reached  its  destination  Sept.  10th,  three  months  and 
seven  davs  after  weighing  anelior.     The  emigrants  stopped  for  a  week 


Unonius'    Cabin  at  Pine  Lake 

in  New  York,  where  a  Swedish  merchant,  named  Brodell,  together  with 
the  captain,  who  spoke  English,  rendered  them  every  assistance.  In- 
quiries were  made  as  to  the  most  suitable  location  for  a  Swedish  settle- 
ment, and  upon  learning  that  large  tracts  of  cheap  land  were  to  he  had 
in  Illinois,  it  was  decided  to  settle  there,  whereupon  arrangements  were 
made  for  transportation  to  Chicago  at  !l5l2  a  person. 

They  started  on  their  .journey  inland  Sept.  17th,  going  by  steam- 
boat up  the  Hudson  to  Albany,  thence  via  the  Erie  canal  to  Buffalo. 
Here  they  encountered  fresh  difficulties,  the  captains  of  the  lake  steam- 
ers refusing  to  recognize  the  validity  of  their  tickets.  Finally,  through 
the  good  offices  of  one  Jlorell,  a  Swedish  .jeweler  who  had  spent  many 
years  in  America,  they  were  able  to  continue  on  their  way,  an<l  went 
by  boat  to  Detroit.  Here  Ilagberg  separated  from  the  company  and 
went  to  Cleveland,  while  the  others  proceeded  across  lakes  St.  Clair, 
Huron  and  Michigan,  past  Fort  Mackinaw,  to  IMilwaidvee.  Being  noM' 
weary  of  travel,  and  having  been  told  that  Wise(msin  was  preferable 


l88  THE  FIRST  SWEDES 

to  Illiiiftis  for  agricultural  purposes,  they  dotorniined  to  stop  here,  after 
liaving  spent  two  weeks  on  the  way  from  New  York.  They  took  lodg- 
ing at  the  principal  hotel,  where  they  found,  first  a  Norwegian  servant 
girl  with  whom  they  were  able  to  eomnnniieate.  and  later  met  their 
coiuitryinaii.  Captain  O.  G.  Lange,  who  had  emigrated  several  years 
before. 

After  several  days  of  rest.  I'nonius  left  the  women  in  charge  of  a 
German  family  and.  accompanied  l)y  Lange.  set  out  to  inspect  the 
country.  The  date  was  Oct.  7,  1841.  At  that  time  Wisconsin  was  still 
a  territory,  with  a  population  estimated  at  4.'3.()()0.  The  prospectors 
traveled  afoot  westward  tiirough  forests  and  over  prairies  a  distance 
of  thirty  miles,  eventually  reaching  the  dwellingplace  of  a  man  named 
Peai-main.  for  whom  they  had  letters  from  the  land  office  at  ^lilwankee. 
He  lived  in  a  log  cabin,  the  first  of  its  kind  seen  Ijy  the  prospective 
settlers.  With  Pearmain  as  guide  they  traversed  the  surrounding 
country  an<l.  after  a  long  ami  wearisome  jotuMiey  on  foot,  reached  the 
shores  of  a  picturestjue  little  lake,  called  Pine  Lake,  from  the  fa'-t  that 
its  shores  were  fringed  with  pine. 

The  lake  was  al)out  two  miles  in  lengtii.  with  sloping,  well- 
drained  shores.  Finding  the  region  fertile  and  picturestpie.  the  travel- 
ers determined  to  search  no  farther.  The  soil  was  found  to  be  a  deep 
black  loam,  mixed  with  clay;  near  the  shores  of  the  lake,  the  surface 
was  rolling,  gradually  changing  to  a  level  and  easily  cultivated  prairie. 

Here  the  settlers  determined  to  found  their  long  wished  for  home. 
They  selected  a  tract  of  land  owned  by  a  canal  comjiany  which,  having 
discontinued  work  on  the  canal,  was  likely  to  forfeit  its  title  to  the 
property,  and  on  the  advice  of  Pearnuiin  and  Lange  they  staked  as 
their  claim  the  west  half  of  Section  ."{.'i.  Townshij)  S.  Haiige  IS.  -ixpect- 
ing  to  gut  full  jjosscssion  under  the  pre-emption  law.  when  after  two  or 
three  years  the  title  should  revert  to  the  goverinnent. 

Th(>y  now  returned  to  Milwaukee  and.  having  jirocured  provisions, 
the  pioneers.  ac<'()ni|)anied  by  .Mrs.  I'lionius  and  the  maid-servant, 
traveled  back  to  tiic  chosen  site  in  a  wagon,  drawn  by  a  yoke  o':  oxen. 
The  women  got  temporary  lodgitig  in  the  simple  home  of  Pearmain, 
located  on  the  present  site  of  the  city  of  Delatield.  and  the  men  began 
to  open  a  road  to  tiic  mw  immestead  and  to  erect  a  loghiuise.  For  tem- 
porary shelter  they  built  a  hut  of  logs,  piled  on  one  another  in  a  square, 
and  with  a  covering  of  dried  grass.  After  I'nonius  had  iinide  ;inother 
trip  to  iMilwaukee  and  ]iurcliast'd  a  stove  and  other  indispensable 
household  articles,  the  family  moved  into  their  new  home  Nov.  lllh, 
exactly  six  months  aftci-  their  departiu'c  from  I'psala.  Of  the  toil  and 
the  trials  of  pioneer  life  liicsc  people  got  their  full  share.  .M;hough 
coining  from  the  so-called  belter  class  in  the  old  ciuuitry  and  being  as 
such  iniacciislonied  to  lianl  work  jind  ni'iv.'it  ions,  thev  never  lost  heart. 


THE  PIXE  LAKE  SETTLEMENT 


189 


hut  labori'd  arduously  un.  hn-akinjr  hi'huikI.  cutting  down  trees  liuihl- 
ing  fences,  patching  up  their  dwelling,  and  building  a  shed  for  their 
yoke  of  oxen  and  one  cow.  The  settlers  celebrated  their  first  ("hristmas 
in  America  with  joy  and  contentment  over  the  things  already  accom- 
plished hilt  with  tender  memories  of  the  old  home  an<l  those  left  hvjhind. 

The  winter  was  bitterly  cold,  with  severe  storms  and  much  snow, 
and  the  cultivation  of  the  soil  conld  not  begin  until  late  in  Ain-il.  That 
spring  I'olman.  who  had  shared  the  cabin  with  the  others,  left  them  to 
begin  the  practice  of  medicine  in  a  more  [lopnlous  neighborhood  a  few 
miles  away.  He  had  studied  medicine  in  Sweden  and  i)roved  quite 
successful,  possessing,  as  he  did.  a  far  greater  knowledge  of  the  pro- 
fession than  the  average  doctor  in  the  West  at  that  time. 

The  Swedes  at  Pine  Lake  gradually  formed  the  accpiaintance  of 
surrounding  settlers,  and  in  the  late  spring  they  had  a  visit  from  an 
American  clergyman  of  the  Episcopal  Church  who  had  started  a  mission 
a  few  miles  distant. 

True,  these  early  settlers  did  not  always  have  food  in  plenty,  nor 
of  the  most  nourishing  kind,  but  they  never  suffered  actual  want. 
Game  was  plentiful  in  the  surrounding  forests,  and  occasional  lumting 
trips  were  made  with  good  results.  Fishing  in  the  lake  also  proved 
profitable  to  the  family  larder.  The  cow  supplied  all  the  milk  needed, 
and  through  barter  and  trade  with  the  neighbors  several  pigs,  a  quan- 
tity of  corn,  potatoes,  rutabagas  and  other  necessaries  were  procured. 

One  day  the  settlers  were  surprised  by  some  very  distinguished 
visitors  viz.,  Baron  Thott  from  Slvane,  ilr.  E.  Bergvall  from  Goteborg, 
and  one  Wadman.  a  retired  merchant  from  Norrkopiug.  The  baron 
and  Mr.  Bergvall  each  purchased  a  piece  of  land  in  the  neighborhood, 
while  ilr.  Wadman  returned  to  Milwaukee  to  seek  employment  in  some 
line  of  business.  About  the  same  time  one  B.  Peterson,  a  shoemaker, 
arrived,  obtained  lodging  with  Unonius.  and  began  to  ply  his  trade  in 
the  settlement. 

New  settlers  thus  kept  coming,  but  the  main  influx  began  when 
Unonius  in  correspondences  to  Swedish  newspapers  described  the  con- 
ditions in  Wisconsin,  and  especially  the  facilities  offered  emigrants  to 
acquii'c  their  own  homes.  Not  only  Swedes,  but  Norwegians  and  Danes 
emigrated  and  settled  there.  Among  the  first  to  arrive  from  Sweden 
was  a  lieutenant  in  the  army,  a  good  singer,  who  often  cheered  the 
hearts  of  the  colonists  by  singing  the  songs  and  ditties  of  their  father- 
land. Ivar  Hagberg,  his  traveling  companion,  came  there  for  a  visit, 
bought  a  piece  of  land,  but  for  some  reason  was  compelled  to  return  to 
Sweden,  and  never  came  back.  Among  other  Swedish  visitors  to  the 
settlement  about  this  time  were  one  Ihrmark,  a  man  of  sixty,  who  had 
settled  in  Illinois,  and  a  man  from  Goteborg.  by  the  name  of  O.  E. 
Dreutzer.     The  latter  lived  for  many  years  in  Wisconsin,  attaining  a 


I  go  THK  FIRST  SWEDES 

respected  position  in  his  coniniunity.  Another  Swede,  named  Erick 
Wester,  a  veritable  adventurer,  whose  true  name  was  supposed  to  be 
Westcrfiircn.  visited  tlic  cdlony  in  the  alleged  capacity  of  a  Jlethodist 
minister,  prciu-hiiig  here  and  there  in  the  liomes,  but  without  note- 
worthy success.  Entirely  destitute,  he  left  Wisconsin  in  1850  for  Illi- 
nois, setdintr  in  Princeton,  where  he  fell  into  bad  repute  amon^r  his 
fellow  count ryiiieu  on  account  of  repeated  acts  of  fraiul  and  dishonesty 
in  business.  From  I'riiuclon  he  went  to  Dallas,  Texas,  and  his  career 
is  little  known  from  tliat  tiiiic  on.  This  adventurer  will  reappear  in 
another  jiart  of  this  history. 

Some  time  later,  a  student  from  Vestergiitland,  Jijiirkander  by 
name,  and  a  number  of  others  arrived  from  Sweden  and  settled  <;t  I'ine 
Lake.  Simultaneously,  many  Norwegians,  hardy,  industrious  folk,  but 
mo-stly  without  means,  came  there  directly  from  their  native  land.  The 
Swedes  settled  east  and  tlie  Norwegians  west  of  the  lake,  around  whose 
wooded  shores  thus  sprang  up  a  miniature  Scandinavia.  The  two  na- 
tionalities here,  as  at  home,  had  their  petty  differences,  resulting  in 
freiiuent  disputes  and  iieighborliood  (piarrels.  The  Norwegians  sur- 
])assed  the  Swedes  botli  iiuiiHTciall.v  and  in  point  of  industry  and  enter- 
prise. 

As  previously  indicated,  the  Swedisli  settlers  were  mostly  of  the 
l)()Ui'gcoisie  class,  such  as  army  ottici-rs.  college  men,  and  decadent 
noblemen,  all  of  wliom  were  unaccustomed  to  work  in  tlu'  old  country 
and,  when  driven  to  it  by  necessity  in  the  new  .'and,  soon  tired  of  a 
task  that  seemed  to  them  both  odius  and  barren  '^f  immediate  returns. 
For  these  reasons  numy  remained  in  the  colony  only  a  short  tim\  leav- 
ing for  other  parts  in  tlie  iiope  of  better  prospects  or  a  change  of  luck. 
Carl  Groth  went  to  New  Orleans,  where  he  established  himself  as  a 
cigar  and  news  dealer.  The  old  maid-servant  ("iiristint!  became  th.'  wife 
of  a  Norwegian  settler  and  left  the  I'nonius  home  to  found  her  own 
houseliold.  In  this  numner  the  settlers  were  dispersed;  in  a  short  tinu' 
the  founder  of  the  setllement  stood  alone  with  liis  faithfid  wife  and  the 
eliildren  who  had  grown  up  in  tlie  ctuirse  of  years.  Not  long  after- 
wards. Cnonius  himself  deserted  the  colony,  and  tho  lamls  formerly 
owned  by  the  Swedes  came  into  the  possession  of  Norwegians  and 
Americans. 

To  coni|)lete  the  story  of  this  historic  Swedish  settlement,  we  take 
pleasure  in  a])|)en(ling  sitnn-  excerpts  from  the  description  given  by 
Fredrika  IJnincr.  the  Swedisli  authoress,  of  !»er  visit  to  Pine  Lake. 

Jt  was  on  a  bright,  warm  Sunday  morning.  Sept.  2!l,  IS'it),  that  the 
authoress  arriveii.  aeeompaiiied  iiy  ('ai)tain  Lange,  The  little  Swedish 
I'llony  was  already  broken  up.  but  a  half  dozen  families  still  renuiiued, 
earning  their  livelihood  by  fai'niing.  During  the  oms  day  she  spent  in 
I  lie  sett  lenient,  several  Swedish   families  were  visited.     All  seemed  to 


THE  PINE  LAKE  SETTLEMENT 


191 


be  in  limited  circunistaiu-i's.  most  of  thciii  livini^  i"  loK  caliins.  Among 
the  more  fortunate  ones  was  a  blai-ksmitli  and  "one  ^Ii-.  Uergvall,  who 
had  belonged  to  the  genteel  class  in  Sweden,  hut  turned  out  an  excellent 
farmer  on  American  soil."  He  had,  continues  the  authoress,  "the 
prettiest,  most  charming  and  amiable  young  wife,  with  cheeks  of  a 
fresh  ruddiness,  such  as  one  seldom  sees  in  America.    This  was  a  happy 


Fredrika    Bremer 


and  cheerful  home,  a  good  Swedish  home  in  the  midst  of  the  American 
wilderness.  The  dinner  of  which  I  partook  was  delicious  in  all  its 
simplicity,  better  than  any  I  had  eaten  in  the  big.  pretentious  American 
hotels.  Delicious  milk,  excellent  bread  and  butter,  the  most  toothsome 
seafowl,  fine  cakes,  the  hearty  hospitality,  the  bright  good  cheer,  and 
the  Swedish  language  well  spoken  by  everyone,  all  these  things  com- 
bined to  make  the  simple  meal  a  veritable  feast."  The  widowed  ]\lrs. 
Petterson,  mother  of  Mrs.  Bergvall.  lived  in  the  oldest  house  in  the  Pine 
Lake  settlement.  There  Fredrika  Bremer  passed  the  evening  and  the 
following  night.  There  were  gathered  "one  and  twenty  Swedes  who 
spent  the  evening  with  games,  songs  and  dances,  in  genuine  Swedish 


jg2  Till-;  I-IRST  SWKDES 

fashion.  I  felt  liai)py  to  be  witli  these  my  touiitryiiH'ii,  happy  to  fiud 
tliem  true  Swedisli  folk  still,  although  strangers  in  a  strange  land.  And 
then  I  read  to  the  assembled  company  that  pretty  little  Xorse  'Tale 
of  the  Pinctree.'  liy  II.  C.  An<lerscn.  at  the  conclusion  of  wliicli  I  re- 
(piested  thcni  to  sing  some  Swedish  folksongs.  The  fresh  Norlliern 
voices  had  lost  nothing  in  clearness  in  the  atmospbere  of  the  New 
World.  My  heart  filled  with  tenderness  as  the  men.  with  stn>ng.  clear 
voices,  sang:  'I'lJp,  svear,  for  konung  och  fiidcrneslanil,'  and  followed 
it  lip  with  several  other  old  patriotic  anthems.  Swedish  hospitality  I 
foiuul  here  as  genuine.  Swedish  mirth  and  song  rang  as  true  as  ever  in 
our  native  laud.  Finally  all  joined  in  singing  the  old  hyiini :  "  Nu  hvilar 
hela  jorden,'  whereupon  all  broke  uj),  bidding  each  other  goodbye  with 
firm  clasping  of  hands  an<l  hearty  good  wishes." 

The  first  Swedish  Lutheran  dcrgynmn  in  America  since  the  time  of 
the  Delaware  colony  for  a  time  lived  and  labored  in  the  Pine  Lake 
settlejuent.  His  name  was  Peter  Vilhelm  Hiickman.  He  was  born 
Dec.  5,  18()f),  and  was  the  son  of  a  clergyman  in  the  parisii  of  Soder- 
Hviddinge,  in  the  province  of  Skane.  He  was  graduated  from  college 
in  1824  and  entered  the  ministry  several  years  later.  With  the  aid  of 
I)rivate  persons  in  Sweden,  he  came  to  this  country,  presumably  in 
1844,  to  minister  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  the  Scandinavian  emigrants, 
and  eventually  drifted  to  the  settlement  at  Pine  Lake.  Without  suc- 
cess, he  soiight  to  xuiite  the  settlers  into  one  congregation,  thereby  caus- 
ing a  conflict  with  rnonins.  After  having  vainly  sought  admission  to 
the  American  E])isco])al  Church,  he  visited  various  Swedisli  settl"menfs 
as  a  traveling  physician,  having  studied  medicine  in  his  youth.  Finally 
he  returned  to  Sweden,  where  he  died  in  Giiteborg,  Oct.  3,  ISiJO. 
Biickman  seems  to  have  been  a  man  actuated  by  jiure  nu)tives  but  lack- 
ing in  energy  and  the  genius  of  organization,  qualities  indispensable  to 
a  clergyman,  especially  in  the  days  of  the  jnoncers. 

Hcfore  concluding  this  sketch,  we  arc  constrained  to  add  that  the 
letters  of  I'nonius.  wliich  appeared  in  Swedish  ncwspa]iers,  besides 
inducing  emigration  l)y  members  of  the  Swedish  bourgeoisie,  caused  a 
company  of  fifty  persons  to  emigrate  from  Haurida.  in  Smaiand.  The 
voyage  was  nuide  in  the  sailing  vessel  "Su|)crior"  which  landed  them 
at  Hoslon  after  ten  weeks.  All  but  one  traveled  from  Boston  to  Slu-- 
boygan,  Wis.,  and  thence  scattered  to  various  parts  of  the  state.  Next 
to  that  of  rnonins.  this  was  the  earliest  coiui)any  of  Swedish  emltrrants 
during  tiic  I'iglilcentli  century. 

I'nonius  and  his  f;niiil>  iil  btiu'tli  removed  to  t'hicago.  His  further 
career  will  be  ri'eounted  later  in  connection  with  the  history  of  the 
Swedisli  lOpiseopal  Clnircli  in  Illinois.  We  now  proceed  to  tell  the 
sl(ir\'    III'   annlher    iiienilier   of    I  he    Pine    Lake    colon\.    one    who.    like 


I>.  vox  SCHNi;iI)Ar 


193 


Uiioniiis.  w.is  dcstiiH'il   In   |il;i\'   ;i    |trniniiirnt    pjirl    .•iiiidul''   the   "arlicst 
Swctlos  ill  Illinois. 

P.  von  Schneidau,  First  Svv/^edish  Vice-Cons\al  in  Chicago 

I'olyi'iii'piis  \(iii  Sehneidau  uas  iiorii  in  1812.  I)cin<j  the  son  oi 
Major  von  Schiu'iilau  of  Kisa.  Ostergothuid.  While  still  a  very  young 
man,  he  was  enrolled  in  the  Svea  Artillery,  and  was  soon  made  lieuten- 
ant. As  sneh.  he  served  at  Fort  Vaxholm  during  the  summer  of  1833, 
when  he  beeame  one  of  the  chief  actors  in  an  episode  which  attracted 
iiiiich  attention  at  the  time. 

That  summer  certain  naval  surveys  were  carried  on  in  the  Haltic 
sea  by  the  mutual  agreement  between  the  Swedish  and  the  Russian 
governments.  The  chief  of  the  Russian  section.  M.  Schubert,  when  the 
operations  brought  them  near  Stockholm,  expressed  a  desire  to  visit 
the  Swedish  capital.  King  Charles  XIV.  John  granted  the  request  and 
sent  orders  to  Col.  Anders  Israel  Pancheen,  the  commander  at  B^ort 
Vaxholm.  to  permit  the  Russian  Hagship  "Hercules"  to  pass  the  fort 
unmolested.  The  royal  orders,  however,  did  not  relieve  the  shij)  of  the 
ordinary  duties  of  warcraft.  such  as  laying  to  under  the  walls  of  a 
fort  in  order  to  report  to  its  commander  and  show  its  pajiers. 

So  one  day  a  warship  hove  in  siglit  in  the  channel  and  approached 
Vaxholm  with  a  full  head  of  steam.  The  Russian  tiag  designated  it;-; 
nationality,  but  nothing  served  to  indicate  that  it  Avas  the  "Hercules." 
When  the  steamer  got  within  reach  of  the  guns  of  the  fort,  still  going 
with  full  speed,  it  was  signaled  to  stoi).  but  paid  no  attention  to  the 
warning.  This  was  a  breach  of  international  naval  law  and  a  gratui- 
tous insult  to  the  tlag  that  waved  above  the  ramparts  of  the  Swedish 
fort.  Consequently,  the  conunander  ordered  Lieutenant  von  Schneidau 
to  open  tire  on  the  foreigner.  Two  shots  were  fired  as  a  warning,  but 
without  the  desired  effect.  The  man  of  war  steamed  ahead  undis- 
turbed. Then  the  commander  ordered  the  lieutenant  to  aim  at  the 
wheelhouse  of  the  intruder  and  fire.  The  order  was  carried  out  to  the 
letter.  Lieutenant  von  Schneidau  himself  fired  the  shot,  which  shat- 
tered the  wheelhouse  of  the  "Hercules"  into  smithereens.  Consterna- 
tion reigned  on  deck,  and  a  few  nunnents  later  a  boat  shot  out  from  the 
side  of  the  damaged  ship  and  made  directly  for  shore  under  the  walls 
of  the  fort.  An  officers  stepped  ashore,  hurried  to  the  conunander  and 
explained  indignantly  that  the  vessel  was  the  "Hercules."  which  had 
permission  to  pass.  Col.  Pancheen  shrugged  his  shoulders  and  ex- 
pre.ssed  regret  at  not  being  informed  of  the  fact  in  the  regular  way.  A 
quarter  of  an  hour  after  the  Russian  officer  had  returned  on  board,  two 
boats,  one  from  the  fort,  the  other  from  the  "Hercules."  started  in  a 
race  for  Stockholm.  In  the  former  was  Lieutenant  von  Schneidau.  in 
the  latter  the  same  officer  who  had  carried  the  message  to  the  fort.    The 


194 


Till-:  l-IRST  SWICDHS 


Swedish  licutciiaiit  ui-L'cd  liis  im*ii  to  the  utmost  excrtiDii.  and  won  the 
race.  ArriviuK  in  Stoi-kholui.  lie  liaslened  to  Coiuit  Maznus  Hrahe. 
the  king's  interpreter  and  confidential  adviser,  told  his  story,  and 
re(|viested  the  count  to  repeat  it  to  the  king.  Count  Brahe.  greatly 
excited,  at  once  sought  the  presence  of  his  majesty.  A  few  moments 
later.  Lieutenant  von  Sclincidau  was  called  in  and  asked  to  give  a 
minute  account  of  what  had  transpired.  When  he  told  of  the  effective 
sliot  at  the  foreitriicr's  wheclhouse.  the  old  monarch  showed  signs  of 


m 


I'lilyiarims  vim   Sitiiiridau 

pleasure  and  r(M|ucsled  the  narrator  to  carry  hack  a  royal  greeting  to 
Col.  I'aiiciiccii  and  tell  him  that  he  had  acteil  like  a  man  ami  that  the 
king  was  entirely  satisfied  with  Ihc  ;ill',iir.  When  \-4in  Sehnoidau  left 
the  royal  palace,  he  met  the  Ixiissian  minister,  accompanied  hy  the 
oflicer  from  the  "Hercules,"  hurrying  to  lodge  tlii'ir  coinpliiints  with 
the  same  high  Irihimal. 

Lieutenant  von  Sclincidau  was  a  gallant  olVicer.  cminciills  lil'cd  lor 
his  calling.  ni'Verthclcss,  his  military  career  was  soon  interrupted,  lie 
was  compelled  to  resign  and  leave  his  country  almost  a  fugitive,  not  on 
ai mil  111'  aiiv  criinc,  Imt  for  the  mere  ad  of  m;iiT\iiijr  a  Jewess  below 


V.   VON   SCI  IN  lU  DAT  IQ- 

his  statinn  in  life,  and  t  licrchy.  as  it  was  lirid,  |uil1in'_'  a  liiot  'in  the 
iKinor  111'  tile  military  cm-ps.  It  will  lie  ri'nii'niiicrcd  that  at  this  tiiric 
till'  Jews  did  not  enjoy  tlie  i'if;lits  and  tiie  social  |)osition  anil  privileges 
ill  Sweden  since  accorded  tliein.  Jjieutenant  von  Sclineidan  had  an 
early  aciinaintancc  with  riioniiis,  and  in  IS4l'  Joined  his  little  colony, 
pui-chasiiiK  a  piece  of  land  at  tiie  south  end  of  the  lake.  His  wife  and 
her  iiiotiier  arrived  later  and  for  a  time  all  found  a  home  iu  the  log 
ealiiii  of  Unouius. 

The  young  officer's  prospects  of  success  here  were  scant.  He  was 
not  fitted  for  farming,  an  old  injury  to  one  of  his  legs  incapacitating 
him  for  i)hysical  labor.  Circumstances  conspired  against  him.  and  in 
]84.')  he  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  hoped  more  easily  to  earn  a 
living.  His  presumption  proved  correct.  Being  a  skillful  civil  engi- 
neer, he  soon  obtained  profitable  employment.  When  in  1848  work  be- 
gan on  the  first  railroad  out  of  Chicago,  the  Chicago  and  Galena  Rail- 
way, now  a  branch  of  the  Xorthwestern  system,  von  Schneidau  was 
made  superintendent  of  construction.  On  her  American  tour  imder 
the  management  of  P.  T.  Barnum,  in  1850.  Jenny  Lind,  the  great 
singer,  furnished  von  Schueidau  the  money  wherewith  to  purchase  a 
French  daguerreotype  apparatus  with  supplies,  and  he  then  established 
a  daguerreotype  studio,  the  first  of  its  kind  in  Chicago  and,  doubtless, 
iu  the  entire  West.  He  thus  became  the  pioneer  photographer  in  this 
part  of  the  coiintry. 

After  Swedish  and  Norwegian  immigration  to  Chicago  and  vicinity 
had  acquired  greater  proportions  in  the  early  fifties,  von  Schueidau 
was  appointed  Swedish  and  Norwegian  vice  consul  here  in  1854,  being 
the  first  to  hold  that  office.  His  official  duties  he  discharged  with  the 
greatest  efficiency.  The  numerous  immigrants,  many  of  whom  were 
poor  or  afflicted  with  sickness,  found  in  him  a  friend  and  benefactor. 
In  his  work  for  the  welfare  of  his  countrymen  he  had  in  his  faithful 
wife  an  able  assistant,  who  has  been  described  as  a  loveable  and  noble- 
hearted  woman. 

Von  Schueidau 's  illness  was  gradually  aggravated,  and  soon  he  was 
luiable  to  attend  to  his  consular  duties.  He  consequently  resigned  the 
office,  to  which  his  old  friend  Uuonius  succeeded.  On  Dec.  28.  1859, 
von  Schueidau  died,  not  quite  forty-eight  years  of  age.  His  wife  had 
passed  away  the  year  before.  This  venerable  pair  is  still  cherished  in 
loving  rememlu-ance  by  the  early  Swedish  citizens  of  Chicago. 

As  the  letters  of  Unouius.  published  in  the  newspapers  of  the  old 
eoimtry.  had  caused  the  exodus  of  a  company  of  emigrants  from 
Smaland,  so  von  Schueidau 's  letters  to  his  father  in  Kisa.  Ostei'gotlaiul. 
early  induced  emigration  from  that  part  of  Sweden.  The  contents  of 
these  letters  were  reported  far  and  wide  throughout  the  neighborhood, 
giving  rise  to  much  speculation  as  to  the  great  West  and  the  promises 


196 


THK  l-IRST  SWEDES 


it  liflil  out  to  st'ttltTs.  Discussion  soon  ripened  into  decision  with  some 
of  the  most  determined  ones,  who  emigrated  under  the  leadersliip  of 
one  Peter  Ha.ssel.  a  miller,  liesides  Hassel.  the  eompany  consisted  of 
Peter  Andersson.  his  l)rother-iii-law.  one  .lohn  Danielson.  a  Mr.  lierg. 
and  an  old  sailor  l)y  the  name  of  Dahlberg.  the  last  two  from  Stock- 
holm, and  one  Akerman.  who  had  served  iu  the  American  army,  making 
five  families  all  told.  They  made  the  voyage  iu  184.')  iji  tiie  brig 
"Superb."  embarking  at  GiJteborg  and  landing  at  New  York.  Their 
original  intention  was  to  go  to  Wisconsin.  j)resumably  to  Pine  Lake, 
but  in  Xew  York  they  were  told  that  they  could  find  more  suitable  soil 
in  Iowa,  so  they  changed  their  destination.  They  traveled  first  to 
Philadelphia,  thence  to  Pittsburg,  where  they  took  passage  on  a  steamer 
down  the  Ohio  River,  and  then  jiroeeeded  up  the  ^lississippi  as  far  as 
Burlington,  Iowa.  From  that  jioint  they  journeyed  forty-two  miles 
over  the  country  and  founded  New  Sweden,  iu  Jefferson  county,  the 
first  Swedish  settlement  in  Iowa.  During  the  following  years  new 
groups  of  immigrants  from  the  same  part  of  Sweden  kept  continually 
coming;  soon  there  sprang  u|)  neigliboring  setllenu'nts  kiu>wn  as  Swede 
Point,  in  Boone  county,  and  Bergholm.  iu  Wapello  coiuity.  This  opened 
the  way  to  the  influx  of  Swedes  into  Iowa  iliu-ing  the  subse<iuent  dec- 
ades, both  directly  from  the  old  counti-y  and  from  the  earlier  settle- 
ments ill  Illinois. 


CHAPTER  IV 


s 

A 

The  Bishop  Hill  Colony 

Elarly    History  of   EriK   Janssonism 

BOUT  18-t().  there  arose  in  Ilelsiiiglaiid.  Sweden,  a. 
peeuliar  religions  seet.  named  Erik  Janssonists  from  the 
foimder,  a  farmer  liy  the  name  of  Erik  Jansson.  Fn 
order  that  the  reader  nmy  fnlly  understand  the  origin  of 
the  seet.  it  is  necessary  to  describe  briefly  the  religious 
conditions  in  that  province  .just  before  and  at  the  time  of  Erik  Jans- 
son's  iniblic  appearance. 

At  that  time  spiritual  decadence  was  general  throughout  Ilclsing- 
land.  Whisky  distilling,  as  yet  a  lawful  business  for  the  peasantry, 
was  carried  on  at  almost  every  farndiouse.  and  drunkenness  aided  in 
brutalizing  the  minds  and  destroying  domestic  happiness.  Particularly 
were  the  young  people  notorious  for  their  unlicensed  behavior.  Brawls, 
thefts,  and  nocturnal  orgies  were  common  occurrences.  The  sturdiness 
and  immutability  characteristic  of  the  Helsiugland  peasantry  by  no 
means  served  to  mollify  their  brutality.  Indeed,  there  were  many 
outwardly  pious  folk,  but  their  piety  consisted  primarily  in  observing 
certain  religious  customs,  such  as  attending  divine  worship  and  par- 
taking of  the  Lord's  Supper.  ]\Iany  of  the  ministers  were  persons  who 
made  light  of  their  duties  as  keepers  of  the  flock.  The  majority  of 
them  lived  a  life  of  outward  decency,  but  others  showed  even  in  their 
manners  by  what  spirit  they  were  governed,  and  not  a  few  were  steeped 
in  drunkenness;  others  were  so  absorbed  in  political  and  inunicipal 
atfairs  or  in  agricultural  pursuits  tliat  they  neglected  the  dutii's  of 
their  calling. 

In  all  this  spiritual  darkness,  however,  there  were  certain  glimpses 
of  light.  For  half  a  century  the  jjrovince  had  been  the  field  of  religious 
movements  of  various  kinds,  aiul  although  these  had  resulted  in  strife 
and  disruption  in  man\'  places,  yet  in  a  part  of  the  population  here  and 
there  in  the  villages  they  had  awakened  and  sustained  a  true  Christian 
life.     The  better  class  of  ministers  took  an  intelligent  view  of  these 


igS  fl'K  lUSIIOl'  HILL  COLONY 

movenipnts  and  PiKourapred  them  so  far  as  scorned  permissible.  Here 
as  elsewhere  tiie  i)ietistic  movement,  or  revivalism,  resulted  in  religious 
efatherings,  called  eonveutieles.  People  began  to  gather  in  private 
houses  for  mutual  editieation.  devoting  themselves  to  singing  and  pray- 
ing, studyintr  the  Word  of  (Jod,  and  discoursing  on  religious  sul).jefts. 
These  gatherings  were  styled  "samlingar"  (meetings),  aiul  the  par- 
tieipants  were  nicknamed  "liisare"  (readers),  for  their  zealoas  study 
of  relisious  books.  The  same  name  was  soon  applied  to  the  follow- 
ers of  any  revivMlisi  iiiovi-niciit  in  Sweden,  no  matter  what  was  its 
origin. 

While  sevcivil  of  tiic  mor<'  cai-ni'sl  and  devoted  clergymen  allied 
themselves  with  the  "readers."  watched  over  tlu-ir  meetings,  and 
guided  them  in  their  Bible  studies  and  their  worsiiij).  the  worldly- 
minded  portion  of  the  clergy  took  either  an  indifferent  or  an  inimical 
position  anent  the  movemeut.  Instead  of  endeavoring,  through  instruc- 
tion and  a  kindly  disposition,  to  lead  aright  the  souls  that  felt  spiritual 
hunger  and  thirst,  tiiey  looked  upon  the  eonveutieles  as  dangerous 
manifestations  of  dissension  which  ought  to  be  suppres.sed  by  the  aid  of 
the  law.  In  many  instances  the  so-called  Conventicle  Placard*  of  172(> 
was  used  as  a  means  to  this  end.  These  attempts  to  a.ssuage  liy  injunc- 
tions and  fines  the  thirst  for  spiritual  enlightenment,  which  the  people 
sought  to  (|ucncli  at  the  fountain  of  Holy  "Writ  and  other  relisrious 
wi-itings.  since  llic  average  clergyman  otVered  them  no  other  spiritual 
nourislnnent  lliaii  the  ordinary  sermons,  which  the  common  jieoplc 
found  <lr.v  ami  ineiiin|ireheiisible,  seenu'd  to  the  "readers"  harsh  and 
unreasonable;  and  there  was  justice  in  their  complaint  over  the  fact 
that  M'hile  gatlierings  in  jirivate  houses  for  the  purjiose  of  gandding. 
dancing,  and  dUier  worldly  pleasures  were  left  uiunolesteil.  it  was 
considered  a  crime  to  hold  private  meetings  to  jiraise  and  worship  f!od. 

In  defiance  of  the  letter  of  the  law.  the  "readers"  held  their 
piivate  religions  meetings,  taking  the  ground  that  so  long  as  they  were 
not  guilty  of  heresy,  the  law  did  not  ajiply.  Tloldiiig  as  they  did  that 
the  preaching  of  an  unregeiierate  clei'gy  could  bear  no  good  fruit,  tliey 
recognized  ministers  of  ])roveu  ])iety  only.  .Mthouirh  the  conventicle 
law  charged  the  clergy  with  the  duty  of  conducting  meetings  in  private' 
houses,  yet  devout  iiiitiistei's  who  to<dc  the  conventicles  in  their  own 
hands  would  I 're(|uenl  In  incur  the  disfavor  ni'  the  consistories,  and 
worldl\  Miiiided  or  l)igole<l  clergymen  usuall.\'  led  in  the  pcrseculion 
of  t  he  "  readers. "" 

It  is  not  surprising  that  mendn-rs  id'  congri'gat  ions  having  such 
ministers  sought   to  satisfy  their  spiritual   cravings  by   reading  such 

•  A  law  iltHlKiiiMl  til  pirviiit  till'  Hprrml  of  linisy  liy  fi>rl>|iliUnK  "U  ri-UtflKiiH 
Kiitlii'i'liiKM  nut  roniliirtoil  by  llii'  iliTKy.  or  liy  iiioi-nts,  ••iiipluyi'iM  or  lu'inls  of 
lioiiHi-liulilH  oxiluBlvi-ly  fiir  tlii-h-  own  riiiiiUli'H  tiiul  Miil>oriUiiiii-x  iiifi :..  ii..i...  wi-r.- 
ptiiilalinlilp  by  nni-H,  liiiprlMiintiii'iit  loul  ItHnlHliiiioiil. 


JCRIK  JANSSONISM  I99 

religious  bonks  as  tlicy  luul  and  by  listcniiiu-  to  |)i'racliers  wlio  arose 
from  anions^  tlie  coininon  people  aiul  claimed  to  give  that  which  the 
clergy  was  unable  to  l)est.ow.  The  ])itter  attacks  made  by  some  of  the 
pietist  writers  ofttimcs  begot  a  fanatical  hatred  of  the  established 
church  forms,  and  their  criticisms  of  tlie  conduct  of  the  clergy 
frequently  gave  rise  to  wholesale  denunciations  of  the  state  church. 

Tlie  consequences  of  these  religious  inovements  were  not  slow  to 
manifest  themselves.  In  the  parishes  where  the  clergy  had  taken  active 
jiart  in  the  revival  and  gained  the  confidence  of  the  "readers"  by 
superintending  and  jtartieipating  in  the  meetings,  a  considerable  portion 
of  the  population  sdim  heeame  well  versed  in  the  Scriptures  and  capable 
of  successfully  (■oin))ating  any  false  teachings  that  self-appointed 
preachers  miglit  attempt  to  spread;  but  in  many  places  the  peasantry 
had  been  left  entirely  to  themselves  and  had  become  accustomed  to 
listen  to  revivalist  jireachers  of  various  kinds,  men  of  tlie  working  class. 
often  without  culture  or  experience,  but  endowed  with  a  certain  readi- 
ness of  speech  and  an  ample  measure  of  self-assertiveness,  who  claimed 
to  have  become  regenerated  and  to  be  luider  the  direct  guidance  of  the 
Holy  Spirit.  By  their  hideous  depictions  of  hell  and  the  sufferings  of  the 
condemned,  and  by  scathing  denunciations  of  all  those  whose  views 
differed  from  their  own,  they  contrived  to  hold  their  followers 
completely  in  their  power,  and  masses  of  people  followed  them  untir- 
ingly from  place  to  place,  from  parish  to  parish.  The  "readers" 
possessed  a  certain  amount  of  scriptural  knowledge,  but  their  reading 
was  generally  limited  to  modei-n  religious  writings;  the  Bible,  being 
considered  too  difficult  a  book  for  the  luilettered,  was  read  only  in 
exceptional  cases  or  brought  out  as  authority,  when,  in  the  meetings, 
some  one  sought  to  clinch  some  particular  assertion  or  give  added  force 
to  an  admonition.  For  these  reasons  the  revivalism  of  the  lielsingland 
parishes  was  misdirected  and  became  one-sided.  It  was  not  always 
characterized  by  that  spiritual  soundness,  vitality,  self-sacrificing  love, 
kindness  and  forbearance,  inseparable  from  the  true  life  of  faith,  but 
frequently  bred  bigotry,  intolerance,  hypocrisy  and  self-righteousness. 

These  conditions  bad  paved  the  way  for  a  lay  preacher  of  extra- 
ordinary power,  who  at  first  taught  in  full  accord  with  the  doctrines, 
though  not  the  practices,  of  the  state  church  and  the  beliefs  of  the 
"readers,"  but  soon  departed  from  the  tenets  of  both,  headed  a  new 
sect,  was  charged  with  heresy  and  presently  found  himself  in  open 
warfare  with  the  authorities  of  chiirch  and  state.  This  religious  leader, 
a  rather  remarkable  character  in  Swedish  church  history,  was  Erik 
Jansson — farmer,  preacher,  self-styled  prophet,  ambassador  of  God 
and  restorer  of  the  true  Christian  faith. 


20O  THE  BISHOl'  III  I.I.  COLONY 

Erih  Jansson's  YoutK  and  First  Public  Appearance 

Erik  Jaiisson  was  horn  December  19,  1808.  in  the  village  of  Lands- 
bcrfja.  ill  Hislcopsknlla  parish.  I'plaiRl.  His  pan-nts.  Jan  .Matts.son.  a 
farmer,  anil  his  wife  Sara  Erik.ss(jn,  lived  in  Thi)r.stiina,  lint  after  their 
marriage  in  1802  they  rented  a  small  farm  in  Landsherga.  To  them 
were  born  four  sons.  Johan.  Krik.  Peter  and  Karl,  and  one  dautrhter. 
Anna  Katarina.  In  1820  they  moved  baek  to  Thorstnna,  and  lived  there 
until  1838.  when  Jan  Matt.sson,  who  bad  improved  bis  i-ondition  nmteri- 
ally  by  dilifrent  applieation,  purehased  a  farm,  ealled  Klockarefrarden. 
in  Osteruiida  parish  of  the  same  i>rovinee,  where  he  lived  with  bis 
family  until  his  death  in  November.  18-4:3.  the  estate  then  |ia.ssing  to  bis 
ehildren.  His  boyhood  and  youth  Erik  Jansson  spent  at  home.  As  a 
boy  of  eight,  he  was  one  day  engaged  in  doing  some  hauling,  when  the 
horse  took  fright  and  ran  away,  overturning  the  wagon  and  throwing 
the  boy  violently  lo  the  ground,  at  wbieli  he  received  so  hard  a  blow 
on  the  head  that  for  several  weeks  he  hovered  lietween  life  and  <leath. 
For  many  years  after  his  recovery  the  boy  suflVred  fnim  severe  head- 
aches. This  accident  seemed  to  have  bad  a  marked  etfeet  on  bis  mind. 
After  thai  he  was  different  from  other  cliildreii  of  his  age,  be  avoided 
his  former  comiiaiiions.  and  sought  i>ut  siniie  scduiled  spot  where  he 
Would  spend  hours  in  tearful  prayer,  lie  claimed  to  be  the  most 
uiiliap|)y  of  cliildreii.  for  he  could  not.  like  them,  join  with  zest  in  games 
and  amusements.  At  the  age  of  seventeen,  he  was  prepared  for  admit- 
tance to  the  holy  coiriimiiiioii.  'i"o  liim  tills  was  a  i)eriod  of  comparative 
peace  of  mind;  the  youth  sought  spiritual  solace  in  the  reading  of  the 
Bible  and  other  religious  books.  However,  he  soon  ceased,  and  when 
ills  old  fears  returned  he  vainly  endeavored  to  dissipate  them  by  joining 
the  young  i)eo])le  in  dancing  parties  aiul  similar  amusements. 

The  iiarcnts  resented  the  "silly  notions"  of  their  son  and  kept  him 
lianl  at  work,  t  liinking  that  this  would  cure  him.  lint  the  remedy  bad 
i|llite  the  contrary  ell'ect.  He  coiitiiiiied  his  iiielaiicholy  |ioinlerinirs  and. 
besides,  was  taken  |>liysically  ill  with  a  severe  attack  of  rheumatism. 
Things  went  on  in  this  way  until  the  summer  of  18.S0,  when  Erik 
Jansson  experienced  his  conversion  proper.  While  on  his  way  to  the 
held  one  da\'  with  his  father's  horse,  he  had  iin  aiMlle  attack  of  his  com- 
|)laiiit.  Dismounting,  lie  fell  to  the  ground  and  lay  for  a  while 
lit'l|)less.  Then,  according  to  his  own  assertion,  he  beard  a  voice, 
saying:  "It  is  written,  whatsoever  ye  ask  in  prayer,  believing,  that 
ye  shall  receive,  for  all  is  jxissible  to  him  that  liclii-veth  ;  and  when  ye 
(•i-y.  I  shall  answer,  saith  the  Lord."  .\t  that  he  arose  to  bis  knees 
and  prayed  hmg  and  fcrveiitlx';  and  from  that  moment  he  was  entirely 
rid  id'  his  maladv. 

In  another  sense,  that  inomenl  was  of  still  greater  sigiiilicance  lo 
I'lrik  Jansson.   I'or  then  and  there  his  spiritnid  convei"sion   was  in'coin- 


KRIK  JANSSONISM 


20 1 


plislu'd.  accDi-diiijr  to  tin'  ii;irr;it  ixc  found  in  liis  Mutiiliid^'riiplix  .  Sorely 
oppressed  by  his  luirdiMi  of  sin.  Ihm-c  in  tlir  solilndc,  he  l|c'<l  to  ( 'lirist 
and  felt  that  he  had  obtained  remission  of  his  sins  and  iiientai  peaee. 

It  is  impos.sil)h>  t(!  ascertain  how  complete  was  this  regeneration, 
but  that  it  was  not  a  mere  sham  seems  evident  from  the  discourses  on 
divine  themes  written  l»y  liim  about  this  time.  However,  Erik  Jaiisson 
was  not  satisfied  with  tlie  fact  that  lie  liimself  was  iiwal^ened  to 
spii-itual  life:  he  wanted  others  to  be  siiiiilai'ly  aAvalcened  and,  there- 
fore, began  the  very  next  day  after  his  conversion  to  preach  the  gospel 
to  those  about  him.  He  continued  preaching  thus  for  four  years. 
Jleanwhile  he  sought,  by  home  study,  to  add  to  his  stock  of  knowledge, 
particularly  as  regards  religious  topics.  Although  Erik  Jansson  spent 
much  time  in  reading,  still  he  did  not  neglect  his  work,  since  he  pur- 
sued his  studies  mostly  at  night.  His  favorite  studies,  aside  from  the 
Bible,  were  the  works  of  Luther.  Arndt.  Xohrborg.  ]\Iurbeck  and  other 
religious  writers,  with  whom  he  thus  became  thoroughly  familiar. 

These  studies,  however,  imbued  Erik  Jansson  with  a  true  sense  of 
his  own  insignificance  in  the  field  of  Lutheran  teaching,  so  he  deter- 
mined to  discontinue  preaching  altogether.  It  was  especially  from 
reading  "True  Christianity."  by  Johan  Arndt.  that  he  was,  at  least 
for  a  time,  cured  of  his  desire  to  preach,  for  he  found  a  passage 
iu  that  work  admonishing  people  to  .stick  to  their  calling  instead  of 
seeking  to  become  the  teachei-s  of  others. 

About  this  time,  Erik  Jansson  married  JIaria  Kri.stina  Larsson,  a 
servant  to  his  parents,  who.  like  himself,  was  a  devoted  student  of  the 
Bible.  The  parents  ob.stiuately  opposed  the  match  for  a  long  time, 
until  cireum.stances  forced  them  to  permit  the  imiou.  At  this  they 
took  still  greater  offense,  and  when  the  son  set  up  his  own  household 
they  dismissed  him  curtly,  a  cow  and  a  pig  being  the  only  dower. 
He  was  not  discouraged,  but  began  life  on  his  own  account  by  renting 
part  of  a  farm  iu  Yappeby,  also  going  into  business  iu  a  small  way  as  a 
grain  dealer  in  company  with  his  oldest  brother.  He  soon  earned  the 
reputation  of  being  the  best  farmer  in  the  neighborhood,  and  iu  spite 
of  several  crop  failures  he  had  done  so  well  that  in  1S3S  he  was  able  to 
purchase  the  Lotorp  estate,  near  Sankarby,  in  Osterunda  parish,  for 
oue  thousand  crowns  in  cash.  Here  he  is  said  to  have  lived  in  quiet 
seclusion  for  a  time,  working  diligently  on  the  farm,  and  trying  to 
live  the  life  of  a  humble  Christian.  At  times,  however,  his  former 
desire  to  preach  returned,  when  he  would  publicly  expound  the 
Scriptures  with  power  and  ability,  acquired  doubtless  through  his 
extensive  reading. 

The   ElriK   Jansson  Dissenters 

In  the  j'ear  18-10  occurred  what  Erik  Jansson  himself  has  termed 
his  second  conversion.     Together  with  his  youngest  brother.  Karl,  he 


202  THK  BISHOP  HII.I,  COLONY 

wiiit  to  tlic  October  lair  in  I'psala  to  sell  i-attlf.  The  rowdy  ami 
un^oilly  foiuliicl  of  tlu*  ])('opli'  attfiidiiitr  tiif  fair  imprt'ssed  liiiii  in  a 
manner  to  awakm  iitii-w  his  desire  to  preach.  I'pon  his  return  home, 
he  consulted  his  i)astor.  Kev.  J.  J.  Ri.sbcrg.  in  the  matter  and  from  him 
received  the  advice  to  follow  the  inner  call.  About  this  time  he 
deserted  Luther.  Aiiidt.  as  well  as  all  other  religioas  authors,  for 
whidi  he  conceived  an  intense  haired,  and  kept  to  the  Biltle  alone. 
Then  lie  noted  the  overwhelinintr  power  and  simplicity  of  Holy  Writ. 
as  coiiii);!!!  il  with  other  wiitiii^'s.  and  lie  soon  acfpiired  the  fixed  con- 
viction thai  tile  IJilile  alone  ouRht  to  be  read.*   In  the  community  where 

l-iic-Similc  of  I'ajje  froin  Krik  Jaiissoii's  Cluircli  rrayers 

he  jivecl  Were  lii'ld  iiieetill>;s  at  which  I'J'ik  .lailssoM  often  appeared 
together  with  Hisberg.  This  man  as  well  as  ('.  (".  Kstenberp:.  tlu' 
adjunct  clei-f;yiiian  of  the  parish,  |iiililicly  laiuled  iM'ik  dansson  in  the 
most  cordial  terms,  tjivintf  him  e\ery  encoiirairiiiii'iil  to  continue  his 
activity. 

*  [I  win  Ih'  iiollriMl  (ttal  ho  HOdti  chanKt'd  liLs  inliiil  un  tItlH  |Mitii(.  \\\  |miI)|IkIi- 
liilf  liiiiikH  iif  IiIh  own  Kioin  wlxilONali'  coiuli'iiiiiallnii  of  otli<T  prliilnl  liili'ipifla- 
tloiiH  of  IIk'  IIMiIi'  In  lh>-  piiblli  atloii  of  IiIh  own,  lli<-  xli-p  was  cany  for  Krik  Jany- 
H(»n.  on   i)m>  Ki'oinxl  that   hiM  waH  tht*  illvtni'  and  onl.X'  ti'Uf  tnlrr|tt'i'tatlon. 


neL. 


KRIK  JANSSOMSM  203 

Erik  Jiiiisson'.s  rclitrioiis  (lisi'oiirscs  sooti  lirixMii  In  show  nuirki-d 
ilivorgciit-es  from  the  ddctriiu's  of  llic  ('liurch  nl'  S\\c(h'n.  lie  t.iiitrlit 
complete  freedom  from  sin  mi  llic  jmrt  of  llir  Iriic  ln'licvcr.  mjiiiitiiinrd 
the  full  and  complete  sanelificiition  ol'  thi-  ( 'iirist  iaii  once  and  lor  all. 
his  inability  to  do  wrong  and  still  remain  a  Christian,  and  held  that 

tlie  trespasses  spoken  of  in  tlic  Lord's  Prayer  have  refercm dy  to 

the  nnregenerate.  This  was  Erik  Janssoii's  first  serious  departure  in 
doctrine.  He  defended  his  \iew  by  means  of  an  ingenious  eoml)ination 
of  seriptui'al  jiassages,  an  art  which  he  had  completely  iiiastered.  lie 
further  aroused  the  ojiposition  of  the  clergy  by  claiming  to  he  sent  as 
the  special  messenger  of  God  to  restore  the  true  faith.* 

By  these  contentions  h<'  aroused  much  adverse  sentiment  in 
Osterunda.  The  rumor  that  the  "readers"  were  very  numerous 
in  Ilelsingland  gave  him  the  idea  that  there  he  might  find 
a  more  receptive  field  of  operation  than  at  home.  For  the 
alleged  purpose  of  selling  wheat  flour,  but  really  to  gain  a  better 
knowledge  of  the  religious  movements  in  those  parts,  he  made  a  trip  to 
Helsingland  in  January,  1843. t  accompanied  by  a  hired  man.  Arriving 
at  Soderala  soeken,  at  that  time  one  of  the  hotbeds  of  revivalism,  he 
fir.st  made  inquiries  whether  there  were  any  prominent  religious  teachers 
in  that  locality  and  was  promptly  referred  to  the  peasant  Jonas  Olsson 
of  Ina,  who,  together  Avith  his  brother  Olof  Olsson  of  Kingsta,  was 
a  revivalist  leader  in  the  parish.  Erik  Jansson  and  his  companion 
obtained  lodging  at  the  house  of  the  former  over  night.  They  arrived 
on  a  Saturday  evening.  Erik  Jansson  at  once  declared  himself  one  of 
the  faithful,  receiving,  nevertheless,  a  somewhat  cool  reception  at  the 
hands  of  the  devout  Jonas  Olsson.  The  following  morning  the  married 
sister  of  the  host  came  to  purchase  some  flour,  but  Erik  Jansson  refused 
to  do  Inisiuess  on  the  Sabbath.  This  Jonas  Olsson  accepted  as  proof 
positive  that  the  A'isitor  was  a  true  "reader."  and  adopted  a  more 
amiable  manner  toward  the  stranger.  Such  was  the  first  meeting 
between  these  two  men.  who  soon  were  to  have  so  many  weighty 
interests  in  common. 

That  Sunday  morning  Erik  Jansson  accompanied  the  host  and  his 
family  to  church,  and  in  the  evening  they  attended  a  meeting  held  in 
the  neighborhood.  Although  requested  by  Jonas  Olsson  to  rise  and 
speak  to  the  assemblage,  Erik  Jansson  sat  quiet  in  his  seat.  After  their 
return  home,  the  two  men  had  a  conversation  regarding  the  meeting, 
which  the  stranger  said  was  not  at  all  to  his  liking,  because  he  had 

*  His  usual  public  declarations  on  tliis  point  were  these:  "The  new  doctrine 
I  teach  is  ot  God;  I  am  sent  by  God;  since  the  time  of  the  Apostles  there  has  been 
no  true  preacher  before  me." 

t  This  accords  with  all  writers  consulted,  except  Eric  Johnson  and  C.  F. 
Peterson,  who  say,  "in  the  spring  of  1842."  If  a  trip  was  made  prior  to  1843,  it 
was  of  no  apparent  consequence. 


204 


TIIK   mSHOP  IIII.I,  COLONY 


detected  that  the  iiartieipants  did  not  hohl  themselves  to  the  Bible 
alone.  At  the  iiieetiiifj  a  portion  had  l)een  read  out  of  a  postil  and 
subsequently  expounded.  "What  kind  of  Chri.stianity  is  this  you 
have?"  Erik  Jansson  impiired  sternly.  The  next  niornins  he  repri- 
manded Jonas  Ol.ssou  for  not  eondueting  houseiiold  worsiiip.  Hereby 
Erik  Jansson  made  a  profound  impression  on  his  host,  and  from  that 
time  the  latter  and  his  brother  Olof  beeame  staneh  supiiorters  of  Erik 
Jansson  and  pillars  of  his  seet.  From  his  own  diary  it  appears  that 
Erik  Jans.son  felt  great  inner  satisfaction  at  having  got  even  with  Jonas 
Olsson  for  the  hantrhty  manner  in  wiiich  hi-  was  received  at  his  first 
meeting  with  tli<'  peasant  preaeher. 

Erik  Jansson  now  continued  his  journey  northward.  Tn  the  next 
parish,  Norrala.  he  met  Per  Xorin.  a  blaeksmith.  who  was  the  virtual 
leader  of  the  "readers"  in  that  loeality.  His  first  conversation  with 
Erik  Jan.sson  convinced  liim  that  the  latter  was  an  impostor.  When 
they  j)arted  he  exacted  a  i)ri(mise  from  him  never  to  return.  This 
exasperated  Erik  Jansson  to  such  an  extent  that  he  broke  forth  in 
execrations  over  the  community  of  Norrala.  Erik  Jansson  now 
journeyed  on  through  Enanger.  Xjutanger.  Iludiksvall  and  Ilelsing- 
tuna,  preaching  everywhere  and  generally  winning  large  nundiers  over 
to  his  views.  This  may  be  accounted  for  i)artly  by  the  fact  that  he 
deviated  only  slightly  from  the  tenets  held  by  the  "readers"  in  these 
parts,  but  what  mostly  impressed  the  multitudes  was  his  ability  to 
speak  for  four  or  tiv<'  hours  without  signs  of  exhaustion,  his  abnormal 
memory,  enabling  him  to  (piote  almost  any  passage  of  the  Hible  at  will, 
and  his  forcible  advocacy  of  the  liible  as  the  oidy  source  from  which 
truth  may  be  derived.  For  the  time  being,  he  shrewdly  concealed  his 
antipathy  to  the  writings  of  Luther,  Arndt,  Nohrliorg  and  others. 
After  visiting  llelsingtuna  he  retiu'iied  home,  Jonas  Olsson  accompany- 
ing him  as  far  as  Gefie.  Here  several  meetings  were  held,  at  which 
Jonas  Olsson  invariably  was  loud  in  his  praise  of  Erik  Jansson.  When 
in  the  middle  of  February  he  arrived  honu'  to  (isterunda.  he  was 
warmly  received  by  Risberg.  who,  however,  warned  him  against 
sjjiritnal  arrogance. 

lOi'ik  Jansson's  impressions  of  conditions  in  llclsingland  were  so 
favorable  that  lie  I'eturncd  there  in  the  latter  jiart  of  February  the 
same  year.  From  Siiderala  he  journeyed  northward  together  with 
Jonas  Olsson  to  iMianirer.  .Xjutanger  and  Iludiksvall.  but  did  not  meet 
with  the  same  dcgi-ee  of  success  as  on  his  I'oriiier  visit.  His  explanation 
of  tills  was  that  the  "i-eaders"  in  .Xorrala  were  opposing  him.  hut  the 
real  reason  was  found  in  his  moi'c  open  depart  nri's  from  the  teachings 
of  the  state  chui'ch  anil  his  bitter  attacks  njion  the  revivalisni  of 
the  "readers"  and  tiu'  clergyiiien  who  iiplu'ld  it.  Disgusti-d  with  his 
mcaifcr  success,  he  determined  to  seek  iithei-  lields  lor  his  labors,  and. 


I'.KIK  JANSSONISM 


205 


witli  ii  K'l'l  li'<""  Di'IsIx).  K;irin  I'h'.s.suii  of  Xyakcr.  iictiiitr  ;is  his  f,'uitli_-. 
he  went  to  Forssa.  From  there  lie  went  to  Bjurakci',  wliere  at  first  he 
was  well  received  by  A.  G.  Sefstniiii.  tlie  ])arsoii.  Hut  this  friendship 
did  not  last,  st)  KriU  Janssoii  soon  returned  to  Forssa.  where  he  was 
carrying;  on  a  vigonuis  propas^anda  durinji  the  lattei-  part  of  .March. 


Jonas  Olson,   Trnstee  ami  Preacher,   in  his  Later  Years 

Accompanied  l.iy  the  girl  Karin  and  a  few  other  women  followers 
he  went  from  place  to  place,  preaehina'  many  times  a  day.  The  atidi- 
enees  grew  apace.  Ilis  fiery  invectives  against  the  general  indiffer- 
ence on  the  part  of  tlie  spiritual  guardians  of  the  people  niiglitily 
increased  his  popuIarit\'.  Yet  there  were  those  who  opposed  him.  tlu' 
principal  ojiponent  Iteing  a  woman.  Karin  Jonsson  from  Ftniis.  who 
traveled  from  village  to  village  antagonizing  and  disjn-oving  Erik  -Jans- 
son's  statements.  As  a  result  there  arose  a  vast  amount  of  controvei'sy 
over  the  ([nestion  of  Erik  .lansson's  divine  mission.     Ilis  vindictiveness 


2o6  THK  BISHOr  IIII.I.  Cdl.oNY 

gained  the  day,  liowever,  conviiieing  tlie  majority  of  the  zealots  tliat 
he  was  the  special  messenger  of  God. 

Late  in  March  Erik  Jansson  left  Forssa.  After  a  brief  stay  in 
Soderala,  which  broufrlit  him  many  converts,  he  reached  (isterunda  at 
the  end  of  A|)ril.  During  his  alisence  the  "readei-s"  hail  gaini-d  so 
great  accessions  that  the  king's  bailiff  of  the  district  was  moved  to  have 
an  announcement  read  in  the  Ostcrunda  churfh  threatening  the  in- 
stigators of  tlie  movement  with  arrest  and  tines,  did  they  not  discon- 
tinue- tlicir  meetings.  Risberg.  who  had  encouraged  these  gatherings. 
was  warned  to  desist  and  urged  to  counteract  the  movement  by  means 
of  special  hil)lical  exegeses  in  church  and  tiie  introduction  of  private 
worship  in  tin-  homes.  These  warnings  were  not  given  without  cause. 
for  tiunults  had  actually  occiu-red  in  connection  with  the  niunerous 
meetings.  Erik  Jansson  was  also  met  by  the  news  that  in  his  absence 
part  of  his  personal  projieity  had  been  carried  away  by  thieves  and 
that  his  wife  had  been  harshly  treated  by  his  parents.  To  add  to  his 
misfortiuies.  Hisberg.  in  conse(iuence  of  warnings  received,  had  now 
turned  against  him. 

Erik  Jansson  now  staid  at  home  for  two  months,  attending  to  the 
spring  work  on  his  farm.  About  midsunnuer,  he  claimed  to  have 
received  the  same  kind  of  a  revelation  that  King  Solomon  had.  accord- 
ing to  T.  Kings  '^■.  ").  Like  King  Solomon.  Erik  Jansson  then  prayed  for 
"an  understanding  heart  to  .judge  thy  ((Jod's)  peoiile,  that  I  nuiy 
distinguish  good  from  bad."  and  claimed  to  have  been  given,  like 
Solomon  of  old,  an  understanding  heart  in  response  to  his  prayi'r. 

Sliortly  aftci-  luidsuninici-.  Erik  Jansson  nuide  another  journey  to 
Ilelsinglaiul.  This  time  he  traveled  through  Ilanebo,  Hollniis  and 
Jerfsi)  to  Delsbo  and  Forssa.  in  which  latter  locality  he  went  aliotu 
holding  meetings  in  the  pasture  fields.  In  these  parishes  he  spoke  with 
great  assurance,  claiming,  as  a  result  of  the  new  revelation,  "greater 
light  than  ever  before."  At  a  nu'cting  in  Delsbo  he  announced  that  lie 
and  Rev.  Estenberg  from  (isterunila  were  coliaboraling  on  a  new  trans- 
lation of  the  Bi])le.  for  which  he  was  now  taking  subscriptions. 

He  had  unboiuuled  confidence  in  himself.  In  order  to  connnand  still 
greater  respect  among  his  followers,  he  attcni]ite<l  to  imitate  the  Savior 
and  his  a|)ostli's  by  performing  miracles.  In  Svcdja.  Delsbo  |>arisli. 
there  was  an  (dd  maid-servant  who  had  lieen  bedridden  for  yeai-s.  When 
Erik  .Jansson  learned  of  this  he  at  once  went  to  her  bedside  in  onler  to 
cure  her.  Standing  close  to  tlic  sickbed  hi'  connnanded  the  woiiuin  to 
take  him  by  the  lianil  and  repeat  the  words,  "I  believe."  when  she 
would  lie  iiistantl.N  cwi'cd.  She  did  as  she  was  told,  but  withotit  any 
cd'cct  whatever;  nevi'rt heless  ICrik  Jansson  tiUMied  to  tlie  bystanders 
praisitig  (I"d    for   wlial    liad   lieen   done,  saying   he   had   ilriven   out    the 


i;kik  jan'ssonism  207 

devil  aiitl   i|Uoting  the  words.  "Tiidiiy   liatli   salvalimi   <-iimc'   iiiito   this 
household.'' 

In  Ktilkbo,  Forssa  parisli,  there  was  a  .voiiiif,'  man  n^ed  twenty- 
nine,  a  eripple  who  had  been  bedridden  from  his  ehildhood.  After 
having  made  the  house  his  headquarters  for  some  time,  Erik  -lansson 
attempted  to  heal  him  in  a  miraculous  manner.  He  predicted  liiat  on 
midsummer  day  (1844)  the  young-  man.  suddenly  cured  of  the  malady. 
would  "leap  like  a  young  deer."  The  invalid  and  his  family  firmly 
believed  this,  and  clothes  were  ordered  for  him,  but  when  the  day 
arrived,  there  was  no  perceptible  change  in  his  condition.  The  failure 
cost  Erik  Jansson  a  number  of  adherents,  and  the  house  was  closed  to 
him  from  that  day.* 

During  a  drouth  in  the  early  summer  of  18-45  Erik  Jausson  gave  it 
out  that  there  would  be  no  rain  for  three  years  aud  six  months,  as  a 
result  of  his  prayers  to  that  effect.  When  in  July  the  drouth  was 
broken  by  rain.  Erik  Jansson  attempted  to  save  his  reputation  as  a 
prophet  by  explaining  that  out  of  pity  for  the  people  he  had  averted 
the  wrath  of  God  with  a  new  prayer. 

On  his  return  to  Osterunda.  he  was  met  by  opposition  in  many 
quarters.  Then  he  determined  to  sell  his  farm  aud  remove  to  Ilclsing- 
land  to  remain  permanently  among  his  followers  there.  He  sacrificed 
Lotorp  for  900  crowns  for  that  purpose,  but  his  father  having  died,  he 
went  to  live  on  the  paternal  estate  until  April,  1844,  before  removing 
permanently  to  Helsingland.  On  this  .journey,  he  went  to  Bollnas 
and  thence  to  Delsbo  and  Forssa.  About  this  time  Erik  Jansson 
began  his  so-called  "apostolic  pilgrimages."  At  first  he  was 
followed  only  by  women,  but  soon  men  also  joined  him  at  the  meetings, 
sitting  in  a  semi-circle  around  him  as  a  kind  of  jury,  testifying  to  the 
truth  of  everj-thing  he  said.  Urged  b.v  several  of  his  followers,  Erik 
Jansson  now  extended  his  operations  to  Alfta  parish,  in  western  Hel- 
singland. Here  he  discovered  a  very  grateful  field  for  his  labors,  it 
having  been  prepared  beforehand  by  traveling  evangelists,  who  had 
held  meetings  of  a  ilethodist  character,  so  that  Erik  Jausson 's  doctrine 
of  freedom  from  sin  was  not  entirely  new  to  the  people.  Besides, 
license  and  contempt  for  the  clergy  were  prevalent  in  the  localities 
where  the  so-called  "readers"  were  numerous. 

Under  such  circumstances  it  was  but  natural  that  the  inhabitants 
of  Alfta  would  be  impressed  by  Erik  Janssou's  spirited  antagonism  of 
the  established  church.  They  were  influenced  all  the  more  easily  by  his 
strong  insistence  on  their  reading  the  Bible  to  the  exclusion  of  all  other 
religious  books.  Step  by  step  marked  his  departure  from  the  estab- 
lished faith.  Gradually  he  began  to  pose  among  them  as  being  especially 

*   This   and    the   foHowing    instance   are    cited    by    Landgrcn. 


2o8  THK  RISHOP  HIM,  COLONY 

iuspircd  l)y  the  Holy  Spirit  ami  set  up  his  claim  as  the  rt!sti>n'r  of  the 
pure  Cliristiaii  faith. 

Having  jjaincd  titc  {rreatcst  iiiiiiihfr  of  foUowers  in  northern  Ilei- 
sintrland.  he  decided  to  mai<e  his  home  there.  With  liis  wife  and  two 
children.  Erik  and  IMathilda.  he  moved  to  Forssa  in  April.  1S44.  shortly 
afterward  purcha.sinjr  from  .Jon  Ulsson  of  Steiil)o  the  ri{;ht  of  home- 
stead at  Lumnas,  a  tor|i.  or  tenancy,  subject  to  Stenbo.  This  marked 
a  new  epoch  in  the  career  of  Erik  Jans.son.  I'rior  to  this,  he  had 
merely  been  preachini:  to  his  followers,  who  were  scattered  throui;huut 
the  different  parishes.  \ow  these  began  to  form  a  jiarfy  or  sect  of 
their  own.  known  as  the  Erik  Janssonists.  their  leader  simultaneously 
adopting  the  title  of  Prophet  and  assiuning  the  authority  of  dictator 
and  lawmaker  for  his  faithftd.  One  of  his  first  mandates  was  to 
I)rohit)it  them  from  attending  the  regidar  church  services,  commanding 
them,  instead,  to  be  i)reseiit  at  the  meetings  now  regularly  eoiulucted 
by  him. 

The  clergy  and  the  civil  authorities,  considering  the  attitude  now 
assumed  by  Erik  Jansson  all  too  defiant,  called  a  meeting  of  the  parish- 
ioners of  Forssa.  It  was  resolved  to  petition  the  i)rovim-ial  govern- 
iiiiMi  to  have  him  aiTrstcd  as  a  vagrant  and  brought  back  to 
his  liome  parish.  .Meanwhile.  Erik  .lansson  went  to  the  southern  i)art 
of  tile  pro\ince.  operating  mostly  in  Alfta.  with  brief  excursions  to 
Ofvanaker.  Bolliiiis  and  Sfiderala.  lie  held  mei'tings  everywhere. 
])osing  as  the  "(Jod-sent  jirophet.'"  "the  greatest  light  sini-e  the  time 
of  the  .\posties.""  "the  restorer  of  the  true  faith."  etc.  Almost  every- 
where he  was  I'eeeived  witii  high  enthusiasm,  aiul  great  ma.sses. 
especially  the  "  readei's. "'  believed  him  t)limlly.  He  had  now  entirely 
abandoned  the  caution  observed  earlier  in  his  career,  and  when  charged 
with  jireaching  doctrines  different  IVnni  his  earlier  teachings,  he 
rei)lieil  in  the  wni-ds  of  St.  I'atU,  that  he  had  "desired  to  win  them 
over  by  cunning."  Tile  theory  of  sinlessncss  was  all  along  the  central 
theme  in  his  docti-iiie.  To  anyone  who  venttu'cd  to  j)rotest  against  the 
teaching  or  to  dispute  the  divine  mission  of  the  teacher,  he  had  the  set 
retort:  "Thou  art  of  the  devil."  or.  "Thy  faith  is  of  the  devil." 
l)roving  the  stati-menl  l)y  the  asserticui:  "It  is  written  in  the  Scriptures, 
the  devils  believe  likewise,  with  fear."  The  way  of  salvation  as  pointed 
out  by  Erilv  . lansson  grew  the  more  free  and  easy  acccwding  as  the 
niuid)er  of  ])roselytes  increased.  K'cdnccd  to  its  simplest  terms  it  was 
to  coniess  one's  belief  in  tile  proplii'l.  llai'dened  sinners,  who  showed 
10)  sign  of  I'cpi-ntamM',  ai-e  said  to  have  been  shriven  in  this  nuinuer: 
at  the  mi'clings  he  endn-aeed  the  new  converts,  with  the  ipiery. 
"W'diildsl  thou  be  saved.'"  If  I  lie  answer  was,  "Yes."  he  gave  the 
iiruiiediale  assin'ance.  "Thou  art  saveil,"  and  wrote  the  nam<'  of  lln' 
"convert  in  a  book. 


ERIK   JANSSONISM  209 

The  suppressive  measures  of  the  authorities  were  like  au  at- 
tempt to  fight  fire  with  oil.  They  served  to  increase  the  ardor  of  his 
adherents  and  caused  them  to  gather  all  the  closer  around  their  leader, 
declaring  that  uo  evil  should  ever  befall  him.  They  loudly  protested 
that  he  was  sent  by  God  and  threatened  blodshed,  should  the  authori- 
ties violate  his  person.  So  far  did  they  go  in  their  devotion  that  they 
promised  to  follow  him  in  death  and  even  into  hell,  should  that  be  his 
ultimate  goal. 

The  alleged  sinless  state  of  the  believers  gave  them  great  latitude 
in  the  matter  of  behavior.  The  prophet  permitted  himself  the  ut- 
most freedom  of  conduct,  and  his  relations  with  his  women  followers 
were  not  always  above  reproach.  In  the  spring  and  summer  of  1843 
the  aforesaid  Karin  Ersson  traveled  about  ^vith  him,  moved  by  religious 
infatuation.  She  had  implicit  confidence  in  this  "man  of  God"  until  he 
began  to  pay  her  such  attentions  as  seemed  to  her  improper  in  a  married 
man.  When  she  upbraided  him,  he  would  own  to  being  tempted  and 
pray  for  deliverance  from  temptation,  only  to  repeat  the  indecency 
with  growing  boldness.  When  at  length  he  made  her  a  shameless 
proposition  outright  and  was  promptly  repulsed,  he  made  the  insidious 
reply:  "Yes,  but  as  a  true  believer  in  my  Savior,  Jesus  Chi'ist,  I  might 
do  this  without  sinning."  He  adjured  her  not  to  say  a  word  about 
the  incident,  as  that  would  be  committing  a  grievous  sin,  and  the  girl 
kept  the  matter  secret  for  some  time.  When  she  finally  made  kno^vn 
his  conduct,  the  prophet  broke  into  a  towering  wrath  and  publicly 
denounced  her  as  a  liar  and  a  vixen,  praying  that  God  might  "add 
iniquity  rmto  her  iniquity."  Some  time  in  the  winter  of  1844,  in  the 
presence  of  one  Isak  Kudolphi  and  five  women,  one  a  follower  of  the 
prophet,  Erik  Jansson  admitted  the  truth  of  the  charge  made  by  Karin 
Ersson,  as  attested  by  the  six  witnesses  in  a  signed  dociunent  dated  at 
Delsbo,  May  6,  1844.*  Subsequently  the  prophet  alternately  denied 
the  confession,  charged  that  the  girl  had  been  the  guilty  party,  that  he 
had  merely  wished  to  put  her  to  a  test,  or  that  his  own  evil  desire  had 
been  sent  as  a  punishment  from  God. 

In  March,  1844,  Erik  Jansson  visited  Alfta  at  the  invitation  of 
certain  women,  including  an  unmarried  woman  of  Broddlagret.  Bollnas, 
who  also  had  been  his  traveling  companion.  During  his  sojourn  here 
the  prophet,  his  former  companion  and  another  woman  from  Bollnas 
shared  the  same  room  at  night.  The  villagers  led  a  simple  life  and 
were  no  sticklers  on  decorum,  but  this  could  not  pass  without  comment. 
One  woman,  who  with  her  husband    was  then  devoted  to  the  prophet. 

*  Landgren:  Erik-Jansismen,  p.  29. 


2IO  THK  lilSIIOl'  IIII.I.  COLONY 

afterwards  said  of  Erik  Jansson  and  tlie  ]?ollniis  girl:  "Their  wanton 
and  unchaste  behavior  made  me  blush  on  behalf  of  our  sex." 

At  Ilamre,  Forssa  parish,  Erik  Jansson  one  morning  just  before 
opening  a  meeting  had  a  frolic  with  two  or  three  girls,  who  had 
accompanied  him  from  Alfta.  His  wife,  who  was  present,  took  offense 
and  a  disagreement  ensued,  witnessed  by  a  number  of  the  worshipers. 
Before  these  the  prophet  justified  himself  in  this  wise,  "Because  ye 
lack  faith,  all  this  befalls  me ;  faith  is  not  in  you.  therefore  Satan  hath 
been  empowered  to  winnow  her  like  wheat.'' 

Erik  Jansson 's  moral  character  once  stained,  his  enemies  sought  to 
paint  the  man  entirely  black.  Other  rumors  were  set  atloat  impeaching 
his  private  and  public  conduct,  but  they  are  branded  as  false  by  the 
same  authority  upon  which  the  above  incidents  have  been  quoted. 
The  latter  were  enough  to  ])ring  the  prophet  into  ill  repute  with  the 
general  public.  Init  tiie  faitli  of  his  adiicrents  remained  unshaken.  lie 
declared  himself  perfect  and  holy,  like  God  himself,  and  they  took  him 
at  his  word.  Even  granting  the  truth  of  the  damaging  evidence,  .some 
still  held  him  blameless,  maintaining  that  the  heart  had  no  part  in  the 
doings  of  the  flesh. 

^lany  iniipiities  were  eonniiitted  against  the  prophet  and  iiis 
adlierents  in  the  name  of  the  law.  One  of  the  most  tlagrant  outrages 
was  perpetrated  in  August,  1844.  at  Klockaregarden.  Osteruuda.  by 
the  parish  vicar,  N.  A.  Arenander.  one  of  Erik  Jan.sson's  bitterest 
enemies.  Shortly  after  the  return  of  the  latter  from  his  fourth  apostolic 
pilgrimage  to  Ilelsingland,  his  adherents  in  Osterunda  met  one  night  in 
Klockaregarden,  the  house  of  Olof  Stenl)erg.  Sophia  Sjiin.  an  ardent 
believer  in  the  prophet,  was  staying  there.  At  midnight  .\renander 
arrived,  with  a  number  of  men,  and  demanded  entry.  Tiiis  being 
refused,  the  door  was  forced.  On  the  pretense  of  searching  for  Erik 
Jansson  the  minister,  who  is  said  to  have  been  drunk  at  the  time, 
entered  tile  bedcliainber.  wiicre  Sofia  Sjiin  and  Anna  Maria  Strale  slept, 
lie  pulled  the  ioiiiier  out  of  bed.  tore  handfuls  of  hair  from  her  head, 
pusiied  lier  o\it  to  the  men  in  her  night  garment,  and  after  finishing  his 
vain  search  through  the  house,  brougiit  tlie  woman  liaU'  dri>ssed  as  a 
l)risoner  to  the  sheriff's  house  in  Thoi-stuna.  a  neighboring  village. 
To  justify  his  a<-tion.  the  parson  charged  the  woman  with  vagrancy, 
but  the  otTicer  jiromptly  ordereil  her  relea.so.  The  injureil  woman 
brought  suit  again.st  the  vicar  for  disturbing  the  ])eaee.  a.ssault  and 
l)altery.  false  arrest,  and  sundry  minor  offenses,  for  all  of  which  i-rimes 
ami  mi.sdcmeanors  she  sought  danuiges  and  urgcil  one  year's  imprison- 
ment and  fines.  At  the  preliminary  hearing  the  charges  were  fully 
sul)stantiated  by  five  witnesses.  Th(>  defendant  impeached  I  lie  wit- 
nesses on  the  ground  that  thi'\'  belonged  lo  the  "reaih-rs"  an<l  wi>re 
not   ehiu'ch    mend)ers    in    good    standing,    and    acconlingly    the    court 


I':kik  jaxssonism  211 

(loclarod  two  of  tlie  witnesses  iiicompetciif.  Tlic  cmsc  wiis  conlinucd, 
aiul  (luring  preparation  lor  the  exodus  to  America  it  seems  to  liave 
heeiJ  droi)i)ed.  This  same  Arcnander  was  a  tireless  prosecutor  of  tlu; 
"readers"  and  Erik  Janssouists,  hut  according  to  an  official  report  of 
the  magistracy  the  cases  in  that  district  were  all  dismissed  for  want 
of  equity. 

One  explanatiou  of  the  great  inlluence  Erik  Janssou  wielded  over 
his  followers  lay  in  the  hypnotism  of  his  eye,  which  few  were  able  to 
withstand.  Thereby  he  controlled  his  people  with  a  power  and  per- 
sonal influence  that  was  irresistible.  In  personal  appearance,  Erik 
Jansson  was  of  medium  stature,  with  brown  hair,  blue  eyes,  pale,  thin 
face,  with  high  cheek-bones,  and  thin  lips,  uncommonly  long  and  broad 
teeth,  especially  in  the  upper  jaw;  the  last  joint  of  the  right  index 
linger  was  lacking,  having  been  severed  with  an  ax  by  his  elder 
brother,  Johan,  in  their  boyhood.  His  voice  was  harsh  and  disagree- 
able in  tone,  and  his  speech  rather  indistinct,  as  though  he  had  some- 
thing in  his  mouth  while  speaking.  In  meeting  he  halulually  over- 
exerted himself,  when  his  voice  was  transformed  to  a  piercing  shriek. 
A  constant  grin,  which  may  have  been  the  result  of  involuntary 
muscular  contraction,  gave  him  a  repulsive  look.  Furthermore,  he  had 
frequent  recourse  to  tears,  the  abundant  flow  of  which  did  not  tend 
to  make  his  appearance  more  attractive.  A  portrait  of  Erik  Jansson 
cannot  be  given,  he  having  never  sat  for  his  picture,  either  in  photo- 
graph or  on  canvas. 

BooK  Pyres  and  Consequent  Arrest  of  EriK  Jansson 
As  we  have  seen,  Erik  Jansson  ever  since  his  so-called  "second 
conversion"  had  a  bitter  aversion  to  the  writings  of  Luther  and  Arndt. 
By  and  by,  he  conceived  a  plan  to  rid  himself,  once  and  for  all,  of  these 
hated  authorities  which  were  continually  quoted  in  rebuttal  of  his 
views  by  both  prospective  proselytes  and  outright  antagonists.  He 
would  have  liked  to  make  short  shrift  with  the  Lutheran  catechism 
and  psalmbook,  but  these  were  still  held  in  so  high  esteem  among  his 
own  followers  that  he  dared  not  as  yet  do  violence  to  them  directly, 
but  confined  himself  to  scathing  denunciations  in  his  sermons,  applying 
to  them  such  terms  as,  "an  empty  barrel  with  both  ends  closed"  and 
the  "wails  of  Satan."  The  beasts  of  the  Book  of  Revelation,  he 
claimed,  were  the  prototypes  of  these  "false  and  devilish  teachers, 
Luther,  the  demigod,  and  Ai-ndt,  the  murderer  of  souls."  The  follow- 
ing excerpt  is  quoted  to  give  some  idea  of  the  tone  of  the  sermons 
preached  by  Erik  Jansson  at  this  time  : 

"The  Word  of  God  has  lain  fallow  from  generation  to  generation. 
There  is  no  salvation  in  the  sermons  usually  preached  in  times  past.  If 
ye  believe  my  words,  ye  shall  be  saved ;  if  ye  mistrust  me,  ye  also  mis- 


212  THE  BISHOP  HI  1,1,  COLONY 

trust  God.  OiKe  a  man  set  liimself  up  against  my  teafhings.  but  what 
happeued?  Witliin  thiei-  days  he  was  taken  hence  and  thrust  into 
eternity.  Ye  would  read  the  idolatrous  books  of  the  accursed  Luther 
and  the  devilish  Arndt.  But  hear  ye  I  Mark  well  my  words  I  It  was 
not  the  Gospel  of  the  Lord,  hut  of  the  devil;  it  was  with  the  waters  of 
hell  that  he  deluged  the  whole  world.  Hear  ye!  Since  ye  will  not 
believe  the  pure  gospel  that  I  preach  unto  you.  the  Lord  shall  pour  out 
his  cups  of  burning  wrath  over  you,  and  ye  shall  be  thrust  into  nether- 
most hell!" 

These  rant  in  gs  soon  took  effect.  All  that  was  necessary  to  set  his 
followers  to  destroying  their  Lutheran  books  was  for  the  prophet  to 
point  to  the  words  of  the  19th  verse  of  the  19th  chapter  of  Acts:  "And 
not  a  few  of  them  that  practiced  magical  arts  brought  their  books 
together  and  burned  them  in  the  sight  of  all."  A  like  scene  was 
enacted  on  the  11th  of  June,  1844,  in  the  village  of  Tranberg.  in  Alfta 
parish.  People  in  great  numbers  from  Alfta,  Soderala,  Ofvanaker  and 
BoIIniis  for  several  days  had  been  engaged  in  lugging  sacks  filled  with 
books  down  to  the  hanks  of  the  lake  where  they  were  piled  into  a  great 
pyre  near  Piskragardeu.  Erik  Jansson  was  present  in  person,  encour- 
aging the  people  in  this  wise:  "Satan  celebrated  a  jubilee,  when  the 
works  of  Luther  were  first  published ;  when  we  now  burn  them,  it  will 
be  his  turn  to  grieve";  or,  "Those  who  take  part  shall  feel  a  heave»ly 
joy  when  they  see  the  smoke  rise."  .\  person  who  warned  them  of  the 
consequence  of  their  act  was  told  by  Olof  Olsson  of  Kingsta  that  so 
fixed  were  they  in  their  determination  that  blood  would  flow,  ere  a 
single  book  would  be  e.\eiiii>t  from  the  i)yre.  Some  would  save4he 
covers  of  their  books,  but  Erik  Jansson  declared  in  a  loud  voice.  "\Vlio- 
soever  saves  the  coverings  of  his  idols  shall  be  damned!" 

The  pyre  was  lighted,  and  books  to  the  value  of  about  975  crowns, 
including  the  postils  of  Luther,  Nohrborg.  Linderoth,  Pettersson  and 
others,  "True  Christianity,"  by  Arndt,  and  great  masses  of  temperance 
tracts,  were  consumed  l)y  the  tlanu's. 

"Behold,  how  Satan  opens  his  jaws  I"  the  fanatics  exclaimed  wiien 
the  books  would  ojien  from  the  heat  and  draft.  To  the  vast  assemblage 
Erik  Jan.sson  read  the  18th  chapter  of  Revelations,  whereujion  two 
hired  men  chanted:  "Give  thanks  and  praise  unto  the  Lord,"  to  which 
the  crowd  sang  the  response:  "Glory  be  luito  tiu>  Lord." 

Tiie  heavenly  joy  predicted  by  the  projihet  did  not  materialize, 
however;  instead,  evil  forebodings  seemed  to  haiuit  the  minds  of  the 
spectators  as  tiie  last  llicker  of  thi'  pyre  died  (>ul. 

The  cup  of  fanaticism  wjis  now  brimniiiig  ovit  nnd  the  authorities 
could  no  longer  wat<'li  Erik  .lansson's  operations  with  iiulilTerence. 
Two  da\s  al'liT  I  lie  ImrniMg  of  tli<'  boo]<s.  he  was  arrested  after  a  bloody 
encounlrr  lictween  the  (li'imlirs  and  the  followers  of  the  proi>het.    Erik 


HKIK  JAN.SSONISM  213 

Jaunson  himself  was  near  being  killed  in  the  ivay.  He  was  iniprisuiied 
first  at  Gefle,  then  at  Vesteras,  until  July  12tli,  when  he  was  released 
after  a  hearing  before  the  provincial  governor  in  the  latter  city.  To- 
gether with  some  of  his  friends,  Erik  Jansson  then  went  to  Stockholm 
and  obtained  an  audience  before  the  king.  From  the  capital  he  wrote 
letters  to  his  disciples  in  Ilelsingland,  admonishing  some  of  their 
number  to  go  out  and  proclaim  his  doctrines,  which  they  did.  After  a 
second  hearing  before  the  governor  at  Vesteras  Sept.  21st,  when  Erik 
Jansson  put  up  a  clever  defense,  he  was  entirely  cleared  of  the  charges 
and  at  once  returned  to  Ilelsingland. 

If  ho  had  heretofore  been  a  prophet  in  the  eyes  of  his  followers,  his 
arrest  and  the  mistreatment  to  which  they  thought  him  subjected, 
crowned  him  with  the  halo  of  martyrdom.  He  went  so  far 
as  to  liken  his  sufferings  to  those  of  the  Savior  himself.  Sur- 
rounded by  eleven  men,  corresponding  to  the  apostles  of  Christ,  and 
a  great  number  of  women,  he  went  from  village  to  village,  holding 
meetings  at  which  "the 'Passion  of  Erik  Jansson"  was  i-ecited,  includ- 
ing all  his  acts  and  sufferings  from  the  time  of  his  arrest.  He  claimed 
to  be  in  high  favor  with  the  king  after  his  visit  to  the  royal  palace ; 
and  all  things  contributed  towards  making  his  fame  greater  than  ever 
before.  In  the  height  of  his  arrogance,  he  now  began  to  grant  forgive- 
ness of  sin  to  all  who  at  the  meetings  announced  themselves  as  believers 
in  him. 

On  Oct.  28th  of  that  year,  at  Lynas,  Soderala  parish,  he  arranged  a 
second  pyre  of  theological  books,  this  time  including  the  catechism  and 
the  Lutheran  hymnal,  with  the  promise  that  a  new  catechism  and 
hymnal,  written  by  himself,  would  soon  be  published.  Following  the 
ceremony  of  burning,  a  thanksgiving  service  was  held  in  a  neighboring 
farmhouse. 

Not  quite  a  month  afterwards,  Erik  Jansson  had  intended  to 
arrange  still  another  auto-da-fe,  especially  for  the  Forssa  and  Delsbo 
parishes,  but  he  was  again  arrested,  this  time  by  order  of  a  royal  letter, 
instructing  the  Upsala  chapter  to  administer  a  warning.  The  provincial 
authorities  at  Gefle,  where  he  was  again  brought,  placed  him  under  med- 
ical surveillance,  on  the  supposition  that  he  was  demented.  In  the  mean- 
time, Erik  Jansson  was  writing  hymns,  founded  largely  on  the  books  of 
Ezra  and  Nehemiah ;  he  also  sent  his  wife  instructions  to  have  liis  early 
writings  copied  and  prepared  for  publication.  Having  been  found  of 
sound  mind,  he  was  sent  to  Upsala,  where  on  December  ISth  he  w^as 
officially  warned  by  the  chapter  against  propagating  false  doctrines, 
and  then  set  free. 

Three  days  later  he  w-as  back  in  Soderala,  conducting  meetings  as 
before.    A  meeting  was  held  Sunday,  December  22nd,  during  the  time 


214  '''"'■•    "I^H'-'l'   HIl.L   COLONY 

of  high  mass,  but  tlic  audieiife  was  dispersed  by  the  king's  bailiflf.  who 
appeared  on  the  scene  with  a  number  of  dejiuties.  A  great  tumult  arose 
in  which  several  persons,  among  whom  the  wife  of  Erik  Jausson. 
received  bodily  injuries.  He  was  now  taken  baek  to  the  Gefle  prison 
and  kept  there  till  April  18th  the  followhig  year. 

EriK  Jansson's    FligKt   to    Dalarne   and  Norvvray 

While  Erik  Jansson  was  in  ])risi)ii.  his  (liscii)k's  carried  mi  his  work. 
Their  meetings  were  now  generally  held  simultaneously  with  tiie  regular 
services  in  the  churches.  In  expectation  of  the  new  catechism  and 
hymnal  promised  by  Erik  Jansson.  his  followers  refused  to  send  their 
children  to  the  common  schools.  "Wherever  Erik  Janssouism  gained  a 
foothold  it  created  more  or  less  disturbance  in  the  parishes.  Disagree- 
ments were  provoked  between  husband  and  wife.  i)arents  and  children, 
masters  and  servants,  and  naturally  those  who  suffered  persecution 
had  nothing  but  contempt  for  the  civil  and  ecclesiastical  authorities. 

At  Forssa  occurred  a  third  bin*ning  of  books  in  the  early  morning 
of  Dec.  7,  1844,  when  the  perpetrators  had  the  audacity  to  include  a 
copy  of  "Sveriges  Rikes  Lag,"  the  code  of  the  realm.  This,  however, 
was  saved  in  the  last  moment,  as  were  a  number  of  the  other  books 
doomed  to  destruction.  A  trial  followed,  resulting  in  the  conviction 
and  fining  of  the  fifteen  i)artieipants.  To  illustrate  the  feeling 
towards  the  clci-'ry :  an  Va-IU  Janssonist  peasant  of  Delsbo  is 
said  to  have  offered  to  have  all  his  timber  cut  down  and  made 
into  headsman's  blocks  and  gallows  for  the  men  of  the  cloth.  Equally 
fanatical  were  ibcy  in  llicir  adoralioii  of  the  new  religious  leader.  For 
instance,  a  subscription  was  started  in  Ofvanaker  for  the  piu'pose  of 
purciiasiug  his  liberty,  his  deluded  friends  believing  that  the  authorities 
could  be  bribed  to  release  him  fioni  prison.  In  Alfta  his  followers  went 
from  village  to  village,  holding  niei'tings  at  which  the  established 
church  and  the  clergy  were  roiuidly  abused,  the  tenor  of  the  denuncia- 
tions being  that  all  cliurdies  ought  to  be  burned  and  all  clergymen 
hanged,  or.  leastwise,  their  tongues  cut  out.  They  appropriated  two 
per  cent,  of  their  property  "for  the  restoration  of  the  crumbling  church 
of  Christ."  In  other  Ilelsingland  ])arishes  where  the  movement  liad 
gained  a  foothold  similar  operations  were  carried  on.  extending  also 
into  (")sterunda  and  Tiiorstnna  jiarishes  in  Upland,  everywhere  resulting 
ill  iiiiirc  or  less  violent  clashes  with  the  civil  authorities. 

Iniiiiediately  after  his  arrest,  Erik  Jansson  lodged  a  i>lea  with 
I  be  pi-ovincial  governor's  office  denuuiding  his  releas(>.  which  was 
denied.  He  appeali'd  to  the  king's  coin'l.  which  on  Mari'h  17lh  found 
the  charges  insufTicienI  to  warrant  his  detention  in  jirLson,  whereupon 
the  prison  antliorities  rcMiinicd  hini  to  l'\ii-ssa  on  .\pril  '2'M. 


KRIK   JANSSONISM  215 

Having  bccMi  enjoined  from  leaving  Foi-ssii  piirish.  "tlic  Savior 
at  Stenbo,"  as  Eriic  Jansson  was  nicknamed  by  tlir  l<M-al  |Mi|iiilatii)n, 
eontinuod  liis  worlc  there  more  aggressively  than  before,  and  tiie  i)eo|)le 
floeked  in  ever  inci'easing  numbei's  to  listen  to  this  "voice  in  the  wilder- 
ness." lb'  also  pi'<(ceeded  to  ordain  and  send  out  apostles,  to  whom 
he  solemnly  delivei'cd  the  keys  of  the  Kingdom  of  Heaven. 

On  midsummer  day  he  eondueted  a  largely  attended  meeting  at 
Stenbo.  J.  M.  Astrom,  the  king's  bailiff,  detennined  to  arre.st  Erik 
Janssou  and  break  up  the  meeting,  ordered  out  a  nundjer  of  parish- 
ioners to  assist  him.  They  were  told  to  provide  themselves  with  clubs. 
Thus  armed,  they  moved  on  to  Stenbo,  where  they  found  the  prophet 
preaching  from  the  dooi'step  to  the  crowd  outside.  In  the  act  of 
making  the  arrest,  the  officer  was  pulled  down  from  the  doorstep  by  a 
woman,  and  Erik  Jansson  escaped  through  the  crowd  and  tied,  but 
those  of  his  believers  who  remained  were  terribly  beaten  and  otherwise 
mistreated,  while  defending  themselves  as  best  they  could.  The  next  day 
the  bailiff"  again  appeared,  now  accompanied  by  the  parson  and  a 
large  crowd  of  people,  and  again  ordered  the  a.ssemblage  at  Stenbo  to 
disperse.  As  soon  as  the  king's  officer  had  left,  a  desperate  fight  ensued 
between  the  Erik  Janssonists  and  their  antagonists,  in  which  knives 
were  flourished,  windows  and  doors  broken,  and  much  household  goods 
destroyed.  Erik  Jansson 's  wife,  who  had  taken  refuge  in  the  cow-barn, 
was  discovered  by  some  young  fellows  just  in  the  act  of  disappearing 
through  a  dung-trap  in  the  floor  and  was  then  and  there  treated  to  a 
thorough  bastinado. 

Erik  Jansson  sought  refuge  in  the  home  of  Jonas  Olsson  in  Ina, 
Soderala,  then  escaped  to  Osterimda  and  Thorstuna.  and  lay  in  hiding 
for  five  weeks  under  the  floor  of  a  cow-barn  in  Thoi'stuna  and  then  for 
several  weeks  more  in  an  attic  in  the  same  parish. 

These  disturbances  could  not  pass  unnoticed.  A  roj'al  decree  of 
Feb.  17,  1845,  had  ordered  a  legal  investigation  and  definite  charges 
preferred.  July  21st,  the  day  set  for  the  trial,  came,  but  the  accused 
was  nowhere  to  be  found.  Summons  for  his  capture  were  again  i.s.sued, 
and  in  September  he  voluntarily  made  known  his  whereabouts.  Service 
was  at  once  had.  citing  him  to  appear  at  the  county  court  at  Forssa, 
Oct.  11th.  Erik  Jansson  then  pleaded  that,  having  been  driven  into 
hiding  by  threats  against  his  life,  he  had  received  no  summons  and 
consequently  had  failed  to  appear  in  court  on  the  day  aforesaid.  This 
trial  M-as  not  concerned  with  the  recent  distui-bauces.  but  dealt  with 
certain  heterodox  statements  made  by  Erik  Jansson  at  a  meeting  in 
Hamre,  Forssa  parish,  on  Nov.  3rd.  the  year  before.  On  this  as  on 
prior  occasions  Erik  Jansson 's  friends  and  sympathizers  were  barred 
from   testifying,   being   declared    incompetent    and   untrustworthy    on 


2i6  THE    BISHOP    HUJ.   COLONY 

aceouut  of  their  faith,  and  the  witnesses  for  the  prosecution  only  were 
heard.  From  this  resolution  of  the  jury  the  judge  dissented.  After  an 
order  for  Erik  Jansson's  detention  in  prison  pending  a  verdict  had 
been  denied  by  the  court,  the  case  was  continued  until  Oct.  30th  and 
change  of  venue  then  taken  to  the  county  court  at  Dclsbo,  which 
convened  in  extra  session  Nov.  ISth.  The  dis|)(>sition  of  the  case  was 
that  Erik  Jansson  be  sent  to  the  Gcfle  prison  pending  a  new  trial.  The 
jury  rendered  this  verdict,  overriding  the  judge,  who  was  for  acquittal 
and  is  said  to  have  imposed  a  fine  on  each  of  the  jurors  for  contempt. 

Ills  followers  had  begun  to  suspect  that  there  was  a  secret  plan 
to  put  him  out  of  the  way  during  imprisonment;  for  that  reason  they 
decided  to  deliver  him  from  jail  at  all  hazards.  Therefore,  when  the 
transport  reached  the  road  to  Lynas,  in  Sodcrala,  four  men  rushed 
from  ambush,  lialtod  the  conveyance,  cut  the  reins  and.  overpowering 
the  guard,  set  tlie  prisoner  free.  This  happened  Nov.  21st.  A  rumor 
was  at  once  circulated  that  Erik  Jansson  had  been  murdered,  and  for 
the  evident  purpose  of  lending  credibility  to  the  story,  his  wife 
appeared  in  widow's  weeds  at  Gefle,  making  inquiries  for  her  dead 
husband.  In  addition,  a  woman  at  Lynas  had  poured  the  blood  of  a 
kid  iu  the  road,  in  further  support  of  the  rumor.  It  soon  became 
evident,  however,  that  this  was  a  pure  fabrication  to  aid  in  keeping 
the  prophet  in  concealment. 

After  the  rescue,  Erik  Jansson  was  in  hiding  at  various  points  in 
western  Helsingland,  or  went  about  in  the  guise  of  a  woman.  This 
incognito  gave  his  apostles  occasion  to  liken  him  to  Christ  after  the 
resurrection.  His  first  hiding  place  was  in  the  house  of  Peter  Kiillman 
at  the  Voxna  Mills.  After  having  been  discovered  holding  a 
secret  meeting  there  one  night,  when  he  narrowly  escaped 
being  taken,  he  was  transferred  to  Ofvanaker.  where  he  was  hid 
for  seven  weeks  under  a  barii-iloor.  Tiirealcned  with  discovery,  lie 
was  soon  after  brought  to  the  home  of  one  of  his  followers,  Sven 
Olsson,  in  Alfta.  While  under  the  inthience  of  liquor,  tliis  man  divulged 
the  wliereabouts  of  the  iirophet,  who,  l)eiiig  warned,  llcil  to  Dalarne. 
There  he  found  refuge  among  his  believers,  principally  in  the  liome  of 
a  \\i']\  to  do  jieasant,  Tjinjo  Gabriel  Larsson  in  (\stra  Fors.  Malung 
|iai-isli.  In  the  meantime,  his  teachings  s|>read  quite  extensively 
in  DalMiiie,  particularly  in  Malung  and  Mora  parishes,  but 
also  to  Lima  parish  and  the  city  of  Falini.  In  Ilerjedalen 
Krik  Jansson  also  succeeded  in  gaining  a  few  jiroselyles,  among 
whom  Olof  Jonsson  and  Sven  Jonsson,  two  peasants  in  the 
village  of  Liingii,  IFede  parisli.  Tlicsc  arranged  book  pyres 
patterned  after  those  in  Ilelsingiand.  At  one  of  these  occasions  a  copy 
i>\'  the  liible  was  included  in  llie  nniss  of  books  consigned  to  the  (lames. 


ERIK  JANSSONISM 


217 


but  it  was  suatched  from  the  fire  in  the  last  minute  by  a  female  relative 
of  the  man  who  arranged  the  auto-da-fe.  Long  after  the  prophet  had 
deserted    his    own    country,    his    disciples    continued    to    spread    his 


» 

n 

ir. 

S 
re" 


H4  ■■  i'V«o 


f^..^<l>#^s^Hl^lN 


docti'ines  and  gain  proselytes  in  the  provinces  of  Helsingland,  Gestrik- 
land  and  Upland. 

This  same  winter  and  spring  the  promised  catechism  and  hymnal 
were  published,  entitled,  "Commentaries  to  the  Holy  Scriptures, 
or  Catechi.sm,  Arranged  in  Questions  and  Answers,  by  Erik  Jansson," 


2i8  THE  lUSUUr  HILL  COLONY 

and,  "Suiulry  Soiifrs  and  Pi'aycrs.  ('(imposed  l)y  Erik  Jaiisson."  These 
books  were  printed  at  a  shop  established  in  violation  of  the  law  by  a 
pay-sergeant,  named  C.  G.  lilombergsson,  in  the  village  of  Ina,  Soderala 
parisli,  just  outside  of  Soderliamn.  The  language  used  in  this  cateehisni, 
like  that  of  his  other  writings,  is  verbose  and  iueongruous.  The  ever- 
reeurring  theme  is  the  divine  mission  of  Erik  Jansson  and  tlie  spiritual 
perfection  of  his  faithful  followers,  claims  which  he  seeks  to  establish 
by  references  to  Old  Testament  narratives  and  prophecies.  In  point 
of  diction  and  rhythm,  his  hymns  are  faulty  in  the  extreme.*  Besides 
these  works,  several  other  writings  of  Erik  Jausson  were  issued  in 
print,  such  as  his  "Farewell  Address,"  "A  Glorious  Description  of  the 
Growth  of  Man,"  "A  Few  Words  to  God's  People."  "Timely  Words." 
and  "Farewell  Speech  to  all  the  Inhabitants  of  Sweden,  who  have 
despised  iiic.  whom  Jesus  liath  sent ;  or  rejected  the  name  of  Erik 
Jansson." 

From  Erik  Jansson 's  catechism,  embodj'ing  his  principal  teachings, 
a  few  excerpts  may  jiroperly  ])e  made  by  way  of  defining  this  religious 
movement  in  the  words  of  the  founder  himself.  We  translate  literally 
from  a  reprint  published  at  Galva,  111.,  in  1903. 

Tu  the  foreword  we  read  this  authoritative  declaration:  "Thou. 
who  taketh  this  precious  trea.sure  in  thy  hand  in  order  to  accept  every 
word  of  it  as  if  spoken  by  God,  or  as  though  God  himself  stood  before 
thee  in  visible  form  and  spake  to  thee  all  that  is  herein  written — and 
everything  is  written  as  the  Word  of  God — I  pray  thee  to  consider 
well  the  import  of  certain  expressions." 

On  page  22  we  find  his  views  on  education  thus  expressed:  "It  is 
not  unbeknown  to  us  that  all  the  schools  of  the  times  are  foiuided  by  the 
devil,  yet  they  are  of  some  use  in  teaching  that  which  pertains  to  a 
knowledge,  sanctioned  by  God,  of  those  figures  (things)  from  which 
the  prophets  drew  their  parables,  etc." 

On  page  2-4  the  author  speaks  of  himself  in  this  wise: 

"Question.  But  how  canst  thou  kiunv  that  (Jod  now  .shall  send 
a  certain  jierson.  when  we  have  God's  word  in  abundance  amongst  us. 
without  (need  of)  any  more  teachings,  by  untutored  laymen? 

"Answer.  As  regards  this,  that  the  canonical  books  of  the  Bible 
are  siifTiciciit  1o  instrucl  us  about  the  way  of  salvation,  it  has  already 
been  said  that  all  other  writings  and  books  are  needless  and  devilisii 
ami  (■.iiinot  be  considered  (in  ascertaining)  whether  the  Word  of  (iod. 
willioiil  tlic  I'aiilty  intcrpi-etations  of  othei-s,  is  and  shall  ever  be  the 
only  foundation,  on  which  the  one  sent  by  Goil  shall  build.  But  in 
regard  to  this,  that  Jesus  will  send  some  one,  who  shall  restore  that 

*  "So  tedious,  rcpuftnant  nnd  Implouii  n  coUoctlon  of  BOnsa  no  oilier  rcllRlous 
bni1.v  linM  ovor  liml  foUtud  upon  It.  Aninne  tlio  rutloat  proiluctn  of  vorsinrntioii  In 
liny  lltorntiiro  one  will  hpiutIi  In  viiln  for  iiiiytliliiK  l<>  iniitcli  II."    (WIlC^KLiiliKN  ) 


i:rik  janssonism  219 

which  lou^:  hath  lain  J'aHow,  we  know  1j\-  all  the  signs  of  the  times  that 
he  liatli  already  been  sent,  for  everyone  wlio  believeth,  may  see  that 
the  same  miracles  that  Jesus  wrought  ai'e  also  being  performed  by  him 
whom  God  has  sent.  Further,  we  find  that  the  sisns  of  Jonah,  the 
Proi)het,  have  come  to  pass  in  all  lands  aud  are  being  fulfilled  in  all 
the  nations  under  the  sun.  Therefore  I  may  be  sure  that  Jesus  has  sent 
the  one  who  gives  his  life  for  that  which  is  right,  or  alone  for  the 
salvation  of  his  brethren." 

The  first  commandment  is  commented  thus  on  page  35 : 

"Q.  Mayst  thou  have  other  gods  besides  God,  when  thou  dis- 
believest  him  whom  God  hath  sent  as  the  light  of  the  world  ? 

"A.  Not  to  believe  in  him  whom  God  has  sent  is  the  worst 
idolatry  of  which  the  Bible  speaks ;  for  whosoever  toueheth  him 
toucheth  the  apple  of  God's  eye." 

The  eighth  (ninth)  commandment  is  thus  interpreted  (p.  75)  : 

"Q.  Since  thy  lirethren  in  the  faith  alone  are  thy  neighbors, 
mayst  thou  bear  false  witness  against  the  imbelievers  ? 

"A.  Whenever  it  is  required  to  bear  such  vdtness  as  to  promote 
the  eternal  welfare  of  my  neighbor,  I  cannot  but  bear  witness  free  from 
falsehood.  But  should  I,  like  Judas,  be  asked  where  he,  whom  I  am 
sure  God  has  sent,  is  (hidden),  then  I  cannot  testify  truthfully,  being 
convinced  that  I  would  thereby  bear  false  witness  against  my  neigh- 
bor." The  next  two  pages  are  devoted  to  proving  that  lying  is  not 
only  permissible  but  praiseworthy;  quoting  Scripture  to  show  that 
the  Lord's  servants  often  have  lied  to  the  glory  of  God.  We  are  told 
(p.  77)  that  "when  the  faithful  speak  falsely  and  lie  before  men  for 
the  sake  of  truth  and  right,  they  do  so  in  order  to  destroy  falsehood 
and  eradicate  the  tares." 

On  page  103  Erik  Jansson  gets  down  to  the  bedrock  of  his 
doctrine  in  these  Avords : 

"Q.  You  believe,  then,  that  the  coming  of  Christ  has  not  been 
fulfilled  until  Erik  Jansson  came  with  the  true  light,  just  as  God  in  the 
beginning  created  light  in  the  midst  of  darkness? 

"A.  It  is  to  be  remarked  that  all  prophecies  have  reference,  first, 
to  Christ,  the  first-born,  secondly,  to  his  believers  or  those  of  whom 
Jesus  says  that  they  shall  perform  the  same  miracles  that  He  wrought, 
etc.  2.  It  follows,  that  we  must  consider  the  words  of  Jesus  Christ  him- 
self on  this  point,  namely,  that  according  to  the  Prophets  the  last  house 
shall  surpass  the  first,  i.  e.,  as  the  second  glory  (of  the)  Temple  of 
Jerusalem  surpassed  the  glory  built  by  the  son  of  David  and  placed  in 
said  temple — a  sorry  tangle  of  words  for  a  prophet — so  also  it  now 
shall  come  to  pass  that  the  glory  restored  by  Erik  Jansson  in  Christ's 
stead  shall  surpass  that  of  Jesus  and  his  Apostles  in  all  lands ;  for  now 
Jesus  Christ  hath  been  made  manifest  in  the  flesh  to  all  those  who 


220  THE  BISHOP  HILL  COLONY 

believe  in  the  name  of  the  Son  of  God.  and  hence  it  is  plain  that  the 
coming  of  Christ   is  fully  realized  through  Erik  Janssou's  obedience 

to  God. " There  is  much  more  of  this,  with  frequent  repetition  of 

the  name  Erik  Jansson,  which  we  forbear  to  quote. 

The  above  excerpts  are  given  as  characteristic  of  Erik  Jansson 's 
mode  of  thought  and  literary  style  as  well  as  of  his  teachings,  bnt  they 
do  not  by  far  cover  all  the  points  on  which  he  was  charged  with 
heresy  by  the  state  church. 

Emigration  of  the  E-riK  Janssonists  to  America 

t 

In  his  arrogance  Erik  Jansson  liad  jiruphesied  that  within  two 
years  the  world  would  be  converted  and  all  his  antagonists  annihilated. 
The  prediction  seemed  all  the  more  unlikely  to  come  true  now  that  the 
prophet  himself  was  in  dire  peril.  lie  had  fled  to  escape  punishment 
and,  when  reached  by  the  arm  of  the  law,  would  face  conviction  and 
banishment  for  heresy  and  repeated  attempts  at  proselyting  in  violation 
of  the  law.  When  it  became  manifest  that  the  Erik  Janssonists  coiUd 
no  longer  operate  without  constant  cla.shes  witli  the  authorities  and 
the  populace,  and  when  the  novelty  of  religious  martyrdom  had  worn 
off,  they  began  to  look  about  for  a  place  of  refuge,  and  their  eyes  and 
hopes  were  directed  to  the  United  States.  Gustaf  Flack,  mentioned 
in  the  foregoing  ehapter,  had  highly  commended  America  in 
letters  to  his  relatives  in  Alfta  parish.  es|)ecially  dwelling  on  the 
religious  liberty  enjoyed  in  the  new  world.  Hence  the  Erik  Janssonists 
resolved  to  transplant  the  whole  movement  to  this  eountrj',  or,  in  their 
own  phrase,  "to  turn  to  the  heathen,  inasmuch  as  the  iniiabitants  of 
their  own  country  refused  to  accept  the  truth  and  believe  in  it." 

In  order  to  make  needed  preparations  for  their  coming,  Olof  Olsson 
of  Kingsta  turned  his  property  into  ready  money  at  public  auction  and 
left  for  America  in  the  summer  of  1845,  accompanied  by  his  wife,  their 
two  children  and  a  couple  of  other  jjcrsons.  He  and  all  tlie  otlicr 
leaders,  including  Erik  Jansson  himself,  who  from  his  hidingplaces 
sent  numerous  letters  to  his  faitliful.  were  untiring  in  their  efforts  to 
paint  in  the  most  glowing  colors  the  future  that  the  promised  land  had 
in  store  for  the  chosen  peo])le.  One  of  tlie  promises  held  out  to  them 
was  that  there  they  would  have  their  till  of  "figs,  while  bread  an<l 
pork,  hogs  being  so  plentiliil  that  lUie  only  had  ti>  shoot,  butcher  and 
eat  them."  They  need  have  no  tear  for  the  language,  it  was  claimed,  for 
upon  their  arrival  it  would  be  given  unto  them  to  speak  with  tongues. 
Furthermore,  liu?  lieatluMi  w<'re  to  build  for  them  walls  and  cities.  .\ll 
the  glories  of  the  millenniiun  were  to  be  realized;  all  were  to  be  as 
one  large  family;  snakes  and  di-agons  woubl  be  i>owerless  to  injiu'i'  any 
of  God's  chosen  .seed;  the  lions  were  to  graze  together  with  the  cattle 


I 


EMIGRATION  AND  SRTTI.KMENT  221 

of  the  fields, — these  were  some  of  the  alluring  pictures  lield  up  to  the 
prospective  emigrants. 

Upon  his  arrival  in  New  York,  Olof  Olsson  encountered  Rev.  O.  G. 
Hedstrom,  the  founder  of  Swedish  Methodism  in  America,  who  received 
him  with  the  utmost  cordialitj'.  Rev.  Hedstrom  endeavored  to  win 
his  guest  over  to  Methodism,  and  had  no  difficulty  in  so  doing,  owing 
partly  to  the  similarity  between  that  creed  and  the  teachings  of  Erik 
Jansson,  partly  to  Olof  Olsson 's  previous  acquaintance  with  Methodist 
doctrines,  acquired  through  the  visit  in  Helsingland  of  Rev.  George 
Scott,  a  ilethodist  preacher  stationed  at  Stockholm.  To  Rev.  Hedstrom 
Olof  Olsson  confided  the  purpose  of  his  trip,  stating  that  he  had  come 
to  find  a  suitable  place  of  settlement  for  the  oppressed  Erik  Jans- 
sonists ;  and  the  former  was  not  slow  to  recommend  Victoria,  111.,  the 
home  of  his  yoiuiger  brother  Jonas  Hedstrom.  After  a  short  stay  in 
New  York,  Olof  Olsson  came  on  to  Illinois  in  the  fall,  provided  with  a 
letter  of  recommendation  from  Rev.  Hedstrom  to  his  brother,  looked 
him  up  and  enjoyed  the  same  cordial  reception  accorded  him  by  the 
elder  brother.  Froln  Victoria  Olof  Olsson  early  in  the  spring  of  1846, 
after  having  made  a  prospecting  tour  of  Illinois,  Wisconsin  and  Minne- 
sota, wrote  back  to  Sweden,  recommending  settlement  in  Illinois. 

Among  the  Erik  Janssonists  at  home  this  aroused  great  eagerness 
for  an  early  start  for  the  new  land  of  Canaan,  the  sentiment  being  in 
every  way  encouraged  bj^  the  prophet  and  his  apostles.  At  this 
juncture  Erik  Janssonism  might  have  had  a  backset  but  for  the 
proposed  exodus  which,  as  an  adjunct  to  their  religious  fanaticism, 
aroused  the  spirit  of  adventure  and  held  out  the  most  alluring  prospects 
of  the  blessed  land  beyond  the  Atlantic.  But  it  was  not  easy  to  get 
from  Sweden  to  America  in  those  days.  In  the  first  place,  the  Erik 
Janssonists  had  some  difficulty  in  obtaining  the  necessary  passports. 
In  the  second  place,  vessels  suited  to  the  purpose  of  the  emigrants 
were  scarce.  The  few  Swedish  vessels  engaged  in  American  trade 
carried  cargoes  of  iron  and  lacked  accommodations  for  passengers. 
Some  of  these  were  remodeled  for  the  convenience  of  the  emigrants, 
but  proved  very  inconvenient  at  best.  Besides,  several  of  the  ships 
were  old  and  hardly  seaworthy. 

Erik  Jansson  had  made  up  his  own  plan  of  emigration  and  decided 
to  adopt  absolute  communism.*  Accordingly,  the  members  of  the  sect 
sold  their  real  and  personal  property  and  foi-med  a  general  treasury 
out  of  which  the  expenses  of  the  passage  were  to  be  defrayed  for  all 

•  On  this  point  authorities  differ.  "In  this  plan  did  not  enter  *•*  those 
socialistic  or  communistic  principles  of  society,  which  were  enforced  after  the 
colony  was  well  established.  —  —  Upon  leaving  Sweden  necessity  prompted  the 
emigrants  to  put  their  money  into  a  common  fund  and  to  have  everything  in 
common.  This  community  of  property  they  chose  to  maintain  after  their  arrival 
but  there  was  no  intention   of  founding   the  colony  on  a  socialistic   basis.     Erik 


222  THE  BISHOP  HILL  COLONY 

alike.  As  preparations  were  going  forward,  mauy  diftieulties  arose. 
Thus  many  were  in  debt,  and  their  affairs  had  to  be  cleared  uj) ;  others 
were  soldiers  and  had  to  pay  large  sums  for  their  release  from  military 
service;  still  others  had  difficulty  in  finding  bujers  and  were  forced  to 
sell  their  property  at  great  sacrifice.  Nevertheless,  the  common  fund 
grew  quite  large.  Linjo  Gabriel  Larsson  of  Ostra  Fors,  Malung  parish, 
one  of  Erik  Jansson's  chief  followers  in  Dalarnc.  made  the  verj- 
.substantial  contribution  of  24.000  crowns;  others  added  twelve,  nine, 
five  or  one  thousand  crowns  to  the  general  fimd.  Even  the  clothing 
not  needed  for  daily  use  was  sold,  for  all  were  to  be  dressed  alike.  The 
prophet  appointed  four  persons  as  so-called  "princes,"  who  were  to 
keep  and  administer  the  general  fund,  viz.,  Jonas  Olsson  and  Olof  Jaus- 
son  (afterwards  known  as  Johnson)  from  Soderala,  Olof  Jonsson  (in 
America  he  changed  his  name  to  Steuberg  or  Stoneberg)  from  Foi-ssa, 
and  Anders  Berglund  from  Alfta.*  Anyone  who  wavered  in  his  allegi- 
ance to  the  prophet  was  expelled  without  getting  back  his  contribution 
to  the  general  fund  or  any  share  of  it. 

While  his  faithful  followers  were  preparing  for  the  general  exodus, 
Erik  Jansson  left  the  country. f  Equipped  with  the  passport  of  another 
family,  he  set  out  with  his  wife  and  two  children  and  several  otlier 
persons.  He  himself,  being  a  fugitive,  traveled  secretly  at  night, 
remaining  hid  by  day  at  the  homes  of  his  believers.  When  he  had  left 
the  parts  where  these  lived,  he  traveled  on  skis,  generally  ahead  of  his 
party,  and  slept  in  vacant  woodchopper's  huts  or  wherever  he  could 
find  shelter.  After  crossing  the  fjelds  into  Nor\va\  he  traveled  openly 
witli  the  party  to  Christiania. 

Oilier  members  of  the  pai-ty  were.  Olof  Xorlund,  who,  to  make  the 
passport  tallj-  in  Sweden,  traveled  as  Mrs.  Jansson's  husband,  and  three 

Jansson  spoke  of  it  as  a  tcniporai*y  arrangement  and  U  was  his  piirposo,  as  also 
that  of  the  other  leading  men.  to  make  a  change  as  soon  as  conditions  permitted." 
(JOHN.SON  and  PETERSON.) 

"It  id  safe  to  say,  that  into  his  colonization  plan  did  not  enter  any  of  those 
eommuoistlc  or  socialistic  principles,  which  afterwards  found  a  practical  applica- 
tion  In   tlie  colony.     Tliese  were  the   fruits  of  necessity."      (SW.MN.^OX.) 

"That  comnuinism  in  the  Bishop  Hill  colony  originated  in  this  way  Is  quite 
likely;  but  even  if  no  distinctly  communistic  plan  was  framed  prior  to  emigration, 
yet  I  recollect  that  the  doctrine  of  niri.<tian  communism  was  at  the  time  strongly 
urged  hy  the  Janssonlsts,  and  therein  lay  tlie  seed  of  the  communism  that  sub- 
sciiuently  sprung  up  at    Itishop  Hill."      (NOltKLU'.'^.) 

Hiram  Higclow's  assumption  that  Erik  Jansson  had  come  undi>r  the  Influence 
of  the  French  socialists  and  adopted  their  communistic  views  Is  not  supported  by 
any  known  facts. 

So  niui-li  Is  certain,  tliat  tiie  plan  was  patterned  after  that  of  the  earlier 
Phristians.  and  tliere  Is  nothing  to  show  that  it  was  to  apply  only  during  enil«;rn- 
tlon. 

»  Tlic  numhcr  Is  sometimes  given  as  seven,  but  the  names  of  the  other  three 
are  nowiicre   recoriled. 

t  Th<'  stateincnl  that  he  left  Sweden  In  January,  lS<fi,  does  not  tally  with 
other  data,  whicli  seem  to  place  the  evi>nt  well  towanl  the  spring.  Capt.  Johnson, 
who  avers  tlial  his  father  "left  for  America  before  Christmas.  IS^fi."  counts  from 
Ills  sljirt   from   IhlHlnKland. 


KiMicRATioN  AM)  si-:tti,i-;mi;nt  223 

women.  When  Norlund  was  no  longer  necdeil,  lie  returned,  as  did 
also  Linjo  Lars  Gabrielson,  who  saw  Erik  Jansson  safely  out  of  the 
country  and  is  said  to  have  ])aid  the  passage  to  America  for  the  entire 
party.  From  Christiania  the  i)arty  crossed  over  to  Copenhagen  and 
proceeded  via  Kiel,  Hamburg,  Hull  and  Liverpool  to  New  York. 

The  rest  of  the  Erik  Janssonists  took  passage  on  vessels  in  the 
ports  of  Stockholm,  Soderhamu,  Goteborg,  Christiania,  but  principally 
Gefle.  In  the  latter  city  they  gathered  in  large  numbers  antl  held 
public  meetings.  They  likened  themselves  to  the  children  of  Israel 
departing  from  Egypt.  As  Closes  had  destroyed  the  Egyptians  in  the 
Red  Sea,  so  the  prophet  and  messenger  Erik  Jansson  would  by  the 
power  of  God  lay  waste  all  Sweden,  that  accursed  hell-hole,  with  fire 
and  sword.  In  their  eagerness  to  join  in  the  exodus,  wives  deserted 
their  husbands  and  infants,  children  their  parents,  and  servants  their 
employers.  The  journey  was  one  of  severe  hardships  to  most  of  the 
emigrants.  The  lords  of  the  exchequer,  appointed  by  Erik  Jansson, 
were  to  supply  provisions  and  other  necessaries,  but  their  inexperience 
entailed  much  illness  and  suffering.  To  this  was  added  seasickness. 
True,  Erik  Jansson  had  assured  them  of  immunity  from  that  nauseous 
affliction  if  they  were  steadfast  in  the  faith,  but  subsequent  events 
showed  that  either  they  were  misled  on  that  point  or  else  there  was  a 
very  general  wavering  among  the  faithful. 

Many  of  the  emigrants  were  exposed  to  great  peril.  One  ship, 
which  set  sail  from  Soderhamn  in  October,  1845,  and  was  the  first  to 
carry  any  considerable  number  of  Erik  Janssonists,  was  wrecked  off 
Oregrund,  but  all  the  passengers — there  were  sixteen  or  seventeen  in  the 
Janssonist  party — were  saved  and  returned  to  their  homes.  They  re- 
embai-ked  on  a  ship  which  left  Gefle  in  March  the  following  year.  An- 
other of  the  emigrant  vessels,  commanded  by  one  Captain  Eonning, 
went  down  with  fifty  emigrants  on  board,  not  one  of  whom  was  saved. 
A  third  ship  foundered  off  New  Foundland,  the  passengers  saving  their 
lives  but  losing  all  their  property.  When  the  ship  "Yilhelmina" 
reached  New  York,  in  September,  1846,  twenty-two  children  had  died 
on  the  voyage.  In  this  and  subsequent  years  altogether  one  hundred 
and  seventy  Erik  Janssonists  perished  on  the  way. 

Founding'   of  the   Bishop    Hill   Colony,  the   First   Swedish  Settle- 
ment in  Illinois 

Erik  Jansson  and  his  family  reached  New  York  in  June,  1846.  His 
wife  having  just  given  birth  to  a  son,  they  were  delayed  in  that  city 
several  weeks.  In  the  interval,  Erik  Jansson  preached  to  the  Methodists 
on  board  their  Bethel  ship.  As  soon  as  his  wife  was  restored  to 
health,  they  started  for  Illinois,  accompanied  by  an  American  family 


224 


THE  BISHOP  HILL  COLONY 


named  Pollock  of  New  York  and  two  Swedish  woint-n.  In  the  early 
part  of  July  they  reached  Victoria,  where  Erik  Jausson  met  Olof  Olsson. 
who  had  gone  to  America  the  year  before.  The  latter  lived  on  a 
forty  acre  farm  in  section  22.  Copley  township,  and  made  a  home 
for  himself  and  family  in  a  log  cabin.  In  this  same  cabin  the  first 
Swedish  Methodist  congregation  in  America  was  afterwards  organized 
on  December  15.  1846.  The  shelter  was  far  from  satisfactory,  but  in  the 
absence  of  better  accommodations  it  had  to  do.  Rain  poured  through 
the  leaky  roof,  and  snakes  crawled  in  through  the  holes  in  the  walls. 
subjecting  the  inhabitants  to  discomfort  and  danger. 

The  firet  meeting  in  America  between  Erik  Jansson  and  Olof  Olsson 
was  not  a  pleasant  affair.  As  before  stated,  the  latter  had  been  con- 
verted to  Methodism  by  Rev.  0.  G.  Hedstrom  of  New  York,  and  when 
Erik  Jansson  learned  of  this,  there  was  a  hot  encounter  between  the 
two  men. 

Erie  Jansson  and  family  shared  the  log  cabin  occupied  by  Olof 
Olsson.  They  had  no  more  than  become  fairly  settled  when  this  same 
log  cabin  was  transformed  into  a  theological  forum,  says  Capt.  Eric 
Johnson,  in  relating  this  reminiscence  of  his  early  boyhood.  Theological 
discussions  were  served  up  for  breakfast,  dinner  and  supper.  Between 
meals  the  combatants  would  sit  in  the  shade  of  a  tree,  continuing  the 
debate,  and  worst  of  all  for  the  non-combatants,  the  wordy  battle  raged 
long  after  all  had  gone  to  bed.  The  only  truce  was  diu-ing  morning  and 
evening  prayers.  This  religious  combat  had  been  going  on  for  days, 
if  not  weeks,  when  one  night  after  retiring  the  war  grew  fiercer  than 
ever.  After  a  rapid  exchange  of  redhot  religious  broadsides.  Olsson 
finally  lost  his  temper  and  threatened  to  get  out  of  bed  and  throw  Erik 
Jausson  and  his  family  out  of  the  house.  This  proved  the  turning  point 
in  the  affray,  for  next  morning  the  two  men  were  friends  and  looked  at 
religion  from  the  same  point  of  view — Olof  Olsson  had  become  a  Jans- 
sonist  again. 

A  few  days  after  the  arrival  of  Erik  Jan.sson  canu'  the  first  party 
of  his  followers.  They  were  people  from  Daleearlia  proviiu'e  who. 
under  the  leadership  of  Linjo  Gabriel  Larsson,  had  left  Malung  April 
nth  and  10th  for  America,  via  Christiania.  Prom  New  York  they  had 
taken  the  route  which  was  used  by  the  great  mass  of  Swedish  and  other 
immif^iiints  for  almost  a  decade  before  the  first  railroad  was  built  to. 
Chicago,  viz.,  up  the  Hudson  to  Albany  by  steamer,  thence  by  canal  to 
Buffalo,  and  again  by  steamer  over  the  Great  Lakes  from  that  i>oint  to 
Chicago.  Fi-oni  tlie  latter  point,  most  of  the  adults  traveled  on  foot  to 
Victoria,  while  children  .iiid  invalids  rode  on  i)ack  horses  and  in  wagons 
purchased  for  transportation  pui-jioses.  Ijaler  jiarties  took  tiu^  canal 
route  to  Henry  or  I'ern.  wlience  they  walked  or  rode.  Tlie  very  last 
Comers  travelfil    liv    ruilinjid    llic   entire   distanec    rrum    New    York    In 


EMIGRATION    AND    SI;TTI,i;MENT  225 

Galva.  Tliis  was  in  1854  after  tlic  cDinplction  of  the  ('.  li.  &  (^.  i-oad 
to  the  latter  point. 

For  tlie  sum  of  !f!2r)0  out  of  the  (•oiiinioii  treasury  Olof  Olssou  [)ur- 
ehased  a  sixty  acre  farm  at  Keil  Oak  drove,  in  sections  !)  and  17. 
with  a  loghouse  and  a  few  acres  of  ground  under  cultivation. 
On  August  '21st,  after  the  first  party  of  immigrants  had  arrived.  156 
acres  of  section  8,  in  the  same  township,  was  purchased  for  $1,100. 
The  party  at  once  moved  upon  tlie  land,  managing  as  best  they  could. 
There  was  a  log  cabin,  a  piece  of  cultivated  ground,  and  some  timber. 
They  now  began  to  plan  a  small  town  or  colony  for  those  that  were  to 
folloM'.  and  after  looking  over  the  neighborhood  they  decided  to  locate 
at  Hoop  Pole  Grove,  comprising  the  southwest  corner  of  section  14. 
Weller  township.  Here  Erik  Jansson  bought  160  acres  directly  from 
the  government  on  Sept.  26th,  for  $200.  The  same  clay  a  tract  of  320 
acres  in  sections  23  and  24  was  purchased  for  $400.  It  Avas  a  fine 
locality,  with  a  small  bluff,  a  spring  of  water,  clumps  of  oak-trees  and  a 
small  stream,  known  as  South  Edward's  Creek.  The  place  was  named 
Bishop  Hill,  after  Biskopskulla,  the  birthplace  of  Erik  Jansson.  Olof 
Olsson  had  accompanied  the  others  to  Red  Oak  Grove,  and  before  the 
end  of  the  year  he  and  his  wife,  together  with  two  of  their  children, 
were  claimed  by  death. 

In  readiness  for  a  numerous  party  that  was  expected  soon,  two  log 
houses  were  hurriedly  put  up,  also  four  large  tents  and  one  so-called 
church  tent,  built  of  logs  in  the  form  of  a  cross  and  covered  with 
canvas.  The  entrance  and  the  pulpit  were  at  the  north  end,  while  the 
.south  end  was  occupied  by  a  fireplace  and  a  gallery.  This  tabernacle 
had  a  capacity  of  800  to  1.000  persons.  A  laudable  trait  of  the  colonists 
was  this,  that  immediately  upon  their  arrival  they  built  a  house  in 
which  to  give  praise  and  thanks  to  God,  whom  thej-  would  serve  and  for 
whose  sake  they  believed  themselves  persecuted  and  martyred. 

On  Oct  28tli  Jonas  Olsson  arrived  Avith  a  large  party,  including 
Erik  Jansson 's  two  brothers,  Johan,  or  Jan,  and  Peter.  His  mother, 
who  was  in  the  party,  died  during  the  voyage.  ]\Iauy  members  of  this 
as  well  as  subsequent  parties  deserted  in  New  York,  the  hardships 
endured  on  the  voyage  creating  in  their  minds  a  doubt  as  to  the  divine 
mission  of  the  alleged  prophet.  There  is  good  ground  for  the  belief, 
however,  that  many  of  the  deserters  probably  had  never  professed  an 
abiding  faith  in  him,  having  merely  taken  advantage  of  the  movement 
to  get  rid  of  their  debts  and  obtain  free  passage  to  America.  JIany 
stopped  in  Chicago,  among  whom  Jan  Jansson.  one  of  Erik  Jansson 's 
own  brothers. 

At  the  approach  of  cold  weather,  another  party  arrived,  raising  the 
total  number  of  colonists  to  three  himdred.  The  existing  buildings  now 
proved  entirely  inadequate,  and  many  additional  loghouses  were  hastily 


226  THE    lUSHOl"    IIII.I,    COI.ONV 

built,  also  a  larpe  .s«Klhousi>  which  served  as  kiteheii  and  diiiinsr  liall. 
or,  ac-eordiu^  to  the  recollection  of  some,  three  sod  kitchens  were  Imilt. 
one  by  one.  as  needed,  and  later  replaced  by  one  large  adobe  kitchen  in 
three  sections.  Hut  even  at  that,  the  demand  for  shi'lter  was  not  fully 
met.  Ill  atlditioii  no  less  than  twelve  so-called  diijrouts  were  constructed, 
by  the  process  of  digging  holes,  or  cellars,  in  the  side  of  the  hill,  the 
partial  earthen  walls  being  completed  iiy  a  superstructure  of  logs.  The 
hut  was  covered  with  a  layer  of  thin  boards  on  which  was  |)laced  a 
thatch  of  sod.  Tlie  t]tn>v  was  at  the  front  end.  tlanked  by  a  couple  of 
snial!  windows,  and  the  fire|)lace  at  the  l)ack  wall.  These  unsanitary 
dwellings  were  2.")  to  :i(l  feet  long  and  IS  feet  wide  anil  housed  from 
twenty-five  to  tliirly  ])ersons  each.  These  .slept  in  berths  built  in  two 
tiers  along  the  side  walls,  each  berth  with  a  capacity  of  three  pci-sons. 
During  the  first  winter  no  less  than  tifty-two  unmarried  women  are  said 
to  have  lived  together  in  a  rude  wooden  .structure. 

fjate  in  the  fall  still  another  company  of  Erik  Janssonists  arrived, 
swelling  the  total  nuiiiber  to  four  huiidreil.  Of  these  .seventy  lived  at 
Red  Oak  (frove.  Fortunately  the  winter  i)roved  exceptionally  mild,  the 
ground  being  frozen  for  a  ])eriod  of  only  eight  weeks.  At  tinu^s.  how- 
ever, the  cold  was  so  bitter  as  to  prevent  outdoor  work. 

Before  luidertakiiig  a  more  detailed  description  of  the  Bishop  Hill 
Colony,  .some  account  must  be  given  of  subse<|uent  parties  of  Krik  Jans- 
sonists that  kept  coming  from  time  to  time.  In  June.  1S47.  there  were 
added  to  the  settlement  four  hundred  men  and  women  and  a  large 
number  of  children.  One  hundred  and  eighty  were  brought  over  from 
(Jetle  on  the  sliii)  ",\cw  York."  The  voyage  had  taken  five  nuinths. 
the  ship  having  been  delayed  by  storms  and  laiil  up  for  ri'pairs  in  an 
English  purl  for  si.\  weeks.  Xnl  iiiilil  .Mmi-iIi  ll^th  did  the  pa.ssengers 
reach  .\ew  York,  iiiucli  fatigued  by  sickness  anil  famine.  There  they 
found  aiicither  party  of  l']rik  Janssonists  who  had  set  sail  from  tJote- 
biii-i,'.  Hv<Mi  after  reai'liing  .Ni'w  York  thi'  members  of  these  two  parties 
were  subjected  to  indescribabli'  hardships.  The  ctTects  of  their  subsist- 
ing fdf  so  long  a  titue  oil  iinwholesome  food  now  became  apparent,  and 
ciiiiilil  idiis  wer<'  si  ill  liirlher  aggravated  by  the  necessity  of  crowding 
tile  eiiiii.'raiits  tugellHT  like  cattle  into  small  and  unsanitary  unarters. 
They  were  attacked   by  scurvy   in   its  most   loathsome   form;   in  many 

inslai s  tile  llesli  rolled  fniiii  the  i)oties  and  .joint   was  sevtTcd  from 

joint,  the  poor  victims  writhing  with  pain  at  the  slightest  touch  or 
movement.  Within  a  fortiiiglil  thirty  persons  died.  The  dead  were 
placed  by  twos  or  threes  into  rough  boxes  and  buried  without  eeri'iiiony. 
The  most  iiflli<-tc(l  uiies  were  sorted  out  and  placed  in  a  subterranean 
I Ill  wlici-e  scant  beds  were  prepared  on  the  floor.  Instead  of  provid- 
ing suitable  food  and  iiiedii'iii  alleiitiini  for  the  patii'iits.  the  leaders 
pri'scritteil  fastinj.'.  wiiiie  I  bey  went  (lilt   ill  the  city  ami  priivid<'d  them- 


EMIGRATION  AND   SKTTI.IvMKNT  227 

selves  aiuply  with  fudd  aiul  ilriiik',  inaiiilainin^-  that  suc-li  a  cinirse  cniild 
be  taken  without  prejudice  to  their  laith.  Instead  of  driving  eomfort 
and  solace  to  the  siek  and  dxiiig.  they  i)reaclu'd  I0  llieiii  for  two  lioni-s 
every  morning  and  night,  harshly  denouncing  them  for  tlieir  unlielief. 
which  they  declared  was  the  chief  cause  of  their  sufferings,  'i'hc  leaders 
made  daily  attempts  at  performing  miracles  in  tlie  way  of  healing  the 
sick;  they  compelled  the  patients  to  arise  and  ordered  them  to  believe 
that  they  were  healed,  invoking  dire  [tunishment  upon  them,  wiien  tliey 
fell  back  powerless  on  their  beds. 

Several  of  the  healthy  members  of  the  party,  moved  to  compassion 
by  the  sufferings  witnessed  on  every  hand  and  revolting  at  the  ignor- 
ance, hypocrisy  and  hardheartedness  of  the  leaders,  bade  their  com- 
panions farewell,  declaring  they  could  no  longer  endure  the  sight  of 
the  misery.  These  deserters  the  leaders  took  care  to  deprive  of  every- 
thing of  value  that  they  possessed.* 

On  April  26th,  when  the  spring  sun  had  melted  the  ice  from  the 
waterways,  the  survivors  of  the  two  parties  were  finally  able  to  leave 
New  York  on  their  way  to  Illinois,  taking  the  same  route  as  their  pre- 
decessors. The  leaders  of  the  combined  parties  were  Anders  Anders- 
son  from  Thorstuna  and  a  blacksmith  by  the  name  of  Hammarback.  All 
who  were  able  had  to  travel  on  foot  from  Chicago  to  Bishop  Hill.  This 
slow  mode  of  travel  consumed  ten  days.  To  house  the  newcomers  five 
new  dugouts  were  built  for  the  people,  and  additional  ones  for  the 
horses  and  cattle,  Avhile  to  shut  out  the  rain,  the  house  of  worship  was 
provided  with  a  solid  roof  of  oak  shingling. 

The  sixth  party  of  emigrants  reached  Bishoi)  Hill  in  the  sunnner  of 
1849  under  the  leadership  of  Jonas  Nylund  from  Delsbo,  a  papermaker's 
apin-eutiee.  He  had  gone  to  Norway  and  there  induced  a  number 
of  people  to  emigrate  and  join  the  new  colony.  Between  Chicago  and 
La  Salle  cholera  broke  out  in  this  party,  which  the  aforesaid  Anders 
Andersson  found  on  his  return  from  a  business  trip  to  ('hicago  in  a 
deplorable  condition  and,  with  good  intent  but  lack  of  forethought, 
brought  them  to  Bishop  Hill,  where  the  dreaded  pest  broke  out  forth- 
with. 

A  seventh  party  came  over  in  1850,  under  the  joint  leadership  of 
Olof  Johnson  and  Olof  Stoneberg,  who  had  retin-ned  to  Sweden  in  order 
to  collect  moneys  due  and  inheritances  of  minors,  as  also  to  gather  up 
the  remainder  of  the  sect.  The  sum  they  brought  back  is  said  to  have 
amounted  to  $6,000.  The  emigrant  party  was  composed  of  160  persons, 
who  under  Stoneberg 's  supervision  embarked  at  Soderhanni.  On  the 
ocean  ten  persons  died.  At  Buffalo  the  whole  company  was  taken  on 
board  an  old  propeller  steamer  bound  for  Jlilwaukee.  Owing  to  bad 
weather   and   breakage   in   the   mai-hinery.   the   trip   took   two   weeks, 

•   The  accuracv  of  this  narrative  is  doubted  or  denied  by  eertain  survivors. 


228  THK    BISHor    HII.I.    COI.ONV 

and  thoir  pnivisitms  <;avc  out.  In  ilichifran.  wIhtc  tlu-  sti-amiT 
touched,  cholera  added  to  their  miseries,  earryinj?  off  fifty  to  sixty  of 
the  party  before  ilihvaukee  was  reached.  A  Swedish-American  of  that 
city,  C.  Hhmxius  by  name,  learning  by  chance  that  a  jiarty  of  his 
eountrynien  liail  arrived,  at  once  provided  care  and  nieilieal  service  for 
the  sick.  Upon  liarninfr  afterwards  that  Stoneberghad  several  thousand 
dollars  in  his  possession,  he  compelled  him  to  pay  the  bills. 

Later  in  tlie  autumn  of  that  year  one  Jons  Andei"sson  brought  over 
the  eighth  party,  numbering  eighty  colonists  who  sailed  from  Getle  on 
the  ship  "Condor.''  They  had  one  loss  by  death  during  the  i)as.sage. 
In  1854  the  nintli  and  last  party  of  P^rik  Jan.ssonists  arrived,  numbering 
seventy.    This  ended  the  actual  exodus  of  the  sect. 

According  to  the  ecclesiastical  records,  the  Krilc  -lanssonists  in  the 
provinces  of  Gestrikland  and  llelsiuglaud  numbered  U13,  all  but  36  of 
whom  lived  in  the  last  named  province.  Of  the  total  number  649  were 
adults  and  2()4  ciiildrcn:  409  were  recruited  from  the  so-called  ''read- 
ers." The  greatest  exodus  of  Erik  Jan.ssonists  occurred  in  1846.  when 
823  persons  emigrated  from  the  two  provinces.  Alfta  alone  furnishing 
346,  Ofvanaker  44.  Voxna  40,  etc.  From  the  province  of  Dalarne  09 
peojjlo  emigrated,  from  T'plnnd  an  equal  numl)cr.  and  from  Ilerjedalen 
10  to  l.'>. 

Individual  immigration  to  Bishop  Hill  i-ontinued  tiirougliout  the 
period.  1846 — ISM.  swelling  the  total  to  about  LoOO.  ^Vhile  the  early 
emigrants  were  actuated  solely  by  a  desire  for  freedom  of  worship,  the 
latter  presumably  were  led  by  mercenary  motives,  awakened  by  the 
rumored  ]m)s]ierity  of  the  colony. 

Ill  Sweden.  Krik  Jaiissonism  was  tlius  almost  entirely  eratlicafed. 
those  of  his  converts  who  did  not  follow  him  to  America  returning  to 
the  established  church  or  going  over  to  other  sects  almost  to  a  num. 
But  even  to  tiiis  day  persons  in  these  parts  have  been  known  to 
persevere  in  their  lidirl'  in  JM-ik  Jansson  as  "tiie  new  light  sent  by 
flod."  Krik  Jaiissonism  was  also  ti-ansplantcd  to  Denmark.  ImiI  gained 
only  a  mere  handl'id  of  converts  in  tiiat  count ry. 

Daily   Life   in   the   Colony 

Tile  daily  life  in  the  colony  ofl'ered  many  iieeuliarities.  the  religious 
phase  being  the  most  jn-onounced.  That  tlie  Krik  Janssonists,  who 
had  emigrated  in  m-iler  to  gain  freedom  to  worship  according  to  tlieir 
own  dictates,  madi-  sedulous  use  of  their  newt'onnd  liberty  was  but 
iialural.  During  their  first  fall  and  winter  in  the  new  land,  they  held 
religious  services  twice  every  week-day  and  thrice  on  Sundays.  Erik 
Jansson  arose  every  morning  at  five  and  roused  his  peopb'  for  nuitins. 
Ihilt'  an  hour  later  he  ma<le  a  second  round,  when  all  were  re(|nired  to 
gather  immediately  in  the  tabeniai'le  for  lln'  iiiorning  services,  consist- 


DAII.V     1,1 1"H 


229 


ill"  of  a  sermon  ainl  ]ir;iyc'rs.  ol'luii  cuiisiuiiiiiji'  two  lioiirs'  time.  At 
('liristmas,  1846,  a  clmrcli  lull  was  procured,  which  served  the  double 
jnu-pose  of  calling  the  people  to  woi-ship  and  to  their  meals.  The  second 
religious  service  of  each  day  Avas  held  in  the  evening.  Along  in  the 
si)ring  of  1847,  when  work  in  the  fields  began,  the  morning  and  evening 
services  were  replaced  by  a  short  noon  meeting,  held  in  a  shady  spot  in 
the  woods  adjoining  Bishop  Hill  on  the  north.  These  meetings  were 
generally  conducted  by  Erik  Jansson  in  person,  sometimes  by  tin; 
assistance  of  Jonas  Olsson,  Anders  Berglund,  Nils  Hedin  or  some  other 
leader.     Erik  Jansson 's  own  hynniboolc  was  used,  and  in   liis  sn-mons 


Bishop  Hill— Tlie  (Jlil  Colony  Church 

he  dwelt  incessantly  on  his  God-given  mission,  the  sinless  state  of  his 
faithful  followers,  and  similar  doctrines. 

For  the  propagation  and  perpetuation  of  Erik  Janssoni.sm  twelve 
of  the  most  gifted  young  men  of  the  colony  were  selected  in  1847  and 
given  special  instruction  in  the  doctrines  of  the  sect  by  the  prophet 
himself  and  the  most  enlightened  of  his  assistants.  The  prophet's 
prediction  about  the  gift  of  speaking  with  tongues  .still  remaining  un- 
fulfilled, the  English  language  was  made  one  of  the  .studies.  The 
classes  generally  met  in  the  shadoAV  of  a  great  oaktree.  but  a  dugout 
was  also  used  for  school  purposes. 

In  the  summer  of  1848  the  tabernacle,  or  church  tent,  was 
destroyed  by  fire,  and  the  colonists  at  once  began  to  build  the  edifice 
now  knoM-n  as  the  Old  Colony  Church,  which  is  still  one  of  the  land- 
marks of  Bishop  Hill.  It  was  completed  in  1849.  being  built  in  three 
stories,  the  third  forming  the  sanctuarv  while  the  first  and  second  were 


230  Till-:    BISHOP    HII.I.    COLONY 

])artiti(>iuMl  off  into  dwelling  rooms,  there  being  also  a  couple  of  such 
rooms  in  the  third  story. 

Erik  .Jaiissou  coiitiniied  preaching  to  his  faithfid  Hock  as  long  as 
he  lived,  tliougii  with  some  difficulty  in  his  later  years,  owing  to  the 
loss  of  his  tci'tii.  The  set  of  false  teeth  used  by  him  after  that  formed 
such  an  impediment  in  his  speech  that  his  hearers  luid  to  strain  them- 
selves to  the  utmost  in  order  to  catch  his  meaning. 

Provision  was  also  made  for  the  education  of  the  young.  During 
the  fir.st  winter.  ^Irs.  ^^largareta  llel)l)e  instructed  the  illiterate  elders 
in  reading  and  writing,  the  school  sessions  being  held  in  the  tabernacle. 
After  Mrs.  Ilebbc  left  the  colony,  Peter  Ilellsfriim  succeeded  her  as 
instructor.  A  similar  school  was  opened  at  Retl  Dak  Grove,  where 
Karin  Pettersson  and  a  ilrs.  Koiuii|uist  acted  as  teachers.  In  .lanuary. 
1847,  an  English  kindergardeii  was  established  in  one  of  the  dugouts, 
and  conducted  by  an  American  clergyman  by  the  name  of  Talbot. 
assisted  b\'  ^Irs.  So])liia  Pollock. 

It  w;is  with  the  utmost  ditficultx'  that  the  colonists  could  pmcnri- 
Hoiii'  foi-  l)reiid.  The  nearest  Hour  mill  was  at  Green  Kiver.  twenty- 
eight  miles  away,  the  second  nearest  at  Canulen,  the  present  village  of 
;\Iilan.  a  short  distance  from  where  the  Rock  Kiver  empties  into  the 
Mississippi.  To  these  two  points  they  sent  their  gi'ain  from  time  to 
time,  hut  i'r(c|iii'nlly  the  mills  wouhl  be  out  of  repair,  necessitating 
still  longei'  trips.  In  tiie  meantime,  the  supjily  at  home  would  give 
out.  a  I'eal  ealaniity  in  those  days,  Avhen  there  were  no  neighlu>i*s  from 
wlidiii  to  liiirrow  in  an  emergency.  Then  some  substitute  for  bread 
had  to  be  in-odneed.  and  a  couple  of  primitive  hand  mills  were 
l)rocui'ed  in  which  corn  was  ground  into  a  coarse  meal  reciuiring  10  to 
12  hours  of  cooking  to  make  it  ])alatable.  The  colonists  were  many 
and  the  capacity  of  the  mills  was  small,  so  they  had  to  grind  by  shifts 
all  night  in  order  to  produce  nu'al  sufficient  for  the  next  day. 
In  the  large  comnu)n  refectory  all  dined  together  on  food  which 
was  often  insutlicient  and  generally  unpalatable.  The  situation  was 
relieved  to  a  great  extent,  when  in  1S47  a  llour  mill  was  built  on 
Edward's  Creek,  but  this  sli-eam  would  sometimes  run  dry,  closing 
down  (he  mill.  In  lliese  enieri^eMrii^s  llu'  colonists  would  be  called 
into  rei|uisil  ion  to  treail  the  mill  wheel,  this  arduous  task  falling  prin- 
ci])ally  to  the  lot  of  the  twelve  apostles  to  be.  This  method,  however, 
proved  too  laborious,  and  man  power  was  simn  replaced  by  hoi'se  power. 
When  this  mill  neverlheless  proved  unable  lo  .supply  the  demand,  a 
windmill  with  two  pairs  of  mill  stones  was  built  in  .lanmiry,  1S4S. 
The  rolldwiMLr  year  |ii-e|i,ii'al  ions  wiTe  niadi'  tor  the  erection  of  a  steam 
power  Hour  mill,  which  was  completed  in  .Inly.  IS.'il.  This  establish- 
nii'nl  al  once  proved  highly  pi-olilalije,  llie  r.irmers  from  ni'ar  and  far 


DAII.V     Ml'!-; 


231 


liriiitr'mu:   tlifir   },M-;iiii,   wliilr   ull    llic  sur|>lus  gi-;iiii    nT  tlir  (•(ilmiy    was 
iiiiido  iiilii  tliiiif  I'll!'  t  III'  iiiMi'kcl. 


In  the  s])rino:  of  1847  the  eolony  began  to  niannfaeture  sun-dried 
brick,  and  several  buildings  of  that  material  were  put  up;  about  the 


232  THE  BISHOP  HILL  COLONY 

same  time  a  sawmill  was  built  at  Red  Oak  Grove,  where  then-  was  a 
tract  of  oak  timlnr.  The  saw-mill  was  later  traded  for  a  parcel  of 
land  and  another  saw-mill,  located  on  a  small  stream  in  Clover  town- 
ship. This  mill  was  moved  to  Bishop  Ilill  and  located  on  Edward's 
Creek  in  1848.  In  May  the  same  year,  ci^iity  acres  of  tindjcr  land, 
witli  a  saw-mill,  in  Weller  township,  was  purchased  from  Cramer  and 
Wilscy  for  .^1,500.  Thenceforth  the  colony  was  well  sujjplicd  with 
lumber.  Limestone  was  foiuid  in  a  ravine  within  the  domain  of  the 
colony,  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Philip  Mauk  taught  the  settlers  the 
art  of  burning  lime,  yet  large  quantities  of  lime  had  to  l)e  bouglit.  Brick 
kilns  were  also  constructed,  and  gradually  large  and  comfortable 
dwelling  houses  began  to  supplant  the  stuffy  and  unsanitary  dugouts. 

The  rapid  increase  in  population  by  immigration  made  the  pur- 
chase of  more  land  peremptory.  Nov.  18,  1847,  a  quarter  of  section  17, 
in  Weller  township,  was  purchased  of  "W.  II.  Griffin  for  .$;J80,  and 
before  the  end  of  the  year  other  purchases  were  made  as  follows :  SO 
acres  in  section  17,  240  acres  in  section  16,  and  3!1  acres  additionally. 
Moreover,  pieces  of  land  were  rented  here  and  there  in  the  neighl)or- 
hood,  some  as  far  away  as  present  Woodhull.  Farming  was  carried  on 
with  great  energy.  Part  of  the  lands  bought  were  alread.v  planted  to 
corn;  other  portions  were  turned  into  wheat  fields.  After  the  last- 
luniiid  liind  jturchases  no  less  than  350  acres  were  imder  cultivation. 
During  that  and  the  following  years  the  colonists  surrounded  their 
domain  on  tliree  sides  witli  an  earthen  wall  or  fence. 

The  grain  crop  of  the  first  year  (1847)  was  cut  with  scythes  in 
Swedish  fasliion  ;  the  next  year  so-called  cradles  came  into  use.  In 
1849,  during  harvest  time,  thirty  cradles  were  kei)t  working  night  and 
day,  but  on  finding  the  dews  injurious  to  the  health  of  the  harvest  hands 
night  work  was  discontinued.  Each  cradli'  had  a  capacity  of  six  acres 
per  day.  Women  generall.v  worked  in  the  Held  binding  the  grain,  wliile 
yoinig  hoys  and  girls  were  employed  to  gather  the  sheaves 
and  the  aged  1o  do  the  shocking.  The  la.st  named  year  a  reaper 
was  procured  fi-oni  La  Grange,  but  it  was  sent  back  as  unsatisfactory 
and  the  cradles  again  brought  into  use,  several  of  the  men  having 
acquired  great  skill  in  h.nnlling  this  implement.  Anders  Kilstriim  and 
Hans  Dalilgrcn.  for  iiislain'c.  i^acli  i  riKlicd  14  acres  of  wheat  from  sun- 
rise lo  sundown. 

TIh'  liarvi'sl  o\i'f  for  llie  season,  a  i)leasant  spectacle  was  enacted. 
The  two  hundi'cd  lalior<'rs  t'oi-nicd  in  a  donl>le  line,  with  the  men  in 
the  lead,  tlic  women  I'lillowing.  and  the  ehildren  bi'inging  up  the  rear. 
ami  in.irchiil  back  to  the  \illage  lo  the  tuni"  of  merrv  folksongs, 
.\ri-iving  lionie.  the  reapers  an-anged  themselves  aroinid  the  lonu'  tables 
in   the   lai-gest    dinint:   hail,   wlu-re   ii    j'east    was  spri'ail,   and   liius   was 


DAILY    I.IFK  233 

celebrated  their  lirst  liarvest  i'estivul  witli  luerryinakiii^  and  tlianks- 
giving. 

In  the  year  1852  improved  reapers  were  introduced,  replacing 
the  inferior  cradle  and  giving  a  different  character  to  the  work  of 
harvesting  the  crops. 

The  threshing  of  the  crop  of  1847  was  left  to  one  Broderick,  who 
used  a  very  simple  and  imperfect  threshing  contrivance.  The  machine 
afterwards  became  the  property  of  the  colonists  who  proceeded  to 
build  a  new  one  of  the  same  type   but  with  many  improvements. 

The  colonists  did  not.  however,  confine  themselves  to  the  cultiva- 
tion of  wheat  and  corn.  Flax  was  raised,  especially  at  first,  with 
still  greater  success,  owing  to  the  fact  tluit  this  was  one  of  the  staple 
products  of  Helsiugland  from  time  out  of  mind,  and  the  emigrants 
from  that  province  were  experts  in  tlax  culture.  The  flax  was  prepared 
and  woven  by  the  colonists  themselves  and  the  linen  products  found 
a  ready  sale  in  the  neighborhood.  Prom  the  flax  crop  of  1847  12,473 
yards  of  linen  was  woven  and  sold.  The  production  increased 
yearly,  reaching  28,322  yards  of  linen  cloth  and  3,257  yards  of  carpets 
in  1851.  The  linen  industry  was  continued  until  1860.  but  it  was 
reduced  in  1857  on  account  of  competition  with  the  eastei-n  factories, 
who  dominated  the  western  market  as  soon  as  shipping  facilities  were 
improved.  Up  to  that  time  the  colony  had  produced  for  the  general 
market  a  total  of  130,309  yards  of  linen  goods  and  22,569  yards  of 
carpets,  together  with  all  goods  needed  for  domestic  use.  From  these 
figures  it  appears  that  this  industry  was  an  important  source  of  income 
to  the  colony  during  its  first  decade.  After  1857  fiax  was  raised  only 
for  home  consumption.    The  total,  inchiding  1860,  was  169,386  yards. 

To  the  women  and  children,  as  well  as  to  the  men,  belonged  the 
credit  for  this  flourishing  industry.  The  latter  cultivated  the  flax  and 
prepared  it,  but  the  Avomeu  did  the  spinning  and  weaving,  while  chil- 
dren were  emploj'ed  in  the  spooling  and  other  minor  processes.  The 
first  few  years,  while  the  number  of  looms  was  very  limited,  the  weavers 
were  divided  into  shifts  who  kept  the  looms  going  day  and  night.  Thus 
the  women  were  employed  during  the  winter  months.  In  summer  the 
women,  as  they  were  accustomed  from  the  old  coimtry,  took  part  in 
the  outdoor  work  with  an  endurance  equal  to  that  of  the  men. 

Though  zealots  in  the  matter  of  religion,  the  colonists  were  no 
temperance  fanatics.  Whisky  was  used  to  some  extent  among  them. 
and  in  order  to  supply  the  growing  demand  a  still  was  established. 
Their  indulgence  in  liquor,  however,  was  repugnant  to  the  neighbors 
and  brought  the  colonists  into  ill  repute. 

For  the  sake  of  greater  variety  in  the  matter  of  food,  and  possibly 
with  an  eye  to  extra  profit,  Erik  Jansson  in  1848  established  a  fishing 


234  THE    BISHOP    UII.I,    COLONY 

camp  on  Roi-k  Island,  in  the  Mississippi,  near  the  present  site  tit  the 
eity  of  K<iek  Island,  and  i)laeed  it  in  eliarfre  of  X.  J.  Iliillander  and 
a  half  dozen  (ithei-  colonists.  Fish  was  also  obtained  from  the  Illinois 
River. 

The  lack  of  wholesome  food,  especially  during  the  first  year.  ct>m- 
i)iiied  witii  the  nnheaitiiy  conditions  in  the  overerowtled  dugouts. 
caused  a  very  hit;h  dcatii  rate.  Fevers,  atrue  ami  diarrhea,  the  most 
prevalent  diseases,  claimed  many  victims.  In  Red  Oak  alone  .")(>  per- 
sons died  during  the  winter  of  lS4ti  and  the  winter  mouths  of  1847 
elainu'd  no  less  than  f)ti  lives  in  IJishop  Hill.  The  dead  bodies  were 
loaded  into  wagons  aiul  buried  without  any  ritual  or  ceremony  what- 
ever, ilany  corpses  were  not  even  provided  with  coffins.  These  grew- 
sonie  conditions  drove  many  of  the  healthy  colonists  from  Hishoj)  Hill 
in  si)ite  of  P^rik  Jansson's  efforts  to  prevent  desertions  by  posting 
armed  pickets  at  night.  The  sick  were  not  permitted  to  call  in  a 
physician :  they  were  to  be  healed  by  faith  alone.  Tho.se  who  did  not 
believe,  the  prophet  condemned  to  "the  stones  of  hell."  Jonas  Hcd- 
striim  of  Victoria  was  so  shocked  by  the  brutality  and  stolidity  of  Erik 
Jansson  towards  his  people  that  he  threatened  legal  proceedings,  unle.ss 
medical  attendance  was  provided.  Thereby  Erik  Jansson  was  ultimate- 
ly induced  to  engage  an  American  [diysician.  whom  he  also  considled 
in  his  own  behalf.  When  the  ]>c(i|)ic  were  famished  from  lack  of 
noui'islimciit.  tlic  prophet  evinced  the  same  stolid  indifference  to  their 
wants  and  sutfci-ings.  He  sought  to  relieve  their  hunger  not  by 
suii])lyinir  food,  but  by  imposing  repeated  fasts.  To  their  j^rayei-s  and 
complaints  he  replied  that  if  they  bad  faith  they  could  very  well 
subsist  on  an  eighth  l("ss  than  tiie  rations  they  had  been  accustomed 
to  in  the  old  country,  arguing  tliat  tlicir  hiclv  of  faith  was  the  primar.x 
cause  of  their  maladies. 

The  continued  misery  of  llir  colonists  again  iiioveil  Jonas  Ib'd- 
striiiii  to  protest.  He  called  the  attention  of  the  colonists,  and  rightly 
so.  to  the  fact  that  thei-e  was  absolutely  lui  necessity  for  all  the  suffer- 
ing and  ]irivation  to  which  they  were  subjected  at  the  behest  of  Erik 
.lansson.  Tiie  country  was  large,  he  argued,  land  was  to  be  had  almost 
for  nothing:  selllei-s  in  other  localities  were  prospering  on  their  well- 
ke|it  farms,  and  the  same  oppoi'tnnily  was  open  to  all.  In  the  fall  of 
]S4S  these  representations  resuili'd  in  probably  two  huinlred  pei-sons 
leaving  the  culunx,  mostly  joining  the  .Methodists,  a  step  which  led  to 
long  and  billi-i-  religious  warfare  between  the  Erik  Janssonists  and  tlie 
.Melbodisls.  The  dcserli-rs  settled  at  N'ictoria,  (ialesburg.  and  neigh- 
IxM'ing  jociilil  ics.  The  gi-c;il  niajoi'ily  of  (he  colonists,  however,  were 
not  to  be  sliaUcn  in  their  faith,  but  continued  under  the  harsh  rule  of 
llic   |>rophet   with   remarkable  patience  and   foi-iiearance. 


DAILY    I.H-K  235 

AiKillii'i'  (Iccrt'o  ui  Erik  .l;inssoii  in  the  cai'ly  statics  ol'  the  colony, 
causing  iniu'li  adverse  conmiciit.  was  one  forbidding  marriage.*  This 
interilict  soon  had  very  chunaging  results,  many  yoiuig  persons  who 
desired  to  get  married  simply  leaving  tlie  eolony  for  other  parts,  where 
they  were  free  to  establish  a  home  and  family.  When  the  prophet  saw 
how  his  liau  on  matrimony  worked,  he  declared  that  it  had  been 
dictated  by  "present  need."  nu^aniug  tiie  lack  of  individual  dwellings 
and  other  untoward  conditions.  Tie  now  alleged  that  he  had  received 
a  new  revelation  to  the  effect  "that  the  suns  and  daughters  of  Israel 
should  marr>-  and  take  in  marriage,  multiply  and  fill  the  earth."  Now, 
therefore,  all  those  that  God  had  given  a  desire  to  marry  should  enter 
wedlock  without  delay,  on  peril  of  ])eiug  condemned  to  "the  stones 
of  liell."  Erik  Jansson  himself  and  all  the  suborduiate  leaders  became 
extremely  active,  as  matchmakers  among  the  young  people,  causing  a 
veritable  marriage  epidemic  throughout  the  colony.  On  several  suc- 
cessive Sundays  between  20  and  .'^O  marriages  were  solenniizcd.  but 
tlie  fever  ultimately  subsided  and  normal  conditions  were  restored. 

The  material  as  well  as  the  spiritual  interests  of  the  colony  were 
looked  after  by  Erik  Jansson  jiersonally.  He  exercised  the  same 
arbitrary  despotism  in  the  one  field  as  in  the  other.  This  man's  chief 
ambition  was  to  rule  and  govern,  no  matter  how.  In  the  administration 
of  the  colonial  aifairs  he  was  supremely  arbitrary,  his  incompetence 
and  recklessness  bringing  the  comnumity  to  the  verge  of  ruin,  as  will 
be  presently  shown. 

When  it  had  been  decided  to  call  in  a  physician,  an  Englishman 
by  the  name  of  Eobert  D.  Foster  made  application  for  the  place  and 
was  accepted,  but  afterwards  discharged  by  the  colonists.  Erik  Jans- 
son then  made  a  secret  agreement  with  Foster  to  this  effect :  he  was  to 
be  the  body  physician  of  the  prophet  at  a  compensation  of  $2,000  per 
annum,  with  the  privilege  of  extra  charges  for  services  rendered  other 
members  of  the  colony. 

Foster,  who  seems  to  have  been  a  sharp  and  crafty  felloM'.  in  a 
short  time  won  the  unlimited  confidence  of  Erik  Jansson.  At  La 
Grange,  in  W^estern  township,  IS  miles  from  Bishop  Hill,  he  owned  a 
tract  of  1.116  acres  of  land,  oidy  a  small  part  of  which  was  under 
cultivation.  This  he  desired  to  dispose  of  to  Erik  Jansson.  but  at  first 
offered  for  sale  only  the  growing  wheat  crop.  Without  making  a 
thorough  investigation  Erik  Jansson  closed  the  deal  at  all  too  high  a 
price.  The  harvesting  and  threshing  of  the  wheat  had  to  be  done  by 
the  colonists  without  compensation.  But  Erik  Jansson  did  not  stop 
at  this.  Before  he  knew  whether  he  had  gained  or  lost  by  the  deal, 
he  bought  the  land  itself  for  .$3,000.   These  transactions  as  well  as  the 

*  Landgi'en  quotes  testimony  to  the  effect  that  Erik  Jansson  from  the  outset 
iirgrecl  .strict  sexual  abstinence  in  wedlock. 


236  THK    mSHOl'    nil. I.    CoI.ONV 

previous  agreement  with  Foster  were  made  without  a  word  to  tlie 
eoiouists,  aud  the  same  secrecy  was  observed  in  the  matter  of  payments. 
The  money  in  the  treasury  not  sufficing,  Erik  Jansson  turned  over  to 
Foster  iiiucli  of  the  property  of  the  colony,  consistintr  of  horses, 
oxen,  cows,  hogs  and  calves,  together  with  wagons,  implements,  cloth- 
ing, bedding,  grain,  provisions,  etc.,  leaving  the  people  almost  destitute 
of  what  they  needed  for  their  subsistence  and  by  which  to  cultivate 
the  soil.  Actual  want  resulted  for  all  l)ut  Erik  Jansson.  who  maintained 
his  own  household  aud  took  about  all  that  was  left  for  his  own  use. 

This  disastrous  deal  was  made,  and  its  consequences  were  felt,  in 
the  summer  of  1849.  About  the  same  time  the  colony  was  visited  with 
another  and  greater  affliction,  but  not  even  that  could  touch  the  im- 
pervioas  heart  and  shake  the  imperturbable  selfassurance  of  Erik 
Jansson.  The  sixth  immigrant  party,  under  the  leadership  of  Jonas 
Xyhuid,  had  just  arrived.  Cholera  had  broken  out  among  them  en 
route,  and  they  brought  the  contagion  to  the  colony.  The  pest  began 
to  spread  July  22iul  and  raged  till  the  middle  of  September,  sometimes 
craving  as  liigli  as  twelve  victims  per  day.  Dr.  Foster  was  totally 
helpless.  This  man.  wIik  had  l)oasted  his  ability  to  cure  ninety-nine  out 
of  a  hundred  cholera  patients,  failed  to  save  a  single  life.  The  prophet 
himself  now  proved  lacking  in  that  firm  faith  which  he  had  demanded 
of  others  by  fleeing  with  his  family  to  La  Grange.  After  a  short  stay, 
he  ordered  those  colonists  still  innnune  from  the  pest  to  follow  him 
thither,  but  these  brought  the  contagion,  resulting  in  the  death  here  of 
seventy  cholera  victims. 

No  longer  safe  in  La  Grange.  Erik  Jansson  took  his  family  and 
several  women  to  the  fishery  camp  he  had  established  on  Kock  Island, 
in  the  Mississippi,  but  even  here  the  plague  pursued  him,  carrying  off 
his  wife  and  tAvo  children.  In  spite  of  his  incompetence.  Dr.  Foster 
still  enjoyed  the  full  confidence  of  Erik  Jan.sson  and  was  jiermitted  to 
accompany  him  to  Rock  Island.  As  an  instance  of  the  blind  faith  he 
reposed  in  lliis  impostor  and  his  cool  indifference  in  the  midst  of  dire 
misfortune,  it  may  be  stated  that  while  his  wife  lay  in  the  dciith-throes 
whicii  a  few  hoiu's  later  put  an  end  to  her  luitold  sutTcrings.  Krik 
Jansson  offered  to  wager  $10,000  with  certain  physicians  of  tlie  city  of 
Rock-  Island  that  Dr.  Foster  would  save  her. 

Just  al'tcr  Ills  wife's  death,  I']i'ik  Jansson  l>egan  to  jilan  a  ni'W 
marital  union,  "in  order  to  give  a  new  s|iii-ilual  niolher  to  the  i-liildrcn 
of  Israel,"  as  he  put  it.  On  a  Sunday  some  tlin'c  weeks  after  licr  demise, 
the  proi)het  in  his  sei-mon  made  known  his  purpose  wilho\it  reservi'. 
Th(?  iiuier  testimony  of  all  the  faithful,  said  he.  w'as  to  determine  the 
choice  of  this  new  "spirilnal  mollier,"  and  sln'  also  was  to  receive  such 
assurance  within   her  own   heart.     .SftiT  siTxii-es.  all   slmuld   I'liim-  to 


J 


DAII.V    LIFE  237 

him  and  make  known  what  tlie  iinirr  voice  liad  spoken.  Tlic  gi-neral 
verdict  is  not  known,  Imt  this  mui-h  is  true,  that  two  women  appeared 
as  claimants  for  the  vacant  i)lac('.  Sopliia  Pollock,  who  had  accom- 
panied Erik  Jansson  and  his  family  from  Xew  York,  was  the  successful 
candidate,  and  the  same  day  she  assumed  the  management  of  the 
domestic  M'ork  of  the  colony.  She  also  acted  as  Erik  Jansson 's  secre- 
tary. A  week  later  the  wedding  was  solemnized  with  joy  and  hilarity 
on  the  part  of  the  prophet  but  with  a  feeling  of  uneasiness  among  the 
guests,  who  were  unable  to  forget  that  only  a  month  had  elai)seil  since 
his  first  wife  died. 

Sophia  Pollock,  the  second  wife  of  Erik  Jansson,  was  the  daughter 
of  a  merchant  of  Goteborg  and  was  born  in  that  cit3\  Her  father 
having  become  bankrupt,  she  was  adopted  by  a  well  to  do  family  that 
moved  to  New  York,  where  she  was  married  at  an  early  age  to  a  sailor, 
who  soon  after  went  to  sea  and  never  returned.  She  was  remarried 
to  one  Pollock  of  New  York,  principal  of  a  private  school,  who  after 
giving  her  an  education,  engaged  her  as  his  assistant.  When  Erik 
Jansson  arrived  in  New  York  the  couple  made  his  acquaintance  and 
afterwards  accompanied  him  to  Victoria.  The  Pollocks  were  prominent 
in  Rev.  Hedstrom's  flock  in  New  York  and  her  going  over  to  Erik 
Jansson  was  no  small  triumph  for  the  latter.  At  the  foimding  of  Bishop 
Hill  Sirs.  Pollock  joined  the  colony  against  the  wishes  of  her  husband.* 
Being  widowed  for  the  second  time  shortly  afterwards,  she  subsequently 
married  Linjo  Lars  Gabrielsson.  who  after  a  brief  iiuion  succumbed  to 
the  cholera.  She  is  said  to  have  been  a  personable  and  gifted  woman, 
and  proved  an  invaluable  helpmeet  to  Erik  Jansson  during  the 
remainder  of  his  life. 

In  the  meantime,  the  straits  to  which  Erik  Jansson 's  I'asli  business 
transactions  had  brought  the  colonists  opened  the  eyes  of  the  prudent, 
who  contemplated  with  fears  and  misgivings  the  desperate  state  of 
affairs.  The  day  after  his  wedding.  Erik  Jansson  had  a  visit  from 
three  persons,  Jonas  Olsson,  Nils  Hediu,  and  E.  U.  Norberg,  the  latter 
remonstrating  with  him  on  his  reckless  extravagance  in  the  manage- 
ment of  their  common  property.  The  people,  said  he,  had  toiled  beyond 
their  po^ver  of  endurance  in  order  to  accumulate  wealth  for  the  common 
good,  but  their  wishes  and  opinions  as  to  the  disposal  of  it  had  not 
once  been  consulted.  Instead  of  being  treated  as  friends  and  brothers, 
they  were  held  as  slaves,  bound  to  obey  blindly  his  every  beck  and  nod. 
Norberg  concluded. 

The  lecture,  however,  had  not  the  slightest  effect  on  the  despotic 

*  Her  husband,  who  loved  her  as  he  did  his  life,  went  ^\'ith  her  and  tried  to 
persuade  her  to  return.  But  for  the  sake  of  her  soul  she  dared  not.  for  Jansson 
preached  that  there  was  no  salvation  outside  of  his  New  Jerusalem,  and  her 
husband  died  in  Victoria,  of  a  broken  lieart.  Mrs.  Pollock  lost  her  reason  over  her 
husband's   death,    but   shortly  recovered.      (MIKKELSEN.) 


238 


Till-:    HISIlol'    mi, I,    COLONY 


bo 


1 


rm-;  assaSvSination  239 

in-dplifl.  lie  replied  liriellv  llial  lie  simply  jieleii  in  aefDrdiUice  with 
Ilis  "inner  lesl  iinun  v, "'  ineaiiini,'  the  dietalcs  of  his  emiscience,  and  Ilial 
id!  wild  eimiplaiiied  oF  Ins  actions  were  the  dupes  of  tin'  devil. 

Ndrliei-y:  was  trom  I'llervad.  Vestcrgiitland.  where  he  had  held  the 
office  of  kinii's  haildf.  and  had  preceded  Erik  Jmisson  to  America. 
Being  fi  just  and  clearsisilited  tiian,  he  appeared  time  and  a^'ain  as  the 
siiolcesiiian  of  the  oppressed  cohmists  and  the  defender  of  their  rij^lits 
as  against  the  tyranny  of  those  in  power.  Had  they  taken  his  advice, 
the  colony  douhtless  windd  have  met  a  lietter  fate. 

John   Ruth,  the  Adventurer,  and  the  Assassination   of 
EriK    Jansson 

In  the  autumn  of  1848  there  came  to  the  colony  a  trio  af  adventur- 
ers, viz.,  the  aforementioned  Erik  Wester,  one  Zimmerman  and  John 
Ruth,  alias  Root,  the  latter  destined  to  figure  prominently  in  a  tragic 
episode  in  the  history  of  Bishop  Hill. 

John  Ruth  -was  horn  in  Stockholm,  supposedly  of  a  family  from 
Norrland.  and  served  there  as  sergeant  in  the  army.  He  emigrated  to 
America,  presumaldy  on  account  of  some  crime  or  breach  of  disciiJine, 
enlisted  in  the  ITiiited  States  army  and  served  in  the  Jlexican  War. 
When  Ruth  and  his  eonfrere.s  arrived  at  Bishop  Hill  the  aforesaid 
"marriage  epidemic"  was  at  its  height,  and  he  took  advantage  of  the 
situation  by  marrying  ('harlotta  Lovisa  Jansson,  a  cousin  of  the 
prophet.  Being  of  a  rowdyish  disposition  and  an  unrul.y  temperament, 
he  presently  had  a  disagreement  with  Dr.  Foster.  Erik  Jansson  sided 
with  the  latter,  giving  rise  to  a  feud  between  himself  and  Ruth,  which 
brought  disaster  to  both.  Not  more  than  a  month  after  his  marriage, 
Ruth  wished  to  leave  and  take  his  wife  with  him,  but  Erik  Jansson 
would  not  permit  it,  basing  his  prohibition  on  a  written  agreement, 
drawn  up  and  signed  by  the  contracting  parties  at  their  marriage, 
requiring  the  husband  to  obtain  a  divorce  and  let  his  wife  remain, 
should  he  ever  desire  to  leave  the  colony.  She  dared  not  desert  the 
colony  contrary  to  the  prophet's  wishes,  fearing  thereby  to  incur  the 
wrath  of  God.  for  so  Erik  Jansson  had  taught.  When  all  his  per- 
suasions proved  in  vain.  Ruth  went  his  wa.y  alone,  but  remained  for 
several  months  in  the  neighborhood  in  the  hope  of  ultimately  inducing 
his  wife  to  accompany  him. 

At  the  end  of  that  time  he  returned  to  his  wife,  who  had  given 
birth  to  a  son  in  the  interval.  When  at  the  prophet's  behest  she  still 
refused  to  eome  away  with  him,  Ruth  became  enraged,  making  dire 
threats  again.st  them  both,  and  resolved  to  force  his  wife  into  obedience. 
In  order  to  give. the  act  an  appearance  of  legality  he  engaged  a  couple 
of  county  officers  and,  accompanied  by  a  fourth  person,  a  man  from 


240  Till-  insiioi'  nil, I,  coi.oNV 

Caiuljiidge  by  the  uame  of  Stanley,  he  appeared  one  Siuiday  in  the  fall 
of  1849  to  claim  his  ;vife,  who  agreed  to  follow  him,  fearing  to  offer 
resistance.  Rutli  departed  at  once,  with  his  wife  and  child.  Staidey 
accompanying  tliem.  while  the  two  county  officers  went  another  way. 
He  left  Bishop  Hill  just  as  the  people  came  from  chunh  and  sat  down 
to  their  common  meal.  He  had  been  detected,  however,  and  les.s  than 
two  miles  off  a  number  of  armed  pursuei-s  caught  up  with  him.  barred 
further  i)rogre.ss,  and  commanded  him  to  give  up  the  woman  and  riiild 
to  be  returned  to  the  colony.  Ruth  drew  his  revolver  and  threatened 
to  shoot,  but  Stanley  dissuaded  him.  deeming  it  the  part  of  discretion 
to  bow  to  a  su])erior  force*  In  a  special  conveyance,  which  soon 
reached  the  spot,  the  Mife  and  child  were  brought  back  to  Bishop  Hill. 

Thus  thwarted  in  his  attempt  to  carry  off  his  wife.  Ruth  on  the 
very  next  day  swore  out  warrants  for  tiie  arrest  of  Erik  Jansson  and 
others  and  had  his  wife  summoned  as  a  witness  at  the  trial,  which  was 
to  take  i^lace  at  Cambridge.  She  was  brought  there  by  a  county  officer 
who  had  a  secret  understanding  with  Ruth,  and  confined  in  a  room 
in  the  hotel,  where  she  was  not  permitted  to  see  any  of  her  friends. 
Neither  Erik  Jansson  nor  Ruth  were  present  at  the  trial.  The  latter 
was  represented  by  his  counsel.  That  night  Ruth  took  his  wife  away 
to  the  home  of  some  friends  in  the  Rock  River  .settlement.  Several 
Erik  Janssonists  staled  under  oath  that  Ruth  had  violated  the  right 
of  domicile  during  the  hour  of  worship  and  secured  a  warrant  for 
his  arrest.  When  this  was  to  be  served,  the  friends  of  Ruth  interfered 
in  his  l)ehalf,  jirevcnting  the  arrest. 

At  liishoj)  Hill  various  plans  for  the  rescue  of  the  abducted  woman 
were  evolved.  Ei-ik  Jansson  a.sscrtcd  tliat  tiiis  must  lie  done,  even 
though  half  of  Bishop  Hill  should  be  sacrificed.  Not  to  be  taken  by 
surprise,  Rutli  secretly  left  Rock  River  witii  his  wife  and  went  fii-st  to 
Davciiijort  and  from  there  to  Chicago,  where  they  arrived  on  March 
].")tli.  ]8.'>0,  tlic  wdiiiaii  lindiii^:  asylum  for  herself  and  child  in  the  home 
of  a  married  sister.  By  stcaltli.  Erik  Jansson  succeeded  in  discovering 
her  whereabouts  and  sent  fivi'  ti'usly  hi'iichiiieii  lo  bring  her  back.  The 
scheme  succeeded:  the  womnn  and  i-liild  wi'rc  returned  to  Bishop  Hill 
and  so  earefidly  concealed  lliat   few  knew  her  hiding|>lace. 

Deprived  of  his  wife  a  seiMnid  tinu',  Ruth  broke  into  a  furious 
rage  and  swore  to  wreak  liloody  vengeance  on  Erik  Jans.son  and  his 
colony,  lie  proceeded  to  (Ireen  Kiver.  and.  by  deseribing  the  Erik 
Jan.ssonists  us  n   liaiid   iii'  criiiiiiials   that    ought    to   l>e   anniiiiiated.   lie 

•  Another  version  ot  llie  story  hits  U  tliiit  wlillo  Kulli  was  IxiliUnK  ilown 
hlH  wife  In  the  bottom  of  the  rlK,  hU  revolver,  wlili-h  lie  liiul  pinreit  lienUle  hint, 
wiiH  Hnat<'hcd  by  one  of  the  eolonlstH  (who  were  uniirnietU  anil  leveled  at  his  houil, 
when  Until  snrri'mli'reil  the  woman,  who,  npon  lielni;  Klven  her  oholee,  aceom- 
panleil  lior  rciieucrs  back  to  Hlshop  IIIll. 


THH    ASSASSINATION  ,41 

succeeded  in  raisiiif;  an  armed  posse  of  about  70  men.  witli  wliicli  he 
advauced  on  Hishop  Hill  in  order  to  capture  Erik  Jansson  and  i-eseui- 
his  wife.  A  thorough  search  was  instituted,  yet  neither  was  to  be 
found.  The  posse  then  gave  the  colonists  one  week  in  which  to  deliver 
till'  wife  of  Kuth  to  them,  under  penalty  of  having  Bishop  Hill  bui'ned 
to  the  ground.  Frightened  by  this  threat,  Erik  Jansson  did  not  dare 
to  remain  at  Bishop  Hill,  where  ho  had  been  in  hiding,  but  went  to 
St.  Louis  with  his  family,  j\lrs.  Ruth  and  several  others. 

The  economic  .state  of  Bishop  Hill  continuing  de.sperate,  the 
colonists  conceived  the  idea  of  relieving  the  situation  at  one  stroke 
by  flttiug  out  an  expedition  of  goldseekers  for  California,  where  rich 
gold  fields  had  been  discovered  two  years  before.  As  members  of  the 
expedition  the  following  nine  men  were  selected:  Jonas  Olson,*  P.  0. 
Blomberg,  P.  N.  Blom,  Peter  Jansson,  E.  0.  Lind,  C.  'SI.  ^Myrtengren. 
C.  G.  Bloinbergsou.  Sven  Norlin  and  Lars  Stalberg.  A  number  of 
these  having  taken  part  in  the  rescue  expedition  to  Chicago,  and 
fearing  the  revenge  of  that  dangerous  man  Ruth,  they  arranged  to 
leave  the  colony  simultaneously  with  Erik  Jansson,  .starting  for  Cali- 
fornia on  March  2Sth.t  After  a  journey  replete  with  perils  and  hard- 
.ships.  they  reached  Hanktown,  Cal.,  Avig.  12th,  hale  and  hearty,  except 
Blombergson,  who  died  after  tAvo  weeks.  Of  the  other  eight,  all  but 
Stalberg,  who  remained  in  California,  retiu'ned  home  in  the  course  of 
the  year  1851,  having  found  barely  enough  of  the  precious  metal  to  pay 
the  cost  of  the  expedition.  The  ijlan  to  put  the  colony  on  its  feet  again 
by  means  of  Califoruian  gold  thus  fell  through.  Nothing  now  remained 
for  the  colonists  to  do  but  to  continue  work  in  the  fields,  in  house  and 
yard,  at  sawmill  and  brickj-ard,  and  by  redoubled  energy  repair  the 
losses. 

About  this  time  Jon  Olsson  Stenberg  of  Steubo  removed  from 
Moline  to  Bishop  Hill  and  upon  joining  the  colony  is  said  to  have  con- 
tributed a  substantial  amount  of  money  to  the  community.J 

Late  in  the  evening  of  April  1st,  Ruth  returned  at  the  head  of  the 
same  armed  posse  and  demanded  the  surrender  of  his  wife.  Her 
absence  making  that  impossible,  a  respite  of  several  days  was  again 
given,  coupled  with  a  renewed  threat  of  burning  the  village,  should  the 
colonists  fail  to  fulfill  the  condition.    When  the  time  was  up,  the  crowd 

*  This  and  similar  names  are  lienceforth  given  in  tlie  form  their  bearers 
wrote  them  in  this  country. 

t  According'  to  the  diary  of  Jonas  Olson,  three  of  the  men  set  out  March 
23rd,  going-  via  Rock  Island,  through  Iowa.  etc..  the  others  apparently  on  March 
29th,  going  by  way  of  St.  Louis.  The  two  parties  joined  on  the  way  and  reached 
Hanktown   (Placerville),  Cal.,  Aug.   12th,   according  to  Olson. 

t  In  "Sverige  i  Amerika"  Peterson,  writing  about  Jonas  Olson,  illustrates 
that  man's  great  persuasive  powers  with  a  story  of  how  he  "discovered"  Sten- 
berg and  "dug  up"  $50,000  in  gold,  while  the  California  party  were  in  the  gold 
fields  and  found  nothing.  Stenberg's  fortune,  it  is  safe  to  say,  could  not  have 
reached  such  a  figure.  Besides,  the  author  apparently  forgets  that  Jonas  Olson 
himself  was  the  leader  of  the  party  of  goldseekers. 


242 


Tin-:  BisHor  nii.i,  coi.oxv 


again  a])])i'ar('il.  witli  reinforcements,  evitlently  with  a  •rriiii  dcterniina- 
tiou  to  earrv  out  tlie  threat.  The  Moriuou  colony  at  Nauvoo  had  been 
%viped  out  by  fire  three  and  a  half  years  earlier,  and  that  event  was  still 
fresli  ill  the  iiieniorv  of  all.  The  pa.ssioiis  of  the  incendiaries  were  keyed 
to  a  liisjh  piteli.  hut  fortunately  the  catastrophe  wa.s  averted  just  as  they 
were  about  to  throw  out  the  firebrands.  Xorberg.  who  had  been  driven 
from  the  colony  l)y  tlie  odium  heaped  upon  him  l)y  Erik  Jans.son,  got 
word  of  the  intended  outrage  and  the  day  set  for  it.  and.  quickly 
mustering  another  posse  of  well  armed  men,  he  marched  to  Bishop  Hill 
and  in  a  parley  with  the  mob  dissuaded  them  from  violence. 

Again  thwarted  in  his  plans.  Ruth  swore  vengeance  on  Erik  Jans- 
son  personally  and  sent  him  word  that  he  would  shoot  him  do\m  at  the 
first  opportunity.  The  prophet  was  living  high  at  St.  Louis  while  his 
deluded  followers  at  Bishop  Hill  were  haggard  from  hunger  and  priva- 
tion. Erik  Jansson  succeeded  in  obtaining  consideral)le  loans  on  the 
strength  of  ingenious  newspaper  articles  setting  forth  the  flourishing 
condition  of  his  colony  and  putting  himself  in  the  most  favorable  light. 
For  the  evident  j)urpose  of  strengthening  his  credit,  lie  sri])scril)ed 
for  $50,000  worth  of  railway  stock  at  this  juncture. 

His  fear  of  Rntli  was  somewhat  allayed  on  hearing  that  the  attack 
on  Bishop  Hill,  i)laniie(l  by  tiiat  desperado,  had  failed,  so  he  returned 
home  on  May  11th.  He  arrived  on  a  Saturday,  and  while  preaching 
his  sermon  the  following  day  in  the  colonial  church,  he  seenu'd  agitated 
by  fear,  as  evidenced  by  his  quoting  11.  Timothy  4:  li-S  and  at  the 
subsequent  communion  service  Matthew  26 :  29  in  reference  to  himself. 
.\  large  number  of  law  suits  had  been  entered  against  him  in  the 
county  circuit  court. during  his  absence,  and  in  order  to  defend  iiis 
interests  he  went  to  Cambridge  the  following  Monday,  May  l.Jtli.* 
That  morninsr  he  seems  to  have  had  a  definite  presentinu^nt  of  danger, 
for  on  starting  from  home  he  is  said  to  have  asked  iiis  driver,  one 
-Mr.  .Masiall,  "Weil,  will  you  slop  the  bullet  for  me  todayt" 
About  one  o'clock  ji.  m.,  during  the  noon  recess  of  the  court.  Erik 
Jansson  .stood  near  a  window  in  the  court  I'oom.  conversing  with  At- 
toriu-y  Samuel  1*.  Brainerd.  Siiddenly  Ruth  api>eared  outside  the  win- 
dow a)id  put  I  lie  i|iiestion  to  Erik  Jansson.  whether  lu'  would  give  \\m\ 
back  his  wife  and  child,  r  The  ]iro|ihet  retorted  that  a  sow  woidd  be  a 
more  fit  coni])aiiion  for  Ruth  than  a  woman.  Maddened  by  the  insult. 
liiilli  iiislnd  into  Ihe  Imildiiig  and  tlir  next  instant  stood  in  the  door- 
way leading  to  the  courtroom.  loudl\'  callinir  Erik  Jansson  by  name. 
When  till'  prophet  turned  to  look,  Ruth  lired  a  |)isl(il  shot  directly  at 

*  An  oxnnilnutlon  of  the  rlork'H  ri'ioitl  dlBprove*  the  nuBertlon  mndo  by 
iilmnNt  every  writer  on  this  Bnlijcct  tluU  the  eime  of  Ruth  VH.  JitnuRon  wns  before 
the  eourt  on  that  iluy. 

t  AeeortUnK  to  MlkkeUen,  frIentiM  i>f  Krlk  JiutHHon  rlnlm  no  wonln  were 
exehiinKeil   between    the  Hiayer  nnd  hiR  vietlin   prior  to  the  lU'lnK  of  th«  shot. 


Till".    INXORroRATION 


243 


him,  the  bullet  piereiug  tlie  ehest  oL'  Krilv  .laiissdii.  who  iell  buekwards 
ami  expired  in  a  few  minutes.  As  his  vii-liin  fell,  Kutli  fired  a  second 
shot,  which  only  tore  a  hole  in  the  wounded  man's  clothing.  Such  was 
the  tragic  end  of  the  checkered  and  peculiar  career  of  Erik  Jansson, 
the  Prophet. 

His  death  created  a  tremendous  sensation  and  deep  sorrow  in  the 
colony.  Nils  Hedin  and  Jacob  Jaeobson,  who  had  witnessed  the 
tra'jredy  in  the  courtroom,  brought  the  dead  body  to  Bishop  Hill,  where 
it  was  interred  several  days  later.  Many  of  the  simple-minded  colonists 
could  scarcely  believe  that  their  master  was  really  dead,  some  even 
hoped  that  he  would  rise  forthwith  from  the  grave.  A  simple  wooden 
cross  at  first  marked  the  last  restingplace  of  Erik  Jansson,  the  self- 
appointed  ambassador  of  God  on  earth.  This  was  replaced  later  by 
a  handsome  monument  of  white  marble. 

At  the  time  of  the  assassination,  the  courtroom  was  filled  witii 
people,  who  had  no  difficulty  in  catching  the  assassin.  He  was  arrested 
and,  after  a  trial  pending  two  years,  convicted  and  sentenced  to  three 
years  in  the  penitentiary.  After  having  served  half  of  his  term  he 
was  released  in  response  to  the  numerous  petitions  for  his  pardon  that 
were  sent  to  Governor  Joel  A.  Matteson.  Ruth  then  went  to  Chicago 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  among  the  scum  of  the  city. 
His  stormy  life  ended  in  a  revolting  tragedy.  "While  engaged  in  a 
drunken  brawl  with  two  other  ruffians  in  a  saloon,  he  was  badly  bruised 
and  finally  knocked  to  the  floor,  when  one  of  his  assailants  .jumped 
upon  his  chest  and  broke  several  ribs,  the  injuries  causing  his  death 
shortly  afterwards.  Among  the  few  Erik  Janssonists  in  the  old  country 
the  belief  was  general,  however,  tliat  the  murderer  of  the  prophet  was 
"consumed  by  worms"  while  in  prison. 

The   Incorporation  of  Bishop   Hill  and  the  Administration  of 
Jonas   Olson    and   Olof   Johnson 

After  the  murder  of  Erik  Jansson  the  property  of  the  colony,  which 
was  all  in  the  leader's  name,  devolved  upon  his  widow.  Mrs.  Sophia 
Pollock  Jansson  knew  more  about  the  colony's  affairs  than  any  other 
person  and  took  the  reins  of  government  into  her  own  hands.  But 
women  were  not  allowed  to  speak  in  public,  therefore  Andrew  Berg- 
lund,  one  of  the  assistant  preachers,  Avas  appointed  the  spiritual  leader, 
as  also  guardian  of  Erik  Jansson 's  son,  who,  according  to  the  expressed 
wish  of  the  prophet,  was  to  become  his  successor.  At  the  funeral  Mrs. 
Jansson  stepped  forward  and  placed  her  hand  on  Berglund's  bowed 
head,  creating  him  guardian  of  the  heir  to  the  leadership  of  God's 
chosen  people  until  the  boy  should  have  attained  his  majority.  Berg- 
lund  thus  became  nominally  lioth  the  temporal  and  spiritual  head  of 


244 


THK    IMSHOl'    im.I.   COI.d.NY 


tlic  (•oiniiiiiiiity.  Imt  in  inalli-rs  of  business  no  important  step  was  taken 
without  the  knowicdfrc  and  consent  of  Mrs.  Jansson.  The  atTairs  of  the 
colony  were  very  niueli  involved,  and  the  creditors  cau.scil  the  new 
jnanatreiiient  nnieii  worry.  Tiic  situation  was  snniewhat  relieved  when 
Olof  Johnson  and  Olof  Stonel)er<;  returned  from  Sweden  with  tile  afore- 
said $6,000  in  inlieritanecs  colleeted.  Th«n  the  farming  and  indastries 
of  Bishop  Hill  were  inirsued  with  renewed  vigor. 

BerLrluiul  was  not  lierniitted  long  to  exercise  leadership.     A  rival 
soon  appeared  in  the  person  of  Jonas  Olson,  who  was  on  his  way  to 


Anilrew    l!i-rj;hiiiil 

rrc;K'licr  iiiiil  Leader 


Colony    TnisUt 


the  gold  e(Mintry  at  the  time,  and  did  not  learn  of  the  death  of  Krik 
Jansson  till  after  his  arrival  in  California.  Actuated  l)y  a  desire  to 
succeed  to  the  leadership  he  decided  to  retiUMi  forthwith.  He  abandoned 
the  expedition,  having  had  no  faith  in  it  from  the  (Uilset,  antl  started 
back  homi'  with  a  <M>nple  of  the  men,  leaving  the  n'st  to  follow  at  their 
leisure.  Arriving  in  Bishop  Hill  in  February,  IS")!,  he  at  once  began 
to  set  matters  right,  lie  jicrsuaded  several  of  his  frientls  that  Krik 
Jansson 's  pro|)hetie  dignity  was  not  to  be  handed  down  as  a  heritage, 
for  the  reas(ni  that  no  other  man  could  receive  the  Holy  Spirit  in  like 
nn-asiUM';  conseipicntly.  he  argued,  the  present  leadership  ought  to  be 
aiiolished   for  a  i-(im|)lc'ti'  ei|ualit\'  of  rights.     His  friends  were  easily 


TIllC     INCORPORATION 


245 


wou  over,  and  his  vii-ws  gained  givMnid,  l)cing  disscminati'd  giiardi-dlj* 
at  first,  but  soon  without  any  pretense  of  secrecy. 

The  guardians  of  Erik  Jansson's  son  could  not  claim  infallibility 
of  judgment,  and  many  were  dissatisfied  to  he  governed  by  a  woiiuin. 
A  respectable  minority,  while  admitting  .lansson's  dtiier  claims,  were 
not  disposed  to  recognize  those  in  liehalf  of  his  heir.  It  was  this 
growing  sentiment  of  dissatisfaction,  which  Jonas  Olson  voiced  when 
he  denounced  Berglund  as  a  usurper  and  demanded  his  abdication. 
Jonas  Olson's  standing  added  weight  to  his  words,  and  ere  long  the 
democratic  spirit  which  he  represented  prevailed.  The  movenu-nt  also 
gained  strength  from  the  operation  of  another  circumstance.  The 
affairs  of  the  comnnuiity  were  in  such  a  condition  that  a  strong  and 
able  man  was  needed  to  conduct  it  through  the  pending  crisis.  Jonas 
Olson  was  such  a  man,  and  to  him  the  people  instinctively  looked  for 
guidance.  Thiis  it  happened  that,  although  no  formal  election  or 
transfer  of  power  took  place,  the  leadership  passed  from  the  guardians 
of  Erik  Jansson's  son  into  the  hands  of  Jonas  Olson.  With  his  advent 
into  power  the  claims  of  the  family  of  Jausson  retreat  into  the  l)aek- 
ground  until,  upon  the  adoption  of  the  charter  in  1853.  they  practically 
disappear.  In  the  struggle  between  autocracy  and  democracy  the  latter 
prevailed,  but  it  carried  with  it  the  supremacy  of  Jonas  Olson  in 
spiritual  and  temporal  affairs  for  years  to  come.  This  man's  ambition 
to  rule  was  probably  as  great  as  that  of  Erik  Jausson.  but  it  nuLst  be 
said  to  his  credit  that  in  general  he  made  more  discreet  use  of  his 
power. 

During  the  troublous  times  of  religious  persecution  in  Sweden 
Jonas  Olson's  knowledge  of  men  and  affairs  had  more  than  onee 
rescued  the  sinking  cause  of  the  Erik  Jaussonists.  After  the  flight  of 
their  leader  he  had  been  the  chief  agent  in  bringing  about  their  emigra- 
tion. Now  his  gifts  and  attainments,  which  latter  were  not  inconsider- 
able in  an  luitutored  fai-mer,  once  more  came  to  be  of  service  to  the 
people — and  to  himself. 

A  democratic  form  of  government  was  now  established,  quite 
different  from  that  to  which  the  Erik  Janssonists  had  been  accustomed. 
Special  superintendents  or  foremen  were  appointed  for  the  various 
departments  of  work,  these  to  be  discharged  at  the  discretion  of  the 
colonists  themselves.  These  foremen,  who  also  constituted  the  govern- 
ing body,  met  at  brief  intervals  to  deliberate  and  act  on  matters  of 
common  concern.  Important  qviestions  were  referred  to  the  people  for 
their  decision.  This  form  of  government  proved  beneficial  in  every 
respect.  Agriculture  and  manufacture  flourished,  the  most  pressing 
debts  were  paid,  want  was  followed  by  plenty,  and  the  future  looked 
bright  and  full  of  promise.     The  cultivation  of  broomeorn,  begun  in 


246  TIIH    lilSIloi-    nil, I.  COLONY 

'iS')].  uiider  llic  tlirci-tiou  of  an  Aiinricaii  uained  Davfiiport.  proved 
particularly  profitable.  One  large  briek  strueture  after  another  was 
built,  and  maples  and  other  shade  trees  were  planted  to  beautify  the 
landscape,  ^fany  of  the  colonists  were  expert  artisans,  whose  produets 
found  a  ready  sale. 

Although  the  colony  was  governed  by  the  will  of  the  majority, 
Jonas  Olson  was  the  eontrollinfi  spirit.  This  man  did  not  flaunt  his 
ambition,  but  gained  favor  with  the  pc(p])lc  by  showing  great  zeal 
for  the  common  welfare. 

From  the  first  the  colonists  had  owned  all  |)roperty  in  connnoii : 
not  even  the  arbitrary  conduct  of  Erik  Jansson  had  suggested  the 
necessity  of  a  change  in  that  respect.  But  the  more  the  wealth  of  the 
community  increased,  the  more  evident  was  the  need  of  specific 
regulations  governing  the  ownership  of  property.  The  only  way  to 
obtain  a  satisfactory  basis  seemed  to  be  to  incorporate  the  community 
under  the  laws  of  the  state.  Under  the  existing  order,  the  colony 
could  not  legally  own  property  in  its  own  name;  in  every  instance 
property  was  acquired  through  i)urchase  made  in  the  name  of  some 
individual,  at  whose  death  the  transfer  to  the  community  would  meet 
with  legal  ob.stacles  and  entail  trouble  and  expense.  This  fact  Jonas 
Olson  made  to  serve  his  ends.  In  conjunction  with  a  few  intimates, 
lie  drafter  a  charter  for  the  Bislioji  Hill  Colony,  for  i)assage  by  the 
state  legislature.  Signatures  to  this  document  were  obtained  from 
the  majority  of  the  juiult  iiiembei-s  of  the  colony  without  any  i-xplana- 
lidii  save  that  the  list  oi'  names  was  to  l)e  appended  to  a  petition  asking 
the  legislatui-e  to  grant  the  charter. 

Two  <if  the  <'olonisfs.  the  afoi'cniciil imicd  Iv  [' .  Norberg  and 
August  lianiliioltz.  a  (Ji'i-inaii.  w  lio  had  married  into  the  colony,  being 
more  prudent  than  the  others,  asked  to  see  the  jiroixised  charter  before 
affixing  their  signatures.  After  some  hesitation,  the  draft  was  shown 
lo  Norl)erg,  who  made  the  pertinent  objection  tliat  the  trustees  therein 
nominated  had  not  been  ilnly  elected  liy  the  colonists  but  had 
arbitrarily  placed  themselves  at  the  head;  furthermore,  a  ninnber  of 
them  were  interrelated  by  blood  or  marriaire,  a  circumstance  i>resaging 
the  rise  of  a  family  autocracy  prejudicial  to  the  rights  of  the  individual. 
These  objections,  publi<dy  nmde.  caused  the  colonists  Iti  rise  in  protest 
against  the  pro|)osed  charter,  whii'h  for  the  moment  seemed  doomeil 
lo  defeat. 

Jonas  Olson,  however,  was  masler  of  the  silinilioii.  .Vflcr  being 
doNi'led  with  Ojiil'  .iohnsoti  for  several  hours  of  secret  delilieration. 
he  di-<-lared  Id  the  asscniliicd  colnnists  that  the  pr-oposed  charter  ought 
by  no  MU'ans  to  lie  changiMJ.     lie  insisted  that   the  trustees  woidd  need 


TIIK    INCORroKATIOX 


247 


all    the    iKiwcr    it    1 vcyi-d,    lint    suggested    tiiiit    the    colonists    might 

restrict  this  power  aiid  coiiti'ol  their  acts  l)y  passing  special  rules. 
Norberg  protested  that  no  special  rules  could  lie  enforced  at  variance 
witli  a  coustitutiou  once  ratitied.  Jonas  Olson  maintained  his  point, 
adding  that,  after  all,  the  charter  would  be  a  mere  formality,  inasmucli 
as  the  colonists  were  God's  people,  with  the  divine  precepts  inscri])ed 
in  their  hearts  and  consciences  and  with  the  Holy  Writ  foi-  their 
fundamental  law,  making  all  temporal  laws  superfluous.  So  convincing 
arguments  by  the  foremost  leader  silenced  the  opposition — all  hut  the 
obstreperous  and  heretical  Norberg,  who  continued  to  ob.ject. 


Olof   Stoneberg 


Peter  Johnson 


Trustees  of  the  Bishop  Hill  Colony 


The  proposed  charter,  together  with  a  petition  for  its  passage, 
was  sent  to  the  legislature,  and.  after  some  pressure  from  the  trustees 
to  be,  it  was  granted  on  Jan.  17,  1853.  The  seven  self-appointed  trustees, 
who  were  named  in  the  articles  of  incorporation  and  whose  appoint- 
ment was  thus  ratified  by  the  legislature,  were  the  following:  Jonas 
Olson,  Olof  Johnson,  Jonas  Eriekson,  Jacob  Jacobson,  Swan  Swanson, 
Peter  Johnson,  a  brother  of  the  prophet,  and  Jonas  Kronberg.  The 
ti'rst  five  were  from  Soderala  and  were  all  related  by  blood ;  Kronberg 
was  from  Alfta.  Peter  Johnson  was  succeeded  in  1859  by  Olof  Stone- 
berg, one  of  the  colony  preachers.  According  to  the  wording  of  the 
charter,  they  were  to  hold  their  positions  for  life,  or  during  good 
behavior.  They  were  removable  by  a  ma.iority  vote  of  the  male 
members  of  the  colonv. 


248 


THE   BISMOI'    IIII.L   COLONY 


The  coiuliat  of  affairs  by  the  seven  trustees  for  the  first  few  years 
offered  no  ground  for  complaint.  They  seemed  desirous  of  convincing 
tlie  colonists  that  their  mistrust  had  been  entirely  groundless,  and  the 
peoi>lc  were  thus  led  to  repose  the  fullest  contidence  in  the  trustees. 
The  danger  of  arbitrary  action,  implied  in  the  charter,  was  entirely 
forgotten.  l)eing  obscured  by  incessant  prcarliing  of  the  theocratic 
doctrine.  The  niemlx-rs  of  the  coiiinuinity  were  persuaded  to  adopt,  on 
-May  G,  1854,  a  set  of  by-laws,  providing  for  the  holding  of  an  annual 
i)usiiiess  meeting,  when  the  trustees  were  to  submit  a  full  and  complete 
report  of  the  pa.st  year's  i)usiness.  l)nt  in  no  sense  limiting  the  authority 
of  the  trustees,  or  extending  the  privileges  of  the  colonists.  A  draft 
previously  submitted  liy  Xorbcrg  and  Jonas  Olson  had  been  rejected 
by  the  trustees  for  the  good  and  sufficient  reason  tliat  it  would  have 
had  the  opposite  effect.  The  prineij)al  necessity  for  the  early  adoption 
of  by-laws  lay  in  the  fact  that  the  charter  contained  no  provision  for 
the  admittance  and  expulsion  of  members  of  the  colony.  On  this  point 
the  by-laws  stipulated  that  in.subordination  in  faith,  teaching  or  living 
was  puuishable  by  expulsion  with  no  compensation  to  banished  mem- 
bers, except  as  the  trustees  might  see  fit  to  make.  By  this  time  it  could 
be  easily  perceived  that  the  ]>opularization  of  the  form  of  government 
had  been  more  apparent  than  real.  The  colonists  were  unaccustomed 
to  self-government.  Their  leaders  hardly  looked  upon  themselves  as 
servants  of  the  people,  but  rather  as  authoritative  interpreters  of  the 
will  of  (iod.  The  seven  self-constituted  trustees  were  all  pei-sons  who 
had  been  appointed  to  positions  of  trust  inider  Krik  Jansson  and  who 
considei-ed  that  they  had  a  perfect  right  to  formal  recognition  of  the 
power  wliicli  they  alreadx'  vir(  iimI1>'  enjoyed.  In  reality  the  distribution 
of  autliority  i-eiiiain<'d  very  nuicii  tiu-  sann-  as  befiu-e.  Through  the 
tireless  industry  of  the  colonists,  the  wealth  (d'  the  comnuniity  was 
materially  increased  dm-ing  the  first  years  of  the  administration  of  the 
trustees.  All  realty  (except  the  Foster  tract")  owni-d  by  the  colony  in 
the  liiiic  of  Ki-ik  Jansson.  but  sui)seiiuently  sold,  was  re-purchased  and 
new  extensive  tracts  of  land  were  added  to  the  colony's  holdings.  The 
reputation  of  the  colony  and  its  finam-ial  credit  also  imi>roved. 

According  to  the  annual  rejiorl  sui)mitted  by  the  trustees  on  Jan. 
21,  1855,  the  colony  owned  S.(»28  acres  of  land,  improved  and  un- 
improved, 50  building  lots  in  (ialva.  vahied  at  $10.(100,  and  ten  shares 
of  stock  in  the  ('.■ntral  Military  Tra.l  Railroad,  valued  at  $1,000.  The 
live  stock  numbered  10!)  horses  and  mules.  ,")S(!  iiead  of  cattle,  aiul  l.tMKI 
hogs.  All  other  a.ssets  siich  as  wheat,  tlax.  broom  corn,  provisions  and 
general  merchandise,  were  valued  at  $4!), 570. 

While  til (lony  enjoyed   marked   nniterial    progress,    it    s\ilTered 

spiritual  (le<'a(lciii'c.     The  former  ri'ligions  zeal  iiad  apparently  i-ooled. 


Tin-;     IXCOKroRATION 


249 


wliili"  tilt'  iiiatei'ial  interests  pressed  to  tlie  I'oi'e  and  eiij,'r(isse(l  the  iiiiiiils 
of  the  people.  The  Erik  Janssonists  i"oniiei-ly  hail  shaiply  criticisod 
the  state  eliurrh  lor'  its  formalism  and  lack  of  sj)iritual  ar<loi'.  Now  that 
their  own  zeal  had  subsided,  they  were  guilty  of  the  same  faults.  Never- 
theless, regular  divine  services  were  held,  the  principal  preachers  being 
Jonas  Olson,  Anders  Berglund,  Nils  TIedin,  Olnf  Osberg  ami  Olof 
Stoneberg.  Yet,  any  member  who  so  desired  had  the  right  to  ])reaeh. 
The  services  consisted  of  prayers,  singing  and  the  reading  and  expound- 
ing of  passages  from  the  Scriptures. 


Olof    Johnson  Swan    Swanson 

Trustees  of   the  Bishop  Hill  Colony 


lender  Jonas  Olson's  leadership  the  religious  tendency  was  in  soine 
measure  one  of  conservative  retrogression.  He  eliminated  some  of  the 
excesses  of  the  Janssonist  theology  and  effected  a  partial  return  to 
the  devotionalism  of  the  Pietists  and  Readers,  abolishing  Erik  Jansson  's 
catechism  by  degrees  and  thoroughly  revising  his  hymnbook  in  1S57. 
As  modified,  the  religion  of  the  colony  had  a  close  resemblance  to 
Methodism.  The  singing  at  divine  service  was  particularly  beautiful 
and  inspiring,  owing  to  the  fervor  evinced  by  the  young  people.  The 
spoken  language  used  in  the  sermons,  however,  was  not  always  the  best, 
being  sometimes  a  mixture  of  provincial  Swedish  and  bad  English. 
^lany  colonists  had  learned  to  speak  the  latter  language  fluently,  and 
a  school  was  maintained,  where  instruction  was  given  in  the  subjects 


250  TIIH    HISMOP    HILL    COLONY 

of  reading,  writiu{<.  oipliering.  and  other  branches.*  Higher  ediieation 
was  odious  to  the  colonists;  they  feared  that  "learning  might  tend  to 
vanity."  Several  of  the  trustees  and  spiritual  leaders,  however, 
realizing  their  ignorance,  began  to  acquire  knowledge  on  their  own 
account.  A  large  sch(joliiouse  was  built  in  1800.  that  being  the  last 
structure  erected  by  the  colony  as  such.  From  principle,  the  trustees 
were  o])])()s('d  to  ni'wspapcrs.  yet  a  weekly  Swedish  jiaper  called  "The 
Swedish  Republican"  was  started  by  them  at  Galva,  in  July.  1856. 
witli  S.,  Cronsioe  as  editor.  The  paper  ceased  publication  after  a 
short  period. 

Success  and  prosperity  made  Jonas  Olson  and  Olof  Johnson  vain 
and  led  them  to  believe  and  to  proclaim  openly  that  the  material  wel- 
fare of  the  colonj'  was  the  result  of  the  wi.se  admiui.stration  and  success- 
ful speculations  of  the  board  of  trustees,  rather  than  the  fruit  of  the 
labors  of  the  peojile  themselves.  As  their  ambition  grew,  so  did  their 
independence.  Great  enterprises  would  be  started  and  large  contract-s 
ciilcrcd  into  witliout  ])r('vious  notice  to  the  colonists,  often,  it  is  claimed. 
without  tlic  knowledge  of  any  one  besides  Jonas  Olson  and  Olof  Jolui- 
son.  Siiould  any  one  in(|uire  into  the  common  atTaire,  lie  wmUd  be 
sliiii-ply  rebuked  for  his  mistrust  of  tlio  administration. 

Tlic  despotism  of  the  trustees,  like  tlmt  of  Erik  Jansson,  .showed 
itself  in  a  proclamation  forbidding  marriages  for  a  certain  period. 
This  proliibition  provoked  constant  irritation  and  eventually  proved 
one  of  the  chief  factoi\s  of  disintegration.  The  edict  was  brought 
about  in  the  following  manner:  Nils  lledin.  the  only  one  of  Krik 
Jansson 's  twelve  apostles  who  possessed  the  ability  of  propagating 
liis  master's  teachings,  had  made  missionary  journeys  to  Hopedale. 
N.  Y..  to  the  Perfectionists  in  Oneida,  \.  Y.,  and  to  the  Kappists  in 
Economy,  Pa.,  and  persuaded  25  or  30  persons  in  Hopedale  to  move 
to  Hishop  Hill.  In  IS')-!  lie  made  a  trip  to  tlu^  Sliaker  (~'olony  at  Pleasant 
Hill.  Ky..  and  tlicre  also  succcc'ded  in  gaining  many  converts.  His  visit 
111  llir  hitter  settlement  bad  convinced  llcdiii  of  the  advantages  of 
cclihacy.  This  conviction  lu'  succeeded  in  iiiijiarting  to  Jonas  Olson, 
wild  tlicrrupnn  issued  a  marriage  interdict  on  alleged  moral  grounds 
.iiiil  nil  (he  lui-ther  plea  Ih.it  it'  :ill  young  women  became  wives  much 
of  tlie  outdoor  work  pcrfoiMiicil  by  llicm  would  be  left  undone  to  tiu^ 
detriment  of  economic  jirogrcss.  After  tlie  edict  iuul  been  in  force 
I'oi-  iiliont  a  ycMi-,  aro\ising  strong  resentment.  Jonas  OIsiui  began  to 
prcai-li  agiiiiisl   the  niiirriage  institution  as  ))elonging  solely  to  the  Old 

•  MIkkolHen  Rtatps  tlmt  .Swc<UkIi  was  not  one  of  the  subjocts  iniiKlit  In  tho 
Hchnol.  ItH  »tu<ly  l)olnij  llmUcd  tn  tlio  nipuiror  liiHtniotlon  Klvon  In  tho  home, 
tn  tlip  cnrly  flftlcH  rn)>t.  Wickslrinn  Ih  hiiIcI  to  havr  i>1iikk<'<I  IIk'  ki'.vliolp  iio  u«  not 
tn  III'  •ii'ifctci]  burning  the  inliUilKht  oil  over  his  KiiKlL'^h  liooks. 


Till';    INCORPORATION- 


SSI 


Testuiiicnt  jjoriod.  It  is  ;i  iininn.  liascil  entirely-  mi  the  lust  of  the  flesh, 
he  held,  therefore,  those  who  jilnMily  wen'  miHTii'il  miirhl  to  aljstain 
from  poiiiiubial  intert'oiirsc. 

Before  the  proimilgatiou  of  tlie  eelibai-y  edict,  ten  ineinlters,  among 
whom  the  widow  of  Eric  Jansson,  had  left  the  colony  and  joined  the 
Shakers.  When  it  became  a  law  without  being  submitted  to  a  general 
vote,  many  others  deserted  Bishop  Hill  to  settle  elsewhere.  Discontent 
was  general  among  those  who  remained;  but  should  any  one  dare  to 
give  vent  to  his  disapproval,  he  would  be  summarily  dismissed  from 
the  colony,  according  to  the  fifth  article  of  the  by-laws.  On  this  ground 
eleven  persons  were  expelled  on  'Slay  7.  ]855.  Of  the  remaining 
colonists  a  niunber  formed  a  secret  league  under  the  leadership  of 
Xorberg  with  a  view  to  oppose  the  new  doctrine  and.  whenever  the 
organization  should  become  siifficiently  strong,  to  depose  the  adminis- 
tration. Certain  ones  weakened  and  betrayed  the  movement,  and  a 
rigorous  investigation  followed.  ]\Iany  of  the  conspirators  were  in- 
duced by  threats  again  to  accept  the  views  of  the  leaders.  Only 
Xorberg  himself  remained  steadfast  in  his  opposition.  For  the  leaders 
Xorberg  had  long  been  a  thorn  in  the  flesh,  and  by  continued  vigorous 
opposition  to  their  measures,  be  was  largely  instrumental  in  under- 
mining their  power. 

Tn  the  meantime,  the  temporal  and  spiritual  leaders  sought  to 
conceal  from  outsiders  both  the  doctrines  of  the  sect  and  the  conditions 
obtaining  in  the  colony.  At  the  annual  meeting  held  iu  1856,  it  was 
resolved  t)n  motion  of  Jonas  Olson  that  all  jiersons  visiting  relatives  or 
friends  at  Bishop  Hill  should  put  up  at  the  hotel.  In  case  of  over- 
crowding, lodging  was  to  be  provided  by  the  trustees,  no  member  being 
permitted  to  house  an  outsider  except  by  their  permission.  In  spite 
of  all  this  secrecy,  the  true  condition  became  Imown  to  the  neighboring 
American  population,  many  of  whom  spoke  their  mind  to  the  leaders 
without  reserve.  One  of  the  points  of  comment  was  the  fact  that  the 
women  whose  husbands,  willingly  or  by  expulsion,  left  the  colony, 
neither  dared  nor  desired  to  accompany  them,  having  been  persuaded 
that  to  leave  Bishop  Hill,  the  only  place  where  religion  was  being 
preached  pure  and  unalloyed,  were  to  commit  a  mortal  sin.  In  order 
to  clear  tliemselves,  Jonas  Olson  and  Olof  Johnson  invited  their 
American  neighbors  to  appoint  a  committee  to  institute  a  thorough 
investigation.  This  was  done,  Init  the  report  of  that  committee  was 
far  from  complimentary  to  the  leaders.  Besides  substantiating  the 
charges  made,  it  laid  bare  the  prevailing  social  conditions.  Xot  even 
by  these  disclosures  could  the  leaders  be  persuaded  to  change  their 
policy.  On  the  contrary,  they  renewed  their  eiforts  still  furtlicr  to 
alienate  the  wives  from  their  banished  husbands. 


252 


THK    lllSIIor    IIII.I.    COLONY 


Till-:   INCORl'ORATIOX  2=53 

The  drasti.'  mar:  i.r.!:-'  ii'enliit.  vrlic'i  not  only  ii/ohiliiicd  new 
marriages  but  forbade  eonjiijial  I'clatioiis  between  man  and  wife, 
created  much  strife  and  caused  irreparable  damage  tn  tlie  reputation 
of  the  colony.  Scandal  followed  upon  scandal,  heapiiij;-  o[)prol)riuni 
on  the  Erik  Jans.sonists  and  Bisiioj)  Hill.  In  sheer  exasperation,  a 
number  of  colonists  determined  to  come  (lut  in  oix'u  warfare  against 
the  leader.s  and  their  tenets.  These  ])ersons  were  Sven  -Johan  Nordin, 
Olof  violin,  and  Hans  Nordstrom,  headed  by  the  intrepid  Ei-ik  V. 
Norberg.  Fearing  thai  llieii'  antagonists  might  eventually  bring  about 
a  dissoh;tion  of  the  colony,  the  leaders  decided  to  call  a  public  meeting 
at  which  the  boldest  of  the  disturbers  were  to  be  publicly  excom- 
municated for  their  own  punishment  and  as  an  example  to  other  mal- 
contents. This  meeting  was  held  October  31,  1856.  In  direct  violation 
of  the  express  stipulation  in  the  by-laws,  it  was  resolved,  on  motion 
of  Olof  Johnson,  to  give  every  woman  and  child  a  vote.  Then  a  resolu- 
tion was  passed  directing  members  desiring  to  marry  to  obtain  jier- 
mission  from  the  board  of  trustees.  That  being  granted,  the  contracting 
liarties  were  to  leave  the  colony  for  other  parts  before  consummating 
their  union.  Persons  entering  wedlock  without  asking  permission  in 
due  order  were  to  be  summarily  expelled.  N(n-berg  and  three  others 
positively  refused  to  submit,  and  in  consequence  were  banished  from 
the  colony.  Furthermore,  all  members  were  strictly  forbidden  to  liave 
any  intercourse  Avhatever  with  them.  No  one  of  those  expelled  had 
any  part  of  his  property  returned  to  him,  although  they  had  toiled  from 
eight  to  ten  years  for  the  common  good. 

The  actions  of  the  leaders  were  sharply  attacked  in  the  public 
press :  a  number  of  Americans  took  the  part  of  Norberg  and  his  friends 
and  proposed  to  get  .justice  for  them  by  force  if  no  other  means  availed. 
It  was  proposed  to  invade  Bishop  Hill  with  an  armed  posse  and  force 
the  trustees  at  the  point  of  the  musket  to  grant  restitution  to  the  men 
the.v  had  banished.  Norberg,  however,  ob.iected  to  this  method  and 
proposed  a  settlement  by  legal  process.  His  plan  was  to  petition  the 
legislature  for  the  revocation  of  the  charter  of  the  Bishop  Hill  Colony 
and  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  distribute  its  property  equitably 
among  the  colonists.  Thereb.v  the  dissatisfied  members  would  receive 
their  just  portion,  and  be  left  free  to  leave  the  colony,  while  those  who 
so  desired  might  remain  loyal  to  the  leaders,  reorganize  the  corporation 
and  change  its  laws  to  suit  themselves.  The  Americans  approved  this 
as  a  wise  and  equitable  solution  of  the  mooted  question.  A  petition 
was  drawn  up  and  circulated,  receiving  no  less  than  1.500  sisnatures. 
and  was  then  submitted  to  the  legislature.  Norberg  appeared  in  person 
and  by  the  assistance  of  Senator  Graham  urged  the  granting  of  the 
petition.     The  Bishop  Hill  leaders  were  represented  liy  Attorney  Ram- 


254 


Till-;  niSHOp  mi.i,  colony 


say  and  Senator  Henderson.  After  three  weeks  the  matter  had  been 
brought  to  the  ])oint  where  the  fate  of  the  Bishop  Hill  charter  hung  on 
the  vote  of  a  single  senator.  That  senator  had  the  matter  postponed 
from  time  to  time,  demanding  more  time  for  consideration,  ileanwliile 
Senator  (Jraham  lu-gaii  to  waver.  One  day  he  ini|uired  in  guarded  terms 
whether  Xorberg  would  withdraw  his  petition  for  a  consideration  of 
one  thousand  dollars.    Suspecting  foul  play.  Xorberg  refused  the  money 


Jonas   Kroiibcrjc  Jonas  ICricksoii 

TriLstees  of    llic   Bisho])  Mill  Colony 

point-blank.  A  few  days  after.  Graham  stated  that  urgent  private  busi- 
ness made  a  tri])  home  necessary,  adding  the  assurance  that  he  would 
soon  return  to  push  tiie  matter  through.  The  same  day  Ciraham  left  the 
c-apilal,  Olof  Johnson  arrived  in  response  to  a  telegram,  and  the  matter 
was  liurriedly  dis|)osed  of  in  tiie  legislature  to  the  entire  .satisfaction  of 
the  trustees.    Tiiat  bril)ery  had  been  resorted  to  was  patent  to  all.* 

This  victory,  though  a  rather  costly  one,  raised  the  courage  ami 
enterjirising  spirit  of  tlie  leaders  to  a  high  i»itch.  They  ])ers\i;;;'.?'l  the 
colonists  that,  (lod  being  on  their  side,  all  opposition  was  doomed  to 
fiiiliiri'.  Tlie  one  man  who  was  not  to  lie  imposed  upon  by  these  tine 
phi'asi's  was  Xorbi-rg.  Assisted  by  tiie  dissatisfied  elenu'iit.  he  strove 
eiiergeticall\'  for  a  division  of  the  ]iro|ierly.  Tiiis  was  a  thing  worlli 
wliile.  f(ir  in  the  year  IS;")?  I  he  propei-ty  lield  in  common  doulitless 
aggregated  over  $7n(».()()0  in  vahie.  Tlie  individuali/.al  ion  of  the 
l>ropeiMy,    however,    iliil    not    l.-ike    plaee    inilil    u'rejil     lnsses    had    been 


"    II  IM  iipoi  i.il  Ui-.il  111.    ililtit;  was  dont'  l>y  JiullilodN  iL-ic  nf  111.-  sum  ..f  |s,u«n. 


RETROGRESSION 


255 


sustained    in    tlie    panic    oi'    18.j7    and    through    unfortunate    business 
ventures. 

Olof   Johnson's    Business    Ventures    and    the    Downfall 
of   the    Colony 

As  has  been  shown,  Jonas  Olson  was  the  dominant  spirit  in  the 
council  of  seven,  but  at  his  side  stood  Olof  Johnson,  whose  power  inid 
influence  Avas  ever  on  the  increase,  undoubtedly  with  the  approval  of 
his  chief.  These  two  men  were  each  the  complement  of  the  other. 
Jonas  Olsou  was  shrewd,  but  conservative,  and  cautious  in  the  extreme ; 
Olof  Johnson,  on  the  other  hand,  bold  and  enterprising.  The  admin- 
istrative work  they  divided  between  them  in  accordance  with  natural 
gifts  and  capabilities.  All  matters  pertaining  to  worship  and  the 
administration  of  domestic  affairs  were  in  the  hands  of  Jonas  Olson, 
who  laid  particular  stress  on  the  development  of  the  extensive  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  while  Olof  Johnson  looked  after  the  business  affairs 
of  the  colony,  his  activities  in  this  line  dating  back  to  about  the  time 
of  the  change  in  the  administrative  system. 

The  opportiuiities  for  speculative  enterprise  were  very  favoralile. 
In  1854  the  town  of  Galva  was  founded  five  miles  from  Bishop  Hill. 
"When  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quiney  Railway  was  completed  in 
1855,  giving  Galva  a  railway  station,  the  little  town  had  a  great  boom, 
which  Olof  Johnson  took  advantage  of.  He  started  a  number  of 
business  enterprises  there,  imder  the  auspices  of  the  Bishop  Hill 
Colony,  calculated  to  bring  sure  and  abundant  profit.  In  a  short  time 
he  sat  in  his  office  at  Galva  and  directed  practicallj'  the  whole  economic 
machinery  of  the  colony,  all  the  more  easily  done  since  he  controlled 
four  of  the  seven  votes  in  the  board  of  trustees.  At  first  he  had  the 
most  pronounced  success.  The  Crimean  War  had  caused  a  sharp  rise 
in  the  price  of  such  commodities  as  wheat,  corn,  and  other  produce. 
But  his  reckless  passion  for  speculation  grew  even  more  rapidly  than 
his  successful  business  enterprises.  Overspeculation  was  epidemic  at 
this  time,  and  Johnson  was  soon  drawn  into  a  veritable  whirl  of  diverse 
ventures,  such  as  dealing  in  grain,  lumber  and  general  merchandise, 
meat  packing,  coal  mining,  banking,  railroad  building,  etc.  Together 
with  several  other  persons  he  signed  a  contract  to  grade  the  roadbed 
for  the  Western  Air  Line  Railroad  for  the  sum  of  five  million  dollars, 
and  pledged  the  Bishop  Hill  Colony  to  take  stoclv  for  one  million  in 
the  road.  This  was  his  most  extensive  undertaking.  Ere  long,  Olof 
Johnson  found  himself  in  too  deep  water,  and  when  the  panic  of  1857 
came,  the  colony  suffered  loss  upon  loss,  rapidly  reducing  the  wealth 
which  the   colonists   had  produced  in   the   sweat   of   their  brow   and 


256 


THK    inSHOl'    nil.I,    C()I,t)NY 


s\V('ci)iii^'  away  the  earnings  of  the  successful  business  ventures.  The 
period  was  iiiaiked  l)y  groat  financial  disasters,  and  the  Bishop  Hill 
Colony  was  early  drawn  into  the  vortex,  heavy  losses  compelling  the 
colonists  to  submit  to  some  sacrifice  in  order  to  raise  money  to  stand 
of?  the  creditors.  Attempts  made  to  start  now  i-ntorpri-ii-^  invariably 
failed,  owing  to  the  prevailing  hard  times. 

All  too  late,  the  colonists  now  began  to  realize  whitlier  the  specula- 
tions of  Olof  Johnson  had  carried  them,  and  they  urged  niea.sures 
wherewith  to  control  the  actions  of  the  board.  That  body  obstinately 
refused  to  surrender  a  single  prerogative.  The  only  man  on  the  board 
who  was  willing  to  admit  the  .iustico  of  the  demand  was  Peter  Johnson, 
who  resigned  as  trustee  in  185!)  and  was  succeeded  l)y  Olof  Stoneberg. 
The  involved  financial  affairs  added  to  the  general  discontent,  and  all 
things  consiiired  to  liring  about  the  colIap.se  of  the  whole  system  of 
religious  and  economic  comnnuiism.  Conditions  grew  still  worse  in 
the  latter  lialf  of  the  year  1859,  wlicii  it  leaked  out  that  the  trustees 
had  negotiated  large  loans  to  cover  business  losses.  Questioned  on  this 
point  at  a  p\il)lie  assemblage,  the  trustees  laid  the  blame  on  Olof 
Johnson,  who  had  sole  charge  of  the  finances.  He  finally  admitted  that 
he  had  borrowed  ."liW.OOO  from  one  Mr.  Studwell  of  New  York,  but 
l)rotested  that  this  was  a  private  transaction  of  his.  not  in  the  least 
affecting  the  interests  of  the  other  colonists.* 

Under  the  circumstances,  the  division  of  the  property  propo.sed  by 
Xorberg  in  IS.")?  naturally  came  to  be  favored  by  many.  Kvideiitly 
tlie  only  avoinie  of  escape  from  complete  ruin  was  to  be  foiuid  in 
amending  the  by-laws  and  repealing  the  communist  pact.  At  the 
annual  mooting  hold  in  Jannai'y.  ISfiO.  a  resolution  to  this  effect  was 
])asscd.  The  annual  report  rendered  showed  lliat  flic  colony  owne»l 
between  13,000  and  14,000  acres  of  land,  partly  improved,  real  estate  in 
Oalva,  stocks  and  credits  in  various  enterprises,  and  other  resources, 
making  a  total  of  .'|i84(),270,  while  the  liabilities  amounted  to  .'i!7r),t)44 
all  told.  Tills  re|>ort  aroused  sus)iicion,  and  the  cobuiists  demanded 
that  the  liooks  be  audited.  Tlie  trustees  refused  to  show  their  accounts, 
and  a  storm  of  indignation  was  about  to  l)reak,  when  Jonas  Ol.son 
f|uieted  the  iiiiirninr  of  the  ])ooplo  l)y  <leclariiig  tiuil  their  demand  was 
.just.  wlioi-<'ii|iiin  lir  had  an  andiling  oonuiiilleo  appointed,  with  the 
proviso  that  the  accounts  of  tln"  lasts  two  years  were  to  be  submitted 
to  thoni  aftoi-  a  poi'iod  of  (liroe  weeks. 

On    I  lie    Ttli    day    nl'    l-'otiruarv.    new    by-laws    were   adopted    at    a 

*  Tho  ofltvltil  statoiiic-nt  of  colony  <lcbl8  In  1861,  Included  In  tho  "An»vt<r  of 
llif  I)t-l'fiiiliiiUH,''  rriMiKiiiitMl  iiH  II  cttrpttrair  lUihilitv  a  iiuirtKaK**  loiin  of  S40,(>(I0  titttntnril 
from  Alt  .\aiiilcr  Siiiilwrll  III  I'cliriiary,  is.'s.  When  In  1.>>«11  the  luan  wan  renewed.  ihl»  tlelit 
exeeeileil  $!iO,ooo.  TIiIk  laet  NeeiiiN  to  account  for  a  Htnleinent  thai  at  aliout  that  time 
Jolinaon  liorioweil  micli  a  hiiiii  from  Stndwclt. 


Rin'ROORESSION 


2.S7 


iiu'c.tiiif;'.  llic  leyalitv  ol'  wliidi  I  lie  trustees  denied.  These  Ijy-laws 
deprived  tliem  of  the  rigid  lo  buy  and  sell  realty,  make  contracts  or 
incur  debts  on  the  general  account,  except  upon  formal  resolution 
of  (he  colonists  and  with  their  express  sanction.  After  much  strife 
and  discord,  a  resolution  to  divide  the  property  was  carried  into 
effect  on  Feb.  14th.  each  of  the  -115  colonists  receiving  one  share  of 
stock  ill  approximately  two-thirds  of  the  total  resources.     This  portion 

of  the  proi)erty  consisted  of  near- 
ly 10,000  acres  of  land,  valued  at 
$400,000.  buildings  and  realty  in 
Bishop  Hill,  worth  $123,208,  and 
personal  property,  worth  $69,585. 
makinsr  a  total  of  $592,793.  The 
luidivided  property  was  estimated 
at  $248,861.  The  stockholders  split 
i;p  into  two  groups,  the  Olson  and 
Johnson  parties,  the  former  repre- 
senting 265,  the  latter  150  shares. 
But  Olof  Johnson  managed  to  get 
control  of  the  stock  of  Olson's 
friends  as  well  as  of  his  ow-n,  and 
soon  directed  the  entire  business. 
The  audit  of  the  accounts  of  the 
corporation  had  a  disheartening 
effect.  Among  the  disclosures  made 
was  the  fact  that  the  trustees, 
during  the  three  weeks'  respite 
given  them,  had  opened  an  entire 
new  set  of  books,  and  that,  according  to  the  "corrected"  accoimts,  the 
colony  owed  $42,759  over  and  above  the  reported  indebtedness  of 
$75,647,  or  a  total  of  $118,403.  The  discoveries  made  shook  the  con- 
fidence of  the  colonists  in  their  trustees  and  hastened  the  end.  Olof 
Johnson  was  in  a  sorry  plight.  By  a  resolution  of  Nov.  13,  1860,  he 
was  deposed  from  the  office  of  trustee  for  arrogating  to  himself  the 
management  and  control  of  the  colony's  affairs,  violating  the  by- 
laws and  betraying  his  trust.  By  intrigue  he  managed  to  get  himself 
reinstated  as  trustee  on  IMay  24,  1861,  and  proved  himself  almost 
indispensable  to  the  board  in  the  worlv  of  clearing  up  the  muddle. 
In  a  short  time  he  was  again  almost  solely  in  charge  of  affairs.  He  was 
clothed  with  power  of  attorney  to  make  tlie  best  bargains  possible  with 
the  creditors  of  the  corporation  and  served  as  attorney  in  fact 
until  1870. 

Shortly    after    the    division    of    property    liad    taken    place,    the 


Mrs.  Mary  (MalniKi'en)  Olson, 
I'irst  Child  Born  in   Bishop    Hill 


2.S8 


TIIK    lilSIKir    IIII.I.    COI.UNY 


remainder  of  tlu'  {•miimoii  estato.  valia-d  at  $248,861.  wa.s  plact'd  iu 
the  hands  of  the  trustees  with  instructions  to  ase  it  to  elear  the  colony 
of  debt.  They  were  given  five  years  in  which  to  clear  up  the  affairs, 
with  instructions  to  report  anntuilly.  Part  of  the  a.sscts  heinp  foiuid 
valueless  the  amount  proved  inadciiuate  and  a  lot  of  cattle,  broonu-orn, 
etc.,  to  the  value  of  $52,762  was  Kui)sequently  set  aside  to  make  up  for 
the  deficit. 

In  the  spring  of  1861  the  .lohnson  parly  divided  up  their  holdings 
so  that  each  got  his  or  her  share  of  the  property.     To  every  person. 


Major  ICiic  Herylaiicl  Capl.    l%ric  Johnson 

Will-knowii  Duscendaiils  of  Bislio])  Hill   I.iMclers 


iiijili'  oi'  rcMiaJc.  wild  liad  allaiiii'il  llio  age  of  thirty-five  years,  was 
1,'ivtii  line  lull  share,  comprising  22  acres  of  farm  land,  one  timber  lot 
of  nearly  two  acres,  one  town  lot  and  an  e<|uifal)le  share  of  all  barns, 
horses,  caltle.  hogs,  slieej)  and  other  domestic  aninuds  and  of  all  farm 
iiMpii'nienls  and  household  furniture  and  utensils.  All  under  this  age 
received  a  share  corresponding  to  tin-  age  of  the  imlividual.  the 
smallest  being  S  acres  of  laiul  and  other  |>roperty  in  proportion,  .\fter 
another  year's  trial  the  Olson  party,  now  split  \ip  into  three  irroups. 
known  respectively  as  the  Olson.  Storielierg  aii<l  Martin  .Johnson 
groups,  took  similar  action,  the  shares  received  l>y  their  meirdiers 
being  soniewhal  smallei-.  Thei-eby  all  economic  comnuuiily  of  inleresl 
liaci  ccasi'd.  mid  eai-li  coloiiisl  I'oiild  dispose  of  his  properly  as  he  saw 
111.      'I'liis   new   iii-clcr  (if  lliiiiLrs   l'(ir  a   time   made   Uishop   Hill    lliMU'ish 


THE    COLONY   CASE  259 

as  never  before,  llandsoiiif  residences  and  other  buildings  sprang  up 
in  rapid  succession,  and  the  colonists  seemed  hopeful  and  confident  of 
the  future.  If  not  now  relieved  of  the  debt,  for  the  payment  of  which 
they  had  alreadj'  made  so  great  sacrifices,  they  firmly  hoped  to  be 
rid  of  the  burden  inside  of  five  years.  But  their  hopes  were  to  be 
rudely  shattered.  At  the  end  of  the  i)criod,  the  trustees  came  in  with 
a  request  for  an  additional  $100,000  to  satisfy  the  creditors.  An  assess- 
ment was  levied.  The  majority  being  prosperous,  they  decided  to  pay 
rather  than  go  to  law,  but  about  half  refused  or  neglected  to  pay. 
The  sum  of  $54,858,  or  $56,163,  was  raised  and  turned  over  to  the 
trustees.  Those  who  refused  to  pay  their  assessments  held  the  former 
appropriation  ample.  That,  howevei",  had  been  decreased  about 
$100,000  by  assets  foimd  worthless,  making  the  total  appropriation  for 
debt-paying  purposes,  inclusive  of  the  receipts  from  the  last  levy, 
about  $260,000. 

The  years  passed  by ;  the  people  toiled  on  as  before,  and  their 
labors  were  blessed  with  rich  returns.  The  trustees  also  labored  on 
in  a  way,  but  as  no  reports  were  forthcoming,  the  people  were  left  in 
the  dark  as  to  what  progress  they  made  in  paying  ofif  the  debt. 
Finally,  when  in  1868  the  trustees  again  requested  a  large  sum  of 
money — $123,835 — the  sorely  tried  patience  of  the  people  gave  out. 
At  a  public  meeting  on  j\Iay  11th,  the  malcontents  appointed  a  com- 
mittee, composed  of  Norberg  and  five  others,  to  bring  the  trastees  to 
an  accounting,  and  on  July  27th,  legal  proceedings  were  instituted. 
A  special  master  in  chancery  was  appointed  who,  after  due  examination 
of  the  books,  certified  that  the  trustees  since  1860  had  received  money 
and  property  to  the  value  of  $249,763  and  paid  out  on  account  of  the 
colony  $140,144.  the  sum  of  $100,619  remaining  to  be  accounted  for. 

The    Bishop    Hill    Colony    Case 

In  this  famous  law.suit,  renowned  among  the  legal  fraternity  of 
Illinois  as  the  "Colonj^  Case,"  there  were  many  facts  brought  out, 
favorable  to  the  defendants,  which  are  usually  ignored  by  writers  Avho 
have  dealt  with  the  history  of  Bishop  Hill.  "While  the  trustees  as  a 
body  cannot  be  exonerated  from  blame  for  the  sins  of  commission  and 
omission  charged  to  their  executive  head,  Olof  Johnson,  printer's  ink 
has  tended  to  make  them  out  rather  l)lacker  than  they  deserve.  It  is 
only  common  fairness  to  assume  that  the  truth  in  this  case  was  not 
all  on  one  side. 

When  the  Erik  Jansson  family  ceased  to  dominate  the  colony's 
aft'airs.  it  naturally  went  over  to  the  opposition,  and  thus  we  find 
Erik  Jansson "s  son  making  ponnnon  cause  with  Xorberg,  his  father's 
old  antagonist,  against  those  in  control.    The  suit  against  the  trustees 


26o  ri"-:  lusiioi"  mi. I,  COLONY 

was  filed  liy  Kiik  U.  Xorberg.  Erie  Johnson.  Olof  Olson,  Andrew 
Norberg,  Lars  Lindlieck  and  Andrew  Johnson,  complainants,  acting 
for  themselves  and  in  behalf  of  other  persons  dissatisfied  with  the 
manner  in  which  the  trustees  were  winding  up  the  common  affairs. 
Being  a  party  to  the  suit  and  one  who  thereby  sought  redress  for  old 
grievances,  Eric  Johnson  was  not  free  from  bias,  and  his  published 
account  of  the  case,  though  quite  generally  accepted  without  question, 
cannot  be  considered  impartial. 

The  bill  of  complaint  charged  the  trustees  with  malfeasance  on 
a  large  nimiber  of  coiuits,  such  as,  exercising  undue  and  improper 
influence  over  the  legislature  in  securing  the  passage  of  the  charter 
and  coercing  the  colonists  into  joining  the  corporation :  illegal  con- 
struction of  the  charter  and  by-laws:  diverting  colony  property  to 
their  own  use;  violating  the  revised  by-laws;  sinister  purposes  in  sul)- 
dividing  the  property;  failure  to  make  the  required  reports;  collusion 
in  fraudulent  lawsuits  to  waive  just  defense,  procure  judgment  and 
decree  against  the  colony  and  deprive  it  of  money  and  property  under 
color  of  judicial  proceedings;  gross  neglect  of  duty;  misuse,  waste  and 
unlawful  disposition  of  corporate  funds ;  concealment  of  the  true  state 
of  the  colony's  pecuniary  affairs ;  luilawful  use  of  the  corporate  funds 
for  private  speculation:  mortgaging  ju-operty  witlunit  good  and 
sufficient  consideration — on  all  of  which  and  other  grounds  the  com- 
plainants asked  for  a  writ  enjoining  tlio  trustees  from  further  exercise 
of  their  authorit.w 

In  answer,  the  trustees  ui-ged  a  formidable  array  of  facts,  allega- 
tions and  denials,  many  of  them  well-grounded.  Without  this  admis- 
sion, the  progress  of  the  case  can  hardly  be  understood.  In  fairness 
to  the  memory  of  those  of  the  trustees  who  did  act  in  good  faith  and 
whose  i)rincipal  fault  was  lack  of  vigilance,  the  chief  i>oints  in  their 
defense,  touching  the  various  charges  of  maladministration,  are  here 
outlined.  As  to  the  diversion  of  real  estate  to  private  uses,  reference 
was  liad  to  the  county  records  to  show  that  all  colony  lands,  formerly 
vested  in  individimls.  had  been  duly  conveyed  to  the  colonj'  upon  its 
incorjioration.  no  real  estate  being  illegally  retained  by  or  conveyed  to 
any  trustee  iiulividually  for  his  private  use  and  enjoyment  prior  to 
(ir  after  the  sreiieral  subdivision:  and  it  does  not  ai)i>ear  from  available 
accnnnts  that  tliis  specific  charge  was  substanlialed. 

'i'lic  individualization  dl'  tiic  property  was  stated  to  have  been 
piatnic'd  and  carried  out  on  a  just  and  fair  basis,  witlwuit  any  other 
motive  than  a  tlesire  to  meet  (he  wislies  and  subserve  tlie  interests  of 
ail  eoncerned.  the  express  condition  lieing  that  the  corporation  should 
not  lie  dissolved  luitii  after  liie  ]iaymenl  of  all  corporate  debts.  Tlie 
del)t  was  understood  at  tlie  lime  lo  be  .tlOO.OflO  and  upward,  and  the 
individ\uds  were  lo  remain  eluirged  with  the  lien  of  this  debt,  tli«>  deeds 


Till-;  COI.OXV  CASK  261 

to  their  respective  pieces  of  land  not  lo  be  given  until  tliey  had  paid 
their  proportionate  share  of  the  same. 

After  the  sub-division  had  been  made,  and  certain  property  had 
been  exempted  to  apply  on  the  payment  of  the  debt,  part  of  this 
l)roperty,  to  the  value  of  $40,000  or  thereabouts,  was  destroyed  by  fire 
in  September,  1861,  the  available  capital  being  thereby  reduced  so 
much,  that,  too,  at  a  time  of  pressing  want  to  meet  corporate  obligations 
and  to  equip  the  colonists  for  individual  farming  the  next  year. 

From  the  year  1861  on  the  colonists  cultivated  their  respective 
tracts,  enjoying  the  issues  and  profits  therefrom.  As  they  needed  all 
the  fruits  of  their  labors,  the  corporation  determined  to  procure 
extensions  from  the  creditors  until  the  members  should  be  better  able 
to  contribute  their  share  toward  the  payment  of  the  debt.  In  August, 
1865,  the  trustees  levied  an  assessment  of  $200  per  share,  and  deeds 
were  made  out  and  placed  in  escrow,  to  be  delivered  to  the  shareholders 
upon  completing  payment  of  the  assessment.  The  trustees  stated  that 
if  those  assessments  had  been  promptly  met,  it  would  have  enabled 
them  to  avoid  costs,  save  the  sacrifice  of  property  and  nearly  or  quite 
discharge  the  colony  debt.  But  only  a  part  of  the  required  amount 
was  realized,  namely  the  sum  of  $54,858,  which  was  disbursed  by  Olof 
Johnson,  as  attorney  in  fact,  in  part  payment  of  debt. 

The  defendants,  further  answering,  stated  that  since  the  chartering 
of  the  colony,  it  had  been  engaged  in  many  lawsuits  and  was  especially 
so  involved  after  proceedings  were  inaugurated  for  a  sub-division  of 
the  property;  creditors  then  became  restive  and  outsiders  sought  by 
legal  strategy  to  take  advantage  of  the  corporation  and  speculate  upon 
its  misfortune.  The  rights  of  the  colonists,  they  averred,  had  been 
defended  to  the  utmost,  and  against  the  charge  of  collusive  and 
fraudulent  lawsuits,  defaults,  combinations  to  waive  just  defense  and 
other  legal  strategies,  entailing  losses  to  the  colony,  they  entered 
positive  denial.  A  schedule  of  some  120  lawsuits  was  given,  not 
including  many  suits  before  justices  of  the  peace  and  other  inferior 
courts,  nor  all  of  the  cases  brought  before  courts  in  Chicago — and  it  is 
a  safe  inference  that  these  suits  cost  the  corporation  a  large  amount 
of  money. 

The  loans  negotiated  are  stated  to  have  been  solely  for  the  benefit 
of  the  colony,  in  time  of  pressing  need ;  the  mortgages  in  every  instance 
having  been  given  for  good  and  sufficient  consideration,  and  the  money 
thus  secured  turned  into  the  common  treasury  to  be  disbursed  for  the 
common  good,  wherefore,  the  trustees  averred,  to  attempt  to  avoid 
these  just  obligations,  as  suggested  by  the  complainants,  would  be 
bald  repudiation  and  dishonesty. 

In  ]\Iarch,  1S68,  the  trustees,  desiring  to  complete  the  individualiza- 


262  ll"-    HlSIIOr    IIII.L    COI.ONV 

tioii.  pay  all  oltlifjatioiis  and  dissolve  tlie  corporation,  levied  a  new 
assessment,  aggregating  $123,8.35,  which  sum,  together  with  reuiaiuiug 
assets,  was  thought  adequate  for  the  payment  in  full  of  the  colony 
debt,  now  amounting  to  about  $158,000.  But  the  majority  of  the 
members  were  unable  to  pay  their  pro  rata  share  without  hardship. 
The  trustees  therefore  made  an  arrangement  with  Elias  Greenebaum 
of  C'liicago  whereby  he  was  to  loan  them  the  respective  amounts,  on 
mortgage  security,  giving  such  terms  as  to  prevent  sacrifice  of  property. 
Had  all  availed  themselves  of  this  arrangement,  which  they  did  not, 
the  debt  might  have  been  fully  liquidated,  the  trustees  as-serted.  and 
each  member  would  have  obtained  clear  title  to  his  or  her  allotment 
of  property. 

The  trustees  accounted  for  the  size  of  the  debt  of  1868  in  the 
following  manner:  To  the  amount  due  in  18G1.  estimated  at  $112,000, 
should  he  added  interest  at  10' < .  commi.ssions,  costs  incurred  in  litiga- 
tion, sums  paid  in  compromise,  in  cases  where  legal  advantage  had 
been  obtained  over  the  colony,  payment  of  ta.Kes.  and  other  legitimate 
causes  of  inci-ease  of  corporate  debts;  it  woidd  then  be  readily  seen 
why  the  debt  had  become  the  debt  of  1868,  although  $54,858  had 
been  paid  thereon.  Furthermore,  a  claim  of  about  $60,000  against  the 
Western  Air  Line  Railroad,  coiuited  as  an  asset  in  1860  and  1865.  had 
been  found  worthless,  except  as  to  the  sum  of  $6,500,  which  had  been 
received  in  settlement.  It  w.is  further  estimated  tlial  undivided 
property  remaining  imsold  would  bring  at  most  $20,000. 

As  to  contracting,  banking  and  other  enterprises,  into  which  the 
trustees  engaged  on  the  initiative  of  Olof  Johnson,  they  offered  a 
plausible  defense  of  their  acts.  In  1854  they  contracted  for  the  grading 
of  part  of  the  roadbed  of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy  and 
earned  $37,000  under  that  contract.  Two  years  later  the  colony  was 
awarded  a  contract  to  grade  the  projected  Western  Air  liine  Kailroad, 
and  a  large  sum  of  money  ($(i().000)  had  been  earned,  when  the  railway 
company  failed  as  a  result  of  the  panic.  As  the  failure  could  not  be 
foreseen  at  the  time  when  the  contract  was  nuule  and  labor  thereon 
performed,  and  as  the  claim  was  watched  for  some  ten  years  prior  to 
its  settlement  for  $6,500,  the  trustees  disclaimed  responsibility  for  the 
loss  sustained.  This  contract,  which  involved  no  less  than  five  million 
dollars,  and  promised  to  yield  the  colony  a  very  handsome  ]trofit.  was 
by  no  means  a  l>ad  speculation,  as  has  Ikmmi  t'rcdy  admitted  even  by 
Eric  .TohnsDii  himself.* 

Ill  1S,">6-1m58  Oliif  .lolinson  represented  the  colony  in  a  copartner- 
ship wilh  Sanuiel  Kemington,  in  a  l)nidv  at  flalva.  known  ns  the 
Nebraska  Western  Exchange  Bank,  tlirongli  llic  t'ailun'  of  whicli  as  a 

•  See  "Svt'iiBkiinio  I   ininolH,"   piiKo  (10. 


THE    COLONY    CASK  263 

ix'siilt  III'  the  panic  the  colony  incurred  losses.  The  Inistees,  while 
admittins:  this,  declared  that  tlic  undertaking  had  been  reported  to 
tiic  mcmlici-s  of  the  colony  and  approved  by  them,  adding  that  a  settle- 
ment was  had  in  ISliO  with  Olot'  Johnson,  who  was  then  discharged 
from  liability  for  the  failure. 

AVliile  on  many  points  the  defense  of  their  acts  offered  by  the 
trustees  seems  valid,  tlie  manner  of  handling  the  accounts  of  the  colony 
by  them  does  not  appear  equally  defensible.  In  1849  Olof  Johnson  had 
raised  in  Sweden  about  $6,000  for  the  colony.  In  the  schedule  of  debt 
submitted  in  1868,  we  find  this  item,  "Notes  and  interest  due  parties 
in  Sweden  for  money  loaned,  etc.,  $12,000."  This  was  either  a  part  of 
the  same  item  or  another  loan,  which  through  neglect  had  been  allowed 
to  accumulate,  notwithstanding  intervening  years  of  prosperity, 
one  of  which  alone  showed  an  increase  of  $238,334  in  the  value  of 
personal  propei-ty,  according  to  the  trustees'  report.  The  Studwell 
loan  of  .$40,000  in  1858.  which  three  years  later  represented  a  liability 
of  $66,570,  is  another  case  in  point,  though  the  prevailing  financial 
stringency  no  less  than  lack  of  vigilance  may  account  for  this  increase. 
The  summary  of  accounts  submitted  by  the  trustees  in  1868.  slinwing 
receipts  of  $171,964  and  disbursements  of  $195,837,  was  not  convincing, 
and  Olof  Johnson's  claim  for  reimbursement  in  the  sum  of  $23,873  for 
money  paid  out  in  excess  of  receipts  was  naturally  viewed  with 
suspicion. 

From  the  answer  of  the  defendants  we  gather,  in  conclusion,  that 
the  complainants  were  not  all  legal  members  of  the  corporation,  and 
that  they  had  in  almost  every  instance  failed  to  assist  in  paying  off 
corporate  obligations,  while  the  trustees,  with  a  single  exception,  paid 
both  assessments,  amounting  in  the  case  of  Jonas  Olson  to  as  miich  as 
$3,120.  The  revised  by-laws  were,  the  trustees  declared,  illegally 
passed  and  therefore  could  uot  be  binding  upon  their  acts,  and  they 
were  in  fact  never  so  held  by  them. 

After  a  long  and  aggravating  legal  contest  stretching  over  five 
years,  the  case  was  left  to  the  judge,  who  delayed  his  decision  for  a 
like  period.  Finally  in  1879  some  sort  of  settlement  of  the  case  was 
effected.  The  trustees  were  not  held  accountable  for  the  $109,619 ; 
Olof  Johnson's  claims  of  $23,873  and  salary  for  the  years  he  had  acted 
as  attorney  in  fact  were  disallowed :  all  other  claims  against  the 
corporation  were  held  valid  and  ordered  paid,  in  addition  to  which 
$57,782  in  new  obligations,  including  a  contingent  fund  of  $16,000 
and  costs  on  both  sides,  were  saddled  on  the  colonists.  This  "so-called 
decree."  like  others  caustically  referred  to  in  like  terms  by  the 
Supreme  Court  at  a  later  occasion,  was  the  result  of  a  compromise 
between  the  attornevs  in  the  case  and  was  doubtless  signed  by  the 


264  '^""'■-    l^l^'IOl'    nil. I.    COLONY 

judgL-  meiL'ly  as  a  matter  of  form.  Uuder  the  decree,  eutered  April  25 
and  July  28,  1879,  many  tracts  of  land  were  sold  by  the  special  master 
in  chancery  (William  H.  Gest),  the  owners  of  which  were  not  parties 
to  the  suit.  The  most  of  the  lands  were  not  redeemed  from  the  sale, 
and  deeds  were  made  out  to  the  inirchasers,  who  had  been  notified  at 
the  sale  that  possession  would  not  be  voluntarily  yielded  by  the  owners. 
Petitions  were  filed  bj-  the  grantees  in  some  of  the  deeds  for  writs  of 
assistance  to  put  them  in  possession  of  the  lands,  among  them  the 
lands  of  John  Root,  a  son  of  the  man  who  killed  Erik  Jansson,  now  a 
prominent  attorney.  This  proved  the  test  case,  on  the  outcome  of 
which  hung  tiie  fate  of  the  entire  colony  case.  Root's  laud  had  been 
sold  for  $2,868.50  and  was  purchased  for  the  benefit  of  Charles  C. 
Ronncy,  the  attorney  who  prosecuted  the  suit  against  the  trustees. 
The  judge  who  tried  the  case  granted  a  writ  of  assistance  directing  the 
sheriff  of  Henry  county  to  put  the  petitioner,  Lyman  M.  Payne,  acting 
for  Bonney,  in  possession  of  the  land.  Root  appealed  the  case  to  the 
Appellate  Court,  where  the  judgment  of  the  lower  court  was  revei-sed. 
Payne  appealed  his  case  to  the  Supreme  Court,  where  the  judgment 
of  the  Apix'llate  Court  was  affirmed.  The  opinion  of  the  Suprenu> 
Court,  rendered  Jlay  12,  1887,  by  ]Mr.  Justice  Mulkey,  reads  in  part 
as  follows : 

"Numerous  orders  and  so-called  decrees  were,  from  time  to  time, 
entered  iu  the  cause,  even  a  cursory  examination  of  which,  we  think, 
fully  justifies  the  claim  of  appellant  that  it  is  'a  case  sui  generis.'  Under 
the  compendious  title  of  The  Bishop  Hill  Colony  Case,  after  the  manner 
of  Dickens'  celebrated  case  of  Jarndyce  and  Jarndyce.  it  has  been 
'dragging  its  slow  length  along'  for  a  period  of  over  eighteen  years, 
and,  as  far  as  we  are  able  to  perceive,  those  who  have  been  chiefly 
benefited  bj'  it  are  the  immediate  jiarties  to  the  suit,  their  counsel  and 
the  officers  of  tiie  court — notably  the  master  in  chancery,  who  has 
received  some  $9,000  out  of  the  fund,  as  fees  in  the  ease. . .  The  con- 
clusion sought  to  be  drawn  from  the  circumstances  pointed  out  as 
sustaining  the  claim  (against  Root)  find  no  sanction  in  law  and  just  as 
lilllr  ill  reason  or  logic.  Viewed  from  a  legal  aspect,  or,  indeed,  from 
any  other  aspect,  wo  have  .seldom,  if  ever,  seen  a  case  so  entirely  des- 
titute of  merit." 

The  law  governing  tlic  ninaining  cases  being  thus  determined,  the 
cases  were  dismissed  and  never  resurrected.  The  original  Hisiiop  Hill 
case  then  remained,  deserted  by  those  who  brought  it  and  by  their  at- 
torney. When  the  clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court  of  Henry  county  was 
making  up  the  docket  for  the  February  term.  1888.  a  member  of  the  bar 
of  the  connty  suggested  to  liini  tliat  the  case  i)e  omitted  from  the  docket. 


Tin:  coi.oxv  c.\si-; 


265 


which  was  done,  and  tluis  the  last  rciiiiiant.  of  tlic  JJishop  Hill  Colony 
was  given  a  quiet  burial. 

To  estimate  the  losses  to  the  colonists  incurred  1)\-  Olof  Johnson's 


Old  Settlers  Monument  at  Bishop  Hill,   Krecteil  in   1.S95,  in  Meniorj'  of 
the  Founders  of   the  Colonv 


administration  and  through  the  resultant  litigation  is  not  possible,  in 
the  absence  of  reliable  figures.  Up  to  and  including  the  year  1879  there 
seems  to  have  been  an  expenditure  in  money  and  property,  to  pay  debt, 
aggregating  $300,000.  and  a  loss  of  more  than  .$100,000  in  bad  accounts, 


266  THK    HISIIOl'    HII.K   COLONY 

worthless  notes  and  otlicr  (li)nl)ti"iil  assets.*  What  reniainetl  of  tlie  old 
eorjiorate  debt  was  jiaid  witli  the  proceeds  from  the  suhsequent  land 
sales.  After  the  death  of  Olof  Johnson  in  1870.  the  affairs  were 
managed  by  Jonas  Olson,  with  the  assistance  of  Swanson  and  Jaeobson. 
8tonebei-g  and  Kronberj?  taking  little  part. 

The    Final    Fate   of  EriK  Janssonism 

The  decisive  steps  in  the  dissolution  of  the  colony  having  been 
taken  in  the  years  ISfiO  to  1802.  many  of  the  Erik  Janssonists  left 
Uisho])  Hill  and  settled  elsewhere.  Jonas  Olson  sought  to  form  a  con- 
gregation that  would  remain  true  to  the  doctrines  of  Erik  Jansson.  but 
failed  in  the  att('mi)t.  the  colonists  already  having  been  divided  in  the 
matter  of  creed.  In  1867  the  Seventh  Day  Adventists  made  a  successful 
effort  at  proselyting  among  them,  establishing  a  church  in  1870  with 
150  members,  among  whom  was  Jonas  Olson.  Shortly  afterwards,  the 
congregation  was  divided  on  certain  doctrinal  points,  the  one  faction 
being  headed  by  Jonas  Olson  and  ^lartin  Johnson,  the  other  by  John 
Hellsen.  Peter  Wexell  and  others.  The  rupture  was  not  permanent  and 
the  members  have  worshiped  together  for  many  years.  Not  a  few  of  the 
foriiiei-  colonists  have  gone  over  to  Methodism.  .\  Methodist  Chiuvh 
Avas  organized  as  early  as  1864  with  fifteen  members,  which  number 
rajndly  increased.  Olof  Stoneberg  and  Anders  Berglund  became  the 
local  preachers  of  this  flock.  A  small  lanubcr  accepted  Swedenborgian- 
isiii ;  beyond  that  tlic  colonists  largely  preferred  to  remain  outside  of  all 
denominational  pales. 

Sejit.  2:1 — 24,  1S06.  the  fiftictli  iumivcrsary  of  the  founding  of 
Bishoj)  Hill  w.is  ciiiiHiicniorated.  Ovci*  two  thousand  people  were  in 
attendance,  among  whom  were  no  less  than  ninety-nine  of  the  incorpor- 
ators of  18r).'3.  Of  the  tru.stces  twt)  were  still  living.  Jonas  Olson,  aged 
ninety-four,  and  Swan  Swanson. 

A  granite  nionniiicnt  had  been  erected  bearing  this  inscription  : 

184& 

Dedicated  to  tKe  Memory  of  the  Hardy  Pioneers 

Virho.    in    order    to    secure 

RELIGIOUS   LIBERTY. 

left  Sweder\,  their  native  land,  with  aU  the  endearments 

of  home  and  Kindred,  and  founded 

BISHOP   MILL   COLONY, 

on  the   uninhabited   prairies  of 

ILLINOIS 

Erected   by  surviving  men^bers  and  descendants 

on    the    50tK    Anniversary,    September    tv/onty-third 

189& 

*  A  ntiitrinciit  ill  "Svriiakanic  i  llllnoiii,"  p.  .'■!,  (Iiiit  Uy  ISTU  It  liiwl  coat  the  ciiKinUt* 
$<I71.MM  11.111  til  (iiiy  tliclrilclit  iit'$l  ls,.lO(t.:i3  i«  I'lrarlr  riTiiiirtiiia,  thr  rnnrmoti*  totnl  hnv- 
IHK  lircii  rciu'hnl  liy  iliipUciitliiK  ilfin*  nKKi'(*K'Oi>iU  a  (|iiartcr  urn  nlllllon. 


r. 


268  'UK  Hisiior  nil, I.  colony 

At  the  present  time  Risliop  Hill  is  a  siiwill  villay:i-  witii  a  pupulation 
somewhat  in  excess  of  three  humlretl.  Thi'  large  biiiUlings  erected  at 
the  time  of  its  greatest  prosperity  are  still  occupied,  though  some- 
what dila])idat<'(l.  But  fi-w  of  the  early  colonists  now  remain  alive. 
Bergluud,  Murberg,  Iledin,  Stoneberg.  Olof  Johnson,  and  Jonas  Olson, 
all  these  leaders  have  passed  away  and  the  second  generation  spriuig 
from  them  and  their  contemporaries  is  already  growinsr  old.  Sophia 
Janssou,  the  widow  of  the  prophet,  died  in  the  Henry  County  infirmary 
in  1888;  Erik  Jansson's  son,  Captain  Eric  Johnson,  is  now  living  in 
California,  and  the  daughter,  who  was  married  to  Captain  A.  0.  War- 
ner, a  veteraii  of  the  Civil  War.  and  later  became  Mrs.  Rutherford,  also 
survives. 

In  the  evening  of  his  life  Jonas  Olson,  although  confined  to  his 
invalid's  chair  by  decrepitude,  contiiuied  to  preach.  His  eyes  were 
dim,  and  it  was  better  so,  for  his  tlock  had  grown  pitifully  small  and 
looked  grotesquely  out  of  place  in  so  capacious  a  house  of  worship  as 
the  old  colony  church.  In  1871  he  lost  his  first  wife,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Katriiia  Wexell.  The  following  year,  at  the  age  of  seventy, 
he  obtained  a  second  helpmeet  in  Miss  Katrina  Johnson,  a  girl  of 
twenty-eight.  lie  passed  away  at  his  home  in  Rislio])  Hill  on  Nov.  IS, 
1898,  at  the  ripe  age  of  ninety-six  years. 

Olof  Johnson,  born  in  Soderala  parish.  Helsingland.  June  30.  1820, 
died  jit  fialva.  July  18.  1870.  in  the  midst  of  difficulties  attending  the 
famous  lawsuit.  He  left  an  insolvent  estate,  ami  but  for  his  life  insur- 
ance, it  is  clainiicl.  it  would  ii;i\i-  rinf<l  hard  with  his  family. 

Andrew  Bcigluud,  born  in  Alfta  parish.  Helsingland.  Jan.  10.  1S14. 
departed  this  life  at  Bishop  Hill.  Aug.  17.  ISitti.  In  lSti7  he  joined  the 
newly  organized  Swedish  Methodist  Church  at  Bishop  Hill,  which  he 
served  as  local  preacher  until  his  death.  His  son.  Major  Eric  Berglanil. 
U.  S.  A.,  retired,  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  is  one  of  several  descendants  of  the 
original  colonists,  who  have  attained  eminence. 

Olof  Stoneberg.  elected  colony  trustee  in  185!)  to  succeed  Peter 
Johnson,  joined  the  local  Methodist  church  in  lSl)8  and  became  local 
preachei  and  an  eminent  member  of  the  denomination.  At  his  death, 
wliich  occurred  Jan.  8,  18!)2,  he  left  a  generous  bequest  to  the  Swedish 
M.  E.  Theological  Seminary  at  Evanston,  HI.,  on  whose  board  of 
directors  he  had  served  for  many  years.  Stoneberg  was  a  native  of 
Helsingland,  bom  in  Eorssa  parish  on  Feb.  17,  1818. 

Swan  Swanson.  the  last  surviving  trustee  of  the  colony,  died  in 
Bishop  Hill  ]\lar.  24,  1!)(I7.  He  was  born  May  25,  1825,  in  Sddcrala. 
Helsingland.  Swanson  served  as  colony  bookkeeper  and  storekeeper 
]trior  to  ISCO  and  subsi'(|ncully  with  Jai-ob  Ja<'obson  became  joint 
own<'r  of  the  store.     He  was  for  many  years  postmaster  of  the  village. 


Till':   IINAI.  I'ATl';  269 

Evif  Tlric  Xorborg,  wliosc  (■(nisiiiciious  coiiiiectioii  willi  llie  liisliop 
Hill  ('(ildiiy  has  been  shown  in  Ihc  jji't'ccdinij;  jiages,  was  hoi'n  June  22, 
ISi;^,  at  rik'rvad,  Yestcrgiitlaiid,  Sweden,  and  graduated  from  the 
college!  at  Skara  at  the  age  of  eighteen,  after  which  he  became  private 
secretary  to  the  provincial  governor,  serving  luitil  the  age  of  twenty- 


Eric  U.  Norberjj  in  Old  Age 

three,  when  he  was  appointed  "lansman"  for  Skaraborg  and  one  other 
"Ian."  This  office  he  held  until  1842,  when  with  his  sister  he  emigrated 
to  America,  settling  first  in  Michigan,  then  moved  to  Wisconsin  and 
afterwards  to  ]\Iinnesota.  This  region  at  that  time  was  scarcely 
inhabited  by  any  white  people,  and  he  lived  near  the  Indians  and  had 
very  friendly  relations  with  them.  In  1847  he  joined  the  colonists  at 
Bishop  Hill,  where  he  married  and  lived  in  the  colony  off  and  on  for 
about  ten  years,  then  left  and  came  to  Chicago,  where  he  lived  for 
some  two  years,  but  returned  about  the  time  that  the  colony  broke  up 
and  the  division  of  property  took  place.  Part  of  the  time  he  was  with 
the  colony,  he  was  secretary  and  kept  the  records  of  the  meetings  of 
the  corporation.  He  also  had  charge  of  the  colony  warehoase  at  Galva. 
Prior  to  that  time  he  also  had  charge  of  the  warehouse  at  Henry  on 


270 


Till-:  msiKti'  mi, I,  coi.ony 


the  lilitiois  River,  wlii-rr  the  colonists  did  a  larfrc  |i:irtioii  of  llieir 
sliipping.  Ill  lS(j:{  ho  iiioveil  witli  liis  family  on  a  farm  m-ar  Toulon, 
where  he  lived  for  a  uumber  of  years  until  he  moved  to  Galva.  with 
his  daughter.  ^Irs.  Carrie  \.  Jones,  where  he  di<'d  at  the  a<re  of  nearly 
8()  years.  A  son  of  Erie  Xorherg  is  Gustaf  Nnrln-)-'!-.  mo  ;itiiiiiicy.  of 
Iloldrege,  Neb. 


4 


CHAPTER    V. 


Other  Early  Settlements 

Character  and  Condition  of  Settlers 

X  the  latter  forties  and  the  early  fifties,  when  Swedish 
immigration  to  the  West  showed  a  marked  increase, 
these  immigrants  either  settled  in  eommiinities  already 
established  by  Americans  from  the  East  or  founded  new 
settlements  of  their  own.  All  who  were  able  to  do  so 
purchased  a  piece  of  land  and  some  live  stock.  The  others  had  lo 
hire  out  for  work  until  they  had  saved  up  enough  money  to  buy  liitul. 
Simple  dwellings,  mostly  log  cabins,  were  built.  One  of  the  first  cares 
of  the  immigrants  was  to  organize  a  congregation  and  build  a  church 
edifice  iu  which  to  worship  (tod  in  the  manner  of  their  fatiicrs. 
After  having  provided  for  these  most  urgent  temporal  and  spiritual 
wants,  they  began  to  acquaint  themselves  more  thoroughly  with  the 
new  country  and  to  prepare  themselves  for  the  proper  exercise  of  the 
rights  and  duties  of  citizenship. 

These  settlements  flourished  rapidly,  their  progress  largely  due  to 
the  industry  and  hardiness  of  the  settlers.  The  fertile  prairie  soil, 
under  careful  cultivation,  yielded  rich  harvests;  large  herds  of  cattle 
soon  grazed  on  the  green  bottoms;  the  rude  little  logliouses  gradually 
gave  way  to  larger  and  more  commodious  dwellings;  the  small,  strug- 
gling congregations  grew  to  be  a  great  factor  in  the  mental  culture  of 
the  settlers ;  the  settlements  grew  steadily  more  extensive  and  jiopulous. 
due  partly  to  their  own  enterprise,  partly  to  continued  immigration. 
In  many  of  these  settlements  agriculture,  combined  with  the  raising  of 
live  stock,  was  then,  and  continues  to  be,  the  principal  occupation,  while 
in  others  industrial  plants  were  established  which  have  since  dc\-('l(ipi'il 
so  as  to  rank  with  the  largest  of  their  class. 

At  that  time  the  American  settlers  in  Illinois,  composed  largely  of 
Xew  England  yaukees,  had  purchased  tracts  of  land,  not  so  nuu'h 
from  a  desire  to  become  farmers  as  from  a  ])enchant  for  speculation. 
When  Swedes  in  any  considerable  numbers  flocked  to  a  certain  spot, 
these  original  settlers  usually  retreated,  leaving  the  newcomers  as  lords 
of  all  they  surveyed.  Hence,  certain  settlements,  almo.st  from  the 
outset,   became   exclusively   jiopnlafed   by   Swedes,   and   have   retained 


272  KARI.V    SHTTI.HMKNTS 

tliat  character.  In  otiiers  there  was  a  niixturi'  of  Americans  and 
Swedes,  the  two  nationalities  getting  on  well  together  and  making 
united  eflforts  for  the  development  of  their  communities.  In  still  others 
the  Americans  were  numerically  stronger,  yet  the  Swedes  pushed  to 
the  front  in  various  lines,  thus  forming  an  important  factor  in  the 
community. 

Allliouirh  it  is  not  our  present  purpose  to  write  the  local  history  of 
the  Swedish  settlements  in  Illinois,  yet,  for  the  sake  of  obtaining  a 
connected  story  and  a  survey  of  the  historical  field,  brief  sketches  of  the 
rise  and  development  of  the  principal  early  settlements,  founded  prior 
to  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War.  are  here  given,  commencing  with 
Andover,  in  Henry  county,  next  to  Bishop  Hill  the  oldest  Swedish 
settlement  in  tli<'  state. 

ANDOVER.    HENRY    COUNTY 

The  first  white  settler  in  Andover  was  a  Dr.  liarker.  who  arrived 
Slay  6,  1835,  remaining  there  only  a  short  time.  In  June  of  the  same 
year  three  other  Americans,  viz..  Rev.  Pillsbury.  Mr.  Slaughter  and 
]\rr.  Pike,  came  there  for  the  purpose  of  looking  up  a  site  for  a  colony 
that  was  being  organized  in  New  York.  They  selected  an  extensive 
tract.  ]iai-t  of  wliich  was  jilatted  as  a  town  site.  Streets,  alleys  and  a 
public  scjuare  were  laid  out.  and  the  place  was  named  Andover.  after 
the  Massachusetts  city  where  the  renowned  Congregational  theological 
seminary  is  located.  The  land  company  in  New  York  evidently  worked 
with  the  i)ious  intention  of  building  up  a  Christian  community,  and 
making  money  incidentally,  but  the  plan  was  not  realized  a.s  originally 
framed,  for  in  the  place  of  a  strong  colony  of  American  Puritans  tliere 
sprang  up  a  pojiulous  settlement  of  Swedish  IjUthcrans. 

One  of  the  first  buildings  erected  in  the  place  was  a  llour  mill. 
During  the  first  few  years  the  population  was  small,  and  the  scftlei"s 
experience<l  all  the  hardships  of  pioneering.  The  nearest  jiost  office 
was  at  Knoxville.  thirty  oild  miles  distant.  The  letter  postage  at  that 
time  was  25  cents. 

The  first  Swede  in  Andover  and  Henry  county  at  large  was  Sven 
Xilsson.  a  sailor,  who  arrived  as  early  as  ]S4().  The  next  arrival  of 
Swedish  descent  was  Miss  Johanna  Sofia  Iiundi|vist,  born  Jan.  15,  1824, 
at  the  ])apei'  mill  Perioden.  near  Jiinkoping,  her  pan'nts  being  J.  E. 
fjiUKbivist.  a  pajier  manufacturer,  and  his  wife  Hrila  .Maria,  nee  Kloden. 
The  factory  having  been  destroyed  by  lire.  Lnndi|vist  in  1S42  nuivetl 
with  his  wifi'  and  four  children  to  Helsiugland,  where  he  purchased 
the  Lund  i)aper  mill  in  lAirssa  parish.  Togi'ther  with  many  othci-s, 
Lund(|vist  anil  his  wife  wryr  ili'awn  iiiio  ilie  religious  movenu'ut  started 
by  Krik  .lansson.     Mrs.  l,uncli|\ist  appears  to  bavi-  been  a  particularly 


ANDOVER 


2  7. -5 


zi'ulou.s  iiu'iiibiT  oL'  tlic  s(H-l,  jiulgiiig  i'roiu  the  l';u-l  that  .sliu  was  one  ol' 
the  fifteen  i)ersoiis  who  on  Dec.  7,  1844,  made  a  bonfire  of  Lutheran 
hooks,  near  Sti'nho.  in  Fors.sa  parish.  For  this  alleged  saei-ilege  these 
persons  were  trieil  at  Forssa  Feb.  '2-i,  184"),  and  fined  each  IG  crowns, 
32  shillings  banco.  The  verdict  no  doubt  had  something  to  do  with 
Lundqvist's  determination  to  emigrate  to  America  with  his  family  in 
company  with  p]rik  Jansson's  followers.  lie  sold  the  paper  mill  and 
with  wife  and  three  children,  including  the  oldest  daughter,  joined  a 
company  of  Erik  Janssonists  who  emigrated  in  1846.  The  youngest 
daughter.  I\Iathil(la  Gn.stafva,  remained  in  Sweden  to  clcai-  up  the 
estate. 

AVhile  the  parents  settled  at  Bishop  Ilill,  the  oldest  daughter  early 
in  1847  hired  out  as  a  domestic  in  the  family  of  a  Mr.  Townscnd  in 
Andover.  She  was  the  first  Swedish  woman  to  live  in  Andover.  The 
year  of  her  arrival  she  formed  the  acquaintance  of  P.  W.  Wirstrom,  a 
Swedish  sea  captain,  whom  she  married.  Tliis  was  the  first  Swedish 
family  in  Andover.  Captain  Wirstrom,  born  at  Waxholm  in  1816, 
seems  to  have  emigrated  at  an  early  date.  The  year  of  his  arrival  is 
not  Imowu,  but  it  is  know'n  to  a  certainty  that  he  was  here  as  early 
as  1846,  w'hen  he  sailed  on  the  C4reat  Lakes.  In  the  fall  of  that  year 
he  learned  that  a  company  of  his  fellow  eoimtrymen  had  arrived  at 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.  Going  there,  he  fovmd  that  the  emigrants  were  Erik 
Janssonists  headed  by  Nils  Hedin.  At  their  request  he  accompanied 
them  as  interpreter  on  their  journey  to  Bishop  Hill.  After  their  arrival 
he  became  almost  indispensable  in  the  capacity  of  physician,  possessing, 
as  he  did.  a  smattering  of  medical  learning.  lie  remained  there  till 
July,  1847,  when  he  removed  to  Andover. 

After  his  marriage  to  Johanna  Sofia  Lundqvist,  they  made  their 
home  in  a  log  cabin  in  Andover  iintil  the  fall  of  the  same  year,  when 
they  removed  to  New  Orleans,  Avhere  Captain  Wirstrom  hired  out  as 
a  slave  driver.  The  following  spring  the  couple  returned  to  Andover, 
but  went  back  to  New  Orleans  in  the  fall,  Wirstrom  returning  to  his 
former  occupation  there.  One  day,  in  Aveighing  up  the  cotton  on  the 
plantation  where  he  was  employed,  it  was  discovered  that  the  day's 
harvest  ^vas  too  small,  and  Wirstrom  got  orders  to  urge  the  slaves  to 
still  greater  exertions.  This  he  refused  to  do,  and,  having  already  had 
enough  of  the  slave  driver's  job,  he  once  more  returned  to  Andover  in 
1840.  The  same  summer  the  cholera  epidemic  ravaged  Andover  as 
well  as  Bishop  Hill,  and  Lundqvist's  two  sons  Avere  among  its  victims. 

This  was  also  the  year  of  the  great  California  gold  fever.  Among 
those  who  went  west  to  seek  their  f ortime  in  the  newdy  discovered  gold 
fields  were  Captain  Wirstrom  and  his  young  wife.  In  company  with  a 
number  of  others  from  Andover,  they  set  out  April  6.  1850,  on  their 


->-■  KARI.V    SETTLEMENTS 

*  /  4 

loii^  jounu-y  across  the  prairie  wilderness  to  the  golilen  lainl.  They 
traveled  mostly  on  foot,  and  many  were  their  sntTt-rin^'s  t*n  route.  For 
Jlrs.  Wirstrom,  who  had  to  do  the  cooking  for  eigiit  men  in  the 
company,  the  journey  was  especially  hard  and  toilsome.  She  stood  it 
luiiii fully,  however,  and  late  in  A>igust  all  arrived  safe  and  sound  at 
lieadville's  Bear.  A  few  weel^  later,  the  Wirstroms  bought  a  hotel. 
Adversities  now  came  in  rapid  succession.  Their  only  child  died,  and 
an  attack  of  consumption  compelled  Captain  WirstrJim  to  return  to 
Illinois  in  1854.  lie  died  Feb.  25,  1855,  at  Bishop  Hill.  Then  .Mr.s. 
Wirstrom  .sold  the  hotel  in  California  for  .tS.OOO  and  removed  to 
Bishop  Hill. 

Xov.  4,  185G,  INIrs.  Wirstrom  was  wedded  to  an  American  by  the 
name  of  ]\I.  B.  Ogden,  of  Galva.  and  they  settled  on  a  farm  which  she 
jjurehased  at  Victoria,  living  there  for  more  than  twenty  years.  In  1881 
they  removed  to  Riverside.  California,  where  she  resided  until  her 
death.  June  1(1.  1904. 

The  younger  sister,  who  had  been  left  behind  when  the  Lundqvist 
family  cnii^rated.  came  over  in  18.')().  was  nmrried  to  one  J.  W.  Florine 
and  moved  to  Andover  in  1855  with  her  husband,  who  l)eeanu'  the 
first  physician,  druggist  and  jihotographer  of  that  place.  Florine 
served  as  second  lieutenant  in  Company  H.  4:{rd  Illinois  Volunteers 
in  llie  early  i)art  of  tiie  Civil  War.  Imt  asked  fiu"  his  discharge  Feb,  4, 
1862,  and  died  the  same  year.  His  wife,  born  at  Xykojjing  in  1S25).  is 
still  living. 

Returning  to  the  early  settlers  of  Andover,  we  meet  here  the 
aforementioned  Peter  Kassel,  who  emigrated  from  Ki.sa.  Ostergdtland, 
to  Iowa  in  1845,  and  corresponded  with  friends  in  the  old  country 
M-ith  the  residt  that  another  com]iany  emigrated  in  1847  from  the  same 
part  of  Sweden.  They  arrived  in  New  York  with  the  fixed  intenti(»n 
of  going  to  New  Sweden,  Iowa,  but  Rev.  O.  G.  Iledstnim  succeeded  in 
persuading  them  to  go  by  way  of  Victoria,  Illinois,  where  his  brother 
Jonas  Ilcdstriini  was  located,  and  investigate  conditions  in  that  locality. 
Jonas  Hedstrom  referred  them  to  Andover.  where  they  wt-nt  to  live. 
In  the  <-om|iany  were  N.  .1.  Jnhnson  with  wife  and  an  adopted  daughter, 
all  from  Jiii-eda.  Smahnnl.  and  .Vnders  Johansson  with  wife  and  three 
children,  frmii  ljinnebei-ga  in  the  same  |U"ovinee.  Johnson  and  his 
family  ol)laincd  temporary  lodiring  in  the  home  of  Rev.  Pillsbury.  later 
(in  moving  into  a  logliouse  that  stood  on  the  present  site  of  the 
.\nclover  or|ilianage. 

.\t  tlh'  sami'  time,  or  possibly  somewhat  later,  came  a  family  by 
the  mime  of  Friberg,  one  Nils  .Nilsson,  a  family  named  llurtig,  and  in 
1848  John  A,  Larson  from  Oppphy,  iistergotland.  who  was  to  play  a 
prominent   |i.ii-|   in  the  pulilie  afTaii's  of  .\ndovcr  and  vii-init.v. 


ANDOVICK 


275 


I 


X.  J.  JohusDii  and  Nils  Nilssoii  witc  the  first  Sweilisli  landowners 
in  Andover.  As  early  as  1848,  they  each  purehased  ten  acres  of  land  at 
$1.25  per  acre.  Johnson's  rude  hut,  the  first  Swedish  home  in  the 
settlement,  stood  as  a  landmark  for  many  years  and  may  have  been 
preserved  to  this  day. 

Anders  Joliansson  died  in  1849,  but  his  w-idow  was  married  again, 
to  Samuel  Johnson  of  Orion.  In  her  younger  days  she  was  a  strong 
and  sturdy  woman,  in  physical  prowess  the  match  of  any  man.  N.  J. 
John,son  and  his  wife  were  still  living  in  the  year  1880,  and  Nils  Nilsson 
in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighties.  Friberg  removed  to  Colfax,  Iowa ; 
Ilurtig,  who  lived  south  of  "Deacon  Buck's  place."  died  in  1849.  his 
wife  surviving  him  by  many  years.  In  1880  she  was  residing  in  Polk 
county.  Neb.,  where  she  had  moved  in  1875.  John  A.  Larson  did  not 
long  remain  at  Andover.  but  went  to  Galesbiu'g  and  there  learned  the 
wagonmaker's  trade.  In  1850  he  went  to  California  in  search  of  gold, 
of  which  he  found  little  or  none,  whereupon  he  returned  in  1851,  taking 
up  his  former  trade  in  Galesbiu-g  two  years  later,  and  shortly  after- 
wards removing  to  Andover.  where  he  built  a  carriage  shop  of  his  own 
and  was  engaged  in  that  trade  for  fifteen  years.  During  that  time  he 
purchased  the  homestead  of  Eev.  Pillsbury,  which  he  made  his  home. 
Having  early  acquired  a  knowledge  of  the  English  language,  he  was 
of  great  assistance  to  his  countrymen  in  legal  or  business  matters 
and  thus  earned  their  lasting  gratitude.  In  time  he  became  a  large 
landowner.  In  1880  he  owned  no  less  than  587  acres  of  fertile  land. 
His  wife,  who  died  in  1879  after  a  union  la.sting  twenty^six  years,  bore 
him  eight  children.  This  honored  and  distinguished  pioneer  passed 
away  at  Andover  in  April.  1903. 

The  little  Swedish  settlement  was  reinforced  in  1848  by  two  un- 
married men.  Gabriel  Johnson  and  Gustaf  Johnson,  and  five  families, 
viz.,  Samuel  Johnson  from  Sodra  Vi.  Smaland,  with  wife  and  three 
sons;  Halland  Elm  from  Gammalskil.  Ostergotland,  with  wife,  one  son 
and  two  daughters;  Erik  Peter  Andersson  from  Kisa,  Ostergotland, 
with  wife,  two  sons  and  three  daughters ;  Samuel  Samuelsson.  also 
from  Kisa,  with  wife  and  four  children,  and  ]\Ians  Johnsson  from  tlie 
same  place,  with  wife  and  one  son. 

These  five  families  were  part  of  a  party  of  75  emigrants  who 
left  Sweden  in  1846,  embarking  at  Goteborg  on  the  sailing  vessel 
"Virginia,"  Captain  Johnson,  for  New  York.  The  entire  company 
were  bomid  for  New  Sweden,  Iowa,  but  their  plans  were  frustrated. 
In  Albany,  N.  Y.,  the  modest  sum  set  aside  for  their  traveling  expenses 
was  stolen,  and  all  the  way  to  Buffalo.  N.  Y.,  the  emigrants  had  to 
subsist  on  wild  plums  growing  on  the  banks  of  the  canal,  and  anything 
edible  that  they  could  pick  up.     Eeaching  Buffalo,  they  were  unable 


276 


KAKI.Y    SKTTI.K.MKNTS 


to  proceed  farther,  but  remained  in  that  eity  for  two  years  in  order 
to  earn  the  money  needed  for  reaching  their  final  destination.  In  the 
meantime,  friends  and  kindred  at  Andover  had  learned  of  their  where- 
abouts and  their  sorry  predicament,  and  sent  letters  urging  them  to 
come  to  their  settlement.  The  five  families  just  enumerated  obeyed 
the  call.  One  of  the  party,  Mans  Johnsson,  had  died  during  their  stay 
in  Buffalo. 

The  balance  of  the  party  proceeded  to  Sugar  Gi'ove.  Warren 
county.  Pa.,  and  became  the  pioneer  Swedish  settlers  there  and  in  the 
vicinity  of  Jamestown,  N.  Y.  The  aforementioned  Samuel  Johnson, 
who  eventually  settled  at  Orion.  Henry  coiuity,  died  in  1887.  Erik 
Peter  Andersson  passed  away  in  18o4  and  his  wife  in  the  latter 
seventies.    Samuel  Samuelsson  and  his  wife  removed  to  Galesburg.  111. 

In  1849  Andover  received  a  substantial  addition  to  its  population. 
Tliat  summer  a  jjarty  arrived  from  Ostergotland  and  northern  Smalaud. 
originally  consisting  of  300  persons  who  had  left  Goteborg  in  the  spring 
on  the  sailing  vessel  "Charles  Tottie."  Captain  Biiekman.  After  seven 
weeks  and  four  days  they  arrived  in  New  York,  whence  they  were 
carried  by  three  canalboats  to  Buffalo.  On  board  one  of  the  boats 
cholera  broke  out.  At  Buffalo  they  took  passage  on  a  steamer  for 
Chicago.  There  they  met  Captain  Wirstriim,  who  escorted  them  to 
Andover,  their  final  destination.  The  trip  was  made  by  canal  from 
Chicago  to  Peru,  from  which  point  the  emigrants  and  their  effects 
were  carried  across  the  coimtry  in  nine  wagon  loads  at  $18  per  load, 
arriving  at  Andover  July  iHst.  Their  original  intention  also  had  been 
to  look  up  Peter  Kassel  at  New  Sweden.  la.,  but  the  cholera  epidemic 
and  other  diseases  in  the  party  cut  short  their  trip  and  comi>elled  them 
to  stop  at  Andover  and  neighboring  points.  Among  tlie  members  of 
the  |>!irty  were  the  following:  Nils  Magnus  Kihlberg  and  family,  from 
Kisa.  Avho  settled  at  Swedona,  where  Kihlberg  was  still  living  in  ISilO; 
the  brothers  Carl  Johan  Samuelsson  and  Joliannes  Samuelsson  from 
Vestra  Eneby,  Ostergotland,  who  with  their  families  settled  at  Hickory 
Grove,  Lynn  township,  south  of  Andover  township.  Wiieii  the  railroad 
was  I)uilt  thi'iiugli  tliat  ciuniti-y  a  station  was  located  at  Hickory  (Jrove 
and  named  Ophieni.  after  Johannes  Samuelsson 's  old  home,  Opphem  in 
Tjiirstad  iiai-ish.  (istcrgiitland.  Tlie  two  lirothcrs  had  great  success  in 
farming  and  acc\nim]ali'<l  considerable  wealth.  In  ISSO  their  combined 
estates  were  valmd  nt  ifil.'^O.OOO.  Both  were  eariu'st  ehurclunen,  con- 
tributing liberally  to  churches,  schools  and  benevolent  institutions. 
Johannes  Samuelsson  died  June  11,  1SM7.  ,il  the  age  of  1'2.  the  younger 
brother  Apr.  '2.1,  li)00.  nearly  7H  years  old.  lie  lic(|uealhed  to  .\ugus- 
tana  College  and  Theological  Seminary  a  sum  amounting  to  nearly 
.flo.dOd.    Th(»  same  year,  on  .\tigust  20\h,  his  wife  Carolina.  ne(>  IVi-sson, 


AN'I)()\IvK 


2/7 


whom  hu  liatl  iiKirrifil  in  Swcileii,  i'ollowctl  liiiii  in  (lc;itli  and  was  Inii-ii'd 
at  liis  side  iu  the  Swedish  cemetery  at  Opliicni. 

The  same  yeai-  that  the  last  named  party  of  immigrants  eame  to 
Andover,  there  arrived  also  the  following :  Nils  P.  Petersson  and  wife, 
from  Louneberga,  Smaland ;  Anders  Peter  Larssou ;  A.  P.  Petersson ; 
Pehr  Svensson  from  Djursdala,  Smaland,  with  his  wife,  son  and 
daughter.  The  daughter  died  of  cholera  at  I'riucetou,  while  en  route 
to  Andover,  and  shortly  afterward  the  mother  fell  a  victim  to  the  same 
disease.  The  first  whecletl  vehicle  made  in  Henry  county  was  cnn- 
strueted  by  Sveusson.  It  was  an  extremely  {)rimitive  aft'air,  drawn  by 
a  yoke  of  oxen.  In  it  Svensson  and  his  son  were  often  seen  riding  to 
the  little  cluu'ch  of  a  Sunday  morning. 

Still  another  party  of  immigrants  from  Sweden  arrived  in  Andover 
in  1S4!).  This  consisted  of  140  jiei'sons  fi'oni  the  provinces  of  Gestrik- 
land  and  Ilelsingland,  headed  by  Rev.  L.  P.  Esbjorn.  a  man  destined 
to  play  a  prominent  part  in  the  history  of  the  Swedes  iu  America.  The 
party  left  Gefie  on  board  the  sailing  vessel  "Cobdeu"  June  29,  1849, 
and  arrived  iu  Andover  iu  the  late  summer.  The  majority  of  these 
people  were  soon  induced  by  Rev.  Jonas  Hedstrom  to  go  to  Victoria. 

Among  those  iu  Esbjoru's  party  who  remained  in  Andover  were, 
Jonas  Andersson,  with  wife  and  three  children ;  Matts  Erssou  and  Olof 
Nordin  with  families,  all  from  Ilille.  Jonas  Anderssou  and  Matts 
Ersson  were  members  of  the  party  of  goldseekers  that  left  Andover 
for  California,  returning  in  1851,  short  on  gold  but  long  ou  experience. 
Andei'sson  later  engaged  in  the  merchandise  business  in  partnership 
with  G.  E.  Peterson,  but  was  forced  into  liquidation  by  the  panic  of 
1857.  Two  years  later  he  removed  to  Colorado  with  his  sons,  his  wife 
and  daughter  remaining  iu  Andover.  Olof  Nordin  and  his  family  also 
left  shortly  afterward  and  their  fate  is  not  known.  ]\ratts  Ersson  lived 
in  Andover  until  1901  and  died  Jiuie  .'^.  1905,  at  the  Bethany  Home  in 
Chicago,  an  old  folks'  home  sujtported  by  the  Swedish  Methodists, 
where  he  spent  the  last  four  years  of  his  life.  Among  the  new  arrivals 
from  Sweden  in  1849,  not  members  of  the  Esbjorn  party,  were.  S.  P. 
St  rid.  an  old  soldier  from  Ostergotland.  and  Ake  Olsson  from  Ofvansjii. 
r,estrikland,  the  last-uamed  having  accompanied  a  party  of  Erik 
Janssonists  to  America  in  1846,  but  separated  from  them  in  New  York, 
remaining  three  years  iu  the  state  of  New  York  before  proceeding 
farther  Avest. 

Disease  was  prevalent  iu  many  forms,  the  worst  of  which  was  the 
cholera.  That  dreaded  epidemic  made  annual  visitations  from  1849 
to  1854,  making  great  inroads  on  the  population.  As  an  examjile  of 
its  ravages  may  be  mentioned  that  in  1849  one  John  Elm  w-orked  with 
two  ditfereut  hai-vesting  gangs  of  sixteen  men  each,  and  of  the  thirty- 


278  EARLY    SKTTI.KMKNTS 

two  all  but   Elm  and  two  others  were  stricken  down   and  died  of 
the  pest. 

To  obtain  profitable  employment  at  this  time  was  no  easy  matter. 
A  daj''s  wages  varied  from  35  cents  to  50  cents,  and  in  many  instances 
it  had  to  be  taken  out  in  the  form  of  pork  and  other  provisions,  cattle 
or  anytliing  of  value.  On  the  other  liand.  live  stork  and  nierchandise 
were  very  cheap.  A  good  cow  could  be  bought  for  $8.  and  a  first  class 
working  horse  for  ."HO.  The  price  of  pork  was  li^.  cents,  and  potatoes 
were  to  be  liad  for  the  trouble  of  digging  them.  This  was  the  golden 
age  of  topers,  whisky  selling  at  121A  to  15  cents  per  gallon.  These 
prices  ruled  until  IS.")-'!,  when  railway  building  began  in  western  Illinois. 
This  l)rought  more  money  into  circulation,  increased  the  demand  for 
labor,  and  raised  the  price  of  agricultural  jiroducts.  Economic  con- 
ditions thus  kept  improving  u|)  to  18o7.  when  the  jianic  struck  the 
Andover  settlement  as  it  did  the  country  at  large. 

Better  times  came  about  1802  when  the  Civil  War  put  large 
amounts  of  money  into  circulation  and  farm  products  began  to  com- 
mand enormous  prices.  At  this  juncture,  many  of  the  Andover  Swedes 
became  independent  farmers.  They  bought  farms,  often  on  time,  but 
generally  the  returns  from  the  first  year's  crops  would  suffice  to  clear 
them  of  debt.  The  more  provident  ones  contitnied  similar  ])urehases 
until  they  became  the  owners  of  many  hiui'dreds  of  acres.  The  less 
enterprising  ones  were  contented  witli  farms  of  ten  to  eighty  acres. 
The  soil  was  carefully  tilled:  even  the  small  farmers  made  more  than 
a  living  oft'  tlicii-  acres  and  had  no  need  of  going  farther  west  in  search 
of  larger  fai'nis.  Thus  .\ndover  eai'ly  became  a  well-to-do  Swedish- 
American  community,  whose  ]>ros|ierity  has  l)een  on  the  increase 
ever  since. 

What  has  l)een  said  of  tlic  prospci-itv  of  the  farmers  applies  in  like 
measure  to  the  artisan  and  the  tradesman.  By  industry  and  thrift 
they  also  have  ac(|nii'cd  (>cononiic  independence.  The  first  Swede  who 
cilitained  a  ^]^•i^^]  to  a  luiildinglot  in  the  village — the  i)lace  never  reached 
the  dignity  of  a  city — was  ('.  Larsson.  the  paper  being  dated  I>ec.  l.">, 
1849.  Tiie  first  Swedish  mechanic  was  the  aforesaid  John  A.  Larson, 
who  in  185:1  built  a  Macksmith  and  wagon  shop.  The  first  Swedish 
merchanls  were  .lonas  Andersson  and  (ie<u'g(e)  E.  I'etei-sson.  who  in 
1Sr)4,  under  tlie  firm  name  of  .\ndersson  &  IVtersson,  opened  a  general 
store,  which  they  conducted  until  ISoT. 

The  name  of  Andover  early  becanu*  known  in  many  parts  of 
Sweden,  and  the  j)lace  long  continued  to  be  the  destination  of  Swedish 
emigrants  westward  bound.  The  conceptions  of  its  size  and  importance 
Were  highly  exaggerated.  It  is  told  of  the  emigrants  of  the  forties 
and    fifties  that    when    tliev   came   to   Chicago   aiitl    noticed    the   bustle 


VICTORIA 


279 


aiul  activity  of  that  proirrossivc  city  tlicy  wnuld  i;ivc  vciit  to  their 
surprise  by  exclaiming,  "If  Chicago  is  so  large,  just  think  what  a  place 
Andover  must  be!"  There  must  have  l)een  a  fresh  surprise  in  store 
for  them  wlieu.  on  tlieir  arrival  in  Andover,  they  found  neither  a  city 
nor  a  town.  n(U'  even  a  vilhigc.  Nevertheless,  the  early  Swedisli 
emigrants  bound  for  other  points  than  Andover  were  comparatively 
few.  Prom  there,  however,  they  soon  scattered  over  the  slate  in 
every  direction.  Altliouph  they  did  not  leave  Andover  in  ijrcat  num- 
bers at  any  time,  yet  from  various  aspects  tliat  settlement  musi  \ir 
considered  the  second  mother  colony  in  Illinois,  Bi.shop  Hill  liokling 
first  place. 

Andover  early  became  known  as  a  conservative  and  reliable 
Swedish-American  comnuuiity.  a  reputation  which  has  followed  it  to 
this  day.  The  reasons  for  this  conservatism  are  doubtless  to  be  found 
in  the  teachings  imparted  to  the  settlers  by  their  early  pastors.  ]ii-in- 
cipally  Revs.  L.  P.  Esbjorn,  Jonas  Swensson  and  Erlaud  Carlsson,  who 
labored  in  this  field  for  a  long  term  of  years.  The  first  two,  in 
particular,  exercised  a  very  marked  influence  on  the  character  of  the 
settlers. 

As  stated  before,  a  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  was  organized 
here  as  early  as  1850.  This  was  the  first  regulai'ly  organized  Swedish 
Lutheran  church  in  America  since  the  days  of  the  Delaware  Swedes. 
Two  years  previously,  pastoral  work  had  been  begun  in  New  Sweden, 
Iowa,  but  no  fully  organized  church  was  established  there  until  a  later 
date.  Also  a  Swedish  Methodist  church  was  very  early  established  in 
Andover,  but  the  year  of  its  founding  is  in  dispute.  Some  claim  1848, 
others  184:9,  and  still  otliers  1850  as  the  correct  date.  The  Baptists 
and  the  ^Mission  Friends,  on  the  contrary,  have  not  deemed  it  worth 
while  entering  this  old  conununity.  nor  has  any  fraternal  organization 
met  with  encouragement  in  Andover. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1005.  the  total  Swedish  population  in  the 
Andover  settlement,  extending  over  three  townships,  was  roughly 
estimated  at  from  1.500  to  2,000  persons. 

VICTORIA,    P\NOX    COUNTY 

Victoria  is  located  on  a  rolling  prairie  in  the  northeastern  part  of 
Knox  coiuity.  Its  first  white  inhabitants  were  Edward  Brown.  John 
Essex,  and  one  jMr.  Frazier,  all  of  whom  settled  there  in  1835.  The 
first  marriage  solemnized  there  took  place  in  1838.  between  Peter 
Sonberger  and  Phebe  Wilbur.  Tlie  first  house  was  built  in  1837  on  a 
plain  near  the  subsef\uent  site  of  the  toMoi.  The  first  sermon  was 
preached  in  Victoria  in  183(>  by  Rev.  Charles  Bostie.  a  ^lethodist 
minister. 


28o  KARI.V   sirni.KMiiN'rs 

In  course  of  time,  a  number  of  other  settlers  arrived,  the  first 
Swede  among  tlicni  being  Jonas  Iledstrom,  tlie  Methodist  preaeher. 
He  came  in  1838,  from  P^anningtou,  Fulton  coiuity,  his  first  plaee  of 
residence  on  Illinois  soil.  For  several  j'ears  Hedstrom  was  the  only 
Swede  in  N'ictoria.  but  after  tlie  Erik  Janssonists  began  to  settle  at 
Bishop  Hill,  a  number  of  these  were  by  him  attracted  to  Victoria.  We 
have  already  related  liow  Olof  Olsson,  their  first  envoy,  with  his  family 
eame  there  in  1845  and  was  housed  in  a  rude  hut  of  logs  situated  ui 
Copley  township;  also  how  Erik  Jansson  himself  and  his  kindred  found 
shelter  in  the  same  log  cabin  the  following  year.  Xot  long  afterwards. 
Sveu  Larsson,  Olof  Norlimd,  and  Jonas  Jansson  arrived  from  Soderala, 
Ilelsingland,  and  Jonas  Hedin  from  Hede,  Herjedalen.  Norlund  and 
Jansson  soon  suecumbed  to  the  cholera,  and  the  others  left  Victoria 
for  Ked  Oak  Grove  after  a  stay  of  oidy  a  few  weeks. 

Among  the  earliest  settlers  here  may  be  mentioned  Olof  Olsson 
from  Ofvanaker.  Ilelsingland.  who  eame  to  Uisliop  Hill  in  1846.  but 
after  three  months  bade  farewell  to  the  i>ropbet  and  his  colony  and 
moved  to  Victoria,  where  he  bought  a  small  farm.  Olsson  also  died 
shortly  after  his  arrival.  Jonas  Ilellstrom.  a  tailor,  left  Hishop  Hill 
in  1847  and  opened  a  tailor  shop  at  Victoria,  where  he  plied  his  trade 
until  1850,  when  he  caught  the  gold  fever  and  went  to  California. 
After  a  year  he  returned  to  his  old  trade  at  Victoria.  At  the  outbreak 
of  the  Civil  War.  he  enlisted  as  sergeant  in  Company  C.  83rd  Illinois 
Volunteers,  being  advanced  in  18()4  to  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant  in 
I  lie  8tli  U.  S.  Artillery.  He  died  shortly  afterward,  leaving  a  wife  and 
one  son.  "Old  Man  Hiick"  from  Rollniis.  Ilelsingland.  an  eccentric 
charactei'.  was  another  of  the  Uisliop  Hill  settlers  who  moved  to 
Victoria,  where  he  piu'ehased  a  small  farm  in  Copley  township.  He  is 
said  to  have  considered  himself  the  most  ini|)ortant  jiersoiiage  in  tin- 
entire  community.  Olof  Olsson  from  Alfla.  another  Krik  Janssonist. 
simultaneously  with  liiirk  moved  to  (.'ople.v  township  and  became  one 
of  Victoria's  first  latidowiiers.  Then  eami'  in  ra]>id  succession  Ilillberg. 
Ihins  Ilaiisson.  Cai'l  .^l;ltrl^ls  Peltcrsson,  Sven  Larsstin.  Lars  Larsson. 
Mini  I'rlcr  KiilliiiJin.  '{"In-  last  iiiiiiied  accom])anied  the  first  parly  of 
Hrik  .lanssoiiisis  to  Cliicago.  rcmaininir  in  thai  i-ity  a  few  years,  snli- 
se(|uciitly  living  three  years  in  (falesbui-g.  finally  settling  in  \'ictoria 
in  1853.  He  died  in  1S77,  leaving  a  family.  Furthernu>re.  we  find 
among  the  Swedish  pioneei's  at  \'ictoria  Charles  Peltcrsson  from 
(islerunda.  I'pland.  who  also  came  with  the  first  Ki-ik  Janssonist  parly, 
remaining  two  years  in  New  Y(U*k.  and  coming  to  Victoria  in  1S4S. 
lie  also  went. to  California   in  1850  as  a  gold  seeker,  and  eventually 

settled  on  til asl.     .lolm  E.  Seline  was  another  Krik  Janssonist  who 

deserted  Hishop  Hill,  going  to  (ialesburg  in  184!l.  whence  he  moved  to 
V'ieloriii,   w  licrc  lie  w.is  ini|iloye(|  ns  a   building  ••onl  riieior  iinlil    IS.'iii. 


CAI.ICSIURC,  281 

wlicii  li(>  piircliascd  a  fiiriii.  This  man  was  one  nl'  Krik  Jansson's  twelve 
apostles.  Seliiie  later  in  life  became  an  af^nostic  and  a  stanch  i'ollowcrr 
of  Robert  G.  Inf^jcrsoll.  One  Pettcr  Skogliuul,  wlio  came  over  witii  the 
Ksl>,jorii  part\'  of  emit;raiits,  settled  down  in  Victoria  as  a  tailoi',  but 
later  went  to  farming.  lie  was  still  living  in  1880,  in  comfortal)le 
circumstances.  Peter  Dahlgren  from  Osternnda  severed  his  allegiance 
to  Erik  Jansson  after  half  a  year's  stay  in  the  colony  and  estublisiied 
himself  in  Victoria  township  as  a  farmer  in  1853.  lie  was  accidentally 
killed  in  1856  by  falling  earth. 

The  Town  of  Victoria  was  organized  May  11,  1849,  by  John  Hecker. 
John  W.  Spalding,  G.  V.  Reynolds,  A.  Arnold,  Jonas  Hedstrom,  W.  L. 
Shiirtleft",  Jonas  Hellstrom,  Joseph  Freed  and  J.  J.  luiopp.  The  site 
then  selected  was  not  the  same  as  the  present  one.  beint;'  a  mile  and  a 
half  southeast,  where  Hedstrom  had  a  blacksmith  shop,  Becker  a  gen- 
eral store,  and  Reynolds  a  hotel.  The  present  village  of  Victoria 
slowly  grew  up  to  one  side  of  this  starting-point. 

The  large  Swedish  settlement  of  which  Victoria  forms  the  center 
early  grew  to  be  one  of  the  most  flourishing  localities  in  the  state. 
Pro.sperity  was  general  owing  partly  to  the  fact  that  the  Swedes  almost 
from  tlie  start  became  owners  of  the  soil,  partly  to  the  circumstance 
that  jMethodism  gained  a  firm  foothold  there  from  the  first,  making  for 
industry,  temperance  and  good  morals.  Furthermore,  this  settlement 
is  the  most  Americanized  Swedish  community  in  the  whole  state, 
resulting  from  early  stoppage  of  immigration,  the  great  majority  of  its 
'present  inhabitants  having  been  born  and  reared  in  this  country.*  From 
the  very  start  ]\Iethodism  became  a  power  in  that  community  and  is 
still  firmly  rooted  there.  The  Swedish  Methodist  church  is  the  only 
house  of  worship  in  the  place  and  almost  the  entire  population  of  the 
village  and  the  surrounding  country  are  members  of  that  congregation. 
Neither  Lutherans.  Baptists,  nor  Mission  Friends  have  sought  to 
estal)lish  missions  there,  and  encroachment  by  secular  organizations 
in  this  stronghold  of  Methodism  is  out  of  the  question. 

The  population  of  the  town  of  ^'ictoria  in  1(100  was  .329.  The 
numlier  of  Swedish-Americans  in  the  village  proper  together  wih  the 
sun-oiiiuling  settlement  we  have  been  luiable  to  ascertain. 

GALEISBURG,    KNOX    COUNTY 

The  city  of  Galesburg  is  situated  on  a  rolling  plain.  lt)4  miles 
southwest  of  Chicago,  on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  (jtuincy  railway 
line.  It  was  named  from  George  W.  Gale,  w^ho,  together  with  several 
others,  came  there  from  Oneida  county,  N.  Y..  in  1836  and  purchased 
11.000  acres  of  land  in  Knox  county.  On  this  tract  he  laid  out  a  town 
site,  the  sale  of  lots  and  the  liuilding  of  houses  |)rogre.ssing  nicely  at 


282 


KARLY    SETTLEMENTS 


first.  Ill  one  year  the  ])o|>uliitioii  increased  to  '2-\2.  From  1837  to  ISod 
progress  was  slow,  owing  to  lack  of  connuunications.  The  outlook  for 
a  railroad  line  through  the  place  brightened  during  the  latter  year, 
however,  causing  increased  liusincss  activity  in  the  littli-  town. 

Diu-ing  the  first  decade  of  its  existence  Galeslturg  had  a  fonuid- 
al)lc  livjil  in  t lu-  neighboring  town  of  Henderson,  now  Knoxville,  which 
had  certain  advantages  through  ]icrniitting  the  sale  of  li(|UiiiN.  a  traffic 
absolutely  pi-oiiii)itcd  in  (ialcshurg.  So  strict  were  the  authorities  in 
this  respect  that  they  inserted  in  every  deed  to  property  sold  within 
the  town  limits  a  clause  specifically  jirohibiting  the  sale  of 
spirituous  li(|uors  on  the  premises.  In  the  meantime,  the  li(|Uor  traffic 
flourisliiij  in  Henderson,  where  the  Galesburg  people  also  had  to  go 
when  in  need  of  the  cup  that   cheers.     The  rapid  growth  of  the  town 


Galesl)iir>;     Main;  Street 


soon  insi)ii-cd  (Irr.iiiis  nt'  greatness  in  the  llciulersonitcs.  mingled  with 
I)ity  for  Galesburg.  w  liiili  town  seemed  doomed  to  perpetual  stagnation. 
A  certain  Swede,  wiio  was  particularly  hop(>f)d  for  the  future  of  Hen- 
derson, bought  two  l)uiiding  lots  there  for  ^'200.  although  he  might 
have  got  them  in  (ialesburg  at  a  nuich  lower  figure.  Only  a  few  yeai-s 
later,  he  sold  his  two  lots  for  $20.  The  slum]!  in  really  values  in 
Henderson  came  when  (ialesburg  got  its  railroad.  On  I)ec.  7.  lS."i4,  llie 
first  locomotive  steame<i  into  (ialesburg  over  the  Chicago,  Iturlington 
and  C^uincy  road,  which  was  then  almost  completed.  On  .Ian  1.  1S4!1, 
the  town  got  its  first  newspaper.  '"The  Knox  iTitelligein-er. "  In  1S7:!  it 
bcfanic  the  comity  seat  of  Knox  county. 

The  (ialesburg  of  lodav  is  a  live,  wide-awake  and  somewhat  aristo- 
I'lMlic    I'ity.    wliiisc    |)ii|iul:it  inn    nf    1S.f'i(l7    at    tlie    census    of    1!)(MI    had 


GALESBURG 


283 


roachcd  L'll.CdO  at  tlic  chisc  nl'  ]t)05.  It  is  one  of  llif  cliicf  i-ailway 
(•('liters  111'  tlu'  state,  lieini;-  llie  interseetion  of  the  main  line  of  tlie 
Riii'liii}j;toii.  with  scvei'al  hi'anches,  and  (lie  Atchison,  Topeka  and 
Santa  Fe  railways.  Tlie  city  lias  several  beaiilifiil  parks,  and  its  streets 
are  shaded  by  avenues  of  trees  givinfr  to  the  entire  city  the  aspect 
of  a  park.  The  pavements  are  of  brick  thrdUirbout.  The  city  has 
a  splendid  street  r.iilway  system,  excellent  walerworks,  is  well  lij>;bted, 
and  has  an  etficient  fire  department.  Although  not  a  factory  center, 
yet  Galesburg  has  a  number  of  manufacturing  plants,  including  two 
foundries,  an  agricultural  implement  factory,  tiour  mills,  wagon 
factories  and  a  ])room  factory.  The  railway  .shops  of  the  Burlington 
road  are  located  here,  also  extensive  stock  yards.  Coal  mines  are 
found  in  the  vicinity.  Galesburg  has  a  handsome  opera  house,  five 
banks,  nineteen  churches,  several  of  them  Swedish,  and  ten  public 
schools,  including  one  high  school.  It  is  also  a  notable  educational 
center,  having  several  higher  institutions  of  learning,  namely,  Knox 
College,  Lombard  University,  and  one  or  two  Catholic  schools.  The 
courthouse,  which  is  the  seat  of  the  Knox  county  government,  is  one  of 
the  largest  and  handsomest  buildings  of  its  class  in  the  state.  The 
city  is  situated  in  the  center  of  one  of  the  most  fertile  and  prosperous 
farming  districts  in  Illinois,  with  which  it  stands  in  direct  and  intimate 
eommnnicatiiin.  The  townspeople  as  well  as  the  farmers  of  the  sur- 
r(ninding  country  are  well-to-do,  and,  taken  all  in  all,  Galesburg  is  as 
fortunately  situated  and  as  prosperous  as  any  of  the  smaller  cities  of 
the  state. 

The  first  Swedish  settlers  in  Galesburg  arrived  about  the  middle 
of  the  forties.  In  1847,  as  far  as  known,  the  only  Swedes  there  were 
the  following :  John  Youngberg  and  family,  one  of  the  early  Bishop 
Hill  colonists,  who  later  removed  to  Galva,  but  returned  to  Galesburg 
and  went  from  there  to  California  in  I860;  Nils  Hedstrom,  a  tailor 
by  trade,  who  afterwards  settled  in  the  Victoria  colony;  Anders  Thor- 
sell,  a  shoemaker  from  Djursby.  Vcstmanland.  who  came  over  in  1846 
with  one  of  the  first  parties  of  Erik  Janssonists ;  a  family  by  the  name 
of  Modin ;  Kristina  IMuhr,  a  widow,  and  Olof  Nilsson,  a  shoemaker. 
Thorsell.  who  is  said  to  have  been  a  very  skillful  workman,  plied  his 
trade  for  some  time  with  so  great  success  that  he  accumulated  a  small 
fortune.  Had  he  stuck  to  the  last  and  shunned  the  bottle,  he  would 
have  become  the  wealthiest  Swede  in  Galesburg,  but  unfortunately 
he  became  a  slave  to  the  li(|uor  habit.  He  died  in  1870  leaving  a  wiilow 
and  one  child. 

The  ma.iority  of  Swedes  who  settled  in  Galesburg  earlier  than  18.")4 
were  such  as  had  deserted  Bishop  Hill,  having  become  dissatisfied  with 
conditions  in  that  colony.     In  the  vear  last  named,  however,  the  influx 


^84  KARIA"    SHTTI.K.MKNTS 

of  iniiiiifrraiits  l)rouM:lit  many  Swedish  settlers  directly  to  Galesbiiror. 
and  from  that  day  its  Swedish  j)opulatiou  has  constantly  grown,  num- 
bering at  the  olose  of  1905  about  5,000,  American  born  descendants 
included.  That  this  numerous  element  has  made  itself  felt  in  the 
development  of  the  city  and  set  its  impress  on  its  general  character 
goes  without  saying.  In  every  line  of  activity  in  Galesburg  Swedes 
are  engaged.  We  find  them  as  city  and  coiuity  officials,  as  merchants, 
and  in  all  the  various  trades.  They  are  employed  in  considerable 
numliprs  on  the  railroads  and  at  the  Burlington  shops. 

In  the  Swedish  colony  here  different  denominations  early  began 
missionary  work.  As  early  as  1S50  Swedish  Methodist  cla.ss  meetings 
were  held,  and  the  following  year  Jonas  Iledstnim  organized  a  Swedish 
Methodist  congregation.  Simultaneously,  Kev.  L.  P.  Esbjorn.  the 
Swedish  Ijuthci-aii  pastor  at  Andover.  began  work  in  this  field,  and  a 
church  was  cstal)lislu'd  in  1851.  This,  the  First  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  Galesburg.  in  1853  secured  as  its  pastor  Rev.  T.  X.  Ilassel- 
quist.  another  pioneer  of  Swedish  Lutheranism  in  America.  The 
Swedish  Baptists  in  1857  organized  a  chiu-i-h.  which  had  dwindled 
down  to  seven  members  in  1880;  a  few  years  later,  however,  work  was 
pushed  M'ith  renewed  vigoi-,  resulting  in  a  reorganization  in  1888. 
In  1868  a  second  Swedish  Liitheran  church  was  organized.  compi»sed 
of  former  members  of  the  first  church,  and  other  pei-sons.  We  arc 
creditably  informed  that  the  present  Mission  Chvirch  was  formed  from 
its  membership.  A  third  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  in  Galesburg 
was  organized  several  years  ago.  which  now  seems  to  have  disbanded. 
There  is  also  a  Swedish  Episco])al  cluircli  in  tlie  city. 

The  fraternal  movement  was  started  among  the  Galesburg  Swedes 
in  18(l()  when  a  sick  benefil  society,  named  SUiindia.  was  organized. 
The  society  was  soon  forced  out  of  existence  by  ( Inirch  opposition.  A 
lodge  of  Good  Templars,  organized  the  folbiwing  year  under  the  name 
of  S\'eii.  was  almost  e(]ually  shortlived.  In  1S71  a  Seandinavian  bulge 
of  (iild  I'"i'llows  was  formed.  Among  the  preseiil  Swedish  population 
of  (iaiesliiirg  we  find  no  great  interest  in  fralernal  inovements  based 
on  natiiinality. 

In  liieiil  piililics  the  Swedes  of  Galesb\irg  have  taken  aggressive 
part,  many  havintr  served  the  city  or  county  in  various  capacities.  At 
least  one  of  their  number.  M.  O.  Williamson,  has  been  honored  with  a 
high  state  office,  having  served  as  state  treasurer  for  the  li-rm  of 
1!wiM:i(i:i. 

(ialeslmrg  lias  the  distinction  of  being  the  cradle  of  (he  Swedish- 
American  press.  Here  was  started  in  1854,  by  Rev.  llasselt|uist.  the 
first  S«edish-.\merican  newspaper  of  permanence,  viz.,  "Ilemlandel." 
its  first   nnmlier  being  issued  .I;in.  H.  1S55.     This  paper  was  published 


MOI.INIv  285 

at  Gak'sburg  until  the  close  of  1858,  when  it  \vas  removed  to  (Jliicayio. 
lu  the  early  part  of  185!),  "Frihetsviimion,"  another  Swedish  pajjei-, 
was  launched  in  Galesburg,  but  was  discontinued  in  1861.  This  journal 
was  started  to  champion  the  cause  of  the  Baptist  denomination,  which 
was  the  object  of  continuous  attacks  by  "Hemlandet."  A  tliird 
Swedish  organ,  "Galesbiu-gs  Veckoblad,"  started  in  1868,  shared  the 
fate  of  "Fi-ilietsviiiuicn."  being  discontinued  after  a  short  time.  A 
couple  of  religious  ])apers  in  tiie  Swedish  language  have  also  been 
published  here  for  short  [leriods,  and  after  the  great  fire  in  1S71, 
"Nya  Verlden,"  a  Swedish  weekly  newspaper  of  Chicago,  was  pub- 
lished for  five  months  in  Galesburg. 

The  Swedish  colony  of  Galesburg  furnished  a  proportionate  num- 
ber of  recruits  to  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil  War.  Company  C, 
i'-h'd  Illinois  Volunteers,  was  made  up  exclusively  of  Swedish-Ameri- 
cans from  Galesburg  and  vicinity. 

These  data  establish  Galesbiu-g's  claim  to  an  eminent  place  in 
the  history  of  the  Swedes  not  only  of  Illinois  but  of  the  eoiuitry  at 
large. 

MOLINE,    ROCK    ISLAND    COUNTY 

This  communit.y  dates  back  to  the  year  184:3,  when  the  first  houses 
were  built  on  the  site  of  the  present  city  of  Moline.  The  place  made 
little  progress  until  the  late  forties,  when  John  Deere  and  others  laid 
the  foundation  for  the  local  plow  and  agricultural  implement  manu- 
facturing industry  which  caused  the  place  to  develop  with  enormous 
strides  during  the  next  few  decades  and  which  has  given  the  city 
world-wide  fame.  The  plo\v  works  of  Deere  and  Company  are  said  to 
be  the  largest  in  the  world  and  their  products  are  sent  annually  to 
the  uttermost  jiarts  of  the  earth.  The  iloline  Plow  Company  is  the 
name  of  a  younger  concern  which  manufactures  plows  and  other  agri- 
cultural implements  on  a  large  scale.  Besides  these,  Moline  has  a  large 
nvmiber  of  industrial  plants,  making  it  one  of  the  greatest  manu- 
facturing cities  in  the  state.  The  chief  reasons  for  the  subsequent 
location  of  so  many  factories  at  Moline  were  its  water  power  facilities, 
its  location  on  the  border  of  two  of  the  most  flourishing  agricultural 
states  in  the  Union,  and  its  unexcelled  commimications  by  land  and 
water  with  all  parts  of  the  country. 

As  an  industrial  city,  Moline  naturally  has  a  large  population  of 
laborers.  A  large  percentage  of  its  many  thousands  of  workingmen 
are  Swedes,  many  of  whom  have  established  economic  independence 
and  a  respected  station  in  the  community  by  their  traditional  industry, 
thrift  and  good  habits.  The  greater  number  have  homes  of  their 
own  and  some  are  quite  wealthy.     The  Swedes  of  Moline  are  a  power 


286 


HARi.Y  si;tti.i:mi:nts 


in  the  coniniiinily  not  inercly  by  dint  of  nunilx-rs  but  owing  to  tlieir 
splendid  eitizensliij).  While  conscientiously  fulfilling;  their  duties  as 
citizen,  they  cautiously  guard  their  rights  as  such,  and  as  a  result  they 
will  obtain  the  majority  in  the  city  goverinnent  from  time  to  time. 
A  large  mniit)er  of  them  belong  to  one  chureii  or  another.  Almost 
every  religious  denomination  pursuing  work  among  the  Swedish 
])eople  is  here  rc|in'sented.  The  fraternity  movement  also  has  made 
great  accessions.  The  neighboring  Augustana  College  has  exerted 
considerable  influence  on  the  numerous  Swedisii  population  of  Moline. 
giving  out   iiowerful   impulses  to   religions  iind   intellectual   endeavor. 


.Miiliiif     liird's  I'^ye   View  from  Cil\    HosjiiUil 


While  the  great  mass  of  tiie  Swedish  workmen  are  common  factory 
hands,  not  a  few  of  them  have  forgetl  alu-ad  l)y  skill  and  competence 
to  l)ec()me  foremen,  snpei-intcndcnts  and  mechanical  experts  in  the 
works,  jiiid  ill  I'jire  iiisl.iiiics  lliey  have  gone  so  far  as  to  found  their 
own  industrial  establishments. 

The  earliest  Swedisii  settlers  in  Moline  were  Olaus  Hengt.sson  and 
Carl  Johansson,  the  former  coming  over  from  Sweden  in  1S47.  the 
latter  in  1848.  Bengtsson  landed  with  wife  and  children  in  Chicagit 
and.  being  unable  to  find  work,  left  his  eldest  son  there  ami  came  on 
to  Moline  on  foot,  accompanied  by  his  wife  and  three  of  liie  cliildren. 
the  parents  taking  turns  in  carrying  the  snndl(>r  ones  when  their 
strength  gave  out.  The  family  settled  on  a  farm  in  Moline  township, 
near  the  Hock  Kivcr.  and  diil  well  at  farming.  Olaus  Mengtsson  died 
before  the  eighties.  The  son  left  behind  in  Chicago  after  three  years 
l-ejoined    tlic   family.    wIk'ii    he   had    to   learn    Ills   mother   tongue   anew. 


.MOI.INIv 


287 


liaviii',''  complt'tely  forgotten  it  wliilo  living  cxi-lusivcly  .iincinir  Kiiu'lish- 
speakiug  people. 

Carl  Jolumssou,  ;i  tailor  liy  trade,  came  from  Kiimpestad,  Oster- 
gotlaud.  to  Aiidover  in  1847  and  from  there!  to  JFoline  the  next  year. 
The  place  was  at  that  time  a  bit  of  a  village  with  a  grocery  and  sundry 
other  little  stores  where  the  farmers  of  the  neighborhood  exeiianged 
tiieir  farm  products  for  merchandise  and  provisions.  A  flour  and  saw 
mill  eond)ined  was  located  on  the  river  bank,  and  from  the  Illinois 
side,  stretching  across  the  south  branch  of  the  Mis.sissippi  to  the 
island  opposite,  was  a  wooden  dam  which  served  until  1858.  A  large 
portion  of  the  present  site  of  the  city  was  under  cultivation,  and  at 
the  foot  of  the  hills  which  now  comprise  a  fine  part  of  its  residence 
district  grew  thick  wdods  from  which  the  early  inhabitants  derived 
their  fuel  supply. 

Diu'ing  the  years  1840  to  1850- came  the  following  Swedish  settlers: 
Sven  Jacobsson,  a  carpenter  from  Vermlaiid,  with  family,  who  snli- 
sequently  moved  to  Vasa.  ^linn..  but  returned  to  iloline  after  a  few 
years;  Carl  Petter  Andersson.  who  purchased  land  on  the  bluii's  where 
he  was  still  engaged  in  farming  thirty  years  later;  Gustaf  Johnsbn, 
witli  family,  he  and  Jacobsson  dying  before  the  eighties;  Erik  Forsse 
with  family,  Avho  later  joined  the  Bishop  Hill  colony,  was  a  major  in 
the  57th  Illinois  Regiment  during  the  war,  removing  to  Falun,  Salina 
county,  Kansas,  some  time  after  the  close  of  the  war ;  Jonas  Westberg, 
who  died  prior  to  1880;  M.  P.  Petersson,  who  began  farming  on  the 
blui¥s,  then  conducted  a  small  .store,  removed  to  Altona,  thence  to 
Iowa,  where  he  was  still  living  in  1880;  Petter  Soderstrom.  who  moved 
to  Minnesota  and  from  there  to  Swede  Bend,  la. ;  Sven  J.  Johnson, 
who  for  thirteen  years  ran  the  ferryboat  across  the  Mississippi  between 
Rock  Island  and  Davenport ;  Abraham  Andersson  from  Gnarp,  Helsing- 
land,  a  hired  man  who  boiight  a  small  property  in  ]\Ioliije  and  at  his 
death  in  the  early  fifties  willed  to  the  Swedish  Lutheran  ('hun-h  a 
house  and  lot  as  a  parsonage  for  its  future  pastor. 

A  unique  character  among  the  immigrants  M'as  Jon  Olsson  from 
Stenbo,  Forssa  parish.  Ilelsingland,  who  came  to  ]\Ioline  in  1850.  In 
the  old  country  he  had  lived  like  a  peasant  king  on  a  fine,  well 
cultivated  estate.  "When  Erik  Jansson,  the  prophet,  came  to  Forssa 
and  began  preaching,  the  "Old  ilan  of  Stenbo,"  as  he  was  commonly 
called,  was  among  the  first  to  embrace  the  doctrines  of  the  prophet 
and  open  his  home  for  his  meetings.  His  sons  also  early  affiliated 
with  the  new  sect,  one  of  them,  Olof  Stenberg,  or  Stoneberg,  which 
was  the  American  form  of  his  name,  becoming  one  of  its  leaders. 
Diiring  the  winter  of  1849-50  he  and  Olof  Johnson  went  back  to 
Sweden  in  order  to  gather  together  the  remaining  followers  of  Erik 


288 


KARI.V    Sirrn.KMKNTS 


Jansson  and  liriiig  them  to  America.  Tlicn  it  was  arraiifjcd  that  the 
old  man,  wlio  was  now  a  widower,  also  siiould  emigiate.  hut  he  did 
not  aeeompauy  his  son,  preferring  to  travel  alone.  After  having  sold 
his  estate,  he  chartered  a  steamer  at  Iliuliksvall.  took  a  eargo  of  iron 
and.  in  addition,  all  his  household  goods  and  utensils,  down  to  the 
dough-troughs  and  wooden  bowls  and  spoons.  The  voyage  aeross  the 
Atlantic  was  successful.  He  took  with  him  a  small  i)arty  of  emigrants, 
part  of  whom,  at  lea.st,  were  not  Erik  Jans.souists.  Jn  New  York  he 
sold  his  cargo,  but  brought  with  him  inland  the  whole  odd  eolleetion 


JIoliiK-     1'irui.iuli  Strcfl 


of  |iartl\  wiirlhli'ss  wares,  whidi  no  doul)t  cost  him  a  pretty  pciniy 
in  freightage. 

He  nuule  straight  for  Hishop  Mill,  but  apparently  did  not  take  a 
fancy  to  liie  locality  and  its  prospects.  Hesides.  he  probably  hesitated 
to  turn  over  his  considerable  fortune  to  the  eonnnon  exchequer.  He 
this  as  it  ma.\'.  lie  made  his  appearance  in  ^[oline  early  in  .lanuarv. 
18;')!,  haviiii:  already  imrchased  two  houses  there,  one  a  brick,  tin-  other 
a  frame  building,  ^vitil  large  lots  api)erlaining.  It  was  rumored  that 
he  deposited  .■{;'_'(  1.(100  in  fr,,ld  in  a  bank  in  Kock  Island;  whellier  or  not. 
he  was  looked  upon  as  a  mighty  rii'li  man. 

"The  Old  JIan  of  Steidui"  was  an  mid  character  in  i'\-ery  respect. 
Ill-   stuck    religiously    to   tin'    manners   and    customs   of   his   old    Inune. 


MOUXIC  2.S9 

He  wore  an  old  fashioned  poat.  its  skirts  reacliing  almost  to  his  hools. 
and  a  leathern  apron  of  nearly  the  same  length.  Dressed  in  this 
fashion,  he  circulated  about  the  streets  of  the  little  village  with  an 
agility  quite  unusual  for  a  man  of  his  years.  If  he  found  a  chunk  of 
coal,  an  old  shoe,  a  broken  dish  or  a  stick  of  wood  he  would  ]uck  it  up, 
carry  it  home  and  place  it  on  a  pile  of  similar  rubbish  in  the  middle 
of  the  floor  of  the  living  room.  In  the  basement  he  had  arranged  the 
appurtenances  of  a  blacksmith  shop  brought  over  from  Sweden,  and 
the  smoke  from  the  smithy,  which  penetrated  the  whole  house,  did  not 
bother  him  in  the  least.  In  the  basement  he  also  had  an  oven  of 
masonrj'  in  the  Swedish  style,  where  he  baked  thin  loaves  of  hard 
bread  in  the  manner  of  the  Helsingland  peasantry. 

The  old  man  practiced  genuine  old  time  hospitality,  and  would 
always  urge  his  friends  to  partake  of  his  repast,  were  it  only  a  pot  of 
cabliage  soup  served  in  wooden  bowls.  Having  broken  the  thin  bread 
into  the  bowl  he  would  invariably  dust  the  flour  from  his  hands  into 
the  bowl  so  as  not  to  waste  any  of  his  God-given  substance. 

At  length,  the  old  man  was  lured  back  to  Bishop  Hill.  Though 
advanced  in  years,  he  was  hankering  after  another  matrimonial  venture, 
and  what  induced  him  to  go  was  the  assurance  of  friends  that  a  suitable 
bride  had  been  picked  out  for  him.  The  match  "^vas  made,  and  so  he 
moved  to  Bishop  Hill  with  all  his  earthly  belongings,  which  presumably 
went  the  way  of  all  other  small  fortunes  invested  in  that  eutei-prise. 
A  few  years  after  his  removal  the  "Old  Man  of  Stenbo"  breathed 
his  last. 

While  he  was  still  in  IMoline,  there  lived  with  him  for  some  time 
Per  Andersson  from  Hassela  and  Per  Berg  from  Hog,  Helsingland. 
These  men  went  to  ^Minnesota  in  the  spring  of  1851  and  there  founded 
the  Chisago  Lake  settlement.  One  Peter  Viklund  from  Angermanland, 
who  also  lived  in  Jloline  at  the  time,  accompanied  them,  settling  in  the 
vicinity  of  Taylor's  Falls,  where  he  died.  Another  of  the  early  Swedish 
settlers  in  Moline  was  Daniel  Nilsson  from  Norrbro,  Helsingland,  Avho 
about  the  same  time  fomided  the  settlement  of  Marine,  near  Marine 
■Mills.  Along  in  the  summer  of  1851  Hans  Smith  and  his  family  moved 
to  ]\Ioline  from  Princeton.  He  also  left  for  Minnesota,  going  to  Chi- 
sago Lake. 

The  fir.st  attempt  at  organization  among  the  Swedish  population  of 
Moline  was  the  founding  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  which  still 
prospers.  The  founder  was  Eev.  L.  P.  Esbjorn  of  Andover.  The  or- 
ganization meeting  was  held  in  the  home  of  Carl  Johansson,  the  tailor, 
this  being  a  small  room,  14  by  10  feet,  in  which  those  interested  in 
the  movement  had  habitually  met  to  worship.  But  Esbjorn  was  not 
long  to  be  alone  in  the  field  of  religious  endeavor  among  the  Jloline 


2go 


i:Akl,Y    SKTTLKMKNTS 


Swedes.  Shoi-tly  after  his  first  visit,  the  enterprising  Rev.  Jonas  Iled- 
strom  appeared  and,  being  cordially  received  bj-  the  otlier  pioneer 
Swedish  resident,  Olaus  Bengtsson,  at  once  began  to  hold  Methodist 
meetings  in  the  ecjually  primitive  home  of  that  pioneer.  In  the  latter 
part  of  the  year  18.j()  or  the  beginning  of  1851,  he  organized  hen-  a 
little  Swedish  ilethodist  church,  which,  like  the  Lutheran,  grew  and 
prospered  apace  with  the  influx  of  Swedish  immigrants. 

A  third  Swedish  church,  called  Gustaf  Adolf,  now  a  part  of  the 
Swedish  Jlission  Covenant,  was  organized  in  1875,  and  in  the  following 


Moliiio     Tliitil   A\ciiiii.' 


year  ;i  finii-th  one.  the  Swedish  Baptist  ("iiuri'li.  A  little  flock  of 
Swedish  Hpiscopaliaiis.  rdriiicd  in  recent  years,  worked  with  but  srant 
success,  and  soon  disliandcd. 

Tlir  fiMlcrn.il  (irdcrs  have  operated  very  sucee.ssfidly  in  Molinf. 
ever  since  tlie  latter  si.xties.  Tlie  first  Swedish  fraternal  society  organ- 
ized there  was  Kreja,  in  18(1!),  whicii  llourished  for  a  nuMil)er  of  years. 
During  tin-  seventies  a  conpU*  of  other  fraternal  bodies  came  into 
existence,  and  during  the  last  two  decades  a  number  of  ditTereiit 
societies  have  been  I'ormed,  including  a  Swcdisli  singing  club,  the 
Svea  Male  Choru.s. 

Threi-  secular  newspapers  in  the  Swetlish  langinigc  have  been  pidi- 
lished  at   Mnlim'.  vi/.,  "Skandia."  issued  from   Dei'i'inber  ISTlI  to  .\pril 


ROCK    ISLAM) 


291 


1878,  "Nya  Pressen,"  from  1891  to  1897,  and  "Vikiugeu,"  published 
for  a  short  time  in  the  early  nineties.  At  the  present  time,  the  city 
has  no  Swedish  newspaper.  In  the  seventies  and  eighties,  the  firm  of 
Wistrand  and  Timlin  published  a  number  of  books  and  papers  in  the 
interest  of  the  work  of  the  Augustana  Synod. 

The  Swedes  in  Moline  in  1880  niunbered  2,589;  at  the  close  of  1905 
their  number  was  approximately  8,000.  The  total  population  according 
to  the  census  of  1900,  was  17,240,  succeeding  years  showing  a  sub- 
stantial increase. 

ROCK    ISLAND,    ROCK    ISLAND    COUNTY 

The  pi'osperous  city  of  Rock  Island  had  its  origin  in  1816,  when 
the  national  government  planted  a  fort  on  the  island  of  the  same 
name,  known  as  Fort  Armstrong.  As  its  commander  was  appointed 
Col.  George  Davenport,  who,  together  with  his  wife  and  the  garrison, 
for  thirteen  years  were  the  only  white  inhabitants  of  the  locality.  The 
arrival  in  182-3  of  the  steamer  "Virginia,"  with  a  cargo  of  provisions, 
from  Prairie  du  Chien,  "Wisconsin,  made  a  welcome  interruption  in 
the  monotony  of  frontier  life.  This  vessel  was  the  first  to  traverse  this 
portion  of  the  Mississippi.  In  1825  Col.  Davenport  was  appointed 
postmaster  on  the  island  and  about  the  same  time  formed  a  co-partner- 
ship with  Russell  Fai-nham,  a  fresh  arrival,  to  engage  in  fur  trading 
with  the  Indians.  For  the  purpose  the  pai'tners  put  up  a  building 
which  afterwards  was  occupied  as  the  first  court-house  of  Rock 
Island  coimty.  In  1828  a  few  whites,  among  whom  was  John  M. 
Spencer,  arrived  and  settled  there.  Oct.  19,  1829,  Davenport  and 
Farnham  purchased  a  tract  of  land  in  the  present  county  of  Rock 
Island,  that  being  the  first  realty  transaction  in  the  county. 

In  1831  the  little  settlement  had  grown  sufficiently  strong  to  equip 
a  troop  of  58  men  to  engage  in  fighting  the  Indian  chief  Black  Hawk 
and  his  tribe.  Two  years  later,  or  1833,  Rock  Island  county  was  organ- 
ized and  on  July  5th  of  the  same  year  its  first  comity  election  was 
held.  After  another  two  years  Stephenson,  as  the  place  was  then 
called,  was  selected  as  the  county  seat.  Its  name  was  subsequently 
changed  to  Rock  Island.  The  first  prison,  a  two  story  blockhouse, 
was  erected  in  1836.  The  same  year  work  was  begim  on  a  county  court- 
house, which  was  completed  the  following  .year.  The  first  incorpora- 
tion of  Rock  Island  was  effected  in  1841.  Late  in  the  sixties  the  federal 
government  established  on  the  adjacent  island  a  large  arsenal  to- 
gether with  factories  for  small  arms,  the  plant  having  since  reached 
an  extensive  development.  During  the  Civil  War  a  large  number  of 
prisoners  taken  from  the  Confederates  were  kept  on  the  island,  and  a 
burial   ground  for  soldiers  dates  from  that  time.     The  entire  island. 


292 


EARLY    SETFLEMKNTS 


together  with  extensive  estahlishinents.  is  under  the  control  and  strict 
surveillance  of  the  federal  government,  and  the  buildings  and  well- 
kept  grounds  are  among:  the  interesting  sights  in  this  part  of  the 
United  States. 

The  west  arm  of  the  ilissi.s.sippi  at  this  point  is  navigable  while 
the  east  and  smaller  arm  is  elo.sed  by  a  dam  which  furnishes 
water  power  for  industrial  i)lants  in  Moline  and  Rock  Island  and  for 
the  government  works.  A  combination  i-ailroad  and  public  highway 
bridge  facilitates  traffic  between  Rock  Island  and  the  city  of  Daven- 
port, situated  on  the  Iowa  side,  directly  opposite,  and  named  after  the 


View  of  Rock   Kivir  from  l!l:ick   ll.iwk   Walili  Tower 


fir.st  commander  of  Fort  Armstrong,  who  together  with  several  others 
in  1835  purchased  the  land  on  which  the  city  was  built. 

Rock  Island  is  at  tlie  present  day  a  lively  manufacturing  and 
business  center.  Here  are  located  large  lumber  mills,  an  agricultural 
implement  factory,  a  glass  faetoiy,  iron  works,  wagon  factories,  etc. 
The  city  has  several  banks  and  four  newspapers,  two  of  which  are 
published  daily.  A  new  courthouse,  one  of  the  largest  and  most  im- 
posing structures  in  this  part  of  the  state,  was  erected  a  few  years 
ago.  In  the  surrounding  jiublic  s(|\iare  stands  a  moniunent  in  honor  of 
the  men  from  Rock  Island  who  fought  in  the  Civil  War.  In  a  pretty 
park  in  the  western  pari  of  the  city  is  a  statue  of  lUaek  Hawk,  the 
Indian  chief,  whose  name  is  intinudely  combined  with  the  early  hist»>ry 
of  the  city  and  its  surrounding  eoinitry.  A  charming  point  of  vantage 
south  of  the  city  bears  the  luime  of  HIaek  Hawk  Watch  Tower 
It  is  a  high  liiiilV  rising  steeply  from  the  Rock  River  aiul  crowned 
with  .1  pavilion.  I  lie  verandas  of  which  atVonl   a  charmini;  panorama 


ROCK    ISLAM) 


293 


of  tlie  vicinity,  northwest  over  the  ^Mississippi  and  the  wooded  bluffs 
disappearing  in  the  blue  distance,  southward  and  eastward  over  th.e 
fertile  valley  drained  by  the  winding  Rock  River  and  cut  at  this  point 
by  a  section  of  the  Hennepin  Canal.  This  prominence  Chief  Black 
Ilawk  is  said  to  have  often  sought  at  the  head  of  his  warriors  when 
on  the  lookout  for  the  hated  palefaces  who  took  possession  of  the  rich 
hunting  grounds  of  liis  tribe.  The  census  of  1900  gives  the  city  of 
Rock  Island  19,493  inhabitants. 

The  beginning  of  Swedish  immigration  to  Rock  Island  Avas  in  1848, 
when  the  founder  of  the  Bishop  Hill  colony  established  a  fishing  camp 
on  the  island,  managed  by  the  aforementioned  N.  J.  Hollander  as  fore- 
man for  a  half  dozen  colonists.  At  this  point  Erik  Jansson  's  wife  and 
the  youngest  two  of  their  children,  together  with  several  other  persons, 
succumbed  to  the  cholera  in  1849. 

Among  the  earliest  Swedish  settlers  at  Rock  Island  was  A.  J. 
Swanson,  who  came  there  in  1850  and  made  a  small  fortune  in  the  boot 
and  shoe  business.  Swanson,  or  Svensson,  hailed  from  Odeshog,  Oster- 
gotland.  When  he  died,  Jan.  8,  1880,  at  the  age  of  fifty-one,  he  left 
an  estate  woi-th  $40,000.  Other  Swedish  settlers  about  this  time  were : 
J.  Back  and  Peter  Soderstrom,  both  sons-in-law  of  Rev.  J.  Rolin  of 
Hassela,  Helsingland;  Jonas  Strand,  Jonas  Norell,  and  Erik  Thomas- 
son,  all  from  Northern  Sweden;  A.  T.  Manke,  and  Predrika  Boberg. 
Manke  is  supposed  to  have  been  among  those  who  perished  at  the 
burning  of  the  steamer  "Austria"  on  the  Atlantic  Sept.  13,  1858. 
Petter  Soderstrom  and  Fredrika  Boberg  moved  to  Iowa  before  the 
eighties.  In  the  fifties  came  August  Linder.  a  tailor,  Erik  Akerberg, 
a  jeweler,  N.  J.  Rundquist,  a  wagonmaker  by  the  name  of  Envall, 
Israel  Johansson,  a  shoemaker,  one  Hofflund,  the  brothers  Carl  and 
Peter  St/jernstrom,  the  one  a  tailor,  the  other  a  day  laborer.  Hofflund 
moved  to  Osco  township,  and  the  Stjernstrom  brothers  to  Iowa 
previous  to  1880.  Not  imtil  the  sixties  and  more  especially  in  the 
seventies,  however,  did  the  Swedish  immigrants  come  to  settle  in  Rock 
Island  in  any  great  number. 

The  little  colony  of  Swedes  that  existed  there  in  the  fifties  is  note- 
worthy in  this  that  it  was  the  origin  of  the  first  Swedish  Baptist 
Church  in  America,  organized  there  Sept.  26.  1852.  The  founder  was 
Gustaf  Palmquist,  a  former  school  teacher  from  Stockholm  who  had 
joined  the  American  Baptists  in  Galesbiirg  in  June  of  that  year,  and 
its  first  members  were :  A.  T.  ]\Ianke.  A.  Boberg  and  Fredrika,  his  wife, 
Petter  Soderstrom,  Carl  Johansson,  mentioned  among  the  Moline 
pioneers,  and  Anders  Norelius,  a  brother  of  Eric  Norelius  who  later 
became  a  pastor  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  America  and  is 
now  president  of  the  Augustana  Synod. 


294 


EARLY  si;tti,i:.mi:xts 


Tlio  few  Swedish  Lutherans  in  Roek  Island  at  first  belonjred  to 
the  church  in  ilolinc.  but  in  1870  they  tired  of  going  to  the  neighboring 
city  to  worship,  and  that  year  an  independent  congregation  was  or- 
ganized, with  a  memliorship  of  only  twenty-eight.  The  few  Swedish 
Methodists  and  Mission  Friends  who  reside  in  Rock  Island  are  mem- 
bers of  their  respective  church  organizations  in  Moline.  Rock  Island 
has  little  or  nothing  in  the  way  of  Swedish  fraternal  societies. 

The  oldest  and  ])rincipal  Swedish-American  educational  institu- 
tion, Augustana  College  and  Theological  Seminary,  is  located  at  Rock 
Island,  having  been  removed  there  from  Paxton  in  187").     Under  the 


Rock    Islaiul     SiK-iicer  Stuiare 

guidance  of  zealous  and  competent  educators,  the  institution  has 
developed  far  beyond  the  aspirations  of  its  founders.  Besides  being 
a  complete  college  and  a  theological  seminary.  Augustana  embraces 
an  academic  dei)artnu'nt.  a  normal  school,  a  eomnu-rcial  school,  h 
musical  conservatory,  and  a  department  of  art.  For  several  years 
past  the  work  of  gathering  large  endowment  funds  for  the  institution 
has  been  carried  on.  These  and  other  signs  ]>oint  to  a  period  of  new 
and  greater  jirosperity  for  this  old  and  venerated  institution  of 
learning.  In  immediate  proximity  to  the  institution  lies  the  Augustana 
Book  Concern,  the  publishing  house  of  (he  .\ug\istana  Synod. 

The  Swedish-.Xmericaii  ))opulation  of  the  city  of  Roek  l.sland  at 
the  close  of  tile  vcjir  l!l(l.">  was  estiiiiiilcci  at  .'(.500. 


rklXCICToN  295 

PRINCETON.    BUREAU    COUNTY 

On  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy  Kaihvay,  Id")  miles  west 
of  Chicago,  is  situated  on  a  plateau  the  pretty  little  city  of  Princeton. 
Its  history  dates  from  the  year  1832,  when  the  site  was  mapped  out 
and  the  first  houses  were  erected.  A  log  cabin,  here  as  in  most  of  the 
other  settlements,  formed  the  first  human  habitation.  It  was  built  by 
one  S.  D.  Cartwright  near  the  spot  where  the  Congregational  Church 
now  stands.  The  sale  of  lots  was  not  brisk,  and  it  took  a  number  of 
years  to  dispose  of  the  entire  plat.  Bureau  county  was  organized 
Feb.  28,  1837,  when  Princeton  was  made  the  county  seat.  The  county 
court  held  its  first  sessions  there  the  followingAugust.  In  1845  the 
first  courthouse  was  built,  with  county  jail  and  sheriff's  residence 
in  connection.    The  structure  was  remodeled  in  1860. 

Prior  to  1850.  only  five  known  Swedes  resided  in  Princeton.  Doubt- 
less the  first  to  arrive  was  a  man  named  Burgeson.  who  later  settled 
at  Andover.  He  came  to  Illinois  in  company  with  the  Rev.  Pillsbury 
mentioned  under  the  head  of  Andover,  and  for  some  time  Avas  in  his 
service.  Simultaneously,  a  young  Swede  was  in  the  employ  of  Owen 
Lovejoy,  the  renoAraed  abolitionist,  who  in  the  later  forties  and  early 
fifties  was  stationed  in  Princeton  as  minister  of  the  Congregational 
Church  and  afterwards  was  elected  to  Congress.  In  the  city  hotel  a 
Swedish  girl  was  employed,  supposed  to  have  been  Sigrid  Norell  from 
Bergsjo.  Helsingland,  who  in  1859  became  the  wife  of  A.  J.  Field 
from  Ostergotland.  The  name  of  the  fourth  one  is  not  known  to  a 
certainly.    It  may  have  been  the  aforesaid  Field. 

The  fifth  one  was  Captain  Erik  Wester,  the  adventurer  spoken 
of  in  Chapter  III.  This  man's  career  is  of  sufficient  interest  to  warrant 
a  fuller  account.  His  right  name  was  Westergren.  shortened  to  Wester 
for  convenience.  The  j'ear  and  place  of  his  birth  and  the  date  of  his 
arrival  in  America  are  not  known.  It  is  a  matter  of  record,  however, 
that  he  emigrated  to  escape  pimishment  for  a  crime.  Wester,  who 
was  employed  as  guard  in  the  riksbank  in  Stockholm,  was  once  sent 
to  Helsingor  to  purchase  a  large  lot  of  old  rags  for  the  Tumba  paper 
mills,  where  the  paper  for  the  Swedish  national  currency  has  been 
turned  out  for  years.  Instead  of  closing  the  deal,  he  fled  to  America 
with  the  money  entrusted  to  him.  Landing  in  New  Orleans,  he  re- 
mained there  for  an  indefinite  period.  In  the  fall  of  1848  he  made 
his  appearance  at  Bishop  Hill  in  company  with  two  other  adventurers, 
one  being  John  Ruth,  who  later  became  notorious,  the  other  a  man 
by  the  name  of  Zimmerman,  who,  like  Ruth,  claimed  to  have  a  military 
training  from  Sweden,  and  to  have  served  in  the  French  army  during 
the  campaign  in  Algiers.  Bishop  Hill  and  its  plodding  life  had  no 
charm  for  the  three  soldiers  of  fortune.     Zimmerman  soon  departed 


296  EARLY    SETTLEMi;NTS 

for  California,  presumably  in  quest  of  gold,  while  ^Yester  went  to  the 
Pine  Lake  settlement  in  Wisconsin,  and  Ruth,  who  had  been  enamored 
of  a  young  woman  at  Bishop  Hill,  remained  there  a  few  months,  after 
which  time  he  resumed  his  roaming  career. 

At  the  outset.  Wester  masqueraded  at  Pine  Lake  as  a  very  devout 
person,  going  around  preaching  in  the  different  homes.  Finding  that 
this  line  of  endeavor  among  the  few  Swedish  settlers  yielded  but 
poor  returns,  he  established  himself  as  a  barber,  securing  friends  and 
customers  among  the  more  numerous  Norwegians,  many  of  whom  are 
said  to  have  been  victimized  bj'  this  smooth  stranger. 

Having  reached  the  end  of  his  rope  in  Wisconsin,  Wester  returned 
to  Illinois.  He  first  appeared  in  Peru,  whence  he  came  to  Princeton 
in  the  spring  of  1850,  so  utterly  destitute  that  he  was  unable  to  pay 
the  freight  on  his  barber's  chair.  Though  short  of  money,  he  was  enter- 
prising and  resoiirceful  in  his  own  peculiar  way,  and  soon  found 
Princeton  a  splendid  field  to  exploit.  A  prosperous  merchant  helped 
him  to  a  supply  of  cigars  and  with  that  he  opened  for  business  in  a 
shanty.  AVhen  business  grew  a  trifle  dull,  he  turned  his  cigar  store  into 
a  grog  shop.  This  attracted  more  customers,  the  business  grew,  and 
presently  Wester  had  to  look  around  for  larger  quarters.  Soon  the 
place  grew  to  be  quite  a  large  department  store,  considering  Princeton 's 
stage  of  development  at  the  time.  He  sold  goods  of  every  description, 
such  as  clothing,  eatables,  boots  and  shoes,  hardware,  tobacco  and 
whisky.  Wester  subsequently  extended  his  business  beyond  the  limits 
of  Princeton,  establishing  a  branch  store  at  Galesburg. 

For  a  time  it  appeared  as  though  the  quondam  bank  messenger, 
evangelist  and  barber  would  finish  his  career  as  a  rich  and  respected 
businessman.  Such  might  have  been  the  case,  but  for  wild  speculations 
and  a  decided  decline  in  general  business.  In  the  young  neighboring 
town  of  Galva,  Olof  Johnson,  the  financier  of  Bishop  Hill,  was  at  this 
time  actively  engaged  in  the  management  of  its  affairs,  and  looking 
forward  to  a  highly  roseate  future.  Why  not  join  with  liim  in  one  of 
his  numerous  enterprises  and  get  rich  in  a  trice?  With  tiiis  object  in 
view.  Wester  went  into  partnership  with  him  and  Samuel  Reminffton 
and  started  the  Western  Exchange  Bank  at  Galva.  No  one  knows 
how  much  money  Wester  furnished,  but  it  is  more  tlian  likely  that 
the  bulk  of  the  capital  was  taken  out  of  the  Bislio]i  Hill  funds.  This 
was  in  1857,  wliile  the  speculative  fever,  especially  in  the  West,  was 
still  at  its  height.  The  same  year  the  reaction  came — a  jianic  that 
swept  the  entire  country,  wrecking  countless  business  enterprises  vastly 
nioic  solid  than  tliose  of  Olof  Johnson  and  Wester.  The  latter  was 
caught  in  the  crash,  so  was  liis  financial  institution,  and  in  this  failure 


I 


I'RiNcirroN  297 

a  large  bulk  of  the  luoiu'v  lliat  the  Bishop  Hill  coloiiists  iiad  eariu'd 
by  the  sweat  of  their  brow  is  said  to  have  been  lost. 

But  Wester  persevered  with  dogged  tenacity.  The  next  year  he 
made  a  now  start,  but  failed  again.  In  185'J  lie  started  in  business 
for  the  third  time,  but  only  to  court  another  catastrophe.  This  time 
he  appears  to  have  made  a  fraudulent  assignment,  it  being  reported 
that  he  withheld  more  than  enough  property  to  pay  liis  dc])ts,  liad  he 
been  so  inclined.  With  $1,700  in  his  pocket  and  a  trunk  packed  witii 
revolvers — it  will  be  remembered  that  he  also  dealt  in  hardware — 
Wester  left,  stating  that  he  was  bound  for  Chicago,  but  going  instead 
to  Dallas,  Texas,  where  he  was  still  living  in  1880,  but  in  reduced 
circumstances.  What  afterwards  became  of  the  adventurer,  whether 
he  again  got  on  his  feet  or  went  do'wn  in  the  struggle  for  existence, 
there  are  no  records  to  show. 

In  the  summer  of  1850,  A.  P.  Anderson  came  to  Princeton  from 
the  parish  of  Horn,  Ostergotland.  He  had  come  over  the  year  before 
and  gone  to  Peru,  whence  he  came  alone  to  Andover  in  the  hope  of 
finding  certain  relatives,  but  on  his  arrival  he  learned  that  they  were 
all  dead.  He  then  returned  to  Peru  and  moved  with  his  family  to 
Princeton.  Anderson  still  lived  in  1880  at  the  age  of  seventy-one. 
His  eldest  child,  a  son,  had  then  lived  in  California  for  many  years. 

In  the  autumn  a  whole  party  of  Swedish  settlers  arrived  from 
northern  Helsingland  and  southern  Medelpad.  They  had  sailed  from 
Gefie  August  17th  on  the  Swedish  ship  "Oden, "  Captain  Norberg,  and 
arrived  in  New  York  October  31st,  coming  on  to  Princeton  Novemlier 
21st,  after  a  difficult  journey.  In  the  party  was  Erik  Norelius  from 
Hassela,  Helsingland,  then  a  mere  youth  of  seventeen,  whom  Providence 
had  destined  to  take  an  eminent  part  in  Swedish-American  religious 
progress.  In  his  valuable  work  entitled,  "The  History  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Congi'egations  and  of  the  Swedes  of  America,"  he  has  given 
a  vivid  and  graphic  description  of  the  whole  journey. 

Of  this  party  of  immigrants  a  few  stopped  in  Princeton  while 
the  rest,  Norelius  among  them,  proceeded  to  Andover.  Among  those 
remaining  at  Princeton  were:  Hans  Kamel,  Olof  Jonsson,  Staffan 
Berglof,  and  Anders  Nord  with  their  families,  all  from  Bergsjo, 
Helsingland;  Per  Soderstrom  from  Norrbo  or  Bjuraker,  Helsingland; 
Hans  Smitt  from  Hassela.  Helsingland;  Anders  Larsson  from  Torp, 
Medelpad ;  Olof  Nilsson  and  one  Simeon  from  Attmar,  Medelpad.  The 
Kamel  family  died  out  before  the  eighties,  Soderstrom  after  a  few 
years  moved  to  Iowa  or  Minnesota  and  Simeon  went  away,  leaving  no 
trace.  Olof  Jonsson  became  the  first  Swedish  property-holder  of 
Princeton,  living  and  prospering  as  a  farmer  for  more  than  twenty- 
five  years,   afterwards  removing  to   Humboldt,   Kansas,   where   he   is 


298 


i:ari,v  shttlemknts 


said  to  have  owned  large  country  estates.    .^Vnders  Larsson  also  went 
west  in  the  late  seventies. 

In  1851  came  Lars  Magnus  Spak  and  Nils  Johau  Xilsson  from 
Djursdala.  Smaland,  and  Jacob  Nyman  from  Tjarstad.  Ostergotland, 
the  first  and  the  last  named  with  their  families.  The  Spak  family  had 
come  to  this  country  in  1849,  living  for  a  time  in  Chicago,  where  they 
are  said  to  have  taken  part  in  the  organization  of  the  Swedi.sh  Episcopal 
Church  of  St.  Ansgar  (Ansgarius.)  The  family  head  pas.scd  away 
long  before  1880,  but  his  widow  was  then  still  living,  also  their  elder 


Princeton   -Main  Slrct'l  Looking  North 

son,  who  was  engaged  in  business.  The  younger  son  was  living  in 
Galesburg,  as  also  the  daughter,  who  was  married  to  one  A.  J.  Anders- 
son,  -lai'ob  Nyman  also  passed  away  in  the  late  seventies,  his  widow 
and  their  son  Johan  still  living  in  Princeton  after  his  death.  Nils  J. 
Nilsson  was  also  conducting  a  business  of  some  kind  in  the  eighties. 

The  year  1852  brought  large  acquisitions  of  Swedes  to  Princeton. 
Among  the  new  arrivals  were  the  following:  C.  M.  Skiild.  a  tailor, 
from  \'cslra  Ivyd.  umriarricd,  ami  Anders  !'.  Damni.  with  six  children, 
from  Asby,  both  in  Ostergotland;  Anders  Petter  Larsson  from  \'ad 
stcna,  Ostcrgiitland ;  J.  0.  Tiundblad  from  an  \uiknown  locality  in  the 
same  ])r()vincc;  S.  Krid  and  wife  from  Wii,  Skaiic;  Ake  Nilsson  witli 
wife  and  two  ciiiMrcii :  Nils  Lindebliid  with  wife  and  son,  all  from 
Skarii-.  but    Inralitics  luikntiwn;   1*.   Fagcrcraiitz  fnim   Uriisarp,  Sknne; 


PRiNCin'oN  299 

Lars  Andersson  frSn  Gingrid  and  Joliau  A.  Westman  from  Borstig, 
both  located  in  Vcstergotland ;  Pchr  Christian  Andersson,  also  from 
Vestergotland.  locality  unknown;  Johan  Gabriel  Stahl  with  wife, 
son  and  daughter  from  Smaland.  place  unknown  :  Johan  .Vjidersson 
and  Ilenrik  Norman  from  Stockholm.  Of  these  Skiild  was  still 
living  in  1880;  Nilsson  lived  on  liis  own  farm  near  Wyanet ;  Pehr 
Christian  Andersson  Avas  employed  by  a  railway  company  since  twenty- 
five  years  back ;  also  Westman,  Stahl  and  his  wife,  Fagercrantz,  Anders 
Petter  Larsson,  Lars  Andersson  and  J.  0.  Lundblad,  the  latter  living 
in  Aledo,  fiercer  county,  Avere  among  the  survivors  in  1880.  Norman 
removed  to  Monmouth  in  1856.  Damm,  who  changed  his  name  to  Stem, 
died  in  1878,  leaving  a  widow  and  several  children ;  Frid  died  before 
1880,  also  Lindeblad,  while  the  wife  and  son  of  the  latter  were  still 
living  in  Princeton  in  that  year.  Johan  Andersson,  who  had  been 
foreman  in  the  printing  office  of  "Stockholms  Dagblad"  died  of  the 
cholera  in  1853,  his  wife  returning  to  Stockholm  the  following  year. 

Another  Swedish  pioneer  of  Princeton  was  Jonas  Andersson  from 
Farila,  Helsinglaud.  He  emigrated  in  1849,  remained  a  short  time  in 
Chicago,  spent  the  following  winter  in  St.  Charles,  went  to  Wisconsin 
in  the  spring,  returning  to  St.  Charles  after  working  a  few  months  in 
the  woods,  and  remained  there  until  185.3.  when  he  moved  to  Princeton. 
Here  he  settled  pennanently  and  became  the  father  of  a  large  family. 
He  was  still  living  in  the  eighties  and  was  a  prosperous  building 
contractor. 

Almost  simultaneously  with  Jonas  Andersson  came  A.  A.  Shenlund. 
He  was  born  at  Toarp,  Vestergotland.  and  was  engaged  in  the  mer- 
chandise business  in  his  native  land.  He  emigrated  in  1853  to  Prince- 
ton, where  he  went  to  work  on  Rev.  Pillsbury's  farm,  his  wife  being 
employed  there  as  housekeeper.  Having  worked  for  some  time  at 
sawing  wood,  he  next  got  a  situation  as  bookkeeper  with  the  afore- 
mentioned Wester,  but  disapproving  of  the  loose  business  methods  of 
his  employer,  he  went  into  business  on  his  own  account,  opening  a  small 
grocery  store  near  the  railway  station  .i\;st  two  days  before  the  first 
railway  train  rumbled  into  Princeton.  A  few  months  later  he  removed 
with  his  stock  to  Bureau  Junction,  but  moved  back  to  Princeton  after 
five  months.  When  We.ster  failed  in  business,  the  administrators  per- 
suaded Shenhuid  to  take  charge,  and  he  conducted  the  Ijusiness  until 
1865,  when  he  retired.  In  1868  he  resumed  biisiness  in  partnership 
with  one  Clark  who  withdrew  from  the  firm  in  1876.  After  that 
Shenlund  ran  the  business  alone  for  a  number  of  years  with  so  great 
success  that  he  grew  moderately  wealthy.  He  was  highly  respected 
by  his  toAAmsmen.  Americans  and  Swedes  alike.  Shenlund  died  many 
years  ago. 


300 


):ari.y  skttlkmknts 


Speaking  of  tlie  early  business  men  of  Princeton  it  may  be  noted 
that  S.  Frid  in  1854  established  a  boot  and  shoe  store,  conducting  the 
business  for  some  years,  afterwards  going  into  farming.  Having  no 
success  as  a  farmer,  he  soon  returned  to  tlie  last  and  stuck  to  it.  being 
successfully  engaged  in  the  shoe  business  to  his  death.  J.  0.  Lundblad 
had  early  left  for  Missouri,  but  returned  when  the  Civil  War  broke  out, 
engaging  in  the  .same  lino  of  business  but  soon  afterwards  removed  to 
Rock  Island,  going  from  there  to  Aledo  to  live.  1'.  Fagercrantz  in  1853 
established  himself  in  Princeton  as  watchmaker  and  jeweler,  conducting 


I'riiiceloii     Main  Street  Looking  South 

the  business  for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years,  after  which  lie  surprised 
his  friends  by  going  bankrupt.  Although  well  advanced  in  years,  he 
inad(!  a  new  start  in  business.  In  the  vicinity  of  I^rinceton  a  number 
of  Swedes  settled  and  soon  became  prosperous  farmers. 

Religious  activity  was  begun  early  among  the  Swedisli  people  of 
Princeton.  A  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  was  orsanizcd  in  1854, 
a  Swedish  Mission  church  in  1870,  a  Swedish  Haptist  church  being 
added  seven  years  later. 

According  to  the  city  directory,  there  were  1.200  Swedish-Amer- 
icans in  Princeton  nt  the  close  of  1005,  but  well  informed  townsmen 
believed  that  figure  loo  low.  holding  that  the  actual  number  wa.s  1,400. 
'Pill'  Swedes  living  in  tlic  surrounding  locality  are  about  equally 
iiuiiirrous.     IJesidcs,  tlici-c  ari'  Swrdcs  in  considerabli'  numbers  living 


CHICAC.O  301 

at  other  points  iu  Bureau  county,  viz.,  Wyanet,  Tiskihva,  rrovidence. 
Spring  Valley.  Ladd.  Seaton.  New  Bedford.  Walnut,  and  other  places, 
adding  about  1,200  more  to  tlie  Swedish  population  in  the  county  and 
bringing  the  total  up  to  about  4,000. 

CHICAGO,    COOK    COUNTY 

There  have  been  Swedish  people  in  Chicago  almost  from  the 
earliest  days  of  the  city,  and  their  number  has  constantly  increased 
until,  at  the  last  general  census  in  1900,  it  was  48,836,  or  greater  than 
the  population  of  Norrkoping,  the  fourth  city  in  Sweden  in  point  of 
size.  Tlie  same  year  there  were  in  Chicago  95,883  persons  born  of 
Swedish  pax-ents,  making  a  total  Swedish-Amei-ican  populatinn  of 
144,719.  Counting  as  Swedish-Americans  6,707  persons,  one  of  whose 
parents  was  born  in  Sweden  and  the  other  in  some  other  foreign 
coimtry,  we  would  obtain  a  total  of  151,426  Swedish-Americans  in 
the  city.  During  the  last  seven  years  this  number  naturally  has  grown 
according  to  tlie  usual  ratio  of  increase.  This  is  further  evidenced 
by  the  school  census  of  1904  which  set  the  number  of  Chieagoans  ])orn 
in  Sweden  at  55,991.  A  comparison  of  various  estimates  would  indicate 
a  Swedish-American  population  in  Chicago  of  not  less  than  170.000  at 
the  close  of  1907. 

A  large  proportion  of  the  Swedish-Americans  have  engaged  in 
business  and  thereby  laid  the  foundation  for  prosperity  and  economic 
independence.  The  great  mass  of  their  male  population,  however,  is 
composed  of  skilled  workmen.  In  almost  every  trade  they  are  found, 
and  everywhere  they  have  the  reputation  of  being  highly  intelligent, 
skillful  and  conscientious  in  their  work.  Not  a  few  have  distinguished 
themselves  by  making  ingenious  and  practical  inventions.  Especially 
in  certain  trades,  like  that  of  the  cabinetmaker,  the  architect  and 
builder,  the  custom  tailor  and  the  mechanical  artisan,  they  are 
found  in  the  front  rank.  In  many  instances  they  have  succeeded  in 
building  up  comparatively  large  industrial  establishments  of  tlieir  own  : 
others  are  engaged  as  engineers  and  foremen  in  large  industrial  plants 
owned  by  Americans  and  men  of  other  nationalities. 

The  majority  of  Swedish-American  skilled  workmen  in  Chicago 
doubtless  are  members  of  the  labor  organizations,  their  coolness  and 
conservatism  making  them  a  desirable  and  wholesome  element  thereof. 
The  unskilled  laborers  among  them  are  few  in  proportion  both  to  the 
entire  number  of  Swedish-American  workmen  and  to  the  proportion 
of  luiskilled  laborers  among  other  nationalities.  As  a  consequence. 
the  Swedish  working  class  in  Chicago  stands  on  a  higher  economic 
plane  than  the  corresponding  class  among  the  average  foreign  nation- 


302  I:ARI.V    SHTn.KMICNTS 

ality,  and  is  able  to  lead  au  existence  more  in  keeping  with  the  Amer- 
ican standard  of  life. 

The  Swedish  workingmen  are  in  the  main  indastrioas,  orderly, 
temperate,  and  thrifty.  Generally,  their  first  care  is  to  get  a  home 
of  their  own,  and  for  this  jiurpose  they  have  usually  placed  their 
savings  in  some  one  of  the  Swedish  building  and  loan  associations, 
obtained  loans,  purchased  lots  and  built  their  own  houses.  Probably 
few  other  nationalities  can  show  so  large  a  proportion  of  property 
owners  and  home  builders.  Long  ago  the  Swedes  of  Chicago  solved 
the  question  of  workingmen 's  homes  which  is  agitating  industrial 
communities  everywhere,  thus  setting  an  example  worthy  of  enmlation 
in  other  parts  of  the  world.  Many  of  the  Swedish  householders  have 
two  houses  on  their  lots,  the  older  one  a  frame  structure  built  during 
pioneer  daj's,  the  new  one  usually  a  brick  building  erected  after  the 
children  grew  up  and  the  family  began  to  prosper. 

A  number  of  Swedish  skilled  workmen  and  men  in  business  and 
the  i)rofessions  put  their  earnings  into  realty;  others  deposit  them 
in  the  banks  or  put  them  out  at  interest  elsewhere.  There  are  two 
Swedish  banks  in  the  city,  viz.,  the  State  Bank  of  Chicago,  founded 
in  1879,  and  the  Union  Bank  of  Chicago,  founded  in  1905.  The 
majority  i)refer  the  latter  method  of  keepinfr  eapital  growintr.  as 
against  the  more  risky  one  of  speculating. 

The  Scandia  Life  Insurance  Company  is  a  Swedish  i-orporation 
with  head  offices  in  Chicago,  and  the  Swedish  Methodists  and  Baptists 
each  have  a  mutual  life  insurance  society  with  headquarters  here. 

The  Chicago  Swedes  have  been  criticised  for  their  lack  of  political 
activity,  and  to  a  certain  extent  the  criticism  is  deserved.  True,  they 
have  always  cast  their  votes  in  great  numbers  at  elections  and  fulfilled 
their  duties  as  as  citizens  in  the  intervals,  yet  when  nominations  and 
appointments  were  to  be  made  they  have  not  insisted  on  the  repre- 
sentation due  them  in  consideration  of  their  numbers  and  their  civic 
standing.  This  fact  possibly  is  due  to  the  prevailing  opinion  among 
them,  that  the  office  ought  to  seek  the  man  and  not  the  i-everse. 
Furthermore,  they  seem  to  take  greater  priile  in  u|>l)iiilding  and  main- 
taining the  community  than  in  the  goveniing  of  it.  In  other  words 
they  woidd  rather  be  jiroducei-s  than  eonsunuM-s.  The  greal  ma.ss 
of  the  i)olitically  interested  among  them  are  Hepiiblieans.  in  the 
wards  \vliire  they  ;ii-c  numerous  they  form  political  clubs,  and  evince 
great  political  activity,  especially  prior  to  important  elections.  These 
ward  chibs  are  combined  into  a  central  organization  known  as  the 
Swedish. \iiiericiin  Central  lic|iulilii;in  Club  of  Cook  Coiuity,  which 
in  turn  forms  a  part  of  the  Swedish- American  liepublican  League  of 
Illinois.      .Many    Swedish-Americans    of    Chicago    have    hi-ld    political 


CHICAGO  ^03 

offices  ill  tlic  fity  ;uhI  the  I'ouiity.  and  not  a  ifw  have  i-cpi-fsoiitcd 
the  community  in  the  state  legislature  during  the  past  thirty  years. 

A  trait  characteristic  of  the  Swedes  in  Chicago,  as  elsewhere,  is 
their  obedience  to  law  and  the  liigh  order  of  their  citizenship.  While 
they  deprecate  the  wholesale  iiianufaeturc  of  laws,  they  believe  that 
good  laws,  dictated  by  the  people's  own  sense  of  juslice  and  i'i|uity, 
should  be  absolutely  obeyed. 

Tliey  believe  in  education  and  cuKurc.  They  keep  their  childi-en 
in  school  regularly,  and  the  great  number  of  prizes  and  distinctions 
awarded  tliem  from  time  to  time  bear  witness  to  the  fact  that  they 
rank  witli  the  best  pupils  lioth  in  point  of  diligence  and  of  intelligence. 
Many  of  them  continue  their  studies  from  the  public  to  the  high 
school,  while  others  enter  commercial  schools  in  order  to  fit  them- 
selves for  a  business  career.  Still  others  in  considerable  number 
attend  technological  in.stitutions,  such  as  the  Armour  and  Lewis  in- 
stitutes, pursuing  courses  in  engineering  or  other  technics,  or  go  to  the 
universities,  the  medical  colleges,  the  law  schools,  the  dental  colleges, 
the  musical  conservatories,  where  they  are  graduated  year  by  year  in 
ever   increasing   numbers. 

It  would  seem  that  so  large  a  Swedish  population  would  be 
capable  of  supporting  a  common  institution  of  learning  in  the  city. 
The  absence  of  such  an  institution  must  be  ascribed  to  the  fact  that 
from  the  first  the  nationality  has  been  divided  into  numerous  reli- 
gious and  fraternal  organizations,  each  striving  in  its  own  way  to 
make  the  greatest  possible  acquisitions  and  accomplish  the  best  re- 
sults  in   behalf   of   its   own   adherents. 

Withoi;t  exaggeration,  it  may  be  said  that  the  traces  of  Swedish- 
American  activity  are  most  marked  in  the  field  of  church  and 
fraternal  organization.  The  principal  denominations  and  sects  that 
have  gained  a  foothold  among  them  are  the  Lutherans.  ]\Iethodists, 
Baptists  and  Jli.ssion  Friends.  Less  numerous  are  the  Episcopalians,  the 
Salvationists,  the  Seventh-Day  Adventists,  and  a  few  still  smaller 
religious  groups. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1905.  there  were  in  Chicago  and  vicinity 
41  Swedish  Lutheran  congregations  having  a  total  membership  of 
1 0.000  and  owning  property  to  the  aggregate  value  of  $517,300.  Tlie 
Swedish  Methodists  had  18  congregations  with  2,520  members  and 
property  valued  at  $249,600:  the  Swedish  Baptists,  11  congregations 
with  2,588  members  and  .$159,975  worth  of  property,  and  the  Mission 
Friends.  12  congregations  with  2.036  members  and  property  to  the 
Value  of  $131,940.  As  to  the  other  denominations  there  are  no  stati-stics 
at  hand. 

These  denominations  carrv  on  a  relativelv  extensive  work  along 


1.04  i;.\Ki.Y  si:tti.i;mi:nts 

educational  and  charitable  lines.  The  Lutherans  control  and  maintain 
the  Augustana  IIosj)ital.  one  of  the  prominent  institutions  of  its  kind 
in  the  city.  Martin  Luther  College,  an  institution  of  learning,  was 
founded  by  them  in  1892  but  discontinued  in  1896.  In  Evanston  the 
Swedish  IVIethodists  have  their  own  theological  seminary,  and  in 
Chicago  they  maintain  a  home  for  the  aged,  named  Bethany  Home. 
The  Swedish  Ba])tists  also  conduct  their  own  theological  institute, 
located  in  ^lorgan  Park,  and  support  an  old  people's  home,  known  a.s 
■'Fridhem."  The  Mission  Friends  not  only  own  a  school,  North  Park 
College,  but  a  hospital  and  an  old  folks'  home.  In  addition  to  these 
institutions  there  is  in  Englewood  a  Swedish-American  hospital  owned 
and  controlled  by  the  people  of  the  various  Swedish  churches  in  that 
part  of  the  city. 

As  far  as  it  has  been  possible  to  ascertain,  the  Swedish  fraternal 
societies  and  lodges  in  Chicago  number  about  one  hundred.  In  the 
total  absence  of  common  statistics  exact  information  concerning  them 
c;iiiiiof  be  given.  These  organizations,  designed  for  the  pleasure  as 
well  as  the  pecuniary  benefit  of  its  members,  nnnually  disburse  large 
sums  in  the  form  of  sick  benefits,  funeral  expenses  and  mutual  life 
insvu'ance.  Two  lodges,  "Svithiod"  and  "  Vikingarne,"  have  branched 
out  in  recent  years  so  as  to  form  large  independent  orders,  with  branch 
lodges  as  far  west  as  the  Missouri  River.  The  Independent  Order  of 
Svithiod  now  embraces  1^8  lodges  and  has  16  ladies'  guilds.  The  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  \'ikiiigs  is  composed  of  'W  lodges  in  addition  to 
which  there  arc  l.'>  ladies'  guilds.  The  Svithiod  aiul  the  Viking 
lodges  of  Chicago  are  included  in  the  above  total.  There  are  10 
lodges  of  Good  Templars,  four  other  temperance  societies,  and  a 
number  of  lodges  of  the  Scandinavian  Brotherhood  of  America.  Other 
IValc  rnitics.  including  a  couple  of  lodges  eacii  of  Free  Ma.sons  and 
Odd  Fellows,  logedii'r  with  iiondescri]it  organizations  approximate 
twenty  in  number.  Many  churches,  moreovei-.  have  their  own  sick 
benefit    and    lienevolent   societies, 

A  numlici-  of  dilTereiit  societies  have  associated  thentselves  for 
the  common  purpose  of  diarity  and  benevolence.  One  is  the  Swedish 
Societies'  ()l(l  I'mplc's  Ibiiiir  .\ssociation  (formerly  the  Swedish 
Societies'  Central  .\ssociation  ).  which  founded  and  maintains  an  old 
people's  home  at  Park  Kidge.  The  other  is  the  Swedish  -National 
Association,  wliicli  conducts  a  free  employnuMit  bureau  arul  curries  on 
charity  work  in  a  measure. 

A  significant  movement  among  Chicago's  Swedes  is  the  organ- 
ization and  maintaining  of  siiiiring  societies,  eiiietly  male  eiioruses. 
Such  iiave  existed  for  several  decadi's  and  they  luiw  number  n 
dozen,  exclusive  of  male  or  mixed  choirs  coiuiecti-d  with  the  churches. 


CHICAGO 


305 


They  all  form  a  pai't  of  the  American  Union  of  Swedish  Singers  and, 
in  order  to  fui'llicr  tlieir  local  interests,  they  have  united  into  a 
local  organization  named  the  Chicago  Union  of  Swedish  Singers. 

In  the  field  of  culture,  the  Swedish-Americans  here  have  ac- 
complislied  noteworthy  results,  aside  from  the  work  of  their  churches, 
schools  and  singing  organizations,  this  city  being  as  far  back  as  the 
"(JOs  the  Swedish-American  literary  producing  center  aiul  for  decades 
the  location  of  a  considerable  publishing  and  bookselling  business. 
At  present  no  less  than  eight  large  weekly  Swedish  newspapers  are 
published  in  Chicago,  four  being  secular,  viz..  "Hemlandet".  "Svenska 
Tribuueu-N\-lieter. "  "Svenska  Amerikanaren,"  "Svenska  Kuriren;" 
the  remaining  four  religious  wholly  or  in  part,  viz.,  "Sandebudet" 
(Methodist),  "Nya  Vecko-Posten  (Baptist),  "iMissions-Vannen" 
(Mission  Church),  and  "Chicago-Bladet"  (Free  Mission  Church)- 
In  addition  to  those  mentioned,  a  large  number  of  monthly  church 
and  society  papers  are  issued  in  this  city.  A  general  pub- 
lishing business  was  first  started  in  Chicago  by  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Publication  Society  and  is  still  continued  by  The  Engberg-Holmberg 
Publishing  Company.  In  connection  with  the  church  paper  "Sande- 
budet" a  ilethodist  Book  Concern  has  more  recently  been  established, 
in  connection  with  "Missions-Viinnen"  a  book  store  for  the  Mission 
Covenant,  and  in  connection  with  "Chicago-Bladet"  a  similar  store 
to  meet  the  needs  of  the  Free  Mission  churches.  To  this  should  be 
added  that  the  American  Baptist  Publication  Society  has  established 
a  Swedish  book  department.  Several  small  book  stores  are  conducted 
by  private  persons. 

It  should  not  be  forgotten  that  from  time  to  time  there  have 
existed  in  Chicago  various  Swedish  dramatic  companies  which, 
although  composed  largely  of  amateurs  and  not  to  be  compared  with 
the  standard  theatrical  companies  of  Sweden,  yet  have  served  to 
acquaint  Swedish-Americans  with  the  Swedish  drama  of  past  and 
modern  times. 

These  various  lines  of  activity  pursued  by  the  Swedish  people  of 
Chicago  are  more  fully  treated  in  subsequent  chapters. 

Somewhat  later  than  Flack  and  Von  Schneidau,  mention  of  whom 
has  been  made,  one  Astrom  came  to  Chicago  from  Xorrland.  In  South 
Water  street,  not  far  from  the  spot  where  Old  Fort  Dearborn  stood, 
he  and  another  man  from  Norrland  by  the  name  of  Svedberg,  who 
came  here  from  Buffalo,  opened  a  restaurant,  conducting  that  business 
for  several  years.  This  was  in  the  latter  forties.  In  1850  Svedberg, 
doubtless  smitten  with  the  prevalent  gold  fever,  went  to  California, 
and  Astrom  returned  to  Sweden.  He  came  to  America  a  second  time; 
after  that  nothing  is  known  of  him. 


3o6  ];ari.y  si;'rri,i:.Mi;NTs 

In  1846  the  first  partj-  of  Swedish  immigrants  to  Chicago  arrived. 
There  were  fifteen  families,  and  the  newcomers  seem  to  have  had  no 
connection  with  tlie  emigration  movement  directed  by  Erik  Jansson. 
Not  one  among  them  understood  a  word  of  English,  not  one  had  a 
relative  or  friend  here,  all  were  poor  to  the  verge  of  destitution. 
But  von  Sehneidau  befriended  them,  acting  as  their  interpreter  and 
eoimselor,  and  soon  procured  work  for  the  men  in  the  employ  of  two 
Americans,  "\V.  B.  Ogden  and  A.  Smith.  They  were  set  to  clearing  a 
piece  of  ground  just  norlli  of  the  present  Division  street,  at  50  cents 
per  day,  without  board,  which,  nevertheless,  they  considered  fairly 
good  pay.  That  winter  and  all  the  following  year  ("1847)  those  Swedes 
are  said  to  have  worked  at  sawing  wood  for  a  daily  wage  of  from  50 
cents  to  621/4  cents.  The  women  took  washing  in  American  families 
and  thereby  earned  10  to  25  cents  a  day.  with  board. 

Oct.  3,  1846,  Jonas  Olsson  arrived  in  Chicago  at  the  head  of  a 
party  of  Erik  Janssonists  bound  for  Bishop  Hill.  Many  of  the 
emigrants,  having  begun  to  doubt  the  divine  mission  of  Erik  Jansson. 
now  refused  to  go  any  farther  and  decided  to  remain  in  Chicago. 
Among  these  recalcitrants  was  Jan  Jan.sson,  the  prophet's  own  brother. 
He  afterwards  became  the  owner  of  a  fertile  farm  situated  one  and 
one-half  miles  from  Montrose,  Cook  county.  Among  the  others  were, 
Anders  Larsson,  John  P.  Kiillman,  Pehr  Ersson,  Petter  Hessling, 
A.  Thorsell  and  Kiillstrom.  They  all  lived  together  for  a  time  in  a 
house  in  Illinois  .sli-cct.  between  Dearborn  avenue  and  State  street. 

The  year  after,  forty  Swedish  immigrants  came  to  the  city,  and  in 
1848  one  hundred  more.  Times  had  now  improved  noticeably,  so  that 
a  good  laborer  could  earn  75  cents  a  day.  But  the  necessaries  of  life 
were  high,  a  barrel  of  flour  costing  $6  to  $7,  while  pork  sold  at  6  to  8 
cents  per  pound. 

One  of  the  earliest  Swedish  settlers  in  Chicago  who.  like  .\striim 
and  Svedberg,  had  a  business  of  his  own,  was  a  man  from  Gotland  by 
the  name  of  Lundblad.  He  came  over  in  1847  and  the  year  after  started 
a  soda  water  factory  whicli  he  ran  for  some  months  and  then  went  to 
Quincy,  where  he  died.  His  widow  returned  to  Chicago  and  died  here. 
At  the  close  of  the  year  1848,  the  Swedish  population  of  Chicago 
could  not  have  exceeded  300.  all  of  whom  waged  a  hard  fight  for 
existence.  In  1849  no  less  than  400  Swedish  immigrants  were  added 
to  Chicago's  population.  If  conditions  had  been  bad  before,  things 
now  grew  still  worse,  for  the  newcomers  of  that  year  brought  tiie 
cliolera.  the  epidemic  caiising  indescribable  sutToring  and  misery 
among  them. 

In  some  instances  the  plague  broke  out  on  board  the  emigrant 
ships,  and  Timny  victims  were  Iniricd  at  sea.     The  majority  of  cases, 


CHICAC.O  ^Qj 

however,  octnirrod  on  the  tedious  journey  from  llie  eastern  ports  to 
the  western  points  of  destination,  and  after  tlie  an-ival.  The  canal- 
boats  were  stopped  ever  and  anon  to  permit  the  emigrants  to  go  ashore 
and  bury  tlieir  dead.  Conditions  grow  little  better  after  the  railroad 
from  the  East  to  Chicago  M-as  completed.  Then  the  emigrants  were 
packed  like  cattle  in  uncomfortable  cars  whose  doors  were  opened 
seldom,  if  at  all,  during  the  entire  journey. 

The  cholera  raged  unabated  for  several  years  till  1S54,  inclasive, 
apparently  claiming  more  victims  that  year  than  any  foregoing,  in- 
ci'easing  immigration  furnishing  a  favorable  field  for  its  ravages.  In 
1850  Chicago  received  500  Swedish  immigrants  and  in  1851-52  1,000 
each  year.  We  quote  a  few  examples  of  the  dreadful  effect  of  the 
scourge  among  these  people  during  1854.  One  large  party  from  Karl- 
skoga  and  Bjurtjiirn,  in  Vermland,  brought  with  them  six  corpses, 
when  the  train  arrived  at  the  Michigan  Central  railway  station.  Seven- 
teen of  the  party,  afflicted  with  the  disease,  were  brought  to  the  pest- 
house,  where  more  than  half  of  their  number  died  before  morning. 
Of  the  older  members  of  the  Immauuel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church, 
organized  the  year  before,  about  one-tenth  died  of  the  plague,  the 
percentage  of  deaths  among  their  children  lieing  still  greater.  Among 
the  ncAvcomers  the  death  rate  Avas  so  great  that  two-thirds  of  the 
immigrants  arriving  that  year  are  believed  to  have  succumbed  to  the 
cholera. 

Poverty,  unspeakable  misery,  absolute  wretchedness — such  was 
the  lot  of  the  families  of  the  deceased.  Fortimately,  there  were 
charitable  people  among  their  felloAv  countrymen  here,  Avho  took  pity 
on  these  A-ictims  of  pest  and  penury.  Chief  among  these  Avere  Consul 
von  Schneidau,  and  three  clergymen,  Gustaf  Unonius.  Ei-land  Carlsson 
and  Sven  Bernhard  NeAvman.  The  names  of  these  four  noble-hearted 
men  shine  in  the  annals  of  the  SAvedish  pioneers  in  Chicago  like  stars 
in  a  dismal  night.  One's  heart  is  warmed  and  the  pulse  is  quickened 
in  reading  the  accoimts  of  Avhat  these  men  accomplished  in  behalf 
of  the  suffering  immigrants. 

Actuated  by  his  goodness  of  heart  as  Avell  as  by  his  sense  of  duty, 
Consul  von  Schneidau  obtained  permission  to  use  the  United  States 
Marine  Hospital  for  the  accommodation  of  the  plague  victims.  As  soon 
as  they  Avere  fairly  restored  to  health,  the  question  of  getting  Avork 
arose.  Yet  this  Avas  sometimes  a  difficult  problem,  and  if  they  did 
obtain  employment,  being  Aveak  and  emaciated,  they  were  not  ahvays 
equal  to  the  task.  In  either  event,  they  turned  to  von  Schneidau  for 
assistance,  and  he  helped  them  as  far  as  it  Avas  in  his  power  to  do  so. 
Having  exhausted  his  own  resources,  he  appealed  to  public  benevolence, 
nor  Avas  this  done  in  vain,  for  donations  poured  in  in  such  quantities 


3o8  i;aria'  sktti,i:»ii;nts 

that  the  residence  was  turned  into  a  veritable  snpply  depot,  where  his 
good  wife  acted  as  distributor  of  the  accumulated  jirovisions. 

Unonius  was  equally  energetic  in  the  caiise  of  charity.  In  1849. 
the  very  first  year  of  his  residence  in  Chicago,  it  fell  upon  him  to 
render  assistance  to  the  cholera  victims.  He  was  untiring  in  his  eflforts 
to  solicit  among  well-to-do  citizens  money,  clothing  and  food  for  the 
relief  of  the  sufferers.  When  the  pesthouses  could  no  longer  hold  the 
plague  victims  he  opened  the  second  storj'  of  his  parsonage  as  a 
temporary  hospital.  Plis  wife  had  the  welfare  of  the  patients  equally 
at  heart,  giving  them  her  service  as  nurse.  When  parents  died.  Unonius 
would  see  to  it  that  their  children  were  cared  for.  either  in  some 
orphanage  or  by  adojjtion  in  private  families. 

Eev.  Carlsson  also,  immediately  upon  his  arrival  in  Chicago,  be- 
came entirely  engrossed  in  relief  work  among  the  cholera  sufferers. 
Not  only  among  the  members  of  his  flock,  but  among  the  immigrants 
as  well,  his  energy  proved  equal  to  the  emergency.  Scarcely  an  immi- 
grant train  arrived  but  he  was  at  the  station  to  assist  and  advise  his 
fellow  countrymen.  After  having  spent  all  that  terrible  summer  of 
1854  on  a  constant  mission  of  relief  among  the  sick,  he  himself  was 
attacked  by  the  plague  in  the  fall,  but  rallied  after  a  few  weeks.  Even 
after  the  cholera  ej)idemie  subsided.  Kev.  Carlsson  continued  his  mission 
of  benevolence  among  the  Swedish  immigrants. 

What  has  been  said  of  these  three,  in  their  relation  to  the  cholera 
victims,  applied  ecpially  to  Rev.  Newman.  Without  the  slightest  fear 
of  the  epidemic  he  went  about  ministering  to  his  stricken  coiuitrymeii. 
sat  at  their  bedsides,  comforting  the  sick  and  dying  by  word  and  deed, 
buried  the  dead  and  gave  advice  and  succor  to  the  survivors. 

Sometimes  Revs.  Carlsson  and  Newman  cooperated  in  the  work. 
Thus,  one  day  the  former  made  the  suggestion,  "Brother  Newman. 
suppose  you  take  one  street  and  I  another,  and  mc  solicit  for  a  common 
fund."  The  memory  of  the  unselfish  exertions  on  the  part  of  these 
pioneer  clergymen  in  the  days  of  dire  calamity  will  be  ever  dear  to  the 
hearts  of  succeeding  srcncrations  of  their  countrymen. 

Anotiier  exaniitle  of  prevalent  conditions  among  the  immigrants 
of  those  days  may  liere  be  given.  In  1855  Swedish  and  Norwegian 
pan|)ers  cost  the  city  of  Chicago  and  Cook  county  no  less  than  $6,000, 
exclusive  of  a.ssistance  rendered  by  individuals  aggregating  a  still 
larger  sum.  During  the  month  of  October  that  year,  which  was  by  no 
means  the  most  unhealthy  period,  .'^5  Swedes  who  had  died  in  private 
houses  were  buried  at  ])ublic  expense  because  of  the  destitution  of 
I  heir  families.  During  the  sanu-  i)erind  the  county  defrayed  tiie  expense 
for  flic  intcniicnt  nl"  iilmiit  ddulilr  that  mnnber  of  Swedes  who  died  in 


CHICAGO 


309 


liospitals  and  the  poorhonse.  Yet  healtli  conditions  and  the  dcatli  rate 
were  no  worse  in  Chicago  than  in  Jlilwaukoe  or  other  neighboring  cities. 

The  city  of  Chicago  at  this  period  was  a  mere  nucleus  for  future 
development,  and  as  yet  few,  if  any,  anticipated  or  dared  hope  for 
the  enormous  progress  it  was  destined  to  make.  The  north  side  being 
the  original  location  of  the  Swedisli  colony  in  Chicago,  that  part  lays 
claim  to  the  especial  interest  of  Swedisli-Americans. 

In  1S")0  that  part  of  the  city  was  an  open,  almost  uninhabited 
prairie,  tlie  only  objects  that  broke  the  monotony  of  tlie  scene  being 
large  stumps  or  individual  trees  still  left  standing.  Tlie  locality  was 
low  and  swampy,  with  here  and  there  pools  of  stagnant  water,  inhabited 
by  snakes  and  other  reptiles.  To  the  north  from  the  present  Division 
street  line  stretched  an  extensive  swamp  coA'ered  with  underbrush  and 
vuies.  Although  the  district  was  platted  and  the  streets  were  laid  out 
on  paper,  there  were  in  fact  no  other  thoroughfares  than  Kinzie  street, 
North  Clark  street  and  Chicago  avenue,  if  indeed  those  might  be  so 
styled  in  their  almost  impassable  state.  They  were  practically  very 
badly  kept  coiuitry  roads,  unworthy  of  the  name  of  city  streets.  But 
what  could  be  expected  of  the  north  side  at  a  time  when  the  streets 
on  the  south  side,  in  th>e  very  heart  of  the  city,  were  at  times  little 
better  than  quagmires.  Ordinarily  they  were  like  rough  country  roads 
flanked  at  intervals  with  narrow  planks  in  lieu  of  sidewalks.  In  the  fall, 
winter  and  spring  they  were  especially  wretched,  not  to  sa.v  ]ierili)us 
to  life.  Then  the  mud  would  be  knee  deep  throughout,  while  in  places 
there  would  be  bottomless  mudholes.  It  was  no  uncommon  sight  to  see, 
on  Clark,  Lake  and  other  principal  streets,  a  pole  stuck  in  tlie  middle 
of  the  street  and  on  it  a  cross  hoard  bearing  the  legend:  "No  Bottom."' 
In  the  north  and  west  parts  of  the  city  as  well  as  to  the  south  of  tlie 
"down  town"  district  weeds  man-high  skirted  the  driveways  on  both 
sides,  while  the  vacant  blocks  were  the  stamping  grDund  of  tethei-ed 
cows  and  goats,  and  flocks  of  cackling  gee.se,  not  to  mention  pigs, 
chickens  and  turke.ys  innumerable.  Add  to  this  that  dead  dogs  and 
eats  and  other  carcasses  graced  the  roadsides  and  perfumed  the  air  as 
they  lay  putrifying  in  the  ditches,  and  you  will  have  a  true  picture  of 
Chicago  and  its  immediate  environments  at  this  period. 

On  the  north  side  the  buildings  were  as  yet  few  and  primitive. 
Standing  at  the  Clark  street  bridge  you  had  an  unobstructed  view  of 
a  two-story  house  and  an  adjoining  blacksmith  shop  erected  by  one 
Sheldon,  a  Norwegian,  at  Ohio  street,  just  west  of  Market  street.  From 
the  same  point  of  observation  one  had  a  free  prospect  all  the  way  to 
Hubbard  street,  where  R.  B.  Johnson,  another  Norwegian,  had  built  a 
house.  So  few  and  far  apart  were  the  houses  in  this  neighborhood. 
The  price  of  a  building  lot  in  those  days  was  a  mere  bagatelle  in 


3IO  EARLY    Sirn'LKMENTS 

comparison  with  ])rescnt  day  realty  values.  Tracts  north  of  Division 
street  could  then  l)e  hought  for  ^lOU  per  acre,  which  was  considered 
quite  high  enough.  At  Chicago  avenue  lots  could  be  had  for  nothing. 
provided  the  applicants  agreed  to  put  up  two-story  houses  on  them,  this 
stipulation  being  designed  to  attract  people  to  the  neighborhood  and 
raise  the  value  of  realty.  A  few  years  before,  or  in  1847-49,  any  one 
could  become  the  owner  of  lots  140  to  150  by  2.5  feet  on  the  north  and 
west  sides,  a  few  blocks  from  the  river,  for  the  mere  trouble  of  sawing 
a  few  cords  of  wood  for  the  o^vners  of  the  groimd.  Many  of  the 
pioneers  took  advantage  of  this  offer  to  procure  cheap  building  lots. 
Not  many  years  thereafter  the  price  of  such  lots  had  risen  to  $1,000 
and  over.  Today  an  imniigPrUit  who  desired  to  earn  one  of  these  lots 
in  the  same  manner  would  be  sawing  wood  for  the  better  part  of  his 
natural  life. 

The  Swedes  who  had  become  established  in  Chicago  at  this  time 
had  located  between  Indiana  and  Erie  streets,  on  an  island  formed  by 
the  two  arms  of  the  north  l>rancli  of  the  river,  the  west  arm  following 
the  present  river  bed  wliilc  liie  eastern  came  about  to  j)resent  Orleans 
street.  The  place  was  knowTi  as  "Swedish  Town"  and  formed  the 
nnclcus  for  the  populous  noi-th  side  Swedish  community.  The  buildings 
on  this  island,  as  elsewhere  in  the  outskirts  of  the  city,  were  small 
frame  houses  or  primitive  log  cabins,  or  shanties  built  of  rough  boards 
set  on  end.  The  latter  style  of  arcliitecture  was  much  in  vogue  in  the 
large  stretch  of  swamp  between  Indiana  street  and  Chicago  avenue. 
The  neighborhood  was  literally  filled  with  these  shanties,  put  up 
without  respect  for  compass  or  street  lines,  by  poor  immigrants  who 
could  afford  no  better  shelter.  In  these  rude  huts  hundreds  of  Swedes 
lived  and  died  during  the  terrible  years  of  the  cholera  scourge  in 
i\u)  early  fifties. 

After  a  few  years  the  east  arm  of  the  river  was  filled  in.  whereby 
the  island  became  part  of  the  north  side  district.  When  the  ownere 
of  the  land  <in  wliicli  the  Swedes  were  squatters  iu  the  years  1853  and 
1854  began  to  assert  tlieir  property  rights,  the  settlers  were  forced  to 
move.  They  then  Ixmght  lots  here  and  there  on  tiu^  north  side,  the 
entire  district  being  o\vned  by  two  men.  W.  B.  Ogden  and  W.  Tj. 
Newberry,  l^oth  grew  inniiensely  rich  from  tlie  sale  of  real  estate. 
Mr.  Newberry  donated  a  pari  of  iiis  wealth  for  a  lilirary  to  be  estab- 
lished in  thnt  part  of  the  citj'  and  to  bear  his  name.  This  was  done, 
the  present  library  building  having  been  coni)>leted  in  tin-  nineties. 

Tiie  early  Swedish  colony  on  the  north  side  embraced  priiu-ipally 
that  jiart  boiuuled  on  the  nortli  by  Division  street,  on  the  south  by 
lti(li;ina  street,  on  the  east  by  Wells  street  and  on  the  west  by  tlie  river. 
Within  these  limits  their  first  churches,  the  Ansgnrius  Episcopal,  the 


CHICAGO  .  311 

IiuiuaiiiK'l  Lutheruu,  and  the  ^letliodist-Episcopal,  were  built.  Little 
by  little,  the  Swedish  people,  however,  scattered  over  the  entire  north 
side,  but  before  that  another  rapidly  growing  Swedish  colony  had  been 
started  on  the  south  side.  In  a  short  time  there  were  Swedish  settle- 
ments in  all  three  of  the  older  divisions  of  the  city,  while  thousands 
of  Swedes  poured  into  the  outlying  districts  or  suburbs  that  grew  up 
in  rapid  succession.  While  none  of  these  suburbs  bears  a  distinctively 
Swedish  stamp,  still  it  is  only  the  plain  truth  to  say  that  the  Swedes 
have  taken  a  leading  part  in  the  work  of  building  them  up. 

Time  and  change  have  long  since  erased  every  vestige  of  the  afore- 
said island  and  its  "Swedish  Town,"  but  to  following  generations  of 
Swedish- Americans  it  will  always  retain  an  historic  interest. 

The  calamity  that  befell  Chicagoans  through  the  great  fire  of 
Oct.  9,  1871,  probably  fell  more  heavily  on  the  Swedish  inhabitants 
than  on  any  other  nationality,  from  the  fact  that  these  still  lived 
almost  exclusively  in  one  locality,  that  being  swept  by  the  flames, 
while  other  nationalities,  being  generally  distributed  over  the  whole 
city,  partly  escaped.  It  has  been  estimated  that  three-fourths  of  the 
Swedes  that  had  established  homes  up  to  that  time  were  residing  on 
the  north  side,  principally  along  ilarket,  Sedgwick,  Townseud,  Bremer, 
Wesson  and  Division  streets  and  North  avenue.  This  whole  area  was 
swept  by  the  fiery  tornado,  and  Swedish  homes  were  destroyed  by  the 
himdreds.  Four  Swedish  churches,  as  many  newspaper  offices  and 
numerous  shops  and  stores  owned  by  Swedes  were  leveled  with  the 
groimd.  Of  the  50,000  people  who  durin'g  the  nights  followmg  the 
catastrophe  slept  out  of  doors  with  no  protection  from  the  cold  but 
the  few  garments  they  had  snatched  from  the  flames,  probably  10.000 
were  Swedes.  True,  they  were  left  under  the  open  sky  practically 
destitute,  but  all  was  not  lost,  for  they  still  possessed  the  power  and 
the  will  to  work  and  an  unflinching  trust  in  the  future.  Like  all  the 
other  fire  victims,  they  took  up  the  task  of  building  a  new  and  greater 
Chicago  on  the  smoking  ruins  of  the  old.  By  industry  and  thrift  they 
succeeded  after  a  few  years  in  retrieving  their  fortunes.  An  instance  of 
the  enterprising  spirit  of  the  fire  sufferers  was  given  by  the  members 
of  the  Immanuel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  who  gathered  around  the 
still  smoking  ruins  of  their  fine,  newly  built  house  of  worship  and,  in 
the  name  of  God.  decided  to  continue  work  and  rebuild  the  edifice  as 
soon  as  possible,  a  resolve  all  the  more  sacrificial  as  the  members'  own 
homes  were  in  ashes.  So  promptly  was  the  resolution  carried  out 
that  the  congregation  on  Christmas  Day,  1872,  could  worship  for  the 
first  time  in  the  new  edifice  which,  however,  was  not  fully  completed 
until  the  winter  of  1875. 

The  total  loss  sustained  by  Swedes  in  the  Chicago  fire  was  not  far 


312  KARIA'    SETTLEMENTS 

from  one  million  dollars.  Few  of  them  received  any  insurance  money, 
most  of  the  local  insurance  companies  heing  forced  to  tlie  wall.  In  this 
and  other  countries  a  relief  fund  of  $7,500,000  was  raised,  but  of  this 
only  an  iusiprnificant  sliai-e  fell  to  the  modest  and  unobtrusive  Swedes, 
while  less  numerous  but  more  aggressive  nationalities  claimed  more 
than  their  rightful  share.  The  sums  that  were  sent  from  Sweden  for 
the  relief  of  their  countrymen  here  were  designated  for  the  "Scandi- 
navians," and  had  to  be  divided  in  l)rotherly  fashion  among  Swedes, 
Norwegians  and  Danes  alike,  although  the  losses  sustained  by  the  last 
two  nationalities  were  not  to  be  compared  to  those  of  the  thousands  of 
Swedes.  Our  countrymen,  together  with  other  sufferei-s,  were  sheltered 
in  hastily  built  wooden  sheds  where  they  endured  great  hardships 
during  the  severe  winter  of  1871-72,  despite  the  free  distribution  of 
coal  and  provisions.  The  free  building  materials  placed  at  the  disposal 
of  those  wlio  would  avail  themselves  thereof,  enabled  many  of  the 
Swedes  to  roljuild  at  once,  their  new  houses  being  in  many  instances 
lai'gcr  a7ul  more  commodious  than  those  burned.  Thus  the  Swedish 
district  on  the  north  side  was  relniilt  in  a  short  tinu>.  the  inliabitants 
gradually  resuming  tlioii'  foi'itier  functions  in  business  and  dail.v  life. 

ORION,    HENRY    COUNTY 

Tills  llourisliiiij;-  little  town  Is  tlic  center  of  a  prosperous  farming 
connnunity  in  Western  tnwnsliip,  which  was  organized  in  the  earl.v 
da.vs  of  the  Hlsliop  I  fill  Colony.  Erik  Jansson  visited  the  locality  in 
184!)  and,  finding  the  soil  V(>ry  fertile,  determined  to  locate  an  au.xlliary 
colony  there.  .Knot her  point  in  its  favor  was  its  location  halfway 
l)etween  Hislioi)  IIUI  and  Its  I'isher.v  ami  nearest  trading  station  on 
Rock  Island.  He  purchased  a  tract  embracing  1,110  acres.  "When  the 
colony  built  its  steam  power  tlour  mill,  the  authorities  took  a  loan  of 
$2,000  from  Hall  &  llcNeely  of  St.  Louis,  offering  this  property  as 
collateral.  Tiie  colony  failing  to  meet  payments,  the  nu>rtgage  was 
foreclosed  and  the  latul.  together  with  several  |>rimltive  buildinsrs,  was 
sold  at  auction  in  1851  to  satisfy  the  creditors. 

Hut  before  Erik  Jansson 's  visit  a  Swede  nanu-d  John  Johnson  is 
said  to  have  lived  there,  removing  to  Iowa  in  the  late  seventies,  AVhen 
the  cholera  broke  out  at  Bishop  Hill  in  1840  nuuiy  of  tiie  colonists 
sougiit  refuge  in  this  locality,  but  were  pursued  by  the  plague,  which 
I'aged  here  with  such  fury  that  as  many  as  sixteen  persons  died  in  one 
day.  Fifty  cholera  victims  among  the  refugees  lie  buried  in  tiic  soutii- 
east  corner  of  section  25,  with  nothing  to  mark  tlie  plac(>  where  these 
pioneers  sleep. 

Oiii'  of  the  (>arliest  pernninent  settlers  Ava.s  William  .\.  .\nders»n. 
wlin  cjniie  iiMT  in  1S.")1  jind  died  here  in  18."iS.     He  is  saiil  to  have  been 


ST.   CHARI.ICS 


313 


very  helpful  and  aci^oniniodatiiig  towards  Swedisli  uewfiomers.  Otlicr 
pioneers  were  Anders  M.  Petterssoii.  from  Sodra  Vi.  Smaland,  who 
arrived  in  1852,  and  N.  P.  Pettersson. 

John  Samnclsson  was  0110  of  the  ()romiuent  Swedish  settlors  here. 
From  Vestra  Euel)\',  Ostei'gothind.  he  came  as  an  iiiimigrant  to  Andover 
in  1852.  During  the  Civil  War  he  served  for  lliree  years  in  the  4;5rd 
Illinois  Infantry  and  M'as  in  several  battles,  inehidiiif?  Sliiloh- and  the 
siege  of  Vicksburg.  With  the  small  savings  from  his  pay  as  a  soldier 
he  made  the  first  payment  on  a  small  farm  which  he  purchased  and 
kept  adding  to  and  improving  until  in  1880  it  comprised  400  acres,  with 
splendid  farm  buildings. 

Peter  Westei-lund  is  another  prosperous  pioneer  settler  in  these 
parts.  He  was  born  at  Hassela,  Helsingland,  Aug.  10,  1839,  emigrated 
in  1850  and  settled  at  Andover.  There  he  lived  for  seven  years,  where- 
upon he  made  a  trip  to  Pike's  Peak,  Colo.,  with  a  party  in  search  of 
gold.  From  there  Westerlund  and  eleven  others  started  on  an 
adventurous  expedition  to  the  southwest  without  a  guide,  througli  a 
territory  without  roads  or  trails.  Their  vehicles  were  drawn  by  oxen. 
They  eventually  reached  the  Rio  Grande  and  followed  the  river  to 
Albuquerque.  Here  they  sold  their  oxen,  built  three  boats  and,  con- 
trary to  the  advice  of  the  townsmen,  started  to  float  do^vn  the  xxn- 
explored  waterway,  ultimately  arriving  at  El  Paso.  Up  to  that  time 
the  Rio  Grande  was  supposed  to  be  impassable,  one  reason  given  being 
that  it  ran  through  a  mountain  at  a  certain  point.  The  intrepid  Swedes, 
however,  exploded  that  tradition. 

The  town  of  Orion  was  founded  in  1853  by  Charles  W.  Deane.  and 
at  first  bore  the  name  of  Deanington,  which  was  subsequently  changed 
to  Orion.  Three  years  later  it  got  railroad  communications  and  entered 
upon  a  new  stage  of  development.  Orion  has  a  Swedish  Lutheran 
chvireh,  organized  in  1870. 

According  to  the  census  of  1900  the  town  tlien  liad  a  population 
of  584.  At  the  close  of  1905  the  number  of  Swedish-^Vmericans  living 
in  and  around  Orion  was  800,  of  whom  298  were  born  in  Sweden 
and  522  in  this  coimtry. 


ST.  cha.rle:s,  kane:  county 

That  part  of  Illinois  now  comprising  Kane  county  was  first  settled 
by  whites  in  1833  when  a  party  of  colonists  from  Indiana  came  there 
to  live.  The  next  year  another  party  arrived  from  New  York,  and  in 
1836  the  countj'  was  organized  and  named  after  Elias  K.  Kane,  who 
became  one  of  the  early  United  States  senators  from  Illinois. 

St.  Charles,  on  the  Fox  River,  was  one  of  the  first  settlements  in 
the  county.     In  1834  the  place  had  only  six  houses,  but  the  following 


314  EARLY    SETTLEMENTS 

year  the  growth  of  the  population  necessitated  the  building  of  a  school- 
house.  In  auotluT  year  a  hotel  was  erected  and  a  bridge  was  built 
across  the  Fox  River. 

Almost  from  the  first,  the  Swedes  have  formed  an  important, 
though  not  the  dominating,  element  of  the  community.  They  were 
there  in  the  latter  forties,  it  being  a  matter  of  record  that  at  least 
three  Swedes,  viz..  Nils  Jansson.  who  ran  a  turning  lathe,  and  two 
storekeepers,  Bjdrkman  and  Baker,  settled  in  St.  Charles  prior  to  1841). 
The  latter,  who  changed  his  name  to  Clark,  failed  in  business  and  then 
removed  to  Chicago. 

Nils  Jansson.  who  hailed  from  llorby,  Skane.  emigrated  to  America 
in  1830  as  a  j'oung  man.  He  was  a  hard  drinker  and  somewhat  of  an 
adventurer,  having  traveled  in  Jlexico  and  roamed  at  large  over  the 
western  continent  for  some  time  before  settling  down  here.  When  the 
number  of  Swedes  in  St.  Charles  increased,  he  assumed  a  sort  of 
guardianship  over  them,  started  raising  money  for  a  little  church  and 
sometimes  tried  his  ability  as  a  jireacher.  which  was  none  too  great. 
The  church  was  built  in  1852,  and  Swedish  clergymen  of  different 
denominations,  among  them  Gustaf  Unonius,  the  Episcopal  pastor  in 
Chicago,  made  occasional  visits.  The  wife  of  Nils  Janssou  is  said  to 
have  been  a  pious  woman  who  often  warned  her  husband  to  mend  his 
ways.  One  morning  she  took  him  severely  to  task,  pointing  out  his 
fate  in  the  heroaftcr.  if  ho  i)ersisted  in  his  sinful  course.  To  this  he 
replied,  it  is  said,  that  she  need  not  worry  about  his  soul,  for  half  an 
hour  was  all  he  wanted  to  prepare  for  death.  That  same  day  Nils 
Jansson  was  killed  by  lightning  in  the  country,  a  short  distance  from 
St.  Charles.  This  seems  to  have  occurred  in  1850,  though  tlie  year  is 
not  positively  known. 

The  Jonas  Aiidersson  from  Farila,  Helsingland.  who  is  mentioned 
among  the  Princeton  pioneers,  was  one  of  the  first  Swedes  to  settle 
in  St.  Charles.  He  came  from  Chicago  in  1849,  remaining  over  winter, 
and  left  for  Wisconsin  in  the  spring.  After  a  few  months,  ho  retiu-ned 
to  St.  Charles,  lived  there  till  185;5,  then  removed  to  Princeton. 

Such  were  the  beginnings  of  the  Swedish  colony  in  St.  Charles. 
In  1852  several  hundred  Swedes  arrived  directly  from  the  old  country. 
Most  of  the  immigrants  came  from  Vestergotland.  being  persuaded  to 
come  by  the  glowing  accounts  of  St.  Charles  and  surrounding  country 
given  in  letters  from  Anders  Andersson,  a  blaeksmitii  and  wagonmnkor 
from  Tiinmolhod.  who  luid  emigralod  in  1847.  Some  years  later  he 
moved  to  Taylor's  Falls.  Minn.,  whore  he  died.  He  left  two  daiightors 
one  of  whom  was  mai-ried  to  Daniel  Frodin.  living  near  that  place,  the 
other  to  Dr.  Kriand  Cai-l.sson.  one  of  thi>  pioneer  elergymon  of  the 
Swedish   Luthoran  Chui-oh  in   Anu'rioa.     Other  arrivals  in   1852  wore. 


ST.     CIIARI.ICS 


315 


Lars  Fran  (Prenn)  from  Timiiiellied  uud  his  brothers,  Sveii  Thiiii,  iiiid 
Anders  Larsson,  aud  a  half-brother,  Carl  Larsson;  the  first-named 
moved  to  Wayne  Station,  a  few  miles  from  Geneva,  after  a  year,  and 
from  there  in  1880  to  Vasa,  Llinn.,  where  he  died  the  same  year  at  the 
age  of  eighty-one ;  Thim  died  in  Geneva ;  Anders  Larsson  moved  to  Red 
Wing,  Minn.,  in  1855  or  1856,  and  died  at  Vasa  in  1871,  fifty-eight 
years  old.  Still  others  were,  a  shoemaker  named  Bowman,  who  served 
in  the  Union  Army  during  the  war  and  died  several  years  thereafter; 
his  stepson,  P.  G.  Boman,  who  moved  first  to  Chicago,  then  to  Rock- 


St.   Charles — West  Main  Street 


ford;  J.  Sannqnist;  Carl  Samnelsson  and  Carl  Sjoman  from  the  Tim- 
melhed  neighborhood,  the  former,  who  was  somewhat  of  a  spiritual 
leader,  moving  to  Elgin,  the  latter  to  the  neighborhood  of  McGregor, 
la. ;  Abram  Swensson  and  his  sister,  later  removed  to  Hastings,  ilinn. ; 
Anders  Svensson  aud  his  brother-in-law  Hedelin  from  Rangedala, 
Vestergotland,  both  removing  later  to  Faribault,  Minn.  Among  the 
early  settlers  was  also  one  Jonas  Hakanson,  thought  to  have  moved 
from  there  to  Rockford. 

These  immigrants  also  brought  the  cholera,  the  plague  liaving 
broken  out  on  shipboard  and  pursuing  them  to  their  destination.  Had 
they  taken  the  necessary  precautions  iipon  arrival,  such  as  obtaining 


3i6 


i;ari,y  settlements 


clean  and  airy  lodgings,  the  danger  of  contagion  might  have  been 
minimized.  Unfortunately,  however,  few  houses  were  to  be  had.  and 
the  immigrants  had  to  be  packed  into  small  and  unsanitary  rooms  that 
became  the  hotbeds  of  the  disease.  The  first  case  of  cholera  in  St. 
Charles  appeared  July  3,  the  victim  being  a  man.  An  Irish  physician 
named  Crawford,  who  was  called  in,  advised  the  immigrants  to  scatter 
so  as  not  to  give  tlie  epidemic  a  chance  to  spread  to  the  others,  but 
instead  of  heeding  his  counsel,  a  dozen  newcomers  occupied  a  vacant 
cooper  shop,  which  was  turned  into  a  pesthouse,  all  the  occupants  being 
attacked  b.y  the  epidemic.  Immigrants  living  elsewhere  in  the  place 
also  were  taken  sick.  Dr.  Crawford  and  a  vohmteer  nurse  were  at  the 
bedsides  of  the  plague  victims  night  and  day  for  one  whole  week, 
exerting  their  utmost  power  to  save  the  stricken  ones.  Meanwhile 
the  contagion  spread  among  the  older  settlers,  five  of  whom  dieil. 
Among  the  immigrants  the  plague  at  this  first  outbreak  claimed 
ten  lives. 

At  length  the  local  authorities  awoke  to  the  necessity  of  strenuous 
and  systematic  measures  to  check  the  ravages  of  the  disease.  For  that 
purpose  a  temporary  hospital  was  hastily  erected  of  boards  at  a  healthy 
and  picturesque  spot  in  the  woods  nortli  of  St.  Charles.  Several  women 
volunteered  as  nurses  and  provided  everything  needed  for  the  patients. 
But  despite  the  best  efforts  of  the  community  the  epidemic  was  not 
checked  \nitil  soventy-five  ])crsons  had  sucoimbed. 

A  small  party  of  Swedes  came  to  St.  Charles  in  1853,  including 
Peter  Lundgren,  from  Bottnaryd,  Smaland.  John  Carlsson,  from  Aske- 
ryd,  in  the  same  province,  Peter  Limdquist,  Fredrik  Pettersson,  and 
August  Nord.  Lundquist  afterwards  removed  to  Rockford  and  Pet- 
tersson to  Nebraska.  In  the  surrounding  country  a  number  of  Swedes 
early  settled  down  as  farmers. 

In  1853  a  Swedish  Lutlieran  congregation  was  organized  in  St. 
Charles,  but  its  growth  was  deterred  by  litigation  over  the  question  of 
ownership  of  the  aforesaid  church.  An  Irishman  named  Marvin  took 
almost  forcible  possession  of  the  edifice  in  settlement  of  claims  against 
the  congregation,  so  that  when  its  members  came  to  celebrate  early 
mass  on  Cliristmas  morning,  1854,  they  found  the  doors  of  the  little 
church  tightly  nailed  u]).  One  of  the  intending  worshipers,  niimed 
Jonas  l\Iagnusson,  broke  open  the  door  and  let  the  people  in.  When 
the  congregation  came  to  worship  on  Easter  Sunday  the  following  year 
they  discovei'od  that  tlic  (■dificc  liad  been  moved  away  on  rollers,  and 
from  that  time  ^larvin  seems  to  have  had  midisputed  jiossession. 

Fi'diii  I  Ills  lime  until  ISS'J  the  Swedish  Ijutherans  in  St.  Charles 
woi'siiiped   l(i^'rl  licf   Willi   I  heir  lii-el  lireii    in   (Seiievii.     That    venr  ii   new 


KNUXVII.I.lv 


317 


congregation  was  organized  in  St.  Charles,  and  a  cluircli  was  Imilt  the 
following  year.    During  1905  a  new  and  larger  edifice  was  erected. 

As  early  as  1853  S.  B.  Newman,  a  Methodist  clergj-nian,  organized 
a  small  Swedish  class  in  St.  Charles,  which  soon  disbanded  owing  to 
the  prevailing  hostility  to  Methodism  among  the  Swedish  settlers. 
Again  in  1890  the  Methodists  began  work,  resulting  in  the  organization 
of  a  small  congregation.    A  church  edifice  was  erected  in  1904. 

During  the  last  two  decades  the  Swedish  population  of  St.  Charles 
has  slowly  biit  steadily  grown,  partly  by  immigration  from  Sweden, 
but  principally  from  people  moving  in  from  other  localities.  At  the 
close  of  1905  they  numbered  about  1,500,  out  of  a  total  population 
of  2,675. 


knoxville:,  knox  county 

Knoxville  is  the  oldest  town  in  Knox  County,  having  been  founded 
in  1831.  During  the  first  two  years  of  its  existence  the  place  was 
known  as  Henderson.  For  many  years  it  was  the  county  seat  until  the 
more  prosperous  city  of  Galesburg  laid  claim  to  the  honor.  A  bitter 
fight  ensued,  Ivnoxville  vigorously  defending  the  right  once  granted, 
while  Galesburg  claimed  it  as  the  prerogative  of  the  principal  city  in 
the  county  and  was  ultimately  victorious.  One  day  in  1873,  the  ques- 
tion having  been  settled,  the  archives  of  the  coimty  were  removed  to 
Galesburg,  whei*e  they  have  since  remained.  In  the  fight  for  the  county 
seat  none  took  a  more  active  part  than  Sven  Pettersson  of  Knoxville. 
who  sacrificed  both  time  and  money  in  behalf  of  Knoxville  as  the  seat 
of  the  county  government.  The  part  played  by  the  liquor  traffic  in  the 
rivalry  between  the  two  communities  is  described  mider  the  head  of 
Galesbiu'g. 

Prior  to  1849,  there  were  no  Swedes  in  Ivnoxville.  but  that  year 
several  located  there,  among  whom  were  two  shoemakers.  Adolf  An- 
dersson  and  one  Bostrom.  The  latter  left  in  1850,  Andersson  remain- 
ing until  1853.  Simultaneous  with  these  two  were  other  settlers, 
among  whom  one  Tinglof  with  his  family,  Kristian  Johnson,  A.  Berg- 
quist,  a  farmer,  and  Trued  Persson,  a  schoolmaster  from  Stoby,  Skane, 
known  as  Granville  among  the  Americans  of  Knoxville  and  Galesburg. 
He  removed  to  Vasa,  Minn.,  in  November,  1855,  where  he  attained 
prominence,  was  elected  to  the  state  legislature  and  held  other  positions 
of  trust.  He  died  there  Dec.  27,  1905.  One  Daniel  J.  Ockersou  came  to 
Knoxville  in  1851,  went  to  California  in  1859  and  removed  to  Red  Oak. 
la.,  in  1880.  The  same  year  Ockerson  came.  John  Gottrich  located  in 
Knoxville  and  in  1880  was  the  onlj'  one  of  the  early  Swedish  settlers 
still  living  there.  The  aforesaid  Sven  Pettersson  arrived  in  1852  as  did 
a  considerable  nimiber  of  Swedes.     The  influx  was  steadilv  on  the 


3i8 


ICARI.Y    SICrriJvMKNTS 


iDcrease,  and  in  1854  the  Swedes  formed  a  considerable  part  of  the 
population. 

That  year  the  cholera  broke  out  in  Knoxville,  its  ravages  being 
mostly  confined  to  the  Swedes,  forty  of  whom  died  of  the  pestilence. 
The  fact  that  the  Americans  generally  escaped  is  attributed  to  their 
more  sanitary  dwellings.  As  poor  immigrants,  the  Swedes,  on  the 
contrary,  had  to  be  satisfied  with  little  stuffj'  huts;  besides,  they  were 
imaccustomed  to  the  climate  and  did  not  know  how  to  accommodate 
their  diet  to  the  circumstances.    The  lack  of  proper  sheltering  resulted 


Knoxville — Street  Scene 


from  the  lack  of  money,  for  while  there  was  plenty  of  work  to  be  had. 
the  i)ay  was  usually  in  the  form  of  cows,  calves,  sheep  and  pigs. 

P^or  a  period  of  about  twenty  years,  from  1852,  there  was  a  rapid 
increase  of  tlie  Swedish  population.  But  in  the  latter  seventies  came  a 
stagnation  whieh  lias  continued  to  this  day.  Tlie  desccn<lants  of  tlie 
old  pioneers,  as  also  the  Swedes  wlio  liave  located  there  in  later  years, 
arc  generally  iirosi)erous  and  belong  to  the  best  portion  of  the  Swedish 
population  of  the  state.  During  the  Civil  ^Yar  the  Knoxville  Swedes 
displayed  their  great  loyalty  to  the  flag  by  enlisting  to  the  number  of 
forty  to  fight  for  the  i)eri)etuation  of  the  Union. 

The  city  has  a  Svvedisli  Lutiicran  church,  one  ol'  tlie  olde.st  in  the 
state,  founded  in  1854.  In  Knoxville  there  was  jirintcd,  in  December, 
1854,  the  first  issue  of  "Gamla  och  Nya  Ilemlandet,"  the  oldest 
Swedisii  newspajier  in  the  West  and  the  next  oldest  in  the  I'liited 
States.    The  first  number  was  dated  Jan.  :?.  1855. 

l'"roiii   1S7.{  lo  iSSf),  Kiiowilli'  bad  a  Swedish   institution  of  learn- 


WATACiA 


319 


ing,  the  Atiswai-iiis  ('(>lIojr<\  owned  and  controlled  by  the  Ansgarius 
S}-uod.  The  lotal  population  of  Kuoxville  in  1!)U0  was  1,857.  The 
number  of  Swedes  cannot  be  precisely  stated.  The  membership  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Clnu-ch  at  the  beginning  of  the  year  1905  was  280, 
and  the  total  number  of  Swedes  in  the  city  will  not  exceed  850. 

WATAGA,   KNOX    COUNTY 

The  little  town  of  Wataga  is  situated  in  Sparta  townshij),  its  first 
white  inhabitant  having  been  Hezekiah  Buford,  who  located  there  in 
1834.  Two  years,  later  came  three  brothers,  Cyrus,  Levy  and  Reuben 
Robbins,  who  planted  a  grove  of  shade-trees  and  a  large  orchard, 
known  as  Robbin's  Grove. 

The  first  Swedish  settlers  arrived  in  1849.  They  were :  Lars  01s- 
son,  with  family,  from  Bollnas,  Helsingland;  Peter  Ericksson,  with 
wife  and  two  sisters-in-law.  from  Alfta,  Helsingland;  Olof  Palsson  and 
.\nders  Danielsson  from  Ockelbo,  Gestrikland.  The  first  named  died 
in  1864,  having  lived  long  enough  to  reap  the  fruits  of  his  labors  as  a 
pioneer.  One  of  his  sons.  Wm.  H.  Olson  enlisted  as  a  vohmteer  in 
Company  I,  102nd  Illinois  Infantry  on  Aug.  9,  1862.  He  was  soon  pro- 
moted to  corporal  and  died  March  26,  1865,  from  wounds  received  in 
battle.  His  brother,  L.  W.  Olson,  died  in  1907.  In  1880  he  was  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Olson  and  Bergman.  Two  of  his  sisters  were 
also  living  at  that  time.  Peter  Ericksson,  his  wife  and  one  of  her 
sisters  after  a  feAV  years  moved  to  Bishop  Hill,  where  all  died  prior  to 
1880.  Olof  Palsson  moved  first  to  Minnesota  and  then  to  Kansas. 
Anders  Danielsson  was  still  living  in  Wataga  in  the  early  eighties. 

In  1850  N.  J.  Lindbeck  came  over  from  Ockelbo  and  settled  two 
miles  east  of  Wataga;  also  Jonas  Pettersson  and  his  wife  from  Alfta, 
the  Williamson  family  from  Jerfso,  Helsingland,  and  Lars  Williams 
from  Ljusdal,  in  the  same  province.  Lindbeck  left  after  nine  months' 
stay,  subsequently  moving  from  one  place  to  another,  finally  settling 
at  Victoria,  where  he  was  still  living  in  1880.  Jonas  Pettersson  died 
after  a  few  years,  but  his  widow  and  children,  two  sons  and  three 
daughters,  were  still  living  there  in  1880.  The  head  of  the  Williamson 
family  died  in  1885.  His  five  sons  all  became  prominent  citizens  in 
their  respective  communities.  William  Williamson  went  to  farming  on 
a  large  scale  near  Wataga,  owning  over  400  acres  of  land  in  1880,  a 
general  merchandise  store  in  Galesburg  and  a  large  interest  in  the 
grocery  store  of  Nelson  Chester  &  Co.,  in  Moline.  Jonas  Williamson 
at  that  time  also  owned  a  large  farm  near  Wataga.  The  third  brother, 
Peter  Williamson,  had  a  valuable  farm  in  Lucas  county,  la.  The  fourth, 
John  Williamson  in  1862  enlisted  in  Company  K,  83rd  Illinois  Infantry, 
was  wounded  and  received  honorable  discharge  the  following  year. 


320 


KARI.Y    SinTI.KMF.N'rS 


dying  shortly  after  his  return  home.  Moses  0.  Williamson,  the  fifth  of 
the  brothers,  born  on  the  Atlantic  during  the  voyage  of  the  family  to 
America,  began  his  career  a.s  a  harness-maker  and  later  devoted  himself 
to  polities,  rising  from  one  position  to  another  until  elected  to  the  office 
of  state  treasurer.  After  serving  one  term.  l!)()l-li)04.  he  retired  fron* 
public  life  and  established  himself  in  business  in  Galesburg  where  he 
has  resided  for  a  long  period.  A  sister  of  the  Williamson  brothers 
married  W.  C.  Olson,  who,  after  many  years'  residence  in  Wataga. 
where  he  held  several  pui)lic  offices,  i-cniovcd  to  Wakeeney.  Kans..  some 
time  in  the  seventies. 

Wataga  was  founded  in  1855  by  an  American  by  the  nam(>  of 
J.  il.  Ilolyoke  and  a  Swede  named  A.  P.  Cassel,  who  jointly  established 
a  general  merchandise  store.  The  next  year  the  place  got  a  railway 
station  and  a  hotel.  Rich  coal  veins  were  early  discovered  in  this 
vicinity  and  the  work  of  mining  began  forthwith.  The  coal  mining 
industry  was  at  its  height  here  about  the  middle  of  the  fifties,  when 
the  mines  employed  250  workingmen ;  after  that  it  declined,  causing 
the  floating  popvlation,  a  large  percentage  being  Swedish  laborers,  to 
drift  away  to  other  localities.  Those  of  the  Swedes  who  had  been  able 
to  purchase  land  remained,  as  a  rule,  and  in  time  became  well-to-do. 
A  few  engaged  in  business  with  uniform  success. 

A  Swedish  Lutheran  church  was  organized  here  in  ISSG  and  a 
Swedish  Methodist  church  the  year  following.  Neither  church  is 
numerically  strong,  the  former  numbering  245  and  the  latter  only  26 
members.  In  1900  Wataga  had  545  inhabitants.  The  percentage  of 
Swedish-Americans  in  the  town  ami  tlic  surrounding  country  can  only 
be  conjectured. 

SWEDONA.    MEIRCER    COUNTY 

Tlic  I  own  of  Swedona  was  first  known  as  Berlin.  It  is  situated 
on  a  iilatoau  commanding  a  view  of  the  plains  stretching  to  the  south 
and  di-ained  by  the  Edward's  Creek.  The  growth  of  Swedona  was 
stunted  from  the  first  by  the  lack  of  railway  communication.  New 
Windsor,  Lynn  and  other  neighboi-ing  towns  developed  at  its  expense, 
a  nunilier  of  houses  licing  movcil  from  Swedona  to  these  jilaccs.  No 
other  factors  requisite  to  development  having  since  came  into  exist- 
ence, the  ()lacc  is  still  but  a  small  village.  The  country  around  is  popu- 
lous with  successful  fanners,  largely  Swedes. 

The  first  Swede  in  Swedona.  inidoubtedly,  was  Nils  Magiuis  Kilil- 
berg  from  Kisa,  (istergotlatul,  who  came  over  with  a  party  of  .'100 
emigrants  on  board  the  sailing  vessel  "Charles  Toltie,"  in  the  siunmer 
of  184!),  after  a  seven  weeks'  voyage  from  floteborg  to  New  York. 
Their  original  destination   was  New  Sweden,    la.,   wlwri-   IVter  Ca.ssel 


A  I, TON  A  321 

liiiil  settled,  liiit  llie  ehdlei'ii  and  other  diseases  erossed  tlieir  ))iirjjijse 
and  eompelled  tliem  to  stop  in  Andover  and  \ieinity.  Late  in  the 
autumn.  Kililberg  .started  for  New  Sweden.  l)ut  while  in  Roek  Tshind 
awaitinj?  a  lioat  for  Burlington  he  changed  his  mind  and  returned  to 
Andover.  Shortly  afterwards  be  located  at  Swedona  with  his  family, 
consisting  of  wife  and  three  .sons.  In  1880  Kihlbei-g  and  hi.s  wife  were 
still  living.  The  year  following  the  arrival  of  Kililberg,  other  Swedes 
settled  here.  They  were  Gustaf  Larsson  and  Anders  Samuelsson  from 
Sund.  Ostergotland,  the  former  with  wife  and  three  daughters.  Lars- 
son  died  in  the  seventies.  Samuelsson  later  removed  to  the  vicinity  of 
Caml)ridge,  Henry  county.  In  1857  still  another  family  was  added, 
that  of  Peter  Magnusson  from  Ydre,  Ostergotland.  with  wife  and  five 
children.  Magnusson  died  late  in  the  seventies ;  one  of  his  sons  became 
one  of  the  most  prominent  farmers  in  the  locality,  and  two  daughters 
successively  married  Rev.  L.  P.  Esbjorn. 

After  1870,  parties  of  immigrants,  mostly  from  Smalaud,  began  to  • 
arrive  and  settle  in  Swedona.     The  largest  influx  seems  to  have  oc- 
curred in   1865.   or  thereabouts,   when  a  number  of  fairly  well-to-do 
families   arrived    and   made    extensive   land   purchases    in   the   neigh- 
borhood. 

The  Swedish  Methodists  were  on  the  ground  as  early  as  1855. 
when  a  mission  was  established,  but  not  until  18(>1  did  the  congrega- 
tion get  its  own  jiastor. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  Swedona  was  founded  in  1859. 
Among  its  early  pastors  was  Rev.  A.  Andreen.  one  of  the  pioneers  of 
the  Augustana  Synod,  and  father  of  Gustav  Andreen,  president  of 
Augustana  College,  and  Revs.  Philip  and  Alexis  Andreen.  all  ministers 
of  the  Augustana  Synod. 

While  Swedona  had  a  population  of  111.  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  there  numbered  490  at  the  close  of  1905,  the  majority  living  in 
Cable  and  Sherrard  and  in  the  country  roundabout  Swedona.  The 
Swedish  Methodists  are  36  in  number,  some  living  in  New  Windsor. 
In  the  Swedona  neighliorhood  there  were  in  1905  approximately  250 
people  without  church  connections. 

ALTONA,    HENRY    COUNTY 

The  first  white  man  in  Altona  was  John  Thompson,  who  came 
there  in  1836.  His  nearest  white  neighbor  was  living  in  Franker 's 
Grove,  eleven  miles  away.  After  a  few  years  a  number  of  [Mormons 
located  in  the  neighborhoi)d.  Joseph  Smith,  their  ]irophet.  had  had  a 
revelation  to  the  effect  that  here  an  auxiliary  colony  of  the  Latter  Day 
Saints  was  to  be  founded,  the  principal  one  being  at  Nauvoo.  The 
branch  colony  numbered  about  one  hundred  persons.     The  neiglibors 


322 


KARi.v  si:'rn,i:Mi:NTs 


having  given  tlic  Mormons  due  notice  that  tliey  i-ouki  not  count  on 
security  of  life  and  property,  the  prophet  liad  another  rcvelatiou  with 
orders  to  the  branch  colony  to  reunite  with  the  main  Itody  at  Nauvoo. 
which  was  done. 

The  first  schoolhouse  in  this  vicinity  was  built  in  1841.  When 
the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincy  Railway  was  built  through  this 
locality  one  J.  B.  Chambers,  who  furnished  the  railroad  laborers  with 
provisions,  built  a  store  on  the  present  site  of  Altona,  which  was  sub- 
sequently platted  in  IS'A  by  the  heirs  of  John  Thompson,  who  named 
the  place  La  Piir.  the  name  of  Altona  dating  from  1863. 


Altona     .Main  Strii-l 

The  first  Swede  to  settle  here  was  Anders  Snygg  from  Hergsjii, 
Ilelsiiiglaiid.  with  wife  and  four  ehildren.  The  family  had  emigrated 
in  1841)  and  setth^d  in  N'ieloria.  The  year  following  Snygg  Itougiit  4(1 
acres  of  land  lliree-quarters  of  a  mile  nortii  of  Altona  and  moved  there 
with  his  family.  Shortly  after  the  I'emoval.  Snygg  was  taken  siek  and. 
after  a  lingei-ing  ilisease  of  five  years'  duration,  died.  His  widtiw  was 
still  living  in  1880,  at  the  age  of  seventy.  One  son.  .Vnders  IVter 
Snygg,  was  then  living  in  Dayton,  la.,  one  daughter  was  married  and 
lived  ill  Des  .Moines,  and  another  daughter  was  married  to  an  Ameriean 
liy  the  name  of  Shade,  in  Oneida.  III. 

Th(!  first  Swedes  to  settle  in  Altona  next  after  Snygg  were  1*, 
I'ettersnii  and  his  brother  (!.  A,  Krieksson  fri>m  Djur.sdala.  Smalaud. 
The  fiirnici-  had  lii'en  living  for  some  years  in  .Moline,  where  he  wjis 
r.'iniiirig  fur  a   lime  ainl   tlicii   engaged   in   business.     These  men.   who 


AI/roNA 


323 


located  liei-e  in  1850,  proved  very  cnter|)risiiig,  their  first  eoncern  after 
arrival  being  to  erect  a  combined  Hour  mill,  sawmill  and  planing  mill 
riui  by  steam.  A  litlle  later  they  built  a  blacksmith  shop,  a  wagon 
shop  and  a  cooper  shop.  Not  satisfied  with  this,  they  started  a  large 
general  store,  which  supplied  the  neighborhood  with  all  the  necessaries. 
After  nine  yeare  Erieksson  moved  to  Iowa.  His  brother  Petterson  con- 
tinued all  the  various  lines  of  business  luitil  1862,  when  he  sold  the 
flour  mill  to  Olof  Andersson,  shortly  afterwards  rejoining  his  brother 
in  Iowa.  One  Anders  Johnson  for  a  time  had' charge  of  the  wagon 
shop,  Avhich  was  subsequently  removed  to  Andover.  One  A.  ^I.  Liinner, 
who  later  removed  to  iVndover,  was  bookkeeper  for  the  Petterson 
brother  and  Erieksson  from  1853  to  1859. 

Another  early  Swedish  settler  in  Altona  was  Nils  J.  Liudback,  who 
came  in  1854.  remaining  only  a  few  years  and  then  moving  to  a  farm 
east  of  Victoria.  The  marriage  interdict  in  effect  in  Bishop  Hill  at  this 
time  caused  many  young  people  to  desert  that  colony  and  settle  in 
surrounding  places,  including  Altona.  Among  the  Erik  Janssonists  who 
located  in  Altona  in  1855  were  Erik  Liudvall  and  his  wife  Helena, 
John  Soderstrom  and  his  wife  Louisa,  Erik  Hart,  Hans  Lindgren,  John 
Granat  and  G.  E.  Rodeeu.  This  party  at  first  engaged  in  briekmaking 
near  Altona.  The  two  married  couples  made  their  homes  in  Altona 
proper.  In  1858  Lindvall  got  work  in  a  flour  mill,  very  likely  that  of 
Petterson  and  Eriksson,  and  afterwards  established  a  wagon  shop, 
which  he  conducted  so  suecessfiflly  that  it  made  him  wealthy  in  a 
modest  way.  Soderstrom  for  some  years  had  owned  and  operated 
a  brick  yard  west  of  Altona,  then  moved  to  the  Galva  neighborhood 
and  rented  a  farm,  still  later  removing  to  Osage  county,  Kansas,  where 
he  was  living  for  mam^  years  as  one  of  the  most  prosperous  farmers 
of  the  state.  Erik  Hast  went  to  California;  Hans  Lindgren  moved  to 
a  farm  near  Ulah,  Henry  county;  John  Granat  went  to  Galesburg, 
where  he  was  still  living  as  late  as  1880,  and  6.  E.  Eocleen  died  in  the 
Civil  War,  while  serving  in  Company  D,  57th  Illinois  Infantry. 

In  1858  I\Ir.  and  Mrs.  Youngstrom  moved  to  Altona  from  Pleasant 
Hill,  Ky.,  where  they  had  belonged  for  a  few  years  to  the  Shaker  sect, 
after  leaving  Bishop  Hill  in  1854.  Youngstrom  still  lived  in  Altona  in 
1880. 

The  first  Swedish  church  in  Altona  was  the  Lutheran,  organized 
in  1854.  In  the  sixties  its  membership  grew' very  large,  but  in  the 
seventies  a  general  exodus  to  the  West  caused  a  material  decrease 
which,  however,  has  been  more  than  outweighed  by  normal  growth 
in  the  later  decades. 

A  Swedish  Baptist  church  was  foimded  in  1858.  and  is  still  extant, 
according  to  the  records  of  the  denomination,  but  no   statistics   are 


324  EARLY    SKTTLKMKXTS 

therein  given.  This  iIuuhIi  also  lost  members  during  the  emigration 
farther  westward.  lu  1887  a  Swedish  Mission  church  was  organ- 
ized, but  meeting  with  no  success,  the  little  flock  soon  disbanded. 

In  the  Altona  country  district  there  was  an  early  influx  of  Swcdisli 
farmers.  The  first  was  George  Chalmau,  who  came  in  1851  or  1852. 
and  was  still  living  in  1880.  Other  of  the  earliest  settlers  were  Peter 
Newberg,  Nils  lledstriim.  L.  Carlsson,  E.  Kraus.  P.  OLsson  and  Georg 
Eriksson.  Shortly  after  1860  a  considerable  number  of  Swedes  settled 
to  the  north  and  northwest  of  Altona. 

In  1905  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  Altona  numbered  450  out 
of  a  total  Swcdisli  po]inl;ition  of  7(10.  Altona 's  total  population  was 
633  in  1900. 

ROCKFORD.    WINNEIBAGO    COUNTY 

That  portion  of  the  state  which  is  now  Winnebago  county  was. 
like  the  whole  northern  part  of  Illinois,  little  known  to  the  whites  pri<u- 
to  the  Black  Hawk  War  of  1832.  The  first  spot  in  tliis  territory 
settled  by  whites  was  Galena,  then  named  La  Pointe.  One  Col.  Johnson 
from  Kentucky  came  tliere  in  1824  with  a  number  of  miners  and 
Kpeiicd  a  coal  mine  about  a  mile  from  the  present  site  of  the  city.  The 
eiiter|)risc  jjroved  very  successful  and  wlien  the  lu'ws  spread  hiuidreds. 
not  to  say  thousands,  in  182()-7  tlocked  there  from  all  parts  of  Illinois 
and  neighboring  states  to  seek  work  in  the  coal  mines. 

Partly  in  this  way.  ]>artly  tlirongh  tliose  who  fought  in  the  Black 
Hawk  War.  wliieh  extended  to  these  parts,  the  Hock  Uivcr  valley  was 
made  known.  One  of  the  first  wliilc  men  wlio  set  foot  on  the  iirescnt 
site  of  Ivockford  was  Ira  Parker,  who  eame  in  1824  with  a  party  of 
landseekers  from  Terre  Ilaiite.  Iiid.  On  their  way  to  (Jalena.  they 
crossed  the  Rock  Hiver  here  and  al  this  point  founil  an  Indian  village 
with  3(10  to  400  inhabitants.  Only  the  wonum  and  children  and  a  few 
of  tlie  men  wei'e  found  at  liome,  all  the  others  being  on  the  war  path. 
'I'lic  liills  on  lioth  sides  of  the  river  were  covered  with  tiiiidc  tindter  and 
in  I  lie  valleys  the  grass  grow  to  a  man's  height.  The  scenery  that  met 
I  lie  pai-t>-  of  whites  at  this  point  was  inviting  and  higldy  picturcs(iue. 

Ilnl  Ira  I'arker  and  his  party  were  not  the  only  whiles  who  visited 
this  place  before  the  settlement  of  Rockford  began.  Shortly  after  the 
Blai'k  Hawk  War.  Abrahnm  Lincoln,  possibly  in  the  rapacity  of 
surveyor,  and  a  party  of  government  otVieials  camped  on  the  Hock 
River  a)  this  point,  and  he  .il'lerwards  said  that  both  he  and  Ihi' 
pai-ly   were  eliarno'd  with  llie  natural   beauly  of  the  loeality. 

In  thi'  sinnmcr  of  1S3,'{,  one  .lohri  Phelps  resolved  to  (>xplore  llic 
Koek  Uivcr  valley  tliroiiglioul.  .Veeompiinii'd  hy  a  l'"renchman.  he  left 
.Mineral   Point    in   a   eanoe  and   made  a   stop  on  the  present   site  of  the 


R(  )CKII  )KII 


325 


city;  One  of  tlio  explorci-s  was  in  lavor  of  scttliiij;  011  the  spot  at,  once, 
hut  tlierc  Ix'iiig  no  l)uililiiiK  material  at  hand,  they  proceeded  on  their 
way  down  stream.  These  two  men  liccame  the  first  white  settlers  at 
Oregon,  in  Oiilc  county. 

Several  years  before  I'helps  iiiade  his  tour  i_lo\vu  tiie  river,  the  first 
white  had  settled  in  Winnebago  coivuty  and  built  a  cabin  one  and 
one-half  miles  fi'om  the  mouth  of  the  Pecatonica  Kiver,  at  a  point 
afterwards  known  as  Bird's  Grove.  This  man  was  Stephen  Mack,  a 
son  of  an  ex-ott'icer  in  the  army  who  lived  in  the  East  and  carried  on 
an  extensive  fur  trade.  Stephen  ilaek  was  boni  in  Vermont,  where 
he  received  his  early  education,  afterwards  entering  Dartmouth 
College  at  Hanover.  N.  H.  Being  a  roysterer  to  whom  discipline  was 
irksome,  he  soon  left  for  home.  His  father  then  sent  him  to  the  AVest 
to  superintend  his  fur  trade  there.  One  day  while  alone  in  his  cabin, 
he  was  attacked  by  Winnebago  Indians,  and  left  for  dead.  He  would 
doubtless  have  perished,  had  not  the  daughter  of  Chief  Ho-no-ne-gah 
remained  and  given  him  the  most  tender  care.  She  afterward  became 
his  wife  and  bore  him  four  sons  and  four  daughters.  Two  of  the 
daughters  later  attended  the  Rockford  Seminary,  but  their  wild  dis- 
position and  their  hatred  of  the  whites  soon  cai;sed  their  dismissal 
from  the  institution.  They  then  rejoined  the  Winnebago  tribe  which 
had  been  compelled  to  withdraw  to  Minnesota. 

Stephen  ilaek  was  a  tall,  stately  looking  man  with  the  air  and 
manner  of  the  man  of  the  world.  His  Indian  wife  died  in  1847.  The 
following  year  he  was  married  to  a  white  woman.  She  was  addicted  to 
drink  and  made  life  miserable  for  her  husband.  One  day.  while  under 
the  influence  of  liquor,  she  set  fire  to  their  cabin,  which  was  partially 
destroyed.  These  sorrows  and  perplexities  proved  too  much  for  ilack, 
who  was  laid  on  a  sickbed  from  which  he  never  arose.  He  was  buried 
side  by  side  with  his  first  wife  in  a  spot  near  his  cabin. 

Among  the  early  settlers  here  we  find  Germanicus  Rent  from 
Alabama,  Thatcher  Blake  from  I\Iaine  and  Daniel  Haight,  who  lived 
on  what  is  now  known  as  the  east  side.  A  dam  constructed  across 
the  river  by  Rent  was  swept  away  in  January,  1835,  but  rebuilt  the 
following  July.  At  that  time  there  were  only  eleven  persons  living  in 
IMidway.  as  the  place  was  called  on  account  of  its  location  half-way 
between  Chicago  and  Galena.  By  fall  the  number  had  increased  to 
twenty-seven.  Ephraim  Wyman,  born  in  Lancaster,  Mass.,  in  1809 
was  one  of  the  eai'ly  settlers,  coming  here  Sept.  21,  1835.  In  the  woods 
on  the  east  side  of  the  river  there  were  living  about  750  Pottawatomie 
Indians  and  on  the  Pecatonica  River  about  700  Winnebagoes.  For- 
tunately for  the  settlers,  these  redskins  were  very  quiet  and  peaceable. 
Tile  nearest   srarrison  was  at  Fort  Winnebago   on  the  Fox  River,   in 


326  EARLY    SK'ITLKMKNTS 

Wisconsin,  and  from  there  assistance  eould  not  liave  been  dispat*'hed 
in  time  to  protect  the  whites  in  the  event  of  an  uprising. 

The  number  of  settlers  steadily  increased,  and  in  1836  they  were 
sufficiently  numerous  to  organize  the  county,  which  was  named  Winne- 
bago after  the  neighl)oring  Indian  tribe.  For  some  time  afterward, 
the  settlei-s  were  subject  to  liardships  and  dangers  of  frontier  life  here 
as  elsewhere  in  the  western  wilderness.  A  band  of  outlaws,  known  as 
the  "Red  Robbers,"  or  "Prairie  Bandits,"  operated  in  these  parts 
from  1836  to  1839,  striking  terror  to  the  settlers  and  making  the 
neighborhood  generally  unsafe.  Robberies  and  other  flagrant  crimes 
were  of  frequent  occurrence,  travelers  between  Midway  and  Galena 
being  especially  exposed  to  outlawry. 

The  first  merchandise  store  in  Rockford  was  opened  b>-  John  E. 
Vance  on  the  east  side  of  the  river,  not  far  from  the  spot  where  tlie 
railway  station  now  stands.  Shortl.v  afterward.  E.  II.  Potter  and  one 
Preston  opened  a  store  in  a  frame  building  near  tlie  present  corner  of 
State  and  JIain  streets.  These  were  soon  followed  by  others,  mostly 
located  on  the  east  side.  Year  by  year  business  grew,  and  in  1848  a 
bank  named  the  Winnebago  Bank  was  established  by  the  firm  of 
Robertson,  Holland  and  Coleman.  Two  years  later,  or  only  about 
sixteen  years  after  the  arrival  of  the  first  white  settlers,  the  place  had 
1,500  inliabitants,  and  in  tlie  next  three  years  tliis  number  was  trebled, 
owing  doubtless  to  tlie  completion  to  Rockford  of  the  Chicago  and 
Galena  Railway,  now  a  part  of  the  Nortlnvostcrn  system.  Realty  values 
rose  rapidly.  A  new  and  larger  dam  was  constructed  across  the  Hock 
River  in  the  fifties  for  the  generation  of  water  power  for  mechanical 
purposes.  A  couple  of  saw  mills  were  the  first  industrial  establisli- 
mciits,  but  gradually  various  small  factories  grew  up — the  modest 
forerunners  of  the  big  industrial  plants  of  modern  Rockford.  During 
the  first  few  yeai"s  the  inhabitants  wishing  to  cross  the  Rock  Hiver 
generally  forded  the  stream,  entailiiig  many  accidental  drownings. 
Fatalities  were  not  materially  decreased  by  tlie  subsequent  system  of 
ferrying.  When  a  bridge  was  built  in  1840  the  river  could  be  crossed 
with  some  degree  of  safety.  Imt  this  bridge  was  far  from  satisfactory. 
The  structui-e  was  a  rickety  affair  that  inuhibited  like  tliin  ice  undi-r 
tlie  feel  (if  passengers  and  sagged  like  a  hammock  under  heavier 
weight.  Ill  s])ite  of  constant  tlireats  to  give  way.  it  stood  all  tests  \iiilil 
rej)Iaced  by  a  more  substantial  wooden  sli-iictiire.  whieli  in  turn  irave 
way  to  a  modern  steel  bridge. 

In  1880  file  city  had  13,12!)  inhabitants;  in  ISiU)  tiie  luniil'cr  liad 
grown  to  23,584  and  in  IHOO  to  31,051.  In  the  last  named  year  tlie  city 
had  24()  industrial  establishments  of  difTerent  kinds,  with  an  aggregate 
ea|iitali/ali(>ii  of  .i!?,?  15,06!),  5,223  workingiiieii  and  an  amiiial  produc- 


ROCKl-DRI) 


327 


tiou  valued  at  $8,888,904.  The  chief  products  of  tlie  Rockford  in- 
dustries are  furuitiu-e,  hosiery,  agricultural  implements,  pianos,  sewing 
machines  and  machinery  and  tools.  Secondary  in  order  are,  paper, 
flour,  grape  sugar,  matches,  plated  ware,  etc. 

To  the  Swedish-Americans  it  is  a  satisfaction  to  know  that  of  all 
foreign  nationalities  represented  in  Rockford  the  Swedes  have  had  the 
greatest  share  in  the  rapid  development  of  the  city  industrially,  com- 
mercially and  otherwise.  It  is  even  a  question  whether  they  have  not 
surpassed  the  native  Americans  in  these  respects.  All  the  way  from 
the  early  fifties,  Swedes  have  been  living  here.    During  the  la.st  three 


"^^  i»ci^^^^»j^^^^^ ^^fc ^^^^^^^?"^^3^^W-— k. 

If^^JPWIWB       -     Bt- 

;^f  - j«^^^*  ^at    IB    ^^    ^^     -MiHiKaqfyj 

Rockford — River  \'ie\v 


decades  they  have  formed  the  pith  of  the  working  population  in  the 
city,  and  from  twenty  years  back  the  Swedish-Americans  constitute  a 
considerable  percentage  of  the  manufacturers  and  businessmen  of 
Rockford.  Industrious  and  thrifty  as  a  rule,  the}"  have  generally  worked 
in  the  employ  of  others  until  acquiring  a  competence,  when  they  have 
combined  into  co-operative  companies  for  the  purpose  of  furniture 
manufacture  or  carrying  on  other  lines  of  industry,  thereby  becoming 
employers  and  themselves  reaping  the  profits.  Wide-awake  and  intel- 
ligent, as  they  are,  they  have  made  many  practical  inventions,  thereby 
simplifying  processes,  reducing  the  cost  of  production  and  increasing 
the  efficiencj'  of  labor  and  machinery.  Naturally  saving  and  provident, 
they  have  established  a  building  and  loan  association  whereby  many 
have  become  the  owners  of  comfortable  homes.  A  number  of  sick 
benefit  and  funeral  aid  societies  have  been  organized,  lending  econom- 
ical assistance  of  no  mean  importance  to  families  suddenly  stricken 
bv  misfortune. 


328  i:ARI.V    SKTTI.KMKNrS 

Tlif  spiritiia!  care  of  tlie  Kockford  Swedes  is  well  provided  fvir. 
Ileligious  work  has  been  carried  on  among  them  ever  sinee  pioneer 
days,  and  tlure  are  now  no  less  than  half  a  dozen  Swedisii  ehurehes. 
iiiDst  of  these  having  a  large  membership  and  owning  valuable 
|ii-.)pcrty. 

They  have  always  evinced  a  live  interest  in  educational  work  jkkI 
given  liberal  support  both  to  the  purely  American  schools  and  tlie 
specifically  Swedisli-Americaii  institutions  of  learning.  Many  are  the 
Sweilish  young  men  from  Kockford  who,  after  completing  the  pre- 
scribed courses,  have  entered  the  service  of  the  church  or  devoted 
themselves  to  the  teacher's  calling  or  the  learned  professions.  Several 
Swedisii  uew.spapers  have  been  published  in  Kockford  at  ditferent 
periods.  Swedish  song  is  here  cultivated  with  as  nutch  zest  as  any- 
where in  the  United  States.  Although  not  a  Swedish-American  center 
of  culture  in  the  same  sense  as  Chicago.  Minneapolis.  Xew  York,  and 
Kock  Island,  yet  Kockford  is  an  eminent  factor  for  Swedish-American 
progress.  Its  Swedisii  colony  is  more  homogeneous  than  most  similar 
communities,  malting  the  Swedish  characteristics  more  ]ironounced  here 
than  elsewhere. 

In  1854  the  Swedes  of  Kockford  numbered  approximately  l.OOti, 
in  ]8(i2  about  2,000,  ten  years  later  aliout  ;!,.')00.  and  in  188.')  about 
G,000.  At  the  close  of  ]nO.").  their  cslimatcd  number  was  Ki.OOO,  Assum- 
ing I  hat  tile  Icilal  p(i|)ulat  icin  iiii-rcasi'il  in  the  five  yeai-s  of  1901-5  in  the 
same  ratio  as  in  the  foregoing  census  period,  the  Swedes  of  Kockford 
would  now  constitute  nearly  half  the  population. 

After  taking  this  general  survey,  we  will  review  the  story  of  the 
Swedish  jiioneer  settlers  of  Kockford.  About  ]8.")2  tlie  first  Swedish 
settlers  came  here.  When  John  .Nelson  from  Kiirrakra.  Vestergotland. 
subsequent  inventor  of  a  celebrated  knitting  machine,  came  to  Kockford 
from  St.  Cliai-lcs  tliat  ycai-.  he  I'miiid  alicad  of  him  a  few  Swedish 
families  and  single  men  wliii  had  arrivetl  sliortly  liefore.  Anjong  these 
were  Abraham  .\iidersson  with  his  family  and  a  young  man  named 
Clark,  possilily  the  same  person  mentioned  in  the  earl>'  liislory  of  St. 
(yhai'les.  .Vnderson  soon  left  for  .Miiniesota.  and  Nelson  removed  to 
Elgin  a  few  months  later,  and  from  there  to  Chicago  in  the  spring  of 
185;^.  The  following  autumn  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of  Erik  Nore- 
lius.  then  a  <livinit>'  student,  lived  together  with  him  for  several  months 
and  attended  the  pri\ate  English  school  taui;ht  by  him  in  the  winter 
of  1854.  The  same  year  Xclsun  returned  to  Kockford.  accompanied 
by  Anders  .Johnson  w  hn  hilcr  I'enioved  to  Ni-w  Mexico,  win-re  he  lived 
foi-  Minny  years. 

hiiring  Nelson's  absence  rr-mii  b'ocki'ord  in  ]sy.i  a  number  of 
Swedes  hail   ninM'cl   in.  iiichiiiini;  the  I'ollowing:  Sven   .\ugnst  •lolmson 


RoCKl'Okl)  229 

from  Viiig,  Vi'ster^ollnml.  who  cain(>  over  in  lSr)i2  and  sut)se([nciitiy 
Ix'cainc  a  promiiiciit  business  man  of  Kockford  wlicrc  lie  is  still  living, 
lovcil  and  lionoi-cd  liy  all;  C.  J.  Carlsson.  a  tailoi-,  and  1*.  I'ettersson, 
with  tht'ii-  families,  both  from  Ving;  Peter  Johansson,  or  Johnson,  and 
two  meu,  Liudgren  and  Lundbeck,  both  from  \'esterL;()tlatid.  who  died 
as  pioueer  settlers  in  Minnesota;  Jonas  Larssou  and  Johan  Sparf.  with 
families,  both  from  Olmestad,  Smaland;  Isak  Pettersson,  a  tailt)r  from 
Belli).  Smaland,  all  of  whom  came  in  one  i)arty  from  the  old  country. 

The  Rockford  pioneers  were  beset  with  the  customary  trials  and 
hardships  on  their  wa.v  to  the  new  country  and  after  their  arrival. 
According  to  the  story  told  by  Jonas  Larsson.  the.y  left  Giiteborg  in  a 
small,  filthy  sailing  vessel,  in  which  the  emigrants  were  packed  together 
in  most  lui comfortable  quarters.  A  terrific  storm  at  sea  still  further 
aggravated  their  misfortune,  tossing  the  little  vessel  about  on  giant 
waves,  momentarily  threatening  to  swallow  up  the  frail  craft.  The 
ship  took  the  route  north  of  Scotland,  and  the  captain  asserted  that 
he  had  never  encountered  so  heavy  seas  diu'ing  thirty  j'ears  of  sailing. 
The  ship  was  driven  toward  the  coast  of  Ireland,  apparently  doomed  to 
imminent  destruction.  So  great  was  the  despair  on  board  that  the 
cook  ceased  to  prepare  and  serve  food  to  the  passengers.  When  they 
complained,  they  got  the  grewsome  reply:  "You  have  no  further  need 
of  food:  by  tomorrow  morning  we  will  all  be  at  the  bottom  of  the  sea." 
There  was  nothing  to  do  but  prepare  for  death.  But  the  storm  sub- 
sided, providentially  averting  shipwreck,  and  after  a  voyage  of  five 
weeks  the  ship  made  port  at  Cork,  Ireland.  Here  the  passengers  were 
detained  for  two  and  one-half  months  while  the  ship  was  lightened 
and  repaired.  Then  they  set  out  anew,  on  an  equally  stormy  voyage, 
reaching  the  American  coast  after  another  ten  weeks  spent  on  the 
ocean. 

Ultimately  the  party  reached  Rockford  in  the  fall,  after  a  journey 
lasting  six  months;  but  even  then  their  hardships  were  not  at  an  end. 
Poor  food,  still  poorer  dwellings,  sickness  and  lack  of  work  prolonged 
their  misery.  Wages  were  very  low,  ranging  from  25  cents  to  50  cents 
per  day.  Fortimately,  however,  the  price  of  commodities  was  cheap, 
butter  selling  at  5  cents  per  pound,  and  meat  at  3  to  4  cents.  Single 
men  could  obtain  board  for  $1.50  per  week.  Even  bibulousness 
was  not  an  expensive  habit  in  those  days,  when  whi.sky  was  to  be  had 
at  15  cents  per  gallon. 

Larssou  and  Sparf  with  their  families  secured  common  lodgings  at 
North  Second  street,  near  the  present  public  square,  at  a  rental  of  $3 
per  month.  Larsson  went  south  that  fall  in  search  of  better  em- 
ployment, but  returned  in  a  few  months  and  remained  in  Rockford. 
About  1890.  he  was  engaged  bv  the  Zion  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  as 


3.30 


EARLY    SETTLEMEXTS 


parochial  school  teacher.  Johan  Sparf.  after  living  in  Rockford 
for  some  time,  purchased  a  farm  near  Davis  Junction,  where  he  suflfered 
from  crop  failures,  but  ultimately  bettered  his  condition  and  in  1868 
bought  a  second  farm  at  Cherry  Valley,  seven  miles  from  Rockford. 
.\()\v  everythinfi  went  well,  and  about  1885  Sparf  was  considered  one 
of  the  most  prosperous  farmers  of  Winnebago  county.  He  died  in 
the  nineties. 

During  the  years  of  1854-5  many  Swedes  came  to  Rockford 
directly  from  their  native  land,  others  after  a  brief  stay  in  Chicago. 
Among  others  we  mention  the  following:  Johannes  Anderson,  shoe- 
maker, arrived  from  Chicago  in  1854;  John  Erlander.  tailor,  arrived 


Rockford — River  l-'roiil 


ill  Iicirkfdril  ill  1S.')5,  having  emigrated  from  Sliitthog,  SmAland.  the 
year  prior;  I'eter  Lindahl.  later  a  grain  dealer;  A.  P.  Petterson,  a 
mechanic,  from  Vadstena;  G.  Hcrgqui.st,  painter,  and  Gustaf  Herglund, 
dyer,  both  from  Vcrmland;  the  former  remained  in  Rockford,  tiie  latter 
removed  first  to  Norwegian  Lake.  Minn.,  thence  to  Water  Valley.  Miss., 
where  he  engaged  in  mainifacture ;  Anders  Iledin.  hatter,  and  Edvard 
"Wallborg,  l)(>tli  from  Vcrmland,  who  accompanied  Herglund  to  Jlinnc- 
sota  and  fiom  there  to  Mississippi,  where  Wallborg  was  draft eil 
for  service  in  the  Confederate  army,  l»ut  escaped  to  Chicago, 
going  from  there  to  Heloil.  Wis.,  where  lie  died;  (lustaf  Scott.  Johan 
Abrahamsson  .inil  .\.  Johnson,  all  of  wIkhii  removed  elsewhere;  .\dolf 
Aiidcrsson.  wlio  lost  iiis  life  in  tiie  war;  Peter  TTAkansson,  shoemaker, 
died  in  188(1;  A.  C.  Jolinson  from  'riirneryd.  Hlekinge,  wlio  came  to 
St.  Charles  in  1854  and  to  Rockford  tiie  following  year,  becoming  the 
|iiciiieei'    riii'iiitiire    iiiamir.'irt iii'cr   (if   tiie   city;   Gustaf   Lnndsrren    frmn 


ROCKl'ORD 


33' 


Snialand   and   Tsak   Liiul<;roii,   who    I'ciiiovcd   to    AikIdvci-,    slill    living 
tlicre  in  18S0. 

Ill  tlie  fifties  Rockford,  like  Chicago,  was  a  stoppiiiK-l'laee  for 
Swedish  imiiiitrrants  going  west  to  buy  land  and  estalilisli  liomes. 
Tills  was  especially  the  ease  in  the  years  \Sii2  to  185().  The  greatest 
iiitlux  of  Swedes  to  Rockford  occurred  in  tlie  decade  of  1856-66. 

Here,  as  clsewliere,  the  inniiigrants  were  sub.iect  to  disease,  eliiefly 
tiio  eliolera.  whieli  claimed  most  of  its  victims  in  1854.  A  few  examples 
of  the  ravages  of  this  messenger  of  death  may  he  here  noted.  At  this 
time  Inga  Christina  Persson  from  Vernarao,  who  later  married  John 
Erlander,  was  a  domestic  in  an  American  family.  One  day  she  saw 
a  cholera  victim  carried  past  the  house  on  the  way  to  the  grave.  It  was 
the  body  of  her  own  mother.  She  had  not  been  notified  of  her  death 
for  fear  that  she  would  hasten  to  the  deathbed,  contract  the  disease 
and  spread  it  to  others.  Her  father  also  died  of  the  plague  about 
the  same  time,  no  notice  being  given  the  daughter,  who  learned  of  his 
death  accidentally,  when  a  friend  called  to  express  her  sympathies  for 
the  orphaned  girl.  The  daughter  herself  had  a  slight  attack  of  the 
cholera,  from  which  she  soon  rallied.  Johannes  Andersson.  the  afore- 
said shoemaker,  one  morning  visited  a  woman  engaged  in  doing  the 
family  washing.  That  very  evening  he  was  requested  to  order  a  casket 
for  her,  she  having  been  .suddenly  stricken  down  by  the  pestilence.  An 
aged  immigrant  one  day  brought  home  a  piece  of  pork  and  placed  it 
in  the  frying-pan,  with  the  remark:  "Now  that  we  are  in  America,  I 
reckon  we'll  have  some  pork."  That  was  his  la,st  meal.  The  next 
morning  he  was  carried  to  the  grave,  having  died  of  cholera  in 
the  night. 

Fortunately  there  were  in  the  city  many  charitable  people  wIkjsc 
hearts  went  out  to  the  sick  and  the  suffering.  Among  those  who  in  this 
dark  hour  showed  themselves  most  sjnnpathetic  and  self-sacrificing. 
Sven  August  Johnson,  John  Nelson  and  Clark,  then  young  men. 
deserve  special  mention.  Among  the  Swedish  settlers,  they  were  the 
most  proficient  in  the  English  language.  Without  fear  of  contagion, 
they  went  from  house  to  house,  bringing  help  and  comfort  to  their 
stricken  countrymen.  Clark  is  said  to  have  solicited  means  among 
the  Americans  for  the  support  of  the  sick  and  the  destitute.  The  Amer- 
icans, too,  showed  great  kindness  toward  the  unfortunate  newcomers. 
An  old  schoolhouse,  situated  near  the  present  public  square  on  the 
east  side,  was  turned  into  an  emergency  hospital,  and  one  Col.  IMarsh 
had  a  barn  adapted  to  the  same  purpose. 

Along  in  the  late  autumn  of  1854  the  epidemic  began  to  subside, 
and  conditions  generally  ini])roved.  Though  nearly  all  poor,  the  Swedes 
were  industrious  and  saving,  enabling  them  not  only  to  earn  a  bare 


3.^2 


KAR i.v  si".'rri,i-;Mi:NTS 


living'.  l)ut  t"  lay  l)y  soiiu'tliiiit;  for  future  use.  ]{y  their  eapaeity  for 
work  and  their  integrity  tliey  soon  gained  the  full  confidence  of  their 
American  neighbors. 

At  first  the  Swedish  settlers  had  no  means  of  common  worship  in 
tluir  mother  tongue,  but  this  want  was  supplied  without  great  delay. 
The  first  Swedish  preacher  to  visit  Koekford  was  doubtless  Gustaf 
Unoniiis  of  Chicago,  but  the  year  is  not  known,  irost  probably  his  visit 
took  place  in  the  late  summer  of  18ri2.  for  in  September  of  that  year  he 
took  a  trip  to  ^liiinesota  and  very  likely  went  i)y  way  of  Rockford. 

'I'lir  lirst  Christmas  matin  services  celebrated  by  the  Swedes  of 
Rockford  wci-c  di'scriln'i]  by  survivors  in  the  eighties  as  having  been 


Rockfonl-  Seventh  Street 


extremely  impressive.  ThiTc  was  no  house  of  worshii).  where  the  gospel 
was  preached  in  tlie  Swedish  language,  no  bells  chiming  out  the  hour  of 
worship,  yet  the  settlers  desired  to  celelirate  the  "julotta"  as  best  they 
could.  Heforc  daylight,  a  little  coniiJany  of  them  gathered  in  a  small 
ciiliiii.  wlicTc  it  Clirislmas  tree  had  lioen  i>rovidi'd  and  tallow  candles 
|)laced  ill  tlic  windows,  'riic  order  of  worship  was  gone  througii  some- 
how, hut  simple  and  unassuming  as  was  this  service,  it  made  so  power- 
I'ul  .111  iiii|in'ssioii  on  (liosc  iirc'si'iit  tliat  at  its  conclusion  they  embraced 
one  anothei'  amid  tears.  The  solemnity  of  the  occasion  forcibly  brought 
home  to  llieni  the  fact  that  they  wer(>  children  of  i\  <'onnnon  land  and 
a  comiiioii    faith. 

In  October.  181')^,  Kev.  Krlaml  Carlf.ion  made  his  first  visit  to  Hock- 
ford  and  formed  the  acquaintance  of  the  Swedish  setlleiN  there,  lie 
icliiriiiil  I  he  roliowing  .lanuary  and  then  organized  the  congregation 
known  as  tin-  First  Swedish  l.iit  hiT.iii  ('hiirch  of  Um-lifoi'd.  now  one  of 


GENEVA  T^-^-^ 

the  largest  Swedish  churches  ia  tlie  L'liited  SUites.  lu  LSS2  meiiilters 
wlio  left  this  church  organized  another,  the  Emanuel  Church,  which  uses 
the  English  language  in  its  public  worship  and  for  some  time  belonged 
to  the  English  Lutheran  General  Synod,  but  is  now  a  part  of  the 
Swedish  Augustana  Synod.  In  1883  there  was  a  second  withdrawal 
from  the  First  t'liurch  to  form  annther  Swedish  congregation,  named 
the  Ziou  Church. 

About  18'A  or  1855  a  Methodist  preacher  by  the  name  (if  P.  Ciuill- 
man  visited  Rockford,  preaching  to  his  countrymen  there.  S.  H.  New- 
man, another  ]Methodist  preacher,  also  nmde  a  visit,  forming  a  class, 
which,  however,  disbanded  shortly  after.  Not  luitil  1861  was  a 
permanent  Swedish  Jlethodist  church  organized. 

In  1875  the  ^Mission  Friends  of  Rockford  had  become  sufficiently 
numerous  to  form  a  congregation  of  their  own.  Still  later  the  Free 
ilissiou  Church  was  added,  and  in  1880  the  Swedish  Baptist  Church. 
The  independent  Swedish  Evangelical  Church,  which  was  founded  in 
1882,  dissolved  after  a  few  years. 

Among  the  Swedish  population  of  Rockford  a  lai'ge  number  of 
fraternal  societies  and  lodges  have  sprung  up  in  the  course  of  years. 

It  is  but  natural  that  the  energetic  and  aggressive  Swedish  people 
of  Rockford  should  pla.y  an  influential  part  in  local  and  state  ]iolitics, 
and  a  munber  of  them  should  attain  to  high  positions  of  public  trust, 
as  numerous  instances  have  shown. 

GENEVA,    KANE    COUNTY 

The  city  of  Geneva  is  situated  in  the  township  of  the  same  name, 
only  two  miles  from  Batavia  and  the  same  distance  from  St.  Charles, 
the  three  cities  being  of  nearly  the  same  age.  In  1836  a  party  of 
colonists  from  the  East  settled  on  the  site  of  Geneva.  The  year  after, 
■  a«i^p>('n  site  was  laid  out  and  the  first  courthouse  was  built.  The  first 
bridge  across  the  Fox  River  was  constructed  in  1836,  the  year  of  first 
settlement. 

Swedes  came  to  Geneva  somewhat  later  than  to  St.  Charles.  When 
the  first  Swede  settled  here  is  not  known,  but  in  1832  several  came 
here.  viz..  D.  Lindstrom,  who  later  removed  to  Paxton,  his  son  John  P. 
Lindstrom.  who  removed  to  Moline,  and  his  grandson,  A.  P.  Lindstrom. 
who  became  a  minister  of  the  Augustana  S.^Tiod  and  died  in  1895. 
These  came  from  Bone.  Vestergotland.  In  1854  the  following  Swedes 
were  living  in  Geneva:  G.  Lindgren.  Samuel  Pettersson.  who  sub- 
sequently removed  to  Aurora ;  John  Rystrom.  removed  to  Oregon.  111. : 
Goran  Svensson,  removed  to  DeKalb ;  Gustaf  Pettersson.  removed  to 
Chicago;  B.  Kindblad  and  A.  P.  Andersson.  who  located  in  Hat;ivi;i 
later;  Julius  Esping.  an  anchor  smith,  who  removed  later  to  Fremont. 


334 


HARI.Y    SHTTI.KMENTS 


Kans. ;  Carl  Sainnelssou  aud  Sveu  Andersson,  both  subsequently 
removed  to  Elgin ;  Erieksson  and  C.  P.  Gronberg,  removed  to  Water- 
town,  Wis. ;  Jonas  M.  Pettersson,  removed  to  Galesburg,  and  Olof 
Svenssou,  mIio  remained  in  Geneva  to  his  death. 

In  1880  John  Pettersson  was  the  oldest  living  Swedish  inhabitant 
of  Geneva.  He  came  over  in  1854  from  Gallai-yd,  Smaland,  aud  spent 
several  years  in  Chicago,  working  at  the  shoemaker's  trade.  In  1856 
he  came  to  Geneva,  establishing  himself  as  a  shoemaker,  with  a 
branch  shop  at  St.  Charles.  After  seven  years  on  the  shoemaker's 
bench,  he  tired  of  tlic  awl  and  last,  and  changed  to  the  watchmaker's 
trade. 


Cieneva    -Stale    Street 


In  1853  a  Swedish  Lutheran  church  was  organized  in  Geneva.  Not 
long  afterward,  a  parochial  school  was  ()]H'ncd  to  give  the  children 
religious  insti-uction  iu  their  motiicr  tongue.  Tlie  first  schoohnaster 
was  John  I'clirson.  subsequently  a  clergyman  in  the  Augustana  Synod, 
lie  was  succeeded  by  M.  Muuter,  a  schoolmaster  of  the  olden  type  from 
Sweden,  who  flogged  his  i)ui)ils  mercilessly  i'or  every  oft'ense,  while 
his  aliility  lo  iiiipiirt  instruction  was  questionable.  Tiie  interefit  he  look 
in  llic  work  of  teaching  may  be  illustrated  with  the  ToUowing  incident 
of  Swi'disli-Amcrican  i)ioncer  life.  One  day  the  sciioobnaster,  wisiiing 
III  kill  a  sheep,  broughl  tiie  aiiiiiiiil  willi  liini  to  the  sclioolrooni  and 
tiu'u  and  thei'c.  before  the  eyes  of  the  i)\i|iils,  went  through  the  uncainiy 
process  of  l>utchci-ing  aiul  quartering  tlu;  siu-ep,  all  the  whih>  continuing 
to  iiear  I  lie  classes  in  a  perfunctory  manner.  Tiiis  same  Miniter  later 
wiMit  to  Wapello  county,  la.,  where  he  bccanu'  one  of  tiu'  foiuiders  of 
,1   sell  lenient    ii.iiiieil   after  hirii   Munterville,      There   he  dii"d   some  time 


GlvNKSlU) 


335 


in  the  ei^litics.    About  1870  a  Swodisli  iMetlKxlist  cluiruh  was  organized 
in  Geneva,  and  in  181)4  a  Swedish  Baptist  church. 

During  the  last  twenty  or  thirty  years  Swedes  in  large  numbers 
have  moved  into  Geneva  and  the  neiglihoring  cities  on  the  Fox  Hiver. 
The  Swedes  of  Geneva  in  1905  were  estimated  at  1,200,  the  enumeration 
of  1900  giving  a  total  population  of  2.446. 


GENESEIO.    HENRY    COUNTY 

Like  Audover,  Geneseo  was  founded  by  American  colonizers  from 
the  state  of  New  York,  with  headquarters  at  Genesee,  from  which 
place  the  new  settlement  was  named.  In  1836  a  company  sent  three 
men  west  to  look  up  a  locality  suitable  for  a  settlement,  and  this  was 
the  choice  of  the  emissaries.  A  tract  of  laud,  embracing  the  present 
site  of  Geneseo,  was  piu'chased,  whereupon  the  committee  returned 
home  to  report  the  results  of  their  expedition.  Fifty  settlers  imme- 
diately started  for  the  new  colony  site,  arriving  in  the  middle  of 
winter,  subject  to  many  hardships.  Two  thousand  acres  of  land  were 
bought  up  and  parceled  out  among  the  settlers,  who  provided  their 
OM'u  dwellings  according  to  their  means.  In  the  spring  they  began 
tilling  the  soil,  gathering  their  first  liarvcsts  the  following  summer 
and  fall. 

Geneseo  dates  back  to  1837,  when  the  first  liuuses  were  erected 
there.  The  place  did  not  receive  a  postoffiee  until  1839.  Its  growth 
was  slow  until  1853,  when  the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and  Pacific  Rail- 
way was  built  through  the  place,  stimulating  a  more  rapid  development 
for  the  next  few  years. 

In  the  early  fifties  Swedes  began  settling  in  Geneseo.  In  1852 
John  Gustus,  Lewis  Johnson  and  Carl  Johnson  were  living  there  The 
first  named,  who  was  from  Opphem,  Ostergotland,  first  had  a  shoe- 
maker's shop,  then  opened  a  store,  and  in  1862  sold  this  business  to 
X.  P.  Rosenstone.  In  the  late  seventies  he  removed  to  Iowa,  where  he 
was  not  particularly  favored  by  forti;ne.  Lewis  Johnson  came  from 
Smaland  and  Ckrl  Johnson  from  Vermland ;  the  latter  settled  on  a 
farm  just  outside  the  town. 

In  1853  Lars  Jonsson  came  over  from  Skiirstad.  Smalaud,  and 
bought  a  farm  of  80  acres  north  of  Green  River.  Carl  Toline,  who 
served  as  a  volunteer  in  Company  D.  57th  Illinois  Infantry,  was  among 
the  early  Swedish  settlers  here,  and  was  still  living  in  Geneseo  in  1880, 
Another  pioneer  was  Adolf  Saf.strom  from  Ostergotland  who  lived  on 
a  farm  not  far  from  Geneseo, 

ilost  of  the  Swedes  who  came  to  Geneseo  to  farm  were  poor  and, 
in  consequence,  had  to  be  satisfied  with  the  low,  badly  drained  lands, 
the  early  colonists  having  picked  out  the  most  desirable  tracts.    Never- 


336  ICARI.Y    SKTTLKMKNTS 

theless,  the  Swedish  rarmers  in  this  neighborhood  liave  been  doing  well. 
The  Swedish  people  in  Genesee  engaged  in  business  and  the  trades  also 
have  prospered  and  have  as  a  class  attained  a  respected  and  prominent 
I)lace  in  the  eonimuuity. 

In  the  spring  of  1855  Swedish  Lutheran  mission  work  was  begun 
in  Geneseo  but  not  until  1859  was  a  church  organized.  Five  years  later, 
a  Swedish  Jlethodist  church  was  estal)lishcd.  This  congregation  began 
to  decline  in  the  eighties,  and  is  now  di.ssolved. 

At  the  close  of  1905,  there  were  approximately  560  Swedish- 
Americans  living  in  Geneseo  and  vicinity.  The  total  population  at  the 
last  census  was  3,356. 

DEK.ALB.    DEKALB    COUNTY 

Tn  1853  DcKalb  consisted  of  merely  a  cou[)le  of  stores,  a  small 
hotel  and  a  l)]acksniith  sho]).  Hut  at  that  tinu'  a  railr<>a<l  was  built 
througli,  and  the  town  l)egan  to  grow  apace.  Building  after  building 
was  erected  and  changes  were  made  so  rapidly  that  farmers  who  visited 
the  town  only  once  a  month  would  liardly  recognize  the  i>lae<'.  An 
enteri)rise  that  contributed  largely  to  the  ilevclopnient  of  the  town  was 
llic  location  there  of  a  barbed  wire  factory,  which  has  since  grown  to  be 
the  largest  industrial  plant  in  this  locality,  emi)loying  thousands  of 
workmen,  a  large  percentage  of  whom  are  Swedes.  In  1873  DeKalb 
got  its  village  charter. 

The  first  SMcde  in  DcKalb  was  one  Jonas  OLsson,  who  came  there 
from  Dixoii.  where  he  had  owned  a  farm.  lie  was  soon  followed  by 
liis  brother  and  two  young  men.  the  sons  of  a  clergyman  by  the  name  of 
1'.  |{ai]<.  Of  the  OlssKii  brothers,  who  came  from  Sliitthog,  Sm  ilaiul. 
the  former  was  still  living  there  in  1880  while  the  latter  had  tanui'il 
for  twenty  years  near  Sterling.  In  18.")3  tlnvc  more  emigrjmjs  fi'oni 
Sliitthog  came  over  and  settled  here,  namely:  Nils  Magntis  Johnson, 
Joliati  Jdliansson  and  Jonas  Johnson.  .Ml  three  were  well-to-do  farniei-s 
mar  DcKalb  in  1880.  SiiiiMltaneousuly  with  these,  canu»  John  Olsson 
fidiii  lljintslicrga,  Smiilaiid.  These  four  were  j)0(U-  emigrants  who  at 
first  were  cni|ilo.\<'d  by  Americans  as  day  laborers. 

Ill  is,"i4  I'ctcr  Miinsson  eaim>  with  his  family  from  X'islanda,  Snm- 
I.iihI.  lie  became  the  first  Swedish  householder  in  Didvali",  whence  he 
moved  to  Salina,  Kans.,  in  1879.  Simultaneously  with  Mansson  canu' 
Peter  Jini.sson,  also  from  Vislanda.  with  a  party  of  eleven  others,  all  of 
whom  settled  in  this  vicinity.  Jiiiissoii  and  several  of  the  otheiN  still 
living  there  in  188(1. 

The  Goran  Svenssoii  mentioned  amoni:  the  e«rl.\  settlers  of  Geneva 
was  al.so  one  of  the  early  .Swedes  in  DeKalb.     He  was  born  in  tl itv 


CAIAA 


3:^7 


of  Ulrieeluunii.  ciiii'rrated  in  1852,  coiniug  to  (Jliicayo.  where  lie  lived 
for  three  years  before  removing  to  Geneva  and  estahlishinp;  himself 
there  as  a  shoemaker.  In  the  early  sixties  he  came  to  DeKalli.  w  lure 
he  plied  his  trade  for  many  years. 

In  1858  a  Swedish  Lutheran  chiireh  was  organized  in  DeKalli,  and 
thirty  years  later  a  Swedish  Baptist  chnre.h.  There  is  also  a  Swedish 
Mission  ehnrch  of  more  recent  date.  The  Tjutheran  congregation  is 
numerically  one  of  the  strongest  of  its  kind  in  the  state  while  the  latter 


De  Kalb — Main  Street 

two  are  quite  small.  The  city  has  a  number  of  Swedish  fraternal 
organizations.  The  Swedish  population  of  DeKalb  and  vicinity  is  now 
approximately  3.500,  the  total  population  in  1900  being  5,904. 

GALVA,    HENRY    COUNTY 

Of  the  origin  of  Galva,  which  dates  back  to  the  fifties,  the  following 
is  told.  In  1853  two  Americans,  J.  M.  and  Wm.  L.  Wiley,  took  a 
trip  from  Peoria  to  Rock  Island,  passing  through  this  locality.  Pleased 
with  the  natural  prospect,  they  decided  to  pitch  their  camps  here,  select- 
ing for  that  purpose  a  grove  which  was  afterward  named  College  Park. 
As  they  reached  the  top  of  the  hill  one  of  the  men,  .standing  erect  in  the 


338 


EARLY    SETTLEMENTS 


wagon  and  surveying  tlie  surrounding  country,  exclaimed,  "What  a 
glorious  country!  Let  us  buy  the  land  and  found  a  town  here!"  Said 
and  done.  Negotiations  for  the  purchase  were  opened  at  once  and  soon 
the  land  was  theirs.  But  some  time  elapsed  before  any  sign  of  tiie 
future  town  appeared,  there  being  but  three  human  dwellings  in  the 
neighborhood,  and  these  small  and  far  apart.  The  thing  needed  to  give 
the  place  a  start  was  a  railroad,  and  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and 
Quincy  Railway  company  in  the  fall  of  185.?  agreed  to  buiUi  its  line 
through  that  point  and  locate  a  .station  there,  provided  land  for  tiiat 
purpose  was  donated.  This  the  owners  agreed  to.  and  the  following 
autumn  its  trains  thundered  through  the  town  of  (Jalva.  whicii  then 
existed  only  on  paper. 

This  was  at  the  time  when  the  Bishop  Hill  Colony  five  miles  away 
was  at  the  height  of  its  prosperity.  The  AYileys  had  purchased  forty 
acres  of  land  just  south  of  the  new  town  site  and  subsequently  sold  part 
of  it  to  the  colonists  and  another  part  of  it  to  one  Jacob  Emery.  In  this 
wise  the  Bisliop  Ilill  people  obtained  a  voice  in  the  affairs  of  the  new 
town,  which  they  named  Gefle,  after  the  capital  of  the  Swedish  province 
of  Gestrikland,  from  which  they  came.  The  name  is  said  to  have  been 
first  suggested  by  Olof  Johnson,  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  colonists.  The 
Americans  of  the  neighliurhood.  however,  corrupted  this  to  (ialva.  which 
was  retained  as  tlie  permanent  form. 

Galva  was  develoiied  witli  a  rai)idity  almost  without  preccdiMit 
among  tlie  booming  towns  springing  up  in  the  new  country.  Three 
years  after  its  founding,  tlie  place  had  1,500  inhabitants,  a  large  num- 
ber being  Swedes,  whose  industry  and  enterjirise  contributed  to  its 
development.  The  largest  share  toward  its  upbuilding  in  the  first  few 
years  was  contributed  by  Bishop  Hill.  As  soon  as  the  railway  had 
been  completed,  the  colony  erected  a  large  warehouse  at  Galva,  and 
shortly  afterward  a  large  business  block  of  brick.  Other  business 
buildings  followed,  one  of  which  was  first  used  as  a  baidv  but  was  later 
turned  into  a  liolel.  The  first  eoinrdrtiililc  (Iwellin-r  house  in  the  place 
was  also  erected  by  the  colony. 

In  the  foregoing  chapter  the  extensive  business  enterprises  of  Olof 
Johnson  have  been  descril>eil.  Thi'  lar-ri'  wareliouse  was  used  to  store 
grain  which  was  bought  \\]>  and  shijiped  in  large  i|uaiilities.  making 
Galva,  at  least  for  a  liiiie.  mie  ii\'  tin'  iirineii)al  grain  shi|)ping  centei-s 
in  the  state.  The  otiier  large  strui-liii-e  was  used  as  a  packing  house 
for  pork.  It  is  related  that  at  one  lime  when  liie  colony  had  $(iO,(H)0 
worth  of  pork  from  hogs  rai.sed  at  Bishop  Mill  storeil  here,  the  whole 
stock  spoiled  from  careless  packing,  and  was  carted  away  and  buried 
in  a  lot  piu'chascd  for  that  purpose,  together  with  many  barrels  of 
pork   returned   from   easlei-ii   markets.     The  colony   also  carried   on  a 


C.AI.VA 


339 


general  iiiorehandiso  business  and  l)ankin<i  at  Galva,  anil  had  a  lumber 
yard  tliero.  ilost  of  llio.se  enterprises,  if  not  all,  proved  failures, 
entailing  great  loss  to  the  colonists  instead  of  being,  as  they  ought  to 
have  been,  srreat  soiu'oes  of  ineonie  to  their  cninninnity. 

Among  the  early  Swedish  business  nuMi  of  (ialva  were  one  Young- 
berg,  who  owned  a  small  store,  and  Erik  Quick,  a  watchmaker,  who 
tinkered  Avith  innumerable  side  lines  of  business.  JJoth  of  these  men 
later  went  to  California.  Afterwards  the  number  of  Swedes  in  busi- 
ness increased,  so  as  to  make  them  predominant  in  many  lines. 

Among  the  more  notable  men  who  have  resided  in  Galva  are, 
Jonas  W.  Olson,  son  of  the  aforesaid  Olof  Olsson,  and  John  Root,  son 


Galva — Central  Park 


of  John  Ruth,  the  assassin  of  Erik  Jansson ;  both  these  men  are  lawyers 
and  still  live  in  Galva. 

In  Galva  was  founded  one  of  the  first  Swedish-American  news- 
papers, the  full  title  of  which  was  "Svenska  Republikanen  i  Norra 
Amerika. "  It  was  fii-st  issued  in  the  spring  of  1856  and  discontinued 
ixi  the  summer  of  1858,  after  having  been  moved  to  Chicago  that  year. 
Late  in  the  following  decade,  or  in  1869,  a  Swedish  and  English  news- 
paper, "The  Illinois  Swede,"  was  started  at  Galva.  Simultaneous!}' 
an  all-English  newspaper,  "The  Galva  Republican,"  was  published  by 
the  same  firm.  Late  in  1870  "The  Illinois  Swede"  was  re-christened 
"Nya  Verlden"  and  published  exclusively  in  the  Swedish  language. 
The  paper  was  moved  to  Chicago  early  in  1871,  and  in  the  fall  of  1877 


340 


KARKY    SKTTI-KMKNTS 


it  was  combined  with  "Nya  Svenska  Amerikauaren,"  result ii){^  iu  a 
new  paper,  entitled  "Svenska  Tribiinen." 

In  18fi7  Galva  (il)tain(Hl  its  village  charter.  The  town  had  2.fi82 
inhabitants  in  ]!»()().  There  are  three  Swedish  churches,  the  Methodist- 
Episcopal,  founded  in  1867,  the  Lutheran,  founded  iu  1869,  and  a 
church  of  tlie  Mission  Covenant.  In  1005  the  first-named  church  hail 
175  members,  the  second  420  and  the  last  14  members.  It  has  not  been 
possible  to  ascertain  the  number  of  Swedish-Americans  in  Galva.  but 
with  the  aid  of  the  above  figures  it  may  be  stated  with  a  reasonable 
degree  of  accuracy  that  at  least  half  of  the  i)oi>ulation  is  of  tiie 
Swedish  nationality. 

ONEIDA.    KNOX    COUNTY 

The  little  town  of  Oneida  is  situated  in  the  most  fertile  part  of 
Knox  county.  Altliough  not  among  the  first  settlers  there,  the  Swedes 
have  liad  a  large  sliaie  in  the  development  of  the  locality.     The  first 


Oiiciilii 


white  settler  in  Ontario  townsliip.  where  Oneida  is  situated,  was 
Alexander  Williams,  who  came  (here  in  18;}l{.  Tiie  same  year  0.  W, 
Melton  settled  tliere  and  built  tlu>  log  cabin  which  was  the  first 
permanent  Imnian  habitation  iu  the  locality.  The  fii-st  schoollunise 
was  ercclcd  in  ISIill  und  the  first  chiircli  edifice,  a  Presbyterian  one. 
in  1840. 


RATA VIA 


34' 


The  towu  of  Oneida  was  founded  in  185-4  by  C.  F.  Camp  and  H.  S. 
West,  who  built  a  hotel  in  the  place.  At  Christinas  time  tiie  same  year 
the  railroad  came  through,  giving  the  place  its  real  impetus  for  growth. 

The  first  Swedish  settler  in  the  township  was  Gcorg  Hostriim,  who 
came  to  America  as  a  boy  and  was  reared  in  an  American  family.  The 
year  of  his  arrival  in  Ontario  township  is  not  Imown,  but  that  he 
removed  from  there  to  "Wataga  iu  the  seventies  is  a  certainty.  After 
Bostrom  came  D.  Danielsson  and  his  wife  from  Ockelbo,  Gestrikland. 
They  had  come  to  Bishop  Hill  as  young  unmarried  people,  and  were 
there  subjected  to  bitter  persecution  on  accoiuit  of  a  love  corre- 
spondence carried  on  in  defiance  of  the  drastic  rule  against  marriage 
and  every  form  of  courtship.  Disgusted  with  the  petty  annoyances 
following  their  innocent  correspondence,  they  removed  to  Oneida  iu 
1855  and  were  married.  A  few  years  later  the  pair  located  in  Clay 
comity,  Kansas.  Simultaneously  with  Danielsson,  E.  J.  Pettersson 
from  Tjarstad,  Ostergotland,  settled  in  Oneida,  after  living  for  five 
years  in  various  parts  of  the  United  States.  He  established  himself 
as  a  watchmaker  and  jeweler  and  was  engaged  in  that  business  for  at 
least  twenty-five  years.  A  number  of  Swedes  early  moved  into  the 
surroiuiding  neighborhood,  where  they  have  become  successful  farmers 
and  added  materially  to  the  wealth  of  the  community.  The  population 
of  Oneida  was  785  at  the  last  census.  No  Swedish  church  has  been 
organized  here. 

BATAVIA.    KANE    COUNTY 

The  Swedish  colony  of  Batavia  is  of  a  later  date  than  those  of 
the  neighboring  towns  of  St.  Charles  and  Geneva,  but  its  members  are 
numerous  and  active,  and  the  place  amply  deserves  a  mention  among 
important  Swedish  communities. 

The  very  first  settler  in  Batavia  was  Christopher  Payne,  who  came 
in  the  summer  of  1833.  He  was  soon  followed  by  other  settlers  who 
came  in  such  numbers  that  a  school  was  built  and  a  merchandise  store 
opened  the  next  year.  In  1844  settlement  of  the  opposite  bank  of  the 
Fox  River  was  begun  after  a  bridge  had  been  constructed.  The 
splendid  water  power  afforded  by  the  rapids  at  this  place  was  gradually 
exploited  for  manufacturing  purposes  and  thus  this  bustling  little 
mnnufacturing  center  came  into  existence. 

One  of  the  early  Swedish  settlers  here  was  A.  P.  Andersson,  who 
figured  also  among  the  pioneers  of  Geneva.  He  came  from  Bone, 
Vestergiitland,  and  was  a  tailor  by  trade.  In  1854  he  removed  to 
Batavia.  where  he  established  a  tailor  shop  of  his  own  in  the  middle 
sixties.  Andersson,  however,  found  several  Swedes  ahead  of  him, 
men   engaged  in  cutting  timber  for  a  railroad   company.     Following 


342 


EARLY    SETTLEMENTS 


A.  P.  Audi  rssoii  came  August  Andersson,  from  Hallaud,  who  removed 
to  DeKalb  after  a  short  staj'.  A  little  later  Gustaf  Svensson,  a  moulder, 
joined  the  Swedish  settlenieut.  By  1880  he  had  made  himself  knowu 
cis  the  inventor  of  a  new  kind  of  fence  which  was  used  extensively 
in  the  West. 

In  the  late  sixties  there  was  a  considerable  influx  of  Swedes  to 
Batavia,  most  of  the  newcomers  obtaining  work  in  the  stone  quarries 
situated  just  outside  of  the  town.  Since  then  Swedes  have  constantly 
kept  moving  in.  A  large  ntimber  are  employed  in  the  factories,  while 
not  a  few  are  in  business  for  themselves.  Several  have  gone  to  farming 
in  the  immediate  neighborhood. 


!lt«IJIMI||||J    gllii 


liatavia 

liitil  1872  the  Swedish  Lutherans  of  Batavia  liad  bfloiigid  to  tlie 
( liiiirh  ill  (loneva,  but  that  year  tlioy  withdi*ew  and  organized  a  local 
cougi'cgat  ion,  now  one  of  tiie  largest  in  tlie  Illinois  Conference.  In 
1870  a  Swcdisli  I\Iission  church  was  founded  and  about  the  same  time 
a  Swedish  Jl.  E.  church.  There  is  considerable  activity  in  the  matter 
(if  fraternal  organizations  in  Swedish  circles  here.  Batavia  iiad  a 
poi)ulation  of  :i,871  iti  lltOO  and  at  tlie  close  of  1!)0.'i  llic  Swe.lisli- 
Amerieans  of  the  eitv  nuinlicrcd  alioiit  l.i'iDO. 


MONMOUTH,    WARREIN    COUNTY 

Tlie  city  of  .Moniiioiith  was  t'ounded  in  IS.'iL'.  but  iiiatic  little 
j)rogrcss  up  1o  iSo."),  w  Inn  i(,  got  its  railroad.  The  following  year  ilic 
Presbytci'ians  founded  .Momiioutli  College,  an  institution  which  grew 
to  be  largely  attended.    Tiie  Swedes  have  lieeii  on  the  ground  since  the 


MONMOITH 


343 


early  fifties,  hut  never  in  .siu-ii  nuniljers  us  to  eiit  iiiucli  of  a  fif^ure  in 
the  inunieiiiality. 

The  first  Swede  in  ]\Ionnioutii  was,  it  is  believed,  Johan  Lnnd  from 
ITelsin<rlaiid.  who  eanie  here  in  185:1  but  soon  nioved  away  and  is 
Icnown  to  have  died  soniewliere  in  IMissouri  while  on  a  journey  to 
Pike's  IVaiv,  Colo.  In  1854  came  J.  O.  Lundblad.  from  Oppeby,  Oster- 
•rotlaiid,  who  was  also  aniong  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Prineeton.  and 
Erik  iMiiTvnll.  The  two  were  for  a  time  partners  in  the  shoe  business, 
and  aftei'  the  fii'in  dissolved  Engvall.  who  died  in  ISTfi.  eonducted  a 
shoe  store  of  his  own  for  a  uiunber  of  years,  prosperiiif;'  in  tin-  business. 


Monmouth — South  Main  Street 


The  brothers  llakan  and  Lewis  Nelson  from  Skane  arrived  the 
same  year  and  a  year  later  Jlans  Ca.ssell,  also  from  Skane.  In  1855 
John  Johnson  came  from  Helsingland  and  Jakob  Soderstrom  from 
Visby.  The  former  left  for  Iowa  in  1879,  while  the  latter  continued 
into  the  eighties  as  a  shoe  dealer  in  Monmouth.  Carl  Limdgren  from 
Nykoping  located  here  in  1856  and  served  in  a  Minnesota  regiment  in 
the  Civil  War.  One  year  after  Liindgren  came  Jonas  Larsson  from 
Skane,  who  moved  out  to  Iowa  in  1871.  One  Holmberg.  wlio  had  a 
military  education  from  the  old  country,  settled  in  IMonmouth  in  1859, 
enlisted  in  the  Union  Army  at  the  otitbreak  of  the  war.  and  the  last 
that  was  heard  of  him  was  his  promotion  to  the  rank  of  ma.jor. 

So  few  were  the  Swedes  in  Monmouth  that  a  Swedish  Lutheran 
congregation  could  not  be  organized  here  until  1868.  and  then  there 
was  onlv  a  verv  small  flock,  which,  however,  has  increased  materiallv 


344  KARI.Y    SKm.HMi:NTS 

in  the  last  twenty  years.  lu  1888  a  Swedish  Baptist  church  was 
established  witli  a  limited  membership,  which  has  grown  but  little 
since. 

In  1900  the  iHipiilatiDii  of  Monmouth  was  7,460.  At  the  end  of  1905 
the  Swedes  in  JIoniiKiiilli  i>roper  were  about  450  and  in  the  surrounding 
country  about  2.000. 

KEWANE.E,    HENRY    COUNTY 

Tlif  I'iist  white  settlers  in  Kewaiiee  township  were  John  Kilving- 
tou.  Robert  Coustes  and  Coineliiis  Bryant,  who  came  there  in  183tj. 
Tlirouph  the  efforts  of  these  men  and  otlicrs  the  (^hica'ro.  Burlington 
and  (^iiiuey  Railway  Company  was  induced  to  build  through  the  little 
village  of  Kewanee,  which  then  developed  greatly  to  the  detriment  of 
the  neighboring  village  of  Wctlicrsfield.  whose  inhabitants  had  the 
7nortifieation  of  seeing  l)iiil(liiig  after  building  placed  on  I'ollers  and 
liaulcd  to  Kewanee.  Witliin  eighteen  months,  the  place  had  1,500 
inhal)itants.  After  rich  coal  veins  were  discovered  in  the  vicinity  and 
milling  had  begun,  the  young  city  grew  still  more  rapidly.  Several 
f.ic-toiies  sprang  uj)  as  the  l)eginning  of  industrial  i>lants  which  have 
been  growing  larger  year  by  year. 

Erik  Ei'iksson  from  \ora  pai-ish.  Upland,  is  believed  to  have  l)een 
the  first  Swedish  settler  in  Kewanee.  As  a  mendjer  of  the  Bishop  Hill 
Colony  lie  had  i.M(i\vii  weary  of  tlie  irksome  yoke  laid  upon  the 
slionlders  of  the  faithful  and  removed  to  Kewanee  in  1855.  setting  up 
a  saddlery  shop  which  he  conducted  for  ten  years,  whereuinui  he 
removed  to  Altona.  From  there  he  went  to  Nekonia.  Quite  a  nundier 
of  Bishop  Hill  colonists  located  in  Kewanee  in  185(5,  anumg  whom 
another  lOiik  Eriksson  from  Nora,  with  his  two  sons.  Erik  and  Tetter. 
Erik  Bengtsson,  Anders  Barlow  and  Hans  Eindgreii.  .\ltont  the  same 
time  tlicic  came  fi-oiii  other  localities  Fetter  Bergluml,  Jolni  Ilcdberg. 
I'i'tter  N'estiuiid.  liailiiig  from  Ciestrikland.  and  John  Carlsson  aiul 
Joliii  I'cttersson  from  Smaland,  who  were  followed  tiie  year  after  by 
.\.  Jolinson  from  Gestrikland. 

The  last  named  of  the  two  Erikssons  returned  to  Sweden  in  IStiT 
where  he  died  a  year  later.  His  two  sons  in  1S57  went  to  Califtu-nia 
where  they  worked  for  several  years  digging  for  gold  without  sucee.ss. 
['"rciiii  tlieretliev  went  to  Hi'itisli  ( 'oluiiiliia.  wlii-re  f(U-tuiie  smih'd  upon 
llieiii  so  lavislily  that  in  a  year  and  a  liidf  they  couhl  return  to  Sweden 
wilh  100.000  crciwiis.  Tiiey  chose  for  tlieir  wives  the  two  daughters 
of  Erik  Eriksson  of  .Xekomn.  and  made  their  homes,  the  one  in  I'psabi, 
the  other  in  Nora.  Barb^w  later  l)eeame  a  storekeeper  at  Bishop  liiii. 
or    the    early    Swedisii    settlers,    .\.    Jolnisou.    I'etler    Bergiimd,    Tetter 


KIAVANKK 


345 


Vestluiul  ami  John  Pctterson  were  mentioned  in  1880  as  still  living  in 
Kewanee. 

in  the  early  seventies,  when  foal  iiiiiiiug  had  been  fully  developed, 
there  was  a  frenerons  intlnx  of  Swedes  to  Kewanee.  ]Many  of  them 
subsequently  removed  to  Bloomington  and  vicinity,  but  in  later  years 
immigration  has  brought  others  who  more  than  make  good  the  loss, 
and  at  present  the  Swedish  population  is  quite  lartre  in  |)roportion  to 
the  total. 


Kewanee — Treinont  Street 


The  city  has  a  vigorotis  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation,  organized 
in  1869.  The  Swedi?>h  ^Methodist  Church  Avas  foinided  twenty  years 
after.  Such  a  church  was  organized  here  as  early  as  1859,  but 
before  ISSO  its  memliership  was  decimated  by  removals  to  the  point 
where  the  field  had  to  be  abandoned  and  the  church  property  sold. 
Later  the  Swedish  Methodists  got  a  new  foothold  in  Kewanee.  the 
result  being  the  organization  of  the  second  church.  There  is  also  a 
small  Swedish  Baptist  church  which  has  been  in  existence  since  1901. 

The  census  of  1900  gave  8,382  as  the  total  population  of  Kewanee. 
The  Swedish-Americans  there  at  the  close  of  1905  were  from  2.000  to 
3,000  in  number. 


346 


i:aki.y  settlements 


PAXTON.    FORD    COUNTY 

F(ii(l  county  was  organized  in  1859.  Two  years  before  there 
ari'ivcd  the  fii'st  Swedlsli  settler.  Svcn  Iledeiiskofr.  superintendent  of 
a  larjio  country  estate  in  Ilaliand,  Sweden,  who  cniif^rated  in  IS'u. 
settling  a  few  miles  west  of  the  site  of  Paxton.  Being  a  poor  man,  he 
was  obliged  to  undergo  the  severest  hardships,  but  his  fortitude  stood 
the  test  and  he  had  succeeded  in  accumulating  considerable  property 
before  removing  in  the  latter  seventies  to  Nebraska,  where  he  died  not 
long  after. 

In  ^X')'.)  a  sail")-  by  the  name  of  Carl  Andersson  and  one  Anders 
Ohsson.  bntli  IViiiii  Ilclsingland.  settled  in  the  vicinity  of  Paxton. 
AnderssDii  in  llic  seventies  removed  to  Colorado,  leaving  a  daughter 
in  Paxton.  (Jlssmi  was  still  livJTig  on  a  farm  three  miles  soutii  of  the 
city  in  1880  and  was  then  in  conit'cprlablc  circumstances.  There  was  no 
great  iiilhix  of  Swi'<les  to  Paxtmi  until  1>iti-!.  when  they  i)egan  to  settle 
here  in  considei-alile  numbers,  for  reasons  presented  in  the  following. 

In  I860,  the  year  of  its  organization,  the  Augustana  Synod  estab- 
lishe<l  in  Chicago  the  Augustana  Theological  Seminary  for  the  purpose 
of  j)repariiig  young  men  for  the  ministry.  While  the  synod  was  still 
small,  its  itiembei's  few  and  there  was  difficulty  in  raising  the  money 
needed  Un-  the  support  of  the  seminary  by  free  contributions,  some  of 
the  leading  men  conceived  the  idea  of  purchasing  a  large  tract  of  land 
and  by  selling  farms  to  prospective  settlers  procure  the  funds  needed  to 
secure  the  permanence  of  the  institution.  The  directors  of  the  seminary. 
who  were  aiitlidi-ized  111  liMik  up  a  suitable  tract,  after  visiting  a  couple 
of  states  for  that  pui'pose.  without  arriving  at  any  conclusion,  received 
from  the  Illinois  Central  Kailway  Comi>any  an  offer  of  a  suitalilc 
tr;iet  111'  land  at  I'axton.  The  cilVi'i-  was  acce]ited  and  an  agreement 
signed  by  l)oth  ])arties  in  February.  ISti:!.  This  brouglit  quite  a  inunber 
of  settlers  to  the  ])lace,  yet  they  did  not  conu^  in  such  numbers  as  to 
insure  the  success  of  the  plan,  causing  the  authorities  after  a  few  years 
to  cast  about  for  a  new  loeatinn  for  the  school.  A  more  <lctaib>d 
account  o^  these  transaction  will  be  found  in  the  historical  sketch  of 
A\igustana  College  and  Theological  Seminary. 

;\mong  the  settlers  was  I'rik  Kasnnisson  from  (Jammalstorp. 
Hlekinge  province,  who  had  emigrated  ten  years  bcl'orc.  locating  near 
(ialesbnrg  in  ^X'}'■i.  (Jlhci-  idntemporai'y  settb'rs  of  Paxton  were.  Carl 
Larsson.  I'j'ik  Carlsson.  .lolni  .\ndersson  mid  .\.  M.  llansson.  who  all 
bonglil  I'arms  and  located  there  permanent !>•.  In  lS(i4  .1.  II.  Wislranil 
eam<'  to  Paxton  and  was  in  business  there  until  1S7.">.  when  he  removed 
to  .Miiliiie  and  (ipened  a  store  in  that  eil,\.  Simultaneously  with 
Wislrand  came  Pctter  lledbei-g  from  .\ltica,  Ind..  who  established  a 
lumber  yard.      He   became  justice   of  the   peai'e  anil    l;iler   was  eb'iMi'd 


PAXTOX 


347 


tax  eollcftor.  Ill  lioalth  compelled  him  to  remove  to  Denver,  Colorado, 
in  1873,  where  we  find  him  serving  as  Swedish-Norwegian  vice  eonsid 
in  1880. 

From  Attica.  Ind..  wiiere  Swedes  had  settled  in  tiie  early  fifties, 
a  luimber  of  these  removed  to  Paxton  in  1865,  among  whom  Fredrik 
Bjorklund,  Carl  Fager,  John  Svan.  John  Johnson,  Carl  Pettersson, 
Pettcr  Larssou.  Carl  Johnson.  Adoiph  Johnson  and  John  Nelson,  all 
farmers,  except  Larsson  and  Nelson,  who  were  merchants. 


Paxtun  -ilarkel  Stix-et 


The  intlnx  of  Swedish  settlers  continued  steadily  until  1870,  but 
not  on  so  large  a  scale  as  the  Synod  and  the  directors  of  the  institution 
had  hoped.  The  removal  of  the  institution  to  Rock  Island  in  the 
seventies  naturally  worked  to  the  detriment  of  the  Paxton  colony, 
many  of  the  Swedish  settlers  leaving  for  other  places  farther  west. 
Diu'ing  the  next  few  years,  however,  the  exodus  was  partly  counter- 
balanced by  an  increased  immigration  from  Sweden. 

The  Swedish  element  in  Paxton  has  predominated  in  many  respects 
from  the  first.  This  is  especially  true  with  respect  to  local  politics  and 
busine.ss  pursuits.  Aroiuid  Paxton  Swedish  farmers  are  living  in  great 
uumbers.  most  of  them  being  in  very  comfortable  circumstances. 

,In  church  matters  the  Swedes  of  Paxton  have  taken   a   prominent 


348 


IvARI.Y    SKTTI.KMKNTS 


|iai-l.  The  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  there  dates  back  to  1863. 
In  1878  a  Swedish  Mission  church  was  organized,  but  the  Methodists 
and  Haptists  have  not  seen  fit  to  enter  this  field. 

In  1900  the  population  of  Paxton  was  3,036,  and  in  1905  there 
were  approximately  3,000  Swedi.sh-Amerieans  living  in  and  armind 
the  city. 

SYCAMORE.    DEKALB    COUNTY 

'I'hc  city  of  Svcaiiiorc.  county  seat  of  DeKalb  i-tmnty.  is  situated 
on  a  plain  at  some  elevation  over  the  surrounding  country  and  is  the 
center  of  one  of  tlie  most  fertile  regions  in  Illinois,  if  not  in  tiie  entire 
coiuatry.  The  i)lain,  or  plateau,  which  at  its  highest  point  has  an 
elevation  of  772  feet  above  sea  level,  constitutes  the  watershead 
between  the  Fox  and  Rock  rivers  and  slopes  ((uite  abruptly  toward  the 
Kishwaukee  River,  an  insignificant  stream  whidi  l)ends  aroiuul  the 
north  and  east  side  of  the  city  at  a  distance  of  half  a  mile. 

DeKalb  county  was  organized  in  IS'il  and  named  after  Baron  John 
DeKall)  from  Alsace,  wlio  was  a  general  in  tlie  Revolutionary  War  and 
I'cll  ill  tile  liattlc  of  ('aiiiiliii.  Three  years  before  organization,  the  area 
liad  a  population  of  l.WtT.  The  land  was  not  opened  to  settlers  luitil 
ISi'.i,  being  comprised  in  an  Indian  reservation,  but  landseekers  were 
on  the  ground  as  early  as  1835  selecting  their  claims.  Rut  in  tliose 
lawless  times  to  defend  one's  right  to  liis  claim  was  far  from  easy, 
Quarrels  and  fights  were  tlie  order  of  the  <lay  throughout  that  period, 
followed  by  protracted  lawsuits  after  definite  property  rights  bad 
been  established. 

In  the  eai'ly  days  of  the  county,  the  neigblioi'liood  was  infested  by 
a  nuiiiei(Jiis.  well  orgajiized  band  of  outlaws,  who  nuule  a  specialty 
of  stealing  horses  and  saddles,  not.  however,  di.sdaining  to  carry  away 
other  personal  property.  So  great  was  the  general  uncertainty,  that 
for  a  period  of  four  years  the  settlers  were  compelled  to  keep  their 
I>laces  guarded  hy  night.  Tit  iin.ilely.  when  conditions  had  grown 
altogether  intoleralile.  they  organized  themselves  into  vigilance  com- 
niitlees  for  their  own  |)rotection  and  for  the  suuuiuiry  punisluuent  of 
the  outlaws.  Tlie  settlers  a<'ted  with  suc'li  vigor  and  prom])tness  that 
the  county  was  cleared  of  lioi'se-lhicves  and  robbers  in  a  very  siiort 
time. 

The  I'arly  history  of  Syi-aiiiore  does  not  dilTcr  much  (wnn  that  of 
other  towns.  The  first  white  nuui  to  .settle  there  arrived  in  1835;  Ins 
luime  was  Lysander  Darling.  The  same  year  a  Norwegian  physician 
named  Norbo  took  jiossession  of  a  tract  of  timber  land  which  is  known 
as  Norwe^^iMii  (!ro\i'  lo  lliis  dav      Siinnll.iiieouslv,  a  l'"rcni'hman  sCllled 


SVCAMORH 


349 


here,  giving  liis  name  to  llir  place  laiown  as  Chartres  Grove.  A  year 
later  a  New  York  land  i-oinpany  took  possession  of  a  tnnt  in  this  neigli- 
tiorliood.  coni]irisinjf  two  square  miles.  The  same  e<impany  laid  out 
the  site  of  Syeamore,  built  a  dam  across  the  Kishvvaukee  River  and 
erected  a  flour  mill. 

The  oriorinal  Syeamore  settlement  consisted  of  a  grouj)  of  three 
logluits  on  the  north  side  of  the  Kishwaukec.  With  that,  building  was 
discontinued  on  account  of  the  unsanitary  location,  and  the  new  site 
was  laid  out,  the  first  house  to  be  erected  there  being  built  by  Captain 
Eli  Harney  at  the  southeast  corner  of  the  present  courthouse  si|tiare. 


Sycamore  -State  Street 

The  first  courthouse  was  erected  in  1839.  At  the  end  of  one  year  the 
little  village  consisted  of  about  a  dozen  rude  dwellings  scattered  over 
a  large  area. 

The  eai-ly  growth  of  the  place  is  shown  by  the  following  figures: 
in  1848  Sycamore  had  262  inhabitants ;  in  1849,  320 ;  in  1850,  390  and 
in  1851,  435.  From  1855  on  its  growth  was  more  rapid.  In  1858  it 
received  its  town  charter,  and  in  1869  it  became  a  city  with  Reuben 
Ellwood  as  its  first  mayor. 

Sycamore  has  a  picturesque,  healthful  location.  It  has  unusually 
wide  streets  and  large  building  lots  and,  especially  in  summer,  the 
comfort  of  the  inhabitants  is  enhanced  by  the  double  or  treble  rows  of 
shade  trees  that  surround  the  houses  or  skirt  the  streets  and  walks, 
giving  to  the  entire  city  a  park-like  appearance.  Here  and  there  above 
the  masses  of  foliage  a  church  steeple  points  toward  the  sky.  giving 
mute  evidence  that  the  inhabitants  are  devoted  to  other  than  merelv 


350 


KARI.Y    SKTTI.KMHNTS 


material  interests.  I'ersons  familiar  with  many  different  localities 
in  the  state  say  that  Sycamore  is  one  of  the  prettiest  of  the  smaller 
cities  of  Illinois. 

The  city  has  three  lar^re  industrial  establishments  and  a  number 
of  smaller  ones.  The  former  are  the  Sycamore  Foundry  and  Machine 
Company,  the  Chicago  Insulated  Wire  Company  and  the  Sycamore 
Preserve  Works.  The  first  named  employs  about  100  men,  the  second 
an  equal  ninnber,  while  the  third  duriug  the  summer  season  gives  work 
to  200  to  300  persons.  Among  the  smaller  plants  are  a  cigar  factory, 
dairies,  stone  quarries,  wagon  and  agricultural  implement  factories, 
flour  mills,  brick  yards,  a  soap  factory,  a  varnish  factory,  a  furniture 
factory  and  others.  The  city  has  water  works  and  electric  lighting 
systems.  Eleven  churches,  three  public  schools  and  one  girls'  seminary 
are  located  here. 

In  1880  the  population  of  Sycamore  was  3,028,  in  1890  it  had  been 
reduced  to  2,987  and  in  1900  again  increased,  the  census  giving  3,653 
as  the  total  number. 

The  citizens  carry  on  various  lines  of  business,  liberally  patronized 
by  tlir  inosperous  population  of  the  surrounding  country.  The  city 
has  excellent  coiniininioations.  the  North-Western  and  Great  Western 
railwaj-s  crossing  each  other  at  this  point.  The  distance  from  Chicago 
is  56  miles. 

The  first  Swedes  in  Sycamore  were  Peter  Johnson  from  Mjellliy. 
Blekiuge,  and  Andrew  Johnson  and  Anna  Carlsson,  a  widow,  both 
from  Skatelof,  Smaland.  Somewhat  later  came  the  brothers  Daniel 
and  Sven  Custafsson  and  Anna  Andersson.  a  widow  who.se  husband 
had  lost  his  life  M-hile  serving  in  the  Civil  War.  Peter  Johnson  was 
still  living  in  1898,  a  venerated  member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
churcli.  His  wife  and  a  daughter  died  in  1897.  Andrew  Johnson,  who 
was  a  brother-in-law  of  Peter  Johnson,  removed  to  (\»lorado  in  the 
late  seventies  and  died  there  as  tiie  owner  of  a  goldmine.  His  widow, 
nee  Anna  Carlsson,  who  ictunud  to  Sweden,  was  still  living  there  in 
1898.  and  Daniel  Custat'sson  was  then  living  in  Iowa.  His  brother  Sven 
died  prior  to  tliat  lime. 

When  the  ('i\il  W;ir  liroke  out  there  lived  in  Sycamore  a  Swedish 
ex-artillery  officer  by  the  name  of  C.  J.  Stiihlbrand.  engaged  in  the 
business  of  abstract  examiner.  He  oi)taine(l  a  commission  from 
Governor  Yates  to  recruit  a  balti  ry  of  artillery,  was  chosen  captain 
of  the  battalion  formed  by  this  and  a  couple  of  other  batteries, 
was  ]iromoted  major  and  then  brigadier  general  for  bravery,  served 
in  the  army  for  about  a  year  after  tlie  close  of  the  war,  then  made  his 
home  in  Peaufort,  S.  ('.,  died  in  Ciiarleston  Feb.  3,  1894.  and  was  buried 
in  Columbia,  in  the  sanii'  state.     To  this  |>roniinent  Swedish  .\nierican 


SYCAMORI; 


351 


citizen  we  will  revert  in  a  subsetiuent  cliaiiter.  dealing  witli  1lir  llliiii)is 
Swedes  who  took  part  in  the  Civil  "War. 

In  front  of  the  eourthouse  in  SycaiiKirc  the  people  of  hrKalU 
eouuty  ill  IS'Mi  ereeted  an  iiiiposint;  inoniinient  in  nieinory  of  the  men 
from  this  county  who  fought  and  died  for  the  Union  cause  on  Southern 
battlefields.     Anions-  these  men  were  a  iiumher  of  Swedish-Americans. 

Another  early  Swedish  settler  here  was  Carl  Carlson  from  Jlohcda, 
Smaland,  arrived  in  lS(i9  and  subsequently  the  most  successful  and 
prcsperous  Swedish  farmer  in  the  county.  He  was  still  living  here  in 
1898,  enjoying  a  considerable  fortune  aeeumulated  during  a  life  of 


Sycamore — Court  House  and  Soldiers'  Monument 

toil  and  prudent  husbandry.  During  the  period  covered  by  the  late 
sixties  and  early  seventies  the  number  of  Swedish  inhabitants  was 
substantially  increased  through  direct  immigration  from  Sweden.  In 
1870  they  were  strong  enough  to  organize  a  Lutheran  church,  which 
was  for  a  time  the  only  Swedish  church  in  the  place,  being  followed 
in  1888  by  a  Baptist  church,  Avhich,  however,  has  made  but  small 
acquisitions.  The  Swedes  of  Sycamore  have  taken  active  part  in  local 
politics,  and  several  of  them  have  held  public  office.  In  the  matter  of 
fratei-nal  orders  the  Sycamore  Swedes  Avill  not  bear  comparison  with 
other  Swedish-American  centers. 

In  the  year  1880  there  were  in  Sycamore  and  vicinity  about  1,000 
Swedish  people  and  in  1905  some  1,500.     Those  living  in  the  city  are 


352  i:.\Ri.Y  si:tti,i:.mi:nts 

eugagcd  in  various  etmiiiiereial  pursuits,  niauy  of  them  being  in 
business  for  themselves.  A  number  of  tlie  retired  farmers  of  the 
neigliborhood  are  now  residing  in  town,  enjoying  in  their  old  age  the 
fruits  of  their  labors  in  earlier  years. 

Before  closing  this  brief  historical  sketch  of  the  Swedish  colony  at 
Sycamore,  we  desire  to  give  an  account  of  the  interesting  visit  paid 
to  Sycamore  years  ago  by  Christina  Xilsson,  the  renowned  Swedish 
singer.  In  December.  1870.  the  Swedish  nightingale  appeared  in 
Chicago,  captivating  the  moneyed  aristocracy  of  the  city  at  a  grand 
concert,  and  })eing  herself  feted  at  a  splendid  banquet  given  by 
Swc<lish-Ainoricans  headed  by  the  Svea  Society.  The  Swedes  in  Syca- 
more, hearing  of  these  affairs,  were  seized  with  a  natural  desire  to  see 
and  hear  the  prima  donna.  This  desire  was  strengthened  by  the  fact 
that  relatives  of  the  great  singer  were  living  in  Sycamore,  as  well  as 
other  persons  who  knew  her  from  the  time  when,  as  "Stina  from 
Snugge,"  she  traveled  around  singing  at  country  fairs  in  Smaland. 

But  there  was  still  another  reason  why  they  wished  to  have  her 
visit  Sycamore,  and  that  a  weighty  one.  Twenty  years  before.  Jenny 
Lind  had  given  a  liandsome  sum  to  the  fund  for  the  building  of  the 
St.  Ansgarius  Church  of  Chicago  and  subsequentl.v  donated  a  valuable 
communion  service  to  the  same  church.  Wliy.  then,  they  reasoned. 
should  not  Christina  Nilsson  visit  licr  own  peojile  at  Sycamore  and  by 
her  voice  assist  in  raising  the  money  needed  for  a  chiu-ch  for  tlic 
congregation  organized  tliat  same  year?  They  met  and  counseled, 
resulting  in  the  appointment  of  a  committee  to  go  to  Chicago  and  make 
their  wishes  known  to  the  singer.  In  order  to  make  assurance  doubly 
sure,  they  appointed  on  this  committee  Anders  Ingemansson,  a  man 
whom  Chri.stina  Nilsson  well  knew.  In  former  days  while  Anders  was 
living  at  Lofhult,  a  part  of  the  property  belonging  to  the  iron  works 
at  Iluseby,  Sm&land,  he  often  hauled  loads  of  ironware  from  the  factory 
to  Vexio  or  Ljungby.  and  many  a  time  the  little  Haxen-haired  violin 
player  from  Snugge  got  a  rido  witli  hin»  to  antl  from  the  fairs  held  in 
these  towns.  Would  she  have  the  heart  to  refuse  a  request  nuido 
by  him?    Hardly. 

'I'lie  other  two  members  of  tlie  connnittee  were  one  (iustafsson  and 
Andrew  Johnson.  Through  the  Iciiul  olVici's  of  IJcv.  Krland  Carlsson 
they  obtained  an  audience  witli  tlie  singer,  who  consented  instantly. 
Certainly  she  would  come  and  sing  for  them  I  l?ut  Strakosch.  iier 
impresario,  said  no.  Suppose  she  would  catcii  a  cold  and  become 
indisposed  but  for  one  evening — it  wo\ild  entail  the  loss  of  thousaiuls 
of  diiMiii's.  Or  if  there  should  be  n  train  wreck  and  she  would  break  an 
arm  or  a  leg.  what  a  dilemma  they  woiild  nil  be  in!  Such  was  his 
reasoning,  cdnclinlin!.'  with  n  rcpc-ilci!  refusal  to  let  her  go. 


MISClCLLANKurS  353 

But  the  singer  made  light  of  the  ol)jection,s  of  her  iiiaiiager,  mihlly 
ridiculing  his  foolish  arguments,  until  he  had  to  submit.  Xot  wanting 
to  break  her  engagement  in  Chicago,  Christina  Nilsson  was  compelled 
to  go  to  Sycamore  on  Christmas  Day,  which  fell  on  a  Simdaj'.  She  was 
accompanied  by  the  singers  and  musicians  of  her  company,  a  number 
of  prominent  Swedish  citizens  of  Chicago  and,  last  but  not  least, 
Strakosch  himself,  who  went  in  order  to  see  that  no  harm  came  to  his 
Swedish  nightingale. 

The  concert  in  Sycamore  was  given  in  the  American  Methodist 
church.  Christina  Nilsson.  as  usual,  made  an  absolute  conquest.  Prob- 
ably never  before  had  she  sung  Gounod's  "Ave  Maria"  with  such 
profound  feeling  as  at  this  occasion.  She  gave  two  other  numbers, 
besides.  Her  American  hearers  were  as  charmed  as  her  own  country- 
men. But  the  concert  given  in  the  church,  to  Avhich  an  admission  fee 
of  three  dollars  was  charged,  had  to  be  supplemented  by  a  popular 
concert,  in  order  to  give  the  poorer  classes  an  opportunity  to  hear  her. 
At  this  concert,  held  in  "Wilkins  Hall,  she  again  sang  "Ave  Maria"  and. 
in  order  to  get  into  complete  touch  with  her  audience,  now  almost 
exclusively  Swedish,  rendered  several  Swedish  ballads  in  the  most 
approved  style  of  little  "Stina  from  Snugge."  The  net  profit  of  these 
two  concerts  amounted  to  about  $1,000.  The  amount  appropriated  to 
the  church  building  fund  we  cannot  exactly  state. 

Ingemansson.  the  old  friend  of  Christina  Nilsson,  who  had  engaged 
in  the  carpenter's  trade  in  Sycamore,  died  there  about  1S90.  Her 
relatives,  who  doubtless  are  still  living  there,  are  Anna.  Magni.  Gustaf, 
Emil,  Ida  and  Oscar  Nilsson.  the  children  of  Petter  Nilsson  and  Eva, 
his  wife,  now  deceased.  She  was  a  cousin  of  the  great  singer.  Another 
relative  of  the  latter  is  Mrs.  Carrie  Bohlin,  who  bears  the  same  relation- 
ship to  the  singer  as  the  children  of  Petter  and  Eva  Nilsson. 

MISCELLANEOUS    SETTLEMEINTS 

The  previous  sketches  deal  with  the  history  of  only  tlie  older  and 
larger  Swedish  settlements  in  Illinois.  But  there  are  quite  a  number 
of  later  ones,  large  and  small,  many  of  which,  especially  those  of 
recent  date,  by  reason  of  rapid  growth  and  the  importance  attained, 
would  deserve  a  place  in  this  series.  But  we  are  con.strained  to  limit 
ourselves  to  the  bare  mention  of  their  name  and  the  time  of  founding. 
In  many  cases  it  has  been  possible  to  give  the  year  with  absolute 
certainty,  while  in  many  others  the  time  can  only  be  approximated. 
In  the  latter  instances,  the  year  stated  is  the  earliest  in  which  Swedes 
are  definitely  known  to  have  lived  in  the  respective  localities,  not. 
however,  precluding  the  possibility  of  earlier  settlement  by  individual 
Swedes. 


354  KARLY    SETTLKMENTS 

Followiug  are  the  older  of  the  smaller  Swedish  settlements  of 
wliicli  tlic  time  of  first  settlement  is  positively  known: 

Scitlcmcnt  County  Foundeil 

I^fayette Stark 1846 

Henderson   Grove. .  Knox 1849 

Beaver Iroc|Uois 1S53 

Pecatonica Winnebago 1854 

Avon I'ullon 1S54 

Toulon Stark 1S55 

Wvanet Bureau 1855 

New  Windsor Mercer 1859 

New  Boston Jlereer 1S59 

FolloM-ing  arc  the  smaller  Swedish  settlements  of  more  recent  date, 
Ihc  year  of  first  settlement  being  definitely  known: 

Settlement  County  Founded 

Coal  Valley Rock   Island 1S63 

Farinersville McLean 1863 

Blooniinfjton McLean 1S65 

Woodluill Henry 1865 

Aledo Mercer 1S66 

Roseville Warren 1S67 

Nekunia Henry 1867 

I-;vanstoii Cook 1S6S 

I.ockport Will 1768 

Danville Vermillion 1S69 

Ophieni Henry 1870 

Lynn Henry. 1870 

Osco Henry 1S70 

Canibriilge Henry 1S70 

Doniivan IrcMiuois 1S72 

KarliiT  Swi'disli  sett Iciiiriits  wliiTc  the  year  of  founding  is  douht- 
I'lll  are: 

in^i".   Kane   County 1S52 

Aurora.   Kane  County 1S57 

More  recent  Swedisli  settlements  of  donbtfid  date  are  as  follows: 

Settlement  County  I-Viuniletl 

Neoga Cumberland 1S62 

Varna Marshall.  1S6.S 

Joliet Will 1S70 

Bigg.sville Henderson 1872 

I.emont Cook 187a 

Kirkl:ind DeKalh 187a 

IlinhwDod Lake 1R74 

New  Bedford.         Kurean 1S74 

K:inkin I'ord 1S75 

Port  Byron Rock  Island 1S75 

I'lopbulstown.    .      Whitesiile.  .  1S75 

Morrison Whiteside iS;s 

Oregon Ogle 1S7A 


WISCin.I.ANEOUS  355 

Settlfinciu  County  Founded 

Sibley P'ord 1H79 

Gibson  Cily I'"ord 1.S81 

Peoria Peoria 1S83 

Strealor La  Salle 1884 

Putnaiii Putnam 1885 

La  Cirange Cook 1887 

Clarence Ford 1887 

Morris Grundy 18S9 

Gladstone Henderson 1S89 

Canton Pulton 1890 

Stronghurst Henderson 1 892 

Waukegan Lake 1S92 

Wenona Marshall i  S92 

Lily  Lake Kane 1894 

lielvidere Boone 1 894 

Cable Jlercer 1895 

I'tica Fulton igoo 

Granville Putnam igo2 

Sandwich DeKalb 1904 

Beyond  this  individual  Swedes  with  or  without  families  are  to  be 
fotuid  in  almost  every  part  of  the  state. 


CHAPTER    VI. 


The  Swedish  Methodist-Episcopal  Church 


Preparatory  WorK 

T  was  tlirough  Olof  G.  liedstriJiu  that  ilethodism  first 
was  introduced  among  the  Swedes  aud  other  Scandi- 
navians in  New  York  and  later  by  his  brother  Jonas 
Hcdstriini  among  the  Swedish  settlers  in  Illinois.  A 
skctcli  i)t'  the  life  and  work  of  Jonas  lledstroni  has  been 
given  among  those  of  tlie  first  Swedes  in  Illinois.  We  proceed  to 
give  a  brief  aeeouiit  of  tlie  clmreh  founded  by  these  two  brothers, 
the  earliest  Swedisli  religious  ilenomination  in  America. 

Jonas  lledstroni  preached  his  first  Swedish  sermon  December  15. 
184fi,  in  a  little  blockhouse  in  the  woods  about  three  miles  soutinvest 
of  Victoria,  the  same  house  where  Olof  Olssou,  the  advance  representa- 
tive of  Erik  Jansson,  and  later  Erik  Jansson  himself,  received  the  first 
shelter  after  arriving  at  their  destination  in  the  AVest.  At  this  same 
occasion  the  first  Swedish  I\IetIiodist  congregation  was  organized. 
consisting  of  five  members,  namely.  Ilcdstrom  and  his  wife.  Andrew 
lljeliri  ;iiiil  wife,  .iiid  I'eter  Xcwbcrg.  \\  Clii-istmas  time,  a  couple 
of  weeks  later,  the  fii'st  Swedish  Methodist  c|uarterly  meeting  was  held 
in  the  same  cabin,  when  several  new  members  were  welcomed.  For 
s<iinr  time  Jonas  Iledstroiii  eonlinued  as  the  spiritiud  leader  of  the 
little  group  of  Swedisli  Methodists,  meanwhile  puiNuing  his  black- 
smitii's  trade,  lint  as  the  tlock  grew  larger,  he  gave  way  to  liie  urgings 
of  the  members  to  devote  his  whole  time  to  gosi)el  work. 

In  August.  1S48.  lie  was  received  on  probation  into  thi'  .\inerican 
Koek  Hiver  ('onference  and  appointed  missionary  among  the  Sweilish 
settlers.  Thereafter  he  de\otcd  himself  almost  exclusively  to  jireaching 
and  soon  had  ample  opportunity  to  display  his  great  capacity  ns  an 
organizer,  .\fter  making  a  few  visits  to  a  certain  jtlace  he  would 
proeeecl  to  oi'gani/.e  a  congregation  there,  and  soon  had  to  divide  his 
time  among  a  number  of  places.  lie  labored  with  such  initiring  energy 
tli.il   within  the  vear  he  had  I'mnided  ehurehes  at   .\ndover  and  ("lales- 


rRlvl'ARATORV     WORK 


357 


burg  and  was  able  to  report  to  the  Conference  in  1849  no  less  than 
six  cliarges,  viz.,  Victoria,  Anclover,  Galesburg.  Lafayette.  IMoliue  and 
Rock  Island,  aggregating  sixty  members  in  full  cimiirction  and  (liirty- 
three  on  proliation. 

At  first  Jonas  Iledstroni  was  cnlirelj'  aioni'  in  the  Wdrk  in  this 
mission  field.  Until  the  arrival  of  L.  P.  Eslijorn.  tlic  Lutheran  minister, 
in  1849.  he  was  also  the  only  Swedish  clcrgynian  in  the  entire  West. 
Soon  afterward  he  received  his  first  assistant  in  John  Brown,  who 
became  itinerant  preacher  among  the  widely  scattered  settlers.  In  the 
autumn  of  1849  Hedstrom  got  a  second  assistant,  C.  P.  Agrelius,  who 
came  on  from  New  York  with  a  letter  of  recommendation  from  the 


The  Log  Cabin  in  which  the  First  Swedish  M.  E.  Church 
in  America  was  Organized 

elder  Hedstrom.  In  the  spring  of  1850,  this  man  was  sent  to  a  Nor- 
wegian Methodist  mission  in  Wisconsin,  but  the  same  year  he  received 
new  reinforcements  in  the  persons  of  Andrew  Ericson  and  A.  G.  Swed- 
berg,  who  soon  after  their  arrival  from  Sweden  in  the  late  fall  of  1849 
joined  the  Methodist  Church  and  .subsequently  became  traveling  mis- 
sionaries. In  May,  1850,  a  new  mission  field  was  opened  in  New 
Sweden,  Jefferson  county,  Iowa.  The  records  of  the  conference  meet- 
ing of  1850  show  that  the  Swedish  mission  in  connection  with  the  Rock 
River  Conference  at  that  early  date  comprised  four  circuits  with  six 
preachers  and  195  church  members.  The  preachers  were  the  five 
already  mentioned,  together  with  Peter  Cassel,  who  was  stationed  at 
New  Sweden,  la. 

In  1852  two  more  preachers  were  added,  viz.,  Peter  Challman,  or 
Kallnian,  and  Erik  Shogren.  or  Sjogren,  who  at  the  behest  of  Hedstrom 
devoted  themselves  to  chiirch  work  after  having  returned  from  a  gold- 


358 


THE    MKTHODISTS 


seeking  excursion  to  California  late  in  the  summer  of  1851.  l>ut  were 
not  accepted  on  probation  by  the  Roek  River  Conference  until  Septem- 
ber, 1853.  In  January  of  that  year  the  number  of  workers  was  again 
increased  by  the  addition  of  S.  H.  Newman,  who  for  two  years  had  been 
assistant  to  Rev.  0.  G.  Iledstrom  on  the  Bethel  ship  in  New  York 
harbiir.  Now  lie  was  sent  to  Chicago  to  take  charge  of  the  Swedish 
^Mftiiodist  Cliurch  which  had  i)ccii  organized  there  the  previous  month. 
December,  1852.  The  next  addition  was  made  in  1854.  when  Peter 
NcAvberg.  IIedstr(im's  foi-iiici'  lidpi-r  in  the  lilai-ksmith  slio])  at  Victoria, 
where  he  liad  been  under  the  spiritual  influence  of  his  employer, 
exchanged  the  anvil  for  the  pulpit.  The  following  year  the  corps  of 
])reachers  received  in  Victor  Witting  a  very  valuable  nuMuber  who. 
after  diverse  expei-iences  in  this  coiuUry,  was  won  over  to  Methodi.sm 
while  tm  a  visit  to  New  York,  having  become  familiar  with  the  church 
during  iiis  previous  residence  in  Illinois.  All  these  preachers  lai)ored 
]>i-iiicipally  within  the  state,  but  iiu-identally  extended  their  operations 
li>  Indiana  and  Iowa. 

In  spite  of  these  reinforcements,  the  work  of  Iledstrom  himself 
rather  increased  than  lightened,  as  the  enlargement  of  the  field  com- 
pelled liim  to  make  fre(iuent  long  journeys  to  the  widely  scattered 
churches  in  order  to  exercise  i)roper  supervision  of  the  work.  His  field 
now  extended  from  Cliieago  west  as  far  as  New  Sweden.  la.  Opposing 
forces  notwitlistaiidiiig.  the  progress  of  Methodism  among  the  Swedish 
settlers  was  coiitinuous.  In  lS5(i.  at  the  conference  meeting  held  in 
Peoria,  all  the  Swedish  churches  of  Illinois.  Indiana  and  Iowa  were 
condjined  into  a  special  district  with  Jonas  Iledstrom  as  its  presiding 
elder.  However,  he  was  not  long  to  hold  this  position,  for  in  his  work 
as  pioneer  missionary  and  on  the  long,  dift'icult  joiuMieys  he  was 
constantly  compelli'd  to  make,  his  health  had  been  undermined  to  such 
an  extent  that  he  was  forced  to  retire  after  one  year.  On  May  11,  1859, 
less  than  two  years  lalcr.  death  ended  his  ciireer. 

The  Co-Worl\ers  of  Jonas  Hedstrom    John  BrowTi 

The  first  assistant  ol'  .Imias  lledsliilni  in  the  missionary  field  was 
John  Hrown.  He  was  of  Danish  descent,  iiorn  on  the  island  of  .Ms 
Dec.  23,  1813,  but  having  been  brought  up  among  (iernuin-speaking 
peojile,  he  accpiireil  that  language  and  spoke  Danish  or  Swedish  with  a 
marked  German  brogue. 

Hrown  came  to  .\ineriea  as  a  sailor  ])rior  to  May  14.  1843,  when  he 
was  Miai'i-ied  in  New  York  city  to  Johanna  Hatlen.  a  German  woman 
Iriini  .Minna,  wlm  |ii'ii\ed  a  t rnc  licl|imeet  to  him. 

In  .New  ^'ork,  pi-csninably.  he  came  in  contact  with  one  of  the 
early  emigrant  partii's  nf  JOriU  Janssonists.  Joined  the  sect,  and  in  1S47 
We    I'inil    liini    in   Hislmii    Hill.      Dissatisfied    with    the   pni|i|ii't    and    his 


JOHN    BROWN  3(^9 

colony.  Brown  soon  Id't,  together  with  a  numlicr  of  others,  the  deserters 
settling  at  Lafayette,  Stark  county,  eight  miles  east  of  Victoria,  where 
they  ohtained  emi)loyment  from  an  Ameriean  named  Ilodgeson.  The 
energetic  sailor  at  once  joined  the  ^lethodists,  who.se  tenets  he  favored. 
His  slight  acquaintance  with  Hedstrom,  formed  during  the  visits  of  the 
latter  to  Bishop  Hill,  was  now  deepened  h.v  more  intimate  intercourse 
with  him.  Finding  Brown  suitable  timber  for  the  ministry.  Hedstrom 
lost  no  time  in  urging  him  to  enter  that  vocation. 

Ere  long.  Brown  was  in  the  field  as  a  missionary,  preaching  first 
in  and  around  Lafayette  and  Victoria,  then  in  Andover  and  Rock 
Island.  In  the  last-named  place  his  efforts  were  especially  successful. 
After  having  been  received  into  the  Conference  in  1852.  he  was  sent 
to  labor  among  the  Norwegians  in  Leland  and  Fox  River.  LaSalle 
count}'.  As  a  consequence  of  overwork  and  privations  his  health  soon 
broke  down,  compelling  him  to  retire  from  active  service  after  three 
.years.  He  was  subsequently  employed  as  bridge  tender  at  Freedom, 
halfway  between  Leland  and  Ottawa,  having  charge  of  the  local  chureh 
in  the  meantime.  Some  time  later  he  removed  to  Iowa,  locating  in  the 
little  town  of  Nevada,  Storey  county.  Despite  ill  health  he  traveled 
about  the  country  preaching  in  English,  German  and  Swedish  in  the 
new  settlements,  even  now  gathering  many  into  the  Jlethodist  fold. 
Browni  was  a  man  of  great  zeal,  a  live,  vivid  and  warmhearted 
preacher,  and  a  verv  successful  revivalist.  When  he  got  especiall.v 
warmed  up.  both  b.v  his  text  and  the  summer  heat  on  the  prairies,  he 
would  throw  off  his  coat  and  neckwear,  and  sometimes  his  vest,  and  go 
on  preaching  with  a  vim  that  was  overpowering.  Although  sincerely 
devoted  to  ^lethodism,  he  was  not  fanatical  or  intolerant.  "Let  others 
stand  by  their  flag;  I'll  stand  by  mine."  was  his  motto,  expressed  in 
his  bluff'  seaman's  vernacular. 

While  engaged  one  da.v  in  painting  a  fence  at  his  home  in  Nevada, 
he  suffered  an  apoplectic  stroke  which  ended  his  life.  This  was  in  1875, 
presumably  in  the  month  of  September. 

Rev.  Carl  Petter  Ag'relius 

The  second  in  order  of  the  ten  assistants  of  Hedstrom  during  the 
first  decade  was  Carl  Petter  Agrelius.  in  temperament,  enere.v  and 
mental  make-up  a  complete  contrast  to  Brown.  He  also  had  been 
assistant  to  Rev.  0.  G.  Hedstrom  on  the  Bethel  ship  in  New  York, 
ser\'ing  there  1848-49.  and  subsetiuently  as  Jonas  Hedstrom 's  assistant 
in  the  Victoria  circuit.  He  became  the  first  Swedish  ^lethodist  preacher 
among  the  Scandinavian  population  in  Wisconsin.  Agrelius  was  born 
in  Ostergotland  Oct.  22.  1798,  studied  at  the  University  of  Upsala  and 
was  ordained  to  the  ministry,  very  likely  in  1822.     After  serving  for 


36o  THE    MKTHODISTS 

twenty-six  years  as  a  minister  of  the  state  church  of  Sweden,  during 
the  latter  years  as  curate  of  the  parish  of  Pelarne,  in  northern  Smaland. 
he  felt  ail  inner  call  to  go  to  America  and  take  np  Lutheran  missionary 
work  among  the  growing  masses  of  emigrants.  Together  with  a  large 
party,  he  arrived  in  New  York  in  1848,  probably  in  the  month  of 
Oetober.  Rev.  Hedstriim  and  his  alert  assistant,  Peter  Bcrgner,  who 
were  constantly  on  tiic  lookout  for  Swedes,  went  on  board  at  once  to 
bid  the  newcomers  welcome,  give  advice  and  assistance  and  invite 
them  to  attend  the  service  on  board  the  Bethel  ship  that  evening.  By 
his  dress  and  general  appearance  Agrelius  at  once  attracted  their 
attention,  and  on  addressinir  him  they  learned  that  he  was  a  minister 
of  the  Swedish  state  church. 

Agrelius  stojipcd  in  New  York,  where  he  attempted  to  build  up  a 
Swedish  Lutheran  i-ongregation.  an  enteri)rise  which,  however,  proved 
for  too  great  for  his  capacity.  He  was  devout,  forsooth,  and  had  the 
best  of  intentions.  l)ut  lacked  energy,  enthusiasm  and  other  qualities 
requisite  to  Icadersliii).  To  him  it  was  more  natural  to  be  led  than  to 
lead.  Finding  himself  unalile  to  organize  a  Lutheran  church,  he  began 
to  associate  more  intimately  with  Iledstrom,  attended  class  meetings 
and  services  on  board  the  missionary  ship  and  preached  there  occasion- 
ally, at  the  request  of  Hedstrom.  Before  long  he  was  a  Methodist,  heart 
and  soul,  joined  their  church,  was  licensed  as  local  preacher  a  short 
time  afterward  and  was  engaged  as  Hedstrom's  assistant  on  the  Bethel 
ship  for  a  year,  or  till  the  fall  of  1849,  when  he  was  sent  to  Victoria  to 
a.ssist  the  younger  Hedstrom.  Together  with  E.  Shogren  and  other 
recent  arrivals  from  Sweden  who,  upon  Hedstrom's  advice,  decided  to 
settle  at  Victoria,  he  left  New  York,  arriving  at  his  destination  in 
October.  Durinjr  tli(>  following  six  months  he  went  from  place  to  place 
in  tlu'  suiTouiKling  circuit,  preachinsr  in  the  houses  of  the  settlers. 

A1  t he  solicital ion  oi' an  iiilliicntial  American  .Methoilist  in  Chicago 
or  Evanstoii.  who  took  a  great  interest  in  the  Scandinavians  and 
guaranteed  su|)|>oi't  to  the  |)r<'achcr  for  one  year.  Agrelius  was  sent 
to  Spring  Prairie,  ^Vis.,  in  the  early  part  of  1S.">(1  in  order  to  begin  work 
among  the  Norwegian  .settlements  thereabout.  In  July.  1851,  ho  was 
received  into  the  "Wisconsin  Conference  on  probation  and  sent  as 
missionary  to  the  Norwegians  in  Primrose,  in  that  state.  Here  he 
remained  for  three  years,  till  the  fall  of  1854,  when  he  was  sent  to  the 
Swedish  ^lethodist  mission  in  St.  Paul  and,  a  year  later,  to  JIarine. 
Chisago  co\nity,  Minn.  At  lliis  place  he  built  a  log  cabin  for  himself 
on  a  ))iece  of  land  lie  had  i)\M'chascd  near  Big  Lake,  aiul  renuiined  here 
for  a  number  of  years,  preaching  to  his  count rynien  in  the  large  sur- 
rounding setllciiicnts. 

Li  tiie  spring  of  ISliO  lie  moved  back  to  Wisconsin  and  served  the 


ANI)Ki;W     IvRICSON  361 

churches  oi'  C'ooii  I'rairic,  Hart  I'rairie,  I'riiiirosu  aiul  Ilighlaiul;  iu  18G() 
he  was  declared  superannuated,  but  continued  for  another  year  in 
charge  of  the  Norwegian  ]\Iethodist  church  of  Willow  River,  whereupon 
his  pastoral  career  ended.  He  now  went  hack  to  live  in  retirement  on 
his  little  farm  in  Marine,  ]\rinn.,  remaining  there  until  1878,  when  he 
removed  to  the  home  of  his  youngest  sou  at  Deer  Park,  St.  Croix  covmty, 
Wis.  At  that  place  he  died  August  18.  1881,  at  the  mature  age  of 
eighty-three.  On  the  same  date  twelve  years  after,  his  widow,  Anna 
Elisabet,  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-four. 

Agrelius  was  a  man  of  tractahle  and  peaceful  disposition.  Among 
his  associates  he  was  talkative,  benign  and  social.  Hospitable  almost  to 
•  a  fault,  he  Avas  ready  to  entertain  in  his  little  log  cabin  every  wayfarer 
who  passed,  whether  stranger  or  friend.  He  was  a  man  of  thorough 
education  but  limited  executive  ability.  His  sermons  were  dry  and 
wearisome  to  listen  to,  their  contents  being  in  substance  good,  but 
lackiiisr  in  deptli. 

Rev.  Andrevv^  Ericson 

The  third  in  order  of  Hedstrom's  co-laborers  was  Andrew  Ericson. 
Born  at  Roste,  Bollnas  parish.  Helsingland,  Jul.v  8,  1815,  he  was 
converted  in  early  youth  and  soon  thereafter  began  to  preach.  He 
and  his  wife  were  among  those  who  accompanied  Rev.  L.  P.  Esbjorn  to 
America  in  1849  and  came  with  him  to  Andover.  Ericson  did  not  long 
remain  there.  Urged  by  Rev.  Hedstrom.  who  soon  after  their  arrival 
visited  Andover,  he.  together  with  a  number  of  other  newcomers, 
decided  to  locate  at  Victoria.  Almost  immediately  he  joined  the 
^lethodist  Chiircli  and  became  a  faithful  and  ever  willing  assistant  in 
whom  Rev.  Hedstrom  reposed  implicit  trust.  Though  not  naturally 
brilliant,  he  proved  a  very  able  preacher.  The  partisanship  so  prevalent 
in  those  early  days  did  not  enter  into  his  mental  make-up. 

After  laboring  for  a  few  j'ears  in  Illinois,  he  Avas  sent  to  New 
Sweden.  la.,  in  1854,  to  assume  charge  of  the  Swedish  Methodist  con- 
gregation at  that  place  and  to  exercise  general  supervision  of  the 
surrounding  field,  which  at  first  was  very  large,  extending  from 
Burlington  west  to  Swede  Bend,  a  distance  of  two  hundred  miles. 
It  is  doubtful  whether  any  other  Swedish  Methodist  elerg>anan  ever 
kept  up  services  at  points  so  far  apart  as  those  regularly  visited  by 
Andrew  Ericson  during  the  first  part  of  the  time  he  labored  in  this 
field. 

At  the  close  of  April.  1854.  the  year  of  his  coming  to  the  .state, 
a  church  had  been  organized  in  Swede  Bend.  Webster  county.  175  miles 
west  of  New  Sweden.  No  le.ss  than  thirteen  times  in  two  years  he 
traveled  from  New  Sweden  to  Swede  Bend,  a  distance  both  ways  of 


362 


THK    METHODISTS 


more  than  three  hundred  miles  tlirough  wild  and  fur  the  most  part 
unsettled  eountry.  Not  int're(|uently  Ills  own  eountrynien  would  refuse 
to  shelter  him,  eomi)ellin{r  him  to  spend  tiie  nij^hts  under  the  oi>en  sky — 
all  because  he  was  a  Methodist  preacher.  Such  was  the  partisan  zeal 
among  the  church  people  at  that  time. 

In  1856  Ericsou  was  sent  to  Swede  Bend  and  labored  there  ex- 
clusively until  I860,  when  he  was  sent  back  to  Illinois  and  stationed 
at  the  Norwegian  settlement  in  Lelaud.  The  following  year  he  was 
minister  in  charge  at  Andover.  which  position  he  held  for  two  years. 
At  the  conference  of  186;J.  he  rctiucsted  that  lie  l)e  placed  on  the  retired 
list.  MJiii  li  l)cing  done  he  returned  to  Swede  Bend.  la.,  where  he  owned 
a  farm.  Here  lie  spent  ills  last  days.  Se])t.  11.  1878.  he  wa.s  found  dead 
just  outside  of  iiis  liousc,  evidently  struck  down  by  apoplexy. 

Andrew  Ericsou  was  a  plain  man  of  the  people,  with  little  book 
learning,  his  op]>ortunities  for  study  having  l)een  limited.  Yet  by  dint 
of  zeal  and  great  devotion  to  his  calling  his  labors  were  richly  blessed, 
lie  was  a  man  of  peaceful  and  benign  disposition,  who  made  no 
enemies. 

Rev.  Anders  Gustaf  Svredberg 

Anders  Gustaf  Swedberg.  the  fourth  of  Rev.  Jonas  Iledstrom's 
auxiliary  workers,  was  born  in  1827  or  1828  in  the  city  of  Iludiksvall 
or  near  there.  In  early  age  he  joined  the  so-called  "Luther  Headers." 
or  Hedbergians,  and  occiisionjiiiy  ,i|ip(aii(l  as  exhorter  at  their  meet- 
ings. He  accomiianied  Kev.  L.  P.  Ksbjiirn  to  this  country  in  184!l.  Wlicii 
they  arrived  at  Andover.  an  epidemic  of  sickness  was  raging  there,  and 
lodging  coulil  not  lie  secured,  so  Swedberg  and  others  proceeded  to 
(idb.'sburg.  There  he  at  once  came  in  contact  with  the  Methodists  and 
.soon  came  to  feel  at  home  among  Ihem.  In  the  spring  of  1S.")0  he  joined 
the  jMelliodist  Churcii  and  l>ccame  exhorter  and  subsetpuMitly  lood 
preacher.  The  following  year  lie  was  received  on  i)robation  into  the 
Rock  River  Conference.  It  was  then  resolved  tiiat  Swedberg  and 
Andrew  Ericsou  siioukl  alternately  have  cliarge  of  tiie  congregations 
of  tile  X'ictoria-Galesburg  fir<-uit.  prim-ipally  that  cd'  Galesburg.  where 
Swedlicrg  resided. 

At  this  lime  Swedlicrg  was  a  young  num.  oidy  twenty-one  yeai"s 
of  age:  111-  piisscssc-il  a  good  ediirjii  ion.  was  a  gifti-d  speaker,  had  a 
pleasing  iiiaiiiier,  was  full  of  fire  and  eiitlinsiasni.  ((ualitics  by  wliicli 
he  won  the  hearts  id'  all.  It  was  the  general  opinion  that  in  him  Rev. 
Ilcdstroin  iiad  obtained  one  of  his  most  valuable  aids.  But  these 
expectations  were  not  fnirilleil.  In  the  spring  of  18,")2  an  .\iiuM'icnu 
Baptist  clertryman  by  the  name  of  Barry,  a  very  eloipieiit  man,  came 
to  Galesburg  and  liy  his  sernions  on   the  doctrine  of  baptism  )|nickly 


CASSi;i,     CIIAI.I.MAN  363 

stirred  up  tlu/  wimlc  cinniminity.  AiuDiig  quite  u  number  of  Swedes 
who  were  cniivci-lcd  lo  tlie  Baptist  faith  was  Swedherg.  lie  left  the 
Methodist  Church,  was  baptized  anew  and  in  1853  was  appointed 
minister  of  a  newly  organized  eh\irch  at  Village  Creek,  la.  lie  at  first 
served  for  two  years,  or  until  18.").").  Avhen  the  ehureh  was  left  without 
a  jireaeher  until  the  autunui  of  1856;  then  Swedberg  was  again  ealled 
there,  aeeepting  the  charge.  In  1864  he  was  still  in  charge  of  this 
church,  iiut  since  that  time  little  is  known  of  him  and  it  is  not  known 
whethei-  he  is  still  among  the  living. 

Rev.  Peter  Cassel 

I'ctcr  Ca.ssel,  to  whom  frequent  reference  has  been  made,  also 
was  one  of  Rev.  Hedstrtim's  eo-Avorkers.  He  was  born  in  Asbo  parish, 
Ostcrgotland.  Oct.  Vi.  1790.  In  his  native  place  he  was  a  miller  and 
afterwards  foreman  on  a  large  eoimtry  estate.  From  1825  to  1830 
this  locality  experienced  a  general  revivali.st  movement  in  which  Cassel 
joined.  Cassel  later  became  the  leader  of  a  part.v  of  emigrants  who 
left  Kisa,  Ostei'gotland,  in  1845,  destined  for  Pine  Lake,  Wis.,  but  on 
reaching  New  York  decided  to.  change  their  route  and  went  to  Iowa, 
where  the.v  foiuided  Xew  Sweden,  the  first  Swedish  settlement  in  that 
state. 

"When  in  November.  1850,  the  Swedish  ]\lethodist  Church  in  New 
Sweden  was  organized,  Cassel  was  one  of  the  first,  if  not  the  ver.v  first, 
to  sign  for  membership.  He  soon  became  local  preacher.  The  following 
year  he  was  appointed  minister  in  charge,  serving  in  that  capacity  for 
three  years,  till  the  fall  of  1854.  Two  years  later  he  was  ordained 
deacon  of  the  IMethodist  Church.  His  strength  soon  failed,  however, 
compelling  him  to  resign.     Cassel  died  ilarcli  4,  1857. 

"Father"  Cassel,  as  he  was  reverently  .styled  by  the  people  of  New 
Sweden,  was  a  man  of  the  old  stock,  hone.st  and  true.  He  was  the 
soul  of  the  church  as  well  as  of  the  communit.v.  and  was  looked  up  to 
by  all  with  respect  and  confidence. 

Rev.  Peter  Challman 

Among  all  the  co-workers  and  assistants  of  Iledstrom,  Peter  Chall- 
man, or  Kallman,  both  as  a  revivalist  and  a  pioneer  preacher,  took 
foremost  rank.  Being  a  man  of  exceptional  energy,  he  would  un- 
doTibtedly  have  attained  still  greater  prominence  under  more  favorable 
circumstances.  He  was  born  at  the  Voxua  factory,  in  Helsiuglaud, 
1823.  In  the  fall  of  1844  he  joined  the  Erik  Janssonists  and  the  follow- 
ing spring  began  to  conduct  religious  meetings,  preaching  in  accordance 
with  the  tenets  of  the  sect.    He  was  soon  chosen  one  of  Erik  -Tansson's 


364  THK    METHODISTS 

apostles  and  sent  out  by  him  to  preach.  By  Kallmau  's  preaching  many 
were  won  over.  But  to  preach  Erik  Janssonisni  was  fraught  with 
grave  peril.  Kiilliiiaii  was  twice  niol)l)e(l  by  the  enraged  populace; 
once  he  was  near  being  killed,  another  time  he  was  arrested  and  brought 
to  the  Gefle  prison,  the  trial  however,  resulting  in  his  release.  These 
experiences  impelled  him  to  leave  the  country.  With  a  party  of  other 
Erik  Jaussonists  he  left  Stockholm  for  America  June  26,  1846,  arriving 
at  Bishop  Hill  Oct.  28th,  four  months  later. 

Here  he  found  conditions  altogether  at  variance  with  the  claims 
of  the  prophet  and  others,  and  in  June.  1847,  he  left  the  colony  in 
disgust,  taking  up  a  temporary  abode  in  Lafayette.  There  he  became 
acquainted  with  Hedstrom  and  other  Methodists.  In  the  fall  of  1847 
he  removed  to  Galcsburg.  where  he  worked  as  a  carpenter  for  two 
years,  preaching  occasionally  to  his  fellow  countrymen  at  the  request 
of  Hedstrom.  It  was  at  this  time  that  the  gold  fever  was  at  its  height. 
Following  tlic  discovery  of  gold  in  raliforiiia  in  1848,  the  newspapers 
were  filled  daily  with  wonderful  stories  of  marvelously  rich  strikes. 
The  air  was  full  of  wild  rumors.  WiicrcviT  people  met,  whether  in  the 
street,  in  their  homes  or  in  church,  tiiey  talked  of  gold,  nothing  but 
gold.  I]verywiiere,  people  were  seized  with  an  irresistible  longing 
for  the  glittering  gold  fields. 

Many  Swedes  were  among  those  smitten  by  tlie  epidemic.  We 
have  noted  that  a  Swedisli  party  of  goldseekers  set  out  from  Andover. 
In  Galesburg  another  similar  party  was  organized  under  the  leadership 
of  the  energetic  C'hallman.  This  party  of  twelve  young  Swedes,  formed 
in  January,  18.")0,  started  011  March  14tli  on  the  2.000  mile  .iourncy 
to  the  gold  country.  Following  arc  the  names  of  the  men  composing 
the  party:  Peter  ("hallman,  Erik  Shogren,  Jonas  Ilellstrom,  George 
Challmaii.  Victor  Witting.  Louis  Lai-son,  Peter  Xewberg,  Charles 
Peter.son,  Ulof  Hedstrom,  V.  Alexander,  Peter  Magnus  ^surname  un- 
known) and  one  Gustafson.  On  Sundays  the  party  rested,  Peter 
Challman,  the  leader,  conducting  divine  services  for  his  men.  On  July 
14th  the  party  reached  their  destination  in  ("alifornia. 

The  result  of  the  adventurous  trip  fell  far  short  of  expectations. 
Gold  was  found,  to  lie  sure,  liut  not  in  such  c|uantitics  as  they  had 
hoi)e(l  for  and  far  from  sutVicieiit  to  repay  them  for  tiie  hardships 
and  ]K>rils  of  their  loiitr  .journey.  \'ietor  Wilting  remained  until  1S.')2, 
and  Cliarlcs  I'etei-soii  unci  (iustafsoii  staid  permanently,  but  the  main 
party  returned  in  July.  1S.')1.  after  one  year's  work  in  llu'  gold  mines. 
In  Chagres,  now  As|iiii\vall.  on  the  return  trip  Alexander  lost  all  Ids 
money  in  gand)ling  ami  (hen  disapi)earcd.  In  despair  over  the  un- 
satisfactory result  of  the  trip.  Peter  Magnus  drowiu'd  himself  by 
.jumping   overboard   shortly   before   the   steamer    by   which    llu'    party 


rin'KR    CHAI, I.MAX 


365 


rctiinu'il  rciiclit'd  Chicago.  Charles  Potcrsoii  dk-d  in  Los  Aiigelos  in 
ls;)S  at  Ur'  a>r('  (if  eighty.  He  wa.s  a  iiieiiiber  of  the  Swedish  Metliodist 
Clmrcli  of  (hat  eity.  George  Challmaii  is  still  liviug  iu  Galesburg. 
Ohif  llcdslruiu  died  in  1004,  near  Victoria.  Erilc  Shogren  died  Jan.  2. 
11)06.  Of  him  and  Newberg  we  will  speak  later.  Upon  his  return  Ilell- 
strom  located  at  Victoria,  engaging  in  business,  from  which,  proving 
unprofitable,  he  soon  retired.  He  enlisted  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
War,  served  in  the  Union  army  as  a  non-commissioned  officer  for  a 
time  and  succumbed  in  the  Arkansas  campaign  at  a  time  and  place 
unknown.  Gustafson  was  taken  ill  after  workiufr  in  the  diggings  that 
sunuiicr  and  remained  iu  California  until  his  death.  Louis  Lai'son 
separated  from  the  party  at  Salt  Lake  City,  but  proceeded  to  Cali- 
fornia, whence  he  returned  to  Victoria  after  a  few  months,  bought 
land  and  became  a  prosperous  farmer.  He  married  Christin  Olson, 
who  bore  him  four  sons  and  one  daughter.  He  died  a  few  years  ago 
at  his  old  homestead,  aboiit  a  mile  from  Victoria,  where  his  son  Just. 
A.  Larson  now  lives  with  his  wife,  Nancy  Elizabeth,  a  daughter  of 
George  Challman.  The  Larson  family  were  worthy  and  respected 
members  of  the  Methodist  Church  in  Victoria. 

Peter  Challman  returned  via  Panama  and  New  York  to  Illinois, 
settling  in  Victoria,  where  he  was  at  first  employed  as  a  house  builder. 
The  Methodist  mission  work  among  the  local  Swedes  having  grown 
quite  extensive.  Rev.  Hedstrom,  who  knew  Challman  both  from  La- 
fayette and  Galesburg,  requested  him  to  devote  himself  exclusively 
to  this  work,  although  Challman  was  not  even  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Church.  Challman  acceded  and  began  preaching.  On  Dec. 
31,  1851,  he  .joined  the  church  at  Victoria  on  probation,  was  later 
accredited  as  local  minister,  was  accepted  into  the  Rock  River  Con- 
ference on  probation  in  1853,  at  Chicago,  and  ordained  deacon,  was  for 
a  year  itinerant  preacher,  then  served  the  churches  at  Andover  and 
Rock  Island  in  1854-5  and  during  the  next  two  years  preached  in 
Victoria.  Galesburg  and  the  neighboring  district.  Together  with  Sho- 
gren he  took  a  trip  to  ^liuuesota  in  1854  or  1855  to  visit  the  Swedish 
settlements  there. 

When  all  hope  that  Hedstrom  would  recover  sutficiently  to  resume 
work  was  at  an  end,  Challman  was  appointed  presiding  elder  of  the 
Swedish  district  in  1857.  at  the  recommendation  of  Hedstrom  himself. 
In  this  capacity  Challman  served  with  credit  imtil  1865,  when  he  waf\ 
assigned  to  Bishop  Hill.  Here  he  labored  for  a  year  until  the  fall  of 
1866,  when  he  undertook  a  trip  to  Sweden,  "not  for  Christ,  but  in  his 
own  interest,"  he  explained. 

On  his  return  to  America  he  settled  on  his  farm  in  Knox  county, 
left  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  for  the  Free  :Methodists  and  liegan 


366  THK    METHODISTS 

missiimary  work  in  and  almiit  Victoria  in  ln'half  of  tlii'  latter  denom- 
ination, lie  remained  with  the  Free  ^lethodists  for  four  yeai-s,  preaeli- 
ing  and  laboring  at  his  own  expense.  During  this  time  he  built  a 
Free  Methodist  eluireh  for  tile  Swedes  at  Center  Prairie,  seven  miles 
soutliwest  oi  Victoria.  When  tiie  Swedish  eonsregat ion  was  dissolved, 
this  edifice  passed  into  the  hands  of  an  American  congregation.  Sub- 
seciuciitly  Challnian  gradually  transfiTn-d  his  interests  from  the  mission 
field  to  tile  corn  field.  In  his  ambition  to  ae<|uire  large  tracts  of  laud, 
he  incurred  heavy  debts  which,  during  and  after  the  panic  of  the  early 
seventies,  he  had  great  difficulty  in  paying. 

In  1884  he  removed  to  northwestern  Iowa.  He  now  regretted 
that  he  ever  deserted  his  pastoral  calling  and  the  "old  Metliotlist 
Cliunii."  as  he  styled  it.  In  order  to  correct  his  error,  in  part  at  least, 
he  joineil  the  Aniericaii  M.  E.  Cliureh  at  Galva.  la.,  in  1S90,  subsecpu'iitly 
taking  part  in  several  annual  meetings  of  the  Iowa  Confereiiee.  A 
.severe  siege  of  influenza  undermim-d  his  iiealth.  and  after  having  beeu 
confined  to  the  sickbed  for  half  a  year,  he  died  in  dialler,  la..  July  8. 
J'JOO,  aged  77  years.  His  remaius  were  Imrnc  to  tin'  grave  by  his 
six  sons. 

In  several  respects  Peter  Challnian  was  a  remarkable  man.  He 
seemed  a  born  leader.  He  was  a  man  of  imjiosing  personality,  designed 
to  atfract  attention  in  any  company.  Picture  to  yourself  a  man  broad 
of  shoulder  and  of  i)owerful  build,  massive  head,  wide  forehead,  a 
bushy  heatl  of  hair,  lively  dark-l>lue  eyes,  heavy  eyebrows,  a  bearilless 
face,  the  expression  of  whicli  indicated  enei-g\',  resoluteness  and  fear- 
lessness, add  to  iliis  a  |)i)\vi'i  liil  bass  voice  that  easily  filled  the  largest 
edifice,  and  you  have  a  fair  inia'.'c  id'  Peter  ("balliiian  in  his  iirime.  To 
those  who  did  not  know  him  well  he  appeared  somewhat  coarse  and 
lacking  in  tlie  finer  sensibilities,  liul  this  was  far  from  true.  I'nder 
the  rough  surfai-e  of  the  man  there  i)eat  a  warm,  sympathetic,  benev- 
olent heart.  lie  was  a  forceful  speaker,  though  not  a  finisheil  orator, 
and  knew  hcltrr  than  most  preachers  how  to  deal  with  hardened 
hearts.  Among  the  Methodists  stories  are  still  being  told  of  the 
revivals  that  followed  u|>on  his  strenuous  preaching.  During  his  clerical 
(iireir  Cliallman  is  said  to  have  taken  part  in  the  tu-ganization  of  no 
less  than  lw<'iity-lwo  elmrehes.    In  the  course  of  a  single  year,  it  is  said, 

he  gained  Sdd  iverts  to  the   Methodist   l)elief.     It    was  while  he  was 

presiding   elder    that    the    Swedish    denominational    organ,    known    as 

"Siiiideliinic'l ."  was  esliililislied. 

Rev.  EriK  Shogren 

In  Erik  Shogri'n  .lonas  lledstriim  obtained  one  of  his  most  eloi|uent 
and   popular  I'o-workers.     'riiei'e   was  something  alxnit    his  miuiner  of 


KUIK    SIKIOKICN 


367 


■iresentiiiy  tlio  gospel  truths  tliat  appealed   iricsislihly  to  his  hearers. 
Tliis    iiiiiiieer   aiiicmii'    Swedisli    Methodists    duulitless    was    iiistruineiitnl 


Rev.  Erik  Sho<'reii 


in  gaining  large  mimbers  for  the   eluireh   during   his  long  period  of 
activity. 

Shogren   was  born  Jan.   2().   1824.   at   Gnarp,   Helsingland.     As   a 
boy  he  attended  the  village  sehool  and  at  the  age  of  fourteen  became  a 


368  THE    METHODISTS 

blacksmith's  ai)i>reiitie('.  afterward  t'ollo«in«r  that  trade  for  many 
years.  lu  the  summer  of  184'J  he  left  Getle  on  board  the  brig  "Solide," 
bound  for  America,  arriving  at  New  York  sixty-three  days  later.  Here 
he  was  met  by  Peter  Bergner.  assistant  to  Iledstrom,  and  invited  to 
attend  services  on  board  the  Hethel  ship.  Iledstrom  conducted  the 
meeting  with  his  usual  vivacity.  Shogren,  being  one  of  the  "readers" 
from  the  old  country,  had  attended  many  of  their  conventicles,  but  this 
was  something  altogether  different.  Notwithstanding  the  strange 
method  of  preaching,  Shogren  felt  strongly  drawn  to  Methodism,  and 
Rev.  Iledstrom  easily  persuaded  him  to  join  his  brother,  the  younger 
Hedstrom,  at  Victoria.  On  his  arrival  he  was  unfavorably  impressed 
with  the  primitive  appearance  of  the  settlement.  He  had  expected 
to  find  something  quite  different,  and  soon  left  in  disappointment, 
departing  for  Galesburg  after  a  few  weeks  and  remaining  there  for 
lliree  luoiiths.  In  Februai-y.  ISoO,  he  joined  the  Methodist  Ciiurch. 
becoming  a  member  of  the  congregation  there  organized  by  Hedstrom 
the  foregoing  autumn.  In  March  he  joined  the  party  of  goldseekers 
organized  in  (Jalesburg  and  made  the  trip  to  California,  returning  the 
following  year.  He  then  settled  in  Victoria  and  began  to  conduct 
meetings  and  preach  throughout  tliat  circuit,  which  then  etnbraeed 
Victoria.  Galesburg.  Andover.  Hock  Island.  Moline  and  many  otiier 
points. 

At  Iledstrom 's  suggestion  he  abando!icd  his  trade  and  devoted 
himself  wholly  to  ministerial  work.  The  following  year  he  was  received 
on  probation  into  the  Kock  Kiver  Conference,  to  whieh  the  Swedish 
missions  in  Illinois  and  Iowa  belonged  at  that  time.  In  1854  he  was 
ordained  deacon  and  was  made  ehler  the  year  following.  During  the 
first  two  years  he  lived  at  Victoria  wiiile  spending  almost  all  iiis  time 
traveling  about  the  extensive  circuit.  In  1855  he  was  sent  to  preach 
in  Chicago,  where,  desjiite  stubborn  opposition,  lie  met  with  splendid 
success.  In  1859  he  was  transferred  to  the  Minnesota  Conference, 
acting  as  minister  in  charge  at  St.  Paul  the  first  year  and  sul)set|uently 
for  three  years  as  ])residing  elder  of  the  Scandinavian  district.  In 
1864-5  he  served  in  Chicasro.  going  from  there  to  lioston.  where,  as 
assistant  at  the  Seimien's  IMission.  he  endeavored  to  organize  a  Swedish 
MetliodisI  iliurrli.  ;i  t;isl<  cul  short  by  an  illness  whieh  compelled  liim 
to  return  to  Minnesota.  During  the  years  IStid-!)  he  had  charge  of  the 
little  eliiM'cii  at  Marine,  then  tmik  a  rest  for  one  year.  subsei|uently 
going  bacj;  In  Illinois.  He  was  stationed  nt  Rishop  Hill  until  lS7t». 
whcTi  he  was  transferred  to  the  California  Conference  and  plaeetl  in 
charge  (if  the  newly  organized  church  at  San  Franciseo.  There  lie 
remained  for  over  five  years,  and  was  then  at  his  own  request  tran.s- 
ferred  tu  I  he  Swedish   Xorlhwestern  Conference  and  sent    to   Mcaver. 


SVi:\    lU'RNIIARI)    .\i:\VMAN  T^^g 

III  this  field  lie  labored  for  ouly  a  year,  subsequently  serving  the  ehureli 
at  Galcsburg  in  18S:^4  and  the  one  at  Koekford  in  1884-5.  Having 
been  made  presiding  elder  for  the  Chicago  district  the  latter  year,  he 
served  as  such  for  two  years  and  afterward  as  pastor  in  South  Chicago, 
his  last  charge,  for  the  same  length  of  time. 

In  1889  age  and  illiicss  (•(impelled  him  to  retire  from  active  work. 
He  withdrew  to  his  little  count ly  place  near  Red  Wing,  Minn.,  where 
he  resided  imtil  1903,  when  with  his  wife  he  removed  to  Napa,  Cal., 
joining  their  yomigest  daughter,  Mrs.  Emma  Farman,  who  is  living 
there.    He  died  in  Napa  on  Jan.  2,  1906,  after  a  short  illness. 

Like  most  other  pioneers  of  Swedish  Methodism  in  America,  Sho- 
greu  was  a  self-taught  man.  By  assidi;ous  studies  and  self-culture 
he  sought  to  fill  the  gaps  in  his  education.  His  favorite  study  was 
history,  and  from  its  pages  he  often  drew  valuable  lessons  for  himself 
and  his  hearers.  By  nature  eloquent,  and  possessing  a  pleasing  voice. 
he  trained  himself  j'ear  by  year  until  attaining  a  high  degree  of  skill 
and  finish  as  a  public  speaker.  This  together  with  his  rare  affabilitj^ 
gave  him  his  remarkable  power  and  influence  over  those  who 
heard  him. 

Rev.  Sven  Bernharci  Nev/^man 

In  January,  1845,  the  same  year  that  Rev.  0.  6.  Hedstrom,  on 
Whitsimdaj'',  May  25th,  preached  his  fii'st  sermon  in  broken  English  on 
board  the  Bethel  ship  in  New  York  harbor,  a  young  Swede  appeared 
for  the  first  time  at  a  place  near  Mobile,  Ala.,  and  preached  Methodism 
in  equally  faltering  English  to  the  Americans  of  that  place.  This 
Swedish  pioneer  preacher  in  the  .sunny  south,  who  later  became  one 
of  the  pathfinders  and  standard-bearers  of  IMethodism,  both  east  and 
west,  was  Rev.  Sven  Bernhard  Newman. 

Newman  was  born  Sept.  15,  1812.  at  Hoganas,  Skane.  had  a 
careful  bringing  up  and  obtained  employment  as  salesman  with  one 
of  his  brothers,  a  merchant  of  Landskrona.  After  working  there  eight 
years,  he  returned  to  his  birthplace  and  taught  private  school  several 
years.  Another  of  his  brothers  had  emigrated  long  before  and  estab- 
li.shed  himself  in  business  at  Mobile.  Sven  followed  in  1842  and  for 
two  j-ears  dealt  in  clothing  and  groceries  not  without  success.  Through 
his  brother  he  was  brouglit  in  contact  with  the  IMethodists,  whom  he 
joined  in  1844.  Without  much  knowledge  of  English,  he  shortly 
afterward  began  speaking  at  ^Methodist  meetings.  Friends  who 
thought  they  detected  in  the  young  man  more  than  ordinary  ability 
urged  him  to  consecrate  his  life  to  the  pastoral  calling.  After  some 
hesitation  he  took  the  advice  and  began  to  studv  theologv  under  the 


370 


TIIK    MHTHODISTS 


guidaiiee  of  an  Anu'rican  Mctlnulisf  clcrtryiiiaii.  In  1845  he  was 
received  on  proliation  into  tlie  Alal)ania  C'onfereiiee,  was  onlaineil 
deacon  in   1S47  and  elder  in  1840. 

Newman's  first  field  of  labor  was  tlie  ('anii)lielltown  eircuit  in 
Florida,  where  he  was  stationed  from  184')  to  1847.  Subsequently 
assigned  to  another  field,  with  headquarters  at  Milton,  a  pleasant  little 
town  not  far  from  Pensaeola.  he  labored  zealously  there  for  two  years 
until  transferred  to  Lantlerdale,  Miss.  In  IS.'il  Newman  was  called 
to  assist  Kev.  0.  G.  Iledstriim  on  the  Hethel  siiip  at   New  York,  this 


Rev.   Sveii   lit-niliard   Newman 


liciiij;  till'  licjrimiiii^r  oT  liis  work  aiiionsr  Swedish  i)eople.  a  work  which 
he  i)ursued  with  niiliriiig  zeal  as  long  as  iiis  physical  strength  per- 
mitted. After  spending  two  years  in  New  York,  lie  was  assigned  to 
Chicago  in  185:{  to  g.illiir  the  scattered  mendiers  of  the  Swedish 
Mc'tliddist  ('linrcli  organized  several  years  before  by  the  Ilcdstrom 
brothers.  With  his  chafaetcristic  zeal  and  energy  he  took  up  the 
task,  succeeding  nut  only  in  foUecting  the  dispersed  Ilock  but  also  in 
having  a  iiouse  of  worship  erected.  The  edifice  was  built  at  Illinois 
street  and  dedicated  in  1S.")4.  Part  of  the  bnilding  fluids  were  solicited 
in  his  former  fields  in  tlie  Sontli.  Willi  headquarters  in  Chicago,  he 
iiiaclc  r'1'i.'iilar  li-ips  to  other  points,  both  in  Indiana  and  Illinois,  foiuid- 
int;   eliurelii's    in    i'dolsx  il|i>   mid    .Vttieji    in    the    I'urmer   state,    and    St. 


PETER     NlCWIiKRQ  371 

Charles  ami  licavcr  in  the  laltor.  In  Ciiiea'jro.  tofjcthcr  witli  ('onsul 
ScluHMilau  and  Revs.  Unonius  and  Carlsson.  Newman  labored  ardu- 
ously aniiinj;  jioor  plagne-sti'ickcn  Swedisli  inmiii^rants.  a  task  ti-yinj; 
indeed,  but  produetive  of  blessed  results. 

In  September.  1855.  Newman  was  again  assigiu'd  to  New  York 
to  assist  Rev.  Hedstrom  on  board  the  Bethel  mission  ship.  After  four 
years  he  was  sent  to  Jamestown.  N.  Y..  where  he  was  placed  in  charge 
of  an  extensive  circuit,  comprising  the  neighboring  points  Sugar 
Grove,  Wrightsville,  Frewsbnry  and  others.  lie  remained  in  James- 
town for  seven  years,  1859-66,  afterwards  going  to  the  Central  Illinois 
Conference  on  assignment  to  Galesburg,  where  he  was  stationed  for 
two  years.  At  the  conference  of  1868,  he  was  appointed  presiding 
elder  of  the  Chicago  district,  then  including  Indiana.  Illinois,  Iowa 
and  Kansas.  He  held  this  position  for  five  years,  in  the  meantime 
acting  as  solicitor  for  the  Swedish  Jletliodist  Theological  Seminary  at 
Evanstou.  for  whose  lienefit  he  raised  a  coiisiderahle  amount. 

Rev.  Newman's  subsequent  assignments  were:  Rockford.  1878-5; 
Wataga  and  Peoria.  1875-7;  Batavia  and  Geneva,  1877-9;  Evanston. 
1879-82;  Jloline.  1882-4;  Omaha,  1884-5;  Chicago,  as  city  missionary, 
1885-8;  Evanston.  as  solicitor  for  the  seminary.  1888-90. 

In  1890  he  was  declared  superannuated,  but  continued  to  serve 
until  1899,  preaching  at  IMoreland,  in  the  Emaniiel  Church  of  Chicago, 
at  Austin  and,  lastly,  at  Ottawa.  Having  lost  his  first  wnfe  in  1885,  he 
remarried  in  old  age.  In  the  early  nineties,  at  the  request  of  the 
Swedi.sh  Northwestern  Conference,  he  published  his  autobiography, 
a  very  minute  account  of  his  life  and  labors.  Enfeebled  by  the  burden 
of  years,  he  died  in  his  home  in  Chicago  on  Oct.  27.  1902.  at  the  mature 
age  of  ninety. 

In  his  years  of  activity  Newman  was  a  faithful  laborer  in  the 
Lord's  vineyard.  While  not  an  orator  in  the  common  aeeeptauee  of 
the  term,  yet  his  words  left  a  deep  and  lasting  impression.  "What  he 
lacked  in  brilliancy  and  scholarly  attainments  was  amply  made  up  in 
zeal  and  devotion  to  his  calling. 

Rev.  Peter  Nevrberg' 

One  of  the  first  five  members  of  the  first  S\yedish  Methodist 
church  was  Peter  Newberg,  afterward  one  of  Jonas  Hedstrom  "s  most 
faithful  and  reliable  fellow  workers.  Newberg  was  born  at  Lulea, 
Jan.  7.  1818.  At  the  age  of  eight  he  lost  his  father,  a  sailor,  and  as  a 
boy  of  fourteen  he  also  went  to  sea,  driven  by  the  necessity  of 
contributing  to  the  support  of  his  widowed  mother.  For  fifteen  years 
he  shipped  with  merchantmen  under  various  flags. 


372 


TH1-;    METHODISTS 


In  the  spring  of  18-16  he  mustered  at  Gefle  as  ship's  carpenter  on 
a  vessel  bound  for  New  York  carrying  a  large  party  of  Eric  Janssonists. 
On  reaching  harbor  he  left  the  vessel  and  accompanied  the  emigrants 
to  Bishop  Hill,  but  soon  left  the  colony  in  disappointment,  going  first 
to  Lafayette  and  then  to  Victoria,  where  he  remained  with  Iledstrom 
over  winter  as  his  helper  in  making  plows.  The  following  spring  he 
left  for  Peoria,  where  he  was  employed  for  some  time  in  the  building 
trade,  working  for  a  Swedish  contractor  or  architect  named  Ulricson, 
who  li;i(I  lived  there  for  so  many  years  that  he  had  forgotten  his  mother 
tongui'.     In  the  fall  ho  returned  to  Victoria  and  was  tliere  married. 


Rev.  Peter  Newberj; 


In  the  spring  of  18.")0  he  joined  the  aforementioned  iiarty  of  goldseekera 
and  went  to  California.  Iteturning  in  1857,  he  located  at  Victoria, 
where  he  had  a  farm,  and  also  engaged  in  house  building  in  partnership 
with  Peter  Challnian.  In  1853,  when  the  latter  left  his  trade  to  devote 
himself  exclusively  to  preaching,  Newberg  continued  as  Imildinvr  con- 
tractor on  his  own  accomit.  Among  other  biiildings  cn-ctcd  by  him 
wa.s  the  Swedish  Methodist  (Inmii  edifice  at  Victoria,  dedicated  at 
midsummer,  18.')4. 

Wliile  CM  route  to  AiinTica,  he  was  subject  to  the  religious  inlluenec 
of  his  fellow  travelers,  the  Erik  Janssonists;  \ipon  his  arrival  lie  came 
under  the  inliuciK  c  of  Iledstrom,  and  at  a  camp  meeting  in  the  Victoria 
grove,  in  the  suiiiiiicr  of  18.'):t,  be  was  coiiverled  and  accepted  the 
I^Iethodist  i'aitii.  Thereafter  he  began  to  lake  turns  with  the  other 
jireachers  in  niakinu:  circuit  visits,  and  in  is,"i(i  lie  was  received  t>n 
|irohalioii  by  tlii'  i'eoriji  ( 'onferi'iiei'  and  assigned  to  New  Sweden.  la.. 


VICTOR     WITTING 


373 


as  minister  in  charge.  There  he  labored  for  two  years,  besides  estab- 
lishing a  small  congregation  in  the  coiuitry  just  west  of  Burlington. 
For  a  year,  1858-0,  he  served  the  Andover  circuit  and  the  following 
year,  1859-60,  that  of  Galesburg.  His  ordination  as  deacon  took  place 
in  1857,  and  in  1860  he  was  promoted  to  the  office  of  elder.  Prom 
Ualesburg  he  M-as  transferred  to  Victoria,  where  he  served  for  two 
years,  until  1862.  His  subsequent  fields  were:  New  Sweden,  la., 
1864-5,  Kockford  1865-6,  Victoria  1866-72,  Swedona  1872-3.  After  that 
he  was  not  directly  in  charge  of  any  church,  but  lived  on  his  farm 
at  Victoria.  When  occasion  required,  however,  he  would  assist  the 
other  preachers  in  their  work.  Thus,  in  1881,  he  went  to  Texas  to  aid 
Rev.  Victor  Witting  in  the  mission  field.  He  died  Jan.  13,  1882,  at 
Austin,  aged  64  years. 

Newberg  was  a  man  of  but  mediocre  mental  equipment,  lacked 
education  and  mastery  of  speech,  yet  was  a  rather  popular  preacher 
withal.  The  secret  of  it  lay  in  his  originality,  his  art  of  presenting 
old  truths  iu  new  garlj  and  of  drawing  striking  applications  from  his 
o\\m  varied  experience.  He  was  a  devout  man,  who  lived  in  strict 
accordance  with  his  teaching. 

Rev.  Victor  Witting' 

The  tenth,  and  last,  of  the  co-workers  of  Hedstrom,  was  Victor 
Witting.  This  man  was  to  play  a  prominent  and  manj'-sided  part  in 
the  work  and  progress  of  the  Swedish-American  ilethodist  denomina- 
tion. Alike  as  an  eminent  preacher,  a  skillful  organizer,  a  journalist 
and  author,  this  venerable  pioneer  has  made  himself  a  name  that  will 
ever  rank  with  the  foremost  in  the  history  of  Swedish  Methodism. 

Witting  was  born  in  Malmo  on  March  7,  1825.  His  father,  Anders 
Johan  Witting,  captain  of  the  Vendes  artillery  regiment,  was  a 
descendant  of  a  Finnish  family,  which  had  originally  immigrated  from 
Livonia  and  in  the  seventeenth  century  had  been  raised  to  noble  rank. 
His  mother,  Gustafva  Helena  Rydberg,  was  a  daughter  of  Postmaster 
Rydberg  in  ilalmo.  In  the  early  thirties.  Captain  Witting  removed 
to  Landskrona.  having  been  made  chief  officer  of  a  battery  of  his 
regiment  assigned  to  service  in  that  ctiy.  His  son  Victor  now  entered 
the  Latin  school  there,  and  in  1836,  when  his  father  retired  from  mil- 
itary service  and  moved  back  to  Malmo,  Victor  entered  the  collegiate 
school  there.  He  left  this  school  intending  to  prepare  for  college 
graduation  and  admittance  to  the  university  of  Lund,  but  instead  oi 
carrying  out  this  plan  he  obtained  a  position  with  an  apothecary  and 
began  to  study  pharmacy.  In  his  early  youth  he  had  acquired  some 
knoAvledge  and  more  admiration  of  this  coimtrv  through  reading  the 


.,74  THE    METHODISTS 

history  of  tin-  I'liitfil  States  and  the  novels  of  James  Feniniore 
Cuopcr  and  other  writers,  and  when  in  the  sununer  of  1841  the  news- 
papers related  that  an  I'psala  student  by  tiic  name  of  Gustaf  Unonius. 
liea(lin<;:  a  small  jjarty.  had  (h'parted  fur  the  new  ati<l  wonderful  western 
World  to  I'oiuid  a  scttleim-nt  tht-ri-.  >oung  Witting's  longing  for  Ameriea 
became  stronger  than  ever  and  he  began  devising  plans  of  his  own  ftir 
reaehing  the  New  World.  To  him  the  oidy  possible  way  was  to  beeomt 
a  sailor.  lie  brooded  over  the  matter  inee.ssantly  for  two  years,  until 
one  day,  Easter  morning,  1843,  just  as  his  apprenticeship  was  at  an  end 
and  he  was  about  to  take  the  apothecary's  examination,  he  suddenly 
deserted  the  drug  store  with  its  pills  and  powders  and  went  across  to 
Ilelsingiir.  whence  he  hoped  to  ship  as  a  sailor.  For  want  of  a  passport 
the  plan  miscarried  and  he  was  obliged  to  return  home.  Having 
obtained  his  father's  ])erniission  to  go  to  sea.  he  soon  afterward  shipped 
from  Malino.  making  several  trips  to  England  in  the  next  two  years. 
after  whicli  he  enti'i-ed  tile  si-hool  of  navigation  at  Malmii  and  pa.ssed 
the  slii|)iii;ister"s  examination  in  184.").  In  May  he  went  to  GeHe  hoping 
to  be  commissioned  for  a  long  trip  on  some  lai'ge  merchant  vessel. 
Al'tri'  making  a  sliort  summer  trip  to  England  with  the  bark  "Fania," 
wlien  he  formed  the  ac(Hiaintance  of  the  aforesaid  Peter  Newberg. 
who  was  the  shi|>"s  car])enter.  he  engaired  to  take  the  ship  "Ceres." 
witii  a  cargo  n\'  irnii,  Iroiri  Siiderhamn  to  New  York.  Thus  at  last  his 
long  cherished  desire  to  get  to  Ameriea  was  to  be  fulfilled. 

Ou  board  this  vessel  was  a  small  party  of  Erik  .lanssonists.  fore- 
niiuM  IS  of  1he  subsecjuent  exodus  of  that  sect.  Otf  Oregrund,  during 
a  (iail<  and  sluriiiy  night,  the  ship  grounded  a!id  all  on  board  probably 
would  have  jx-risiied  but  for  the  fact  that  the  vessel  was  so  firndy 
wcib/rd  between  two  i-ocks  that  the  heavy  seas  which  broke  over  it 
could  not  dislodge  it.  The  passengers  and  ci-ew  spent  the  night  in  the 
forecastle  amid  indescribaiile  horrors.  Tiuit  night  young  \Vitting 
i-eceivcd  impressions  that  gave  to  his  life  a  ditVcrcnt  course.  I'rofoinidly 
inrprcssi'd  with  the  resignation  and  (liristiiin  fortituih'  shown  by  the 
Erik  .lanssonists  in  the  very  face  of  death,  he  made  a  resolve  to  beconu> 
a  Christian,  shouhl  lie  snr\ive  that  dreadful  night,  and.  if  he  ever 
rcachcil  .\nu'rica.  to  look  up  these  peojile. 

The  I'ollowinir  day  they  wci'e  taken  oil"  the  wretdv,  and  Willing 
went  to  (icHe,  wlu're  Ik'  mustered  on  the  ship  "(iuslaf  Vasa,"  boiuul 
I'oi-  tlic  .Mediterran<'an.  Ki'liU'ning,  he  sailed  for  two  yi-ars  belween 
(letlc  and  other  poiMs.  While  at  Stockholm  in  the  summer  of  1847. 
he  heard  that  a  brig  was  about  to  sail  for  America  with  a  parly  of 
Erik  .lanssonists.  Witting  engaged  to  earn  his  passage  by  acting  as 
sti'W.iid  to  till'  passeng<'rs.     In  OiMobcr.  afti'i'  a  voyage  of  six  or  seven 


VICTOR    WITTINC, 


375 


wueks,  Uu-y  i-carlicd  New  York,  and  tlio  mie  cliicf  goal  of  liis  longing 
had  been  I't'aclicd  at  last. 

lie  aceomiianic'd  the  Erik  Janssonists  westward.  At  Chicago 
Witting  was  taken  sick  and  brought  to  a  liosi)ital.  After  having 
been  restored  to  health,  he  olitainccl  woi'k  in  a  drug  store  and  formed 
the  acqiiamtanee  of  his  fellow  countrymen  in  that  city.  Late  in  the 
summer  of  1S48.  he  accompanied  a  newly  arrivetl  party  of  Erik  Jans- 
sonists  to  Bishop  Hill,  thereby  fulfilling  his  solemn  promise  on  the 
night  of  the  shipwreck.  With  th<'  \'erv  best  o|)inion  of  the  Erik  Jans- 
sonists  and  with  high  expectations  of  their  colony.  Witting  arrived  at 
Bisho])  Hill.  He  had  supposed  that  all  was  harniiuiy  there,  and  that 
the  colonists  "lived  secure  in  dw<41ings  of  peace,"  hut  hi'  found  quite 
the  reverse — strife  and  discontent  over  Erik  -lansson's  des|)(itie  rule 
and  the  miserable  state  of  atfairs.  Witting  therefore  remained  i)nly 
about  a  year  and  a  half.  In  the  late  fall  of  184!)  he  began  planning 
for  his  departure  and  left  on  Christmas  Eve,  leaving  behind  him  his 
young  Avife.  whom  he  had  wedded  in  the  colony.  He  repaired  to 
Victoria,  and  through  Rev.  Iledstrom  obtained  a  position  with  a 
druggist  in  Galesbnrg,  where  he  began  work  on  New  Year's  daj^,  1850, 

At  that  time  there  were  in  Galesbnrg  about  twenty  Swedish 
families  and  quite  a  number  of  unmarried  Swedes  of  both  sexes, 
l)rol)ably  a  total  of  a  hundred  jiersons,  nearly  all  of  them  former  Erik 
Janssonists.  Not  a  few  already  had  been  won  over  to  Methodism. 
Iledstrom  and  Challman  in  turn  conducted  the  meetings.  AVitting  and 
his  wife  attended  regularly,  joining  the  little  Swedish  Methodist 
Church  in  February,  It  was  in  the  days  of  the  gold  fever,  and  Witting 
joined  the  party  of  Swedish  goldseekers.  The  journey  as  well  as  the 
stay  in  California  was  rich  in  adventures  and  novel  experiences. 
Reaching  the  gold  country  he  went  to  digging  like  everybody  else  and 
once  was  about  to  "strike  it  rich"  but  failed  on  account  of  the  irresolu- 
tion of  his  comrade.  From  the  diggings  which  they  abandoned  a 
Scotchman  aiul  his  two  sons  subsequently  took  out  a  small  fortune  in 
a  few  weeks. 

Tired  and  disappointed  with  life  in  the  gold  fields.  Witting  left 
California  in  Ajn-il,  18.")2,  with  just  enough  gold  to  pay  his  way  back, 
arriving  in  Galesbnrg  just  before  midsummer.  In  July  he  removed  to 
Victoria,  where  he  and  Erik  Shogren  attempted  to  make  a  fortune  by 
cultivating  medicinal  herbs.  After  two  years  they  gave  it  up  as  a 
failure.  The  first  year  a  shipment  of  herbs  to  Cincinnati  was  lost  in 
transit ;  the  second  year  Witting,  who  was  now  alone  in  the  enterprise, 
had  to  sell  a  large  New  York  shipment  at  great  sacrifice,  leaving  him 
without  money  enough  to  get  home.  These  reverses  almost  drove  the 
sanguine  and  energetic  young  inan  to  despair.    But  when  all  his  plans 


376  THE    METHODISTS 

failed,  ho  sought  comfort  in  religion.  A  few  visits  to  an  American 
Methodist  church  in  Xew  York  set  his  troubled  mind  at  ea.se  and 
inspired  him  witii  new  courage.  Having  obtained  a  sum  of  money  from 
tile  kindliearted  Rev.  O.  G.  Ilcdstrom,  he  returned  to  Illinois. 

His  trip  to  New  York  proved  the  turning-point  in  Witting 's  life. 
Almcst  immediately  after  his  return  to  Victoria,  he  began  to  preach 
at  small  ^Methodist  gatherin'is  in  jtrivate  houses  and  was  shortly  after- 
wards appointed  class  leader.  In  the  fall  he  obtained  emplojTnent  in  a 
drug  stoi'e  in  Peoiia  and  began  preaching  to  the  handful  of  Swedes 
then  found  in  that  city.  At  the  suggestion  of  Presiding  Elder  Henry 
Summers  he  now  resolved  to  devote  himself  wholly  to  pa.storal  work 
and.  having  been  admitted  to  the  Rock  River  Conference  on  probation, 
in  September.  1855.  was  stationed  at  Andover.  Thus,  after  a  varied 
career  on  land  and  sea,  he  finally  found  his  proper  sphere  and  settled 
down  to  his  life's  work,  spending  a  long  term  of  years  in  fruitful 
labor  in  behalf  of  the  ^lethodist  Church. 

From  now  on  Witting  devoted  himself  unsparingly  to  his  calling. 
In  IS.'iS  he  was  appointed  to  the  charge  at  Victoria  and  in  IStiO  trans- 
ferred 1o  Rockford.  In  1859  the  idea  of  establishing  a  seminary  for 
the  education  of  ministers  and  founding  a  newspaper  as  the  organ  of 
tlic  Swcdisli  .Methodists  was  advanced,  but  not  until  the  spring  of  1862 
did  the  latter  i)lan  materialize,  and  then  chiefly  through  the  efforts  of 
Witting.  At  a  meeting  of  ministers  in  Chicago  he  volunteered,  if  a 
|ia|icr  were  started,  to  edit  it  for  one  year  without  salary.  It  was 
unanimously  resolved  to  launch  the  enterprise  and  Witting's  offer  was 
gratefully  accepted.  This  paper  was  named  "Siindebudet"  (The 
i\Iessenger)  and  was  published  at  Rockford.  the  first  number  appearing 
July  18th  of  that  year.  After  occupying  the  editor's  chair  for  some  two 
and  one-half  years,  having  resigned  from  his  pa.storal  charge  in  1863, 
Witting  left  the  ]>aper.  which  in  Xovendier,  18(>4.  was  moved  to 
Chicago.  The  foregoing  year  lie  iiad  taken  up  the  school  question  for 
disiMission  in  its  columns  and  was  gralifii'd  to  find  his  plan  so  generally 
favored  that  during  tlie  year  IStiti.  th(>  centenary  of  Methodism,  a 
scliiidl  I'lmil  was  suhscrilK'd.  The  school  was  not  opened  vuitil  New 
"^'ear's.  18711.  Witting  serving  meanwiiili'  partly  as  the  financial  agent 
of  the  school  project.  ])artly  again  as  editor  of  "Siindebudet." 

In  1865  the  ilethodists  began  missionarx-  work  in  Sweden,  but 
their  efforts  7nct  with  little  success.  Witting  was  the  first  to  put  life 
into  that  work,  .\fter  having  obtained  leave  of  absence.  Witting  went 
to  Sweden  in  May,  1867,  at  the  expense  of  a  private  individtud.  He 
soon  attracted  large  audiences  there,  and  in  a  short  lime  Methodism 

be<"ame  firndy  i led,  especially   in   the  capital.     At   the   instance  of 

liisliop    Kingslcy   of  the   .Methodist    Episcopal   Church,   who   was   then 


VICTOR     WITTIXC. 


377 


visiting  Sweden,  Willing  resolved  to  reiiiuin  lo  prosin-ule  llie  work 
which  he  successfully  started.  He  hurried  back  to  America  to  bring 
his  family  over,  retiu'ning  to  Goteborg  in  Xovi^mhiT. 


Rev.  Victor  Witling 


It  "wonld  carry  us  far  out  of  otir  way  to  describe  in  detail  Witting 's 
mission  in  Sweden.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  with  him  as  superintendent 
the  work  was  prosecuted  with  great  energy,  several  congregations 
being  organized  and  churches  built.    But  it  was  not  all  smooth  sailing. 


378  TIIK    METHODISTS 

Tlie  authorities  made  trouble  for  the  Jletliodist  workers,  several  of 
whom  were  fined  for  disregarding  the  injunctions  of  ehurch  councils 

against  jiublie  ]ireac-hing  l)y  dissenters.  But  these  obstacles  were 
removed  l)y  the  i)assa<re  of  the  Dissenters  Law  of  l!S7:{.  proposed  by  the 
government,  passed  by  tiie  riksdag  with  et-rtain  modifications  relating 
to  oblifratory  religious  insti'uctiou  of  the  young,  and  finally  sanctioned 
by  the  king,  its  effect  being  materially  to  extenil  religious  liberty  in  the 
country.  The  following  3'ear  the  Jlethodists  of  Sweden  resolved  to 
avail  themselves  of  the  right  trranted  by  that  law  to  leave  the  state 
church  and  organize  a  denomination  of  their  own.  with  government 
sanction.  In  February,  1875,  a  delegation  of  ten  ^lethodist  clergymen 
and  laymen  had  an  audience  with  the  king,  laying  before  him  a  petition 
with  about  1.200  signatures,  asking  the  ]nMvilege  of  uniting  into  a 
separate  church  body.  The  petition  was  granted  March  10.  ISTti,  that 
act  seevu'ing  forever  the  rights  of  the  Methodist  Church  in  Sweden. 
As  may  be  readily  iniderstood.  lliis  was  a  day  of  trium])h  for  'Witting 
himself.  On  the  2'2ud  of  August  following  the  .Methodist  missions  were 
conibiiicil  in  ;i  coiit'iTiMice. 

After  ten  years'  work  in  Sweden,  during  which  jieriod  Methodism 
made  headway  and  gained  permanence,  \Vitting  in  1877  ri-turned  to 
the  United  States.  After  preaching  for  a  sliort  time  in  Chicago,  he 
was  sent  back  to  Sweden  in  the  capacity  of  superintendent  of  the 
Methodist  Church  of  Sweden.  Ilis  term  of  service  was.  however,  cut 
short  liy  his  leaving  the  Jlethodist  Church,  for  reasons  unexjilained. 
anil  111  inning  In  Anicrica  in  the  spring  of  187;i.  The  following  year 
he  fonnclc'<l  a  devotional  monthly,  entitled  "Stilla  Stunder."  which 
was  pnblishril  in  Chicago  for  two  years.  Tliis  breach  between  him  and 
the  chnrcii  he  had  served  foi-  a  c|uarter  of  a  cent\n\v  was  of  brief 
duration.  Having  again  joined  the  church,  he  was  for  the  third  lime 
made  editor  of  its  organ.  "  S;iiulelin<let."  serving  as  such  from  1S.'^:{ 
to  1889.  In  Ilie  latter  year  he  was  appointeil  pastor  of  th<'  Swedish 
Jfcthodist  Church  at  (^uinsiganiond,  .M;iss..  where  he  resumed  ]iul>lica- 
tion  of  "Stilla  Stinidei-."  The  following  Chi'istmas  lu'  published  an 
annual  entitled.  "  Uethlclienisstjeriuin,"  which  never  again  appeared. 
In  18!).").  at  the  agi'  of  more  than  seventy,  he  was  nuule  editor  of  a 
weekly,  known  as  "(")sterns  Siindebud."  Wliile  laborine  as  pastor 
and  editoi-.  Witting  found  tim<'  I'm"  (piite  extensive  literary  pursuits. 
As  a  writer  ami  translator  of  religious  songs  he  has  undoubtedly 
rendered  his  cliurcli  i;reatei-  service  than  any  other  Swedish  clei'gynuni. 
The  h\Mnial  used  by  the  Methodists  of  Sweden  for  many  years  contains 
a  l;ir(.'c  nunilier  ol'  liynnis  written  or  translali'd  by  liiin.  and  it  is  gen- 
erally conce<le(l  that  the  best  Swedish  translations  of  the  well  known 
songs  of  Charles  Wesley  have  been  made  by  Wittinu'      lie  has  published 


EARi.v  cm  RCIIKS  379 

at  liis  own  expense  several  excellent  eiillcet inns  of  sonj^s  i'or  jirayel' 
meetings,  and  foi'  Inmie  ilevotinn,  which  are  still  extensively  used.  His 
eliier  literary  work,  however,  comprises  his  memoirs,  embodied  in  a 
volume  entitled,  "JMinnen  fran  mitt  lit"  som  sjiiman,  immigrant  oeh 
predikanf."  The  first  edition  of  this  w(n-k  was  jjublished  in  1901, 
followed  in  11HI4  hy  a  second  edition,  rex'ised  and  augmented.  This 
work  is  especially  valuable  for  its  I'ich  eont  ribul  ions  to  the  cai'ly 
chapters  of  Swedish-Ameriean  history. 

Witting,  who  spent  his  later  years  at  his  home  in  Quiney.  Mass., 
died  July  2,  lltOti.  his  wife  having  passed  away  a  few  years  earlier. 
Two  of  his  daughters  are  married  to  Methodist  ministers. 

Other  i)ioueers  of  the  Swedish  Alethodist  Church  of  America  ar-^ 
Olof  Ilamren,  whose  field  of  labor  was  western  New  York,  and  Sanuiel 
Anderson  and  John  Fridlund.  Iioth  of  IMinnesnta. 

The  E^arly  Swedish  Methodist  Churches 

At  the  period  here  dealt  with  the  preacher's  calling  was  no 
sinecure.  The  country  was  sparsely  settled,  with  small  settlements 
from  ten  to  twenty  miles  apart,  the  settlers  were  poor,  dwelling  in 
small,  stutfy  huts  or  dugouts,  and  the  absence  of  roads  and  bridges 
made  traveling  difficult.  The  daily  routine  of  a  frontier  preacher  was 
somewhat  on  this  order :  a  wearisome  .journey,  mostly  on  horseback, 
but  often  afoot;  arriving  towards  nightfall  at  some  lone  settler's  cabin, 
a  blo(dchouse  at  best,  with  a  single  room;  preaching  in  the  evening  to  a 
score  of  persons,  children  included;  sharing  with  the  inmates  their  only 
bed;  breakfasting  on  cornbread  and  molasses;  then  proceeding  on  his 
way  to  the  next  settlement,  there  to  repeat  the  selfsame  experience, 
and  so  on  for  weeks  and  months.  Owing  to  the  suspicion,  not  to  say 
hostility,  anent  the  Methodi-sts  prevailing  among  the  Swedish  settlei's, 
they  would  ofttimes  shut  their  doors  in  the  face  of  the  itinerant 
preachers,  who  were  thus  compelled  to  spend  their  nights  in  the  woods  . 
or  on  the  open  prairie.  With  Christian  fortitude  they  submitted  to  al) 
this,  looking  upon  their  calling  as  a  work  of  love,  not  a  means  of  liveli- 
hood. The  majority  of  them  sustained  serious  financial  losses  from 
chosing  the  minister's  calling,  being  able  to  earn  more  at  their 
respective  trades  than  afterwards  in  the  ministry.  The  highest  annual 
salary  received  by  any  of  them  did  not  exceed  $400.  Some  got  only 
$100  to  $150  a  year.  A  certain  i)reacher  with  a  wife  and  three  children 
had  to  get  along  on  $90  for  the  first  year,  averaging  25  cents  a  day. 
With  this  modest  competence  went  the  duty  of  serving  an  entire  circuit. 
viz.,  Moline-New  Boston,  involving  monthly  trips  of  some  two  hundred 
miles  with  horse  and  buggy.  He  was  able  to  make  only  an  occasional 
visit  to  his  familw  living  in  a  blockhouse  fort\'  miles  awav. 


38o 


TIIK    METHODISTS 


IJuriiig  tliese  uarly  days  it  was  customary  for  a  clergyman  to 
preach  three  times  everj'  Sunday  and  three  or  four  times  ou  week  days, 
going  from  place  to  place,  stops  being  made  five  to  eight  miles  apart. 
In  the  spring  and  fall  in  particular,  the  roads  would  be  extremely  heavy, 
in  fact  impassahjc  for  vehicles,  and  then  horseback  riding  was  the  only 
possible  mode  of  travel.  Sometimes  the  deep,  sticky  mud  proved  too 
much  even  for  the  saddle  horses,  and  as  a  last  resort  tlie  preacher,  with 
his  trousers  tucked  into  his  ])()ot-tops,  had  to  foot  it  through  miles  of 
mud  and  water.  Under  such  strenuous  conditions  a  Methodist  minister 
naturally  did  not  put  on  tlcsh.  but  tlu'se  daily  constitutionals  kept  his 
body  agile  and  his  spirits  fresh  and  buoyant. 

Such  was  the  i)reacher's  life  in  those  days.  All  the  ilethodist 
ministers  traveled  about  in  like  manner  the  year  around.  That  was 
quite  different  from  present  conditions,  which  permit  the  preachers  to 
remain  for  at  least  two  years  in  each  place,  enjoying  comfortable  homes 
and  otlicr  advantages. 

The  First  Swedish  Methodist  Church  in  America 

It  was  during  the  period  just  described  that  the  first  Swcilish 
Methodist  churches  M'ere  organized  in  Illinois.  As  stated  in  foregoing 
pages,  the  very  first  was  that  at  Victoria,  founded  Dec.  15,  1846.  by 
Jonas  Iledstrom,  who  on  that  occasion  preached  his  fir.st  sermon.  The 
first  members  were  five  all  told.  Tliis  was  the  small  beginning  of  a 
movement  wliich  soon  extended  to  all  the  surrounding  towns  and  settle- 
ments, wherever  Swedes  were  living,  and  from  these  districts  camo 
many  of  the  pioneer  clergymen.  The  early  settlers  at  Victoria,  with 
few  exce])tions.  had  been  Erik  Janssonists.  Possessing  nuirc  than 
oi-dinary  knowledge  of  the  Scri]itures.  they  soon  becanu^  firndy  rooted 
in  the  Methoilist  faith.  They  took  religion  seriously,  these  pioneer 
settlers.  The  entire  settlement  of  Victoria  became  so  thoroughly  imbued 
with  Methodism  tluit  to  this  day  all  attempts  of  other  denominations 
to  gain  a  tV)oth()ld  there  have  proved  futile. 

'I'lif  little  cliiu'cli  after  two  years  inunbcred  ninetN'  iiicmbers.  At 
first  the  meetings  were  held  either  in  a  schoolhouse  or  in  private 
houses.  In  the  lattei-  instance,  it  was  customary  for  those  atteiuling 
the  meetings  to  bring  their  own  chairs  and  candles.  In  the  late  summer 
of  IS.'))!  the  cliiiiili  building  was  begun,  and  it  was  completed  and 
di'dieated  the  rollowing  spi'ing.  This,  the  first  Swedish  Methodist 
I'hurcii  in  the  state,  still  stands  as  a  landmark  and  remintler  of  Sweilisli 
pioneer  days  in  llliiuiis.  A  steeple  was  jidded  In  tlie  sti-ucture  in  later 
years.  In  tlie  late  fall  of  ISfiS  the  ailjoining  i)arsonage  was  luiilt.  In 
IS'i?  the  large  \'icfoi'ia  cii-ciiit  was  divide<l  into  three,  Victoria.  (Jales- 


i:.\Ri.v  cm  RCHKS 


381 


liiirg  iuul  AiidovLT  I'oniiing  iiidcpenduiit  coiigri'galioiis,  each  with  its 
owu  pastor.  A  year  later  Uiree  new  fields  were  taken  up,  viz., 
Kewanee,  Nekoma  and  Oneida.  The  mother  ehurch  at  Victoria  in  1905 
numbered  105  adult  members.  The  ba])tized  children  are  not  counted 
us  members  in  iletiiodist  statistics  as  the  ease  is  in  some  other  churches. 

The  WorK  at  Andover 
The  second  in  i)oint  of  age  among  the  Swedish  Methodist  churches 
of  Illinois  is  that  of  Andover.    The  date  of  Jonas  Hedstrom's  fir.st  visit 


The  Swedish   M.  E.  Church  in   Victoria 

to  the  Swedes  of  Andover  is  not  known,  but  it  might  well  have  been 
as  early  as  1847,  while  tlie  settlers  were  still  few  in  number.  When  in 
1849  Kev.  Gustaf  Unouius  visited  Andover  he  found  cause  for  complaint 
in  the  fact  that  "a  large  part  of  the  people  had  been  converted  to 
Methodism  and  much  religions  strife  and  disorder  prevailed."  In  the 
latter  part  of  July  the  same  year.  Jonas  Iledstrom  was  in  Andover  to 
meet  a  party  of  immigrants  ravaged  by  cholera.  After  having  dis- 
tribtited  food  and  medicines  among  the  sick  and  emaciated  newcomers, 
he  was  kept  i)usy  night  and  day  procuring  lodgings  for  them.  On 
Sunday,  Aug.  12tli.  he  preached  a  toueliing  funeral  sermon  at  the  biers 


382 


THE    METHODISTS 


of  the  latest  victims  of  lln-  pest,  ami  two  weeks  later,  .Sunday,  Aug.  26th, 
wliile  the  hciirts  of  the  iiiiinigrants  were  still  pliant  from  suffering,  he 
chose  as  the  <)i)p<)rtiine  time  to  organize  a  Jletiioclist  eongregation. 
Those  who  joined  were,  Anna  Lovisa  Gustafsson.  who  had  just  lost  both 
her  parents,  her  husband,  three  children  and  a  brother;  Nils  J.  Johans- 
son and  wife;  one  Freiberg  and  wife;  Helena  Ilurtig.  a  widow  whose 
hasband  also  had  recently  died  of  the  cholera ;  Marta  Olsson ;  Nils 
Olssou  and  wife;  Ake  Olsson  and  wife;  E.  P.  Andcrsson  and,  on  the 
following  day,  Mrs.  II.  Aim. 

Tlie  congregation  was  organized  at  "Captain  Jli.x's  place."  a  large 
farm   with   good   l)uiUlings,  located  near  the  southeast   corner  of  the 


The  Sweilisli  M.  H.  Cluiroh  in  .\ni lover 


village.  This  was  now  purcliascil  l)y  the  widow  Ciustaf.sson.  on  the 
advice  of  Iledstrtim.  ami  became  the  home  of  herself,  her  daughter 
.Mniy.  a  girl  of  seven,  her  sisters  Caroline  and  Mary  and  her  brother 
Jt)liii  .M.  Kricl<sson.  SIk^  was  born  in  Iliigerstad,  ()stergotland.  April 
18,  1S21  :  at  Iwcnt.x-  she  married  (Justaf  (Jiistal'sson  and  in  the  summer 
of  1S4II  they  ciiiiu'ratcil  to  .\iinTica,  willi  tlic  aforesaid  party.  Being 
wiilowed  slioi'tly  after  i-cacliing  .Viidover.  she  remarried  in  1S.")1,  becom- 
ing the  wife  of  Otto  1-oheeii.  a  romeraiiiaii.  removed  with  him  to 
Oiiialia,  Nell.,  in  Issj,  heeaiiie  ;i  widow  again  in  lS!t().  and  died  in 
Fremont,  .Xeh..  .March  •■{().  lli(i:i.  M  her  home  in  Andover  also  the 
•Swetlisii  Lulln'raii  Chiireh  of  that  place  was  organizi'd  Marcii  IS.  \SMK 
Mrs.  Lobeck  to  her  di'alli  reiiuiineil  faithful  to  Ihi'  Swedish  Methodist 
Ciiurcli  by  which  she  was  regarded  as  a  viMieraMe  moliiei-  and  lield  in 
iiigh  esteem. 


KARI.V    cm  RCIIKS 


383 


The  Swcdisli  ^Fctliodist  fliick  of  Aiidovcr  increased  ra|)idly.  num- 
bering in  1850  no  less  than  74  ineniliers.  mostly  residents  of  Ihat  place. 
A  C'hureh  edifice  was  begun  and  aliiiosi  e(iiiii)ieted  in  lsr)4  and  the 
following  year  the  jiarsonage  was  creeled.  In  Angust,  18o;j,  the  first 
Swcdisli  .Methodist  eain]i  meeting  held  in  tliis  eonntry  took  place  here. 
Two  years  later  Rev.  Iledstrom.  a1  the  annual  eainp  meeting  in 
Andover,  preached  hi.s  farewell  sermon  to  his  Methodist  brethi'eti.  it 
being  probably  the  most  stirring  address  ever  made  by  that  fiery  leader 
and  organizer.  Dui'ing  this  early  period  the  Andover  minister  had 
pastoral  charge  of  eight  other  jilaces.  namely,  Rock  Island.  ]\[oline, 
Berlin  (now  Swedona),  Hickory  Grove  (now  Ophiem),  LaGrauge  (now 
Orion).  Geneseo,  Pope  Creek  (now  Ontario)  and  New  Boston.  In  1862 
Aloline  was  made  a  separate  charge,  as  was  Swedona  in  1864.  In  1905 
the  Andover  church  luunliered  117  members. 


The  Galesburg  Church 

The  thiril  oldest  Swedish  ilethodist  congregation  is  that  of  Gales- 
burg. As  early  as  1848  Rev.  Hedstrom  began  his  visits  there  and  in 
September  the  following  .year  he  organized  a  church,  despite 
religious  indiffereuce  on  the  one  hand  and  direct  opposition  on  the 
other.  Its  first  members  were,  Liiide,  a  shoemaker,  and  his  wife, 
Erik  Grip  and  wife.  Gustaf  Berglund  and  wife,  Mrs.  Thorsell,  widow 
of  a  shoemaker,  Christina  Muhr,  married  later  to  A.  Cassel  of  Wataga, 
Nils  Hedstrom  and  wife,  besides  others.  The  opposition  grew  still 
more  bitter  when  half  a  year  later  a  Swedish  Lutheran  church  also  was 
organized  in  Galesbiirg.  In  the  spring  of  1852,  a  powerful  Baptist 
movement  arose  to  shake  the  little  Methodist  church  in  its  very 
foundations.  Several  of  its  members  were  re-baptized.  Even  its  young 
pastor.  Rev.  A.  G.  Swedberg,  was  converted  to  Baptism  and  took  the 
sacrament  of  immersion.  This  movement,  however,  was  of  short  dura- 
tion and  so  superficial  that  several  of  the  converts  soon  returned  to 
their  former  church. 

In  spite  of  continued  ojiposition  both  from  Swedes  and  xVmericaus 
— the  latter  being  chiefly  the  Presbyterians  and  the  Congregationalists, 
who  thought  their  own  churches  sufficient  for  the  needs  of  the  com- 
munity— the  struggling  little  clnu'ch  continued  to  grow,  making  a 
house  of  worship  a  necessity.  In  1850  a  suliscription  M'as  started  for 
that  piu'pose.  Jonas  Hedstrom 's  most  formidable  opponent  was 
Jonathan  Blanchard.  president  of  Knox  College.  Through  his  influence, 
it  was  said,  many  Americans  withdrew  their  subscriptions  to  the 
Swedish  Methodist  church  liuilding  fund.  As  a  side  light  on  Hed- 
strom's  character  the  following  instance  may  be  (|uoted.    During  a  hot 


384  ''""'•    MKTHODISTS 

set-to  between  Hlanchard  and  Iledstroin,  the  latter  is  reported  to  have 
said  to  liis  opi)onent.  "Do  you  see  the  suii  in  the  lieavens?  You  might 
as  well  try  to  stop  him  in  his  course  as  to  attempt  to  shut  the  Methodists 
out  of  Galesbursr.    We  have  come  here  to  stay." 

The  Swedisii  Methodists  eould  not  be  made  to  abandon  tlieir  plan 
to  build  a  church.  At  the  suggestion  of  some  of  the  leading  men  in 
the  American  Methodist  Cliurch.  which  was  not  much  larger  than  the 
Swedish  one,  it  was  decided  in  the  fall  of  1851  that  the  two  congrega- 
tions should  erect  a  common  edifice,  in  which  both  should  worship  in 
turn,  according  to  specific  agreement,  so  that  on  the  days  when  the 
Americans  held  their  services  in  the  morning,  the  Swedes  were  to  hold 
theirs  in  the  afternoon  or  evening,  and  vice  versa.  The  edifice  was 
built  and  dedicated  the  following  year.  It  was  a  light  and  cheerful 
sanctuary,  with  a  seating  capacity  of  about  200.  Great  was  the  joy 
of  the  Swedes  over  the  new  house  of  worship,  which  they  justly  con- 
sidered theii's  iti  ]i;n-t.  Hut  tln'ir  joy  was  soon  spoiled.  Some  sharp 
individual  among  the  members  of  the  American  congregation  soon 
made  the  "discovery"  that,  according  to  the  wording  of  the  papers, 
the  Swedish  people  legally  had  no  claim  to  ownership  whatever.  This 
caused  much  friction,  and  at  a  subsequent  meeting  of  the  trustees,  two 
of  whom  were  Swedes  and  three  Americans,  it  was  resolved,  in  the 
presence  of  Iledstriim.  and  over  the  vigorous  protests  of  himself  and 
the  Swedish  trustees,  that  the  church  was  the  exclusive  property  of  the 
American  IMethodist  congregation,  and  that  the  Swedes  had  no  more 
property  right  in  it  than  any  other  people  who.  by  subscrijition  or  other 
efforts,  had  assisted  in  its  erection.  By  that  decision  tlie  Swedish  con- 
gregation was  OTisted  and  again  stood  wilhout  a  church  liome. 

This  misfortune  lietVIl  the  church  at  the  lime  when  its  pastor. 
Rev.  Swcdlicrg.  and  aliout  iialf  of  its  membership,  twelve  to  fifteen 
young  and  energetic  persons,  deserted  the  tlock  ami  joined  the  Baptists. 
The  remaining  ones,  however,  continued  the  work,  hoping  for  better 
days  to  dawn,  and  their  hopes  were  not  in  vain.  \ew  members  were 
added,  am!  iii;irl>  ;ill  of  the  deserters  retiu'ned  to  tiu'  fold.  In  tiu> 
surrounding  country  missionary  work  was  begun  in  the  years  18r>;i-7  at 
the  following  points.  Knoxville.  Wataga.  Abingdon.  Monmoutii  and 
Oquawka.  Late  in  the  year  18.")(1  a  small  cliuich  was  erected  which 
was  dedicated  .New  Year's  Day.  18.")7.  That  same  year  the  ccuisregafion 
was  made  independent,  then  numheriug  ()!•  members.  In  18(i:t  tlw  little 
cliiirili  liiiililitig  was  moved  to  a  larger  lot  in  ;i  iiiori-  desirabl<>  location 
and  two  years  later  an  atldition  was  bnilt  at  a  cost  of  a  little  over 
$1.S()0.  In  1872  the  present  lai-ge  and  imposing  (vlifice  was  erected  at 
a  cost  of  .>|;1S. (1(1(1,     In   the  Miiilcllc  sixties  an   indejiendent  church  wa.«» 


|':ari,v  cm  Rciii'.s 


385 


formed  at  Wataga,  cK'crcasiiig  llie  inciiibiTsliii)  liy  rifly.     in   lllO")  the 
Galesljurg  eliiircli  had  a  total  iiicinbcrship  of  :?fln. 

Operations  in  Moline  and  RocK  Island 

Swedish    iiiiiiiigration    to    .Moline    and    J\oek    Island    had   scarcely 
begun  when  tiie  \vide-a\v;dxe  Rev.  lledstrrmi  went  there  to  preach  to  his 


r. 


o 


•countrymen.  The  first  man  that  took  kindly  to  him  was  OlaiLS  Bengts- 
son,  one  of  Moline 's  Swedish  pioneers.  Rev.  Hedstrom  lived  in  his 
house  whenever  he  visited  IMoline.  and  in  that  same  house  the  Swedish 


386 


THE    METHODISTS 


Jletliodist  C'Iniri'li  was  oi-fianizccl.  prcsuiiiahly  in  Sei)ti'mbfr,  1849,  and 
liL'kl  its  meetings  there  during  the  first  ten  years  of  its  existence.  Only 
seven  persons  joined  the  church  at  its  organization,  these  being  Olaus 
Bengtsson  and  liis  wife,  three  other  persons  in  JFoline  and  two  from 
Roi-k  Island.  During  the  first  few  years  tiie  growtli  wa.s  very  shnv, 
the  total  muiilicr  of  members  in  1855  being  only  18  or  20.  and  three 
years  later  showing  only  a  slight  increase  over  that  figure.  The  chief 
reason  for  this  slow  progress  lay  in  the  energetic  work  done  by  the 
uewdy  arrived  Swedish  Lutheran  pastor.  Rev.  O.  C.  T.  Andren.  causing 
the  ma.iority  of  ininiigraiits  with  religious  interests  to  join  his  church. 
In  1859-Gl.  after  innnigrants  had  arrived  in  great  numbers,  things 
began  to  look  brighter  for  the  Methodists  in  Moline.  their  services 
were  better  attended,  and  in  18(i(i  tlK'v  could  dedicate  a  little  church 
wtiii-h  had  just  been  erected. 

Ill  18()2  the  ;\loline  Swedish  Jlethodists  were  organized  into  a 
separate  congregation,  independent  of  the  Andover  church,  and  with 
a  ])astor  of  theii-  own.  The  subse(|uent  year.  Moline  was  combined 
with  Swedona.and  in  18(17  (ieneseo  was  also  added  to  the  circuit,  a  small 
congregation  having  been  organized  in  the  latter  |)lace  in  1S64  and  a 
little  church  erected.  In  1871  the  Moline  congregation  sold  its  church 
building,  which  was  now  inade<|uate.  and  purchased  from  an  American 
congregation  a  larger  building  which  was  moved  to  a  new  location, 
where  it  was  used  mitil  188!),  the  year  of  the  erection  of  the  present  still 
nuire  commodious  temjilc  of  worship.  In  1871  a  parsonage  was  built 
which  four  yeai's  later  was  rebuilt  and  enlarged.  The  total  member- 
ship in  l!l().")  reached  202. 

During  the  years  1852-5  there  existed  in  Hock  Island  a  small  but 
vigorous  congi-egation  of  Swedish  Methodists,  consisting  largely  of 
girls  in  tlie  eiii|)loy  of  .\nieric  an  lamilies,  but  soon  most  of  these  girls 
left  the  city,  almost  depleling  the  church  as  early  as  185(i.  In  18.54  this 
congregation  is  said  to  have  owned  a  snuill  eliurch  building  which 
seems  to  have  lieen  disposed  of  long  ago. 

The  Chicago  Field 

Swedish  .Melliodisni  in  Chicago  dates  iiack  to  1852.  In  the  fall  of 
thai  year  K(>v.  O.  (I.  lli'ilstnim  of  New  York  visited  that  <'ity  on  his 
way  to  bis  bi'otlier  in  \'i<toi-ia.  Here  he  had  an  o])portunily  to  |)reaeli 
for  sevei-al  successive  days  in  the  .Noi-wegian.  subsei|uently  Sweilish 
Lutheran  church  on  Superior  strei't.  Large  crowds  went  to  hear  him, 
anil  Ibilslniiii  is  said  lo  lia\e  preaebeil  willi  such  power  that  "there 
was  weeping  llii-ougliout  the  church,  from  liie  ]>\dpil  ilown  lo  tin'  last 
pew."      In    D nd)er.  on   his  return   to   N'ew   York,   he  airain    vi>iiti'd 


i:.\Ri.v   ciirkciii'S 


387 


Cliit-ago.  iiccomiiiiiiii'd  liy  his  lirntlicr  -Innas.  IKtc  tlic>-  st(i[)|iiMl  a 
(•oii|ilo  of  weeks.  Tlie  Sup(M'ior  street  eliureli  lieiiijf  now  elosed  to  them, 
they  eondiieted  tlieir  meetiiijrs  in  the  I'ethel  Chapel,  or  Seamen's  .Mis- 
sion, on  Wells  street,  between  Miehii:'an  and  Illinois  streets,  and  here, 
in  r)eeend)er,  18.')2,  the  foundation  was  laid  for  a  Swedish,  or  rather 
Seandiuavian,  ^Methodist  ehureii  in  Chicago.  There  is  uo  doubt  that 
this  worlv  tended  to  huri-y  the  organization  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Immanuel  Cliureh  of  Cliicago,  which  took  place  in  January,  1853.  Rev. 
Jonas  Iledstrom  remained  in  the  city  a  few  days  after  his  brother  had 
left  for  New  York,  in  order  to  encourage  the  little  iiock.  and  give  it  a 
good  start,  services  doubtless  well  needed  in  a  congregation  made  up 
of  many  heterogeneous  elements.  The  member.ship  at  the  beginning 
is  said  to  have  reached  7.").  but  hardly  had  Jonas  Iledstrom  left  the  city 
before  more  than  two-thirds  of  these  deserted  and  joined  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  just  then  in  process  of  organization.  A  mere  handful 
of  them  remained  in  the  ^Metliodist  fold. 

Li  order  to  save  the  wreckage.  Rev.  O.  G.  Iledstrom,  shortly  after 
his  return  to  New  York,  sent  his  assistant,  S.  B.  Newman,  to  Chicago. 
His  task  consisted  in  gathering  the  remnant  of  tlie  church  and,  with 
that  as  a  nucleus,  form  a  practically  new  congregation.  In  the  latter 
part  of  January.  Rev.  Jonas  Hedstrom  returned  from  Victoria, 
and  the  two  worked  so  earnestly  that  in  February  the  number  of  new 
members  received  on  probation  reached  65.  In  September  of  the  same 
year  this  number  had  grown  to  123,  this,  however,  including  a  few  in 
St.  Cliarles.  111.,  and  about  30  in  Poolsville,  Tnd..  where  a  church  lind 
been  organized  in  August. 

Captain  Charles  Mag'nus  Lindg'ren 


Among  those  joining  the  congregation  that  year  was  C.  'SI.  Lind- 
gren,  a  sea  captain,  who  almost  immediately  liecame  one  of  the  chief 
.supports  of  Swedish  ^Methodism  in  Chicago.  Lindgren  was  liorn  in 
Dragsmark,  Bohuslan,  Nov.  28,  1819,  went  to  sea  at  the  age  of  14,  and 
sailed  mitil  1849,  when  he  went  to  California,  remaining  there  for  three 
years,  first  as  a  goldwasher  and  later  engaged  in  the  freight  tratfic. 
In  the  spring  of  1852  he  returned  to  his  native  land,  was  there  married 
to  Johanna  Andersson,  returned  to  America  in  September  and  arrived 
in  Ciiicago  in  November  of  the  same  year.  Here  he  opened  a  livery 
stable  on  Illinois  street,  but,  finding  this  unprofitable,  entered  into  a 
failway  project  together  with  the  Erik  Janssonists  of  Bishop  Hill  and 
settled  in  1854  at  Toiilon,  Henry  county,  a  few  miles  from  Galva.  In 
the  spring  of  1856  he  came  back  to  Chicago,  bought  a  couple  of  freight 
vessels  and  contracted  with   a   lumber  comi)any  for  shipping  lumber 


388 


THK    METHODISTS 


from  Michigan  to  (Chicago.  At  first  this  proved  exceedingly  profit- 
able, but  suddenly  the  company  failed,  involving  Lindgren  in  heavy 
losses.  Subsequently  he  removed  to  Montgomery,  a  small  town  ou  the 
Burlington  railroad,  about  fifty  miles  from  Ciiicago,  where  he  set  up  as 
a  manufacturer  of  machinery,  but  soon  failed.  In  the  fall  of  180O  he 
again  came  to  Chicago  and  engaged  in  shipping,  first  with  a  good-siwd 
freighter  witli   wliicli  lie  succeeded  so  well  that   lie  was  soon  able  to 


I       S.M.o^cl, 


5^ 


/Ci'WO/. 


Caiit.  Clwirli 


exchange  it  I'oi'  a  still  lar^'cr  vessel.  Fortune  now  stcailily  favored 
him,  and  he  gra<lually  ailili<l  vessel  after  vessel  until  in  1870  he  «)wned 
half  a  dozen  ships  with  a  combined  toniuige  of  4,r)()0.  Several  of  these 
were  among  tln'  largest  in  the  lake  trade  at  that  tinu\  The  following 
year  he  had  three  more  large  rri'ighters  built  at  Manitowoc.  AVis.,  one 
(if  wliirh  was  ii.iiiicd  "( 'hiist  ilia  Xilsson."  al'ti-r  the  great  Swedish 
singer  who  visited  America  that   vi'ar. 

Failing   health    in    1S77    compclli'd    bis    ri'tir-emcnt    from    business. 
That  siniiiiiir  Ih'  took  a  lri|i  to  t  he  old  com  It  ry.     His  condition,  however 


EARLY    CHIRCHKS 


389 


grew  worse  and  (iii  Scptoiiibor  1.  ISTf),  lio  died  ;it  his  Iinnic  in  Evanston, 
aged  HO  years. 

Captain  Liiidiircn  was  a  man  id'  cxtraorilinai'v  aidivify  and  a  kiiul 
and  philanthropic  man  withal,  who  did  much  for  his  h'ss  fortunate 
fellow  countrymen.  His  wife  was  e([ually  kiuddiearted.  Lindgren  was 
particularly  liberal  toward  the  struggling  little  Swedish  Methodist 
Church  in  Chicago.  Without  his  aid  it  would  not  have  accomplished 
what  it  did.  "When  in  later  years  the  Swedish  irethodist  Theological 
Seminary  was  founded  here,  Lindgi'cn  contributed  generously  toward 
its  erection  and  maintenance. 

In  the  spring  of  185-4  the  young  Methodist  congregation  decided 
to  build  a  church  of  their  own.  During  the  summer  Rev.  Newman 
made  a  trip  to  liis  former  field  of  labor  in  the  South  to  solicit  funds  for 
that  purpose,  and  met  with  great  success.  The  edifice,  which  was 
erected  on  Illinois  street,  near  ^Market,  was  completed  in  the  fall  and 
dedicated  in  October  or  November,  by  Eev.  0.  G.  Hedstrom.  The  back 
part  of  the  structure  constituted  the  parsonage. 

In  those  days  it  Avas  a  common  occurrence  that  the  meetings  of  the 
Swedish  Methodists  in  Chicago  and  elsewhere  were  disturbed  by 
drunken  rowdies.  Frequently  the  preacher  would  be  interrupted  in 
the  midst  of  his  discourse  by  hideous  yells  or  by  the  hurling  of  stones 
or  otlier  missiles,  aimed  at  the  speaker,  through  the  windows.  After 
services,  crowds  of  hoodlums  would  gather  outside  the  sanctuary, 
jeering  and  molesting  the  worshipers  as  they  were  coming  out.  Time 
and  again,  these  people,  both  ministers  and  laymen,  were  the  objects 
not  only  of  threats,  but  of  open  attacks.  The  aforesaid  Captain  Lind- 
gren,  who  was  a  man  possessed  of  both  courage  and  physical  strength, 
was  often  obliged  to  act  as  a  sort  of  special  policeman  at  the  meetings. 
On  one  occasion,  when  he  undertook  to  escort  the  leader  of  a  gang  of 
disturbers  out  of  the  church,  the  culprit  drew  a  knife,  seriously  woiiud- 
ing  Captain  Lindgren.  This  brutal  crime,  committed  in  the  house  of 
God,  was  brought  to  trial  and  the  perpetrator  was  severely  punished, 
while  several  other  disturbers  were  arrested  and  fined.  This  example 
had  a  wholesome  effect,  disturbances  became  less  frequent,  and  soon 
the  Swedish  ^Methodists  were  permitted  to  worship  unmolested. 

The  summer  of  1854.  when  the  cholera  broke  out  in  Chicago,  was 
fraught  with  many  trials  for  Kev.  Newman  and  his  flock.  The  noble 
work  of  relief  accomplished  by  Newman  and  other  Swedish  pastors  of 
Chicago  is  recoimted  elsewhere  in  these  pages.  About  this  time,  also, 
his  field  was  widened  by  work  being  begim  in  Beaver,  St.  Charles  and 
Rockford,  111.,  and  at  Attica,  LaFayette,  LaPorte  and  other  points  in 
Indiana. 

In  September,  1855,  Newman  returned  to  his  former  place  in  New 


390  THE   METHODISTS 

York  as  assistant  to  Rev.  O.  (}.  Iledstrom,  Rev.  Erik  8hogren  succeeding 
liini  in  Chicago,  where  he  labored  for  four  years,  until  1859,  when  he, 
in  turn,  was  succeeded  by  .Takol)  Bredl)erg.  At  this  time  two  young 
and  gifted  men.  A.  J.  Anderson  and  X.  O.  Westergreen.  joined  the 
church,  lioth  of  wliom  in  later  years  became  prominent  clergymen  in 
llic  R^vcilisli  ^fi'tluidist  Chiirt-li. 

Rev.  Jacob  Bredberg 

The  aforesaid  Jakob  Bredberg  was  in  .some  respects  one  of  the 
notable  men  in  the  Swedish  Jlethodist  clergy.  He  was  born  in  the  city 
of  Aliiigsas.  Sweden,  Jlay  1.  1808.  completed  his  college  course  at 
twenty-one  and  was  ordained  minister  in  1832.  Having  served  fur 
twenty  years  as  cnr;ite  in  Sweden,  lie  emigrated  in  1853.  Like  his 
former  colleague,  Rev.  C  P.  Agrelius.  a  few  years  earlier.  Bredberg 
became  acquainted  with  Rev.  Iledstrom  in  New  York  and  joined  tiie 
Methodists,  was  subsequently  in  eiiarge  of  the  Swedish  Methodist 
Church  at  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  for  four  years,  until  1850.  when  he  eame  to 
Chicago.  During  his  first  year  here  the  work  progressed  nicely.  Rev. 
Bredberg 's  elo(iuenee  and  his  reputation  for  great  learning  attracting 
good  audiences.  But  the  second  year  marked  a  complete  change.  Then 
it  was  discovered  that  he  was  inditferent  to  the  interests  of  his  clnu'ch 
even  to  the  extent  of  phiniiing  to  leav(>  the  Jlethodists  and  join  another 
deiioiiiiiiation.  'Cliis  lost  liiiri  the  eontidence  of  the  parishioners  and 
caused  a  I'alliiig  otf  in  attend.iiiee  and  a  trioomy  outlook  ireiierally.  Inthe 
fall  of  1S()1  the  anticipated  flop  took  jilace,  when  Bredl)erg  went  over 
lo  the  Episcopalians  and  lucanie  |iastor  of  the  St.  Ansgarius  Church  in 
Chicago,  occupying  that  pnljiit  until  1877.  when  old  age  and  sickness 
comi)elled  his  retirement  Alongside  of  his  ]iastoral  work.  Rev.  Bred- 
berg engaged  to  some  extent  in  literary  pursuits,  such  as  editing  a 
Swedish  ^lethodist  hynnial.  the  contents  of  which  were  jiartly  comiiileil. 
jiartly  translated  hy  him,  and  latei-  translating  the  English  Episco]>al 
ritual  and  a  nuinlicr  ol'  I'aiglish.  French  ami  Bohemian  tracts  into 
Swedish. 

In  the  condition  jnst  desci-ibed  A.  J.  Anderson  found  the  Swedish 
iMetliodist  Chiirch  when  he  took  charge  of  it  in  the  fall  id'  18t)l.  The 
cluircli  edilice  was  in  so  liail  repair  as  to  \u'  almost  eondeiinialile.  Sun- 
day school  iiad  been  discontinued,  class  meetings,  prayer  meetings  and 
the  enstoiiiai'y  forms  of  Christian  a<-tivity  had  lieen  abamloned. 
I*'uft  henrioic,  the  eongreirat  ion  was  still  heavily  in  debt  from  the  time 
the  cluucii  was  hiiill.  Uev.  Anderson  succeeded,  however,  in  putting 
new  life  into  the  woi'k  :  the  cinn-cli  was  rebuilt  in  18()3,  and  through  his 
efforts  the  mend>ership  increased  by  1(10  in  the  period  from  18til  lo  18ti4 


i'..\i<i.\  cm  Kcnivs 


391 


392 


THK    .METHODISTS 


making  a  total  of  210.  Tlit-  yumlay  school  miiiil)cred  130  pupils  and 
the  church  i)roperty,  now  free  of  debt,  was  valued  at  $8,000. 

During  the  following  year,  while  Rev.  Shogren  was  in  charge, 
another  hundred  members  were  added,  and  the  attendance  at  services 
was  so  great  that  the  congregation  had  to  choose  between  securing 
a  larger  house  of  worship  or  dividing  into  two  Hocks.  They  chose  the 
latter  alternative;  an  American  ^lethodist  church  on  the  west  side  was 
purcliased  and  moved  to  the  corner  of  Fourth  and  Sangamon  streets, 
and  thenceforth  regular  services  were  held  also  in  this  part  of  the  city. 
This  was  in  April,  1865.  The  ne.xt  fall  Shogren  was  succeeded  by  Rev. 
N.  O.  Westergreen,  whose  three  years  of  service,  1865-S,  were  character- 
ized by  steady  progress.  Up  to  1867  Swedes  and  Norwegians  had 
worshiped  under  one  roof  as  members  of  the  same  church,  but  about 
that  time  it  became  apparent  that  it  was  better  for  all  concerned  that 
the  Norwegians  scpai'a1e<l  and  formed  a  congregation  of  their  own. 
This  was  done  and  the  second  church  building  was  turned  over  to  the 
Norwegians,  most  of  whom  were  living  on  the  west  side.  This  marked 
the  beginning  of  Norwegian  ^lethodism  in  Chicago. 

During  the  years  1S()S  to  1870  Rev.  Nils  Peterson  was  pastor  of  the 
church.  The  congregation  at  that  time  purcliased  the  lot  at  the  corner 
of  Market  and  Oak  street  where  later  its  i)rescnt  church  was  built. 
Rev.  Peterson  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  J.  Anderson,  who  labored  here 
for  three  years  up  to  1873.  In  the  great  fire  of  1871  the  church  on 
Illinois  street  was  destroyed,  as  were  the  other  Swedish  churches  of  the 
city.  This  disaster  was  the  turning-point  in  the  history  of  the  Swedish 
^Methodists  of  Chicago.  For  a  time  they  held  their  services  in  the  newly 
built  Norwegian  ^Methodist  church  on  Indiana  street.  But  after  the 
lire  the  influx  of  Swedes  to  the  west  side  inei-eased.  and  for  that  reason 
it  was  found  expedient  also  to  make  it  the  I'eligious  center.  In  pur- 
suance of  this  purpose  the  lot  on  Illinois  street  was  traded  for  one  on 
Ma.y  street,  where  the  ]iresent  Swedish  Jlethodist  church  on  the  west 
side  was  tlien  erected.  .\  small  clwelling-house  situated  on  the  lot  was 
remodeled  into  a  ]iarsonagi'.  The  hascment  of  the  church  was  finished 
in  1S72  iind  tin'  eiitii dil'ii'e  was  not  completed  \nitil  1878. 

On  llie  iiditli  sidi'  ,1  teniponir.x  ehajiel  was  built  sinudtaneously.  In 
the  summer  of  1875  it  was  removed  to  make  room  for  the  Swedish 
Methodist  ehufcli.  wliich  was  not  completed  until  1879,  during  the 
incuiiilieiic  y  dl'  i\iv.  J).  S.  S("niin.  wiien  a  pai'sonage  also  wa.s  built. 
Knmi  1S73  In  1S7.">  its  pastor  was  Rev.  K.  Siiogren,  assisted  bv  Rev. 
.MI'red  .\H<liTscpn.  and  in  187r)-6  Rev.  X.  O.  Westergreen  was  in  charge. 
.Mliiciiigli  there  was  a  chureli  on  the  west  side.  Swedisii  Methodists 
living   there  slill    lieliiHged    In    the    niiltll    side   elinreh    lUltil    IS?.').   wllCU   A 

riirnial    division    of    the    roiiirrej,'.it  ion    look    piaei'    jind    the    weslsiders 


KARI.V    cm  KCIIl'lS 


393 


foniieil  a  soparato  ehurL-h  and  reoi'lvod  tlicii-  own  pastor,  Kev.  D.  S. 
Sorliu,  the  followini!:  year.  In  1S7()  Kev.  Wittiug,  just  returned  from 
Sweden,  was  assigned  to  the  north  side  chun-h.  serving  it  for  one  year. 
On  the  south  side  work  was  begun  liy  tlio  Swedish  ^Methodists  ahout 
this  time,  resulting  in  the  organization  of  a  eongregation  in  187tj,  with 
Rev.  Fredrik  Ahgren  as  its  first  pastor.  The  progress  of  these  churches 
up  to  the  present  time  can  only  be  indicated  here  by  means  of  the 
following  statistics  of  membersliip  for  the  year  1905,  to-wit :  the  First 
Swedisli  Methodist  Episcopal  Church  425,  the  west  side  church  168  and 
the  south  side  church  2()(1. 

The  Beaver  Settlement 

A])out  75  miles  southeast  from  Chicago,  in  Irocpiois  county,  a 
Swedish  settlement,  named  Beaver,  was  founded  in  1853.  There  a 
Swedish  Jlethodist  church  was  started  Jlay  4,  1854,  with  nine  members. 
The  next  year  the  missions  in  Indiana  were  organized  into  a  separate 
circuit,  comprising  Attica,  Poolsville.  LaFayette,  Yorktown  and  Buena 
Vista,  with  Attica  as  the  headquarters.  To  this  circuit  Beaver  was  now 
added.  In  1863  the  congregation  in  Attica  disbanded,  the  church  was 
sold,  work  ceased  entirely  and  the  pastor  removed  to  Beaver,  which 
thus  became  the  principal  missionary  station  of  the  circuit.  A  church 
had  been  built  there  in  18<ifl.  Work  at  this  point  grew  still  more 
difficult  when  in  1870  a  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  was  founded 
there,  its  church  edifice  and  parsonage  being  l)uilt  the  following  year. 
The  Lutherans,  however,  had  little  success  owing  to  the  fact  that  their 
members  arrived  later  to  Beaver  and  consequently  had  to  settle  on 
pooi'er  land,  where  they  hardly  could  make  their  living.  Therefore  they 
had  to  sell  their  farms  and  move  to  other  parts  of  the  country,  their 
number  was  gradually  decimated,  the  pastor  left  and  finally  the  church 
closed  its  doors.  The  field  was  thus  abandoned  to  the  ^Methodists,  who 
have  woi'ked  persistently  with  the  result  that  the  Beaver  church  is  now 
one  of  their  best  country  congregations.  A  new  church  was  erected 
there  in  1800,  the  parsonage  has  been  rebuilt  since  1877.  and  in  1905 
the  congregation  had  a  total  of  165  members. 


Methodist    WorK    in    RocKford 

ilethodism  was  first  preaclied  to  the  Swedes  of  Rockford  in  1854, 
doubtless  in  the  mouth  of  February,  by  Rev.  S.  B.  Newman,  who  went 
there  on  a  visit  to  the  parents  of  Rev.  N.  0.  "Westergreen,  they  having 
moved  there  from  Chicago.  A  class  was  started,  in  charge  of  the  elder 
"Westergreen.  Early  in  1855  the  yomiger  "Westergreen.  at  the  sugges- 
tion of  Rev.  Newman,  began  preaching,  continuing  until  the  following 


394 


THE    METHODISTS 


spring,  when  the  family  ri'inoved  to  Evanston  in  order  to  give  the  sou 
an  opportunity  to  study.  In  ]\Iay  he  visited  Rockford  only  to  find 
the  class  dissolved,  and  wlicii  Hcv.  K.  Shosrren  visiteil  the  citv  in  1S56 


Tiif  Sweilisli  M.   H.  Church  in   K...  ; 


the  outlook  ft)r  Swedish  Methodism  in  Kockford  was  still  very  dark. 
]No  further  visits  were  madi'  l>y  .Melliddisl  clergymen  until  the  xenr 
1S5!),  when  Westergreen  again  cami'  there.  The  year  after,  Hoekford 
ha<l  visits  from  Revs,  ("hallman  and  Erik  Carlson.  .\*  that  yt>ar's 
conferenee  it  was  resolved  to  liegin  uperalions  in  Koidvforii  with  Vietor 


HARI.V    ClURCIIICS 


395 


Witling  ill  rhargi'.  A  litllr  "lil  ciinrcii  (iwiini  iiy  llir  Aincrii-an  I'l'i^s- 
byterians  was  ri'nti'd  I'di-  tlic  meetings  and  in  (>i'((iliri-  llial  year  Witting 
began  jji-eachina:  there,  at  first  to  aiulienees  of  four  or  five  persons,  l)ut 
the  attendanct'  steadily  increased.  Wednesday.  -Ian.  :10.  1861,  a  congre- 
gation with  a  iiii'niiicrsiii|i  of  12  was  organizeil.  I'n'.jiidiees  and  active 
oppcsition  for  a  time  deterred  the  growth  of  tlic  ciiurrli.  hnt  wlicn  at 
length  the  ice  was  broken  more  rapid  progress  was  inaile.  A  year  later, 
when  Kev.  Witting  l)egan  to  issue  his  paper  "Sandebudet,"  there  was 
renewed  opposition,  but  be  was  not  the  man  to  irive  up  in  dismay,  lie 
stuck  to  his  post  of  duty,  and  in  1863  the  congregation  was  alile  to 
purchase  the  little  chureli  they  had  hitherto  hired,  and  renovate  it,  all 
without  incurring  any  considerable  debt.  That  year  the  congregation 
had  43  mcml)ers ;  its  pastor  was  Rev.  xMbert  Erieson,  who  was  also 
assistant  editor  of  "Siiudebndet."  The  following  year  N.  N.  Hill,  a 
local  preacher,  was  in  charge.  When  he  resigned  in  1865  and  was 
succeeded  by  P.  Xewberg  the  membership  had  decreased  to  40.  Sub- 
sequently the  church  was  served  for  two  years,  1866-8,  by  two  local 
preachers,  August  Westergreen  and  Oscar  Sjogren,  each  for  one  year. 
Meanwhile  the  member.ship  grew  to  68.  The  last-named  year  the  con- 
gregation purchased  a  lot  in  a  good  location  on  First  avenue  to  which 
the  church  was  moved. 

Rev.  O.  Gunderson  was  in  charge  of  the  church  during  the  years 
1868-71.  when  there  was  an  increase  of  thirty  members.  After  Gunder- 
son there  was  the  following  successiim  of  ministers:  John  Linn.  1871-2; 
A.  T.  Westergreen,  1872-3;  S.  B.  Newman.  1873-5.  and  John  Wigren. 
1875-7.  During  Rev.  Wigren 's  incumbency  the  old  church,  being  found 
inadequate,  was  replaced  in  1877  by  a  new-  and  larger  one.  At  the 
conference  that  year  the  congregation  reported  a  total  of  165  members. 
In  1905  this  church,  which  at  certain  periods  has  been  one  of  the  largest 
in  the  denomination,  numbered  210  members. 

The  Svy/^edona  and  Bishop  Hill  Churches 

A  Swedish  Methodi.st  society,  or  congregation,  was  founded  in 
Swedona  in  1857.  being  made  up  partly  of  members  of  the  Andover 
church.  An  edifice  was  erected  and  dedicated  in  the  period  of  1859-61, 
and  in  1864  a  parsonage  was  built,  this  being  moved  and  remodeled  in 
1874.  In  1863  the  Swedona  church  was  made  entirely  independent  of 
the  Andover  circuit,  its  membership  being  then  about  50.  This  church, 
which  embraces  also  the  Swedish  JIethodi.sts  of  New  Windsor,  in  1905 
had  36  members. 

The  T5ishop  Hill  congregation  is  also  numliered  among  the  oldest 
of  the  Swedish  ^lethodist  cliurches.    It  had  its  inceiition  in  the  summer 


596 


THE    METHODISTS 


of  1860  wheu  A.  J.  Anderson  was  asked  by  Jonas  Olson  to  come  and 
preach  in  the  old  colony  church.  While  in  Andover,  Anderson  made 
regular  visits  to  Bishop  Hill.  When  and  by  whom  the  church  was 
organized  is  not  known.  It  figures  in  the  list  of  assignments  for  the 
first  time  in  the  year  1863,  apparently  having  been  started  that  year 
by  Rev.  Peter  Challman.  In  1865  the  so-ealled  "Smedjevinden" 
(Blacksmith's  attic)  was  purchased  and  turned  into  a  meeting  hall. 
Three  years  afterward,  quite  a  large  church  was  erected,  as  also  a 
parsonage. 


The  Sweilish   M.   I-:.  Chiircli  in   liishon   Hill 

•Several  oi'  the  rornicr  leaders  nl'  the  Erik  Janssonists  about  tiiis 
time  joined  the  ^Methodists.  GiiIvm  mikI  Kewanee,  both  belonging  to 
till'  Bishop  Hill  circuit,  were  separated  in  1860  and  given  their  own 
piistnrs.     In  liU).")  the  Bishop  Hill  I'lmri-li  numbered  124  members. 


Eminent  WorKers  and   Leaders— Rev.  Anders  Johan  Anderson 

One  of  the  jtioneers  of  Sweilisli  .Metliodism  was  Anders  .loiian 
Ajiderson.  He  was  born  in  (^uennel)erga,  Smaiaiul,  June  !•.  IS.'J.i.  tiie 
younger  of  two  brothers.  The  elder  was  Carl  Anderson,  who  became 
known  over  a  large  ])art  of  Sweden  as  a  pruminent  lay  ])reaehi'r. 
Having  oblained  an  elementary  education,  A.  .1.  Anderson  eniigraled 
to  Aniericji  in  l.s.'i4.  at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  Landing  in  O'l^'''*"*'-  he 
came  on  lo  ( 'liiijiLTo.  w  here  lie  was  employed  for  some  months  in  a  drug 
stori".  Toward  winter  ln'  went  sontli.  remaining  in  \ew  Orleans  initil 
spring,  wln-n  lie  returned  to  Cliieago.     Here  he  obtained  lodging  with 


ANDERS   JOHAN    ANDERSON 


397 


a  family  of  INIctlioclists  who  iiuluciHl  liim  to  altt-iid  their  church  on 
Illinois  street.  There  he  iiiadf  the  ai-qiiaintaiice,  first  of  Rev.  S.  M. 
Newman,  and  hiter  of  Ke\-.  Hrik  Shogren.  After  attending  .services 
for  a  time.  Andei-son.  in  the  spring  of  1S.')(>.  .joined  the  chureh. 

lie  possessed  natural  talents  of  a  high  order,  and  these,  cou|iIed 
with  his  newly  awakened  interest  in  religious  matters,  soon  attracted 
the  attention  of  his  brethren  in  the  faith,  who  called  him  to  important 
positions  in  the  church.  Thus  he  became,  in  rapid  succession,  class 
leader,  local  preacher,  Sunday  school  teacher  and  leader  of  the  church 


Rev.  A.  J.  Anderson 


choir.  He  preached  his  first  sermon  in  July,  185(3,  at  a  camp  meeting 
in  Forest  Glen.  In  1857,  on  the  advice  of  Rev.  Shogren  and  after  a 
lengthj'  consultation  \vith  Jonas  Hedstrom.  tlie  ]\[eth(idist  patriarch, 
Anderson  resolved  to  enter  the  ministry. 

His  first  pastoral  charge  was  at  Galesburg.  where  he  labored  for 
two  years,  till  1859,  his  subsequent  assignments  being  as  follows: 
Andorer.    ISofl-Gl :    Chicago.    1Sfil-4;    Galesburg.    ISCA-G :   Bishop   Hill. 


398  THK    MKTHOniSTS 

1866-70;  Chicago.  1870-7:];  presiding  elder  of  the  Swedish  district  of 
the  Central  Illinois  Conference.  1873-7;  Chicago,  1877-9;  Audover, 
1879-80;  Imniannel  Church  of  Brooklyn.  X.  Y..  1880-93;  Lake  View. 
Chicago.  1893-7;  presiding  cider  of  the  Chi.-ago  district.  1897-1902. 
lie  died  in  this  cily  Dec.  19.  1902. 

Ander.son  was  a  talented  preacher,  a  .successful  pastor  and  a  man 
of  unusual  executive  ability.  Tliis  latter  gift  was  especiallj'  valualile 
to  him  during  his  first  and  second  term  of  service  in  Chicago.  He  was. 
furthermore,  a  clear-sighted  and  experienced  church  leader,  whom  his 
brethren  in  the  work  regarded  with  love  and  confidence.  Few  of  the 
Swedish  Methodist  clergymen  in  this  country  can  look  back  on  so  long 
and  so  successful  a  career  as  that  of  Kev.  Anderson.  His  inenuiry  will 
long  be  cherished  among  the  people  whom  he  so  devotedly  served. 
"When  he  was  pastor  of  the  church  at  Lake  View.  Chicago,  he  was 
offered  the  honoi-iry  degree  of  D.  D.  from  a  German  Jlethodist  college 
lit  St.  i'jiul.  ]\linn..  a  courtesy  which  he  politely  declined. 

Rev.  JoKn    Wig'ren 

.foliii  Wigrcii.  allot  her  prominent  Swedish  Methodist  pioneer 
preacher,  was  bom  in  Grenna  parish,  Smaland,  Oct.  1.  1826.  He  left  his 
childhood  home  at  the  age  of  seventeen  to  serve  a  mason's  apiu'cntice- 
ship.  After  seven  years,  he  received  his  nuister  mason's  certificate  from 
the  Grenna  council.  June  19.  1852,  he  emigrated  to  America  with  his 
wife  and  two  children,  reaching  Xew  York  Aug.  27th.  On  the  day  of 
his  arrival  ho  visited  the  Bethel  mission  ship  and  Avas  converted  then 
iiiiil  tin  re.  i-'i-diii  New  York  he  went  to  La  Fayette.  Ind..  to  rejoin  .some 
aci|uaiiitanccs  rroin  his  youth.  At't(U'  a  short  stay  here  and  in  Pools- 
villc.  lie  removed  to  .\ttica  in  the  s])ring  of  lSr)3  ami  .ioined  the  Swedish 
Mctiicidist  church  tliat  was  organized  there  in  August  of  that  year  by 
Kev.  Newman. 

Wigren  at  once  liecaiiie  a  zealous  church  worker,  doing  everything 
in  his  power  for  tiic  upbuilding  of  the  congregation.  In  ISS,')  lie  was 
appointed  class  leader,  in  18.")fi  exhorter  and  in  18r»7  local  preacher. 
The  pastoi-  in  charge  being  unalile  to  visit  the  place  more  than  every 
tliird  Siiiiilay,  it  devolved  upon  Wigren  to  condiu-t  iiu>st  of  the  services. 
With  this  he  eontiiiiicil  for  five  years,  or  until  1S63.  when  he  aliandoned 
his  trade  to  devote  himself  exclusively  to  the  service  of  the  church.  He 
was  llien  assigned  to  tlie  Beaver-Yorklown  eireiiit.  which  he  served  for 
two  years.  Soon  alter  liis  arrival  he  si'l  to  work  to  have  a  pars(>nage 
built  at  Beaver. 

At  the  conference  in  lS(i,"),  he  was  (irdaiiii'd  deacon,  a  yt>ar  later  he 
was  received  on  pmbat  ion  into  tlie  Central  Illinois  Conference',  and  in 
1868  hi'  was  oi'il.iined  elder   I  lis  subse(|Ucnt  assignments  were;  Swedoiia- 


JOHN    \VIGRi;X 


399 


Moline.  18(55-6;  Swedoiia  alone.  1806-7;  Aiulovcr-SwiMloiia.  1867-0; 
Andover  alone.  1860-71;  JIoline-Geneseo.  1871-:^;  Swedona  1873-5;  May 
street  chiireli  in  Chicago,  also  presiding  elder  of  the  Chicago  district, 
1878-81;  south  side  church  in  Chicago.  1881-2;  Bishop  Hill.  1882-5; 
presiding  elder  of  the  IJurlington  district  of  Iowa.  1885-7.  and  of  the 
Chicago  district.  1887-01;  Lake  \'ie\v.  1801-3;  Forest  Glen.  1893-4; 
Aurora.  1894-7,  and  La  Grange.  1S07-0.  after  wiiicli  he  retired  from 
active  work  in  the  ministry. 


....  \ 

f        ^ -* 

' 

J- 

m^ 

■  'WW-: 

HI 

Rev.  John  Wigreii 


In  his  prime.  Wigren  was  a  very  practical  man,  whose  energies 
were  especially  directed  toward  the  building  of  churches  and  parson- 
ages and  soliciting  funds  for  various  purposes.  LTnder  his  direction  the 
church  in  Eockford  was  built  in  1877,  the  west  side  church  in  Chicago 
was  completed  in  1878-81.  and  the  basement  of  the  south  side  church 
was  built  in  1881-2.  While  he  was  .stationed  at  Bishop  Ilill  in  1882-5 
his  executive  talents  again  stood  him  in  good  stead  when   the  camp 


400 


THK    METHODISTS 


meeting  grounds  at   Hickory  Grove,  between  Bishop  Hill  aud  tialva. 
were  purchased. 

Rev.  Wigren  is,  moreover,  a  successful  evangelist  aud  has 
added  many  new  members  to  the  churches  he  served.  Being  a  man 
of  good  judgement  and  considerable  l)usiness  acumen,  he  was  often  i)ut 
in  charge  of  important  undertakings  and  has  always  been  a  dominant 
figure  at  the  conference  meetings.  He  worked  energetically  from  the 
very  start  in  behalf  of  the  theological  seminary  at  Evanston  and  was 
for  nineteen  years  a  member  of  its  board  of  trustees.  Rev.  AVigren  is 
living  in  retirement  in  Cliicago.    Three  of  his  sons  have  followed  in  his 


»rr 


I'^ini  S\^(.■lli^ll   M.  I,,   ^.iiiinn,    l..iki.    \  uu 

footsteps    and    devoted    themselves    to    tlie    ministry    in    tlie    Swedish 
Methodist  riuirt'li. 


Rev.    N.    O.    Westergreen 

Another  of  the  Swedish  Metliodist  i)reachers  to  be  numbered  wiiii 
the  pioneers  is  N.  0.  ^Vestergrccn.  He  was  born  in  Bjiiraryd.  Blekingc. 
Sweden.  July  25.  1834.  Together  with  his  parents  and  four  brothers 
he  came  to  the  United  States  Sept.  t2!t.  lSr)'2.  The  jiarents  and  two  of 
his  younger  brolhei-s  proceeded  to  Chicago,  while  he  and  his  two  eUler 
lir<itliei-s  remaiiUMJ  in  the  Hast.  The  first  winter  he  lived  witii  an 
American  family  nanietl  Washbiu'ii,  at  Minot,  Me.,  wiiere  lie  attended 
district  school.  After  spending  tlie  s|>ring  and  sununer  in  Boston  hi' 
ciiiiie  to  ('hicago  in  Novemlier,  18.").?.  IIt>re  he  met  Rev.  Newman, 
through  whose  influence  he  was  convi'i-ted  alumi  Chrislinas  time  and 
enibraiM'd  the  Methodist   ftlitli. 


N.  O.    WI^STKRGRlCIvN 


401 


Not  loiifi  afterward  Wcsterjjrccii  tofrctlicr  with  his  parents  removed 
to  Roekford.  lie  now  experienced  a  desire  to  enter  tlie  ministry,  and 
an  opportunity  to  preaeh  was  oflfered  when  Rev.  Xewman.   who   luul 


iritb 
itliers 


ilhaB 


Rev.  X.  O.  Westertrreen 


ton  I* 
lid 


begun  the  work  in  Roekford,  appointed  him  leader  of  the  meetiuirs.  He 
preached  his  first  sermon  in  February,  1835.  in  his  parental  home.  In 
order  to  prei)are  himself  for  his  ealh'nsr  he  entered  the  Garrett  Biblical 


402 


THE    METHODISTS 


Institute  at  Evanston  the  same  year  and  was  enrolled  at  Knox  College, 
Galesburg,  a  year  later.  In  1859  Westergreen  was  assigned  to  the  Vic- 
toria church.  Thence  he  was  sent  to  serve  the  Xorwegian  congregations 
in  Leland  and  Norway,  and  in  1860  he  was  assigned  to  Beaver.  111.,  and 
Attica.  Ind.  After  two  years  he  went  back  to  Leland,  whence  he  was 
transferred  in  1863  to  the  Galesburg  church.  This  assignment  suited 
him  all  the  more  as  it  made  it  possible  for  him  again  to  take  up  studies 
at  Knox  College.  After  serving  a  year  at  Bishop  Hill,  Wataga  and 
Kewanee  he  was  in  charge  of  the  north  side  church  in  Chicago  during 
the  years  1865-8. 


Tilt  Old  Swtfilisli  M.  K.  Tal)eniacle  at  Pesplaines  Camp  Grove 

In  1870,  when  the  projected  theological  school  was  ultimately  estab- 
lished, Westergreen  became  its  first  teacher,  meanwhile  having  charge 
of  the  church  at  Galesburg  for  four  years.  Having  sul)sequently  served 
as  editor  of  "Siindcbiulcl  "  for  three  years,  Westergreen  became  pastor 
of  the  north  side  chiinli  ni'  Chicago;  he  was  next  stationed  at  Geneva 
and  Batavia  for  tuic  year,  and  at  Moliiie  for  a  like  term,  acting  at  the 
same  time  as  presiding  elder  of  llic  (!alcsburg  district.  From  here  he 
was  scut  to  the  Fifth  aveiuic  cliurcli  in  Chicago,  wiicre  he  remained  for 
tlirco  years.  After  four  years'  service  as  presiding  elder  of  the  Chicago 
district,  he  was  pastor  of  tiie  Kvanslon  ciiurch  t'oi-  a  like  period,  of  the 
Fifth  avenue  clnircli  one  year,  at  I  Iiiinboldt  I'ai-l;  two  years,  at  More- 
land,  Melrose  and  Oak  I'ark  one  year  and  at  Kavcnswootl  one  year.  In 
l.Sl>5.  at  his  own  riMpiest,  Westt'rgreen  wa.s  declared  superannuated, 
but  still  continued  to  serve  the  snudi  congregations  at  Waidjcgan  and 
Lake  Forest,  and  acted  .-is  tcai-bcr  at  tiie  theological  seminary  during 
tin'  school  vcar  ISilti-?. 


AI.HKRT  i-:ricson 


403 


Westerji^ri'oii  enjoys  the  reputation  of  boins  a  profoiuid  tliinker 
and  a  good  speaker.  He  is  well  versed,  esjieciiilly  in  tlie  subjects  of 
theology  and  diurch  history.     As  a  chainpinn  of  .Mcthnrlisin  aniou^'  tlie 


Rev.  Albert  Ericsoii 


Swedish-Amerieaiis  lie  lias  exerted  a  powerful  intluenee.  Ilis  aliility 
as  scholar  and  preacher  has  been  recognized  by  a  Jlethodist  institution 
of  learning,  which  some  years  ago  gave  him  the  degree  of  D.  D. 


404  THE    JIKTHODISTS 

Rev.    Albert    E,ricson 

The  I'ourtli  oT  tliis  f^roiip  of  ciniiitMit  Swcdisli  .Mctluidist  workers 
is  Albert  Ericson,  a  distiii^uislieil  j)reaehed  and  edueator.  a  l)iti{rnii>li- 
ical  sketch  of  whom  is  found  elsewhere  in  this  work.  He  beErau  preach- 
ing shortly  after  his  coniinfr  to  the  I'nited  States  in  IS'u.  After  liaving 
served  as  editor  of  "Siindehudet "'.  the  niontlipiece  of  tlie  denomination, 
for  two  years.  Eriison  was  called  in  1S66  as  teacher  of  Swedish  in  the 
proposed  thcolojrical  seminary  and  went  al>road  to  ])repare  himself  for 
this  work.  Finding  u|)on  his  return  tliat  the  school  was  not  yet  opened, 
he  again  assumed  tlie  editorship  of  the  official  church  jiapcr.  After 
laboring  as  a  preacher  in  the  eastern  field  for  some  ten  years  he  was 
called  to  the  presidency  of  the  Swcdisli  Tiieolosical  Seminary  in  Kvans- 
ton.  In  this  resixmsiiile  position,  held  by  him  for  a  (piarter  of  a 
century,  he  continues  to  render  efficient  service  to  his  church  and  to 
wield  threat  influence  in  the  training  of  its  teachers. 

The  Sv\reclish  Theological  Seminary 

As  early  as  1865,  a  yeai'  l)cfoi-e  tiic  Jlethodist  Episcojjal  C'lnirch  of 
America  celebrated  its  one  hundi'cdth  anniversary,  steps  were  taken 
toward  the  estalilisluiient  of  a  divinity  school  for  the  Scandinavian 
element  nl'  tlie  (Icnuiiiiiiatiiin.  The  initiative  was  taken  by  Rev.  Victor 
Witting.  In  October  of  tiiat  year  a  general  convention  of  all  Seaiidi- 
navinn  ]\letlio(list  preachers  and  a  number  of  laymen  was  iield  to  discuss 
till'  matter.  Tlic  meeting  resolved  that  a  Scandinavian  seminary  be 
founded  at  the  earliest  possible  time.  Rev.  Witting  and  other  pastors 
were  a]ipoiiit(>d  as  solicitors  of  funds,  and  teachers  were  designated. 
The  projeet  met  with  favor  everywhere  and  a  considerable  amount  was 
subsci'ilii'd.  Wliiii  Wilting,  who  was  the  sniil  of  the  movement,  was 
sent  t<i  Sweden,  the  work  lagged,  and  mure  than  half  of  tile  amount 
])romise(l  was  lost  tliroiigli  negligence  in  making  eollect ions. 

Ere  long  it  pi'DXcd  impracticable  to  carr>  mit  the  original  plan 
of  a  comiiion  institution  fur  all  Scandinavian  .Methodists.  .\  separation 
between  the  Swedish  and  Norwcirian  brethren  rollowcd.  each  group 
continuing  In  carry  I'orward  its  plans,  after  an  ecpial  division  of  the 
c.xisling  funds  had  been  made.  The  split  delayed  the  establishment  of 
•I  Sweilisli  seminary  until  ISTd.  when  it  was  finally  founded  at  tiales- 
burg.  On  Feb.  28tli  of  tlial  Mar  it  opened  with  two  students  luul  Rev. 
N.  0.  Wi'stergreen  as  teacher.  Durinir  the  entire  first  year  the  attend- 
ance sto|)pe(l  at  a  total  of  four.  The  upper  story  of  a  jtrivate  house. 
belonging  to  one  I'clcr  llillgrcn,  was  at  first  used  for  studies  and 
recitation  rooms.  From  there  the  school  moved  into  another  private 
house   and    llicn   occupied    rooms   on    the   second    floor    in    the    private 


INSTITITIONS 


405 


■J. 


S 


4o6 


THE    MHTHODISTS 


residence  of  Rev.  Westorgrccn.  Not  more  tliau  a  dozen  persons  availed 
themselves  of  the  instruction  given  while  the  school  was  in  Galeslnirg, 
but  this  number  includes  not  a  few  of  the  leading  members  of  the 
Swedish  Jlethodist  clergy.  From  that  time  the  school  has  had  a"  per- 
manent existence,  although  the  location  has  varied.  In  1872  it  was 
removed  from  Galesburg  to  Galva,  and  Westergreen  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  C.  A.  Wiren.  Three  years  afterward,  in  1875,  the  institution  was 
located  in  Evanston,  in  organic  connection  with  the  Northwestern 
University.  At  this  time  Dr.  William  Ilenschen  was  placed  at  its  head, 
a  position  retained  by  him  until  the  close  of  the  school  year  in  the 
spring  of  1883.  Part  of  this  time  the  first  class  had  been  maintained 
and  taught  partly  at  Galva,  partly  in  St.  Paul  and  Jlinneapolis. 
Fredrick  Ahlgren  acting  as  teacher  at  the  former  jilacc  in  1877-0.  and 
J.  0.  Nelson  at  the  latter  in  1879-82.  After  that  the  institution  was 
consolidated  at  Evanston,  with  Prof.  Albert  Ericson  at  the  head.  He 
was  the  sole  teacher  up  to  1889,  when  C.  G.  Wallenius  was  elected 
assistant  professor.  lie  resigned  in  189G,  and  was  succeeded  by 
Westergreen,  but  returned  to  the  position  after  an  interval  of  three 
years,  and  remained  with  the  institution  until  1906. 

]\rany  of  the  students  of  the  seminary  have  availed  themselves  of 
its  connection  with  the  university  to  take  special  courses  in  its  various 
departments,  a  number  graduating  from  the  college.  From  18SG  a 
special  teacher  of  English  has  been  a  member  of  the  seminary  faculty. 

The  control  of  the  institution  is  vested  in  a  board  of  nine  directors, 
five  clergymen  and  four  laymen,  representing  the  Central,  the  Western, 
the  Noi-thern  and  the  Eastern  Swedish  ]\rethodist  Conferences. 

The  institution  was  started  on  a  fund  of  .$4,000,  which  has  since 
gro\ra  to  $45,000.  This  does  not  include  the  sum  of  about  .$8,000 
expended  on  the  building  erected  in  1883  on  ground  owned  by  the 
university.  This  building  was  a  three  story  structure,  containing  recita- 
tion rooms,  dining  room,  kitchen  and  l(i  living-rooms  for  students.  Tiie 
money  expended  on  tlie  building  was  i-aised  chiefly  through  the  elTorts 
of  Rev.  Charles  G.  Nelson. 

Recently  a  more  coiiunodions  building  has  I cen  er'-cted  at  a  I'ost 
of  $.35,000.  the  dedication  of  \\lii<-li  on  Sept.  21.  1!I07.  marked  a  great 
strid(>  in  liie  progress  ol'  I  lie  institution.  The  new  building  is  located  at 
Orriiigton  avenue  and  Ijincoln  street;  on  a  campus,  24ti  feet  front  by 
211  deep,  costing  $12,000.  The  present  valuation  on  the  seminary 
l)i-opcrly  is  $47,000,  on  wbii-h  n-sts  :i  debt  of  iiboul  .$14,000. 

The  Bethany  Home 
The    ipieslion    of   estalilisliiiig    ,'i    Swedish    Metiioilist    home    for   the 
aged  in  Chicago  was  first  iironehed  at  the  iiniinal  meeting  of  the  minis- 
terial association  of  the  Chicago  dislrii'l,  held  ;il   l)ono\;ni.  111.,  in  ISSO. 


INSTITI  TIONS 


407 


A  committee  appointed  to  present  plans  for  such  an  institution  included 
Mr.  John  R.  Lindgrcn,  the  hanker.  At  a  sui)se(iuent  meeting,  held  \ew 
Year's  Day,  18i)0,  he  gave  a  promise  of  $5,000  lo  I  he  proi)osed  iionie. 
conditioned  on  the  raising  of  a  liivc  amount.  Uev.  Alfred  Anderson  set 
to  work  soliciting  donations,  and  when  throngli  his  etyoi'ts  the  con- 
dition had  been  fully  met.  "Slv.  Lindgrcn  promised  another  substantial 
donation  on  the  s;ime  terms. 

Witii  such  a  lift  at  the  start,  it  was  comiiarativcly  easy  to  ae(|uire 
the  funds  needed  for  the  early  realization  f)f  the  plan.  In  February, 
1891,  a  house  in  south  Evanston  was  rented  and  on  the  3rd  of  March 
following  the  home  was  formally  opened.  In  August  of  the  same  year 
ground  was  purchased  in  the  Ravenswood  district,  Chicago,  for  the  sum 


The  Bethany  Home,  Chicago 


of  $13,000.  A  building  was  erected  thereon,  at  a  cost  of  nearly  .$15,000. 
Upon  its  completion,  the  temporary  quarters  were  abandoned  and  the 
wards  transferred  to  the  new  building.  This  contained  nuiiuly  living- 
rooms  for  the  aged,  but  two  rooms  were  set  aside  for  the  accommodation 
and  care  of  the  sick,  and  two  physicians  and  a  trained  nurse  were 
engaged.  In  this  way  charity  was  extended  in  the  form  of  medical 
attendance  free  of  cost,  wholly  or  in  part,  until  the  entire  building  was 


4o8 


TIIK    MKTHODISTS 


needed  for  its  original  piirjxjse,  when  the  hospital  department  was  dis- 
continued. 

In  the  year  !!>!•()  a  six-tlat  1i)iih1iii<r  was  erected  on  the  ffrounds.  tile 
rental  of  wliicli  goes  toward  tin-  iiiaiiitciiance  of  tht-  home.  This  was 
readj'  for  oceiipancy  in  April.  1S!)7.  and  has  since  yielded  the  institution 
a  liandsonie  steady  incoinc.  siippli-iiii-nted  liy  gifts  and  ('(uitrihutions 
from  eliureiies.  societies  and  individuals,  and  an  annual  offering  in  the 
churches  on  Thanksgivings  Day.  Applicants  for  admission  have  paid  in 
various  sums,  varying  from  $50  to  .$500  a  person,  no  specified  fee  being 
required. 

The  affairs  nl'  ihc  I'x-tlian.N  llniiic  arc  in  tin-  hands  of  a  hoard  of 
trustees,  with  Kev.  Alfred  Anderson  as  i)resident  and  Rev.  John  Hendis 
as  financial  agent,  the  latter  having  filled  that  position  for  the  past 
eleven  years.  The  institution,  now  free  of  debt,  owns  property  valued 
at  $7.").i  11)11. 

At  the  close  of  the  year  1!)07  the  muuher  of  inmates  of  tlie  home 
was  thirt\'.  The  total  number  of  persons  careil  for  since  the  opening 
was  17!*.  of  wlioiii  41   have  jiassed  away. 

GrowtK  of  Sv^edish  Methodism 

In  1875  Swedish  .Melluiilisin  in  the  West  had  grown  to  such  an 
extent  that  its  ministers,  with  two  or  three  exceptions,  all  deemed  it 
not  oidy  desirable  but  absolutely  necessary  to  hold  a  Swedish  confer- 
ence comprising  all  the  Swedish  Jlethodist  congregations  in  the  states 
of  Illinois,  Indiana.  Iowa.  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Jliiuiesota.  Wisconsin 
and  .Michigan,  and  to  this  end  a  petition  was  submitted  at  the  Gen- '-al 
Conference  wliieii  convened  at  Baltimore  in  May,  1S7<).  The  jietition 
was  granted,  and  Sept.  (ith  the  following  year  Hishop  desse  T.  Peck 
organized  in  (ialeshurg  the  Swedish  Northwestern  Conference.  Krom 
its  in(r|itinii  till'  conreirni'e  eniliraced  three  districts,  those  of  Gales- 
burg.  Iowa  and  .M iiinesola.  witii  a  total  o\' 'Mi  ministers.  :{!)  pastorales, 
4.111.')  iiieniiiers.  44  church  edifices,  valued  at  .$ll21.75(l.  and  '2'2  parson- 
ages, at  $lf».225. 

In  lS!t.'{.  after  Hi  years  of  ])rogress.  there  wi-re  five  dislrii'ls  in  all, 
vi/...  Chicago.  Burlington.  Kansas.  Nebraska.  St.  I'aul  and  Superiiu', 
with  S.")  ministers,  1(15  |)aslorales.  1),S(I(I  mendiers.  1:11  church  eilifiees 
and  (il  jiarsonages.  with  a  total  property  value  of  $5ti4,SS0.  .\fler 
three  years  of  preparation,  the  Northwestern  Conference  at  a  meeting 
in  (falesl)in'g  was  divided  into  three  conferences,  the  Central,  the 
Western  ami  (ln'  Norlhciii  Sweilish  conferences.  The  Central  Confer- 
ence included  Illinois.  Indiana,  Ohio,  western  New  York,  western 
i'eniisvlvania.  and  the  citx   id'  Kacine,  Wis.     It  was  divided  into  three 


TROCRKSS 


409 


ocncz 


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S'.  v>ch2k 

n  *  ■  ■  '  ■ 

~  ■  m"  • ■ 
5  =-=.««  3; 

•^-   5-SSS 
-.1      3  =  3 


n 


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-  2.2  o  0.3 
O    o  ^  c  »  I 


O   ?  P 


tr. 


B' 


IT 


2 »'  ^  »' 
??•  s 


>o^d^5^ 


l?^l 


-   1   3- 


4IO 


THE    METHODISTS 


districts,  Chicaj^o,  Galesburg  aud  Jaincstowu,  numberiiig  altogether 
43  ministers,  43  i)astorates,  5,321  members,  47  cliureh  buildings  and 
22  parsonages. 

The  Western  Conference  eml)raeed  Iowa,  Missouri,  Kansas  and 
Nebraska  and  was  divided  into  two  districts,  Iowa  and  Kansas- 
Nebraska,  with  a  total  of  27  pastors,  29  pastorates,  2,299  members,  with 
39  church  edifices  and  19  parsonages,  worth  altogether  .$100,r)flO. 

The  Northern  Conference  comprised  ilinuesota  and  Wisconsli-, 
with  the  exception  of  the  city  of  Racine,  and  the  northern  peninsula 
of  Michigan.  The  following  year,  this  conference  was  organized  into 
three  districts.  Lake  Superior,  Jlinneapolis  and  St.  Paul,  and  had  at 
that  time  32  ministers,  39  pastorates,  2,634  membere,  52  church  build- 


Swedish  Methodist  Tabernacle  at  Desplaiiies, 
Dedicated  1907 


ings  and  23  parsonages.  At  the  seventh  iumual  meeting  of  the  ci'U- 
ference  in  Calumet,  Mich.,  in  IIKid.  it  was  reorganized  into  a  regidar 
annual  conference  called  tiic  Xortiiern  Swedish  Conference.  In  l!Ul.>  it 
uuniltcred  30  ministers,  43  pastorates,  2,90(>  nuunbers,  '14  ehiweh  Iniild- 
ings  and  40  parsonages. 

The  Swedish  ]\Iethodist  work  in  the  East  is  of  a  more  recent  dale 
Ihiin  tiiat  in  the  West.  Witii  a  couple  of  exceptions,  the  eastern 
congregations  lia\c  all  been  organized  later  tiiaii  1S7S,  Originally 
these  l)cl()ngcd  to  tlii'  various  American  aiin\ial  conferences,  but  in  1900 
they  petitioned  lor  pcrniission  to  form  a  conference  of  their  own.  This 
being  granted,  the  Ivislcrn  Swciiisli  ('(Uiference  was  organized  April 
24,  1901,  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  Immanuel  Church  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
The  conference  was  divided  into  the  four  districts  of  nro(d;lyn.  New 
York,  Worcester  and  IJoston,  these  embrai-ing  a  membership  of  3.(i42. 
willi  2fi  ministers,  28  pastorates,  2S  clmrclu's  und  li>  parsonages,  the 
pfo|ici'ty  being  valued  til  ,+343. 200. 


PROGRESS  ^,1 

In  Texas  work  was  taken  up  among  tlie  Swedish  i)eoph'  as  early 
as  1873.  At  first  lliis  was  earried  on  niidcr  the  direction  of  the 
American  Texas  conferi'iiee  of  the  Hoiithcrn  .M.  E.  C'hurcli,  hut  in  1881 
a  Swedisli  district  was  formed,  as  a  part  of  the  Austin  Confereiiee  of 
tlie  Xorthern  U.  E.  Church.     In   IWS  this  district  had  It)  ministers, 

10  pastorates,  572  niembei's,  i:^  churches  hirI  !)  parsonages,  the  property 
being  valued  at  $51.4(10. 

The  Swedish  JMethodist  work  in  California  dates  from  the  early 
seventies,  but  not  until  1892  was  a  Swedish  district  formed.  This 
numl)ered  in  1903  seven  congregations,  with  342  members,  and  had  7 
churches  and  2  parsonages.  The  value  of  its  church  property  was 
$45,050. 

In  the  summer  of  1881  the  Swedish  Methodists  extended  their 
endeavors  to  the  states  of  Oregon  and  Washington,  and  in  1890  a 
Swedish  district  was  formed,  embracing  these  two  states  and  Idaho. 
Its  statistics  in  1903  were  as  follows :  12  congregations,  395  members, 

11  church  buildings  and  8  parsonages.     The  total  value  of  the  church 
property  was  $39,935. 

Eliminating  the  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  district  from  the  Central  Con- 
ference, its  statistics  will  practically  cover  only  the  state  of  Illinois. 
The  strength  of  the  Swedish  Methodists  in  the  state  will  then  appear 
from  the  following  figures,  compiled  in  1907,  covering  the  Chicago  and 
Galesburg  districts :  regularly  ordained  niini.sters,  47 ;  churches,  49 ; 
members,  on  probation.  383.  in  full  connection,  5.222;  church  buildings, 
49.  the  estimated  value  of  which  was  $372,200;  parsonages.  27  :  estimated 
value.  $102,000,  making  a  total  church  property  value  of  .$474,000. 


CHAPTER    VII 


M. 

r 

The  Swedish  Episcopal  Church 

The  First  Svv^edish  Episcopal  Clergyman  in  tKe  United  States 

HE  story  oi'  the  loundiiig  of  the  Pine  Lake  settlement  in 
Wisconsin,  the  first  Swedisli  colnny  in  tlie  Xortliwest.  liy 
(xiistaf  Unonius.  lins  been  reeountetl  in  previous  pages. 
Ill  the  history  of  tlie  Swedisli-Aiiierieans  this  man  is  re- 
iiiiirkahh^  also  for  lieing  the  first  Swedish  Kpiseopal 
clergyman  in  this  country  and  tiic  organizer  of  the  first  Swedish  ehureh 
of  that  denomination.  This  eongr(>gation  was  followed  in  later  years 
l)y  others,  in  various  jiarts  of  the  country.  Although  these  do  not.  like 
those  of  the  other  Swedish  denominations,  have  an  organization  of  their 
own,  but  are  merely  part  of  the  respective  American  bishoprics,  yet 
they  are  not  without  influence  on  the  religious  development  of  tlie 
Swedish-Americans.  That  iiitiiiciic-c  increases  in  direct  ratio  to  the  in- 
creasing iiuihImt  and  size  of  the  congrcufat ions,  most  of  which  up  to  liie 
present  time  arc  few  an<l  coni|)ara1ivcly  small. 

Already  during  his  iiionccr  days.  I 'nonius,  then  a  mere  layman, 
acted  as  jiastor  for  tiic  suiTdiiiiding  cnnmiiinity.  Kvcry  Sunday  he 
would  conduct  services  in  his  riulc  dwelling,  the  order  of  service  I'on- 
sislinir  of  the  singing  of  hymns  and  I'cading  of  a  sermon  from  some 
jxistil  brought  over  ironi  lli<'  old  country.  These  services  graihially 
idtractcd  tlic  neighbors  thi'ougliout  the  settlement,  even  those  living  at 
considci:iliic  distance,  and  in  all  their  simplicit.v  these  hours  of  worship 
grew  lo  lie  spiritual  fcasls  to  the  settlers.  In  the  meantime  the  Kpiseo- 
pal ('liuri-li  had  slartrd  a  mission  in  the  \iciiiit.v  of  the  colony,  where 
its  ininisliTs.  ill  the  invitalioii  of  the  settlers.  wiMild  administer  the 
sacraments  and  perform  other  ollicial  acts.  Unl  sinci'  the  Knglisii 
language  was  still  iiieoniprehensible  lo  most  of  the  settiei's,  who  con- 
stantly rc(|uircd  llic  scrvii-es  of  rnonius  as  intt'rpreler,  they  soon  rec- 
ognized the  demand  for  a  man  who  couhl  olliciate  in  their  own  language 
and  recpii'sled  InoniMs.  in  whom  they  had  implicit  eonlidence,  lo  enter 
the  minisli-\.  lie  hesitated  at  lirst,  but  linding  himself  graduall.\'  drawn 
to  tli<'  ministi'v  and  discowring  his  untilness  for  the  farmer's  vocalion. 


INONll  S     SMITH 


413 


lie  finally  f^avc  way  to  their  ^'ciitlc  iici'suasimi  and  resolved  to  study  for 
tlu'  priesthood. 

Of  all  the  reli^in\is  (h'lioiH illations  wil  h  wliieh  t  he  settlers  had  i-oiiie 
in  contact  up  to  this  time,  tliey  considered  tlie  Kpieopalian  the  nearest 
approach  to  their  own  faith,  iiolh  in  the  matter  of  creed  and  of  polity. 
They  therefore  ur»ed  I'nouius  to  seek  ordination  in  that  church,  and 
he  acceded  to  their  wishes  the  more  readily  as  he  hims'.^lf  was  convinced 
of  the  superiority  of  the  Episcopalian  over  other  churches.  Entering 
the  theolosical  seminary  just  established  by  the  P^piseopalians  at  Xash- 
ota.  Wis.,  he  was  after  tiii'ce  years  of  study  ordained  in  1S4.')  by  Bi.shop 
Keinjier  and  assigned  as  missionary  to  the  Swedish  and  Xoi-wegian 
immigrants  in  Pine  Lake  and  vicinity.  According  to  his  own  state- 
ment, Unonius  was  the  first  Episcopal  clergyman  ordained  in  Wis- 
consin. He  soon  discovered  that  the  ministry  also  iiad  its  drawliacks. 
Things  went  fairly  well  so  long  as  he  was  in  the  pay  of  the  missionary 
board,  but  when  he  endeavored  to  form  an  organized  congregation 
and  asked  its  members  to  contri1)iite  regularly  to  the  support  of  the 
minister,  he  was  met  with  the  reply  that  "in  this  country  the  gospel 
is  free." 

Under  such  circumstances  the  ministry  became  a  hard  and  dis- 
agreeable task,  but  undismayed  he  continued  the  work  under  great 
jii-ivations  until  he  became  pastor  of  a  newly  organized  American 
i-hurcli  in  ^Manitowoc.  Wis.,  when  his  cares  were  somewhat  lightened. 

The   First   Scandinavian   Church    in    Chicago 


In  the  meantime,  religious  needs  had  liegun  to  be  felt  among  the 
few  Swedes  of  Chicago,  but  at  least  for  a  time,  these  needs  were  only 
imperfectly  supplied.  As  early  as  the  fall  of  1847,  there  appeared 
among  them  a  certain  Gustaf  Smith  who  claimed  to  be  a  Lutheran 
minister  but  who  seems  to  have  been  an  adventurer  and  a  mere  im- 
poster.  Nevertheless,  he  succeeded  in  gaining  the  confidence  both  of  his 
own  fellow  countrymen  and  of  the  Norwegians  of  the  city  so  as  to  be 
able  to  organize  a  congregation.  A  lot  was  ])urchased  at  Superior 
street,  near  La  Salle  avenue,  on  the  spot  where  the  Passavant  Hosjiital 
is  now  located,  and  a  small  church  building  was  liegun.  whereupon 
Smith,  accompanied  by  one  of  the  leading  members  of  the  chiu'ch.  went 
to  St.  Louis  to  solicit  money  for  the  building  fund  among  the  CTcrman 
Lutherans  of  that  city.  They  succeeded  well,  liringing  back  no  less 
than  $600.  The  resultant  joy  soon  turned  to  sorrow  and  regret  when 
"Rev."  Smith  absconded  with  the  greater  part  of  the  fuiuls.  About 
the  same  time  another  misfortune  befell  the  congregation  in  that  the 
still  unfinished  edifice  was  torn  from  its  foundations  by  a  stoi-m  and 


414  THK    EPISCOPALIANS 

Ijittlly  damaged.  Worst  of  all,  strife  and  dissension  arose,  which  tore 
the  congregation  itself  to  pieces. 

Among  the  Norwegians  of  Chicago  there  were  at  this  time  several 
intelligent  Christian  men  who  had  not  been  duped  by  Smith  and  his 
followers.  These  organized  in  the  winter  of  1848  the  first  Norwegian 
Lutheran  church  in  Chicago  and  called  a  student  of  their  own  nation- 
ality, named  Paul  Andersen,  as  their  pastor.  The  same  year  this  con- 
gregation purchased  the  half-ruined  church  belonging  to  Smith's  con- 
gregation and  restored  it  to  its  foundation.  The  .same  church  was  sold 
in  1854  to  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Immanuel  Church  organized  the  year 
before  and  was  used  liy  them  until  ISiifl. 

The  aforesaid  Smith  afterward  joiiKHl  the  Swedish  Jlethodists  and 
operated  for  several  yi-ars  in  Iowa.  In  lS.")2-53  he  was  in  charge  of 
their  church  in  New  Sweden  and  in  18r)4  organized  the  churches  of 
Dayton  and  Stratford.  Suspicious  actions  soon  caused  his  expulsion. 
He  then  joineil  tlie  American  Free  ^lethodists  and  in  his  eflforts  to  win 
his  former  ])retliren  of  the  Swedish  church  over  to  that  sect,  caused  a 
good  deal  of  disaffection  and  disorder  among  the  young  Swedish  Jleth- 
odist  congregations  of  Iowa.  He  met  with  little  success,  however,  and 
when  he  was  no  longer  able  to  support  himself  among  his  eountrjnnen 
in  Iowa,  he  went  still  farther  west  where  the  tracks  of  the  "evangelist" 
are  lost. 

Unonius   and   the   EriK  Janssonists 

After  these  adversities,  the  Swedish  members  of  the  congregation 
founded  by  Smith  decided,  on  the  advice  of  V.  von  Schneidau.  to 
call  as  their  pastor  his  friend  I'nonius.  whom  they  knew  from  his  former 
visits  to  Chicago.  In  the  summer  of  1848  he  had  visited  the  city  and 
conducted  the  first  religious  meeting  in  the  Swedish  language  ever  held 
in  Chicago.  That  meeting  took  place  in  a  hall  in  a  medical  institute 
on  the  north  side  and  was  attended  by  ."?()  to  40  persons. 

On  this  occasion  an  episode  took  place  which  deserves  to  be  record- 
ed. A  |)arty  of  Erik  Jassonists  which  had  .just  arrived  from  Sweden 
was  stopping  in  Chicago  awaiting  the  arrival  of  one  of  tiie  apostles  to 
guide  them  on  their  way  to  Kisho])  Hill.  In  a  few  days  the  expected 
ajxistie  arrived,  accompanied  by  five  or  six  otiier  men.  bringing  horses 
and  wagons.  It  was  Anders  Anderson  from  Tiiorstuna.  I'pon  learn- 
ing that  Swedish  religious  meetings  were  held  in  the  city,  he  went  there 
with  some  of  his  men.  After  the  sermon,  Unonius.  kimwing  that  there 
were  Erik  Janssonists  in  the  audience,  attempted  to  direct  a  few  words 
of  adnionition  to  these  di-hided  persons.  Had  he  been  aware  of  tlie 
IriMilile  till-  I'lrik  .laiissi.nists  liad  nuide  for  the  Swedish  clergy  for  the 
pas'   Idiir  .\cars.  lie  wniild  \\isel\-  liavi-  desisted  from  addressing  them. 


Till';   l-IRST  cm  RCII 


415 


but  as  he  had  been  in  the  United  States  since  18-il,  he  liad  not  been  in 
a  position  to  follow  the  career  of  the  sect.  lie  was  quiekly  made  aware 
of  the  utter  uselessness  of  engaging  in  a  discussion  with  these  people, 
inf.nllible  as  they  were  in  their  own  eyes.  Hardly  had  he  closed  his 
remarks  when  Anders  Anderson  arose  and  began  to  defend  the  doc- 
trines of  Erik  Jansson.  A  long  debate  on  the  subject  of  dead  and  living 
Christianity  ensued  between  the  two  men.  and  Unonius  was  ignomin- 
iously  defeated  in  thetilt.  his  opponent  Anderson  being  almost  the  eriual 
of  Erik  Jansson  himself  in  the  art  of  fencing  with  passages  of  Scripture 
as  weapons.  "With  an  inexhaustible  supply  of  memorized  scriptural 
concordances  and  parallels,  literally  interi)reted,  these  fan.atics  were 
capable  of  proving  with  the  words  of  the  Bible  any  proposition  what- 
soever. As  against  this  volubility  and  mass  of  evidence  all  the  learning 
and  theological  armament  of  Unonius  availed  nothing.  Although  An- 
derson worsted  his  opponent  in  argument,  yet  it  does  not  appear  that 
he  made  a  single  proselyte  among  the  Swedes  of  Chicago,  who  were 
pretty  well  acquainted  with  the  Erik  Jansson  movement. 


Founding    of  the    First    S'wedisK   Episcopal    ChurcK 

"Rev."  Smith's  congregation  seems  to  have  been  altogether  too 
loosely  organized  to  hang  together  for  any  length  of  time  without  re- 
organization. Besides,  it  appears  to  have  lacked  all  connection  with 
the  Lutheran  Church  in  general.  One  thing  and  another  tended  toward 
disintegration,  and  the  Swedish  members,  at  the  instance  of  Von 
Schneidau  and  with  the  advice  of  L^nonius,  undertook  to  organize 
an  Episcopal  congregation.  The  original  purpose  was  to  make  it  all 
Swedish,  but  the  Swedes  being  few  and  the  Norwegian  members  of  the 
church  preferring  to  make  common  cause  with  them  in  church  matters, 
it  was  decided  to  make  it  Scandinavian.  A  committee,  known  as  the 
church  committee,  was  appointed  to  draw  up  a  constitution.  This  com- 
mittee, consisting  of  Von  Schneidau,  Anders  Larsson.  Pehr  Ersson  and 
J.  Fr.  Bjorkman,  Swedes,  and  And.  B.  Jonsen,  Battolf  ilarkusen,  and 
Kuut  Gundersen,  Norwegians,  met  at  the  home  of  Von  Schneidau  ^larch 
5,  1849.  The  name  proposed  was  the  St.  Eric  and  St.  Olaf  Church,  to 
indicate  its  Scandinavian  character  and  to  do  honor  to  the  patron  saints 
of  the  countries  of  Sweden  and  Norway. 

The  congregation  at  fii-st  held  its  services  in  the  basement  of  the 
American  Episcopal  Church  of  St.  James  where  the  organization  was 
completed  in  ]\Iay.  1849.  For  reasons  luiknown  the  proposed  name  was 
not  adopted,  the  church  being  named  St.  Ansgarius,  from  the  first 
Christian  missionary  in  Sweden.  The  constitution  was  now  adopted 
and  signed  by  34  voting  members,  the  Swedes  and  Norwegians  beino: 
about  equally  divided.     Rev.  I'nonius  was  jiresent  and  his  name  and 


4i6 


Tin-:    EPISCOPALIANS 


that  (if  his  wife  licad  tlii'  list  as  it  ajipt-ars  in  the  i-arlicst  i-hiircli  records. 
Tile  first  trustees  were.  Tolyearpiis  vou  Sehneidau.  W.  Kiiudseii.  iiattolf 
Markuseii.  Anders  Jonsen,  Anders  Larsson,  John  Bjiirkinan.  A.  S. 
Sheldon  and  John  Andersson. 

Inniiediately  on  his  removal  to  C'hieago.  Hev.  ruonins  iintlertook 
the  laborious  task  of  srathering  funds  for  a  ehureh  building.  Aeeom- 
panied  l)y  his  faithful  friend  Von  Sehneidau.  he  nuule  a  trip  to 
Delaware  and  Pennsylvania  to  visit  the  deseendants  of  the  Delaware 
Swedes  and  among  these  people  he  sueeeeded  in  solieiting  for  his  eluireh 
riiiid   ;i   SHIM   aiiKHiiiting  to  between  .')<4.000  and  -to.OflO.     P^arlv   in   the 


Rev.  Gustaf  I'noiiius 


sjiring  of  1850  two  Iniildiiig  lots,  located  at  the  corner  of  Franklin  and 
Indiana  streets,  were  purchased  for  the  sum  of  ^MM).  The  work  of 
liiiilding  was  at  once  licguii  anil  progressed  nicely  so  long  as  tlic  funds 
lasted.  These.  Imwcv cr.  smiri  were  exhausted  and  again  I'nonius  and 
\'on  Sehneidau  were  obliged  to  liegin  soliciting.  At  this  Juncture  .lenny 
Ijintl,  the  great  Swedish  singer,  visited  New  York  city,  and  rnoniiis 
Bueceeded  in  persuading  the  prima  dunna  to  donate  tin-  sum  of  .i;l..'i(tO 
to  his  cliiircii  liuilding  luiid.  .M'li'i'  her  departure  in  IS.M.  she  addcti  to 
her  iimiiilicciice  liy  donating,  through  one  .Max  lljorlsbcrg  of  Chicago, 
an  altai-  service  consisting  of  a  licautifully  worked  coniniiinion  cup  and 
plate,  valued  at  ^l.dUO,     l""oi-  the  ruinU  now  avaihildc  a  handsome  and 


THK    I'IRST    CHIRCII  417 

commodious  church  and  a  comfortable  parsonage  were  built.  The 
church  was  a  frame  edifice,  provided  with  a  semi-circular  gallery,  and 
had  a  total  seating  capacity  of  300.  Its  dimensions  were  33x50  feet. 
The  parsonage  was  a  two  story  frame  house. 

Unonius    as    a    Pastor 

For  nine  years  Rev.  Unonius  carried  on  au  energetic  and  richly 
blessed  pastoral  work  combined  M'ith  tireless  endeavor  in  behalf  of  the 
needy.  At  this  time  the  Swedish  people  of  Chicago  lived  under  con- 
ditions entirely  different  from  those  of  today.  They  were  few  in  number 
and  generally  poor,  unable  to  give  any  material  aid  to  other  poor  im- 
migrants Avho  followed.  The  latter,  therefore,  in  the  first  place  turned 
to  the  Swedish  minister  for  assistance,  demanding  not  only  that  he  act 
as  their  spiritual  adviser  and  teacher  but  also  as  their  commissioner, 
assistant  and  adviser  in  all  worldly  matters.  Unonius,  who  warmly 
sympathized  with  the  poor,  and  mostly  sick,  Swedish  immigrants,  never 
spared  himself,  but  was  at  their  service  at  all  times,  so  far  as  his 
strength  and  ability  would  permit.  The  cholera,  which  broke  out 
epidemically  almost  every  year,  caused  him  much  work  and  anxiety. 
The  hardest  part  of  his  task  was  how  to  procure  homes  and  foster- 
parents  for  all  the  children  of  immigrants  who  lost  one  or  both  parents 
in  the  epidemic. 

After  only  four  years  of  labor  for  the  temiDoral  and  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  his  countrymen,  this  warm-hearted  philanthropist  was  so  broken 
down  by  over-exertion  that  he  was  compelled  in  1853  to  seek  rest  and 
recreation  in  a  trip  to  Sweden.  He  returned  just  in  time  to  resume  with 
renewed  strength  the  arduous  and  self-sacrificing  duties  imposed  by  the 
terrible  cholera  outbreak  of  1854  among  the  Swedish  newcomers. 

The  membership  of  his  church  continually  changed.  In  1850,  his 
second  year,  the  congregation  numbered  163,  the  following  year  it  grew 
to  195,  in  1855  it  dropped  down  to  117,  but  in  1857  it  had  again  in- 
creased to  142.  In  1856  the  little  church  was  so  prosperous  as  to  be  able 
to  purchase  an  organ  costing  .$700. 

Notwithstanding  his  many  duties  at  home,  Unonius  foimd  time  to 
pay  occasional  visits  to  neighboring  places  to  serve  his  fellow  country- 
men by  preaching  and  officiating  at  various  religious  acts.  Dm-ing  his 
very  first  year  in  Chicago,  he  made  an  official  trip  westward,  visiting 
almost  every  point  where  Swedes  had  settled.  The  main  reasons  why 
he  did  not  afterward  attempt  to  organize  Swedish  Episcopal  congrega- 
tions at  these  various  places  are  the  following:  In  the  first  place  there 
was  not  sufficient  material  at  hand  at  these  points  to  found  churches,  in 
the  second,  he  was  the  only  Swedish  Episcopal  pastor  in  the  whole 
country  and  had  his  hands  more  than  full  of  work  right  in  his  home 


^^^^^^F            *" 
^^^^^^B' 

^ 

^^^^^^fe^  -^^^^       ^^fe 

1^ 

1 

^Hfer^i^^^d^c^^^SRB 

F 

^^^^^Bn*''-    '    ^^^^I^K^^. 

i 

^^ 

If^lM 

^H 

^^ 

Coiniiiuiiion  Clialict;  ami   I'iilcii  of  soliil  siKii.  incstiiUil  1>\   J<.uii>    l.iml   lo 

llic  St.   Ansniirius  Cliiirih,  l>eariii>;  llic  iiisiTi])lioii.  "Ciifvi-t  till  lU-ii 

Skiiiiiliiiaviska  KmUhii  St.   Aiisnarius  i  Chicnuo  nf  cii 

I.aiiilsinaiiitiiia  A.   I).   iS.si." 


Till-;   FIRST   ciirucii 


419 


lii'ld,  iinil  ill  tlic  lliird  place,  after  a  few  years  the  religious  needs  of  llii' 
iiiiiiii^TMiils  lie^Mii  I0  be  provided  for  hy  the  Swedish  Lulheran  eh'r^'v- 
iiieii  who  oryiiiiized  coDgrcKiitioiis  wiiercvcr  an  op|)ortuiiity  otVered. 
Had  IIk'  Aniei-iean  Episcopal  Clnireh,  from  Ihe  vei'v  eiironraiiinii-  lie- 
giiiiiiiig  made  hy  Unonius,  displayed  a  warmer  interest  in  mission  work 
among  the  Swedish  settlei's  it  might  then  have  obtained  that  foothold 
among  tlu>in  which  it  has.  with  partial  success,  sought  to  gain  in  later 
vears.     It  must  be  admitted,  however,  that  Unonius  did  his  part  in  serv- 


St.  Ansgarius  Episcopal  Cliurch  and  Rectory 

iug  his  fellow  countrymen  who  at  that  time,  if  ever,  were  in  need  of 
spiritual  advice  and  comfort  as  well  as  material  help.  The  exceptional 
zeal  and  unselfish  efforts  of  Unonius  in  behalf  of  the  early  settlers 
entitle  him  to  an  honored  place  in  the  history  of  the  Swedes  of  America. 
At  the  time  of  his  visit  to  Sweden  in  1853,  Unonius  harbored  the 
desire  to  remain  in  the  old  coi;utry  and  enter  the  service  of  the  state 
church,  but  his  dutres  called  him  back  to  Chicago.  For  several  years 
more  he  labored  here  with  his  customary  energy.  His  work  was  still 
further  increased  by  his  appointment  to  the  office  of  vice  consul  for 
Sweden  and  Norway  to  succeed  Von  Schneidan  who.  after  a  few  years 
of  service,  was  compelled  to  retire  on  aceoimt  of  an  incurable  disease. 
Finally,  in  the  year  1858,  Unonius  was  able  to  realize  his  desire  to 
return  to  Sweden. 


420 


Till-:    EPISCOPALIANS 


He  there  sought  admission  as  minister  to  tlie  state  church,  but 
encounteriug  various  ol)stacles,  he  was  forced  to  choose  auotlier  calling 
in  order  to  earn  a  living  for  himself  and  family.  He  entered  the  cus- 
toms service  and  in  1863  was  promoted  to  the  position  of  collector  of 
the  port  of  Grisslehamn,  an  office  which  he  held  imtil  1888.  Both  before 
and  after  his  retirement  from  the  customs  service  Unonius  would  en- 
gage in  pastoral  work  whenever  called  upon,  and  he  retained  to  his  old 
age  the  ecclesiastical  office  in  the  Anglican  Church. 

In  1859,  the  year  after  his  return  to  Sweden,  the  riksdag  voted  him 
a  gift  of  three  thousand  crowns  in  recognition  of  his  long  and  useful 
service  in  behalf  of  his  fellow  countrvmen  in  the  United  States. 


Rev.  Jacol)  Hrcdlwrg 


During  his  last  years  I'nonius  was  living  at  llacksta,  in  the  pro- 
vince of  Cplaiul,  a  country  seat  placed  at  his  disposal  by  his  son-in-law, 
Hugo  Taniiii,  a  landed  jjroprietor  and  member  of  tile  rik.sdag.  Tiierc  \w 
(lied  Ocldber  14,  li)(t2,  at  the  high  age  of  !t2  years. 

Alongside  of  his  ollicial  duties.  I'nonius  devoted  himself  (juite  ex- 
ten.sively  to  literary  purs\iits.  His  best  known  works,  both  in  Swedisii, 
arc:  "Mormonism.  its  Origin,  Development  and  Creed."  publishctl  in 
1883,  and  "  Urmiiiiscenees  of  Seventeen  Years  in  the  American  Nortli- 
west,"  |)ublished  in  IStil-'J.  .\l  the  age  of  8G,  he  added  a  supplement 
tip  the  1,'ilter  volunu'. 


ST.    ANSOARirS    CIHRCII 


421 


The    St.    Ansgarius    Church 

After  the  return  (if  Uiionius  to  Sweden  tlie  St.  Aii.s^arius  Church 
for  several  years  had  to  pass  tlirougli  many  hard  struo'gles.  Xo  Swedish 
pastor  was  to  be  liad,  and  it  was  for  a  time  served  liy  Ameriean  Episco- 
pal clergymen.  During  this  period  it  was  known  as  tiio  St.  Barnabe's 
Mission,  and  its  membership  seems  to  have  been  very  small. 

This  stagnation  period  lasted  until  1862  wiien  Rev.  Jacob  Bredberg, 
a  former  curate  from  Sweden,  who  for  several  years  had  been  in  the 
service  of  the  Methodist  Church,  assumed  the  pastorate.  Its  member- 
ship was  very  materially  reduced  that  same  year  by  the  withdraM'al  of 
the  Norwegian  members,  but  it  rallied  from  the  stroke  and  added  quite 


Rev.  John  Hednian 


Rev.   Herman   Linilski>g 


a  number  of  new  members  during  the  many  years  that  Rev.  Bredberg 
was  in  charge.  In  1S6S  the  church  was  extensively  remodeled  and  en- 
larged at  an  outlay  almost  equal  to  the  original  cost  of  the  edifice.  The 
renovated  temple  had  not  been  long  in  use  when  it  was  destroyed  in  the 
great  fire  of  1871.  Three  of  the  trustees,  Schonbeek.  Norstrom  and 
Liud,  succeeded  in  saving  the  altar-piece,  painted  in  1S6S  liy  the  Nor- 
wegian arti.st  Clason.  and  also  the  church  records,  which  were  taken  to 
the  cathedral  of  the  Episcopal  bishopric  of  Illinois,  located  on  the  west 
side,  and  there  placed  in  safe  keeping.  The  communion  service  donated 
by  Jenny  Lind  was  kept  in  the  safe  of  one  of  the  church  members  who 
saved  it  from  destruction,  and  it  is  used  at  the  communion  services  of 
the  church  to  this  day. 

Before  the  end  of  the  disastrous  year  of  1871  the  congregation  bad 
begun  to  erect  a  new  church  which  was  ready  for  occupancy  on  Christ- 


422 


Till-:  lU'iscorAi.iANS 


mas  nioriiing,  1872.  This  was  the  same  churt-h  that  is  still  used  hy  the 
St.  Aiisirariiis  coiiprepatitni.  It  is  situated  on  Sedjrwiek  street  and  is  l>iiilt 
in  the  Gothic  style,  its  cost  being  ai)pr()xiniately  .$.'50,000.  To  that  sum 
the  Illinois  bishopric  of  the  American  Episcopal  Church  contributed 
$20,000.    Adjacent  to  the  church  a  spacious  parsonajre  was  erected. 

Old  age  and  resultant  illness  in  1877  compelled  Rev.  Hrcdberg  to 
resign.  His  successor  was  Nils  Nordeen  who  was  replaced  by  P.  Arvid- 
son  the  following  year.  Arvidson  was  succeeded  by  John  Ili-dnian  in 
the  fall  of  1879.  Kev.  Iledman  was  a  native  of  Krokstad  parish,  in 
Bohu-sliin,  where  he  was  bom  June  25.  1848.  lie  studied  in  Sweden  and 
fieriiiany  before  coniin?  to  America  in  1873.  and  in  1877  he  entered  the 
E|)iscopal  institution  of  Seabury  Ilall.  at  Faribault.  !Minn..  where  he 
finished  his  theological  course  in  June,  1879.  The  following  September 
he  was  ordained  in  the  St.  Ansgarius  Church  to  which  he  was  a.ssigned 
as  assistant  pastor.  In  ^lay.  1880.  llednian  was  unanimously  elected 
rector  and  served  in  this  capacity  until  1887. 

From  that  year  the  rectorate  of  the  St.  Ansgarius  Church  has  been 
entrusted  to  Rev.  Hennan  Lindskog  whose  biogra])hy  ai)pears  else- 
wliere  in  this  volume. 

There  are  tiiree  other  Swedish  Episcojial  congregations  in  this 
state.  l)ut  these  are  of  (|uite  recent  date.  The  largest  doubtless  is  that 
of  Galesburg;  next  in  point  of  size  comes  the  Inunanuel  Church  of 
Englewood.  The  third  in  ordii-  is  tin-  Woodlnill  cIuutIi  wiiich  during 
the  last  f<'W  years  has  shown  but  faint  signs  of  life. 

The  Swedish  Episcopal  churches  in  the  eastern  states  are  not  the 
fruits  of  the  fundainental  work  accomplished  in  Illinois  aiul  Wisconsin 
iiiiil  tlicrcrtirr  cjiiiniit  prii|icrly  lie  mentioned  under  this  head. 


CHAPTKR    VIII 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 

Lars    Paul    Esbjorn,   Founder    and   Pioneer 


HE  Swedi.sli  JMetluidisls  had  already  organizt'd  two  con- 
gregations and  the  Swedish  Episcopalians  one,  when  the 
first  Swedish  Lutheran  clergyman  began  religions  work 
in  Illinois  in  a  jnodest  and  unassuming  Avay.  It  did 
not  take  many  years,  however,  until  the  Lutherans 
had  outdistanced  both  the  Methodists  and  the  Baptists,  who  soon  ap- 
peared in  the  field.  Born  and  raised  as  members  of  the  state  church  of 
Sweden,  a  large  part  of  the  Swedisli  immigrants  eagerly  endiraced  the 
opportunity  to  group  themselves  into  congregations  around  former 
ministers  of  that  same  church  who,  out  of  interest  in  the  spiritual  wel- 
fare of  their  fellow  countrymen  in  the  West,  had  sought  them  out  to 
preach  to  them  the  word  of  God  and  admini.ster  the  sacraments.  Its 
many  faults  notwithstanding,  the  Swedish  state  church  was  still  dear 
to  the  hearts  of  serious-minded  persons  among  them,  and  they  were 
all  the  more  willing  to  adhere  to  the  faith  defended  by  the  blood  of 
their  fathers  since  they  could  here  organize  their  congregations  in- 
dependently of  the  government  and  without  any  form  of  state  super- 
vision. The  innate  force  of  the  Lutheran  Church  here,  as  earlier  among 
the  German  Lutherans  in  the  East,  got  an  opportunitj'  to  develop  under 
the  benign  influence  of  untramnu4ed  religious  freedom,  and  the  result 
has  been  wonderful  indeed.  In  a  very  short  time  Swedish  Lutheran 
churches  were  organized  not  only  in  various  parts  of  the  state  of  Illi- 
nois but  also  in  the  adjoining  states  of  Iowa  and  Indiana.  This  was 
the  comparatively  small  beginning  of  the  large  and  powerful  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  America,  known  as  the  Augustana  Synod,  which, 
in  little  more  than  half  a  century,  has  extended  its  work  and  influence 
over  a  large  part  of  the  United  States,  over  parts  of  Canada  and  to 
Alaska  and  Porto  Rico. 

The   first   Swedish   Lutheran  minister   in    Illinois   was   Lars   Paul 
Esbjorn.     With  the  exception  of  Peter  Wilhelm  Bocknum.  in  Wiseon- 


424 


THE  lATHKRAXS 


siu,  and  Carl  Petor  Agrelius,  in  New  York,  both  of  whom  were  failures 
as  such,  Esbjoru  was  also  the  first  Swedish  Lutheran  preacher  in 
America  in  modern  times.  He  may  properly  be  styled  the  father  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  this  country.  He  not  only  founded  the 
Augnstana  Synod,  but  also  began  the  Swedish  educational  work  in  the 
United  States.  As  a  pioneer  and  founder,  Esbjoru  for  all  time  wil! 
hold  first  place  in  the  annals  of  Swedish- American  Lutheranism. 

Lars  Paul  Esl).iorn  was  born  in  Dclsbo  parish,  in  Helsiugland,  Oct. 
IG,  ]808.  His  parents  were  Esbjorn  Paulson,  a  country  tailor,  and 
Karin  Lindstrom,  his  wife.  When  the  boy  was  five  years  old  his  mother 
died,  and  two  years  afterward  he  lost  his  father.  An  old  maid-servant 
named  Stina  took  the  motherless  boy  in  charge  before  the  death  of  his 
father  and  was  a  tender  foster-mother  to  him  until  he  reached  his 
twelfth  year.  It  was  she  who  taught  him  to  read,  and  after  she  dis- 
covered the  boy's  aptness  in  his  studies,  she  did  not  rest  until  she  had 
him  entered,  in  the  fall  of  1820.  in  a  school  in  the  city  of  Hudiksvall. 
Like  all  other  poor  boys,  he  suffered  great  privations  in  trying  to  get 
an  education.  Being  a  boy  of  M-eak  constitution,  want  had  a  telling 
effect  on  him,  yet  he  proved  a  diligent  and  hard-working  pupil,  who 
stood  high  in  the  estimation  of  his  teachers.  With  good  scholarship 
marks  he  entered  the  gymnasium  at  Gefle  in  1825,  and  there  took  up 
astronomy,  higher  mathematics  and  navigation  alongside  of  his  pre- 
scribed .studies.  Having  taken  notice  of  his  predilection  for  mathe- 
matics, his  guardian  advised  him  to  join  the  topographical  engineering 
corps  of  the  army  in  order  to  raise  funds  for  continued  study,  but  Lars 
Paul  was  fixed  in  his  resolve  to  become  a  minister,  and  nothing  could 
swerve  him.  He  had  inherited  three  hundred  crowns  from  his  parent.s, 
but  that  sum  did  not  go  far.  His  noble-hearted  foster-mother,  however, 
exerted  herself  to  the  utmost  to  provide  tlic  nei-ossary  nu'ans  and  his 
home  parish  gave  him  assistance  in  the  same  way  that  Luther  was 
helped  when  a  boy.  He  was  accustomed  at  Christma.s  time  to  make  a 
romul  of  the  well-to-do  farmers,  singing  a  stanza  or  two  of  some  hymn 
at  every  house,  and  received  in  compensation  various  gifts,  according 
to  the  circumstances  of  the  giver,  ranging  from  money  and  grain  down 
to  dried  meat  and  tallow  candles. 

Al  niidsninmer,  1828,  aged  niiu'teen.  ICsbjiirn  jiassed  examination 
fill-  admission  to  the  University  of  l^psala  and  wa.s  enrolled  as  a  theolog- 
ical student  of  the  university,  .\fter  comiileting  a  four-year  course 
in  tlieology,  lie  was  ordained  minister  June  11,  1SI12,  probably  in  the 
Up.saln  Cathedral  by  .\rchbishop  Carl  von  Rosenstein.  and  became 
assistant  jiastor  in  (ister-Vahla  parish,  in  Upland,  where  he  served  for 
three   year>i       Suli.se(|iiently   he   was   clioscn    (>asti>r    for   the   Osliittfors 


I 


I,,    r.    ESBJORN 


425 


factory  and  also  .sclmol-teacher  in  Ilille,  Gestrikland,  filling  both  posi- 
tions for  fourteen  years. 

During  this  time  he  was  perceptibly  influenced  by  Rev.  George 
Scott,  the  English  IMetliodist  preacher  at  Stockholm,  not,  however,  in  a 
sectarian  sense,  but  in  tlie  direction  of  deepening  his  religious  convic- 
tions. From  this  time  on  Kslijorn  was  a  strict  and  earnest  pietist  of  the 
old  school,  and  he  became  known  as  a  zealous  "liisareprest"  (revival- 
ist preacher),  while  still  ;i  strict  conformist  to  the  church.     The  earnest 


Rev.   I.ars  Paul  HsTjjorn 


and  gifted  young  pastor  early  devoted  himself  to  literary  work,  partly 
original,  partly  translations  and  revisions  of  older  religious  books  and 
tracts.  In  the  early  forties,  when  the  great  temperance  agitation 
stirred  the  country,  Esb.jorn  became  one  of  the  foremost  temperance 
advocates  in  northern  Sweden,  contributing  by  speaking,  writing  and 
forming  temperance  societies  toward  that  change  of  public  sentiment 
which  ultimately  made  it  possible  for  the  lawmaking  power  to  stop  the 


426  THI-;    UTHKRANS 

private  liistillery  system  and  thereby  stem  the  flood-tide  of  druiiK 
euuess. 

Actuated  by  his  great  enthusiasm  in  behalf  of  temperance,  Esbjiirn 
at  times  probably  went  too  far,  for  instance  in  forcibly  depriving  far- 
mers whom  he  met  in  the  road  of  the  whiskey  kegs  they  were  bringing 
home.  But  even  where  he  acted  with  the  utmost  caution  he  did  not 
escape  bitter  persecution,  for  liie  dram  was  dear  to  the  hearts  of  the 
people  and  whiskey  was  a  power  in  tlie  land.  His  enemies  sought  in 
every  way  to  make  troul)le  for  liim,  ami  even  went  so  far  as  to  threaten 
his  life.  One  night  >vh(n  Esbjorn  attended  a  religious  meeting,  sev- 
eral men  lay  in  ambusii  for  him  under  a  bridge  he  was  expected  to 
cross,  evidently  for  tlie  jjurpose  of  beating  or  killing  him.  Luckily  t\»r 
him,  the  meetinsr  lasted  so  long  that  the  ruffians  got  tired  of  waiting 
and  went  home,  thinking  that  their  man  had  been  forewarned  and  had 
taken  another  route. 

As  a  consei|uenee  of  his  stern  |>ii'1y  and  strict  ideas  on  temperance. 
Esbjorn  aroused  niiu-li  opposition  among  the  clergy  of  the  archl)isiiop- 
ric.  who  did  cvcrytliiiig  to  jircvcnt  his  obtaining  a  rectoratc  Having 
l)assed  the  pastoral  examination  in  1889.  he  was  nominated  for  tliat 
office  in  several  places,  such  as  Regnsjo,  Soderhamn  and  Loos,  but  in 
every  instance  he  was  bitterly  opposed  liy  the  wliiskey  interests.  In 
the  last-named  place  it  is  claimed  lie  received  a  majority  of  the  votes. 
liut  was  deprived  of  the  position  liy  ti'ickery. 

No  wonder,  then,  that  this  energetic  and  profomidly  earnest  min- 
ister of  the  gospel  wearied  of  the  ungrateful  treatment  accorded  iiim 
at  home  and  l)cgan  to  look  about  for  another  field.  He  had  no  difficul- 
t.\  in  I'iiiiliiig  Olio.  Tlie  emigration  of  the  first  party  of  Erik  Jansson's 
followers  to  America  in  184(i  had  directed  the  attention  of  all 
Sweden  to  the  great  western  land  of  promise.  In  the  years  ik'.xI  folb>w- 
iiig  one  laru'e  ]>arty  of  emigrants  after  another  liad  embarked  for 
America.  Esbjorn  could  not  have  failed  to  notice  this  movement,  for 
it  was  in  his  own  native  district  that  Erik  Jans.son  obtained  iiis  prin- 
cijjal  following  and  whence  the  sect  gradually  emigrated  in  larger  or 
smaller  parties,  which  were  soon  followed  by  otlu-rs  of  their  country- 
men who  longed  for  America  for  economic  reasons  e(|ually  as  urgent 
as  were  the  religious  considerations  of  the  Erik  -lanssonists.  The  latter 
da.ss  of  emigrants,  who  were  still  devoted  to  the  creed  and  doctrine  of 
the  Swedish  Tjiitlieraii  Cliiireh.  in  letters  to  their  friends  and  relatives 
at  home  complained  bitterly  of  their  religious  needs,  their  silualion 
being  all  the  graver  as  they  were  sni'i'ounded  on  all  sides,  not  only  by 
the  Erik  Janssonists  and  the  S\ve(lisli  Methodists  but  b.\-  all  sorts  of 
Amerieaii  religimis  sects  with  which  tlicy  did  not   wish  to  iitTlliate.  and 


I..  1".  i;snj()Rx  ^27 

in  this  lu-edicament   tliey  ilid  nut   have  mie  single  Lntlnran   [nistor  to 
minister  to  their  spii-itual  wants. 

Rcaliziiifi  the  prcssiiiir  needs  of  these  peoph',  Kev.  Eshjoru  dccidiMl 
to  eiiiiirrate  and  liecdine  llieir  jiastor.  The  question  of  earning  a  iivcii- 
liood  from  tlie  start  caused  him  a  great  deal  of  worry.  Ilis  knowledge 
of  Methodism,  gained  from  Rev.  Scott  of  Stockholm,  had  given  him  a 
higii  opinion  of  the  vmselfish  motives  of  that  church,  and  he  seems  to 
have  had  assurance  that  the  same  church  in  America  would  be  found 
equally  unselfish,  relying  on  it  to  render  some  aid  in  his  work  as  a 
Lutheran  pastor.  A  correspondence  ai)pears  to  have  Ijeen  carried  on 
between  him  and  Rev.  Jonas  Ilcdstriim  of  Victoria  on  this  sub.i'ect. 
Hedstrom  being  known  to  him  through  letters  from  emigrants.  But 
this  did  not  lead  to  any  direct  results.  'A-herefore  E.sb.joru  turned  to  the 
Swedi.sh  Jlission  Society  with  a  petition  for  official  recognition  and 
financial  aid  from  that  source.  He  received  both,  the  financial  aid. 
however,  being  finite  insufficient. 

After  having  received  leave  of  absence  to  engage  in  clerical  work 
in  foreign  territory,  Esbjorn,  accompanied  by  140  emigrants  from  the 
provinces  of  Gestrikland  and  Ilelsin gland,  embarked  Jime  29,  18-19.  on 
the  sailing  vessel  "Cobden."  bomid  from  Gefle  for  New  York.  The 
voyage,  besides  being  fraught  with  difficulty  and  peril,  craved  the  life 
of  one  of  Esb.iorn's  children,  and  the  body  was  interred  in  Ilelsiugborg. 
where  the  vessel  touched.  This  was  but  the  first  of  a  series  of  sorrows 
and  reverses  that  were  to  follow.  The  party  arrived  at  New  York  in 
the  latter  part  of  August  or  early  in  September,  with  the  intention  of 
proceeding  to  Victoria,  111.  Their  plan  was  frustrated,  however,  for 
when  Esbjorn  met  Rev.  0.  G.  Hedstrom  in  New  York  he  was  informed 
that  the  American  Methodists  would  give  him  no  aid  as  a  Lutheran 
minister,  but  only  on  condition  that  he  .ioin  the  Slethodist  Church. 
This  Esbjorn  would  liy  no  means  consent  to  do.  In  his  predicament  he 
turned  to  the  headquarters  of  the  American  Board  of  Home  ilissious 
in  New  York  with  an  inquiry  whether  they  would  for  a  time  support 
him  in  his  work  among  the  Lutherans.  Having  apparently  received  a 
favorable  reply,  he  had  no  further  reason  to  look  up  Rev.  -Jonas  Hed- 
.strom  in  Victoria,  but  began  to  make  inquiries  for  some  other  western 
settlement  where  he  might  take  i;p  missionary  work.  He  did  not  have 
to  look  long  for  just  such  an  opportunity.  While  in  New  York,  he  had 
the  fortune  to  meet  the  aforementioned  Captain  P.  W,  Wirstrom.  who 
for  a  short  time  had  been  living  in  the  new  Swedish  settlement  at 
Andover,  in  Henry  county.  Wirstrcim  seems  to  have  been  the  agent  of 
the  laud  company  in  New  York  that  founded  Andover.  and  it  was  no 
doubt  throuffh  his  influence  that  this  company  promised  Esbjorn  ten 
acres  of  land  for  a  church  on  condition  that  he  and  his  jiarty  would 


428  THK    I.rTHKRANS 

settle  there.  After  careful  consideration,  Esbjom  resolved  to  go  to 
Andover  to  stay. 

With  Captain  Wirstrom  as  guide  and  adviser,  the  party  now- 
started  on  their  tedious  journey  westward.  They  traveled  by  canal- 
boat  to  Buffalo  and  thence  by  steamer  to  Cliicacro.  Shortly  after 
having  passed  Detroit,  another  of  Esbjorn's  children  died  and  was 
buried  in  a  very  primitive  coffin  in  a  sandbank  on  the  shores  of  Lake 
St.  Clair.  Rev.  Esbjorn  liiniself  took  sick  with  the  cholera  and  was 
compelled  to  stop  in  Chicago  with  his  family,  only  two  of  his  sous  going 
with  the  rest  of  the  party  to  Andover.  Three  weeks  later,  when 
Esbjorn  arrived  there  he  discovered  to  his  great  sorrow  that  the  alert 
Jonas  Hedstrom  had  already  been  there  and  succeeded  in  persuading 
mo.st  of  the  newcomers  to  leave  Andover  and  come  with  him  to  Victoria. 
Before,  this  same  Hedstrom  had  recommended  Andover  as  a  suitable 
place  of  settlement  for  the  Swedes,  but  now  that  he  had  learned  of 
Esbjorn's  unwillingness  to  become  a  ^Methodist  he  changed  his  tone, 
disparaging  the  place  and  doing  everj'thing  to  induce  his  coimtrymen 
to  move  away. 

In  Andover  Esbjorn  had  to  contend  with  all  the  customary  trials 
and  reverses  of  pioneer  life,  such  as  sickness,  poor  shelter  and  lack  of 
suitable  food.  He  succeeded  in  renting  for  himself  and  family  a  couple 
of  small,  stuffy  rooms  in  the  attic  of  Captain  ^lix's  place,  a  farmhouse 
situated  just  outside  of  the  little  village,  and  now  owned  by  the  widow 
Anna  Lovisa  Gustafsson  from  Ostergotland.  The  first  Sunday  Esbjorn 
preached  in  Andover,  the  Francis  schoolhouse  serving  as  the  meeting- 
place,  he  was  still  so  weak  that  he  had  to  speak  seated  in  a  chair.  lie 
spoke  with  intense  feeling,  taking  the  words,  "In  my  weakness  I  am 
strong,"  as  the  text  for  his  introductory  remarks.  During  the  ensuing 
winter,  Esbjiirn  occupied  the  crowded  and  uncomfortable  quarters 
aforesaid,  but  in  the  meantime  he  purchased  a  little  farm  of  ten  acres, 
with  primitive  buildings,  situated  south  of  the  timber,  down  toward 
Edwards  Creek,  and  moved  tlioro  in  the  Spring  of  1850. 

The  Swedish    Lutheran   Church   at    Andover 

In  his  work  as  Swedish  Lutheran  pastor  at  Andover.  Ksbjcirn  from 
the  very  start  met  with  bitter  opposition  from  Joiuis  Iledstriini,  tiie 
Swedish  IMcthodi.st  pastor,  who  naturally  was  desirous  of  retaining  the 
advantage  he  enjoyed  on  account  of  his  long  term  of  service  in  this 
vicinity.  Nor  did  he  miss  a  single  opportunity  to  poison  the  minds  of 
the  settlers  against  I'lslijiirn  and  iiis  work.  In  conversations  held  witii 
individual  members  of  his  flock  he  would  make  the  a.ssertion  that  the 
Tjiitlicran  Church  was  spiritually  dead;  that  it  was  the  Habylonian 
liarlot,  whii'li  every  chh'  must  sliiin  who  wniiM  be  saved;  that  tlii'  new 


TIIK    ANDOVJCR    CHIRCH  ^29 

Swedish  pastor  had  come  to  put  the  free  settlers  under  the  bonds  of  the 
Swedish  state  church;  that  there  were  no  Lutheran  congregations  in 
America;  that  the  Methodists  were  the  true  Lutherans,  etc.  Clearly, 
these  and  similar  utterances  from  a  man  who  had  gained  the  confi- 
dence of  the  settlers  in  both  wordly  and  spiritual  matters  ■would  gain 
credence  among  them  to  a  certain  extent  and  hurt  Esbjorn  in  his  work. 
Hcdstrom  had  the  advantage  of  being  backed  by  the  American  Meth- 
dist  Church,  from  which  he  received  a  salary,  small  as  it  was,  while 
there  was  no  Lutheran  congregation,  conference  or  sjTiod  of  any  kind 
ill  this  part  of  the  country  from  which  Esbjorn  could  get  aid  and  ad- 
vice. He  stood  entirely  alone,  and  was  thrown  on  his  own  resources 
both  as  to  the  methods  and  the  means  by  Avhich  to  prosecute  the  work. 
In  this  isolated  and  difficult  position,  Esbjorn  was  obliged  to  turn 
to  the  Illinois  branch  of  the  Congregational  American  Board  of  Home 
Missions,  at  Galesburg,  with  a  request  to  be  taken  care  of  and  to  get  the 
recommendation  of  the  mission  board  for  aid  from  its  fluids.  This  was 
in  December,  lS-t9.  His  request  was  given  favorable  consideration,  and 
after  Esbjorn  had  personally  met  with  the  board,  explaining  his  relig- 
ious tenets  and  showing  his  credentials,  the  Central  Association  for  its 
]iart  granted  the  petition  on  the  following  conditions :  that  Esbjorn,  as 
a  member  of  the  association,  was  to  be  responsible  to  that  body;  that  he 
was  to  work  as  a  Lutheran  pastor,  preaching  and  administering  the 
sacraments,  and  that  his  assigned  field  was  Andover  and  Galesburg, 
where  respectively  180  and  100  Swedes  already  had  settled.  It  is  es- 
pecially worthy  of  notice  that  the  association  did  not  impose  the  con- 
dition that  Esbjorn  should  join  the  Congregational  Church,  but  that  he 
was  permitted  to  continue  a  Lutheran  pastor.  An  appropriation  of 
$300  was  recommended  by  the  association  and  referred  to  the  mission 
board  in  New  York  which  in  turn  granted  the  request  of  Eslijorn.  In 
its  letter,  dated  Jan.  14,  1850,  tlie  board  stipulates  that  Esbjorn  be 
appointed  to  preach  the  gospd  to  the  Swedi.sh  people  in  Galesburg, 
Andover  and  surrounding  coiuitry  for  a  term  of  twelve  months,  under 
the  direction  of  the  Mission  Board  of  the  Central  Association.  The 
Swedish  people  in  this  district  were  expected  to  contribute  .$100  to  hisj 
support,  making  a  total  salary  of  $400  for  the  year.  He  was  directed  to 
make  a  report  of  his  work  at  the  end  of  each  quarter.  This  appoint- 
ment was  accompanied  by  a  personal  letter  from  Dr.  IMilton  Badger, 
corresponding  secretary  of  the  board  of  missions,  with  instructions  tc< 
Kev.  Esbjorn  not  to  admit  as  members  of  any  congregation  persons 
unable  to  give  evidence  of  the  new  birth  nor  permit  such  to  participate 
in  the  Lord's  Supper.  In  his  communication  Dr.  Badger  criticises  the 
German  Lutherans  for  admitting  members  to  their  congregations  by 
confirmation. 


430 


TIIK    I.ITHKRAXS 


On  the  ucean  voyage  and  on  the  journey  inland  Rev.  Esbjoni  had 
preached  twice  every  Sunday  to  his  fellow  passengers  and  daily  eon- 
ducted  morning  and  evening  prayers  accompanied  by  brief  biblical 
expositions.  Tliis  practice  he  continued  after  the  arrival  at  Andover. 
and  soon  extended  liis  ministerial  work  to  Ualesburg.  Berlin  (Swedona) 
and  Rock  Island.  At  the  end  of  February,  1850,  he  reported  to  the 
aforesaid  nii.ssioii  board  in  New  York  that  he  had  preached  every  other 
Sunday  at  Andover  and  Galesburg.  respectively,  usually  twice  at  each 
place,  conducted  evening  praj'ers  and  Bible  exegeses  in  the  private 
homes,  visited  the  families  and  the  sick,  held  monthly  mission  meetings 
and  temperance  lectures  and  circulated  religious  tracts.  From  this  it 
appears  that  from  the  very  outset  Esbjcirn  entered  u|>(>n  his  duties  with 
great  zeal.  Tii  this  same  report  he  says  that  the  people  in  Galesburg 
had  begun  to  build  a  Swedish  Liitlieran  meeting-house,  toward  which 
$5r)0  already  had  been  subscrilicd.  lie  expressed  the  hope  that  a  similar 
edifice  wimld  soon  be  erected  in  Andover.  He  complained,  however, 
about  tlie  jioverty  which  was  general  among  his  countrymen,  causing 
them  so  great  worry  over  tiie  question  of  earning  a  living  that  their 
minds  were  not  sufficiently  open  to  the  truth  of  the  gospel ;  also  of  the 
general  exodus  to  California  of  goldseekers,  a  movement  creating  such 
a  stir  among  tlie  people  that  they  found  no  time  to  think  about  the 
salvation  of  tiieii-  souls.  Anotlier  cause  for  complaint  was  the  ojien 
avowal  of  Rev.  Jonas  Hedstriiin  of  his  purpose  to  convert  all  the 
Swedes  to  ]\lc11icii1ism  and  bring  them  into  his  congregation.  Further- 
more, former  V.v\k  .Tanssoiiists  living  in  (iaiesburi:  were  giving  him 
iiiiH-h  triiiililc  liy  their  self-righteousness  and  s]iii-it\ial  pride. 

Ill  tile  first  |iart  of  March  of  the  same  year  Eslijilrn  could  report 
that  liic  number  of  pcr.sons  attending  the  jndilic  services  were,  at  An- 
dover about  70,  at  Galesburg  80.  at  Rock  Island  M).  at  Berlin  iL'.  of 
wlioni  12  to  1.")  could  be  regarded  as  true  Christians;  that  a  temperance 
society  with  4."?  memlx'rs  had  been  organized  in  Andover.  and  tiiat  the 
proposed  Swedish  church  in  Galesl)urg  was  in  course  of  erection. 

These  rejiorts  s\u<\v  the  arlual  cDiiditioii  among  the  people  about 
tlie  time  that  Esbjiirn.  on  tiic  IStii  of  Marcli.  1S.")0.  in  the  house  (vf 
Widow  .\iiiia  liovisa  (iiistat'sson.  organized  tlie  Swedisli  l.ntliei'an 
Chiircli  III'  .ViiiliiviT.  till'  first  of  its  ]<iiid  since  llie  time  of  the  Delaware 
Swedes.  The  first  memliers  were  only  ten  in  number,  viz..  Rev.  Esbjiirn 
and  his  wife,  Jan  Anderssoii.  .Mats  Ersson.  O.  Nordin.  Sam.  .lans- 
son.  Ami.  I'd.  iiaissoii.  .Mrs.  .lan.sson.  "Christina  at  Knapp's"  and 
Stina  llellgrcn.  The  small  number  shows  how  anxious  Esbjiirn  was  to 
follow  out  his  insti-uclions  with  respect  to  ciiureh  mendiership.  But  on 
the  2.'{r(l  of  I  lie  same  month  there  was  an  addition  of  .'10  to  40  members. 
.\iii(iiig  tiiese   were   Capliiiii    Wirslriim    and    liis    wife,   also    Erie    I'lrie 


Till'.  .\xi)()\i;r  cimkch  ^-^i 

Norboi'fr.  knuwn  Un-  Ills  proniiiieucc  in  tlic  scliisius  dl'  llic  IJislidp  Hill 
Colony.  In  tlu'  he-winning  of  Di'i'cinbcr  the  (•luircli  nunilicrcd  4t)  nicni- 
Ikts  iiml  its  mcetinns  wore  attended  hy  an  avei-a<re  of  .")()  t<i  (iO  pei-sons. 
Sunday  schools  were  uruani/ed  l)()tli  in  Andnver  and  (Jaleshurg 
simultaneously  with  the  ehurches. 

At  first  the  meetings  were  held  in  PZsbjorn's  lionie.  suutii  of  the 
liinher.  where  the  audiences  were  accommodated  in  two  or  three  rooms 
provided  with  chairs  and  improvised  benches,  or  else  in  the  Francis 
schoolhouse.  Oceasioually,  prayer  meetings  were  conducted  at  the 
house  of  Mrs.  Gustafsson,  known  as  Captain  Jlix's  place.  These  peo- 
ple were  actuated  liy  a  certain  degree  of  religious  zeal,  a  kind  of  imita- 
tion of  the  enthusiasm  of  the  Methodists.  The  order  of  s(>rvice  con- 
formed in  the  main  to  that  of  the  Swedish  state  church,  and  Rev.  Es- 
bjorn  retained  the  ministerial  garb  of  that  church.  The  prayer  meetings 
were  frequently  attended  by  Methodists,  but  the  spiritual  arrogance 
displayed  by  them  made  their  appearance  rather  disagreeable  to 
Esbjom.  His  dependence  on  the  American  Congregationalists  as  well  as 
the  fact  that  he  was  surrounded  by  ^Methodists  who  lost  no  oppoi"tunity 
to  decry  everything  that  savored  of  the  Swedish  state  church,  caused 
Esbjiirn  gradually  to  accommodate  himself  to  the  Reformed  order  of 
service  to  the  extent  of  discarding  for  a  time  certain  portions  of  the 
Swedish  church  ritual  as  well  as  the  use  of  the  Pericopes.  Not  until 
the  early  sixties,  after  the  Swedish  Lutherans  had  become  an  independ- 
ent church,  did  Esbjorn  resume  the  position  he  held  at  the  time  of 
his  arrival,  that  of  a  strict  conformist  to  the  i)ractiees  as  well  as  the 
doctrines  of  the  Swedish  church.  His  departure  from  those  practices 
imder  the  circumstances  should  not  be  too  severely  .judged.  It  was  the 
result  more  of  necessity  than  of  inclination.  He  was  never  a  noisy 
revivalist,  his  religious  convictions  and  Christian  experiences  being 
deeper  and  more  temperate  than  those  of  his  puritanical  American 
associates. 

Despite  opposition,  the  little-  congregation  at  Andover  steadily 
grew  and  soon  the  question  of  a  church  building  arose.  The  members 
were  all  poor  settlers,  unable  to  defray  the  cost  without  outside  aid. 
Consequently,  Rev.  Esb.iorn.  according  to  the  connnon  custom,  was 
obliged  to  start  out  on  a  soliciting  tour.  In  April,  1851,  he  left  on  a 
trip  through  Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  New  York  and  ^Massachusetts.  Dur- 
ing the  eleven  weeks  he  was  out  he  succeeded  in  raising  not  less  than 
^2.200.  of  which  sum  Jenny  Lind,  the  renowned  Swedish  singer,  con- 
tributed $l,oflO.  Upon  his  return  home  in  July,  he  at  once  began  pre- 
jiarations  for  building.  All  the  members  of  the  church,  men  and 
women,  were  set  to  work  making  brick,  and  the  foundation  was  laid 
for  a  structure  45  feet  long  and  30  feet  wide,  with  basement  designed 


432 


THH    LITHHRANS 


for  school  room  and  sacristy.  It  was  hoped  to  get  the  basement  ready 
by  Christmas,  but  rainy  weather  prevailing  during  the  summer  and 
fall  interfered  with  this  plan.  The  brick  was  spoiled  by  the  rain  and 
the  sawmills  in  Andover  were  damaged  by  floods,  whereby  the  con- 
gregation was  compelled  to  go  elsewhere  for  its  building  material,  pay- 


iiig  a  high  jji-ice  for  it,  besides  having  to  liaiil  il  a  dislaiice  of  thirty 
miles.  Cold  weather  soon  put  a  stop  to  tlio  work,  but  not  until  the 
basement  liad  been  so  nearly  finislied  tiiat  serviees  eould  bo  iield  there 
during  tlie  ensuing  winter.  The  basement  was  still  unplastercd  and 
only  j)artly  luider  roof,  no  floor  having  been  laid  above  and  a  large 
opening  liaving  been  left  for  the  tower. 

The  next  siiiiiini'i-  worlc  was  resumed  but  umliT  still  imire  unfiivor- 


I 


Tin-:  ani)Ovi;r  cihrch  4:53 

able  conditions.  The  corn  crop  failed,  no  work  wa.s  to  be  liad.  and.  to 
add  to  the  misery  of  the  settlers,  a  terrible  cholera  epidemic  broke  out 
in  the  comnmnity.  making;  sneh  inroads  among  the  settlers  that  much  of 
the  lumber  l)oujrht  for  the  church  had  to  be  used  for  coffins  for  the 
victims  of  the  scourge. 

On  Advent  Sunday.  Dec.  3.  lS')-4.  after  more  than  three  years  of 
work  and  sacrifice,  the  congregation  finally  dedicated  its  church  edi- 
fice, now  almost  finished.  This  was  a  day  of  great  rejoicing,  praise 
and  thanksgiving  being  oifcred  by  grateful  hearts  to  tlie  Highest.  The 
church,  which  seated  300  persons  and  could  acconniiodate  a  larger  num- 
ber in  an  emergency,  was  considered  a  great  structure  for  the  times, 
although  quite  insignificant  as  compared  with  the  large,  handsome 
Swedish-American  churches  of  our  day.  It  was  not  built  according  to 
any  particular  style  of  church  architecture,  the  congregation  being 
contented  just  so  they  had  a  house  of  worship  of  some  kind.  The 
church  was  in  the  form  of  a  long  rectangle.  The  basement  was  like  a 
dark  cave ;  but  was  nevertheless  used  to  house  newcomei-s,  many  of 
whom  died  there  of  the  cholera.  The  pulpit,  placed  at  the  middh' 
of  one  end  of  the  building,  and  surroimded  by  a  semi-circular  altar 
railing,  resembled  an  old-fashioned  Swedish  scullery.  The  upper  part 
of  the  pulpit,  not  much  larger  than  a  salt  barrel  cut  in  half  lengthwise, 
stood  crowded  back  against  the  wall. 

This  old  church  still  stands,  and,  having  been  recently  remodeled, 
now  serves  as  schoolhouse  and  meeting  hall  for  the  young  people's 
society.  When  it  was  proposed  several  years  ago  to  tear  down  the  old 
landmark  the  women  pioneers  still  living  arose  in  protest,  calling  atten- 
tion to  the  part  played  by  them  in  its  construction,  and  thus  the  old 
relic  was  spared.  In  front  of  the  church  lies  the  old  churchyard  where 
rest  so  many  of  the  Swedes  of  Andover. 

Up  to  the  autumn  of  1852,  Esbjorn  was  the  oul.v  Swedish  Lutheran 
minister  in  Illinois.  He  was  then  in  charge  of  a  pastorate  extending 
about  fifty  miles  fi'om  end  to  end.  including  Andover,  Galesburg,  Ivnox- 
ville,  Henderson.  I\Ioliue  and  Rock  Island.  He  spent  a  great  deal  of 
time  traveling  between  these  points.  Eoads  were  bad  and  bridges  few, 
and  traveling  in  all  kinds  of  weather  and  imder  contingent  difficulties 
had  a  bad  effect  on  his  health.  In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  received  well- 
needed  assistance  in  the  work  when  T.  N.  Hasselquist  arrived  from 
Sweden  and  took  charge  of  the  Galesburg  field  and  a  lay  preacher 
named  C.  J.  Valentin  was  stationed  in  ^Moline  and  Rock  Island.  There- 
by Esbjorn 's  field  was  practically  limited  to  Andover  and  vicinity.  But 
the  Andover  congregation  even  then  was  scattered  far  and  wide  over 
the  prairies,  including,  as  it  did.  Berlin  (Swedoua"),  La  Grange  (Orion), 
and  Hickory  Grove  (Ophiem),  or,  in  short,  all  the  Swedish  Lutheran 


434 


THK    I.rTHKRANS 


settlers  in  the  neighborhood  of  Andover.  Berlin  and  La  Grange  soon 
were  made  separate  eharges  and  snbse(|nently  independent  eoiigrega- 
tions.  In  tlie  fall  of  \S-i'i  the  church  numbered  2Ui  cjniuiiuHeaut  mem- 
bers, who  contributed  a  total  of  $80  to  the  salary  of  the  pa.stor. 

Rev.  Esl).iorn  and  his  parishioners  at  the  outset  had  many  bitter 
feuds  with  tlie  ^Methodists  led  by  Rev.  Hedstriim.  and  several  other 
religious  groups.  Ere  long,  however,  the  Lutherans  and  Methodists 
had  to  stop  fighting  between  themselves  and  turn  toward  their  com- 
mon opponents  and  competitors,  the  Ba]itists.  who  in  the  summer  of 
1852  commenced  operations,  led  by  Gustaf  Palmriuist,  a  former  school- 
master, who  had  come  over  the  year  before  and  at  first  served  as 
Lutheran  iireacher  in  Galesburg.  Palmquist  made  a  few  converts  among 
the  Lutherans,  but  the  principal  harvest  was  reaped  among  the  Meth- 
odists. Although  the  hotbed  of  the  Baptist  movement  was  at  first 
Galesburg  and  afterward  Rock  Island,  the  Andover  congregation  did 
not  entirely  escajie  being  influenced.  But  Rev.  Esbjiirn  proved  to  be 
a  wide-awake  shepherd  who  successfully  tliwarted  the  efforts  made  to 
scatter  his  little  flock. 

After  a  series  of  hot  encounters  with  Methodists  and  Baptists, 
from  w]ii<h  the  Lutheran  pastor  and  his  flock  seem  to  have  emerged 
with  a  deepened  sense  of  the  worth  of  the  evangelical  Lutheran  con- 
fession, the  congregation  grew  both  in  numbers  anil  in  inward  stability. 
The  order  of  service  and  ecclesiastical  practices  of  the  old  country  were 
more  fully  adhered  to.  Avhile  greater  importance  was  attached  to  sound- 
ness in  spiritual  life.  Peace  having  eventually  been  restored  in  tlie 
church,  renewed  disturbances  occurred  when  one  B.  G.  P.  Bergenlund. 
in  the  summer  of  1855.  after  having  been  appointed  assistant  pastor 
and  school  teacher,  began  to  cast  aspersions  on  Rev.  Esbjiirn  and  his 
work,  at  the  same  time  giving  oft'ense  and  scandalizing  the  chiuvh  by 
conduct  unbecoming  a  pastor  and  a  Christian.  Bergenlund,  apparently 
a  native  of  Ignal)erga,  in  the  province  of  Skane,  and  a  nuui  of  educa- 
tion, had  come  to  this  country  in  January,  185:?,  stopping  in  Jamestown. 
N.  Y.  There  and  in  Sugar  Grove,  Pa.,  he  began  preaching  to  his  fellow 
countrymen  and  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  came  to  lllinius  at  the 
suggestion  of  Rev.  Ilasselquist.  Having  passed  examination,  lu'  was 
licensed  liy  the  Synod  of  Northern  Illinois  as  a  regular  preacher,  wliere- 
upon  he  retiii-ned  to  Jamestown  and  Sugar  Grove.  By  his  unseeiidy 
behavior  he  si)oiled  his  reputation  in  less  than  a  year  and  was  forced  to 
leave  III  May,  1855,  he  appeared  in  ^loline,  where  he  took  ministerial 
charge  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  without  notifying 
Esbjorn.  When  the  congregation  showed  a  disincliiuition  to  receive  him. 
he  left  for  Amlover  where  he  insinuated  himself  into  the  confidence  and 
friendship  ot'  the  peupb'  by  i.'oing  fruni  linuse  to  liKUse.    In  this  nuunier 


I 


Till';  ant)()Vi;r  cihrcii  ^35 

Esbjorn  had  forced  upon  liini  an  assistant  whom  he  liad  iiol   aslccd  fur 
and  did  not  want,  but  whose  functions  he  endeavored  to  restrict  by 
means  of  written  instructions.     Bergenlund.  who  liad  so  little  regard 
for  the  proprieties  that  he  would  preach  high  mass  in  liigldy  inappro- 
priate dress,  including:  heavy  gloves,  nevertheless  gained  a  firni  foot- 
hold in  the  coniinuuity  and  soon  began  to  act  in  total  disregard  of  his 
written  instructions.    At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Synod  of  Xorthci'n 
Illinois  in  1855,  Esbjorn  was  appointed  traveling  solicitor  of  funds  for 
a  Scandinavian  profcssiM-ship  at  the  Illinois  University  at  Springfield, 
the  theological  sehool  of  that  synod.     From  the  eai'ly  part  of  the  year 
1856,  when  Esbjorn  engaged  in  that  work.  Bergenlund  had  free  hands. 
Tiring  of  the  arrogant  and  arbitrary  actions  of  this  man,  Esb.jorn  after 
a  couple  of  months  resigned  his  pastorate.    In  ilarch  he  was  seriously 
considering  a  removal  to  the  new  Swedish  settlement  of  Stockholm, 
now  Lake  Pepin.  "Wis.,  but  later  in  the  spring  he  received  a  call  from 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  Princeton,  111.,  which  he  accepted,  re- 
moving there  in  Aiigust.    Bergenlund  continued  operations  in  Andover, 
but  before  the  end  of  the  year  the  parishioners  had  their  eyes  opened 
to  the  eccentricities  of  their  pastor  and  resolved  to  call  Rev.  il.  F. 
Hokanson.  of  New  Sweden,  Iowa.    Bergenlund  still  had  a  small  party 
back  of  him,  which  made  it  possible  for  him  to  hold  on  for  a  short  time, 
but  he  had  lost  confidence  generally.    In  the  summer  of  1857.  he  was 
compelled  to  leave  Andover  and  the  next  fall  the  Synod  of  Northern 
Illinois  refused  to  renew  his  preacher's  license.     After  drifting  about 
from  place  to  place,  mostly  in  Minnesota,  he  came  back  in  1860.  after 
the  Scandinavian  Lutherans  had  separated  from  the  S\"uod  of  Northern 
Illinois  and  formed  the  Augustana  Synod.     He  was  then  re-admitted 
into  the  Synod  of  Northern  Illiuois  and  ordained  minister.     He  now 
began  to  make  vehement  attacks  on  the  Augustana  Synod,  but  more 
particularly  on  Esbjorn.     After  a  few  years  he  returned  to  Sweden 
where  he  succeeded  in  gaining  admittance  to  the  state  church  and 
obtain  a  charge  in  the  bishopric  of  Goteborg,  where  still  perserving 
in  his  erratic  ways  he  gave  old  Bishop  Bjork  a  great  deal  of  annoyance. 
The  Andover  church,  having  been  disappointed  in  Bergenlund, 
called  as  its  pastor  Rev.  P.  Petersson  of  the  bishopric  of  Vexio.  Sweden, 
who  promised  to  accept,  but  was  unable  to  keep  his  promise.     After 
having  been  served  temporarily  by  Rev.  O.  C.  T.  Andren  of  Moline, 
the  church  in  the  spring  of  1858  issued  a  call  to  Rev.  Jonas  Swensson 
of  Sugar  Grove,  Pa.,  who  had  arrived  from  Sweden  two  years  before. 
After  due  consideration,  he  accepted  the  call  and  removed  to  his  new 
field  in  September  of  that  year.    His  arrival  marked  the  beginning  of 
a  new  epoch  in  the  history  of  the  Andover  church.     But  before  enter- 
ing on  that  period  we  will  briefly  review  the  further  career  of  his 
predecessor. 


436  THE     LITHERANS 

Rev.   Esbjorn's    Later    Career 

Fiom  Andover  Esbjorn  reniovcd  tn  Princeton.  Here  he  remainetl 
only  two  ycai-s.  Dnrin^r  this  short  jx-riod  lie  aceoniplished  niueh.  in- 
eluding  the  work  in  eonneetion  with  the  erection  of  a  church.  In  spite 
of  illness,  he  worked  strenuously  and  with  marked  success  for  the  spirit- 
ual d('velo])niciit  of  his  eonfrregation.  The  people  lioeanie  more  inteii'sted 
in  clnnvhly  aflairs  and  listened  more  attentively  to  the  sermons;  fur- 
thermore, the  services  were  made  still  more  attractive  by  means  of 
better  singing,  resulting  from  earnest  practice,  encouraged  by  the 
pastor  himself,  not  to  mention  other  improvements. 

At  the  task  of  ct)lleetin'r  funds  foi-  the  Scandinavian  profes-sorship 
of  the  seminary.  Esbjorn.  who  was  an  experienced  solicitor. 
succeeded  adniiral)ly.  When  the  time  arrived  to  appoint  the  incimibent 
of  that  cliair.  lOslijiiiii  was  chosen  as  the  most  suitaltic  man  avaihii)lc 
and  assuniid  tlie  po.sition  in  the  fall  of  1858.  After  two  yeai-s  a  com- 
bination dl'  <-ii-cunistances  com])elled  him  1o  resiL'n.  lie  then  went  to 
Chicago  in  .\i)i'il.  ISfiO.  acconi|)anied  l)y  all  but  two  of  the  Scantlinavian 
students,  and  there  continued  teaching.  Dis.satisfied  with  their  re- 
lations with  the  Synod  of  Xoi'thern  Illinois,  the  Scandinavian  Lutherans 
in  June  of  that  year  met  near  Clinton.  Wis.,  and  organized  an  independ- 
end  synod,  called  the  Augustana  Synod,  and  resolved  to  establish  a 
theological  school  of  their  own  in  Chicago,  the  Augtistaiui  Theological 
Seminary,  virtually  a  continuation  of  the  school  conducted  for  the 
past  IVw  weeks  liy  Ksb.jorn.  Rev.  Esbjiirn  was  fornudly  chosen  head 
of  the  institution,  continuing  bis  W(U'k  as  teacher  with  good  results  for 
three  years. 

With  all  bis  soul  Ucv.  Esbjiiiii  had  thrown  himself  into  the  work 
of  raisinu-  his  I'ellow  countrymen  in  .\iiiei-ica  to  a  higher  level,  and 
in  bis  tii'cless  cnd(>avor  in  various  fields  he  scarcely  took  notice  of 
the  rajiid  llight  of  lime.  At  first  he  had  felt  no  symptoms  of  homi>- 
sickness,  l)ciiig  too  busy  to  think  of  that,  but  with  advancing  years- 
he  was  imw  i)ast  fifty-  he  bcLran  to  long  back  to  the  country  of  which 
he  was  part  and  parcel  tbroueli  birth  and  early  training.  There  wen' 
also  economic  reasons  for  his  bome-sickness.  For  all  the.se  iva.sons  Es- 
b.jiirn  in  18fil?  rettirnetl  to  his  initive  land  after  fourteen  years  of  fruit 
ful  work  among  bis  countrymen  in  .\mi>rica.  During  this  period  great 
changes  ha<l  taken  place  in  Sweden.  That  temjierant'e  legislalion  for 
which  Wieselgren,  F.jellstedt  and,  la.st  but  iu>l  least,  Esb.jiirn  ha<l  fought 
was  now  an  accomplished  fact,  the  private  distillery  system  having 
been  abolished  by  the  riksdag  of  1S.")4,  and  the  work  for  spiritual 
eidightennu'nt  no  longer  meeting  with  the  same  stubborn  resistance  as 
before.  Thorouirbly  ti-ied  in  life's  battle,  the  stern  ii-former,  who 
before  his  departure  from  Sweden  failed  to  obtain  a  certain  pa.storale 


KSBJORN'S    I.ATF.R    CARI:i;k 


437 


OH  account  of  Iiis  trtiipcraiice  views  and  otluM-  "  new  raiiiilcil  imtioiis." 
was  now  met  with  ojicii  anas  aud  was  given  the  very  lucrative  rectorate 
of  Oster-Viihla  parish,  in  Upland,  thus  heinji-  rccoinpeiised  oven  in  a 
pecuniary  way  for  all  his  privations  in  a  forcig-n  land.  In  this  (|uiet 
spot  he  labored  for  seven  years,  dividing  his  time  between  his  pastoral 
duties  and  private  study  and  research,  wliich  had  been  his  hobby  from 
early  youth,  sucli  as  matheuiatics,  chemistry  and  astronomy,  besides 
theology.  In  the  nieaiitiMie  he  closeh'  followed  tlie  rai)id  progress  made 
by  the  church  lu'  had  founded  in  Amei'iea,  and  nothing  g;ive  him 
greater  pleasure  than  a  visit  by  some  one  of  his  former  co-workers 
in  this  country. 

Esli.iorn  was  the  author  of  ten  published  books  and  pamphlets  on 
various  topics. 

The  l)urden  of  years  grew  steadily  heavier,  health  and  bodily  vigor 
gave  way.  and  .soon  the  eve  of  rest  for  this  indefatigal)le  laborei'  bad 
arrived.  After  only  a  month  of  actual  illness  Eev.  L.  P.  Esbjljrn 
])a.ssed  away  in  the  Oster-Yjihla  parsonage,  July  2,  1870,  in  the  sixty- 
second  year  of  his  life,  and  was  buried  in  the  parish  churcliyard.  A 
few  years  ago  a  handsome  monument  was  erected  on  his  grave  to  mai-k 
the  last  resting-place  of  this  eminent  Swedish- American  pioneer. 

The  sermons  of  Rev.  Esb.jorn  were  highly  edifving,  but  he  was  by 
no  means  an  orator  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the  term.  His  voice  was 
ruined  in  the  early  part  of  his  career  through  sickness  and  over-e.xertion, 
and  he  never  affected  eloquence.  His  discourses  were  nevertheless  very 
captivating  liv  dint  of  his  lucid  logic,  his  clear  and  profound  ideas  and 
the  simplicity  of  his  diction.  He  was  a  man  of  clear  and  well-balanced 
mind,  pre-eminently  fitting-  him  for  the  profession  both  of  preacher 
and  educator.  As  a  man  Esb.jorn  was  devout  and  warm-hearted,  lui- 
selfish  almost  to  a  fault,  righteous,  unaffected  and  without  pride  or 
vainglory.  He  was  translucent,  so  to  speak,  and  in  his  character  there 
was  nothing  to  hide.  Although  not  really  credulous,  and  being  a  good 
.judge  of  men,  he  would  sometimes  be  imposed  upon,  owing  to  his  sheer 
goodness  of  heart. 

Before  emigrating  to  America,  Esb.jorn  was  married  to  ^Miss  Amalia 
ilaria  Lovisa  Planting-Gyllenbaga,  a  devout  and  refined  lady,  who 
held  the  same  religious  views  as  he.  Poverty,  illness  and  numerous 
reverses  had  given  her  a  despondent  and  melancholy  dispo'iition.  Their 
children  were :  Paul,  who  died  in  the  Civil  War  in  1861,  while  on  duty 
in  ^Missouri:  Johannes,  who  returned  to  Sweden  in  1863,  entered  the 
railway  service  and  is  now  living  in  Karlskrona  -,  Joseph,  who  also 
served  in  the  Civil  War,  was  retired  as  cajitaiu,  and  is  now  living 
in  ilinneapolis,  :\Iinn. :  Maria,  who  married  a  German  Lutheran  clergy- 
man named  Schmir,  and  died  many  yeai-s  ago,  and  two  sons,  twins, 
who  died  on  the  voyage  to  America.    July  11.  18.52.  ;^[rs.  Esbjorn  died 


438  THK     U THKRANS 

ill  Aiidciver  and  lies  buried  in  the  old  eliiiivhyaid.  .Subse<|ueutly.  Es- 
bjorn  was  twic-e  remarried,  first  to  Helena  C'atharina  .Ma<.'nusson.  who 
was  born  at  Siind,  Ostergotland,  June  29,  1827,  and  dietl  in  Andover, 
Sept.  15,  185.i;  afterward  to  her  sister  Giistafva  AllxM'tina  Matrnusson, 
bom  at  Simd  in  18.i;j.  The  ehildren  of  the  latter  union  still  living 
are:  Rev.  C.  M.  Esbjorn,  Ph.  I).,  minister  of  the  Aufrustana  Synod: 
Prof.  C.  L.  K.  Esbjorn.  r)f  Autrustana  College,  at  Kock  Island.  111.: 
and  two  daughters,  ;Maria  and  Ilauna.  Another  sou.  Paul  O.st-ar 
Esbjorn.  a  physieian  of  Stanton.  la.,  died  in  lytW. 

Rev.   Jonas  Svvrensson 

Jonas  SweiLsson.  wlio  swi)iilanleil   the  erratic  Kev.   Bergenlund  as 
pa.stor  of  the  Andover  chureh.  where  he  labored   for  a   long  term  of 
yeai-s,   is  another  pioneer  and  early  leader  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Chureh  in  America.    He  was  born  at  Snollebo,  parish  of  Vtithult,  Snu'i- 
land.   Aug.    16,   1828.     His  j)ai-ents  were   Sven   Mans.s(in   and   his  wife 
Catharina  Jonas.son.     In  the  parental  home  he  received  a  careful  Chris- 
tian training,   the  foundation  for  his  subseipient  career.     In  his  early 
\()Utli    111'   li;i(l   a   desire   to  study    for  the   ministry,   but   such   a    coui"se 
seemed   to   have  been  closed  to   liim   by  his  father's  death  when   he 
was   but    nine   years   old.   to'jetlicr   wilh    tlie    fact    that    there   were   six 
other  chiklren  in  tlio  home  to  l)e  provided  for.     But  later  on  the  outlook 
cleared.     After  his  eonfii-mation  he  became  a  blacksmith's  apprentice. 
but  aban(lone(l  liiat  occupation  to  enter  the  te.Mehers"  scmiiuiry  at  Vexid 
in  184().    "While  there,  his  early  plan  was  revived  and  that  summer  he 
took  up  piivate  studies  in  theology  with  his  teacher.  Rev.  Josef  Hexell. 
and  in  1847  continued  these  studies  for  the  cui-ate  of  Hredaryd  p;irish. 
At  the  end  of  August  he  went  to  Jonkoi>ing.  entering  the  rector's  cla.ss 
;it    ihe  school  in  that  city,  and  was  very  favorably  received  by  the 
rector.   Rev.  Eileen.     In  two  terms  he  finished  his  courses  and  entered 
the  gymnasium  at  Voxiii  in  the  fall  of  1848.     Here  he  studied  for  two 
years,   unlil   September.   18r)0,   when   he   passi  d   his   final   examinations. 
.Iul.\    Jll.   1S4II.   in   the   Ilemmesji)  church.  Swens.son   ju-eaehetl  iiis   fii-sl 
sermon,  and  al'ti-r  that   he  fre(piently.  while  stilt  a   student,   filh'd   the 
pulpits  of  other  chui-ehes  in  Smiiland. 

Sept.  24.  IS.'iO,  hi'  was  •rradu.ited  into  the  luiiversity  of  I'psala 
with  lii'_'h  standing.  He  at  once  look  up  the  theoloirieal  eotirsi-  at  the 
iniiversi!\-  .nid  passed  final  examination  in  Juiii'.  lS,"il.  The  following 
Oetolier  he  was  examined  for  entry  into  the  ministry  U'fore  tin-  Vexiii 
eliaiiti  r  and.  on  Ihi-  8|h  of  the  month,  was  ordaiiu'd  minister  and 
assigned  as  curate  to  Ki'etoi-  .\mlren  at  I'lumryd.  Swen.sson 's  excep- 
tional capacity  for  study  is  shown  by  the  lad  that  be  finisheil  both 
el.'Mienlarv    and    theological    stuilies    in    about    five    years.      Many    wh«) 


JONAS    SWIvNSSON 


439 


had  known  the  tall  and  sturdy  youth  as  a  blacksmith's  ai)prcutici-  (»i- 
as  a  pupil  at  the  elementary  school  at  Vexiii  were  ^nvatly  suri)rised  to 
find  him  in  the  ministry  in  so  short  a  time.  At  Unnaryd  and  Jiilluii- 
tofta  Swensson  now  hilion'il  fur  four  and  oni'-li;iIf  ycnrs.  till  the  spi'inir 
of  1856. 

Himself  an  earnest  Clii-istian  from  his  school  days.  Swi-risson 
strove  zealously  to  awaken  and  maintain  the  new  life  among  the  mem- 
bei-s  of  his  church.  His  own  Christianity  heitiL;-  most  profound,  he  had 
little  sympathy  for  tiie  snj>erficial  new  evangelism  that  was  i;ainiuir 
ground  in  Sweden  aliout  this  time.  From  the  very  beginning  of  his 
pastoral  career  he  carefully  prepared  his  sermons  and  coiumitted  them 
to  wi-itin?.  thei'eby  layino-  the  foundation  for  that  system  and  order 
which  characterized  his  woi-k  throuizhout  life.  P^roui  many  neiu-hboring 
pai'ishes  jicojile  flocked  to  hear  him.  and,  youni;-  as  he  was,  he  became 
the  spii-itual  father  and  counselor  of  numy.  In  spite  of  a  severe  affec- 
tion of  the  luni;'s.  he  cou.tiuued  his  work  with  undiminished  viu'or  and 
was  eventually  restored  to  health,  eontrai'v  to  the  expectations  of  him- 
self and  his  friends. 

His  repntation  as  an  earnest  and  devout  pi'eaeher  had  crossed  the 
ocean  with  the  emigrants,  and  on  the  24th  of  June,  1855,  he  received 
a  letter  from  Dr.  Peter  F.jellstedt  containing  a  call  for  him  to  become 
pastor  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  at  Sugar  Grove,  Pa.  His 
first  thought  was  to  decline  positively,  but  the  moi'e  he  considered  the 
matter,  the  more  clearly  he  discerned  it  as  his  duty  to  accept.  In  August 
the  same  year  he  had  a  personal  meeting  with  Dr.  F.jellstedt,  when  that 
devout  and  warm-hearted  divine  urged  him  to  go  to  the  assistance  of  his 
countrymen  in  the  West.  Dr.  Fjellstedt  promised  to  help  him  procui-e 
the  needed  funds  and  to  render  eveiy  assistance.  Penally  Swensson. 
after  much  trepidation,  decided  to  accept  the  call,  although  still  very 
much  worried  over  the  pecuniary  phase  of  the  situation,  which  seemed 
all  the  more  grave  as  he  was  about  to  many  his  betrothed,  iliss  ifaria 
Blixt  of  Unnaryd. 

The  marriage  took  place  !Mareh  29,  1856.  and  on  April  fith  he 
preached  his  farewell  sermon  in  the  I'nnaryd  church,  followed  In' 
similar  sermons  in  various  churches  in  the  vicinity.  Everywhere  his 
many  friends  contributed  more  or  less  freely  to\\ard  his  traveling  ex- 
penses, so  that  on  reaching  Goteborg  with  his  bride  he  had  no  less  than 
800  crowns  at  his  disposal,  without  having  borrowed  a  penny.  Here 
the  young  couple  were  detained  from  April  22nd  to  ^[ay  20th.  befoi-e 
embarking  on  the  ship  'TMinona"  for  America.  "With  prayers  and 
blessings  for  friends  left  behind,  he  sailed  away  from  his  native  land 
which  he  was  never  to  see  again.  After  a  voyage  of  six  weeks'  dura- 
tion, they  reached  New  York  on  the  very  birthday  of  the  republic.  July 
4th.  The  11th  of  the  same  month  he  arrived  at  Sugar  Grove,  and  preach- 


440 


THK    U  THERANS 


ed  his  first  sermon  there  two  days  later.  His  first  impression  of  the  peo- 
ple was  not  i-ntiroly  favorahle.  Even  those  who  eonfess'-d  ihenisclves 
Christians  seemed  strange  to  him.  <  )n  every  hand  liberty  seemed  to 
have  Ix'en  turned  into  licen.se.  All  this  sot  him  wonderin>r  whether, 
after  all.  his  field  of  prealest  u.sefiilness  did  not  lie  in  the  old  country. 
His  douhts  as  to  his  calling;  and  the  resultant  melancholy  were 
somewhat  ix'lievcd  when  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he  visited  Illinois 


■--T^K?^;:. 


Rev.    Jonas   Swens.sun 


iiiiil  lull'  mil  ildcr  liiclliifii  wlidsc  aciiiijiiiitancc  and  t'l-llowship  izavc 
liiiii  new  coura'Tc.  During'  llic  ccpm1Vi-(  mcc  and  synod  iiuvtin^  he  at- 
tended he  sat  i|Mietly  listeniu'.'  to  the  proccciliuj^,  never  utterinsr  a 
word.  Hut  iiii  iiue  followed  the  transactions  more  att^'utivoly  ihan  he. 
After  haviu^r  ])i'eacliod  in  several  of  the  Swedish  ehiu'chcs  here,  he  n'- 
turiieil  to  1||('  East  aiul  took-  up  his  work  witli  renewed  ener^iy. 

ill  Sue;ar  (irove  a  little  frame  church  had  been  huilt  liefoi-c  Wi'V. 
Swcnsson's  arrival,  hut  it  was  not  yet  finished,  and  the  parsonafic  was 
still  in  course  of  erection.  In  .lamestown.  where  Swcns.sou  was  also  to 
I)reach.  there  was  no  chureh  I'difiee.  Strife  aiul  ditTci-euci's  existing 
with    respect    III   tlie   leinporal   alVaiiN  of   lln'   rliurchcs  wen'  a   constant 


JOXAS    SWEXSS()X  441 

source  oi'  woitv  jiikI  sdrrciw  lo  ;i  iii.-iii  oi'  his  sensitive  u.-itiire,  hut  what 
afVeeted  hiiii  still  inure  was  the  spiritual  iiuliU'ereiu'e  aiRl  the  hitter 
l)ar(isansliii>  stiri-ed  ii))  by  the  at'oresaitl  Heriiciilniid  and  by  the  ^Feth- 
odi.sts.  Such  a  enndiliun  natnrally  rrvolliMJ  aiiainst  Swensson's  strict 
sense  (if  propriety  and  his  devotitin  to  good  order  in  tlie  chureh.  Ilis 
eoneerii  for  tlie  welfare  of  the  congreiiations,  however,  kei)t  him  at  his 
post.  Not  even  the  Mattering'  eall  to  become  assistant  to  Kev.  Erland 
Cavlsson  of  the  Inuuannel  Cluireh  in  Chicago  could  induce  him  to  leave. 
But  there  came  a  time  wlien  he  thought  it  his  duty  to  leave  his 
first  field  of  labor  in  this  country.  Tlie  chureh  at  Andover  was  about 
to  be  torn  asunder  liy  internal  dissensions  fomented  by  the  intrigues 
of  Bergenlund.  and  stood  in  great  need  of  an  able  and  energetic  pastor. 
Such  a  man  was  found  in  Rev.  Sweusson.  to  whom  a  call  was  extended 
in  June,  1858.  At  the  eai-nest  solicitations  of  his  brethren,  who  were 
familiar  with  the  sad  state  of  att'aii*s.  he  accepted  the  call  and  i*e- 
moved  to  his  new-  charge  the  following  September.  Here,  as  in  Sugar 
Grove  and  Jamestown,  he  hatl  to  reaji  the  liitter  fruits  of  Berg;enlund 's 
operations.  With  his  installation  as  pastor  of  the  Andover  church 
Sept.  19th,  Swensson's  main  life  work  began.  For  fifteen  years  he 
remained  here,  doing  a  great  work  not  only  for  the  local  chui'di  but 
also  in  behalf  of  the  entire  Augustana  Synod.  For  this  reason  the 
Synod  classes  Kev.  Jonas  Swensson  as  one  of  its  founders  and  pioneers. 
The  Andover  congrregation  which  had  a  membership  of  356  \\hen 
Rev.  Esb.iorn  left,  had  increased  to  400  when  Swensson  arrived.  The 
settlement  developed  rapidly  in  every  direction.  As  early  as  1858  a 
ehiu'ch  was  built  in  that  part  of  the  locality  Iniown  as  Berlin,  situated 
eight  miles  away,  and  on  the  17th  of  February,  1859,  a  congregation  was 
organized  at  that  place.  Next  in  order  the  WoodhuU  congregation  was 
organized  in  1868,  followed  by  the  New  Windsor  church  in  1869,  that 
of  Orion  in  1870,  and  finally  the  Cambridge  congregation  in  1875,  At 
all  these  places  Rev.  Swensson  alone  preached  for  many  years.  At 
Berlin  he  held  services  regularly  eveiy  other  Saturday  until  1866  when 
the  ehiireh  obtained  a  pastor  of  its  own.  Considering  that  Swensson 
usually  lu'cached  two  or  three  times  each  Sunday,  held  catechetical 
meetings  at  certain  seasons  of  the  year  in  the  various  districts  of  the  set- 
tlement, made  numerous  visits  to  the  sick,  attended  synods,  conferences 
and  other  church  conventions,  often  visited  and  preached  in  vacant 
con,i|regations,  and  also  looked  out  for  the  financial  interests  of  his  own 
church,  meanwhile  being  almost  constantly  hampered  by  sickness  in  his 
own  family,  it  appears  that  Swensson  was  a  very  bii.sy  man.  The  wonder 
is  that  he  found  time  for  it  all.  During  the  last  three  years  of  his  life, 
he  was  als(j  |iresident  of  thi'  synod,  an  office  which  alone  would  give 


442 


THE    I.ITMKRANS 


the  avcniirc  clc'i'fryiiiiin  all  that  he  coukl  do.     For  seviral  years  prior, 
Swenssoii  held  the  position  of  syiiodieal  secretary. 

Although  in  good  health,  it  seems  a  miracle  that  Swcns.son,  stren- 
uously as  lie  worked,  did  not  give  out  unieh  (>arlier  tlian  he  did.  It 
never  occui-ivd  to  him  In  Inislunid  his  stn-iiL'th.     lie  cnuvidered   it   liis 


Tlie  I'rL'seiil  Swivlisli   l.iiUiiTan  Cliuroli,  .Xiulovcr 

duly  III  s.-icriricc  liiiiiscll'  in  iIh'  service  ol"  liie  church  and  at  no  lime 
eouM  lie  he  pcrsnadid  In  l,ii<c  a  lew  iiinrLliis"  rest.  Often,  at'ler  spending 
eighl  or  nine  jionrs  in  chui'eh,  preaching,  calcchising  and  administer- 
ing the  saiMamenls.  as  on  conlinnalion  days,  he  would  sit  up  till  twelve 
o'elnci;  with  a  few  inlinuilc  Ti'lends,  talking,  singing  iiiid  playing:  .vet 
llii'   ni\t    mornin'_'  wmilil    find   iiim   up  at    four  and   luisy   enrryini^  tlie 


JONAS    SWIvNSSON 


443 


hoi"scs  ill  order  to  be  iv:u\y  to  st;irt  out  on  his  olficial  roiimls  iimiicili- 
ately  after  breakfast. 

The  little  ehui-i-h  wliich  luul  been  erected  duriiiu  Kev.  Esbjijrn's 
term  of  service  at  Aiidover,  shortly  after  Kev.  Swensson's  coming  was 
found  too  small,  ami  in  IStU  it  was  decided  to  erect  a  new  one.  The 
woi-k  on  the  new  buildiuL',  wiiieh  was  not  begmi  until  1867,  gave  Rev. 
Swensson,  as  well  as  the  church  council  and  the  building  committee,  a 
great  deal  of  additional  work  and  worry.  On  Nov.  15,  1868,  the  con- 
greuation  moved  into  the  new  edifice,  this  being  made  the  occasion  of 
an  impressive  jubilee  celebration.  The  new  church,  however,  was  not 
fiuisiied  until  1874.  the  year  after  Rev.  Swensson's  death,  when  it  was 
dedicated  with  solemn  ceremonies  on  the  23rd  day  of  August.  The 
church  completed  represented  an  outlay  of  $30,985,  not  counting  the 
work  jterformed  gratuitously  by  mend^ers  of  the  congregation.  This 
chui'ch  still  stands  as  a  fitting  monument  to  Rev.  Swensson  and  his 
noble  endeavors,  in  the  same  sense  that  the  old  one  was  a  testimonial  to 
the  energy  of  his  predecessor,  Esbjorn.  During  the  last  year  of  Swens- 
son's life,  the  congregation  attained  to  a  membership  of  1,855,  of  whom 
951  were  commiuiicants. 

As  a  preacher,  Swensson  was  always  popular.  When  he  got 
thoroughly  warmed  \\p  on  a  certain  text,  he  would  preach  for  two  or 
three  hours  without  a  sign  of  physical  exhaustion  or  waning  interest  in 
his  topic.  He  n.ever  affected  oratoiy  or  poetic  flights  of  imagination, 
his  .sermons,  simple  and  logical,  addressing  themselves  to  the  reason  and 
not  to  the  feelings  of  his  audience.  His  preaching  was  principally  of 
the  didactic  order,  bearing  a  striking  resemblance  to  that  of  the  famous 
Swedish  ju-eaeher  Anders  Xohrborg.  Swensson  had  an  aversion  to 
preaching  or  speaking  at  public  celebrations  and  festive  occasions.  He 
was  a  model  shepherd  of  his  flock.  The  sick  he  visited  with  a  regularity 
prompted  by  large-hearted  sympathy  rather  than  a  sense  of  off'icial 
duty,  and  he  was  never  known  to  neglect  a  sickbed  on  account  of  incle- 
ment weather,  bad  roads  or  unseasonable  hours,  day  or  night.  In  his 
frequent  travels  between  the  distant  points  \inder  his  spiritual  charpr. 
he  became  an  expert  driver,  with  few  rivals  in  the  art  of  handling 
hori-es.  He  was  generally  in  a  hurry,  this  good  parson,  and  when  he 
whizzed  by  on  his  I'i'gulai'  toui's  between  ^Vndover  and  Berlin,  pufl'ing 
great  clouds  of  smoke  from  his  pipe,  he  bore  more  than  a  remote  resem- 
blance to  a  railway  locomotive  going  with  a  full  head  of  steam.  He  was 
equally  conscientious  and  husines.slike  in  his  attention  to  his  duties  as 
president  of  the  synod.  Its  sessions  were  conducted  in  an  orderly, 
parliamentary  manner  and  with  scrupulous  fairness  to  all  sides.  lie 
had  a  tender  heart  and.  although  a  man  of  meager  income,  he  would 
invariably  give  a  helping  hand  to  those  in  iuhhI.     Swensson  was  of  tall 


444  THE    I.ITHKRANS 

stature  iiiid  fine  l)iiil(l.  and  possessed  a  powerful,  thou":!!  rather  in- 
tlexiblc  and  unnuisieal  voice,  which  carried  well  even  in  as  lai-^e  an 
auditorium  as  that  of  the  new  Andover  church.  In  his  pei-sonality  he 
eoinl)ined  ditrnity  with  artlessuess  and  simplicity.  lie  abhorred  hypoc- 
risy and  affectation.  While  reticent  in  a  crowd,  he  wa.s  a  good  talker 
and  an  entertaining  compauion  among  his  intimate  friends. 

During  his  later  years,  Swensson  was  subject  to  attacks  of  gout 
accompanied  bj'  spasms,  followed  by  fainting  spells.  This  aficction 
caused  his  death.  He  passed  away  in  his  home  at  Andover  Dec.  20, 
1873,  at  the  early  age  of  forty-five.  His  wife  survived  him  by  only  one 
year.  .V  monument  erected  by  the  congregation  marks  the  spot  in  the 
old  cluirch-yard  where  reposes  this  energetic  and  faithful  pasttir  of  the 
Aiuliivii-  (Innrli.  lie  left  four  children,  three  sons  and  one  daughter, 
viz.,  liev.  Carl  Aron  Swens.son.  Ph.  D..  renowned  as  the  founder  and 
president  of  Bethany  College,  at  Lindsboi-g.  Kans.,  who  died  in  IjOS 
Angeles,  f'al..  Feb.  Hi.  1!K)4:  John  Swensison,  manager  of  the  Gtistaf 
Adiilf  orpbaiiaire  at  .lanicstown.  X.  Y. -.  TiUtber  Swensson.  former  post- 
master at  Lindsb<ir<i'.  Kans..  and  ^Irs.   Anna  Carls.son  of  Lind.sborg. 

Rev.  Swens.soirs  dutii's  as  ])r('acliei-  and  jiastor  left  him  no  time 
for  literary  work.  A  modest  little  pamphlet  on  a  religious  topic,  pub- 
lished ])y  him  while  .still  in  Sweden,  is  the  only  published  jiroduct  of 
his  pen. 

Omitling  details,  the  further  story  of  the  Andover  eluu'ch  may 
be  briefly  told.  After  a  vacancy  of  one  and  one-half  years.  Rev.  Swens- 
.son's  i>lace  was  filled  in  the  spi-ing  of  187')  by  Rev.  Krland  ("arls.son.  of 
Chicago,  anotlicr  of  llie  venerable  pioneers  of  the  Swedish  l.iUtheran 
Church  of  .\mei-ii-a.  He  had  cliarg(>  until  1SS4.  when  ill  healtii  com- 
[K'Hcd  him  to  i-('sijrn.     In  187")  a  |)arsonaj:<'  was  built  at  a  cost  of  .$:{.(>()('). 

Kcv.  Cailssdii  (IcmjIimI  hiiiisi'ir  In  the  watei'intr  of  the  s|)irilind  si-ed 
sown  by  Swensson  in  lliis  field,  and  in  this  as  well  as  in  his  efforts  to 
ediicati'  the  (•liililrcii  and  keep  the  young  jn'oiile  in  the  i-hureh  he  suc- 
ceeded rciiiiii-kalijv  well,  .\ttrr  being  three  \cars  witlinnl  a  pei-nianent 
pastor,  the  liiiiirli  ill  1SS7  called  Rev.  ^'ielor  Setterdalil  who  labored 
here  for  a  prrind  nl'  eiirlileen  years,  or  tnitil  the  sjiriiig  of  l!((l.">.  In 
Mai-i-li.  lltiKi.  ihc  til'iii'iii  aiiiii\  ersar\'  of  the  .\iidover  chun-h  was 
(■elei)i'ali'<l  with  festivities  befitting  the  oceasion.  The  successor  of 
Setli-rdalil  is  bN'V.  Carl  I".  Hdblom.  In  liHHi.  the  ehureh  liad  a  total 
nn>nd>ership  of  l.lL'O.  of  wIhuii  tisi  were  comminiicaiits. 

'I'lie  .\iii|cpvei'  ehureh  is  not  only  the  oldest  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
I'liiiielies  in  this  country  but  also  oiu'  of  the  richest,  most  stable  and 
most  conservative.  It  would  be  hard  to  find  a  ciiurch  anywhere  whosr 
iiiciiibers  arc  so  u-ciicrally  well-to-do  and  financially  independent  as  an' 
I  he   paiMsliioiicrs  of   .\tidovei-.      .\    visitor   today   docs   not   easily    ii'ali/.e 


T.  X.  IlASSICI.QflST  445 

tluil  little  iiKirc  tliiiii  li;ilt'  ;i  ci'iitury  imci  tli'-  I'ii'sl  Swcdisli  settlers  lieL'iiii 
to  build  homes  in  this  ioeiilily,  organize  themselves  into  a  congregation 
and  ei-eet  a  ehiireli.  ;ill  this  under  tlie  most  disconrairing  coiidifiims. 

Rev.    Tuve   Nilsson    Hasselquist 

The  seeond  in  order  of  the  ministers  of  the  Swedish  state  chnreh 
who  eame  over  during  the  pioneer  days  in  order  to  minister  to  the 
spiritual  wants  of  their  poor  and  widely  scattered  fillnw  countrymen 
in  Illinois  was  Kev.  T.  N.  Hasselquist  from  Skane.  He  eame  here  in  the 
autumn  of  lSo2  and  for  almost  forty  years  aided  in  framing  and  up- 
building the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of  America  in  various  capacities. 
as  pastor,  as  editor  of  the  church  [taper  and  for  a  period  of  thirty  years 
as  president  of  its  college  and  theological  seminary.  E.sbjorn  and 
Hasselijuist  are  the  central  figures  around  which  are  grouped  all  the 
in-incipal  events  of  the  early  days  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
this  country.  "While  the  work  of  Esb.iorn.  the  founder,  is  of  primary 
im])ortance  to  Swedish  Lutherans  in  Illinois  and  all  America,  that  of 
Ilasselcpiist  was  no  less  significant,  including,  as  it  did.  both  the  task 
of  developing  and  establishing  the  church  on  the  foundations  already 
laid  and  of  taking  up  new  lines  of  work,  for  instance,  the  foiuiding  of 
the  first  Swedish  newspaper  in  the  United  States  as  the  organ  of  that 
church. 

Tuve  NiLsson  Hasselquist  was  born  in  the  parish  of  Ousby.  in  north- 
ern Skane,  March  2,  1816.  His  parents  were  country  folk  of  the  sub- 
.stantial  sort.  Their  sons  were  given  a  fairly  thorough  education  at 
home.  Rev.  Collin,  the  rector  of  the  parish,  having  noticed  that  the 
boy  Tuve  had  a  good  head  for  study,  urged  his  father  to  send  him  to 
school  to  fit  him  for  a  learned  career.  Consequently,  at  the  age  of 
fourteen,  he  entered  a  school  at  Kristianstad  and  there  adopted  the 
name  of  Hasselquist,  from  that  of  his  native  place  Ilasslarod. 

After  only  five  years,  young  Hasselquist  passed  the  examination 
for  admission  to  the  university  of  Lund,  where  he  began  his  theological 
studies  after  being  engaged  for  some  time  as  a  private  tutor.  He  was 
examined  for  the  ministry  by  the  Lund  chapter  and  ordained  by  Bishop 
Faxe  the  day  before  midsummer,  in  1839.  being  at  once  appointed 
curate  of  the  parishes  of  Everlof  and  Slimminge.  Here  he  remained 
for  one  year,  and  was  subsequently  a.ssigned  to  Kristianstad.  After 
another  year,  he  was  transferred  in  1842  to  the  parishes  of  Glimakra 
and  Orkened  in  the  northeast  corner  of  the  province. 

Young  as  he  was,  Rev.  Hasselquist  was  already  widely  known  foi' 
his  trxie  Christian  character  and  his  devotion  to  his  pastoral  calling. 
His  sermons  were  full  of  spirit  and  power.  Not  confining  himself  to 
the  Sundav  morning  sermon,  he  held  Bible  studv  meetings  on  Sunday 


446  Till-;   i.rTHi:RANS 

afternoons  and  other  religious  meetings  here  and  there  in  the  parish 
diiriniar  the  week.  He  had  tlie  reputation  of  being  a  very  eariu-st 
"revivalist  preaeiier, "  and  was  a  zealous  temperance  advocate,  often 
appearing  on  the  same  platform  with  that  warm-hearted  temperance 
agitator  Pehr  "Wieselgren. 

In  1845,  after  serving  there  for  three  years,  he  became  curate  under 
old  Rector  Nordstrom  of  Onnestad,  after  whose  death  he  became  tem- 
jiorary  rector  of  the  church.  The  arrival  of  Hasselquist  to  Onnestad 
marked  the  beginning  of  a  period  of  spiritual  revival  for  that  locality. 
He  labored  assiduously,  sowing  the  seed  of  truth,  and  was  gratified  to 
notice  that  it  bore  rich  fruit.  Toward  the  end  of  the  forties.  Hassel- 
qui.st  was  assigned  as  curate  to  Akarp  and  Wittsjo.  in  northern  Skane. 
where  he  labored  for  several  years.  His  time  of  service  as  assistant 
pastor  was  thirteen  years  in  all.  His  frequent  transfers  from  place  to 
place  gave  him  the  advantage  of  an  extensive  personal  acquaintance 
throughout  a  large  part  of  northern  Skane.  He  thus  became  widely 
known  for  his  Christian  zeal  and  sincerity,  his  ability  as  a  preacher  and 
his  earnest  efforts  to  substitute  good  morals  for  the  prevalent  license 
of  the  times. 

Had  he  remained  in  Sweden.  Hasselquist  would  doubtless  very 
soon  have  occupied  a  prominent  ])lace  among  the  clergy.  But  provi- 
dence had  decreed  that  he  was  to  serve,  not  the  state  church  of  Sweden, 
but  the  Lutheran  Cluueh  at  large  by  becoming  a  pioneer  of  Lutheranisra 
and  of  general  culture  in  a  foreign  land.  It  was  a  triflinc  cireumstanee 
that  primarily  brought  about  Hasselquist 's  emigration.  Kev.  Esbjiirn 
greatly  needed  an  assistant  in  his  work  among  the  Swedes  of  Illinois, 
and  was  casting  about  for  a  suitable  man.  The  outlook  was  not  en- 
couraging, and  for  a  time  it  seemed  as  tiiough  these  people  were  to  lie 
left  to  the  choice  between  joining  American  churches  and  living  with- 
out any  church  coiniections  whatever.  At  this  juncture,  a  settler  named 
Ola  Nilsson,  hailing  from  Oiuiestad.  came  to  the  a.ssistance  of  Hev. 
Esbjorn.  He  knew  Ha.sselquist  well  and  suggested  that  he  woulil  un- 
doubtedly come,  provided  he  were  fully  convinced  of  the  urgent  need 
of  spiritual  workers  among  his  fellow  coinitrynien  here. 

Rev.  Esbjorn  promptly  foUowetl  his  friend's  advice.  He  arranged 
to  have  the  newly  organized  congregation  in  Oalesburg  call  Ha.ssel- 
quist as  ]tastor.  with  the  promise  of  a  small  salary.  In  addition.  Ksbjiirn 
obtained  a  small  ap])i-(q)riation  from  the  .\merieaii  hoard  nf  Home 
Missions.  Kev.  Hasselquist  received  the  eiill  in  the  earl\'  part  of  tin- 
year  lSr)2.  Looking  upon  it  as  a  call  not  only  from  the  Swedes  of 
(ialesbnrg,  but  directly  from  Ood.  he  in-eepted  it  without  hesitation, 
although  his  ehances  for  promotion  in  tin-  stale  eliun-h  were  tin-  best. 

Hi'fore  stai'ling  oti  his  long  and  signiriennt   voyage,  he  was  unitetl 


T.  X.  IIASSIU.o'IST  447 

ill  iii.-irriage  to  his  heart's  rhoicc,  Miss  I'lva  Ilrh'iia  ('iTxiii  n\'  Kristiaii- 
stad,  a  woman  of  excciitioiial  streiifith  of  cliaraclei',  wlio  was  to  be  of 
inestimable  assistance  to  him  in  tlie  fjrcat  work  lie  was  about  to  under- 
take in  the  new  country. 

Accompanied  by  his  bride  and  a  party  of  sixty  emigrants  from 
nortliern  Skane,  Ilasselquist  left  for  America  late  in  the  summer  of 
1852.  The  party  arrived  in  New  York  Sept.  28th,  tlienee  taking  tlie 
usual  route  to  Chicago.  The  S>Tiod  of  Northern  Illinois  was  .just  in 
session  in  the  latter  city,  and  there  Ilasselquist  and  Esbjorn  now  met 
for  the  first  time.  We  can  readily  imagine  tlie  cordiality  of  this  meet- 
ing. Ilasselquist  was  at  once  admitted  to  the  synod  and  soon  thereafter 
preached  his  first  sermon  in  this  country.  After  adjouriniicnt  of  the 
synod,  he  left  for  Andover,  whence  Esbjorn  took  him  and  liis  wife 
across  country  to  Galesburg,  a  twenty-five  mile  ride  over  the  worst 
kind  of  country  roads. 

The  reception  accorded  the  new  pastor  by  his  church  was  rather 
discouraging.  It  was  a  raw  and  drizzly  autumn  day.  Everything 
about  the  place  had  a  poverty-stricken  appearance.  There  was  no 
delegation  of  church  members  to  bid  him  welcome,  and  no  home  in 
readiness  to  receive  him.  Just  outside  the  town,  Esb.iorn  with  his 
guests  met  a  Swedish  settler,  and,  thinking  to  please  the  man,  intro- 
duced Hasselquist  as  the  new  Swedish  pastor.  Instead  of  politely 
bidding  him  welcome,  the  Swede  rudely  inquired,  "What  business  has 
he  got  to  come  here?" 

The  congregation  in  Galesburg  was  a  very  small  one.  Organized 
in  1851,  just  a  year  before,  it  had  only  a  few  members,  all  poor,  and 
neither  a  church  nor  a  parsonage.  All  this  might  have  been  ignored, 
however,  had  it  only  been  what  it  purported  to  be,  a  Lutheran  church, 
but  such  was  not  the  case.  It  was  more  Congregationalist  than  any- 
thing else,  being  under  the  influence  of  the  American  Congrega- 
tionalists,  M'itli  students  from  Knox  College,  a  Congregationalist  in- 
stitution, conducting  its  Smiday  school. 

Rev.  Hasselquist  and  his  bride  were  assigned  quarters  in  a  little 
shanty,  half  of  which  was  occupied  by  a  former  Erik  Janssonist, 
addicted  to  drink.  The  man  was  comparatively  peaceable,  but  his  wife 
was  a  veritable  virago  who  kept  lecturing  and  cursing  her  liege  lord 
from  morning  till  night.  Here,  indeed,  extremes  met  under  one  i-oof : 
on  one  side  of  the  partition  there  was  quarreling  and  cursing,  on  the 
other,  praying  and  singing.  The  Hasselquists  occupied  two  rooms,  the 
one  faii'-sized,  the  other  a  mere  closet.  The  fii-st  was  made  to  serve  as 
sitting-room,  study,  parlor,  kitchen  and  bedchamber  combined.  The 
furniture  was  in  keeping  with  some  of  these  functions,  while  most  of 
the  things  making  for  home  comfort  were  lacking.    At  first  they  liad 


448 


Tin-:    I.ITIIKRANS 


IK)  lied,  but  slept  on  the  HodP;  llic  trunk  in  wliicli  IIassel(|uist  had 
broutrlit  his  books  had  to  do  duty  as  a  dining  tabk'.  ''he  roof  of  this 
primitive  dwelling  leaked  so  badly  tiiat  tlu-  tloor  was  flooded  every 
time  it  rained. 


"a 
C 


Tims  lu\.  Il,issi>li|iiisl  licj^an  his  labors  in  Oalesburn  undfr  any- 
lliinn;  but  favorable  auspices.  Xol  only  was  the  eon>;rej:ation  a  small 
and  poor  one,  and  split  up  liy  divernenees  in  religious  beliefs,  but  worse 
still,   there  was  a   );<'neral   opinion   deeidiully   anta;;onist  ie   to  Swedisit 


T.  X.  HASSKI.yriST  ^49 

Lutheran  church  work  in  this  locality.  From  the  nei^'hlioriiig  Bishop 
Hill  colony  many  persons  who  had  tired  of  the  Prophet  Erik  Jaiisson 
and  now  were  indifferent  to  religion  in  any  form  had  moved  into 
Galesburg.  On  the  other  hand,  there  was  the  Swedish  Aletiiodist  strong- 
hold at  Victoria  which  had  extended  its  operations  to  Galesburg  and 
there  made  many  converts.  And  after  the  year  1852  the  Baptists 
added  a  third  element  of  opposition.  To  all  these  people  a  Swedish 
Lutheran  elerg^Tuan,  in  the  garb  of  the  state  church  and  following  its 
prescribed  ritual.  Avas  not  much  better  than  a  Catholic.  The  Methodists, 
in  particular,  made  Esbjoru  and  Hasselquist  out  to  be  spiritually  dead, 
although  in  the  old  country  these  same  men  had  been  looked  upon  as 
altogether  too  zealous  and  devout  in  their  Christianity  to  suit  the  free 
and  easy  church  members. 

By  his  preaching  and  his  living,  Hasselquist,  however,  .soon  dis- 
proved the  statements  of  his  antagonists.  But  he  found  greater 
difficulty  in  overcoming  the  prejudices  entertained  against  him  by  the 
professors  at  Knox  College.  These  men  evidently  held  a  poor  opinion 
of  the  Swedish  clergy  to  whom  they  considered  themselves  far  superior 
in  every  i-espect.  Eventually,  they  learned  to  know  him  as  a  man  of 
erudition,  zeal  and  eai-nestness  in  his  calling,  qualities  which  compelled 
their  respect. 

Among  the  very  first  cares  that  fell  upon  Hasselquist 's  shoulders 
was  the  task  of  raising  funds  for  a  church  building.  With  nuich 
difficulty  the  means  were  procured  and  a  church  erected,  which  not 
long  after  was  found  inadequate  and  had  to  be  enlarged.  The  field 
was  constantly  being  extended,  so  that  at  the  sjTiodical  meeting  of 
1853  Hasselqui.st  could  repoi-t  that  his  pastorate  consisted  of  no  less 
than  four  congregations,  with  a  total  of  101  communicants.  The  four 
congregations  referred  to  were  those  of  Galesburg  and  Knoxville  and. 
supposedly.  Wataga  and  Altona.  The  Sunday  school  of  the  Galesburg 
congregation,  which  up  to  that  time  had  been  in  the  hands  of  the 
Congregationalists.  was  reorganized  in  Augu.st,  185-3.  and  at  that  time 
consisted  of  five  teachers  and  27  pupils. 

Rev.  Hasselquist  remained  at  Galesburg  for  eleven  years.  During 
this  period,  besides  his  pastoral  work  in  the  local  field,  he  cari'ied  on  an 
extensive  missionary  work  both  in  Illinois  and  in  adjacent  states. 
Niunberless  were  his  journeys  during  these  eleven  years,  and  beset 
with  the  hardships  that  attended  travel  in  those  days,  when  railroads 
were  still  unknown  in  this  territory.  A  ninnber  of  new  congregations 
were  founded  by  him.  among  which  the  Immanuel  Church  of  Chicago. 
His  missionary  field  extended  eastward  all  the  way  to  New  York  and 
to  the  north  as  far  as  Minnesota.  In  the  new  country  Hasselquist 
evinced  the  same  qualities  that  distinguished  him  in  Sweden,  only  in 


450 


THK    UTHKRANS 


a  more  potent  degree.  His  zeal  was  increased  and  his  love  of  his 
fellow  eountryinou  grew  in  warmth  when  he  saw  what  was  their  con- 
dition, .spiritually  and  materially. 


l\i\.  TiiM'  Nilssun    Ilas.si.'li|iu>t 


III  llii'  iiilciisc  opposition  he  t'licountcred.  I'vcn  witiiiii  his  own 
ciiiircli,  lie  liiiil  .'iiiipic  cause  for  not  strict ly  ailhci'ini;  to  the  ritiiaiisni 
of  the  sinte  clmi'i'li  of  Swcih'ii.  Within  and  without  his  conKre^aliot) 
there   wei-c   many   wlio  eherisiu'd  not  the  slightest    respect    for  the  re- 


T.  N.  HASSI':i,01  1ST  451 

ligious  usages  oi'  llicir  i'orefather.s,  but  had  tlu'  tji'oalcsl,  admiral  imi 
for  everything  tliat  tlicy  know  or  supposed  to  be  American. 

Among  tlic  growing  nuinl)er  of  Swedish  Lutheran  ehurclics  of 
America  Ilassolquist  early  came  to  be  recognized  as  a  very  I'tTicicnt 
man.  And  Avhen  flie  AuE^ustana  Synod  was  organized  he  was  chosen 
its  first  president.  To  this  resi)onsible  position  he  was  subsequently 
re-elected  each  year  for  a  decade.  This  was  the  patriarchal  period  in 
the  history  of  the  synod.  Hasselquist  was  no  stickler  on  parliamentary 
law,  the  main  thing  with  him  being  to  get  a  clear  and  many-sided  view 
of  the  subject  in  hand  for  the  purpose  of  arriving  at  a  good,  sensible 
decision.  Whether  or  not  such  decision  was  in  accord  with  the  intricate 
rules  of  debate  caused  him  no  worry.  Nevertheless,  he  could  not  be 
accused  of  despotism  or  arbitrariness.  He  was  simply  a  father  among 
the  brethren.  Though  not  in  name,  yet  in  fact  he  was  the  bishop  of  the 
widely  scattered  congregations  of  the  synod,  among  which  he  made 
frequent  official  visits,  learning  to  know  his  people  and  becoming 
known  by  them. 

The  life  work  of  Hasselquist,  however,  was  neither  that  of  a  pastor 
nor  of  a  synodical  president ;  it  was  to  be  performed  in  the  capacity  of 
president  of  the  Augustana  Theological  Seminary,  to  which  was  sub- 
sequently added  a  complete  college.  In  1863  Hasselquist  was  elected 
the  successor  of  Rev.  Esbjiirn  as  president  of  that  institution,  a  position 
in  which  he  was  destined  to  exert  a  far-reaching  influence. 

Previous  reference  has  been  made  to  Hasselquist  as  the  founder  of 
the  Swedish  press  of  the  United  States.  He  earned  that  title  in  the 
autumn  of  185-1  when  he  began  preparations  for  publishing  from  Gales- 
burg  "Gamla  och  Nya  Hemlandet,"  the  first  Swedish-American  news- 
paper, whose  first  issue  appeared  on  Jan. 3,  the  following  year.  Hassel- 
quist held  the  position  of  editor  for  four  years,  luitil  1858.  In  1856  he 
also  founded  a  religious  paper,  "Det  Ratta  Hemlandet,"  from  which 
sprung  "Augustana,"  the  present  organ  of  the  Augustana  Synod. 
Prom  1868  to  1889  this  paper  was  published  under  the  name  of 
''Augustana  och  Missionaren,"  Hasselquist  continuing  these  twenty- 
one  years  as  its  editor.  He  is  also  author  of  several  books  of  a 
religious  character. 

In  1881  Rev.  Hasselquist  lost  his  wife  through  death,  their 
daughter  Hanna  having  died  four  years  before;  and  ten  years  after 
his  wife's  death  the  venerable  patriarch  himself  passed  away.  He  died 
Feb.  4,  1891,  and  at  his  funeral  both  the  speakers  and  the  great  silent 
assemblage  bore  testimony  to  the  great  loss  sustained  by  the  Swedish- 
American  nationality.  Hasselquist  left  two  sons.  Xathanael  aiul 
Joshua,  and  a  daughter,  Esther. 

Among  the  marks  of  distinction  conferred  upon  Hasselquist  may 


452 


Tin-;    I.ITIIKRANS 


mentioned  the  title  of  Doctor  of  Divinity  by  JIuhlenberg  College  and 
the  order  of  the  Polar  Star  by  King  Oscar  of  Sweden. 

Lutheran   WorK  in   Galesburg 

The  foundation  for  Swedish  Lutheran  church  work  in  Galesburg 
was  laid  in  November,  1849,  by  Rev.  L.  P.  Esbjorn.  In  the  early  part 
of  1850,  the  building  of  a  small  meeting-hou.se  was  begun  at  his  sugges- 
tion and  with  his  cooperation.  The  sum  of  $550  was  subscribed  as 
early  as  Feb.  28th.  ^Vlthough  many  Americans  interested  themselves 
in  the  undertaking,  the  work  was  delayed,  and  not  until  the  latter  i)art 
of  May  the  foundation,  outer  w»lls  and  steeple  were  constructed.  The 
foundation  was  of  brick,  the  superstructure  of  frame  and  the  dimen- 
sions of  tiie  building  were,  length.  40  feet,  widtii.  '30  feet,  and  height. 
18  feet.  As  yet,  the  congregation  had  not  been  organized,  owing  to  the 
opposition  of  the  jMethodists. 

Aug.  24,  1851,  Rev.  Esbjiirn,  on  reciuest,  held  communion  services 
at  Galesburg  and  after  services  the  names  of  those  wishing  to  become 
members  of  a  Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  were  asked  to  give  their 
names.  Forty  persons  responded  and  these  constituted  the  first 
Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  of  that  city.  In  the  fall  of  the  same 
year.  Rev.  Esbjorn  designated  Gnstaf  Palnuiuist.  a  former  seliool-tcach- 
er  from  Sweden,  as  pastor  of  tiie  church,  lie  gained  the  confidence 
of  the  people,  but  being  a  Baptist  at  heart,  altiiough  not  a  confessed 
one,  his  work  was  not  calculated  to  strengthen,  but  ratlier  to  disrupt 
and  weaken  the  church,  whose  members  were  already  wavering  lietween 
the  Methodist  and  the  Congregational  faith.  In  June,  1852.  Palnniuist 
joined  the  Baptists  and  celebrated  the  event  by  calling  a  jubilee  meet- 
ing in  the  Lutheran  meeting-house,  at  whicli  In-  declared  that  not  luitil 
now  had  lie  obeyed  tlu'  will  of  God  in  receiving  the  Ciiristian  baptism. 
To  show  tiie  nature  of  the  Methodist  opposition  to  Lutheran  work  in 
Galesburg  it  may  be  stated  tliaf  Rev.  -lonas  Tledslrilm.  by  spreading  the 
report  that  liic  Swcdisli  liUthfraiis  in  tiie  place  were  a  mere  liaiidful. 
1li;il  they  (lill'iTrd  vi'i-y  little  from  \ho  Catholics,  succeeded  in  dam]>en 
ing  tile  interest  of  tiie  .Xmei'ieaiis  in  tiie  liUtlieraii  meetiiig-iiouse  to  the 
extent  tliat  many  oi'  tiieiii  repudiatetl  llieir  suiiscriptioiis  towaril  its 
erection.  By  intrigue,  tiie  imilding.  before  completion,  fell  into  the 
hands  of  the  Aiiierieaii  Metliodists.  the  Lutherans,  however,  being 
privileged  to  use  it.  After  the  arrival  of  Rev.  llassel(|uist.  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  congregation  purchased  the  luiilding  for  the  sum  of  $l,(U1(l. 
and  siiortly  afterward  iiad  it  enlarged.  This  first  eliureh  edifice  slooil 
on  tile  same  spot  where  the  present  ehiireli  is  located.  Having  now  a 
house  of  worship  of  their  own.  (he  Swedish  Lutherans  were  in  a  lietter 
|iosilioii  to  ;ivoiil  undue  iiilliieii<-e  i'roiii  liie  4itlier  deiiominntioiis.     The 


WORK  IX  (".Ai,i:siirRO 


453 


i-liiircli  was  lu'itlior  li^'lilcd  nor  provided  with  seats,  iiiakiiiji'  it  iiet-es- 
sary  for  the  churchgoers  to  bring  their  own  chairs  and  tallow  candles. 
In  spite  of  the  latter,  the  gloom  that  pervaded  the  edifice  of  a  Sunday 
night  was  so  dense  that  the  ])reacher  was  scarcely  able  to  distinguish 
his  hearers. 

In  the  cholera  epidemic  of  1S54,  the  church  suffered  the  loss  of  a 
nundjcr  of  members.  The  scourge,  however,  had  the  etfect  of  causing  a 
spiritual  revival  among  the  survivors.  ;iiul  Ilassekiuist  seized  this  favor- 
able opportunity  to  work  upon  the  hearts  of  his  flock  by  holding  meet- 
ings everv  evening  for  oue  week  during  the  month  of  .\ugust.    He  was 


The  First  Sweilish  Lutheran  Churcli  of  Galesburg,   Erected  in    1S52 


assisted  by  Rev.  M.  F.  Ilokauson  of  New  Sweden,  la.  The  result  of 
the  week's  work  was  that  about  one  hundred  persons  applied  for  mem- 
bership in  the  churches  at  Galesburg  and  Ivnoxville.  In  the  latter 
place  the  ravages  of  the  pest  were  greater  than  at  Galesburg,  craving 
no  less  than  forty  victims  among  the  Swedes. 

In  the  fall  of  1855,  Rev.  Hasselquist  obtained  an  assistant  in  the 
person  of  P.  A.  Cederstam,  a  theological  student  from  Chicago  who  was 
licensed  to  preach  the  following  March.  Owing  to  the  great  lack  of 
ministers,  he  was  not  long  permitted  to  remain  here,  but  was  sent  to 
Minnesota  the  following  May.  A  year  later  Hasselquist  received  a  new 
assistant  in  his  brother-in-law,  A.  R.  Cervin,  a  teacher  from  the  old 
country,  who  aided  him  in  the  work  for  more  than  a  year. 


454  THE  utiii;r.\ns 

There  was  muoli  ungodliness  to  contend  with  during  this  period, 
necessitating  a  very  strict  application  of  church  discipline.  The  warn- 
ings and  admonitions  of  the.se  men  being  left  unheeded,  exeonuuunica- 
tion  was  resorted  to.  Drunkenness  and  licentiousness  were  the  vices 
most  prevalent.  Dancing,  improper  conduct  in  church  and  nesligence  in 
attending  divine  services  were  also  causes  for  disciplinary  measures. 

Surrounded  on  all  sides  by  those  who  hated  everj'thing  savoring 
of  the  cult  and  practices  of  the  Swedish  state  church.  Rev.  Ilassclquist 
was  driven  too  far  in  his  concessions  to  the  customs  and  usages  of  the 
American  Reformed  churches.  Thus,  it  was  no  uncommon  thing  for 
him  to  make  his  appearance  in  churrh  of  a  Sunday  morning  dressed  in 
a  white  linen  duster  in  i)lace  of  the  black  clerical  coat,  and  walk  down 
the  aisle  singing  one  of  Ahnfelt's  songs  in  which  the  congregation 
would  .ioin.  lie  would  then  go  directly  to  the  ])ulpit.  read  a  text,  offer 
a  prayer  and  then  commence  preaching.  Suddenly  he  would  interrupt 
himself  by  singing  another  familiar  song,  subsequently  picking  up  the 
thread  of  his  discourse  where  he  had  dropped  it.  The  services  would 
end  as  unceremoniously  as  they  began.  These  concessions  to  arbitrary 
usage  were  not  without  effect  on  the  congregation.  A  faction  was 
formed  that  held  it  to  be  wrong  for  the  minister  to  wear  a  coat  of 
clerical  cut,  read  the  confession  or  follow  the  ritual.  These  persons 
also  considered  it  wrong  to  remain  standing  during  the  reading  of  the 
gospel  and  epistle  text  before  the  altar,  and  consequently  remained 
seated  when  tlic  congregation  arose.  They  demanded  tliat  the  jiastor 
should  sit,  and  not  stand,  before  the  altar,  and  insisted  that  he  discanl 
the  clerical  neck-band.  They  made  so  much  of  this  that  when  Hilkan 
Olsson,  one  of  Ilassclquist 's  pupils,  after  ordination  appeared  wi'.h 
that  mark  of  the  ecclesiastical  office,  one  of  the  deacons  stepped  up  to 
him  with  the  evident  intention  of  tearing  that  innocent  little  article  of 
apparel  from  his  neck.  This  movement,  which  at  first  seemed  insignifi- 
cant, developed  to  such  an  extent  that  even  before  lla.sselquist  left 
Galesburg  lists  were  circulated  for  the  purpose  of  soliciting  members 
for  a  free  church.  Such  a  one  was  establislicd  iti  lS()!t  uiulcr  the  name 
of  the  Second  Lutheran  Church  of  Galesburg.  Such  was  the  result  of 
Ilassehiuist's  thoughtless  departure  from  a  strict  conformity  to  or- 
thodox usage  in  the  church  of  his  native  land. 

When  Rev.  Esbjiirn  returned  to  Sweden.  Rev.  Ilassclquist  became 
his  successor  as  president  of  the  Augustana  Theological  Seminary,  tak- 
ing his  new  position  in  18G3.  In  the  fall  of  the  .same  year  Rev. 
A.  W.  DahlstiMi  assumed  charge  of  1h(>  Cialesburs  church,  preaching 
there  once  a  MKinlh  until  New  Year's,  1Sri4.  when  he  removed  to  (^lales- 
burg.  The  inlluence  of  the  saloons  and  the  danee  lialls  at  this  time  wa.s 
a   gi'eat   sduree  (if  woi'ry  to  the  pastor  and   tiie  chnreli   eonneil.     The 


WORK    IN    CALKSRIRr, 


455 


disturbing  elcniciit  Troiii  the  lime  of  IIiiss('l(|ui.st  was  still  artivi-  mid 
had  acquired  added  slreuiith.  Certain  persons  worlved  with  niif^ht  and 
main  against  the  pastor  and  to  have  the  existint;  order  of  serviees 
abolished,  dciuandini;'  that  any  elergyman.  no  matter  of  what  denomina- 
tion, should  have  the  rigiit  to  preaeli  in  their  church.  When  this  was 
refused,  tliey  sent  a  petition  to  the  synod,  setting  forth  these  demands, 
adding  the  request  that  part  of  the  liturgical  service  be  abolished. 

The  synod  positively  refused  to  grant  the  petition,  Mdu>reupon  the 
petitioners  set  to  work  on  a  plan  to  secede  from  the  synod.  They  failed 
again.  At  a  special  meeting  of  the  church,  a  large  majority  of  the 
congregation  resolved  to  abide  by  the  decision  of  the  synod. 


The  First  Swedish  I^utht 


Church  of  Cialesburs^,  Erected  in  1S70 


In  1S6S  the  old  cburch.  which  had  been  enlarged  by  an  addition 
during  Hasselquist's  time,  was  found  to  be  too  small  aud  a  new  edifice 
M'as  planned.  At  first  it  was  decided  to  build  a  second  addition  at  one 
end  of  the  old  structure,  but  as  this  would  involve  a  considerable  ex- 
pense without  affording  the  space  needed  either  for  the  present  or  for 
the  future,  this  plan  was  given  up.  Next  it  was  resolved  to  widen  the 
church  by  moving  the  side  walls,  but  this  plan  also  fell  through. 
Finally,  the  congregation  resolved  to  erect  an  entire  new  edifice,  to  be 
100x60  feet,  but  only  $-400  being  subscribed,  the  whole  enterprise  was 
abandoned  for  the  time  being.  The  following  year  the  matter  was 
again  taken  up  and  on  the  4th  of  April  a  resolution  was  passed  to  begin 
building  as  soon  as  $2,000  had  been  subscribed. 

Rev.  Dahlsten  having  resigned  after  serving  the  church  for  six 
years,  the  congregation,  a  few  days  after  deciding  to  biiild  a  uew 
church,  extended  a  call  to  Rev.  A.  Andreen  to  succeed  Dahlsten.    Fif- 


456  THE    LITHURAXS 

teen  members  left  the  eluircli  and.  togetlier  with  a  few  others,  orpanized 
the  proposed  free  church.  During  the  ensuing  vacancy,  several  others 
deserted.  This  had  the  effect  of  cleansing  the  church  from  that  un- 
wholesome and  pernicious  element  which  for  some  time  past  had 
created  disturbances  and  stunted  the  growth  of  the  congregation.  Rev. 
Andreen  declined  the  call,  and  the  church  again  called  Rev.  Hassel- 
quist  only  to  receive  a  negative  answer.  Next  a  call  was  extended  to 
Rev.  N.  Th.  Winquist  of  DeKalb,  who  accepted  and  remained  in  charge 
for  somewhat  over  three  years.  During  his  term,  the  new  church  was 
finished  and  the  final  report  of  the  work  was  rendered  ilareh  4,  1870. 
The  edifice  was  found  to  have  cost  $13,371.75.  of  which  amount  $6,784 
had  been  raised  by  subscription,  the  balance  representing  debt.  This 
church,  which  for  many  years  was  the  largest  in  the  city,  is  still  used 
as  a  house  of  worship.  Its  dimensions  are:  length.  100  feet ;  width.  60 
feet;  height  of  side  walls,  22  feet ;  height  of  steeple,  16.')  feet.  The  task 
of  reducing  the  church  debt  was  next  taken  up.  and  much  was  aeeom- 
plislied.  partly  l)y  subscription,  jiartly  liy  flic  collection  of  pew  rents. 
At  this  juncture,  the  members  living  at  Henderson  left  and  organized  a 
congregation  of  their  o^vn.  The  sehoolhouse  was  moved  and  provided 
with  new  seats,  and  new  life  was  injected  into  the  work  of  construc- 
tion ;  a  church  bell  was  purchased ;  the  parsonage  was  renovated,  and 
about  this  time  the  new  constitution  for  the  churches,  revised  by  the 
synod,  was  adojited. 

Rev.  Wincpiist  left  in  1873  and  was  succeeded  in  the  fall  of  the 
same  year  by  Rev.  S.  P.  A.  Lindalil.  The  peace  and  harmony  that  had 
prevailed  during  the  time  of  Rev.  Winquist  was  disturbed  by  one  F. 
Lagerman,  who  filled  the  pulpit  in  the  interval,  sharply  criticising  in 
his  sermons  everything  that  fell  below  his  exalted  standard  of  Ijutlier- 
ani.sm.  By  coolheadedness  and  a  conciliatory  policy,  the  new  pastor 
succeeded  in  restoi-ing  jieaee.  the  work  progressing  smoothly  there- 
after. In  1878  the  churcli  purchased  an  organ  at  a  cost  of  $2,350  and 
Iniilt  a  new  ])arsonage.  A  house  and  lot  was  bought,  the  old  house  was 
sold  and  a  new  one  erected,  the  total  outlay  for  the  new  lu-operly  stop- 
ping at  $3,000.  During  Rev.  Lindahl's  time  in  Galesburg.  tiie  church 
carried  on  a  vigorous  campaign  against  the  secret  societies,  but  in 
spite  of  this  and  other  disturliiii?  intluenees  the  church,  on  the  whole, 
made  steady  progress. 

In  November,  1884,  Rev.  Lindahl  resigned  his  charge.  Ilf  was 
succeeded  liy  Rev.  C.  A.  Biickiiian  of  Ishpeming.  ^licii..  who  moved  to 
his  new  field  July  1st,  the  following  year.  In  the  sunuuer  of  1885  a 
large  and  commodious  sehoolhouse  was  erected.  A  .vear  later,  the 
cinircli  was  renovated  at  an  outlay  of  $1,300,  and  in  1887  a  hall  was 
pi'ovided  for  Hie  young  peojile  by   raising  the  schooliionse.  the  total 


WORK     IN    CAI.I^SlirRG  ^^j 

expense  aniouiitiii<!;  to  $],300.  Societies  were  organized  and  several 
new  lines  of  endeavor  were  taken  up. 

Rev.  Biieknian,  however,  was  not  permitted  long  to  lal>or  in  this 
field,  death  cutting  short  his  promising  career  on  March  6,  1888,  before 
he  had  completed  his  thirty-fifth  year.  The  vacancy  was  temporarily 
supplied  by  a  student  who  by  his  personal  conduct  created  the  most 
serious  disruption  in  the  stoi-my  history  of  the  congregation,  resulting 
a  couple  of  years  later  in  the  expulsion  of  no  less  than  236  com- 
municant members.  The  eifects  of  this  schism  were  felt  for  years 
afterward. 

This  movement  was  headed  by  C.  A.  Nybladh,  who  subsequently 
became  a  minister  of  the  Episcopal  Chiu'ch.  From  his  following  the 
Swedish  Episcoj^al  Church  of  Galesburg  was  organized. 

The  permanent  successor  of  Rev.  Backman  was  Rev.  C.  J.  E. 
Haterius  whose  installation  took  place  April  11,  1889.  Ilis  first  years 
at  Galesburg  were  made  disagreeable  by  the  effects  of  the  foregoing 
dissension.  In  1891,  an  addition  was  built  to  the  church  affording 
space  for  the  organ  and  the  choir,  besides  a  pastor's  study.  The  cost 
of  these  improvements  amounted  to  $1,276. 

The  question  of  starting  English  work  within  the  church  now 
began  to  be  much  ventilated,  resulting  in  the  calling  of  an  English 
assistant  April  18,  1896.  Having  received  a  negative  answer,  the  con- 
gregation, at  a  second  business  meeting,  called  for  the  same  purpose 
June  19th,  was  advised  to  permit  those  especially  interested  in  the 
English  work  to  take  up  such  work  under  the  auspices  of  the  church 
council  with  a  view  to  organizing  an  independent  English  Lutheran 
church.  The  young  people's  hall  was  set  aside  for  the  English  services. 
This  plan  was  not  carried  out,  bv;t  the  English  question  in  this  instance 
was  solved  by  arranging  for  the  holding  of  divine  services  in  the 
English  language  at  certain  intervals  during  the  year. 

In  the  siunmer  of  1898,  Rev.  Haterius  resigned  and  was  succeeded 
Nov.  1st  by  Rev.  Peter  Peterson  of  Essex,  la.  The  next  summer,  the 
church  edifice  underwent  a  thorough  renovation  at  a  cost  of  $1,89-4, 
and  besides  a  number  of  old  debts  were  paid.  From  this  time  on  the 
work  has  progressed  without  friction. 

Rev.  Peterson  left  the  charge  in  1905,  removing  to  St.  Paul.  His 
successor  is  Rev.  F.  A.  Johnsson,  one  of  the  abler  yoiing  pastors  of  the 
Illinois  Conference.  At  New  Year's,  1907,  the  church  had  a  membership 
of  1,672,  including  1,198  communicants.  The  church  property  was 
valued  at  $36,450. 


458  THE    1,1  THERANS 

The   Lutheran  Congregation  in   Moline 

As  jiruvious  pages  will  show,  lii-v.  Esbjorii  at  an  early  day  took 
n[>  iiiissiuu  work  at  ^loline  and  Koek  Island.  Wheu  visiting  Jloline, 
he  generally  stopped  at  the  home  of  Carl  Johansson,  a  tailor,  the  second 
Swedish  settler  in  the  place.  Joliaiissoii  oeeupied  a  14  by  IG  room  in 
a  brick  house  belonging  to  one  Mrs.  Bell,  and  here  the  first  Swedish 
Lutheran  services  were  held.  Johansson  later  became  a  ver>-  zealous 
Baptist  and  a  bitter  antagonist  of  tlie  Lutherans. 

At  first  the  Swedish  Lutherans  of  ^loliue  were  enrolled  in  the 
Andover  church.  This  arrangement  being  found  inipractieahle,  a 
separate  congregation  was  organized  in  Moline  Dec.  1,  1850.  with 
fifty  charter  members.  This  number  soon  increased.  There  being 
as  yet  no  book  of  record  for  the  church,  the  names  of  applicants  were 
recorded  on  loose  slips  of  paper. 

The  first  (jucstion  arising  after  the  organization  of  the  congre- 
gation was  how  to  get  a  church  edifice.  A  lot  was  purchased  for  the 
sum  of  $100,  and  the  next  summer  they  began  to  build,  having  received 
for  this  jjurpose  $:U0  out  of  the  $2,200  solicited  by  Esbjiirn  in  the 
East.  The  Ijalauce  was  raised  among  the  Americans  and  the  Swedish 
settlers  of  Moline.  This  little  church,  a  frame  structure  36  by  24  and 
15  feet  high,  was  situated  on  the  same  spot  where  stands  the  present 
one,  and  was  built  at  a  cost  of  $G4C.  Tiie  building  was  not  finished 
for  many  years,  yet  served  its  purpose.  On  Sunday,  Jan.  11,  1S57.  it 
was  ultimately  dedicated  as  a  house  of  worship,  the  steeple  having 
been  finished  just  the  day  before  and  i>rovided  with  a  bell  purchased 
at  a  cost  of  $")(».  This  was  the  first  church  bell  of  any  Swedish 
Iviithrnin  ihurcli  in  America  since  the  days  of  the  Delaware  Swedes. 
ll  is  HOW  lilt;  property  of  the  Swedisli  Lutiieran  cluu'ch  of  I'ort  Byron, 
Hi.  The  year  after  Hie  dedication,  a  fourleen  foot  addition  to  the 
churcli  was  liuilt,  iiiid  in  ISGti  a  12  by  14  addition  was  niade.  Tiie 
structure  was  finally  sold  to  tlie  plow  manufacturing  firm  of  Deere 
and  Company  and  moved  across  the  street,  wlieie  it  is  nse.l  .is  a 
storehouse  for  agricultiu'al  implements. 

The  first  parsonage  owned  by  the  congregation  consiste<l  of  a 
small  house  and  lot,  donated  in  1854  by  a  bachelor,  Abraham  Andersson 
from  (inarp,  Ilelsingland,  on  condition  that  it  be  used  as  the  home  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  pastor.  This  property  was  located  in  the  north- 
east corner  of  the  block  lying  just  north  of  the  block  in  which  the 
ehwreli  is  situated.  This  modest  little  pai-sonage  was  rebuilt  in  IS.'Hi. 
In  1858  the  churcli  property  was  valued  as  follows,  church,  $14.(XM»; 
parsonage,  $85(t. 

Hev.  I'-sbjiirn  was  himself  in  charge  of  this  field  for  tiie  first 
five  years,  but  \vas  obliged  to  leave  jiart  of  the  work  to  others.    In  the 


THIv  MOI.IXI-:  CONGREGATION 


459 


suniiiier  of  1852,  he  formed  the  acquaintance  of  a  young  man  by  tlio 
name  of  C.  J.  Valentin,  from  Stoclvhohn,  a  former  salesman,  possessing 
very  little  schooling  but  much  religious  fervor  and  great  zeal  in  behalf 
of  the  Lutheran  Church.  In  October,  1852,  at  a  time  of  great  lack 
of  ministerial  timber,  Valentin  was  examined  before  the  Synod  of 
Northern  Illinois  and  given  a  license  to  preach  and  administer  the 
sacraments  in  Moline  and  Rock  Island.  Valentin  almost  immediately 
clashed  with  tlie  Baptists  in  Rock  Island,  the  conflict  growing  so 
bitter  diwintj  the  early  part  of  1853  that  Valentin  had  to  leave  the 
conununity. 

From  Moline  Valentin  went  to  Princeton,  whore  he  served  the 
Swedish  Luthei-ans  for  a  sliort  time.     At  the  svnodical  convention  in 


^^^zT^^^^^Mi:-  ^S3^^I^ 


The  First  Swedish  Lutheran  House  of  Worship  in  Jloline 


Galesburg  in  the  fall  he  was  absent  but  appears  nevertheless  to  have 
had  his  license  renewed.  At  the  subsequent  synod  in  Peru,  his  license 
was  again  renewed,  on  condition  that  he  take  up  studies  luider  the 
direction  of  Esbjorn.  Instead  of  so  doing,  he  returned  to  Sweden 
without  leave  of  absence,  remaining  there  for  a  few  years.  At  the 
synod  of  1855  he  was  suspended  and  deprived  of  his  license  until  he 
should  return  to  the  synod,  provided,  however,  that  the  license  would 
be  renewed,  should  he  be  found  worthy  of  reinstatement  into  the 
ministerial  office.  Nothing  was  now  heard  of  him  for  several  years. 
During  the  Civil  War.  he  reappeared  in  this  country  and  enlisted  as 
a  volunteer  in  Company  D.  of  the  57th  Illinois  Infantry.  He  proved, 
however,  no  better  a  soldier  in  the  ranks  of  the  Union  army  than  in 
those  of  the  church.  As  he  had  deserted  his  little  flock  in  Princeton, 
so  he  now  deserted  his  regiment,  fleeing  to  Sweden,  whence  he  sent 
a  written  statement  declaring  that  his  conscience  would  not  permit 


460  'IHK    I.rTHKRANS 

him  to  fight  for  the  Union  cause,  his  sympathies  being  on  the  side  of 
the  confederates.  After  the  close  of  the  war,  he  is  believed  to  have 
again  returned  to  this  country. 

After  Valentin  left  Moline,  the  services  were  conducted  by  one 
of  the  dcacDiis,  named  Carl  Lindmau.  a  native  of  Jcr.snas  parish,  in 
Smaland.  This  man,  who  was  a  mason  by  trade,  was  exceptionally 
gifted  mentally  and  spiritually,  was  well  informed  and  ready  of  speech, 
and  was  uuconipromisiug  in  matters  of  right  and  wrong.  In  his 
capacity  of  deacon  he  did  a  grcac  ueai  of  good  for  the  church. 

The  congregation,  nevertheless,  was  greatly  in  need  of  a  pastor, 
surrounded  as  it  was  by  ^Methodists  and  Baptists,  who  made  every 
effort  to  gain  proselytes  among  its  members.  In  1854.  Rev.  P.  A.  Ahl- 
berg  of  Sweden  was  called  and  promised  to  come,  but  subsequently  de- 
clined. Through  the  medium  of  Dr.  Peter  Fjellstedt  a  call  was  then 
extended  in  1855  to  0.  C.  T.  Andren,  curate  of  Carlshamn,  who  ac- 
cepted and  came  over  on  July  31,  1850.  to  take  charge. 

Rev.  Andren  remained  in  Jloline  only  four  years,  but  in  that  short 
time  accomplished  much  for  the  good  of  the  church,  the  fruits  of  his 
efforts  being  aiiparcnt  for  a  long  time  to  follow.  When  he  came  there, 
the  congregation  was  small  and  its  members  poor,  giving  him  much  to 
do  and  meager  recompense  for  his  work,  iloline  and  Rock  Island  at 
that  time,  and  for  many  years  after,  were  im-luded  in  one  pastorate ; 
besides,  he  was  in  charge  of  chiu'ches  at  Geneseo  and  other  places.  One 
year  after  his  arrival,  the  church  had  172  members.  Rev.  Andren  was 
more  strict  than  his  predecessors  in  the  exercise  of  church  discipline 
and  was  no  respecter  of  persons.  He  fostered  a  greater  interest  in  the 
conniiiiii  affairs  of  t]u>  cliurch  body.  When  the  question  was  put  to 
each  of  the  congregations  whether  they  would  be  willing  to  contribute 
$25  each  toward  the  salary  of  a  Scandinavian  pi-ofcssor  at  the  seminary 
in  Springfield,  provided  such  professorship  were  established,  and 
the  matter  was  pi-escntcd  by  Rev.  Andren  to  his  church,  the  reipiest  was 
at  once  granted,  the  amount  to  be  raised  by  collection.  This  resolution 
was  passed  Sept.  18,  1857.  On  the  15th  of  April.  1860,  the  congrega- 
tion resolved  to  withdraw  from  the  Synod  of  Northern  Illinois  and 
declared  in  favor  of  organizing  an  independent  Scandinavian  synod. 
The  revenues  of  the  church  at  this  time  were  quite  modest.  At  the 
annual  meeting  in  May,  1858,  the  inconu'  was  reported  at  .$114.14,  while 
the  outlay  footed  up  to  $124.75,  not  including  the  salary  of  the 
pastor.  The  next  year  the  resoin-ces  had  grown  to  $2S4.40  and  the 
expenditures  to  $277.70,  but  in  ISiUi  I  lie  figures  dropped  to  $100.29  and 
$120.45,  respectively,  while  the  clnirch  had  a  debt  of  $70.15. 

Having  been  chosen  by  the  newly  organized  .\ugnstana  Synod  as 
its  representative  to  solicit   I'nnils  in  Sweclen  .'uid  Norway  for  tiie  seni- 


Tin-:    MOI.INIC    COXGRKCATION  461 

inary  to  be  established,  Rev.  Andreu  with  his  family  left  Moline  early 
in  September,  1860,  with  the  intention  of  returning  after  accomplish- 
ing his  mission.  This  plan  was  later  given  up,  and  on  Aug.  11,  1861,  he 
sent  in  liis  resignation.  Rev.  Peters,  who  had  been  called  to  fill  the 
temporary  vacancy,  was  called  as  regular  pastor  on  the  21st  of  the 
same  mouth.  Rev.  Peters  was  also  in  charge  of  the  missions  in  Rock 
Island,  Geneseo  and  Fulton.  He  removed  from  Moline  to  Rockford 
Dec.  29,  1863,  leaving  the  place  vacant  for  two  years,  during  which 
time  the  parsonage  was  rented  out  and  the  neighboring  pastors,  Jonas 
Swenssou,  John  Johnson  and  A.  W.  Dahlsten,  took  turns  in  preaching 
and  officiating  at  ecclesiastical  acts.  Elections  were  held  time  and 
again,  but  no  call  was  accepted.  Finally,  J.  S.  Benson,  a  student  of 
the  theological  seminary  at  Paxton,  was  called  as  preacher  and  school 
teacher  in  1865.  On  petition  by  the  church,  Benson  was  ordained  the 
following  year  and  then  liecame  its  regular  pastor.  He  inspii'ed  his 
congregation  to  renewed  efforts;  the  church  was  enlarged  and  in  1868 
a  schoolhouse  was  erected  on  the  vacant  portion  of  the  church  lot.  The 
members  living  in  Rock  Island  in  1870  were  authorized  to  organize 
their  own  congregation  which  up  to  May  1,  1873,  remained  a  part  of 
the  same  pa-storate.  In  the  fall  of  1872,  Rev.  Benson  resigned  his 
charge,  remaining,  however,  until  August  of  the  following  year.  He 
passed  away  in  Marathon.  la.,  ilareh  13,  1889. 

After  several  fruitless  attempts,  the  church  finally,  in  the  spring 
of  1874,  obtained  a  new  pastor,  Rev.  A.  G.  Setterdahl.  With  him  came 
a  period  of  renewed  activity  and  extensive  external  improvements  wei-e 
made  at  considerable  cost.  All  the  old  buildings  were  razed  to  give 
room  for  new  ones.  The  old  parsonage  was  sold  for  $210  and  moved  to 
the  other  side  of  the  street  and  in  its  place  a  more  commodious  house 
was  erected.  On  Dee.  8.  1875.  the  congregation  resolved  to  build  a  new 
church,  and  now.  more  than  ever  before,  harmony  and  unity  of  action 
was  needed.  But  quite  the  contrary  occurred.  That  very  decision 
caused  a  dissension,  and  a  number  of  dissati.sfied  ones  withdrew  to 
form  a  new  congregation,  named  the  Gustaf  Adolf  Church,  and  built 
their  own  house  of  worship  in  the  western  part  of  the  village.  This 
congregation  later  joined  the  Mission  Friends.  The  old  church  build- 
ing was  sold  and  moved  off  the  lot.  The  cornei'stone  for  the  new  edifice 
was  laid  June  15.  1876.  The  new  building,  a  brick  structure,  was  116 
feet  in  length  and  62  feet  in  width,  and  was  provided  with  a  tall,  im- 
posing steeple.  The  building,  costing  $19,551.  was  enclosed  before  Dec. 
1st  of  that  year.  Tlie  following  summer  Rev.  Setterdahl  visited  Sweden 
on  a  leave  of  absence,  with  Prof.  0.  Olsson  in  charge.  The  fir.st  high 
mass  in  the  new  edifice  was  preached  liy  him  Oct.  13,  1878.     In  1870 


462 


TH1-;    I,t  THKRANS 


Rev.  Setterdahl  resifrned  and  removed  to  Sweden,  where  he  has  been 
rector  of  a  parish  in  the  province  of  Ostergiitlaud  for  many  years. 

In  the  fall  of  1879,  Rev.  H.  0.  Lindeblad  a.ssumed  charge.  His  was 
the  onerous  task  of  getting  the  church  building  completed  and  fur- 
nished. Being  a  man  of  business  acumen,  he  proved  ecpial  to  the  oeea- 
siou,  successfully  piloting  the  church  through  its  financial  strait.s. 
Weary  of  the  burden,  he  resigned  in  the  fall  of  1887,  but  was  prevailed 
upon  to  stay,  and  subsofiuently  completed  tin-  work,  making  it  possible 


The  rri-scMl  S\\i.ili>li   LiillKiaii  Church  in  Moliiie 


to  (li'dic.itc  tlic  edifice  free  of  debt  June  9,  1889.  Besides  the  financial 
ones,  Kev.  liiiidclilad  had  iiimierous  oIIkm-  problems  to  solve.  At  tlie 
annual  meeting  of  the  churcli  in  ISST,  the  faculty  of  Augustana  College 
ill  till'  ,i(l.i.icent  city  of  Roek  Ishiiul  petitioned  for  in-rmission  to  organ- 
ize an  iMiglisii  Ijutlieran  congregation  at  tiie  institution.  The  petition 
being  denied,  tiie  cinu'ch  was  nt-vertiieless  eslablislied  and  is  known  as 
the  Grace  Lutheran  Church,  with  its  house  of  worship  situated  in  the 
east  en<l  of  tiie  city  of  Roek  Island.  In  1890  members  of  the  Moline 
chureii  who  ri'sitii'd  at  or  near  the  college  and  in  tiie  neighborhood 
lying  betwei'ii  IIh'  institution  and  tlie  eliiu'ch  in  Moline  petitioned  tlie 
.'iiiiiii.'il  mi'eling  I'or  |irrmission  to  organize  n  new  Swedish  liUtheran 
i-oiigrcgatlon  in  that  siiiiie  territory.  Tliis  i)lan  also  was  realized,  the 
new  coiigi'i'gal  ion.  iiaiiied  tiie  Zion  CliiU'cli.  i>iiildiiig  a  sinaii  ciiurcii 
iii'iir  llir  1miuiiiIiii'\    line  lietween  tiu^  cities  of  Uoi'l;   Isijiiid  and  Moline. 


O.  C.  T.  ANDREN  ^63 

In  llic  spriiiLT  of  1S!I2.  1\vo  IdIs  were  purchasrd,  mir  in  llic  casl.  aiKithiT 
in  tiic  sdiilli  jiarl  of  Moliue  and  cliapcls  were  erected  where  regular 
\\<M'kiy  services  were  conducted  Cor  the  benefit  of  niiMiiliers  I'Csidinjr 
in  tiiose  localities. 

J-Jev.  Tjindeblad  an-ain  rcsi^'iicd  in  the  sprin?  of  l.SD'J  and  jel't  the 
charge  Oct.  Ifitli,  following.  Just  one  week  later,  he  was  succeeded  liy 
Rev.  C.  A.  Hemborg.  The  enlarged  field  and  consequent  increase  of 
work  necessitated  the  engagement  of  theological  students  from  the 
nearby  seminary  to  assist  the  pastor.  The  new  minister  also  had  his 
share  of  extra  work.  Both  the  church  and  the  parsonage  were  ren- 
ovated and  an  addition  was  built  to  one  of  the  chapels.  A  new  par- 
sonage was  purchased  July  1,  1895,  at  a  co.st  of  $5,000,  and  in  1899  the 
old  one  was  sold  for  $4,000.  During  Rev.  Hemborg's  term  of  service 
the  churcli  records  Avere  collected  and  properly  arranged  in  an  archive 
by  ilr.  G.  Liudahl.  The  church  celebrated  its  fiftieth  anniversary  Dec. 
1,  1900,  with  appropriate  festivities  and  in  connection  therewith  pub- 
lished an  attractive  and  interesting  historical  memorial. 

In  1904  Rev.  Hemborg  gave  place  to  Dr.  L.  A.  Johnston  of  St.  Paul, 
Minn.,  who  still  remains  in  charge.  At  New  Year's.  1907,  this  church 
had  a  total  of  1,529  members,  1,110  being  communicants.  The  value  of 
the  church  property  is  estimated  at  $55,000. 

Olof  Christian   TelemaK   Andren 

Rev.  O.  C.  T.  Andren,  although  remaining  only  a  few  years  in  this 
counti-y.  by  his  successful  achievements  earned  an  honoral)]e  place 
among  the  Swedish  Lutlieran  pioneers  in  the  state  of  Illinois.  Olof 
Chi'istian  Telemak  Andren  was  born  in  ]\Ialm6  Sept.  21.  ]cS24,  the  son 
of  a  merchant  named  Christian  Andersson  and  his  wife  Johanna,  nee 
Malmquist.  After  his  father's  death  in  1828,  his  mother  endeavored 
to  make  a  living  for  herself  and  her  two  children  by  teaching  school. 
By  hard  work  and  great  privations  she  incurred  consumption  and  died 
in  1880,  two  years  after  the  death  of  her  husband. 

A  near  relative  who  had  taken  the  widow  and  her  children  into 
his  home  sent  Olof  to  the  Latin  school  of  ]Malmo  three  years  later, 
providing  meals  for  him  in  a  lunnber  of  families  in  rotation.  He  con- 
tinued his  studies  under  the  same  arrangement  until  1841  when  he 
enter(»d  the  university  of  Limd.  During  these  eight  years,  he  had  been 
the  laughing-stock  of  the  rich  men's  sons  at  the  school  on  account  of 
his  poverty  and  wretched  appearance.  IMortified  li.v  their  taunts,  the 
poor  orphan  repeatedly  laid  plans  for  flight,  which  circiunstances,  how- 
ever, prevented  him  from  carrying  out. 

Leaving  the  school  in  his  home  city  about  midsunnner,  he  went  to 
Lund  and  there  passed  the  collegiate  examination  the  following  spring. 


464 


THE    LtTHKRANS 


Not  having  the  ineaus  to  continue  his  studies  at  the  university,  he 
gladly  accepted  a  proffered  position  as  private  tutor  in  tlic  province  of 
Smaland,  where  he  remained  for  three  years,  meanwhile  preaciiing  his 
first  sermon  in  the  Hestra  parish  church.  In  the  autumn  of  1845,  he 
returned  to  Lniid  entering  upon  his  theological  studies.  Again  lie 
faced  a  financial  struggle  during  which  he  often  liad  to  go  without  the 
common  necessaries  of  life.  But  his  strenuous  industry  and  unflinching 
energy  carried  liim  through,  enabling  liim  in  the  short  time  of  two 
.vears  to  complete  his  courses  and  passing  liis  examinations  both  in 
theoretical  and  practical  theolog.v  in  1847.  the  former  in  the  spring. 


Kiv.   olof  Chrislmn  Telfiiiak  Aiulr^n 


tile  latter  on  Dec.  ITtli  of  that  year.  On  tiie  19th  of  the  same  month  he 
was  ordained  at  the  early  age  of  twenty-three,  Ity  tlic  venerable 
Bishop  Faxe. 

During  the  first  three  or  four  years  in  tiie  ministry,  .Vndren 
served  as  assistant  pastor  luidcr  four  elderly  elerg,vmen.  The  last  was 
Rector  ('.  M.  Westdahl  of  Carlslniiiin.  where  Andren  renniined  from 
February,  ISf)],  tn  the  sniniiier  of  IS.'iti,  when  be  left  for  .\nierica.  At 
("arlslianuHiis  spiritual  life  and  exi)erience  allaiiied  to  greater  fullness, 
the  home  of  Rector  Westdaiil,  pervaded  as  it  was  by  taste,  tact  and 
refinement,  ennobled  by  Christian  eullun',  furnishing  a  splendid  sidniol 
for  a  young  elergynnm.  Andren  also  had  an  extensive  field  for  his 
pastoral  labors,  tiw  charge  comprising,  besides  the  city  of  ("arlshamn, 
llie  large  parisli  of  .Vsjiruin. 


THH    MOI.INIv    CONC.RI'C.ATION  465 

Oct.  ;i.  18r)5,  Auilreii  llii-(iiii;li  Dr.  JVtcr  Fjcllslcdt  rcci-ivcd  a  call 
to  become  pastor  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  Moline.  After 
much  reflection  and  hesitation,  lie  finally  accepted  and  left  for 
America  the  following  suiiniicr  with  leave  of  absence  for  six  years. 
On  May  26,  ISTiO,  just  before  emi^i-atiii^-.  he  was  married  to  Miss 
]\rathilda  Pihl,  (bius'liter  of  Heni-ik  Pihl.  adjunct  ])astor  of  Ousby  parish. 
The  couple  traveled  by  way  of  Liil)eck  and  Ilamhufg.  Iaii<ling  in  New 
York  July  18th  and  reaching  Moline  the  .'ilst.  An  account  of  his  four 
years'  service  there  having  been  given  in  i)revious  pages,  it  may  be  add- 
ed that  Andren  also  gathered  the  Swedes  of  Geneseo  into  a  small  con- 
gregation of  32  members  who  built  a  church  at  a  cost  of  $1,300. 

On  Aug.  21,  1860,  Rev.  Andren  left  his  charge  in  Moline  never 
to  return.  He  went  back  to  the  old  country,  arriving  in  the  middle  of 
September.  There  he  immediately  set  to  work  soliciting  funds  for  the 
theological  seminary  just  founded  by  the  Swedish  Lutherans  of 
America.  He  made  stirring  appeals  in  Lund,  Stockholm.  LTpsala  and 
other  cities,  setting  forth  the  need  of  an  educational  institution  in  so 
convincing  a  manner  that  the  response  came  in  the  form  of  a  fund  of  no 
less  than  36,000  riksdaler.  In  order  to  present  the  matter  to  the  king  in 
person,  he  was  granted  an  audience  before  Charles  XV.  who  listened 
with  favor  to  his  request  and  tendered  as  a  personal  gift  to  the  new 
institution  5,000  volumes  out  of  his  own  private  library,  leaving  the 
choice  of  books  to  Rev.  Andren  himself.  This  liberal  contribution  of 
money  and  books  from  Sweden  was  of  the  greatest  value  to  the  young 
Swedish- American  institution . 

Andren  worked  constantly  in  behalf  of  Augustana  Theological 
Seminary  till  the  fall  of  1861  when  he  was  appointed  pastor  of  Billinge 
and  Rostanga  parishes  in  Skane  to  fill  a  vacancy.  While  there.  Rev. 
Andren  became  involved  in  a  long  and  disagreeable  feud  with  the 
organist.  Nils  Lilja,  doctor  of  philosophy  and  an  author  of  note,  who 
was  finally  discharged  on  the  ground  of  immorality.  Lilja  appealed 
from  the  parish  to  the  Lund  chapter  Avhich  rescinded  the  action  of  the 
congregation  and  reinstated  Dr.  Lilja  in  his  former  position  where  he 
remained  until  his  death. 

After  having  taken  the  pastoral  examination  at  Lund  Jan.  31.  1863. 
Andren  was  elected  minister  of  Asarum,  now  separated  from  Carlshamn 
and  made  a  distinct  pastorate,  taking  charge  in  the  fall  of  1866  and 
laboring  with  signal  success  for  nearly  four  years.  While  visiting 
typhus  patients  in  several  families  in  May.  1870,  Rev.  Andren  was 
smitten  with  the  disease  and  died  on  the  11th  of  the  following  month. 
His  demise  was  deeply  felt  both  in  Sweden  and  in  this  country.  Rev. 
Andren  having  everywhere  left  the  impression  of  a  faithful,  pious  and 
self-sacrificing  pastor. 


466  TIIK    I.rrHKRAXS 

The    Immanuel   Church  of  Chicago 

The  Swedish  Evangelical  Lutheran  Immanuel  Church  of  Chicago 
had  a  peculiar  origin.  A  small  party  of  emigrants  from  Vestergotland 
arrived  in  Chicago  in  the  summer  of  1852.  and  from  here  they  left  by 
boat  for  Sheboygan,  Wis.,  where  tiicy  were  left  helpless,  finding  no 
one  who  wa.s  able  t<i  \niderstand  them  and  willing  to  help  them.  Men, 
women  and  children  were  in  hopeless  distress.  They  siieiit  a  couple  of 
days  among  their  bags  and  baggage  on  the  boat  landing,  and  when  the 
boat  returned  from  Chicago,  they  piled  on  board  again  boun<l  for  the 
citj'  whence  they  had  just  come.  Here  they  succeeded  in  obtaining 
lodging  with  certain  Norwegian  families  belonging  to  the  Ltitheran 
church  organized  as  early  as  1848,  and  served  by  Rev.  Paul  Andersen. 
Cholera  was  raging  at  this  time,  reaping  its  greatest  harvest  among  the 
newly  arrived  immigrants.  One  night  when  several  members  of  the 
party  were  attacked  by  the  pest,  one  of  the  victims  expressed  a  desire 
to  see  a  Lutheran  mini.ster.  Rev.  Paul  Andersen  was  .sent  for  at  once 
and  did  what  he  could  to  cheer  and  comfort  the  sick  and  dying,  as  well 
as  to  speak  words  of  encouragement  to  those  in  good  health  and  giving 
tlieni  advice  and  aid. 

A  firm  and  fast  friendship  was  thus  established  between  these 
strangers  and  the  benevolent  divine,  resulting  in  most  of  them,  includ- 
ing a  few  earnest  Christians,  .ioining  the  Norwegian  church.  Rev.  An- 
dersen, however,  at  once  began  to  lay  plans  for  the  organizing  of  a 
Swedish  Lutheran  church,  whose  first  members  were  to  be  the  Swedish 
mcml)crs  of  the  Norwegian  church. 

Wlien  T.  N.  Hasselquist  came  to  this  country  in  October.  1852.  lie 
passed  through  Chicago  and  was  the  guest  of  Rev.  Andersen  for  a  few 
days.  When  he  left,  his  host  exacted  a  promise  that  Hasselquist  should 
return  at  his  first  ojiportunity  to  preach  to  his  fellow  countrymen  here 
and  to  organize  a  church  among  them.  After  having  attended  a  con- 
ference meeting  at  Moline  early  in  January.  185.'i,  Hasselquist  started 
on  his  way  to  Chicago,  crowded  into  a  stage  coach  jiacked  with  travel- 
ers, lie  now  preached  several  times  to  the  Swedes  in  Kev.  Andersen's 
cliuicli.  iinil  on  Sunday,  Jan.  Itith.  he  organized  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Iiiinianui'l  Chui'di. 

Eighty  pi-rsons  applietl  foi'  nieinbcrslii])  at  the  lime.  The  pliui  was 
to  call  as  pastor  Rev.  J.  P.  Oahlstedt,  of  llofmantorj),  Vexiti  chapter, 
in  Sweden,  but  the  call  was  sent  througli  Or.  P.  Fjellslcdt  of  IjUiid. 
authorizing  him  to  call  another  man  in  the  event  that  Rev.  Dahlstedt, 
whose  health  was  poor,  should  not  see  fit  to  accept.  Dr.  Fjellstedt  wan 
obliged  to  extend  the  call  to  Rev.  Erland  Carl.sson,  who  had  served  for 
four  years  in  the  chaiifer  of  Vexio.  After  obtaining  his  pa.ssports  from 
till-  gtivernmenl.  he  started  on  his  way  to  America  tin  the  ;ird  tlay  of 


Till".    niMANTKI.   Cin  RCII 


467 


Juno.  1853,  froni  Kalinar.  via  Liilici-k,  llamhiii'^',  Hull  and  liivci|iiHil, 
in  a  conipan.v  of  17C  emigrants.  The  ship  anchored  in  New  York 
harhor  on  Saturday,  Aug.  13th,  and  tlie  party  reached  Chicago  on  the 
22iid  of  the  .same  month.  Rev.  Carlsson  was  met  at  the  railway  station 
and  was  given  a  cordial  welcome  i)y  members  of  the  church  he  was  to 
serve.  On  the  following  Sunday,  hciiis'  the  14th  after  Trinity  Sunday, 
he  preached  his  first  sermon  to  his  countrymen  in  Chicago. 


The  Iniiiiaiiuel  Church — Eilifice  uii  Superior  Street 


While  the  joy  over  the  new  pastor  was  intense,  yet  the  outlook  was 
far  from  bright.  Of  the  eighty  people  who  had  joined  the  congregation 
at  the  outset,  there  Avere  only  thirt,v-six  left,  including  eight  families 
and  twenty  single  persons.  The  otliers  had  either  moved  away  from  the 
city  or  joined  other  churches.  Those  remaining  Avere  all  newcomers 
in  poor  circumstances.  There  was  not  a  family  among  them  capable 
of  housing  the  new  pastor,  who  for  that  reason  was  subjected  to  addi- 
tional discomfort.  In  October,  1853,  the  church  joined  the  Synod  of 
Northern  Illinois  to  which  Paul  Andersen,  L.  P.  Esbjorn  and  T.  N. 
Hasselquist.  with  their  churches,  already  belonged. 


468  ''"'H"    I.ITHKRANS 

The  congregation  held  its  first  annual  business  meeting  Jan.  27. 
1854.  At  the  time  of  tlie  organization,  no  minutes  had  been  kejtt.  no 
church  council  elected  and  no  constitution  adopted.  There  was  no 
record  whatever,  beyond  the  mere  list  of  names  of  tiie  i)ersons  who 
pledged  themselves  as  members.  At  this  meeting,  therefore,  it  was 
decided  to  enter,  first  of  all,  in  the  newly  procured  record-book,  a 
brief  account  of  the  origin  of  the  church.  Also  a  constitution  was 
adopted,  which  afterward  was  used  as  a  model  for  tlie  constitution 
drawn  up  for  adoption  by  the  congregations  of  the  Augustana  Synod. 
It  may  be  said  that  the  church  was  legallj'  organized  now  for  the  first 
time,  by  the  election  of  the  following  officers:  deacons,  C.  J.  Anderson. 
John  Nilson  and  Tsak  Peterson ;  trustees.  Johan  Bjorkholm.  Goran 
Sveuson  and  Gisel  Trulson. 

The  same  week  that  Rev.  Carlsson  arrived,  and  before  he  had 
preached  his  first  sermon,  several  leading  members  of  the  church  visited 
him  to  consult  witli  regard  to  the  order  of  services.  The  question  was 
very  guardedly  put  whether  he  intended  to  don  the  ecclesiastical  garb 
of  the  Swedisli  state  church,  and  when  he  stated  that  to  be  his  purpose 
his  visitors  expressed  great  satisfaction,  explaining  that  because 
neither  Esbjorn  nor  Hasselquist  had  done  so  when  they  appeared  in 
Chicago,  many  had  openly  declared  that  they  were  certainly  no 
Lutheran  clergymen,  and  that  if  they  ever  were  they  had  doubtless 
deserted  Lutheranism  and  its  established  order. 

But  these  men  had  had  their  reasons  for  departing  from  established 
usage.  In  Andover  and  Oalesl)urg,  at  this  time,  certain  groups  of  church 
niemliei's  claiming  to  correspond  to  the  so-called  "readei-s''  of  the  old 
country,  mndc  imicli  ado  about  ritualism,  attacking  Elsbjom  and 
Ilassel(|iiist  as  being  spii-itually  dead,  on  the  ground  that  they  recited 
prayers  out  of  the  (•lHn'chbin)k,  and  characterizing  tliem  as  superstitious 
and  papistical,  believing,  as  was  alleged,  that  the  word  and  the  sacra- 
ments would  not  be  efficacious  without  the  »ise  of  ecclesiastical  garb. 
For  these  reasons  the  pastors  in  question  deemed  it  a  duty  to  use  their 
liberty  as  Lutherans  in  discarding  both  the  ministerial  garb  and  the 
churchbook.  Rev.  Carlsson.  on  the  contrary,  used  both  when  ofTiciating 
at  high  mass,  as  well  as  at  all  ministerial  acts.  A  couple  of  yeai"s  later, 
however,  a  compromise  was  agreed  on.  Rev.  Carlsson  discarding  the 
gown  while  the  other  two  pastors  ret\n*ned  to  the  use  of  the  church- 
book  and  the  ecclesiastical  neck-piece.  Such  has  since  been  the  custom 
in  the  Anguslana  Synod  mil  11  in  recent  years  the  gown  has  bciMJ  re- 
adopted  to  a  great  extent  in  tin'  I'asl.  lus  also  b\-  nniny  clergymen 
in  the  West. 

Thi'  Immanurl  t'liiiri-li  liad  great  t'iiiiineiid  juul  oilier  dilTieultics  to 
(•(iiileiid  with  rr'iiiM  its  inception.    Tlie  year  l^'il  was  especially  fninghl 


Tin-;    IMMANTKI.    ClIIRCII  469 

with  trials  and  terrors  for  this  church  and  for  the  Swedish  immigrants 
in  general.  The  cholera  epidemic  was  then  at  its  height  in  this  country, 
and  the  newcomers  more  tlian  any  otlier  class  were  subject  to  its 
ravages.  About  one-tenth  of  the  connnunicant  memliers  of  the  church 
died  of  the  pest  and  among  the  children  the  death  rate  was  very  much 
higher.  Next,  the  congregation  was  seriously  affected  by  the  financial 
panic  of  1857.  many  of  its  members  being  compelled  to  leave  the  city  in 
order  to  look  for  employment  elsewhere.  But  common  afllietions 
brought  the  people  closer  together,  and  the  pastor  gladly  shared  the 
poverty  and  suilerings  of  his  flock.  During  the  first  three  years  he  had 
no  fixed  salary,  being  dependent  on  free-will  offerings,  amounting  in 
1854  to  $116,  in  1855  to  $180,  and  in  1856  to  $240,  as  shown  by  the 
records  of  an  annual  meeting  held  on  the  "Thirteenth  day  of  Christ- 
mas," 1857,  when  the  salary  was  fixed  at  $350  for  the  coming  year. 
That  year  the  church  numbered  204  communicant  members. 

In  1860,  with  an  advilt  membership  of  220,  the  church  entered  upon 
a  new  era  of  its  existence.  The  same  year  the  Augustaua  Synod  was 
organized,  and  the  Augustaua  Theological  Seminary  was  established 
in  Chicago  and  located  within  the  confines  of  this  church.  These  im- 
portant steps  in  advance  naturallj'  stimulated  the  people  to  increased 
activity.  The  times  improved.  The  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  caused 
a  great  advance  in  the  prices  of  all  commodities.  In  all  lines  of  em- 
ployment work  became  more  plentiful,  and  as  a  natural  result  immigra- 
tion increased.  All  these  things  tended  to  yiromote  the  growth  and 
prosperity  of  the  church,  which  in  1865  had  no  less  than  525  com- 
municant members. 

The  church  edifice  which  had  been  purchased  of  the  Norwegian 
Lutherans  in  1854  for  the  sum  of  $1,500,  had  gro\vn  too  small,  although 
enlarged  in  the  latter  year.  Mission  work  was  therefore  begun  on  the 
south  side,  where  services  were  held  evei-y  Sunday  morning  and  one 
evening  a  week,  in  a  sehoolhouse  at  21st  st.  and  Arnold  avenue.  In  con- 
nection herewitli.  Rev.  Peter  Erikson  was  called  as  assistant  pastor. 
In  1868  the  Salem  Church  was  organized  on  the  south  side.  At  the  time 
the  Immanuel  Church  lost  to  it  a  considerable  number  of  its  members, 
yet  nmnbered  1.020  communicants.  A  new  church  edifice  was  needed 
and  in  1869  steps  were  taken  to  build  one.  An  imposing  striTcture  was 
built  at  Sedgwick  and  Hobbie  streets,  at  a  total  cost  of  $34,400.  It  was 
dedicated  Nov.  7th.  that  year,  but  was  not  completed  imtil  1870.  That 
winter  a  great  revival  took  place,  giving  joy  to  the  heart  of  the  pastor 
and  to  all  faithful  Christians  within  the  church.  But  new  trials  and 
difficulties  were  in  store.  The  great  fire  destroyed  l)oth  church  Iniild- 
ings,  and  the  majority  of  the  members  were  made  homeless,  some  being 
reduced  to  penury.    ]Many  of  them  left  the  city  and  for  a  time  it  looked 


470 


Till-;    I.ITHKRANS 


as  though  the  congregation  was  to  be  entirely  wiped  out.  But  tlie  very 
first  Sunday  after  tlie  fire,  quite  a  number  gathered  for  worsliip 
in  a  Norwegian  ehureh  on  the  west  side,  and  a  few  tlays  later  the 
church  authorities  resolved  that  the  church  should  continue  to  exist 
luuler  its  legal  name,  constitution  and  charter  and  that,  with  the  help 
of  God.  i>vi'ry  cent  "f  its  di'lit  wnuld  lir-  paid.     Tliis  w;is  a  IutdJc  sti-p. 


Thf  Iiiiiii.iiiuci  Church — Secoiiil  Ivlifu-c 

considering  that  llic  dclits  aiiiiiiiiilcd  to  ij!22.(J(Ht  afli'r  deducting  tiie 
insui'aiic'i'  rec<'iviMl  dii  the  nM  iliurch  Iniiiding.  On  the  new  sfrui'lurr 
no  insurance  could  lie  cnllected. 

Not  lonir  at'tcrwjinl.  llic  work  of  clearing  away  the  ruins  of  the 
newly  liuill  leniplc  was  l)cgnn.  .\  large  number  of  members  volun- 
teei'cd  1(1  aid  in  this  worU,  women  and  children  vying  with  men  and 
^boys.  On  .New  Year's  Day,  IST'J,  the  congregation  at  its  annual  nu>et- 
ing  appointed  a  building  eommillee  with  authority  to  erect  n  church 
similar  111  the  mir  ilcsfrdxccl  in  the  fire.  Work  on  tln'  new  building  was 
not  to  lie  licirnn  nnlil  at  least  .>}:l().(l()()  had  b(>cn  raised.  When  Kcv 
CarlsKon    returned    home   after   having   visited   a   niuuber  of  Swedish 


Till'     IMMANII'I,    CIHRCII  ^y, 

ehurclies  in  llie  West  and  IkiIIi  SwimHsIi  and  otlier  Ijiitherans  in  tlie 
East  for  the  pni-pose  of  soliciting  i'luuls,  he  brought  back  a  little  more 
tliau  the  stipulated  amount,  making  it  possible  to  go  ahead  with  the 
work  at  once.  On  Christmas- momiug  following,  the  congregation  was 
enabled  to  worship  in  the  basement  of  the  neAV  church,  fitted  up  as  a 
temporary  meeting  hall.  The  edifice  was  not  completed  mitil  the 
spring  of  1875.  It  was  dedicated  on  April  -ith,  and  on  the  same  day 
Rev.  C.  A.  Evald,  its  new  pastor,  was  inducted  into  office  to  succeed 
Rev.  Carlsson,  who  had  resigned  by  reason  of  ill  health,  after  serving 
the  church  for  a  period  of  22  years.  The  new  church,  with  steeple, 
bells  and  organ  still  lacking,  represented  a  cost  of  .$31,845.  At  the 
annual  meeting  that  year  the  church  debt  amounted  to  .$21,558.  This 
was  a  pressing  burden  for  a  long  term  of  years,  retarding  progress  and 
weighing  down  the  spirits  of  the  members.  Subscriptions  were  taken 
from  time  to  time  in  an  effort  to  reduce  the  obligation.  At  the  annual 
meeting,  Jan.  1,  1885,  the  trustees  were  pleased  to  report  that  the  last 
remnant  of  the  debt,  amoimting  to  $6,700,  together  with  the  interest 
thereon,  being  $534.3.'i  had  been  paid  off.  To  commemorate  the  joyous 
event,  a  thanksgiving  festival  was  arranged  which  took  place  on  the 
18th  of  January.  Since  that  time  extra  funds  have  been  raised  for  the 
church  from  time  to  time  for  various  purposes,  such  as  renovating, 
erecting  a  steeple  and  providing  it  with  a  clock  and  church  bells,  and 
purchasing  a  new  pipe  organ.  The  steeple  was  built  in  1886  at  a  cost 
of  $2,579 ;  at  the  same  time  a  tower  clock  was  procured  for  $600  and 
three  church  bells  weighing  5,900  lbs.  and  costing  $1,174.35.  A  new 
pipe  organ  was  installed  in  1892  at  a  cost  of  nearly  $6,000. 

In  1897  the  house  at  218  Sedgwick  street  was  purchased  for  a  par- 
sonage at  a  cost  of  $8,500.  The  basement  of  the  building  was  turned 
into  a  library  and  reading  room  for  the  use  of  the  young  people's 
society.  Froiii  March.  1890,  the  church  has  i)ublislied  a  monthly  paper, 
named  "Forsamlings-Vannen,"  edited  by  the  pastor. 

This  has  been  a  mission  church  in  more  than  one  sense.  In  the 
course  of  years,  its  leaders  have  begun  Sunday  schools  and  other  forms 
of  mission  work  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  thereby  laying  the  founda- 
tion for  new  Swedish  Lutheran  churches.  The  Salem  Church  on  the 
south  side  is  the  first  example.  The  second  in  order  was  the  Gethsenuine 
Church  on  the  west  side,  organized  two  years  later,  or  1870.  Several 
other  churches  in  the  city  sustain  the  same  filial  relation  to  the  Im- 
manuel  Church.  Jlembers  Avho  have  removed  to  other  places  during 
these  fifty  years,  and  they  have  not  been  few,  have  been  taking  an 
active  interest  in  the  organizing  of  churches  wherever  they  have  come, 
and  by  reason  of  their  training  have  become  valuable  members  of  these 
churches. 


472 


THK    1,1  THIvRANS 


From  its  org.ani/.ation  to  the  present  time,  the  church  has  liad  only 
two  regular  pastors,  Erlaud  Carlsson  from  1853  to  1875  and  ( '.  A.  Evald 
from  that  jear  to  the  present  time,  but  the  assistant  pastors  have  been 
not  a  few  and  besides  a  large  number  of  students  have  assisted  in  the 
pulpit  and  in  the  Sunday  and  parochial  schools. 

From  its  earliest  years  the  Immanuel  Church  has  made  great 
sacrifices  for  the  Christian  education  and  training  of  the  young.    Short- 


TIk'   liMm.uiiK'l   C'luinh      liiUrior  iti  Tliinl   ICililict.' 


iy  .il'tir  K'cv.  Carlssdirs  .•ifi-i\;il,  a  Christian  scIkioI  was  started.  The 
first  ti'a<-licr  was  Kric  Norclins.  I  hen  a  slmli-iit  of  the  univfrsity  at 
Columbus,  Ohio,  later  pastor  of  the  Augustanii  Synoil  autl  at  present  its 
president.  The  need  of  a  sclioolhouse  soon  was  felt,  and  in  1S5;{  funds 
were  gathered  for  tlw  building,  which  was  finished  shortl.v.  It  was  a 
two  story  strui'liire.  24  by  .'!2  feet,  only  the  lower  part  being  used  for 
school  purposes,  while  the  ujiper  story  was  rented  out  to  raise  revenue 
I'm-  tile  |iii>  niciil  ipf  Ihi'  (Ii-IpI  mi  llic  liuildiiig. 


THI',    mMANMIU.    CHIRCII  473 

This  insiguificant  little  selioolhouse  attained  historical  importance 
not  only  for  this  church  but  for  tlio  Augustaiia  Synod  as  well.  It  was 
the  first  business  oft'ice  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Pul)lication  Society. 
The  printing  oflfice  of  "Hemlandet,"  a  paper  then  published  by  that 
association,  was  for  a  time  located  in  the  schoolroom  itself,  the  book- 
store being  located  in  a  room  above.  IMoreovcr.  this  same  building  was 
the  first  home  of  Augustaua  College  and  Theological  Seminary,  the 
principal  institution  of  learning  among  the  Swedish-Americans.  When 
Prof.  Esbjiirn  in  the  latter  part  of  March,  1860.  with  seventeen  Scan- 
dinavian Lutheran  students,  left  the  seminary  at  Springfield  and 
came  to  Chicago,  this  selioolhouse  was  placed  at  their  disposal.  The 
lower  story  was  used  as  a  lecture  hall,  while  the  upper  one  was  pressed 
into  seiwice  as  a  dormitory  for  the  students.  The  building  was  used 
thus  for  nearly  three  years,  or  until  the  fall  of  1863  when  the  institution 
was  removed  to  Paxton. 

At  first  the  parochial  school,  conducted  by  some  student,  was  kept 
up  only  in  summer,  and  the  subjects  taught  were  confined  to  religion 
and  the  Swedish  language,  but  during  various  periods  since  1870  other 
branches  have  been  taught,  including  the  English  language,  history 
and  geograpliy,  natural  history  and  music,  necessitating  the  engage- 
ment of  three  or  ionv  teachers  simultaneously.  Of  late  years,  however, 
the  original  plan  is  followed.  Either  students  from  synodieal  institu- 
tions or  other  teachers  have  lieen  permanently  engaged  and  tliousands 
of  Swedish-American  children  have  here  received  their  first  instruction 
in  the  language  and  religion  of  their  fathers. 

The  Siniday  school  of  the  Immanuel  Church  is.  no  doubt,  the  largesti_ 
and  the  best  organized  in  the  Angustana  Synod.  The  latter  attributive 
properly  applies  also  to  the  congregation  as  such.  A  large  niimber  of 
societies  are  at  work,  each  for  its  specific  purpose,  but  without  losing 
sight  of  their  common  interests  and  those  of  the  cluireh  at  large.  In 
his  great  work,  and  more  particularly  in  this  phase  of  it.  Dr.  Evald  has 
a  most  energetic  and  valuable  assistant  in  his  wife,  I\Irs.  Emmy  Evald. 
a  daughter  of  Rev.  Carlsson.  the  first  pastor  of  the  chiu'ch. 

Prom  the  16th  to  the  18th  of  January,  1903,  the  fiftieth  anniversary 
of  the  Immanuel  Church  was  celebrated  with  great  festivity.  At  the 
time  a  comprehensive  and  attractive  historical  memorial  was  published, 
containing,  together  with  a  wealth  of  other  facts  and  data,  the  follow- 
ing totals  for  the  years  1854-1901.  to-wit :  income  and  outlay,  .'t;426,977.- 
21 ;  communicant  members,  51,959  and  total  number  of  membei-s, 
64.680. 

At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1907  the  church  numbered  1.212 
communicants  and  ].971    members  all  told.     The   Suiidav  school   had 


474 


THE    I-l  THKRANS 


an  iittcndanee  of  1.46ft  pupils.     The  jiropt-rty  value,  including  eliurch 
and  ])arsonage,  was  estimated  at  $60,000. 

Rev.   Erland   Carlsson 

One  of  the  most  noted  elei-gymen  wlio  eame  over  from  Sweden  to 
take  up  work  in  lllinoi.s  was  Rev.  Erland  Carlsson.  He  was  born  Aug. 
24,  1822,  in  the  village  of  Suletorp,  in  Elghult  parish,  Smaland.  His 
parents,  who  were  godfearing  country  folk,  desired  to  give  him  a  good 
Christian  training.  "When  the  boy  was  but  ten  years  of  age,  his  father 
died,  throwing  the  whole  respou.sibility  on  the  shoulders  of  the  mother, 
who  did  as  much  as  any  pious  mother  could  do  for  her  son.  The  thought 
of  becoming  a  minister  arose  early  in  the  mind  of  the  boy,  but  poverty 
placed  what  seemed  insurmountable  obstacles  in  the  way.  After  a 
conversation  with  Sellergren,  a  noted  evangelist,  young  Carlsson's 
mind  took  a  more  serious  turn  and  he  resolved  to  realize  his  youthful 
ambition,  whatever  the  cost.  At  seventeen  he  began  his  tlieological 
studies  under  the  direction  of  clergymen  of  the  district,  who  kindly  lent 
their  aid  to  the  earnest  young  seeker  after  knowledge.  The  services 
rendered  by  these  men  were  never  forgotten  by  him.  A  connection 
seems  to  be  traceable  between  these  kind  offices  and  the  readiness 
which  Carlsson  in  after  years  spoke  words  of  encouragement  and 
extended  a  helping  hand  to  young  men  who  sought  his  advice  and  aid. 

In  184:i,  Carlsson  went  to  the  universily  of  Ijund.  cnniplcting  his 
collegiate  courses  llu'  I'ollowing  spring.  Shortly  thereafter.  Uishoi> 
Esaias  Tcgiicr  of  \'c.\io  licensed  him  to  preach,  a  privilege  wliicli  he 
availed  himself  of  during  the  following  summer.  In  the  fall  of  1844, 
he  retiiiiicd  lo  Lund  to  study  for  the  ministry.  He  was  obliged  to  work 
under  the  most  trying  circumstances,  his  health  failing  and  his  funtls 
giving  out.  Hut  these  dift'icultics  seemed  to  .spur  him  on  to  greater 
exertion,  and  liis  courage  never  failed  him.  In  184S.  he  pa.ssed  his 
tlieological  examination  with  high  honors,  but  was  not  ordained  until 
•luiii'  10,  lS4fl,  after  having  served  in  tlie  interval  as  jjastor  at  the 
w.ili  ring  ])lacc  of  Handdsa  and  at  the  Lessebo  paper  mills. 

Of  Carlsson's  career  in  the  Swedish  state  church  wc  know  that  he 
had  the  reputation  of  l)cing  a  gifted  and  earnest  ]>reachcr.  the  fi'uits  of 
whose  laboi-s  soon  became  evident.  His  sermons  were  full  of  power 
and  s|iii-itnality  and  this,  together  with  his  simple  and  popular  manner 
of  cxpoinMlini.'  till'  Scri|)tiM'cs  at  religions  gatherings  and  his  jirivale 
conversations  with  troubled  souls,  had  the  ctfcct  of  attracting  large 
audiences  to  tin'  little  factory  church.  Wiiilc  he  was  still  pastor  at 
Lessebo,  there  were  signs  of  spiritual  revival  in  that  and  ad.joining 
congregations.  While  this  was  a  source  of  joy  to  the  yo\uig  pastor, 
it  aroused  a])prehension  in  the  minds  of  tlie  l)isliop  and  the  consistory. 


i:ri,ani)  cari.ssdn  ^75 

The  so-ealled  Convciiticli'  I'lauard  designed  to  arrest  the  free  church 
movement  in  Sweden  was  still  in  force.  All  efforts  at  talving  relifjion 
seriously  tlic  autlioi'ities  cliaracterized  as  "pietism"'  and  fanaticism. 
So  when  Carlsson  sounded  the  alarm  to  those  reposing  in  the  sleep  of 
the  self-i'ighteous.  lie  aroused  tlir  enmity  of  those  who  saw  danger  in 
"too  much  religion." 

But  the  young  pastor,  holding  thai  the  prime  ohject  of  all  preach- 
ing was  the  salvation  of  men's  souls,  w-as  not  to  be  frightened  by  i)ro- 
tests.  He  continued  to  ju'each  the  full  gospel  and  the  fire  of  revival 
eontiiHied  to  spread.  When  he  also  began  to  lecture  on  temperance, 
the  authoj'ities  decided  that  the  Lessebo  pastor  must  be  made  harmless 
at  any  cost.  They  were  not  particular  about  the  means  to  this  end. 
Although  the  pastorate  at  the  nulls  was  a  fixed  position,  the  consistory 
sent  him  from  one  place  to  another.  CarLssou,  with  true  Christian 
meekness,  bowed  to  its  wishes,  and  submitted  to  an  in.justice  calculated 
to  injure  him,  but  which,  on  the  contrary,  endeared  him  all  the  more  to 
the  people.  The  un.just  acts  of  the  consistory  also  had  a  great  deal  to 
do  with  his  decision  to  emigrate  in  order  to  preach  the  gospel  to  his 
coimtrymen  in  the  New  World,  unhampered  by  governmental  re- 
strictions. 

When  Carlsson,  through  the  medium  of  Dr.  Fjellstedt,  received  the 
call  to  become  the  pastor  of  the  Immanuel  Church  in  Chicago,  he  was 
favorably  impressed  with  the  opportunity  therein  implied,  yet  he  was 
not  blind  to  the  difficulties  and  acts  of  self-saerifice  which  it  would 
impose.  This  was  a  work  in  full  harmony  with  his  innermost  desire. 
and  he  felt  it  his  duty  to  go,  still  he  was  not  over-hasty  in  reaching  a 
decision.  lie  received  the  call  to  America  early  in  1853.  and  on  the 
third  of  June  the  same  year,  after  having  obtained  leave  of  absence  for 
six  years,  he  left  Sweden. 

The  Immanuel  Church  in  Carlsson  obtained  .just  such  a  pastor  as  ■ — 
it  needed,  and  his  labors  soon  showed  results.  The  Swedes  of  Chicago  — 
felt  that  Rev.  Carlsson  had  their  interest  at  heart  and  worked  unselfish- 
ly in  their  behalf.  For  this  reason  they  gathered  about  him  like  sheep 
about  the  shepherd  or  children  around  their  father.  He  not  only 
became  their  pastor  but  also  their  confidential  adviser  on  all  vital 
matters.  His  sound  judgment  and  practical  mind  was  at  first  placed 
at  the  service  of  the  poor  and  often  totally  helpless  newcomers,  later  to 
become  a  useful  factor  in  the  working  out  of  the  plans  and  destinies 
of  the  entire  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  the  United  States.  From 
the  very  first,  he  became  one  of  the  leaders  and  most  respected  men  in 
the  Swedish  colony  in  Chicago. 

The  call  extended  to  Rev.  Carlsson  also  provided  that  he  should 
have  charge  of  the  congregation  organized  in  Geneva  in  1853.    For  a 


476  Tin-;  1,1  Tiri;R.\NS 

number  of  years,  be  served  that  church  too,  but  this  was  not  the  extent 
of  his  field  of  usefulness.  Immigration  in  the  early  fifties  was  very 
large,  and  Swedish  settlements  sprang  up  in  a  number  of  localities 
round  about  Chicago.  Swedes  settled  in  small  groups  in  eastern 
Illinois,  western  Indiana  and  southern  llichigan,  and  to  each  of  these 
settlements  extended  Kev.  Carlsson's  solicitations  for  their  spiritual 
welfare.  He  paved  the  way  for  many  Swedish  Lutheran  churches  in 
these  states  and  saw  a  number  of  them  safely  through  the  storm  and 
stress  of  the  first  few  years.  His  sound  judgment,  practical  wisdom 
and  unflinching  energy  often  were  of  invaluable  service  to  the  new- 
comers in  their  perplexity  and  helplessness.  By  his  sympathetic  per- 
sonality he  won  well-nigh  unbounded  respect  and  confidence. 

The  terrible  experience  of  the  Swedish  immigrants  during  the 
cholera  epidemic  of  1854  form  the  dark  background  which  gives  vivid 
relief  to  the  portrayal  of  Carlsson  as  pastor,  man  and  Christian.  The 
situation  was  appalling;  sickness  and  death  visited  almost  every  home 
and  so  numerous  were  the  victims  of  the  pest  that  it  was  only  with  the 
greatest  difficulty  that  the  bodies  could  be  promptly  niterred.  From 
—morning  till  night,  Carlsson  would  spend  his  time  with  the  sick,  lending 
aid  and  comfort,  while  his  own  vitality  was  almost  spent,  and  even 
when  he  was  himself  i)liysically  ill.  lie  constantly  exposed  himself  to 
the  contagion,  evidently  without  any  thought  of  his  own  safety.  There 
were  those  who  did  not  like  him,  but  none  could  say  that  he  was  afraid 
or  that  he  spared  himself.  Where  there  was  greatest  need  of  help, 
there  you  would  find  the  Swedish  Lutheran  pastor,  giving  aid  and 
succor,  without  distinction  Ix'twcen  friend  and  foe.  members  or  enemies 
of  his  elinrcli ;  tlic\  were  all  I'elbnv  mortals  in  distress,  that  was  enough 
for  him. 

In  185,5  Carlsson  was  married  to  Miss  Kva  Charlotta  AndeiNon. 
daughter  of  a  well-known  setller.  Knuii  imw  (in.  he  bad  at  his  side  a 
faithful  liel|)nieet  who.  in  t!i(>  estimation  of  many,  was  the  ideal  of  a 
Lutheran  pastor's  wife.  With  her  arrival  as  the  presiding  spirit  of  the 
parsonage  of  the  Inimanuel  ('liureli,  that  became  the  headquarters  of  a 
mission  of  great  inipdrtaiK-c  to  the  church  and  to  tlie  Swedisii  colony 
of  Chieago  at  large.  The  home  of  Hev.  Carlsson  was,  as  some  one  has 
expressed  it,  "a  minialme  Castle  Gar<len."  Here  helpless  newcomers 
were  sheltered  and  fed,  however  scarce  the  room  and  liowever  low  the 
supiilies  of  the  larder.  On  Suiulay  he  would  ]ireaeli  to  his  (Munitrymen  ; 
on  .MonibiN'.  be  luid  to  scurr\'  about  town  trying  to  find  work  t"or  Iheni; 
on  Tuesday,  be  woubi  be  enlleil  ii|)(iii  to  help  some  one  disentangle  an 
iiitrie;ite  business  alVaii';  on  Wednesday,  (here  would  be  a  party  of 
iinniii-'rants  arriving,  wlioni  he  bad  to  meet  and  assist  ;  tin  Thursday, 
he  niiglit   be  in  court,  acting  as  tin-   intei'iireter  of  sonu-  neweomer  in 


i;ki,a\I)  cari.ssox 


477 


troubk' ;  III!  Fridax'.  people  might  call  on  liiiii  to  act  as  private  secretary, 
witli  the  duty  of  reading  and  writing  their  letters,  and  on  Saturday 
there  would  generally  be  any  amount  of  similar  private  commissions 
for  him  to  perform.  This  strenuous  work  was  appreciated  by  many, 
while  others  gave  him  no  thanks  for  his  endeavors.  The  discomforts 
and  privations  the  Carlssous  brought  upon  themselves  in  their  effoi-ts 
to  assist  otliers  were  often  made  light  of.  and  Rev.  Cai-lsson  was  not 


Rev.  Krland  Carlsson 


spared  the  grief  of  seeing  many  whom  he  had  rendered  valuable 
.services  afterM'ard  turning  against  him  in  bitter  enmitj'. 

To  recount  the  labors  of  Eev.  Carlsson  in  Chicago  at  this  period 
would  be  to  repeat  the  history  of  the  Immanuel  Church,  for  he  was 
the  moving  spirit  in  every  enterprise  in  the  church  and  to  his  splendid 
leadership  and  capacity  for  organization  is  due  in  great  measure  the 
credit  for  everything  then  accomplished  by  that  church. 

Having  lent  his  best  efforts  to  the  work  of  restoration  after  the 


478  ''■"'••  1.1  thi:rans 

destructiDii  ami  liisiiiti'jrration  t-aiised  liy  the  Cliicafro  fire.  Kev.  Carls- 
son  did  not  long  remain  in  charge  of  the  Immauuel  C'iiureh.  In  1875 
he  received  and  accepted  a  call  to  Andover.  to  take  the  place  of  Kev. 
Jonas  Swensson,  deceased,  as  i)astor  of  that  church.  Carlsson  left  the 
Ininianuel  Church,  not  from  choice,  but  because  he  hoiied  that  the 
quiet  country  would  afford  him  that  rest  for  mind  and  body  which  wa.s 
not  to  be  had  in  the  turbulent  metropolis.  In  leaving  Chicago,  however. 
he  did  not  cease  to  follow  the  work  tlicre  with  great  interest.  Wiien 
Carlsson  came  to  Chicago,  the  Immanuel  Cliurdi  consisted  of  a  liand- 
ful  (if  ]iiiiir  immigrants,  but  when  he  left,  after  laboring  there  for 
twenty-two  years,  it  was  the  largest  congregation  in  the  .synod. 

Fi'om  ISTo  to  1887,  Carlsson  served  as  jtastor  of  the  Andover 
cluiiili.  lie  (il)taiiied  the  desired  rest  in  this  respect  that  he  was  no 
longer  rc(iuircd  to  have  charge  of  missions  and  organize  new  congrega- 
tions, but  could  devote  his  entire  time  to  the  upliuilding  of  his  o\m 
congregation.  Tlie  pastoral  duties,  so  dear  to  his  heart,  he  was  now  left 
to  perform  without  having  other  work  constantly  interposed,  but  a 
pastorate  of  the  size  of  Andover  does  not  afford  rest  in  the  ordinary 
sense  of  the  term.  Besides,  he  took  an  active  interest  in  the  general 
affairs  of  the  church  at  all  times.  He  was  i)resident  of  the  Illinois 
Conference  up  to  1882.  and  in  1881  he  was  elected  president  of  the 
Augustana  Synod,  serving  until  1887.  Membership  in  a  numl)er  of 
committees  imposed  ou  him  many  extra  duties.  Under  the  burden  of 
all  this  work.  Carlsson "s  liealtli  began  to  fail.  In  1S84  lie  had  an  attack 
of  apoplexy  which  made  it  difficult  for  him  to  attend  to  his  ministerial 
duties.  Nevertheless,  he  continued  his  pastoral  work  until  June.  1887, 
when  he  removed  to  Kock  Island,  having  accepted  the  position  of 
business  manager  of  Augustaiui  College  and  Theological  Seminary. 

This  oft'ice.  far  from  ligiitening  his  burden,  added  new  cares  and 
responsibilities.  Industrious,  energetic  and  i)racfical  as  he  was,  he  still 
found  himself  uiie(|ual  to  the  task.  His  health  steadily  failed  and  soon 
it  was  apparent  to  him  that  he  could  not  long  hold  out  in  the  service 
of  the  institution  he  so  dearly  loved  and  in  I  lie  upbuilding  of  wliich  he 
had  always  taken  an  active  jiart. 

At  the  advice  of  his  physician  to  seek  a  milder  elinuUe,  Carl.s.son 
leninved  In  Kiiiisas,  purchasing  a  large  farm  near  Lindsborg  and  build- 
ing for  liiniself  a  comfortable  home  which  he  named  Hostad.  after  a 
cherished  place  in  his  fatherland.  Here,  together  witii  his  loving  wife, 
he  spent  the  last  few  years  of  liis  life,  surrounded  by  relatives  and 
friends. 

To  know  Kev.  Carlsson  was  to  love  and  esteem  him.  For  the  .voinig 
pe(i|ile  in  particular  he  had  a  pe<'uliar  attraction.  Socially,  he  was  free 
and  naliir.il,  ainl  .i  Tin mvi'i'sat  ioiialist.     Tliat   bis  iiidependcnce  was 


KRI.AXI)    CARI.SSOX 


479 


distasteful  to  sonio  is  not  to  he  wondered  at.  He  was  deferent  to  others, 
but  not  in  matters  of  principle;  from  what  he  held  to  l)e  right,  he  was 
never  known  to  deviate  a  iiair's-brcadth.  Ilis  wlmle-snnled  Christianily 
impressed  everyone  who  came  in  contact  with  liini.  But  to  ascribe  to 
him  a  perfection  which  was  not  his  would  not  be  honoring  his  memory. 
He  had  his  faults,  which  he  could  not  conceal  and  which  we  cannot  here 
overlook.  Among  these  was  a  hot  and  excitable  temper  which  would 
often  get  the  better  of  his  judgment  in  the  course  of  public  delibera- 
tions. He  was  himself  fully  conscious  of  his  shortcoming,  which  caused 
him  the  keenest  regret,  and  he  was  not  too  proud  to  apologize  to  any- 
one whom  he  felt  guilty  of  having  done  an  injustice  or  injury. 

His  sympathetic  personality  and  vivid  presentation  made  him  a 
truly  popular  preacher.  He  did  not  overlook  the  essential  requirement 
of  thorough  preparation.  His  sermons  were  logical  and  to  tlic  point. 
He  laid  much  stress  on  the  form  of  the  sermon  but  not  at  the  expense  of 
the  contents.  He  always  appeared  with  a  dignity  becoming  a  minister 
of  the  church  of  God. 

In  1892  the  directors  of  Augustana  College  and  Theological  Sem- 
inary conferred  upon  Carlsson  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity,  in  well- 
deserved  recognition  of  his  theological  learning  as  well  as  of  his  long 
and  tireless  work  toward  the  upbuilding  of  that  institution  of  learning 
and  of  the  Augustana  Sjiiod  as  a  whole. 

Carlsson  was  an  energetic  promoter  of  every  In-aneh  of  benevolent 
work.  While  in  Andover  he  was  the  chairman  of  the  board  of  the 
orphanage  at  that  place.  He  was  one  of  the  incorporators  of  the 
Augustana  Hospital  of  Chicago  and  was  intensely  interested  in  the 
development  of  that  institution. 

To  the  very  last  he  labored  in  the  interest  of  the  home  mission 
work.  On  a  visit  to  Sister  Bay,  Wis.,  where  he  had  a  relative  living. 
his  real  purpose  was  to  seek  health  and  rest  in  its  invigorating  northern 
climate,  but  he  could  not  refrain  from  preaching  the  gospel  to  the 
Swedish  settlers  there,  and  thus  it  happened  that  his  last  sermon  was 
preached  in  that  locality.  A  .slight  apoplectic  attack  soon  compelled 
his  return  to  Chicago,  to  the  home  of  his  daughter  and  son-in-law,  Mrs. 
and  Dr.  C.  A.  Evald.  A  second  attack  followed  shortly  after  his  return, 
and  on  the  19th  of  October,  1893,  Erland  Carlsson  peacefully  passed 
away,  with  his  wife,  children  and  grand-children  at  his  bedside. 

On  the  25tli  of  the  same  month,  after  impressive  funeral  services  in 
the  Inimanuel  Church,  where  Carlsson  had  preached  for  more  than  a 
score  of  years,  his  remains  were  laid  to  rest  in  Graceland  cemetery, 
where  a  fine  monument,  erected  by  the  Immanuel  congregation,  marks 
the  resting-place  of  this  eminent  pioneer. 


48o  THK    I.ITHKRANS 

The    Svredish   Lutherans   of  Geneva 

This  cliurcli  was  organized  in  the  first  week  of  January,  1S.').J.  by 
Rev.  Ilasselquist  and  the  Norwegian  clergyman,  Rev.  Paul  Auderseu,  of 
Chicago.  Its  membenship,  starting  with  forty,  rapidly  increased  with 
the  arrival  of  new  immigrants.  The  organization  did  not  take  place  in 
Geneva,  but  in  the  neighboring  settlement  of  St.  Charles,  where  the 
Swedes  were  more  numerous.  In  the  fall  Rev.  Erland  Carlsson  arrived 
from  the  old  country,  taking  charge  of  this  congregation,  together 
with  that  in  Chicago,  and  making  regular  visits  to  St.  Charles  the  first 
Sunday  of  each  month. 

The  first  house  of  worship  was  the  little  church  mentioned  in  the 
sketch  of  the  St.  Charles  congregation,  which  was  erected  in  1852.  at 
the  initiative  of  the  adventurous  Nils  Jansson.  For  two  reasons  the 
Geneva  people,  however,  soon  determined  to  provide  their  own  church 
edifice.  One  was  that  the  chui-ch  at  St.  diaries  was  too  small  to  accom- 
modate the  people,  so  that  in  the  sunuiicr  of  ISo-l  a  large  part  of  the 
audience  had  to  remain  outside  of  the  church  during  Sunday  morning 
services.  The  second  reason  was  a  more  peculiar  one.  There  was  a 
debt  of  $150  on  the  church  building,  for  which  the  trustees  had  given  a 
note  with  the  proviso  that  receipts  for  all  work  and  building  material 
were  to  be  submitted,  together  with  a  deed  to  the  lot,  before  the  money 
would  be  paid.  This  was  never  done.  The  tnistces  refused  to  pay  the 
debt  until  the  conditions  should  be  fulfilled.  On  the  other  hand  the 
creditor  was  uiial)le  to  carry  out  his  part  of  the  agreement  for  the 
simple  reason  that  tiie  lot  on  which  the  church  was  built  had  been  sold 
to  a  railway  company. 

In  tlic  meantime  the  Swedes  in  Geneva  had  materially  increased 
in  number.  This  fact,  together  with  the  tangle  regarding  the  St. 
Charles  church  property,  gave  added  impetus  to  the  movement  toward 
the  erection  of  a  church  in  the  first  named  place.  In  the  center  of  the 
village  stood  a  large  stone  building  begun  five  years  before,  intended 
foi-  a  hotel,  but  never  completed.  It  occurred  to  the  church  members 
that  this  might  easily  be  altered  so  as  to  serve  the  purpose  of  a  church 
edifice.  After  having  looked  over  the  structure  and  ascertained  that  it 
was  for  sale  together  with  the  surroundins  premises,  comprising  one 
entire  block,  the  Swedish  Lutherans  of  (ioneva  and  St.  Charles,  at  a 
meeting  held  in  St,  Charles  Nov.  22,  1854,  resolved  to  purchase  the 
I)roperly  at  a  price  not  exceeding  .$2,000  and  rei'ouslruct  the  building 
for  tiieir  jmrpose.  The  church  members,  no  matter  in  whieii  plac(>  they 
lived,  all  ]ib'dgc(l  thi'iiiselves  to  do  their  utmost  to  raise  the  money. 
])romising,  as  a  rule,  to  eoiilribute  one  montii's  wages.  A  subscription 
was  started  at  once  and  during  the  evening  a  total  of  $400  was  pledged. 
Later  it  reached  the  final  amount  of  $1,200.    Two  days  after  the  meet- 


GENEVA 


481 


ing,  the  bargain  was  made  and  wurk  was  at  once  l)t'>,'iui.  In  the  latter 
part  of  December,  tbe  buiblinj,'  was  under  (-over  and  so  far  completed 
that  services  could  be  held  there.  The  edifice  was  36  by  -i?  feet  and 
18  feet  in  height.  There  were  thirty  l)euches  on  the  main  floor,  whicli 
witli  the  gallery  seated  300  ])eople.  On  Sunday,  the  11th  of  :\Iay,  1850, 
the  church  was  dedicated,  liaving  been  finished  at  a  total  outlay  of 
$1,420.  This  amount,  together  with  the  pui'chase  price  and  interest, 
ran  the  total  expenditure  on  the  property  up  to  $3,540.  At  the  time  of 
the  dedication  an  even  $1,000  remained  unpaid. 

After  the  St.  Charles  church  had  been  lost  in  a  litigation  the 
members  worshiped  with  their  brethren  in  Geneva,  belonging  to  that 
congregation  until  1882  when  thej'  organized  a  clnirch  of  their  own. 

As  early  as  1857,  Rev.  Erland  Carlsson  found  his  field  too  exten- 
sive and  accordingly  engaged  assistants  for  the  work  in  Geneva. 
Several  pastors,  including  A.  Andreen,  E.  Norelius  and  G.  Peters,  took 
turns  with  him  in  preaching  there.  "When  no  pastor  was  to  be  had,  the 
services  were  conducted  by  Deacons  Karl  Samuelsson  or  P.  Carlsson. 
Rev.  Carlsson,  however,  had  pastoral  charge  of  the  congregation  until 
Axigust.  1863.  During  the  fir.st  decade  of  its  existence,  the  church 
prospered  greatly  both  spiritually  and  materially.  It  had  its  finances 
so  Avell  in  hand  that  at  the  tenth  anniversary  the  debt  amounted  to 
only  $40. 

The  second  pastor  of  this  clmrch  was  Rev.  P.  A.  Cederstam,  who 
took  charge  Aug.  3.  1863,  meanwhile  serving  the  DeKalb  church  Ijy 
preaching  there  every  third  Sunday.  Rev.  Cederstam  aroused  the 
cougi-egation  to  great  activity  during  the  short  period  of  three  years 
that  he  was  pennitted  to  serve.  Broken  down  in  health,  he  resigned 
July  16,  1866,  when  Rev.  Erland  Carlsson  again  took  charge  of  the 
pastorate. 

In  the  early  part  of  the  year  1869,  Rev.  C.  0.  Lindell  succeeded  to 
this  charge.  During  Ceder.stam's  time,  mission  work  had  been  begun 
in  Aurora,  and  at  the  next  annual  meeting  the  members  living  there 
asked  permission  to  withdraw  and  organize  a  distinct  church.  Their 
request  was  granted,  but  for  some  time  both  congregations  were  served 
by  the  pastor  in  Geneva.  Rev.  Lindell  resigned  his  post  in  January,  1875. 

The  following  ]\Iarch  a  call  was  extended  to  Rev.  C.  H.  Sodergren. 
who  accepted  and  laliored  in  Geneva  for  nine  years,  or  until  1884.  In 
1879  the  congregation  celebrated  its  25th  anniversar.v,  Avhen  the 
speakers  were  the  founder  and  the  subsequent  pastors  of  the  church. 
It  was  during  Rev.  Sodergren 's  time  that  the  members  in  St.  Charles 
withdrew  and.  in  January,  1882,  organized  themselves  as  a  separate 
congregation.  Thereby  the  membership  of  Sodergren 's  church  was 
materially  decreased,  carrying  with  it  a  reduction  of  his  salary  from 


482 


THE    lATHKRANS 


$800  to  $500.    lu  spite  of  its  reduced  circumstances,  the  congregation 
incurred  a  licavy  expense  for  new  chun-h  furuiture  and  repaii-s. 

After  Rev.  Scidergren's  removal  to  Bertraud.  Xeb.,  in  1884,  the 
pastorate  was  left  vacant  for  one  year.  Nov.  9, 1886,  the  St.  Charles  and 
Geneva  churches  agreed  to  call  Rev.  C.  E.  Cesander  as  their  common 


wrdi^h    I.iului.in   Chuiih   ft   t'.i-iu\.i 


pastor,  whose  timr  was  to  he  equally  divided  between  them.  The  year 
after,  a  new  organ  was  purchased,  and  in  IHiKJ  it  was  resolved  to  build 
a  new  chun-li.  $2,000  hcinjr  subscrilicd  for  the  purpose.  Tlie  enterprise 
was  piislpdiic'd,  lidwcver,  owing  partly  to  several  disasters  in  Geneva 
l)ul  priiiii|iiilly  l<i  I  lie  financial  panic  of  1S9U  and  successive  years, 
lie  was  suceeeded  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Axelson  in  Septend)er.  ISOiJ.  Dur- 
ing the  intervening  vacancy,  a  eoinforlable  parsonage  was  erected  on 
the  cluu'ch  lot  at  a  cost  of  $1,804.  Rev.  Siidergren  and  Tcsander  had 
lived  in  a  parsonage  situated  halfway  between  the  two  cities  and  owned 
by  the  pastors  themselves.  After  serving  the  church  for  four  years, 
Rev.  Axelson  resigned  and  soon  afterward  returned  to  Sweden. 


Kxoxvi  I.I.I-: 


483 


In  Aiijrust.  ISDl),  the  ooiigi-ogatit)ii  callcil  Kev.  Carl  Christ l'h.soii  of 
Lincoln,  Neb.,  who  took  up  his  duties  at  the  beginning  of  the  next  year. 
In  IMareh  of  that  year  the  congregation  resolved  to  huild  a  new  church, 
to  cost  $9,000,  the  work  to  l)egin  as  soon  as  .t(j,000  liad  been  subscribed. 
Ill  June,  the  bid  of  C.  A.  Anderson,  of  St.  Charles,  to  erect  the  structure 
for  the  sum  of  !{!lO,S:57,  was  accepted,  and  on  Sept.  9th,  tlie  cornerstone 
was  laid.  Services  were  held  in  the  new  edifice  for  the  first  time  on 
the  first  Sunday  of  the  year  1901,  but  the  formal  dedication  did  not 
take  place  iintil  .March  24tli.  This  temi-)le  is  built  in  the  Gothic  style, 
tiie  material  being  stone  for  the  basement  and  i)ressed  brick  for  the 
superstructure.  Its  dimensions  are :  length,  94  feet ;  width,  40  and  49 
feet ;  height  of  steeple,  117  feet.  The  interior  f ini.sh  is  in  oak  through- 
out. It  has  an  organ  worth  $1,400,  placed  to  one  side  of  the  chancel. 
The  total  cost  of  the  church,  completely  furnished,  exclusive  of  the 
organ,  was  $13,866. 

The  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  church  was  celebrated  on  the  fifth, 
sixth  and  seventh  of  June,  1903,  a  historical  memorial  being  published 
in  connection  therewith.  Rev.  Christensou  left  in  1905,  and  his  suc- 
cessor is  Rev.  F.  A.  Linder,  president  of  the  Illinois  Conference  for 
several  years  past.  At  New  Tear's,  1907,  the  congregation  numbered 
332  commimicants  and  559  members  all  told.  Its  property  was  valued 
at  $20,000. 

The    Knoxville   Church 

This  congregation  also  was  organized  l>y  Rev.  Hasselquist,  in  the 
year  1853.  The  founder  was  its  pastor  up  to  1863,  simultaneously  with 
his  pastorate  in  Galesburg,  the  church  afterward  receiving  it  own 
minister. 

A  small  frame  church  was  built  in  1S54  and  dedicated  Dec.  2nd,  the 
following  year,  while  still  unfinished.  The  Americans  in  Knoxville  had 
lent  some  aid  toward  its  erection,  but  the  bulk  of  the  expense  fell  on 
the  impecunious  members  themselves,  who  scraped  together  the  needed 
funds  in  various  ways,  ending  by  a  voluntary  assessment  of  one  dollar 
for  each  hundred  dollars  worth  of  property,  the  valuation  to  be  made 
by  the  owner.  The  little  church,  Avhieh  they  considered  light  and  lofty, 
cost  about  $1,700,  of  which  sum  $800  had  been  paid. 

The  church  in  1860  numbered  173  communicants  and  its  current 
anniial  expenses  amounted  to  $250.  In  after  years  the  congregation 
has  had  but  a  modest  growth,  the  Swedes  in  this  locality  not  being  very 
niimerous.  At  the  beginning  of  1907,  the  membership  had  reached  285. 
of  whom  183  were  eommi;nicants.  Its  church  property,  including  church 
building,  parsonage  and  the  lots  appertaining,  was  valued  at  $5,000. 

There  lived  in  Knoxville  from  1852  to  1855  a  blacksmith  hv  the 


484  THK    I.rTHKRANS 

name  of  Ilakau  Olson  who.  in  view  of  the  lack  of  clergymen,  wa-s  in- 
duced by  Kev.  IlasseUiuist  to  study  for  the  ministry.  He  was  ordained  in 
June  18(i(l,  wlien  the  Augustana  Synod  wa.s  organized,  and  labored  in 
the  ministry  for  more  than  forty  years,  including  ten  years  in  Illinois. 
Rev.  Ilakau  Ol.son  died  in  Port  Wing.  Wis.,  June  1,  1904. 

Another  of  the  laymen  of  the  Knoxville  church  during  the  fifties 
who  entered  the  ministry  at  the  instance  of  Rev.  llasscbiuist.  was  a 
farmer  named  Johannes  Jon.sson,  afterwards  known  as  John  Johnson. 
who  became  minister  of  the  churches  in  Moliiu'  and  in  Princeton. 

The    First   Lutheran   Church   of   RocKford 

Rev.  Erland  Carlsson  of  Chicago  in  October,  1853,  visited  Rockford 
for  tlie  first  time,  forming  the  acquaintance  of  its  Swedish  settlers.  To 
them  his  visit  suggested  the  need  of  a  Swedish  Lutheran  minister,  and 
they  accordingly  sent  a  delegate  to  the  united  Chicago  and  ^lississippi 
Conferences,  which  met  in  Chicago  Jan.  4-0,  1854.  to  present  a  request 
for  a  pastor.  Tlic  conference  rcjilied  tliat  as  Rev.  Carlsson  would  again 
visit  Rockford  on  the  following  Sunda.v  all  Swedes  and  Norwegians  in 
and  around  the  city  ought  to  meet  then  and  advise  with  him  as  to  the 
organization  of  a  chiircli. 

In  accordance  herewith,  Rev.  Carl.s.son  came  to  Rockford  Sunday, 
Jan.  15th,  and.  after  conducting  divine  services  and  administering  the 
Holy  Communion,  organized  a  congregation  under  tiie  name  of  the 
Scandinavian  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of  Rockford.  Tiiose  join- 
ing at  the  time  were  77  in  number,  including  32  children.  The  first 
deacons  were  Jonas  Larsson  and  Johan  IVttersson  and  the  first  trustee.* 
Jolian  TiUndl)eck  and  Josef  Liiidgren.  Hev.  Carlsson  and  his  a.ssistant 
A.  .\iiilrccii  siilis('i|ucnlly  visited  the  congregation  four  Sundays  every 
year  and  the  fii'st  i\I(inday  of  eacli  month. 

On  the  5tli  of  ]\!arcii.  1S55,  the  first  anniud  meeting  of  the  church 
w.is  lirld.  wlii'ii  the  ai-i'ounts  submitted  sliowed  a  total  income  of  !|!l0.4n 
and  a  total  exi)endilure  of  .'|!4.5(i.  'riiese  modest  figures.  Iiowever.  did 
not  include  tlie  amount  paid  out  to  the  pastors,  wbieb  w.is  raised  by 
subscription  and  by  occasional  collections. 

A  special  business  meeting  was  held  June  30.  1855.  to  devise  ways 
and  means  of  procuring  a  house  of  worship,  the  rajiid  growth  of  the 
Swedish  pojuilation  and  their  alTilialion  with  the  church  nmking  such 
a  step  imperative.  It  was  decided  to  start  a  subscription  and  solicit 
funds  among  both  Swedes  and  Americans  for  the  purchase  of  a  lot  to 
bnibi  on.  it  ln'ing  pointed  out  that  the  longer  liic  dela.v.  the  iiigher  llie 
price.  |{\  the  end  of  .lulv  .\ndreen,  who  seems  to  have  had  charge  of  the 
soliciting,  iuul  $.'!(Mi  sul>seril)cd  by  Swedes  and  $70(1  by  .Vnu'rieans.  In 
tiie  mi-antime  a  eoMnnillee  compo.scd  of  two  nu>n.  .lohn   Larsson   and 


ROCKl'ORI)  48s 

John  Xclsdii.  had  |)ur('hiisc(l  a  lot  at  tlic  ciiriuT  of  Xortli  First  and  Kock 
sti'cH'ts  for  tilt'  sum  of  .f:52r).  this  transaction  hein;,'  ratilicd  by  tin;  eoii- 
gregiition  Aug.  '20th.  The  contract  for  building  tho  church  was  let 
Sept.  12th  to  Lars  Grrmliind  and  6.  P.  Johnson  for  .^725.  The  plans  had 
been  prepared  luider  Rev.  Carlsson's  supervision  and  the  contract 
specified  that  the  building  was  to  be  completed  by  Dec.  1st;  but  only 
the  basement  was  ready  when  the  time  expired. 

In  the  spring  of  1855,  Andreen  obtained  ad  interim  license  to  preach 
and  perform  ministerial  acts,  but  spent  the  following  fall  and  spring  at 
the  seminary  at  Springfield.  During  vacation  he  assisted  Kev.  Carlsson 
and  often  preached  to  his  countrymen  in  Rockford.  Oct.  10th  he  was 
called  as  regular  pastor  of  that  church,  but  was  not  ordained  until 
Sept.  12,  1S56,  having  removed  to  Rockford  and  taken  charge  the 
month  before. 

Under  the  supervision  of  the  pastor,  the  work  of  completing  the 
church  building  progressed  so  that  the  edifice  was  finished  in  the  fall 
and  could  be  dedicated  Nov.  23rd,  Rev.  T.  N.  Hasselquist  officiating. 
It  was  a  frame  building,  45  by  28  feet  and  28  feet  high.  In  the  basement 
was  a  schoolroom  extending  half  the  length  of  the  structure.  The 
interior  was  neatly  painted  and  the  aisles  were  laid  with  carpets,  a 
luxury  not  common  in  the  early  Swedish-American  churches.  The 
edifice,  which  had  a  capacity  of  300,  was  in  use  until  the  early  part  of 
1870,  M'hen  a  new  brick  structure  was  ready  for  occupancy. 

A  parsonage  was  simultaneously  erected.  Rev.  Andreen  having 
made  an  agreement  with  the  congregation  liy  which  he  was  to  build  a 
house  on  a  part  of  the  church  lot,  which  the  church  would  buy  on  the  in- 
stallment plan  at  actual  cost,  or  else  sell  to  him  the  ground  it  occupied. 
In  1856  a  parochial  school  was  opened,  with  instruction  in  the 
Swedish  laugi;age  and  Christianity,  ilagnus  Munter  was  the  first 
schoolmaster  here  as  in  Geneva.  This  parochial  school  has  been  kept 
up  ever  since.  Simday  school  was  also  begun  in  the  early  years  of  the 
church.  Nov.  4,  1858,  the  name  of  the  church  was  changed  by  the 
substitution  of  the  word  "Swedish"  for  "Scandinavian,"  its  member- 
ship now  being  exclusively  Swedish.  In  May,  1860,  it  was  resolved  to 
withdraw  from  the  S.^Tiod  of  Northern  Illinois  and,  together  with  other 
Swedish  Lutheran  churches,  form  the  Augustana  Synod.  Harmony  and 
unanimity  reigned  and  the  congregation  contributed  much  to  mission 
work,  temperance  work,  the  synodical  school  and  other  Christian 
endeavor. 

Rev.  Andreen  at  first  had  a  salary  of  $150  and  two  free-will  offer- 
ings a  year.  Not  until  1850  was  this  amount  increased,  and  then  by  only 
$50.  At  the  annual  meeting  in  1860,  no  salary  was  fixed  but  instead  a 
subscription  was  to  be  taken,  the  pastor  to  receive  the  whole  amount 


486  THE    LITHERANS 

raised,  wlictlur  iihui'  or  less  than  $200.  Tlie  ineniliership  was  213,  122 
beiiijr  comnumieants,  ami  the  current  expenses  for  tlie  year  1859 
amounted  to  $300. 

Aside  from  his  arduous  work  in  TJoi-kford.  Andreen  found  time  to 
serve  the  congregation  in  the  neighboring  settlement  of  Peeatoniea. 
There  he  organized  a  Swedish  Lutheran  church  in  1857,  which  built  a 
little  frame  ehureh.  3fi  by  24  feet,  the  same  year,  at  a  co.st  of  $600.  It 
was  dedicated  Oct.  11th.  For  a  number  of  years  this  church  continued 
a  part  of  the  Rockford  pastorate. 

Laboring  under  great  difficulties.  Rev.  Andreen  nevertheless  per- 
formed telling  work  in  Rockford.  Under  his  guidance  the  church  made 
sure,  if  slow,  jjrogress  and  was  given  an  orthodox  training  which  proved 
a  safe  and  sound  foundation  for  future  upbuilding. 

lie  was  not  lone  to  remain  in  Rockford.  however.  In  18tiO  he  left 
the  charge,  removing  to  Attica,  Ind.,  Jan.  3.  1861,  the  church  lield  a 
meeting  for  the  election  of  a  new  pastor,  the  candidates  being  Revs. 
G.  Peters,  J.  F.  Duwell  and  A.  W.  Dahlsten.  a  student.  Twice  Peters 
and  Dahlsten  received  almost  the  same  number  of  votes  and  wlien  the 
election  was  decided  by  the  drawing  of  lots,  the  choice  fell  on  Dahlsten, 
His  salary  was  fixed  at  .$250.  During  the  three  years  he  served  tlie 
church,  work  progres.sed  quietly  and  in  the  right  direction.  The 
economic  condition  of  the  church  improved  year  by  year.  Toward  the 
close  of  1863,  Rev.  Dahlsten  removed  to  Galesburg,  necessitating  the 
calling  of  a  pa.stor  for  the  third  time. 

At  the  special  meeting  held  for  this  purpose.  Rev.  Pctci"s  was 
called.  This  event  inaugurated  the  most  important  period  in  the  first 
half  century  of  this  church.  Rev.  Peters  was  destined  to  do  the 
principal  work  of  his  life  in  the  capacity  of  pastor  of  this  congregation. 
Seldom  is  .■iiiy  pastoi'  iitTiiiitti'd  lo  remain  so  long  as  he,  or  almo.st  a 
quarter  of  a  century,  at  the  head  of  any  one  church,  leading  it  through 
so  many  changes  and  vicissitudes,  yet  ever  on  from,  one  triumpli  to 
another.  Rev,  Peters  had  the  joy  of  seeing  his  church  grow  to  be  the 
largest  in  the  Augustana  Synod. 

At  Ihe  church  meeting  lield  u])on  the  arrival  of  Kev.  Peters  on 
Jan.  1.  1864.  many  iinjiortant  questions  were  up  for  discussion.  Among 
other  things,  it  was  decided  to  piuvhase  from  Rev.  Andreen  the  parson- 
age erected  by  him.  $318  being  immediately  subscribed  for  that  piir- 
pose.  In  March  the  house  was  bought  for  the  siuu  of  $725  cash,  several 
<-iinnh  members  advancing  tli(>  difTerenee. 

At  the  annual  liusiness  meeting  in  18(!5  the  trnsli'cs  sulnnilli'd  a 
very  encouraging  I'cport.  showing  receipts  amounting  to  $2. (>('()  for  the 
past  yeai'.  a  liiindsonu'  result  foi-  those  days.  Tlie  amlieiiecs  at  divine 
services  had  onlt-'i'iiwn  tlie  <-iipMeil,\    of  the  ehnreli  and  a  remedy  had 


ROCKI'ORD  487 

been  sought  in  an  addition  lo  the  gallery.  Nevertheless,  it  was  phiin 
that  the  old  cliurcli  sdon  would  have  to  be  ahaudoned  by  the  rapidly 
growing  congregation  and  nn  tluit  acjcomit  it  was  decided  to  jjroceed 
with  the  work  of  raising  a  eluni  h  luiibliutr  fund  lor  future  needs. 

At  the  annual  nu'eting  two  years  later  a  eoinniittee  was  appointed 
to  solicit  subscriptions  for  a  new  edifice.  Later  a  building  committee  was 
appointed,  consisting  of  four  persons,  who  on  Feb.  22,  1869,  proposed 
plans  for  a  church  edifice  seating  GOO  persons  and  costing  $9,500.  The 
dimensions  Avere  85  by  55  feet.  A  couple  of  church  members  had  on  their 
own  responsibility  bought  two  desirable  lots  which  they  now  tendered 
to  the  congregation.  The  cornerstone  was  laid  Aug.  28,  1868,  and  the 
work  was  pushed  to  completion  with  such  vigor  that  early  mass  could 
be  celebrated  in  the  new  temple  on  Christmas  morning,  1869.  On  New 
Year's  day,  1870,  it  was  dedicated  by  Rev.  T.  N.  Hasselquist,  president 
of  the  Augustana  Synod.  Although  very  heavy  expenditures  had  been 
incurred,  there  was  a  debt  of  only  $5,502.  In  1873  a  subscription 
toward  paying  otf  the  debt  was  taken,  amounting  to  .$.3,085. 

The  following  year  the  balance  of  the  del)t  was  lifted.  The  con- 
gregation now  numbered  720  commimicants  and  1,2-10  members  in  all, 
the  result  of  only  twenty  years  of  labor,  and  to  all  appearances  the 
future  promised  unimpeded  progress.  But  in  1877  an  interruption 
seemed  imminent.  From  seemingly  trifling  causes  arose  dissensions 
which  grew  so  serious  as  to  theaten  the  church  with  disruption.  But 
just  then  something  happened  which  left  a  lasting  impression  in  the 
minds  of  the  members.  On  all  sides  they  stood  prepared  for  strife  and 
were  only  awaiting  the  moment  when  the  storm  should  break.  But  the 
storm  did  not  come.  Instead  there  came  a  gentle  breeze  in  the  form  of 
a  spiritual  revival  before  which  the  storm-clouds  soon  disappeared. 
Rather  than  judge  one  another,  the  members  now  began  to  bring  them- 
selves to  trial.  For  a  period  of  two  months  meetings  were  held  in  the 
church  daily,  all  crowding  the  edifice  to  the  doors. 

Having  received  this  added  impetus  to  further  growth,  the  church 
returned  to  normal  conditions  and  uniform  progress.  On  Jan.  15,  1879, 
it  celebrated  its  twenty-fifth  anniversary,  when  Rev.  Erland  Carlsson. 
the  founder  of  the  church,  was  present  and  preached  an  impressive 
sei-mon.  Not  long  afterward,  it  began  to  appear  that  the  church  edifice, 
although  but  ten  years  old,  was  inadequate  to  hold  the  crowds  that 
came  there  to  worship.  In  1881  a  committee  was  appointed  to  devise 
a  remedy  and  the  next  year  it  was  decided  that  the  only  way  was  to 
build  a  new  church.  A  great  deal  of  preliminary  work  was  done  that 
year,  no  less  than  nine  general  business  meetings  and  thirty-seven 
coiuicil  and  committee  meetings  being  held.  ]\Iuch  discussion  and 
investigation  finally  led  to  the  conclusion  that  it  would  be  impracticable 


488 


Tin-:  i.rTnER.\NS 


to  enlarge  the  old  edifice,  and  after  all  efforts  to  satisfy  everybody  had 
failed,  it  was  resolved  at  a  general  chureh  meeting  Jan.  31,  1883,  to 
erect  a  new  edifice  on  the  site  of  the  old  one.  The  dimensions  of  the  new 
house  of  worship  were  to  be  80  by  126  feet,  with  a  seating  capacity  of 
1,950.  The  last  services  in  the  old  sanctuary  took  place  on  ilidsuunner 
day.  In  two  weeks  from  that  day  it  was  torn  down,  and  on  the  17th 
of  July  work  was  begun  on  the  new  structure.  The  cornei'stone  was 
laid  Aug.  21st,  l)y  Kev.  J.  Wikstrand.  then  president  of  the  Illinois 
Conference. 


'I'lu-   I'irsl   Swtili^h   I.iithi.  i.iu   Chuith  nl    Ria  Ulonl 


On  Aug.  27lli.  less  tiiiiii  a  wcfk  iil'tiT  the  layiiii:  of  the  cornei'stone, 
the  malcontents  withdrew  from  tlic  cluirch  and  organi/ed  a  new  con- 
gregation, styled  till'  /ion  Swedish  liUlheran  Cluu-ch.  In  time  tlic  old 
diffei'eiices  were  forgotten  and  eortlial  relalinns  were  establislied  be- 
tween the  motlier  and  the  daugliter  elunv  li.  The  year  prior  a  small 
miinber  of  dissalisl'ied  ones  liail  witinira\\ii  and  organized  the  Kmanuel 
('hiireli,    wliicli    for   a    lime    belonged    to    the    (Jeneral    Synod    and    sub- 


ROCKl'ORT)  ^89 

sequently  joined  the  Augustana  Synod,  being  for  many  years  one  of  its 
English  C'ougi'ogalions. 

Tho  worlc  oil  the  uew  chun-h  edifice  progressed  r.-ipidly  and  tiie 
temph'  was  ready  for  occupancy  on  the  first  Sunday  in  Advent.  Aliout 
one  year  hiter.  or  Dee.  7,  ]S,S4.  tlie  eompleted  edifice  was  dedicatetl  hy 
President  J.  Wilvstraiid.  'I'he  cost  of  tliis  sjiacious  and  handsome 
cliurch  was  $48,716,  exclusive  of  three  hundred  days'  work  done  by 
members  without  pay  and  material  used  out  of  the  old  stnicture.  A 
debt  of  $28,129  \vas  incurred.  An  excellent  pipe  organ  was  installed  at 
a  cost  of  $3,100.  Improvements  and  alterations  to  the  value  of  five 
hundred  dollars  were  subsequently  made  by  Mr.  A.  T.  Lindgren.  the 
present  organist,  who  defrayed  the  expenses  out  of  his  own  pocket. 

Rev.  Peters  resigned  his  charge  in  1882,  but  his  resignation  was 
rejected  by  unanimous  vote  at  the  annual  meeting  in  1SS4,  after  having 
lain  on  the  table  for  two  years.  At  the  subsequent  annual  meeting  Rev. 
Peters  again  resigned,  liut  was  not  released  from  service  until  Jime, 
1886.  when  the  church  secured  an  acceptance  of  its  call.  The  new 
pastor  was  Rev.  L.  A.  Johnston,  of  Des  Moines.  la.,  who  entered  upon 
his  duties  in  Rockford  that  fall.  The  congregation  left  by  Rev.  Peters 
to  his  successor  was  quite  different  from  the  one  he  himself  began  to 
serve  in  1864.  being  now  a  large  church,  requiring  the  full  time  and  all 
the  energy  of  its  pastor.  It  now  remained  for  him  to  build  on  the 
foundations  already  laid.  The  history  of  the  church  at  this  stage  forms 
a  chapter  remarkable  in  many  respects.  About  that  time  the  city  of 
Rockford  enjoyed  a  period  of  exceptional  prosperity,  which  was  not 
witliout  its  influence  on  the  church.  The  congregation  grew  so  rapidly 
that  in  January,  1894,  its  memliership  reached  3,205,  of  whom  2.066 
were  communicants.  In  the  meantime  the  daughter  church  also  grew 
apace.  In  the  winter  of  1889  there  was  within  the  church  a  marked 
spiritual  movement,  exercising  a  wholesome  intluence  on  the  inner  life 
of  the  members  and  also  aiding  in  its  outward  growth.  The  need  of  a 
pastor's  assistant  was  felt,  and  as  such  was  chosen  Rev.  E.  C.  Jessiip  of 
Peoria,  who  accepted  the  call  and  served  from  March,  1893,  to 
May,  1895. 

During  Rev.  Johnston's  incumbency  the  congregation  erected  two 
new  biiildings,  namely,  a  chapel  in  the  south  part  of  the  city  and  a  large 
schoolhoiise  and  .young  people's  hall  on  Kishwaukee  st.  These  entailed 
an  expenditure  of  about  $10,000  and  retarded  in  a  measure  the  reduc- 
tion of  the  church  debt.  At  the  annual  meeting  in  1892.  a  subscription 
was  decided  upon  for  the  purpose  of  effacing  that  debt,  then  amounting 
to  .$21,000.  Rev.  Johnston,  who  undertook  the  task  of  soliciting,  suc- 
ceeded in  obtaining  subscriptions  covering  the  entire  amount,  liut  just 
as  the  debt  M-as  about  to  be  lifted,  there  came  the  great  financial  panic. 


490 


THE    HTHERANS 


during  wliicli  Rockford  suffered  as  much  as  any  city  in  the  land,  and 
thus  nearly  the  -whole  result  of  the  suhscription  was  lost.  Such  was  the 
financial  stringency  in  the  city  that  it  was  only  with  great  difficulty 
this  large  and  populous  church  was  able  to  meet  current  expenses. 

The  eight  years  that  Rev.  Johnston  had  pastoral  charge  of  the 
church  formed  the  period  of  its  most  rapid  growth.  The  charge  was 
such  as  to  ta.K  the  capacity  of  the  most  energetic  worker.  In  the  sum- 
mer of  1894  Johnston  was  called  to  the  First  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  St.  Paul.  I\Iinn..  and  removed  to  that  field  in  the  fall.  To  succeed 
him,  Rev.  Joel  L.  Ilaff  of  Stillwater.  Minn.,  was  called,  and  took  up  his 
new  duties  in  April,  1895.  His  labors  in  Rockford  were  cut  short  within 
one  year,  sickness  and  death  overtaking  him  during  a  visit  to  his  former 
church  in  Stillwater,  in  February.  1S9G. 

Rev.  Haff  in  September,  1896,  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  J.  F.  Seedoff, 
who  took  up  the  woi-k  under  unfavorable  auspices,  lack  of  employment 
compelling  lumdreds  of  members  not  owning  homes  to  leave  the  city. 
Adding  to  this  the  fact  of  a  debt  of  $20,000  and  the  furtlier  circum- 
stance that  a  large  number  of  members  neglected  to  pay  their  member- 
ship dues,  the  seriousness  of  the  situation  may  be  readily  comprehended. 
The  first  act  of  Rev.  Seedoff  was  to  ascertain,  with  the  aid  of  the 
churcli  C(juiicil.  tlie  exact  numlier  of  actual  members;  the  second,  an 
effort  to  reduce  the  church  debt.  Those  things  involved  a  vast  amount 
of  work  and  worry  both  for  the  pastor  and  his  council.  The  church 
records  were  carefully  searched,  and  the  deacons  visited  all  those,  whose 
relations  to  the  church  were  not  entirely  clear.  In  this  manner  the 
mcmber.ship  figure  was  reduced  in  1901  to  1.434.  the  smallest  number 
recorded  since  1888.  But  the  dues  paid  in  by  members  that  year 
amounted  to  $4,026,  one  of  the  largest  totals  for  any  one  year.  This 
woi'lc  com])leted,  the  records  of  the  congregation  were  rewritten  in 
1902,  when  the  total  membershiii  was  found  to  be  2.143.  1.493  being 
communicants. 

For  the  purpose  of  reducing  the  debt,  monthly  meetings  were 
arranged,  when  each  memln'r  was  expected  to  contriliutc  whatever  he 
oi-  slie  was  able  toward  tiic  general  fund.  The  contributions  were 
gradually  increased,  making  (|uite  considerable  amounts  in  tlie  end. 
Thus  the  necessity  of  arranging  l)azaars  anil  otlier  entertainments  was 
obviated.  On  Midsummer  night.  1902,  the  congregation  assemlded  in 
cliin-cb.  and  then  and  there  a  collection  was  taken  up.  amounting  to 
$700,  with  wliicli  sum  tiie  remaitider  of  the  del)t  was  jiaid.  From  that 
time  work  has  progressed  without  financial  stress,  although  a  costly 
parsonage  has  been  purchased  and  ■•diout  $2,000  has  been  exi)ended  in 
repairs  on  tlie  clinrch  property. 

Tlie  fiftii'th  anniversary  of  tlie  founding  of  the  church  was  ccle- 


ANDRlvAS    AXDRICKN 


491 


brated  with  fitting  festivities  Jan.  15-18,  1904.  At  the  time  an  illus- 
tratod  souvenir  alhnni  was  pul)lisIiod  at  the  expense  of  the  young  people 
of  tlie  ehureii.  Tu  that  jjublication  Rev.  Seedotl'  gives  a  historieal  sketch 
from  -which  the  following  data  are  fallen:  during  the  jiasl  hall'  eenlui'v 
3,G5'J  bajitisnis  had  been  perfornied  by  the  various  jiastors  of  tlie  eliurch, 
1,483  persons  liad  lieen  confirmed,  '.H'2  couples  had  been  united  in  li<ily 
matrimony  and  1.1132  burials  had  talcm  pla<M\  The  sum  lota!  nt'  nmney 
raised  by  the  congregation  during  thi^  same  period  amounted  to 
$321,125.52. 

At  the  end  of  the  year  190(1  the  cluuxdi  numbered  2.191  niendiers, 
1.541  of  whom  were  communicants.  The  property  of  tlie  clnn-ch  was 
valued  at  $83,340. 


Rev.   Andreas    Andreen 

Rev.  A.  Andreen  was  born  in  Greuna  parish.  Smaland.  Sept.  10, 
1827.  His  father,  who  was  a  poor  laud  tenant,  died  while  the  son  was 
but  a  child.  About  the  age  of  twelve  or  thirteen,  Andreen  was  ap- 
prenticed to  a  country  tailor,  who  went  from  house  to  house  plying  his 
trade.  The  boy.  who  worked  for  his  board  alone,  was  badly  clothed  and 
worse  shod,  but  despite  all  privations  he  was  cheerful  of  mood  and 
kind  of  heart.  Having  learned  his  trade  and  begmi  to  work  on  his 
own  account,  he  soon  improved  his  circumstances. 

About  the  age  of  twenty-one,  he  experienced  a  significant  change 
of  heart.  His  one  desire  was  to  devote  his  life  to  the  service  of  God, 
but  he  realized  the  lack  of  the  education  required  for  the  performance 
of  fruitful  work  in  that  field.  At  the  instance  of  friends  he  entered  the 
teachers'  seminary  at  Vexio,  from  which  he  was  graduated  in  1851,  at 
the  age  of  twenty-four.  He  then  was  engaged  as  school-teacher  at  the 
Gripeuberg  estate,  owned  by  Baron  Hermelin,  a  son-in-law  of  Dr 
Peter  Fjellstedt.  In  the  meantime  he  conducted  religious  meetings  at 
intervals  in  various  parts  of  the  district,  and  as  he  had  a  natural  talent 
for  public  speaking,  the  people  gladly  went  to  hear  him. 

His  longing  for  a  field  of  greater  opportunity  and  a  chance  of 
further  development  soon  cut  short  his  labors  in  his  native  locality. 
In  the  fall  af  1853  we  find  him  in  New  York.  Avhere  he  came  in  contact 
with  Rev.  0.  G.  Iledstriim  and  the  Swedish  ^Methodists,  without  know- 
ing at  first  that  they  had  left  the  Lutheran  Church. 

He  spent  the  winter  there,  in  what  he  thought  to  be  a  stifling 
spiritual  atmosphere.  In  the  spring  of  1854  Rev.  Erland  Carlssou, 
having  learned  of  the  young  schoolmaster  and  preacher,  called  him  as 
his  assistant  in  pastoral  Avork.  Highly  gratified,  Andreen  left  for 
Chicago  late  in  April.  During  that  terrible  year  of  the  cholera  plague 
he  was  of  great  help  to  Rev.  Carlsson.     Upon  recommendation  of  the 


492 


THE    LITHERAXS 


united  Chicago  and  ^Mississippi  conferences  he  obtained  from  the  presi- 
dent of  the  Sj'nod  of  Northern  Illinois  a  license  to  labor  as  missionary 
among  tlic  Swcdisli  and  Norwegian  immigrants  in  Chicago.  This  work 
he  is  said  to  have  prosecuted  with  greater  zeal  and  self-sacrifice  than 
any  other  iiinnigraut  missionary  that  ever  trod  the  streets  of  Chicago. 
He  also  labored  in  the  Inmianvicl  Church,  especially  during  the  absence 
or  illness  of  IJcv.  Carl.sson. 

In   Septciiilier,  1854,  Andreen  went  to  Springfield,  entering  the 
thcolngical  department  of  the  Illinois  State  University.    He  spent  four 


Rev.  Andreas  Aixlrceii 


terms  there,  continuing  as  Carlsson's  assistant  during  vacations.  In 
April,  IS.")."),  at  tlic  rccoiMnicndation  of  the  conference,  he  obtained  a 
license  ad  inlcriiii  as  clcrgyiiiaii  mikI  was  called  to  the  ehurcii  at  Rock- 
ford  in  the  fall  nl'  ilw  saiiir  ,\c;n-.  Sept.  12,  IS'iti.  at  the  synodical 
meeting  in  Di.von.  111.,  lie  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  and  continued 
his  pastoral  work  in  b'ocki'cird  till  the  close  of  IStid,  when  he  nMuoved 
to  .\ttira,  Ind..  taking  chai-ge  of  the  churches  at  that  place,  together 
with  lliiisc  (if  Lai'orti'  and  Haili'vtown,  the  three  forming  one  j)asl(>rate 
)ip  til  1S(i:i.  .\biiiil  llic  rli)se  of  1S()2  or  early  the  following  \car,  he 
resigned  fruMi  tln'  clini-ili  iil  .Xtlici  and  removed  to  Haileytown.  eon- 
tinning  \i<  sei-\c'  ili.i!  ,inil  llie  L.-iI'dile  cliiu'eh  tn  the  end  of  ISti.'i.     Then 


CISTAF  I'KTERS 


493 


he  accepted  a  i-all  to  Merlin,  111.,  liut  diil  hdI  assuinc  in'riiiaiiciil  I'liarge 
until  fall,  having  been  j)la('i'([  by  Itic  Aiigiistana  Synod  in  charge 
ol'  the  liu.stal'  Adolf  Church  in  New  York  for  five  months  of  the 
year  1866. 

At  Herlin  he  labored  for  a  term  of  years  with  noteworthy  success. 
The  unexpected  loss  of  his  wife,  Hilda,  daughter  of  Julius  Esping,  a 
pioneer  settler  of  Geneva,  broke  his  health  and  gave  to  his  mind  a 
brooding  and  pensive  turn.  Somewhat  over  a  year  later  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Gustava  A.  Esbjorn,  nee  Magnusson,  the  widowed  third  wife 
of  Kev.  L.  P.  Esbjorn.  In  assuming  the  care  of  the  younger  of  his 
nine  children,  she  lifted  a  great  burden  from  his  mind.  Nevertheless 
his  mental  state  grew  worse,  and  when  his  condition  gave  cause  for 
alarm  he  was  finally  consigned  to  the  Passavant  Hospital  at  Jackson- 
ville, in  the  lioj)o  of  possible  recovery.  On  the  w^ay  there  a  visit  was 
]iaid  to  friends  in  Rock  Island,  where,  on  Feb.  14,  1880,  Audreen  took 
his  own  life,  presumably  in  a  fit  of  complete  insanity.  He  was  then 
52%  years  old  and  had  served  in  the  ministry  for  23  years.  His  death 
caused  sincere  regret  wherever  the  zealous  and  sympathetic  chureliman 
was  kno^vn. 

Andreen  was  physically  a  good  specimen  of  manhood  and  possessed 
a  graceful  and  captivating  manner.  Naturally  gifted  as  a  speaker, 
with  proper  training  he  might  have  become  an  orator  of  note.  There 
was  that  in  his  voice  which  set  the  chords  of  one's  soul  vibrating. 
Under  a  calm  surface  he  concealed  great  depth  of  feeling,  but  rarely 
did  he  show  evidence  of  a  lack  of  balance  in  his  mental  equipment. 
Taking  him  all  in  all,  Andreen  holds  a  place  alongside  of  Esbjorn, 
Hasselquist,  Carlsson  and  Swensson  in  the  memory  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  pioneers. 


Rev.    Gustaf   Peters 

G.  Peters,  who  is  also  entitled  to  be  classed  Avith  the  pioneer 
pastors,  was  born  Jan.  4,  1832.  at  StiJdsboda,  in  the  parish  of  Asheda. 
Smaland,  where  his  parents,  Peter  Emanuel  and  Eva  Andersson,  were 
poor  cottagers.  In  his  childhood  he  suffered  great  hardships  owing 
to  extreme  poverty.  When  he  grew- old  enough  to  be  useful,  he  hired 
out  as  shepherd  boy  during  summer,  and  having  attained  the  age  of 
twelve  he  took  a  trade  apprenticeship  for  four  years. 

Having  had  his  mind  directed  to  spiritual  things  in  the  confirma- 
tion school,  and  become  a  true  Christian,  he  was  advised  by  friends  to 
become  a  schoolmaster.  In  September,  1848,  he  accordingly  began 
preliminary  studies  nnder  S.  M.  Wirsen.  the  schoolmaster  at  Elghult. 
He  was  soon  given  an  opportunity  to  take  \mvt  in  the  instruetinn  of 
the  younger  pupils,  and  a  couple  of  years  later  he  was  engaged   as 


494 


THE   LITHERANS 


assistant  teacher,  first  at  Asheda,  tlieu  at  Elghult.  The  sahiry.  though 
meager,  sufficed  for  liis  urgent  ueeds,  such  as  clothing  and  books, 
heaving  a  pittance  over  for  liis  parents.  In  January.  1854,  he  entered 
the  teacliers'  seminary  at  Kalmar,  remaining  one  term.  After  liaving 
taught  (luring  the  following  summer  and  fall,  he  returned  to  the 
seminary  for  the  spring  term  of  1855,  being  graduated,  June  15th.  with 
fair  standing. 


Rev.    Gustaf    I'eU-rs 

Tlic  ^oal  of  his  aiiiliition,  as  he  supposed,  had  now  liecn  attained, 
but  tlie  future  had  other  things  in  store  for  him.  Through  Krland 
Carlsson  he  received  a  call  to  go  to  the  I'nited  States,  which  he 
declined,  going  instead  to  Stoi-lcliolm.  w  Ik  re  he  stiidieil  at  the  divinity 
school  of  Dr.  F.jellstedt  and  Kev.  Ahllierg  in  1S57-8,  and  wiieii  in  the 
spring  of  the  latter  year  .Mdherg  returned  to  Sniitland,  IVters  accepted 
a  position  as  assistant  instructiu'  in  his  newly  founded  sdiool  for  the 
training  of  lay  jireachers  ami  remained  there  for  one  year.  In  response 
to  a  repeated  call   Irinn   .Xniei-iea.  lie  eniigrati'd.  li-aving   Kalnnir  July 


PRixcirroN 


495 


27,  1859,  arriving  iu  New  York  Au^'.  ITtli  aii<l  in  Chicago  Aug.  24th. 
Having  obtained  a  preacher's  lieenre  Sept.  llitli.  he  heeaiiie  a.ssi.stant 
to  Rev.  C'arLsson  in  his  arduous  labors  in  Cliieago. 

Peters  attended  the  conference  meeting  held  in  Chicago  A|ii'il  2:5- 
27  of  the  following  year,  when  the  organization  of  the  Augustana 
Synod  was  resolved  upon.  He  was  also  present  in  Clinton,  Wis.,  the 
following  June,  when  the  resolution  was  carried  out,  being  one  of  eight 
candidates  who  at  the  time  were  ordained  for  pa.storal  service  in  the 
new  synod.  Rev.  0.  C.  T.  Andren  of  Moline  being  at  the  time  com- 
missioned to  go  to  Sweden  to  work  in  the  interest  of  the  newly  founded 
Augustana  Theological  Seminary,  Rev.  Peters  was  called  to  fill  the 
temporary  vacancy,  and  later,  when  Andren  failed  to  return,  became 
permanent  pastor  of  the  !Moline  church.  In  the  latter  part  of  August, 
1861,  Peters  was  united  in  wedlock  to  Ida  Helena  Strom,  from  Krist- 
dala,  Smalaud.  She  died  ilay  IS.  1S63,  leaving  a  daughter  ten  months 
old.  After  that.  Rev.  Peters  no  longer  felt  at  home  in  JMoline.  The 
following  August  he  resigned  the  charge,  and  having  been  elected 
pastor  of  the  church  in  Rockford  tlie  same  week  without  his  knowledge, 
he  removed  to  the  new  field  the  following  December. 

Under  another  head  is  given  an  accoimt  of  the  work  performed 
by  him  in  Rockford.  where  he  was  stationed  for  twenty-two  and  one- 
half  years.  In  18S6  he  removed  to  Lincoln,  Neb.,  and  after  remaining 
there  for  a  year  and  a  half  went  to  York,  Neb.,  for  a  term  of  years, 
subsequently  returning  to  Illinois,  where  lie  labored  in  the  ministry 
at  various  points  so  long  as  his  powers  permitted.  Of  late  he  has 
resided  in  Rockford.  a  place  dear  to  him  for  having  been  the  principal 
field  of  his  labors. 

In  186-1:  Rev.  Peters  was  remarried,  the  issue  of  this  union  being 
eight  children,  four  of  whom  are  now  living. 


■J* 


The    Church    in    Princeton. 

The  first  Swedish  Lutheran  minister  to  visit  the  Swedish  settlers 
in  Princeton  was  T.  N.  Hasselquist,  who  made  a  brief  .stop  there  in  the 
fall  of  1852,  en  route  from  Sweden  to  his  new  pastorate  in  Galesburg. 
He  then  officiated  at  a  baptism,  but  made  no  effort  in  the  direction  of 
founding  a  church.  In  the  summer  of  1853,  C.  J.  Valentin,  whose 
acquaintance  we  formed  in  the  sketch  of  the  Moline  church,  began 
preaching  at  this  place.  The  meetings  were  held  either  in  the  Smith 
schoolhouse  or  in  the  city  hall.  A  certain  Johan  Anderson,  who  was 
said  to  have  been  foreman  of  the  printing  shop  of  "Stockholms  Dag- 
blad"  and  who  came  to  Princeton  in  1852.  also  pretended  to  be  a 
minister  and  sometimes  conducted  divine  services.  lie  also  went 
so   far   as  to   perform  marriage   ceremonies,  and   not   a   few  couples 


496  THE   HTHERANS 

were  united  by  the  imposter.  Neither  Andersou  uor  Valeutiu  luug 
remained  in  this  field,  the  former  dying  of  cholera  in  1853,  the  latter 
returning  to  the  old  country  in  tlie  fall  of  1854. 

Tlie  need  of  organized  church  work,  however,  soon  made  itself 
felt  in  Princeton.  On  June  16,  1854,  a  handful  of  Swedish  settlers 
gathered  in  the  Smith  schoolhouse,  located  at  Smith  and  Fourth  streets, 
intent  on  organizing  a  congregation,  Rev.  L.  P.  Esbjorn  of  Andover 
presiding.  The  total  numl)er  of  original  members  was  (58.  including 
52  adults  and  16  minors.  At  the  annual  meeting  of  the  Synod  of 
Noi'theru  Illinois,  lield  in  Peru.  111.,  tlie  folldwins;  autumn,  the  new 
church  was  joined  to  the  .synod. 

During  the  sunnner  following  its  organization,  the  church  had 
visits  from  Erland  ("arlsson  of  Chicago.  T.  N.  Hasselquist  of  Galeshurg 
and  L.  P.  Esbjorn  of  Andover.  To  the  conference  meeting  lu-id  in 
AndoA'er  in  tlie  fall,  the  church  sent  as  its  representative  Per  Pihlstriim 
with  a  request  that  the  confi'rcnce  provide  a  regular  minister  or  see 
to  it  that  more  frequent  pastoral  visits  were  made.  Hasselquist  was 
accordingly  appointed  to  have  pastoral  charge  of  the  church,  also  to 
provide  for  divine  service  every  other  Sunday.  Having  been  licensed 
to  preach,  P.  A.  Cederstam,  a  divinity  student,  in  ]\Iarch,  1855.  was 
sent  to  Princeton  in  charge  of  the  church.  After  a  short  time  he  was 
transferred  to  Minnesota,  where  the  need  of  ministers  was  still  more 
pressing  than  in  Illinois,  leaving  Princeton  in  ^Fay.  when  the  ehiu'ch 
was  again  left  in  Hasselquist 's  charge. 

As  yet  the  congregation  bad  im  Imuse  of  worship.  At  a  business 
meeting  lield  ^lay  27,  185().  it  was  deeided  to  inirehasc  two  building 
lots  located  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Handol|)li  and  Putnam  streets, 
and  to  begin  at  once  collecting  funds  tor  the  ereetion  of  a  ehureh 
edifice.  At  this  occasion  the  first  hoard  of  trustees  was  eleeteii.  the 
members  being,  E.  Wester.  S.  Frid.  \V.  P.  Liiul.  Carl  M.  Skiild  and 
.laeob  Xyman.  The  cliureh  extended  a  |>astoi-al  call  to  Kcv.  L.  P. 
lvsl)joi-n.  wiu)  acce[)ted  and  took  up  his  new  duties  in  Prineeton  Juno 
1st.  removing  his  family  there  in  the  fall.  Early  that  sunnner  lie  began 
soliciting  for  the  church  building  fund,  raising  $540  among  the  Amer- 
ican and  .^IMO  among  the  Swedish  residents.  On  November  2:!rd  the 
first  services  were  held  in  the  partially  completed  edifice,  wiiieh  wa.s 
not  dedicated  until  Sept.  12,  1858,  in  connection  with  the  aiuiual  meet- 
ing of  the  conference.  Tiie  structure,  42  by  .'JO  feet,  cost,  inclusive 
of  I'nrniliire.  $1,600,  of  which  sum  $400  remaimvl  unpaid. 

Sr|ii.    2(1,    1857.    th( igregation    adiqvlecl.    with    certain    ameiul- 

ineiils,  I  he  ihurcli  coiisl  it  ul  ion  |iro|ios<'d  by  the  joint  conferences.  .Ml 
were  deeply  iiiipi'esseil  with  the  soleiiuiil.\  (d'  the  step  taken,  and  when, 
at    the  close  of  the  meeting,   the  eongregal  ion    rose  and   all  joinetl    in 


' 


rRiNcirroN 


497 


siugiu^:  "Praise  bo  to  Tliee,  0,  God,"  tears  eaiiie  to  the  eyes  of  many, 
who  in  that  moment  probably  realized  that  a  tree  had  now  been  planted, 
in  the  shadow  of  whieh  many  fjenerations  yet  unborn  w'ere  to  dwell. 
Esbjorn  jiresided  at  tlie  meeting  and  P.  Fagererantz  acted  as  secretary. 


The  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of  Princeton 


During  a  great  part  of  his  term  of  service  in  Princeton  Esbjorn 
was  troubled  with  sickness.  On  occasions  when  he  was  unable  to  serve, 
the  meetings  were  conducted  by  Deacon  A.  P.  Larson.  But  despite 
ill  health,  Esbjorn  served  as  the  leader  of  his  countrj'men  even  in 
worldly  affairs.  For  a  time  he  was  a  member  of  the  municipal  council. 
He  did  not  remain  long  as  pastor  of  the  Princeton  church.  Sept.  1. 
1858,  he  entered  upon  his  duties  as  professor  of  the  Scandinavian 
department  of  the  seminary  at  Springfield,  leaving  his  pulpit  vacant. 


498  THE    I.ITHKRANS 

Duriug  the  ensuing  vaeaney  the  ehureh  was  visited  as  often  as  prac- 
ticable by  neighboring  clergymen,  but  under  such  insufficient  care  it 
was  losing  ground.  Repeated  efforts  to  obtain  a  pastor  were  made  in 
vain.  In  185!)  a  son  of  the  well  known  Swedish  preacher.  Per  Xyman, 
came  to  Princeton,  where  he  succeeded  in  insi)iring  such  confidence 
that  he  was  practically  made  pastor  of  the  church,  although  without 
any  commission  or  recommendation  from  the  conference.  After  a  brief 
period  of  i)opiilarity.  he  lost  the  confidence  of  the  people,  whereupon 
his  services  were  dispensed  with. 

This  same  year.  1859.  a  clergyman  from  Sweden  named  C.  J.  Voss- 
ner  tried  to  get  himself  elected  pastor  of  the  cluircli  at  Princeton.  The 
incident  forms  a  rather  ludicrous  story  of  pioneer  life. 

Vo.ssner,  who  Iiailed  from  the  vicinity  of  Eksjii.  Sweden,  was  a 
regularly  ordained  minister  of  the  state  church  and  had  been  con- 
nected with  some  technological  institute  or  other  in  the  old  country. 
He  seems  to  have  come  to  America  about  1855.  stopping  in  ilichigan, 
where  he  purchased  from  a  Norwegian  named  Hansen  a  hut  and  a  four 
acre  lot  at  White  River,  in  Oceana  coiuity.  Here  he  went  to  raising 
corn  and  potatoes  on  a  small  scale.  On  Sundays  he  held  religious 
services  in  his  little  hut,  provided  any  of  his  "parishioners."  the 
Swedish  and  Norwegian  settlers,  put  in  an  ai)i)earance.  It  fre(|uently 
happened  that  services  had  to  be  postponed  in  the  absence  of  auditors. 
These  settlers  Avere  all  single  men  like  Vossner  himself,  and  were 
employed  in  a  sawmill  near  by.  There  was  no  scmblaiu-e  of  clnu'ch 
organization,  aside  from  a  tacit  miderstandiug  that  a  collection  for 
the  preacher  was  to  be  taken  every  time  the  sacrament  of  the  Lord's 
Supper  was  administered.  The  ])reiiclier's  resources  Ix'ing  extremely 
meager,  the  commnnion  services  grew  ratlicr  tVei|Ui'nl  and  the  attend- 
ance fell  off  in  consiMiuence,  mitil  the  j)astor  and  his  mipretcntious 
meetinghouse  were  entirely  deserted.  Poor  Vossner,  left  to  provide  for 
himself,  is  said  to  have  subsisted  entirely  on  corn  and  molasses. 

Learning  that  the  Princeton  church  pulpit  was  vacant.  Vossner 
opened  correspondence  with  the  notorious  Erik  Wester,  wlui  was  at 
the  time  a  member  of  the  church,  offering  his  services  as  pastor.  Tlie 
answer  seems  to  have  been  encouraging,  for  Vossner  forthwitli  loaded 
his  few  belongings,  consisting  of  wearing  apjiarel.  earthenware,  a  wash- 
tub,  a  Avooden  shovel,  a  gun  and  sundry  otlu-r  things,  into  a  wheel- 
barrow and  slarli'd  on  iiis  way  soutliward.  He  W4'nt  by  boat  across 
Lake  I\Iicliigan  and  then  by  rail  lo  Princeton,  where  he  arrived  safe 
and  sound.  Wester,  who  was  greatly  pleased  with  tlie  num.  did  every- 
thing in  his  |iii\\ir  In  liriiig  alxiut  liis  cleetion  to  tlie  jiastorate.  Wlu'u 
Vossner  began  tn  read  otT  liis  ohl.  well-worn  manuscripts.  Wester 
fiU'ned  around   in   his  pew.  well   to  the   front,   in   order  lo  study   the 


PRINCETON 


499 


effect  on  the  listeners.  A  (l<'rp  sIljIi  cseaped  him.  wlii'U  lie  iiuti'd  with 
wliat  total  lacU  ol'  inteii'st  the  cxhortatidiis  of  the  new  ])reaeher  were 
received.  So  one  day.  wlien  \'ossner  called  on  hi.s  friend  Wester  to 
inquire  alioul  the  outlook  foi'  his  election,  he  received  the  crushing 
reply  that  he  "stood  no  show  at  all."  Pacing  u]i  and  drtwn  the  room, 
cl.ad  in  a  soi't  of  housecoat,  Wester  went  on  in  outspoken  fashion : 
"I  am  very  sorry  for  you,  Pastor,  but  the  fact  is,  the  people  don't  like 
you.    They  say  your  sermons  are  sheer  rot." 

Completely  disheartened,  Vossner  had  ti>  leave  as  he  had  come, 
taking  his  wheelbarrow  with  him  to  Chicago.  The  people  in  Princeton, 
however,  raised  about  $18  for  him  as  a  recompense  for  his  trouble  in 
coming.  Vossner  subseqnentl.v  took  up  the  practice  of  medicine  in 
Chicago  and,  possibly,  in  other  localities  until  his  final  return  to  the 
old  country. 

In  the  summer  of  1860  the  Princeton  cluu-cli  again  obtained  a 
permanent  pastor  in  the  person  of  Kev.  John  Johnson,  who  was 
ordained  at  the  occasion  of  the  organization  of  the  Augustana  Synod 
the  same  year.  Early  in  the  following  year  the  congregation  purchased 
for  $225  a  house  and  lot  for  a  parsonage.  In  the  spruig  of 
the  same  year  efforts  were  made  to  procure  a  pipe  organ.  A  certain 
sum  for  that  jiurpose  was  raised  and  sent  home  by  those  Swedes  of 
Princeton  who  had  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  and  were  now  serving 
in  the  field.  Toward  the  close  of  1864  Kev.  Johnson  was  incapacitated 
by  illness  and  other  ministers  had  to  be  called  in.  He  remained,  how- 
ever, until  ]\Iarch,  1866,  enjoying  meanwhile  the  greater  part  of  his 
salary  in  evidence  of  the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by  the  congrega- 
tion. The  communicant  membership  during  his  term  of  service  grew 
from  1-19  to  226. 

Rev.  Johnson  was  succeeded  in  the  spring  of  1866  by  Rev.  A. 
Lindholm.  In  1868  the  church  edifice,  which  had  grown  too  small, 
was  enlarged  by  an  addition  of  36  feet,  and  the  same  year  the  parsonage 
was  sold.  Rev.  Lindholm  having  purchased  a  home  of  his  own  north 
of  the  city.  The  Swedish  Lutherans  in  AVyanet  and  vicinit.v  at 
this  time  belonged  to  the  church  in  Princeton,  and  Rev.  Lindholm 
preached  in  their  locality  one  Sunday  each  mouth.  July  3,  1871,  he 
resigned  from  his  labors,  which  had  brought  the  membership  up  to 
450  communicants. 

His  successor,  Rev.  J.  Wikstrand,  was  called  Jan.  14,  1872. 
The  following  j-ear  the  erection  of  a  new  parsonage  was  resolved  upon 
and  two  lots  at  First  and  llechauic  streets  were  purchased  for  the  sum 
of  .1)750.  By  New  Year's  the  building  committee  reported  that  the 
work  had  been  completed  at  a  total  oiitlay  of  .$2,808.  Before  the  par- 
sonage was  built,  the  question  of  erecting  a  parish  schoolhoiise  had 


500 


Tin-    LITHERANS 


beeu  veutilated,  but  the  matter  was  postponed  iiutil  1874,  when  a 
sehoolhouse  was  put  up  at  a  cost  of  $593.  This  structure  still  stands. 
At  the  annual  business  meeting  at  New  Year's,  1875,  the  members 
living  at  Wyanet  upon  their  own  request  were  granted  permission  to 
withdraw  and  organize  a  separate  congregation. 

The  Swedish  Lutherans  of  Putnam,  who  also  were  members  of  the 
Prineoton  church,  at  the  annual  meeting  in  1878  asked  permission  to 
build  a  chajjel  wliich  was  to  Ijecoiiie  the  jiroperty  of  the  whole  congre- 
gation, and  they  were  aided  iu  carrying  out  the  enterprise.  For  a 
niniil)cr  of  years  the  church  luid  been  illuniinatcd  with  an  altar-jiiece. 
representing  Jesus  Ijlcssing  the  little  cliildren,  in  wliich  the  artist  had 
careles.sly  put  wings  on  the  shoulders  of  the  mothers  who  brought  the 
children  to  the  Havior.  At  the  aforesaid  meeting  the  congregation 
resolved  to  have  the  wings  removed  from  the  i)icture.  wliich  was  dt)ne. 
After  a  year  Rev.  Wikstrand  resigned,  the  date  being  March  26, 
1880.  He  had  beeu  in  charge  also  of  the  church  at  Kewanee,  visiting 
there  a  certain  number  of  Sundays  in  the  year,  and  had  served  tlie 
church  at  Wyanet  iu  a  similar  manner  from  its  organization.  At  a 
meeting  held  May  3,  1880,  S.  A.  Sandahl,  a  theological  student,  was 
elected  to  take  pastoral  charge  at  Princeton  following  his  ordination 
a  year  later.  The  call  was  accepted  with  tlie  proviso  that  the  constitu- 
tion of  tlie  churcli  at  the  next  annual  meeting  be  altered  to 
confonii  to  the  one  drafted  and  recoiiiiiiended  l)y  the  August  ana  Synod 
at  Andovcr  in  187(1.  Tiiis  was  done  in  1882,  but  with  tlie  result  that 
')()  niemliers  withdrew  at  once,  followed  later  by  many  others,  making 
a  total  loss  of  80  coinniunicant  members.  Shortly  after  this  split  a 
new  church  l)uilding  was  i)ro])oscd  and  a  soliciting  committee 
api)oiiited,  wliich  reported  to  tiic  jimiual  meeting  in  1885  that  $2,04(> 
had  been  subsci'ibcd. 

In  the  spring  of  188tj  Rev.  Sandahl  removed  to  Chicago,  taking 
charge  of  the  Trinity  Church.  He  was  succeeded  in  Princeton  by 
Rev.  E.  Edinan.  wlio  remained  only  two  years,  or  until  1888.  His 
successor  was  O.  A.  Nelson,  a  theological  student  who,  after  being 
ordained  the  following  sjiring.  became  the  regular  pastor  of  the  church 
In  the  fall  of  I  lie  same  year,  it  was  resolved  to  erect  a  new  church 
edifice  of  brick,  built  in  the  form  of  a  cross,  with  a  steeple  to  one  side. 
The  diiiicnsions  were  to  be  S2  by  4(1  feet,  in  the  widest  section  54  feet. 
and  iicigiit  (if  stccpli'  11(1  feet.  Tiicre  was  an  available  building  fund 
of  .'i!5,!)0t),  to  which  was  added  by  subscription  .i;2.()15.  The  cost  of 
the  church  furnished  ciimplclc,  with  the  excci>tioii  of  the  organ,  was 
■tlO.OOd.  In  the  f.ill  (if  ISDl  til,,  new  sanctuary  was  dedicated  by  Rev. 
Tj.    (!.    Alir.iliaiiisdii.    prcsidiiil    of    llic    llliiidis    Conference.      The    old 


JOHN    JOIINSOX 


501 


strui'tiire  was  sold  and  moved  away,  its  site  being  occupjied  l)y  a 
sclioolhoiise. 

Tn  the  spriiifr  of  1SS14  tlie  pulpit  a'jraiii  liceaiiio  vaeaiit.  Rev.  Nelson 
removing;  to  the  Kniniannel  Church  in  .Minneajiolis.  During  the  terui 
of  vacaney  Kev.  E.  Ednian.  who  had  served  as  missionai-y  to  India,  had 
teuipoi-ary  charge.  The  next  permanent  pastor  was  Kev.  J.  A.  Carl- 
striim,  who  assumed  tlu;  pastorate  in  April.  1895,  and  .served  until  the 
fall  of  ISllS,  when  he  went  back  to  Sweden  and  entered  the  service 
of  the  state  chureh,  returning  to  America  after  a  few  years. 

Tn  September,  1899,  G.  E.  Hemdahl.  a  theological  student  at  Rock 
Island,  was  called  to  supply  the  pulpit  for  the  ensuing  school  year, 
and  after  a  few  weeks  he  was  chosen  the  regular  pastor  of  the  church, 
his  election  to  .take  effect  immediately  after  his  ordination  the  follow- 
ing sjiring. 

In  the  year  1900  the  sum  of  $1,000  was  raised  by  subscription  to 
be  used  partly  in  wiping  out  the  congregation's  debt  to  Augustana 
College,  partly  for  repairs  on  the  pai'sonage.  The  following  year  the 
interior  of  the  church  Avas  frescoed,  and  at  the  annual  business  meeting 
in  1902  it  was  resolved  to  purchase  a  new  pipe  organ,  which  cost  $1,500. 
In  1903  a  mortgage  of  $2,000,  placed  on  the  church  property  when  the 
new  edifice  was  erected,  was  lifted  by  general  subscription.  The 
fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  founding  of  the  chureh  was  celebrated  Jime 
17-19,  1904,  with  customary  festivities  and  by  the  publication  of  an 
illustrated  historical  memorial.  In  1906  Rev.  Hemdahl  accepted  a  call 
to  Paxton.    The  present  pastor  is  Rev.  John  A.  Berg. 

The  Princeton  church  at  New  Year's,  1907,  had  534  eonniumieants, 
761  members  all  told,  and  property  to  the  value  of  $19,000. 


0 


Rev.   John    Johnson 

Among  the  Swedish  Lutheran  clergymen  of  Illinois  during  the 
pioneer  period,  John  Johnson  was  one  of  the  most  interesting  char- 
acters. While  not  eccentric  in  the  ordinary  sense,  he  w'as  a  man  of 
very  distinct  individuality,  practical  vieWs  and  strong  personal  con- 
victions. To  his  credit  it  must  be  said  that  he  was  fearlessly  outspoken 
on  all  questions  of  right  and  wrong. 

John  Johnson,  whose  name  was  originally  written  Johannes  Jons- 
son,  was  born  July  21,  1822,  in  Akarp,  in  the  Swedish  province  of 
Skane.  Beyond  learning  to  read  and  write,  he  obtained  no  schooling. 
Being  naturally  bright,  he  endeavored  to  quench  his  thirst  for  knowl- 
edge by  omnivorous  reading.  Ilis  favorite  reading  was  books  on 
history,  law,  political  science  and  civic  reform.  He  owned  and  cul- 
tivated a  farm  near  the  village  of  Slattei-yd.  and  frequently  acted,  not 
without  success,  as  legal  counsel  for  his  neighbors  at  the  district  court. 


502 


THE  LITHERANS 


AVliile  T.  X.  Ilasselquist  was  assistant  pastor  at  Akarp  and  Witt- 
sjo.  Jdliiison  sceius  to  have  formed  such  an  attachnu-nt  for  liim  tliat 
from  that  time  on  he  was  never  so  happy  as  when  in  his  company,  and 
lie  seemed  to  have  taken  tlie  greatest  delight  in  reasoning  and  deliating 
over  religious  topics  with  Ilasselquist  whenever  opportunity  offered. 

In  1851,  at  the  age  of  29,  he  emigrated  to  America,  following  his 
brother,  who  had  left  Sweden  the  year  before.  Purchasing  a  farm  at 
Knoxville,  111.,  and  settling  there,  he  appears  to  have  familiarized 
himself  with  the  political  and  religious  conditions  in  that  locality  iu 
a  very  short  time.  During  the  finst  few  years  he  also  rented  land 
from  others,  and  took  contracts  for  harvesting  J)roonieorn.  employing 
numbers  of  newly  arrived  Swedish  laborers.  He  apparently  was  a 
leader  among  the  Swedish  settlers  in  the  locality,  and  after  the  arrival 
of  Rev.  Ilasselquist  he  took  a  live  interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  local 
congregation  and  M'as  es{)ecially  active  in  prt)moting  the  building  of 
a  church. 

During  the  cholera  epidemii'  of  ISo-l  and  a  resultant  spiritual 
awakening  in  the  conununit.x'  Johnson  seems  to  have  cxjierienced  a 
complete  change  of  heart.  From  tliiit  time  he,  as  deacon  of  the  church. 
used  to  conduct  services  in  the  absence  of  Rev.  Ilassebpiist.  besides 
leading  weekl.v  meetings  in  jirivate  homes  conjointly  with  one  Nils 
Randau.  Johnson,  who  was  a  man  of  fluent  tongue,  spoke  logically 
and  with  effect.  Taking  all  this  into  account,  and  realizing  the  great 
need  of  ministers.  Rev.  Ilasselquist  urged  him  to  devote  himself  entirely 
to  the  service  of  the  chui'ch.  lie  then  took  up  private  .studies  witii 
Ilasselquist  and  made  occasional  trips  to  other  iniints  to  preach.  Iu 
1856  he  nuide  a  preaching  tour  of  Minnesota.  Time  and  again  he 
served  as  delegate  to  conference'  and  s.vnod  nu^'tings.  always  taking 
an  active  interest  in  tiic  proceedings. 

During  the  vacancy  in  the  Princeton  church,  Johnson  had 
preaciied  tliere  repeatedly,  makini,'  iiimsclf  favi>rably  known.  The 
congregal  ion  liaviiig  tried  in  vain  to  olitairi  a  pastor,  he  was  finally 
called.  Hesitating  at  first,  Joiinson.  after  consulting  with  the  older 
ministers,  decided  to  accejjf  tiie  call  on  condition  that  he  woulil  be 
ordained.  Accordingl.v  he  went  before  tiic  ministeriuni  at  the  meeting 
in  June,  1860,  and  was  then  ordained,  together  with  seven  otiu'r 
candidates,  innnediati'ly  aftei-wai-d  taking  charge  of  the  I'rineetoii 
congregation. 

Johnson,  however,  .seems  to  have  inclined  more  to  a  ptilitical  than 
an  ecclesiastical  career.  While  a  gifted  preacher,  he  was  still  more 
successful  as  a  political  speaker.  True,  he  was  actiuiled  with  a  live 
interest  in  church  work,  but  still  greattu*  was  the  enthusiasm  witii 
which    lie   partook-    in    the   discussiiui   of  the   great    civic    iss\ics   which 


JOHN    JOHNSON 


503 


stirred  the  nation  at  tiiis  liinc  mikI  which  were  finally  solved  hy  an 
appeal  to  arms.  Johnson  was  bitterly  opposed  to  slavery;  to  Lincoln's 
platform  he  gave  his  most  hearty  support  and  threw  himself  into  his 
campaign  Avith  might  and  main.  Neglecting  pastoral  work,  he  cam- 
paigned with  great  energy,  advocating  not  without  success  the  cause 
of  the  Republican  party  in  the  press  and  on  the  platform.  There  was 
a  poetical  vein  in  Johnson's  makeup,  aud  he  sometimes  engaged  in 
versemaking.     Ilis  lyre  was  attuned  to  the  praise  of  liberty,  justiee 


Rev.    John    Johnson 

and  truth.  In  his  campaign  songs  he  displayed  great  zeal  for  human 
liberty  and  civic  rights,  as  applicable  to  conditions  in  the  United  States. 
His  verses  fired  many  Swedish- Americans  to  participation  in  the  great 
campaign  for  the  preservation  of  the  Union.  There  was  none  among 
them  who  realized  the  significance  of  the  strife  more  deeply  than  did 
this  simple  and  impretentious  country  parson,  Avho  also  knew  how  to 
kindle  the  fire  of  enthusiasm  in  the  hearts  of  his  fellowmeu.  And 
when  a  number  of  the  Swedes  of  Princeton,  at  the  call  of  the  great 
Lincoln,  joined  the  colors  and  left  for  the  field  of  conflict.  Rev.  Jolm 
Jolmson  accompanied  them  to  the  train  and  handed  to  each  and  every 
man  a  copy  of  the  New  Testament — the  best  gift  that  could  be 
bestowed. 


504 


THI-;    lATHKRANS 


lu  his  last  years  of  service  at  Princeton  Rev.  Johnson's  mental 
powers  began  to  fail,  leaving  him  a  sufferer  for  the  remainder  of  his 
life.  In  ISGfi  he  lived  in  Paxtoii.  not.  however,  in  active  service  as 
pastor.  The  following  year  lie  was  so  far  restored  as  to  be  able  to 
serve  the  church  at  Attica.  Ind..  V)ut  in  1868  he  returned  to  Paxton, 
where  he  lived  in  i-ctirciiii'iit  until  1">71.  Subse((uently  he  luid  |>astoral 
charge  of  the  churcli  at  Farniersvillc,  111.,  1872-3,  returning  to  Paxton 
for  two  years,  1874-5.  and  then  removed  to  Moline,  where  he  lived 
as  a  mental  wreck  until  his  death.  Oct.  9.  1882.  He  left  a  wife.  Johanna, 
nee  Bengtsou,  to  M-hom  he  was  wedded  in  Sweden,  in  1846,  and  two 
daughters,  Mrs.  Rev.  H.  P.  Quist  and  ilrs.  C.  G.  Thulin  of  Jloline. 

E,ric    Norelius,    Historian    of  the    Augustana    Synod 

Eric  Xorclius,  though  young  at  the  lime  of  founding  the  Swedish- 
American  Lutheran  Church,  yet  must  be  counted  among  its  veterans 
for  the  eminent  part  he  took  in  the  work  of  organization.  His  career 
was  begun  in  Illinois,  where  he  rendered  valuable  service  to  the  church 
before  removing  to  the  state  of  Jlinnesota,  his  principal  field  of  use- 
fulness. Norelius  drafted  the  constitution  for  the  early  churches, 
which  underlies  that  of  the  Augustana  Synod,  suggested  the  name  of 
the  synod,  has  served  as  its  president  for  two  lengthy  periods,  still 
retaining  that  office,  and  is  tlu'  liislnrian  of  the  Swedisli  Lutheran 
Church  of  America. 

Eric  Xoi-clius  was  ixnn  Oct.  26,  183:3,  in  the  parish  of  Ilassela. 
Ilelsinglaiul.  I^wcdcn.  and  pnisucd  elementary  studies  in  the  city  of 
Iludiksvall  ])ri()i-  to  iiis  ciiiigralion  to  .Viiu'rica  in  ISoO.  II(>  came  over 
with  a  i)ai'ty  of  a  liundi'cd  emigrants,  including  also  an  elder  brother 
of  his,  Anders  Norelius.  who  sul)sci|ucntly  affiliated  with  the  Swedish 
Baptists.  At  the  suirgestion  of  Esb.iorn.  whom  he  met  at  Andover. 
Norelius  in  llic  s|)ring  of  18.')1  entered  the  Capital  University  at 
Coluiiilius.  Oliid.  a  Lutlicran  institution,  where  he  spent  four  years. 

Wiiili'  a  sludent,  he  received  some  aid  from  a  Lutheran  education 
society,  l)ut  spent  his  vacations  earning  his  living  as  best  he  might 
as  a  book  colpoiiiiii-  and  liy  Icai-hing  and  preaching.  Part  of  this 
time  he  conducted  the  parochial  school  of  the  Inuinuiuel  Cliureh  of 
Chicago.  Ilis  studies  complclcil.  Xorclius  received  his  preacher's 
license  Ironi  tiie  Synod  of  Xorlliern  Illinois  in  18.")")  upon  reconiincnda- 
tion  of  tile  joint  ('hicago  and  Mississippi  conferences  and  was  ordained 
in  Si'|itenil)ei-  of  the  foilowintr  year.  Since  18.").")  he  has  served  as 
follows:  in  Ijal-'avette,  Ind.,  IS.").");  \'asa  and  I{ed  Wing,  Minn.,  churches 
lonndec!  iiy  him.  ISr).5-8;  Attica,  ind..  ISoO-tiO;  mission  field  of  Minne- 
sota.   iSCddl  ;    \';isa    and    lud    Wing.    ISiHS:   Vasa.   18()8-78.   and   con- 


HRIC    NORia.n.S 


505 


tinued  to  serve  as  pastor  of  tlie  Vasa  church,  with  intervals,  until  a  few 
years  n^o. 

In  tlie  fall  of  1857  Xoiolius  and  Joiiiis  Engbcr;^  hcyaii  to  pulilish 
from  Red  "Wing  the  first  Swedish  newspaper  in  Jlinnesota,  entitled 
"Minnesota-Posten."  In  October,  the  year  after,  this  paper  was 
consolidated  with  "llcnilandet"  of  Galeshurp;,  111.  Chicago  became 
the  place  of  publication  and  there  Norelius  for  the  first  nine  months 
of  1859  edited  this  paper,  besides  the  religious  monthly,  "Det  Riitta 
Ilenilandet, "  both  under  the  sn[)ervision  of  Ilassolquist.  Frequent 
appdiiitnients  to  preach  in  neighboring  churches  added  to  his  duties. 
His  health  failing,  the  task  became  too  burdensome,  and  he  resigned 
the  editorship  to  resinne  exclusive  pastoral  work. 

After  having  taken  an  active  part  in  the  building  up  of  the 
Illinois  and  Minnesota  conferences  and  the  organizing  of  the  Augus- 
taua  Synod,  Norelius  has  continued  to  this  day  one  of  the  foremost 
workers  of  the  church.  In  1862  he  started  a  private  school  at  Red 
Wing.  This  was  removed  to  East  Union  and  from  there  to  St.  Peter 
and  formed  the  foundation  for  the  present  Gustavus  Adolphus  College. 
Three  years  later  he  founded  the  orphans'  home  at  Vasa  and  himself 
managed  the  institution  for  eleven  years.  In  1872  he  began  publish- 
ing ''Luthersk  Kyrkotidniug."  which  was  merged  with  "Augustana" 
the  following  year,  and  in  1877  he  and  Rev.  P.  Sjoblom  founded  the 
present  "[Minnesota  Stats  Tidning, "  which  was  first  kno\^ni  as  "Evan- 
gelisk  Luthersk  Tidskrift"  and  then  for  many  years  as  "Skaffaren." 
When  in  1889  Hasselquist's  paper.  "Augustana  oeh  ilissionaren,"  was 
increased  in  size  and  scope  and  made  the  ott'icial  paper  of  the  Augus- 
tana Synod,  Norelius  was  chosen  editor.  The  condition  of  his  health 
compelled  him  to  resign  the  editor's  chair  after  a  seven  months 
occupancy.  In  1898-9  he  published  "Tidskrift  for  svensk  evangelisk 
luthersk  kyrkohistoria, "  and  is  one  of  the  editors  of  the  religious 
quarterly  "Tidskrift  for  teologi  oeh  kyrkliga  fragor. "  published  since 
the  year  1900  as  a  continuation  of  the  historical  magazine.  To  "Kors- 
baneret,"  the  synodieal  yearbook,  which  he  edited  in  1891-6,  Norelius 
before,  during  and  after  that  period  contributed  a  number  of  historical 
and  personal  sketches  dealing  with  the  eai'ly  period  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  in  this  country.  Almost  from  the  time  he  set 
foot  on  American  soil  Norelius  has  been  a  s\-stematic  collector  of 
materials  bearing  on  the  Swedes  of  America,  and  this  historical  treasury 
is  thought  to  be  the  most  valuable  of  its  kind.  Much  of  it  has  been 
embodied  in  his  principal  work,  a  history  of  the  Swedes  and  Swedish 
Lutheran  congregations  of  America,  not  yet  completed.  Part  I,  a  large 
volume  of  870  pages,  embracing  the  period  from  the  beginning  of 
wholesale  immigration  in  the  forties  up  to  1860,  -was  iniblished  in  1890 


5o6 


THE    LITHERANS 


by  authority  of  the  Augiistana  SjTiod.  Next  iu  importance  of  the 
seven  works  by  Norelius,  published  separately,  is  a  biography  of 
Dr.  T.  N.  Hasselfiuist. 

In  1874  Xori'lins  was  elected  president  of  the  Augiistana  Synod 
and  served  ui)()ii  successive  re-elections  for  seven  years.  Again  in  1899 
he  was  chosen  tt>  the  same  office,  and  still  presides  over  the  church  of 


Rev.    I'^ric    Norelius 


wliich  he  is  now  tiic  only  siirvivinj;  pal  i'i;ii-ch.  In  189'J  tiie  ilireetors 
of  Augustana  College  and  Theological  Scmiiiary  conferred  upon  him 
the  honorary  degree  of  D.  1)..  and  in  l!)(t:{  King  Oscar  II.  nnnlc  him  a 
Knigiit  of  the  Oriler  of  the  I'olar  Star  in  recognition  of  meritorions 
achievement  in  liehalf  of  Swedisli- American  culture. 

In  IS,");")  .Norelius  was  united  in  marriage  to  Inga  C'liarlotia  I'eler- 
soti  ami  ill  l!l(l.")  n\  their  Iioiiie  in  \'asa  was  eelehratiMJ  the  joint  golden 


KRIC    N()RI-;i,irS 


507 


aiiniversiiry  nl'  lln'  ;i,i;imI  |i;iii'  iind  nl'  llii'  churcli   Dr.  Xnrcliiis  ruiiiidcrl 

and     with     wllicll     lie     lias     Ihtm     rnlllH'ctcd     I'dl-    II1C     li<-t1iT     pMl't     nf    1I1C 

liaH'-c'i'iiliiry. 

Xdri'lius  li'lls  us  tlial  lie  caiiir  fii  this  riiunti'v  as  iiiii'  of  the  so- 
caUcd  huthi'i-  Ucatlcrs,  a  yroup  ol'  (h'Xnt  ioiialists  of  the  OKI  LiitiiiTaii 
ty\u'.  who  saw  in  Kcv.  IIlhUhts'.  a  Kiiiiiisii  divine,  theii-  spiritual 
leader.  These  helirvers  adhered  to  tiie  old  lionks.  suspecting  depart- 
ures from  the  I'aitii  in  the  newer  ones,  frowned  on  synergism  and 
had  misgivings  about  any  presentation  of  the  word  of  God  that  did 
not  have  the  true  Lutheran  ring.  IMethodism  did  not  appeal  to  these 
earnest  piMipIe.  hut  siioi'tly  after  their  eoming  to  this  country  many 
of  them  became  Haptists.  In  fact,  Wiberg  and  Palmf|uist  enjoyed 
the  full  confidence  of  this  entire  group  before  they  changed  their 
convictions  and  became  pioneers  of  tlie  Swedish  IJajitist  Churcli  in 
tlie  two  coiuitries.  "With  tliose  wlio  went  over  was  his  brother,  Anders 
Norelius,  but  he  hini.self  stood  firm.  We  quote  this  to  show  the  stanch 
Lutlieranism  of  Norelius  at  tiiis  early  jieriod  in  his  life.  He  was 
among  those  who  fought  the  movement  for  "New"  or  "American" 
Lutheranism  in  the  fifties,  and  the  uncompromising  stand  f\)r  the 
inialterecl  Augsburg  Confession  taken  by  the  Augustana  Synod  is  due 
in  great  mea.sure  to  him.  By  one  of  his  brethren  Norelius  has  been 
characterized  as  a  strictly  logical  thinker,  whose  apparent  speculative 
tendency  is  held  within  proper  bounds  by  his  firm  and  childlike  faith 
in  the  revealed  Word ;  a  positive  Lutheran  theologian ;  an  objective 
lireacher.  who  commands  attention  and  interest  by  the  soinidness, 
depth  and  dignity  of  his  presentation  of  gospel  truths,  without  i)laying 
upon  the  feelings  of  his  hearers. 

As  a  historian.  Dr.  Norelius  has  accomplished  a  task  deserving 
of  the  gratitude  of  the  whole  Swedish  nationality  in  this  country, 
jirincipally  for  the  wealth  of  historical  material  from  the  fifth  and 
sixtli  decades  of  the  past  century  embodied  in  his  historical  work. 
While  pnri^orting  to  be  in  the  main  a  history  of  the  Lutherans,  it  is 
by  no  means  limited  to  them,  but  throws  much  light  on  the  origin 
of  other  Swedish  church  denominations  and  gives  many  graphic  first- 
hand sketches  from  pioneer  clays.  The  religious  movements  among 
the  innnigrants  are  here  described  by  one  who  knew  the  leaders 
personally  and  stood  near  to  many  of  them.  Dealing,  as  lie  does,  pre- 
eminently with  his  own  church,  Norelius  could  not  escape  the  charge 
of  bias  and  partiality.  Inaccuracy  in  details  is  another  charge  urged 
against  his  work,  which  seems  less  justified  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
for  manj-  data  of  the  pioneer  period  the  historian  was  bound  to  trust 
the  memory  of  others.  Taken  all  in  all,  the  Norelius  history  is  easily 
superior  to  any  of  a  number  of  works  in  the  same  field. 


5o8  THK    I.fTHKRANS 

Augustana   College  and  Theological   Seminary 

Aufrustana  College  and  Theological  Seminary  at  Rock  Island,  111., 
is  a  general  institution  of  learning  owned,  eontrolled  and  maintained 
by  the  Eviingelical  Lutiieran  Augustana  Synod  of  North  America, 
^Vhile  it  is,  therefore,  a  denominational  school,  and  as  such  aims  to 
serve,  primarily,  flic  interests  of  the  Swedisli  Lutheran  Church,  it  is 
open  to  all  who  desire  a  liberal  education.  Its  original  scope,  which 
»v'as  that  of  a  divinity  school,  has  been  broadened  from  time  to  time, 
luitil  now  the  institution,  while  retaining  the  theological  seminary 
as  a  university  department,  aims  to  prepare,  directly  or  indirectly, 
for  every  vocation  in  life  by  giving  the  general  culture  or  special 
training  which  modern  conditions  require.  Its  courses  of  instruction 
are  i)atterned  after  the  most  modern  and  approved  models,  and  qual- 
itatively, at  least,  Augustana  aims  to  be  in  the  front  rank  of  American 
educational  institutions. 

The  English  language  is  used  as  a  medium  of  instruction  in  all 
subjects,  except  the  Swedish  language  and  literature  and  partly  in  the 
theological  branches.  Tlie  subject  of  Swedish  naturally  occupies  a 
l)roniinent  position  in  the  curriculum,  and  the  institution,  not  forgetful 
of  its  origin,  nor  of  present  ilay  practical  needs,  nor  of  its  future 
mission  as  the  exponent  of  Swedisli  culture  in  America,  i)rovides  amj)le 
facilities  for  instruction  in  the  language,  literature  and  history  of  tlie 
northern  fatherland.  It  is  the  object  oi  the  institution  to  throw  about 
the  student  all  the  influences  which  make  for  a  healthy  and  harmonious 
physical,  mental  and  moral  growtli. 

Augustana  (.'oUege  is  situated  in  tlie  eastern  part  of  the  city  of 
Rock  Island,  on  the  slope  of  a  prominent  bluff,  reverently  named  Zion 
Hill,  from  which  the  view  is  striking  and  picturesipie.  To  the  north- 
west, on  the  opposite  banks  of  tlic  Mississipjii,  lies  the  city  of  Daven- 
port, coininandingly  located  mi  tlir  lilutVs  wliicli  rise  almost  din-ctly 
from  tlie  river.  To  the  east  the  eye  rests  on  the  tall  chimneys  of  the 
busy  city  of  Jloline,  rendered  famous  by  her  manufactures.  To  the 
north,  directly  in  front  of  the  college  grounds,  stretclies  Rock  Island, 
fiDiri  which  Ihc  city  took  its  name,  eom])rising  over  nine  liundred  acres 
of  ground  uixm  whidi  is  liuilt  the  largest  of  the  govermiient  arsenals 
together  with  extensive  federjil  niamiracturing  ])iants.  At  the  lower 
eiiil  111'  llie  island  tlie  two  lir;iiiclies  of  the  river  are  spanned  l)y  bridges 
lor  railroad  and  general  traffic. 

The  college  grounds  consist  of  about  .'{(>  acres  of  land,  (bi  liiis 
tract  ai'c  locjiled  the  following  buildings  belonging  to  the  institution: 
till'  new  main  building,  a  handsome  stone  structure  built  in  the  pure 
Renaissance  .style,  occupied  since  ISSS.  and  containing  in  its  tliree 
stories  an<l  basenicni   ilie  principal  recitation  rooms  and  lecture  iialls 


AUGUSTANA    ColJ.EGE 


509 


and  tlic  cliaix'l ;  the  old  main  biiildinfr.  "ccupicd  sinc('  187'),  used 
cliicriy  as  a  dormitory  and  refectory,  witii  its  class  rooms  and  eliapel 
now  given  over  to  the  use  of  the  business  college;  the  gymnasium, 
the  ladies'  dormiloi'v,  Ki-icson  TTall,  and  two  buildings  used  ais 
residences. 

When  about  the  year  ISi;!  a  stream  of  immigration  from  tiic 
Scandinavian  countries  to  the  United  States  began,  the  earliest  settle- 
ments, as  shown  in  the  foregoing,  wore  made  in   Illinois.  Wisconsin, 


I 


Immanuel  Parish  School-liouse,  Krected  1856,  First  Home  of 
Augustana  College  and  Theological  Seminary 

Iowa  and  ilinuesota.  These  immigrants  had  been  members  of  the 
Lutheran  state  church  in  their  mother  countries  and  were,  as  a  class, 
religious  and  churchly  people.  Earnest  and  pious  men  came  over  to 
serve  as  their  pastors,  and  Lutheran  congregations  were  early  estab- 
lished among  both  Swedes  and  Norwegians.  At  the  organization  of 
the  Evangelical  Lutheran  S>^lod  of  Northern  Illinois  in  1851  several 
Scandinavian  clergymen  were  present  and  took  part  in  the  organiza- 
tion. The  scattered  Scandinavian  and  American  Lutherans  in  this 
section  of  the  coimtry  thus  were  united  in  one  common  synod.  The 
constant  stream  of  immigration  rapidly  added  to  the  numbers  of  the 
Scandinavians  who  before  1860  constituted  about  one-half  of  the 
sjTiod,  then  made  up  of  three  separate  conferences,  the  American  and 
German  Eock  Kiver  Conference,  the  Norwegian  Chicago  Conference 
and  the  Swedish  Mississippi  Conference.  This  synod,  in  co-operation 
with  other  Lutheran  bodies  in  the  West,  established  a  school,  known 


5IO 


THE    UTHERAXS 


as  tilt'  Illinois  State  University,  at  Springfield,  for  the  special  purpose 
of  tHliicatiiig  Lutheran  ministers. 

In  the  two  Seanilinavian  conferenees  the  need  of  pastors  was  very 
pressing.  At  their  common  meeting  in  Waverly  (Leland),  111.,  Oct.  3, 
185o,  they  resolved  to  send  a  representative  to  Sweden  and  Norway 
with  a  view  to  inducing  ministers  and  students  of  earnest  and  irre- 
proachahle  character  to  conic  over  and  aid  in  the  work.  The  Synod 
of  Northern  Illinois,  in  session  at  the  same  place  for  the  next  few  days, 
amended  this  resolution  by  voting  to  found  a  Scandinavian  profcs.sor- 
ship  at  the  seminary  in  Springfield.  In  January,  1850,  Kcv.  L.  P. 
E.sbj(ini  began  to  scilicit  funds  for  the  maintenance  of  the  new  chair. 
At  the  next  .ioint  annual  meeting  of  the  ("liieago  and  Mississii>pi 
conferences,  held  in  Kockford  Sept.  2()-27,  18")7,  Rev.  P^sbjiJru  was 
unanimously  elinseii  for  the  Scandinavian  chair,  the  election  being 
ratified  ])y  tiie  synod,  sitting  at  Cedarville  Sei)t.  27th  to  Oct.  4th.  Rev, 
Esbjcirn  assumed  his  new  duties  at  Sin-ingfield  in  the  fall  of  1858  and 
served  for  two  years.  Owing  to  doctrinal  differences  between  the 
Scandinavian  and  the  other  memliers  of  the  synod,  Esbjiirn  resigned 
his  position  in  ^larch,  1860,  and  early  in  April  removed  with  his  family 
to  Chicago,  where  shortly  afterward  he  resumed  instruction,  seventeen 
of  the  twenty  Scandinavian  students  at  the  Springfield  seminary 
having  followed  their  teacher.  This  action  brought  matters  to  a  crisis. 
On  April  23-28  the  Swedes  and  Norwegians  met  in  convention  at 
Chicago  and  after  thorough  deliberation  unanimously  resolved  to  with- 
draw from  the  synod,  to  organize  a  synod  for  themselves  and  to 
establish  a  theological  seminary  of  their  own.  The  result  was  the 
organization  of  tiie  Scinulinavian  l^vaiiiri'licnl  [..utheran  Augustana 
Synod  at  a  subse(|uent  fonveiition,  hild  ;il  .IctVerson  Prairie,  near 
Clinton,  "Wis.,  June  5-11,  18(i(). 


k 


The    Chicago    Period 

It  is  to  this  meeting  that  Augustana  College  and  Theological 
Seminary  traces  its  oi-igin  as  a  syiiodieal  institution.  The  seminary 
Iiad  already  been  estalilislied  ;il  Chicago  by  Esbjiirn 's  act  af  removing 
to  that  city  with  the  Seaiidiiiavian  students  and  continuing  thi'ir 
instruction.  Py  resolution  at  the  first  syiiodieal  meetinir,  it  was 
officially  recognized  and  accept fd  l)>  tiie  synod,  and  Kev.  Ksbjiini  was 
expressly  declared  the  synod's  ehoiee  as  "  Seandiiiavian  and  tlieolog- 
ii'al  pi-ol'i'ssor  at  the  Augustana  Seminary  in  ("hieago."  Put  the  first 
article  ill  the  constitution  for  the  school  adopted  at  the  same  meeting 
read:  "The  Augustana  Synod  shall  establish  and  maintain  a  theological 
seminary  now  (or,  for  the  present)  located  in  Chicago  and  known  ax 
Augustana  Seminary."     It    was  an  oddly  worded  article,  which  fore- 


AIGISTANA    COI.KKGH 


5" 


l| 


shadowed  the  strife  over  tlie  location  of  Augustana  that  has  a};itated 
the  synod  more  or  less  down  to  recent  years.  Eshjorn  and  others 
favored  the  permanent  retention  of  the  school  in  Chicago,  while 
Erland  Carlsson,  liassehiuist  and  others  were  for  locating  it  in  the 
comitry.  The  article  in  question  could  be  interpreted  to  favor  either 
side.  Carlsson  at  this  same  meeting  moved,  and  it  was  re.solved,  to 
draw  up  plans  for  purchasing  land  and  starting  farming  for  the  benefit 
of  the  seminary.  Thereb.v  the  door  was  opened  for  experiment  and 
we  find  its  promoters  and  sponsors  again  and  again  in  quest  of  land 
wliere  the  institution  might  be  located  in  tlie  heart  of  some  populous 
Swedish  agricultural  section.  The  institution  was  removed  first  to 
Paxton,  then  to  Rock  Island,  but  in  neither  place  quite  successful 
realty  investments  were  made,  the  farming  project  was  never  carried 
out.  and  the  advantages  obtained  by  the  removal  from  Chicago  are 
still  a  matter  of  opinion. 

The  first  president  of  the  new  institution  was  Rev.  Esl).iorn  and 
the  following  constituted  the  first  board  of  directors:  Rev.  T.  N. 
Hasselquist  and  Mr.  F.  Langeland,  elected  for  four  years.  Rev.  Erland 
Carlsson  and  Mr.  S.  Gabrielson,  for  three  years,  Rev.  0.  Andrewson 
and  Mr.  C.  Stromberg,  for  two  years,  Rev.  0.  J.  Hatlestad  and  Mr. 
C.  J.  Anderson,  for  one  year.  Mr.  iVndrew  Nelson  Braekke  of  Chicago 
was  elected  treasurer.  Rev.  Carlsson  was  the  first  president  of  the 
board,  but  Rev.  Ha.sselquist  soon  succeeded  to  the  presidency  of  the 
directorate  and  made  the  annual  report  to  the  synod  on  the  first 
year's  progress.  The  Immanuel  Church  is  credited  with  having  fur- 
nished the  students  with  room,  board  and  washing  for  the  first  two 
weeks  of  the  fall  term,  and  of  the  $737  in  cash  donations  received 
during  the  first  year  .$576  came  from  Swedish  and  $161  from  Nor- 
wegian churches. 

The  urgent  need  of  means  for  the  maintenance  of  the  school  and 
the  prosecution  of  its  work  prompted  a  resolution  b}^  the  board  to 
send  a  representative  to  Sweden  to  petition  the  king  for  a  collection 
to  be  taken  in  all  the  churches  of  the  realm  for  the  benefit  of  the  new 
seminary.  The  emissary  was  also  to  solicit  donations  of  money  and 
books  by  direct  personal  effort. 

Prof.  Esbjorn  was  appointed  to  solicit  funds  in  the  United 
States  and  to  go  on  a  special  mission  to  Columbus,  Ohio,  to  secure  the 
transfer  to  the  seminary  of  $1,500  given  by  Jenny  Lind-Goldschmidt 
to  the  Capital  University  as  a  foundation  for  a  Scandinavian  chair. 

King  Charles  XV.  granted  the  privilege  of  soliciting  and  receiving 
collections  from  the  churches  in  Sweden  during  a  period  of  two  years. 
Rev.  0.  C.  T.  Andren,  who  was  the  emissary,  resigned  his  commission 
Sept.  1,  1861,  to  settle  down  in  Sweden,  but  the  work  was  subsequently 


312  THE     I.rTHllKANS 

taken  up  by  Esl)joiii  and  so  successfully  pashed  that  a  total  sum  of 
$10,846  was  rcalizptl  from  that  source.  In  addition  thereto.  King 
Charles  XV.  himself  donated  5.1100  V(»lumes  from  his  private  liltrary. 

As  to  the  Jenny  Lind  donation  Dr.  Xorelius,  who  was  at  the  time 
the  only  Swedish  student  at  Capital  T'niversity.  gives  this  aeeount : 
Ur.  Reynolds,  then  president  of  the  institution,  arbitrarily  used  the 
money  without  rendering  any  account  of  it  to  the  board  of  regents, 
and  ui)on  inquiry  into  the  matter  no  trace  of  the  fund  was  foiuid. 
either  in  the  treasury  or  in  the  records.  It  may  be  added  tiiat  Dr. 
Reynolds  left  his  position  after  putting  the  school  into  serious  straits 
by  bad  financial  management.  Later  he  became  president  of  the 
Springfield  seminary,  named  the  Illinois  State  I'niversity.  and  it  was 
his  peculiar  tactics  that  forced  Esbjorn's  sudden  resignation  and 
removal,  although  doctrinal  differences  in  the  Synod  of  Northern 
Illinois  had  ])aved  the  way  for  that  step. 

Mow  to  secure  capable  instructors  was  another  vexed  question. 
Diiriny'  IIk'  first  year  Prof.  Esbjorn.  the  only  regular  profes.sor,  was 
assisted  by  Rev.  Abraham  Jacobson  and  several  students,  while  Rev. 
C.  J.  P.  Peterson,  recently  from  Norway,  gave  instructit)n  without 
charge  to  the  Norwegian  students,  but  declined  an  offer  of  a  professor- 
ship.    The  attendance  during  the  first  year  was  21. 

The  synod  in  ISdl  instructed  the  lioard  to  extend  a  call  to  P.  P. 
Waldenstrom  of  Ipsala.  who  years  afterward  dissented  from  the  state 
chui'ch  and  became  the  leading  spirit  in  the  Mission  Covenant  of 
Sweden.  It  was  decided  to  send  A.  J.  Lindstrom.  a  student,  to  I'psala 
University  to  prepare  for  teaching  at  the  seminary.  Lindstrom  earned 
the  degree  of  Ph.  D.,  was  ordained  to  the  ministry  and  then  assunu>d 
the  designated  position,  serving  1870-71.  Despite  appeals  to  tiie 
Norwegian  constituency  of  the  sjTiod.  a  suitable  man  to  give  instruc- 
tion in  that  language  had  not  been  found  up  to  18().i.  An  Eniilisli 
tutor  was  not  secured  until  the  following  year,  when  Ki'v.  William 
Kopp  of  the  Pennsylvania  Synod  was  called. 

While  in  Sweden  in  tln'  interest  of  tiie  seminary  in  ISii'J.  j'rof. 
Esb.jorn  resigned  his  position  and  ac<-epled  an  a]qiointment  by  the 
ci'owii  to  become  jjastor  of  (lie  |)arisli  <>(  Osier- \'alda. 

Tile  chief  motive  for  this  step  doubtless  was  his  love  of  tlie  fatlier- 
land.  Iml  he  h;id  otiiei'  I'casons.  On  many  points  he  and  Rev.  Hassel- 
i|nist  held  (liU'erent  views.  The  latter  hail  opposed  his  election  to  the 
Scandinavian  professorshij)  in  Springfield,  having  negotiated  with 
Peter  l>",icllsledt  of  Swedi'ii  to  take  the  place,  anti  now  they  look  issue 
with  one  another  on  the  removal  of  the  si-minary  to  Paxton.  Several 
months  prior  to  Ksbjiirn's  resignnti(ui  (he  board  of  directoj-s  had 
urged    IIassel<|uisl    to    remove    to    Paxton    and    use    his    inthienee    as 


AlcrSTANA    COM.KGE  513 

president  of  tlie  synod  in  proniot  iny;  llic  cdldnizal  inn  plan  in  Ix'iialL' 
of  the  school.  He  tlms  beeanie  tlie  pastor  of  the  new  congregation 
there  and  as  one  of  tlie  prime  movers  in  the  enterprise  naturally 
would  have  a  decisive  voice  in  affairs.  Disliking  to  stand  in  the  way 
of  eitlier  the  financial  pl;ni  or  the  personal  ambitions  of  his  lirothci' 
churchman,  Esbjorn  chose  to  yield,  when  so  favorable  an  opporl unity 
was  given. 

Both  Waldenstrom  and  Andren  liaving  dcclinc(l  calls  to  Ixm'oihc 
his  successor,  Rev.  Ilasselquist  was  chosen  temporary  professor  to  fill 
the  vacancy.  In  1863  the  synod  authorized  the  board  to  secure  Rev. 
Sven  L.  Bring,  or  some  other  capable  man  from  Sweden.  Failing  in 
this,  the  s.>Tiod  at  its  next  annual  meeting  made  Ilasselquist  the 
incund)ent  of  the  theological  chair  until  further  action  should  be  taken. 
No  cliansfc  was  ever  made,  and  Hasselquist  remained  as  professor  and 
president  of  the  institution  until  his  death.  Fell.  4.  ISIIl. 

The    Paxton   Period 

The  permanent  location  of  the  seminary  had  not  been  determined. 
In  1860  a  tract  of  land  in  Grundy  county,  Iowa,  was  offered  on  condi- 
tion that  the  institution  be  located  there.  Of  this  tract  700  acres  was 
to  be  a  gift  to  the  school  and  2,640  acres  to  be  sold,  partially  for  its 
benefit.  The  land  being  found  un.suitable  for  the  purpose,  the  offer 
was  rejected,  but  other  tracts  in  the  same  locality  so  appealed  to  the 
investigators  that  they  recommended  the  founding  of  a  colony  in 
Butler,  Grundy  or  Black  Hawk  county.  Iowa,  and  the  removal  of  the 
seminary  to  the  locality  that  should  be  selected.  A  detailed  coloniza- 
tion plan  was  formulated,  a  site  was  selected  at  Applington,  Butler 
county,  and  purchasers  were  invited,  but  none  responded.  The  failure 
of  the  plan  was  charged  to  the  uncertain  business  conditions  incident 
to  the  Civil  War. 

Subsequently  the  directors  received  from  the  Illinois  Central 
Ry.  Co.  an  offer  of  5,000  acres  of  land  at  $6  per  acre,  and  a  commission 
of  one  dollar  per  acre  on  a  tract  of  20,000  acres  and  50  cents  on  an 
additional  40,000  acres  to  be  sold  through  their  efforts,  all  on  condition 
that  the  institution  be  located  at  some  station  along  the  Illinois 
Central  line. 

At  the  synodieal  meeting  held  in  Chicago  June  23-29,  1863,  the 
removal  of  the  seminary  to  Paxton,  111.,  was  decided  upon,  an  agree- 
ment with  the  Illinois  Central  people  being  simultaneously  ratified. 
Pursuant  to  this  agreement  1.000  acres  of  land  had  already  been 
purchased  from  the  company  at  $6  per  acre,  and  the  directors  had 
been  given  the  agency  for  the  sale  of  30,000  acres  at  a  commission  of 
one  dollar  per  acre  and  an  additional  30.000  at  a  commission  of  50  cents 


514 


THI-:    I.ITHKRAXS 


per  acre.  The  board  bouud  itself  to  dispose  of  10,U0K  aeres  within  cue 
year  from  the  signiiifit  of  the  contract.  By  June  1st  four  tliousand  acres 
had  been  .sold  and  $2,350  in  commissions  had  been  received.  A  congre- 
gation liad  l)coii  organized  at  Paxton  and  a  schoolhonsc  posting  .$750 


a 


o 
■Ji 


m 

u 

"o 
'■J 


3 
3 


had  been  piin-liascd  for  the  use  of  the  seminary,  wliicli  was  to  open 
there  in  tlic  fall.  About  llic  middle  of  Sejitember  the  fall  term  opened. 
Owing  to  the  unfinished  eondition  of  the  new  ((uarlers.  Rev.  Ilassel- 
(|uist  had  to  aceonnnodale  the  students  fur  the  first  two  months  in  his 
l)i'ivate  residence.      During  the  first   year  al    I'axlon  tile  seminary  was 


Al  C.ISTANA    COM.l'XilC 


515 


utti'iided  by  ton  stndonts,  nf  wlunii  sovnii  wcro  Swedes  niid  tliroe 
Norwetriaiis. 

In  ISli.")  till'  inslitiilidii  \v;is  ^'r;iiitc(l  ;\  sprcijil  cIimiIit  st  i|)nl;iting 
tliiit  Aut;iisl;uia  Sciiiiiiary  was  to  have  its  location  in  J'axton  or  its 
vicinilN'  and  iiiislit  own  $.■)().()()()  worth  of  jjroporty  free  of  taxation. 
In  186!)  till-  cliarliT  was  amended,  cliaM^'iiiu-  \hr  name  to  An'^Misiana 
Colle<re  antl  'i'lieolo^'ii-al  Seminary,  re(|uii'infi'  inei'rly  lliat  its  location 
be  ■witliin  the  bonndaries  of  the  state,  and  raisinif  the  limit  on  non- 
assessable property  to  $100,000. 

Instruction  was  given  in  college  classes  as  early  as  186(),  but  it 
was  not  till  ten  years  later,  in  1876,  that  a  senior  class  was  formed. 
From  1863  to  1870  the  average  number  of  students  in  attendance 
was  about  35. 

In  1870,  following  the  friendly  separation  of  the  Norwegians  from 
the  synod,  new  by-laws  for  the  institution  Avere  adopted,  providing 
for  both  a  preparatory  and  a  complete  college  course  of  instruction  in 
addition  to  the  theological  course  comprising  two  years.  At  their 
withdrawal  the  Norwegians  received  the  sum  of  .'JslO.OOD.  wliich  had 
been  colleeted  as  a  fiuid  for  tlie  estaldishment  of  a  Norwegian  pro- 
ffissorshii)  at  the  common  institution. 


The    RocK    Island   Period 

In  the  meantime  the  stream  of  Swedish  immigration  bore 
mainly  westward  and  northwest  from  Chicago.  The  plan  to  sur- 
round the  institution  with  populous  Swedish  settlements  about 
Paxton  miscarried  and  tlie  desirability  of  a  more  central  location 
became  more  apparent  year  by  year.  The  nuitter  was  first  liroached 
publicly  at  the  synodical  meeting  in  1868.  an  otl'er  of  $40,000  in  cash 
and  10  acres  of  ground  having  been  made  on  condition  that  the  school 
be  located  in  Geneseo.  Later  the  would-lie  donors  went  back  on  their 
promise,  and  the  authorities  looked  about  for  some  other  acceptable 
location.  Five  years  passed  before  any  definite  step  was  taken.  Then 
Rock  Island  was  settled  upon  as  the  most  favorable  location  available, 
and  in  1873  a  tract  of  19  acres  in  the  eastern  pai't  of  the  city  was 
purchased  for  $10,000. 

On  this  site  the  first  mam  building,  a  brick  structure  with  three 
stories  and  basement,  was  erected  with  all  possible  expedition.  It  was 
completed  for  occupancy  in  the  summer  of  1875;  the  removal  of  the 
institution  took  place  at  that  time  and  in.struetion  was  begun  in  the 
new  college  building  at  the  opening  of  the  fall  term  in  September  of 
that  year.  In  addition,  two  frame  dwellings  were  built,  also  a  two- 
story  and  basement  In-ick  structure  foi'  the  \ise  of  the  president  an<l  the 


5i6 


THK    MTHKRANS 


theological     classes.        The    cost    ot    tlie    first    tour     buildings     was 
$53,000. 

By  a  synodical  resolution  in  187."5  every  adult  memljer  of  the 
synod  was  required  to  pay  2")  cents  annually  toward  the  support  of 
the  institution. 


0 


3 


I'^roni  18()8  to  187."}  there  had  lieen  two  classes  in  tlir  preparatory 
(h'piiflMicnt,  two  in  tlie  college  and  one  in  (he  senunary.  The  latter 
yiMi-   a    third    college    class    was    added    and    the   year    after   a    third 


ArOL'STANA    COI.I.I'.CK 


5'7 


preparatory  class.  Two  years  lalrr  tlir  Imirtli  or  senior  class  was  rdrim-i! 
in  college  and  was  graduated  in  1S77.  Tlic  tirst  college  class  graduated 
from  Augustaua  consisted  of:  Carl  Aarou  Swensson,  C.  J.  Petri, 
^Matthias  Wahlstrom,  Constantine  M.  Esbjorn,  Joshua  Hassohiuist  and 
J.  H.  Randahl. 

In  the  year  1879  Angustana  College  was  placed  on  the  same  level 
with  the.  colleges  in  Sweden  bj'  act  of  the  Swedish  dejiartment  of 
ecclesiastics  granting  its  graduates  admittance  to  the  universities  of 
Upsala  and  Lund  without  examination. 

A  scientific  course  in  college  was  established  in  1880,  but  efficient 
instruction  in  the  natural  sciences  had  been  previously  given,  especially 
since  1S7S,  when  Josua  Lindahl,  a  well-known  scientist  of  Sweden,  was 
engaged  to  teach  that  branch.  He  occupied  the  chair  of  science  for 
ten  years,  until  his  appointment  in  1888  as  state  geologist  and  curator 
of  the  museum  at  Springfield. 

Gradually  the  institution  attracted  students  of  other  than  Swedisli 
descent,  and  to  meet  their  needs  a  special  classical  course  without 
Swedish  was  introduced  in  1882. 

Prior  to  1885-6  female  students  were  rare  at  Augustana  and  were 
not  matriculated.  During  the  next  few  years  their  number  rapidly 
iugr|.asgd,  and  co-education  became  an  established  fact.  The  principal 
impetus  Avas  the  establishment  of  the  conservatory  of  music  in  Janu- 
ary, 1886.  Two  years  later  there  was  added  a  commercial  department, 
named  Augustana  Business  College.  A  normal  department  followed  in 
1891  and  an  art  department  in  1895. 

The  original  plan  of  the  theok)gical  seminary,  to  have  at  least 
three  professors,  one  for  each  of  the  leading  languages  used — Swedish. 
Norwegian  and  English — was  not  inlW  realized  until  1868,  when  Rev. 
S.  L.  Harkey  was  elected  to  the  chair  of  the  English  language  and 
Rev.  A.  Wenaas  to  that  of  the  Norwegian.  When  the  synod  was  split 
in  1870  the  plan  had  to  be  completely  recast.  The  courses  were  grad- 
ually made  to  embrace  two  years,  and  from  1874  there  were  two 
regular  classes  in  the  seminary  up  to  1890,  when  the  university  plan 
was  adopted,  substituting  courses  for  classes.  The  number  of  courses, 
at  first  fourteen,  has  since  been  increased  to  tw'enty. 

In  the  college  proper  ten  departments  have  gradually  been  estab- 
lished, viz.,  Swedish,  English  and  philosophy.  Latin.  Greek,  modern 
languages,  Christianity,  history  and  political  science,  biology  and 
geology,  physics  and  chemistry,  and  mathematics  and  astronomy. 
Swedish  and  English  were  provided  for  in  the  original  plan.  Around 
the  Swedish  chair  clustered  Christianit.v.  German  and  the  classics,  and 
around  the  English  chair,  history,  philosophy,  mathematics  and  the 
sciences.    As  a  rule  these  subjects  were  taught  in  the  language  around 


5i8 


THI-:    I.ITHERAXS 


wliich  they  were  jrrouped.     Post-firadiiate  courses  were  introduced  in 
the  eoUctrc  in  isill  and  in  the  seminary  a  year  later. 

Witliiii  tin  years  of  its  erection  the  first  college  building  became 
inadequate.  The  synod  in  1883  resolved  to  erect  a  new  main  building 
of  In-ick  at  an  estimated  cost  of  ."^55,000.  The  cornerstone  was  laid 
in  1884.  1)11  XdvcinlxT  6th,  a  date  memorable  in  the  history  of  the 
Reformaliiiii.  A  tutal  of  i|<30.000  had  Ix'cii  sul)srTibed  and  the  next 
year  ^Ir.  I*.  Ij.  ("altle  of  Rock  Island  came  to  the  a.ssistance  of  the 
synod  by  donjitiiij;  the  sum  of  $25,000  to  the  building  fund. 
Thi'   liiiildint;-   ])lMns   were    then    clianged  SO   as   to   i)roviile   for  stone 


Augustana    ColU'jje   Chiipcl 


iiistrail  of  liric-k  as  luiildin^r  material.  IlienOiy  addiiif^  about  $30,000 
to  the  estiiuat<'(l  cost.  Tlie  olltef  shell  of  the  strueture  haviii-; 
lieeii  ereeted.  the  l)uildin<r  stood  thus  for  some  time  iiet'ore  tiie  addi- 
tional funds  neiM'ssary  foi-  its  completion  eoidd  he  i-aised.  This  was 
finally  aeeoiii|ilishe(l.  and  I'ai'l.v  in  ISSS  the  interior  of  t  lu'  new  li\iildiiij; 
was  so  fai-  finished  that  tile  class  rooms  eouhl  be  occupied.  The  <lcdii-a- 
tion  took  jilaee  .lune  1"_'.  1SS!I.  In  1S!»1  the  finishing,'  louidies  were  put 
to   the   Imililinir  \>y   the  creel  ion    of  the   eupola   and    the   portieo. 

The  institution  has  always  been  opin  to  stmlenls  without  rc^rard 
to  lantruanc  race,  luitionality  or  ereed.  Of  the  students  in  the 
llicolo^'ieal  seminary  about  (i.'iii  ha\e  been  ordained  to  the  holy  ministry 
in  the  .\nt,Mistana  Synod,     j-'roni  tin'  eollei.'e  de|iartmeiil  about    I'J.'i  have 


AICrSTANA    COI.I.I'CH 


5 '9 


been  gi';iiliiati'(l  with  tlic  (IrjiTcc  of  A.  1!.  iif  IJ,  S.  'I'lic  (■(iiiuiiiTuial 
college  iiiiiiilici's  soiiio  ().")()  f^radnatc's,  the  eonservatory  of  iiuisie  over 
40  and  the  normal  departnu'iit  about  tiic  same  number.  Dnring  the 
academic  year  emliuf;;  in  1!)()7  the  total  attendanee  was  570. 

As  recorded,  Prof.  L.  P.  Esbjiirn  was  llie  president  of  the  institu- 
tion during  the  first  three  school  years,  his  term  ending  by  resignation 
in  1863.  lie  was  succeeded  by  Dr.  T.  X.  TTassebiuist,  who  served  for 
several  years  as  temporary  i)resident  and  tiien  as  permanent  head  of 
the  institution  until  his  death  in  F('l)rnai\v,  1S!)1.  His  successor  was 
Dr.  Olof  Olsson,  whose  serviees  were  determined  by  death  in  IMay, 
1000.  That  year  the  synod  called  to  the  presidency  Dr.  Carl  A.  Swens- 
son.  head  of  Bethany  College,  upon  whose  declination  Dr.  C.  W.  Foss, 
the  vice  president,  became  acting  president  for  the  year  1900-inoi. 
In  June,  1901,  the  synod  elected  as  president  Di-.  Gustav  A.  Andreen 
of  Yale  University,  who  is  the  present  incumbent  of  the  office. 

Following  are  the  men  of  other  than  Swedish  descent  who  have 
been  connected  with  Augustana  as  professors  for  various  periods: 
Rev.  W.  Kopp,  1864-7 ;  Rev.  A.  Wenaas,  1868-70 ;  S.  L.  Harkey,  D.  D.. 
1868-70;  Rev.  Henry  Reck,  A.  ]M..  1873-81  ;  W.  F.  Eyster,  A.  U.,  1875- 
82:  R.  F.  Weidner,  D.  D.,  1882-94;  Rev.  G.  W.  Sandt.  A.  M.,  1884-88: 

A.  W.  Williamson,  Ph.  D.,  1880-1905 ;  Rev.  E.  F.  Bartholomew,  D.  D.. 
Ph.  D.,  1888  -. 

Diu'ing  the  school  year  that  ended  in  the  .spring  of  1908  the 
teaching  force  of  the  institution  in  its  entirety  consisted  of  a  faculty 
of  twenty-two  regular  professors,  besides  sixteen  instructors,  teachers, 
and  assistants.  The  regular  professors  are  here  given:  Rev.  Conrad 
Emil  liindberg.  D.  D.,  R.  N.  0.,  vice  president,  ]irofessor  of  systematic 
theology,  hermeneutics,  liturgies,  apologetics  and  church  polity;  Rev. 
Carl  August  Blomgren,  Ph.  D.,  secretary,  professor  of  Hebrew.  Old 
Testament  introduction,  propaedeutics  and  English  liomilctics ;  Claude 
W.  Foss,  Ph.,  D.,  professor  of  history  and  political  science;  Charles 
Linus  Eugene  Esli.iorn,  A.  JI.,  professor  of  modern  languages;  Rev. 
Edward  Fry  Bartholomew,  D.  D.,  Ph.  D.,  professor  of  English  literature 
and  philosophy;  John  August  Udden,  Ph.  D.,  F.  G.  S.  A.,  F.  A.  A.  A.  S., 
Oscar  II.  professor  of  natural  history;  Rev.  Nils  Forsander,  D.  D.. 
R.  N.  0.,  professor  of  historical  theology  and  Swedish  homiletics; 
Rev.  Sven  Gustaf  Youngert,  D.  D..  Ph.  D.,  professor  of  philosophy, 
Greek  New  Testament  exegesis.  New  Testament  introduction  and 
eatechetics;  Isaac  ilorene  Anderson.  A.  ]M.,  professor  of  the  Greek 
language  and  literature;  Linus  Warner  Kling.  A.  M..  professor  of  the 
Latin  language  and  literature ;  Rev.  Jules  Gothe  Fltimus  Mauritzson. 

B.  D.,  professor  of  the  Swedish  language  and  literature;  Emil  Larson, 
professor  of  organ,  piano  and  theory,  director  of  conservatory;  Rev. 


.S20 


THE    LirilKRANS 


August  William  Kjcllstraiul.  A.  il..  professor  of  English  iu  the 
academy  aud  assistant  professor  of  Latin :  John  Peter  Magnusson,  Ph. 
D..  professor  of  phj'sics  and  chemistry;  William  Emanuel  Cederberg, 


AiiKiislHim  College — (iiisliiv  Aiulreeii,  rrestilcnt 

U.  S.,  I'll.  B..  prol'cssor  nt'  im:iI  In'inal  ii's  iiixi  iin'rliaiiii'iil  drawing; 
Mrs.  Edla  iiiuid.  prul'i'ssor  nl'  voice,  sight  singing  and  car  training; 
<)\n(    (li'al'sl  I'iiiri.    prcirrssiir    nf    painting   and    drawing;    Cali'li    Larson 


: 


OI.OF    OI.SSON 


521 


Krantz,  M.  Accts.,  protVssor  dl'  liooklu'cpiug,  pciiinjuisliii),  spclliiij^, 
correspondence  and  grammar;  Andrew  Kempe,  A.  13.,  M.  Accts..  LL.  B., 
profe.ssor  of  banking,  coiiiniercial  law.  Imdlckeeping,  civics  and  mathe- 
matics; Sigfrid  Lauriii,  professor  oi'  piano;  Iva  ("arrie  I'earee,  B.  E., 
professor  of  eloeutioii  .-ukI  |)liysical  rulture;  Gertrude  Iloiiscl,  professor 
of  violin  and  jiiano  and  director  of  orchestra.  The  total  enrollment 
for  the  school-year  of  1!)()7-<S  was  4()2,  the  number  of  nuile  student.s 
being  306  and  the  female,  I")!;. 

Olof  Olsson,    Pastor,   Elducator   and    Author 

Dr.  Olof  Olsson 's  chief  service  to  the  Swedish-Americans  was 
rendered  during  the  twenty-one  years  he  was  connected  with  Aug- 
ustana  College  and  Theological  Semiuarj'.  His  pastoral  work  in  this 
country  was  performed  mostly  during  the  years  he  was  in  charge  of 
the  church  at  Lindsborg,  Kansas,  but  he  continued  to  be  an  iiiHuential 
preacher  in  the  Augustana  Synod  until  his  death.  Before  coming  to 
America  he  had  labored  fruitfully  as  a  minister  of  the  state  church 
for  more  than  five  years.  His  authorship,  which  consists  of  devotional 
works  or  books  of  travel  written  in  a  religious  vein,  is  nuistly  the 
leisure  work  done  during  his  last  twenty  years,  yet  rank  with  the  best 
Swedish  literary  products  in  the  United  States. 

Olof  Olsson  was  a  native  of  Vermland,  Sweden,  bom  at  Bjorntorp, 
Karlskoga  parish,  March  31,  1841.  Being  the  son  of  a  common  work- 
man in  the  iron  range,  the  boy  was  early  put  to  hard  work.  His 
pai'ents  were  Pietists  of  the  strictest  sort,  who  brought  up  their  children 
according  to  Christian  precepts.  The  father  was  extremely  stern,  but 
the  mother's  milder  aspect  of  religion  enabled  her  to  make  it  attractive 
to  her  sons,  and  Olof  at  an  early  age  became  imbued  with  her  spiritual 
ardor.  He  was  studious  and  showed  decided  musical  talent,  wherefore 
he  was  placed  under  the  tutorship  of  Svante  Sedstrom.  organist  and 
cantor  of  Fredsberg  parish,  Vestergotland.  who.  being  a  man  of  liberal 
education,  took  his  apt  pupil  quite  a  little  way  in  his  studies.  Return- 
ing home  after  one  year,  he  much  pi-eferred  his  books  to  manual  labor. 
About  this  time  Dr.  Fjellstedt  sent  out  ringing  appeals  for  pious 
young  men  to  dedicate  their  lives  to  work  in  the  foreign  missionary 
field,  and  after  a  talk  with  the  pious  divine  on  one  of  his  visits  to 
"Vermland,  Olsson  entered  the  Fjellstedt  missionary  institute,  deter- 
mined to  devote  himself  to  work  among  the  heathen.  Friends  of  the 
family  and  brethren  in  the  faith  in  the  circle  of  evangelical  Pietists 
in  Karlskoga  promised  the  needed  support.  He  entered  the  school  in 
1858.  After  a  year  the  authorities  of  the  institution  concluded  to  send 
the  able  and  devout  young  student  to  the  missionary  institute  in 
Leipsic  to  complete  his  course.     But  the   stale   formalism   and   high- 


522 


THE    LUTHERANS 


cliurch  orthodoxy  pervadiug  tiiat  .school  was  repulsive  to  him  and  he 
soon  returned  home  disheartened  and  with  shattered  ideals.  He  was 
engaged  for  a  short  time  as  teacher  at  an  orphanage  in  Wall,  then 
went  to  Upsala.  determined  to  study  for  the  ministry  and  enter  the 
service  of  the  state  church  of  Sweden.  He  completed  the  college 
course  in  January,  1861.  and  the  divinity  studies  in  ISO-S.  whereupon 


' 


Rev.   Olof   Olsson 


he  was  ordained  in  I  Jcceiiilier.  in  the  I'psaia  Cathedral.  lie  now 
served  in  turn  as  adjunet  pastor  in  Krunskog.  viee  pastor  in  Klga, 
pastiir  at  (he  I'ersberg  minis  and  mills  ni'ar  Kilipstad  and  eurate  in 
SuiuicMiii.  Olsson  pi-oveil  a  stiri-ing  pi-eaelier.  whose  work  resulted  in 
m)taljle  revivals,  wherever  he  was  stationed.  My  his  atViliatiou  witii 
the  evangelistic  movcnient  prnmnled  liy  the  Ueadei-s,  or  Dcvotionalists, 
he  W(Ui  the  favor  ami  i-nnfidenei-  cd'  his  earnest  hretliren  in  the  clergy, 
lint   ini-nrred  alsn  the  (xlinm  nl'  the  wiirldl\   class,  and  notwithstanding 


OLOF   OLSSON  523 

])iTi'('|)t  ii)le  pastoi'iil  succcssi-s.  he  i'iii:illy  licciuiu'  tliscouraged  iiiid  I'ori- 
clmk'cl  tliat  true  frospcl  work  cnuld  liMivlly  be  carried  on  under  tin- 
trammels  of  the  state  eliurch. 

To  escape  the  religious  restraint.  Olsson  resolved  to  emigrate,  and 
soon  headed  a  party  of  people  who  shared  his  sentiments  on  the  voyage 
to  the  New  World.  They  came  over  in  1869  and  founded  a  settlement 
in  JMePlierson  county.  Kansas,  now  known  as  Lindslnirg.  Olsson 
beeanic  their  [lastor  iind  served  as  their  spiritual  and  temporal  advi.ser 
for  seven  years.  Pi-ior  to  his  cominsr  to  this  country,  he  had  familiar- 
ized himself  with  the  work  and  status  of  the  Augnstana  Synod,  hut 
thfi  question  of  joining  tliat  1iody  was  left  open  for  the  tinic  licing. 
It  was  not  long,  however,  until  he  and  his  church  .ioincd  the  synod. 
While  at  Lindsborg.  Olsson  was  elected  superintendent  of  schools  of 
the  county  and  for  a  term  represented  the  district  in  the  Kansas 
legislature. 

After  a  few  years  Rev.  Olsson  en.joyed  the  confidence  of  the  .synod 
to  the  extent  that  he  was  in  1875  called  to  a  chair  in  its  theological 
seminary  at  Rock  Island.  Accepting  the  proffered  position  he  entered 
upon  his  duties  as  an  educator  the  following  year.  He  taught  there 
for  tM-elve  years.  After  resigning  his  professorship  he  worked  for  a 
short  time  in  behalf  of  Bethany  College,  at  Lindsborg,  then  spent  one 
year  abroad  with  his  family,  consisting  of  three  daughters  and  one  son. 
His  wife.  Anna  Lovisa  Johnson,  whom  he  married  in  18H4,  had  died  in 
18S7.  Upon  his  return  Olsson  assumed  charge  of  the  church  in  Wood- 
hull,  111.,  but  a  position  of  greater  responsibility  was  soon  to  be  his. 
When  in  1891  death  removed  Dr.  Hasselquist  from  the  presidency  of 
Augustana  College  and  Theological  Seminary.  Olsson  was  the  logical 
successor.  He  was  called  by  the  board  as  acting  president  and  was 
imanimously  elected  president  of  the  institution  at  the  synodical 
meeting  the  same  year.  In  this  capacity  he  served  mitil  his  death, 
which  occurred  :May  12.  1900. 

Without  a  great  deal  of  schooling.  Olsson  was  a  man  of  profound 
scholarship,  attained  by  constant  private  study,  travel  and  research, 
and  of  wide  knowledge  and  experience,  gained  in  the  great  school  of 
life.  Consequently,  when  in  1892  the  Augustana  College  board  con- 
ferred on  him  the  degree  of  D.  D.  and  Upsala  I'niversity  the  following 
year  that  of  Ph.  D.,  these  were  no  empty  honors.  Aside  from  his 
services  to  Augustana.  as  teacher  and  president,  Dr.  Olsson  rendered 
this  in.stitution  valuable  services  in  soliciting  many  thousands  of 
dollars  for  its  maintenance.  Fpon  his  I'cturn  from  a  European  trip 
in  1879  he  presented  several  new  ideas  ajqilicable  to  the  work  of  the 
Augustana  Synod,  and  the  great  oratorio  festivals  at  Rock  Island  and 
Lindsliorg.  the  Augustana  Conservatory  of  ^lusic.  as  also  the  Angus- 


524  THE   H  THERANS 

J 

taua   Hospital    in    Cliifago.    were    realized    at    his    initiative.      Duriujf  J 

the  prevalent  defection  from  Lutheran  ism  to  Soeinianism  in  the 
seventies,  Dr.  Olsson,  although  favoring  free  evangelism,  took  a  deter- 
mined stand  in  opposition  to  this  movement  on  doctrinal  grounds,  and 
but  for  him  the  synod's  loss  to  Waldenstrom's  following  and  the 
Mission  Friends  in  general  would  unquestionably  have  been  much 
greater. 

In  the  character  of  Dr.  Olsson  the  qualities  of  the  heart  were  pre- 
dominant, lie  was  a  man  of  intense  feeling,  a  warm  sentimentalist, 
with  a  teiiiperanuMit  oscillating  between  the  extremes  of  joviality  and 
melancholy.  He  knew  the  art  of  popularizing  his  learning.  His 
sernidiis  and  writings  were  on  a  level  with  the  intelligence  of  the  com- 
mon pcoj)]!'  and  appcaleil  strongly  to  them.  His  books  were  publislied 
in  comparatively  large  editions,  en.ioyed  great  i)opularity  when  first 
published,  and  they  are  still  extensively  read. 

The  following  arc  the  published  works  of  Dr.  Olsson:  "\'id  kor- 
set,"  devotional;  "Det  kristna  hoppet,"  being  meditations  upon  the 
death  of  his  beloved  wife,  dedicated  to  her  memory;  "Helsningar 
fran  f.ierran,"  his  first  book  of  travel,  dealing  with  his  trip  in  187!); 
"Nagot  oin  kiinslans  bildning";  ''Reformationen  och  socinianis- 
men";  "Vi  hckiinna  Kristus";  "Till  Kom  och  hem  igeii."  18!t(i. 
an  ari-aiL'niiiint  of  Roiiianisiii  in  the  loi'ni  nf  a  bocik  of  travel,  con- 
taining also  snatches  of  ])liiloso|)liy.  cluu'ch  and  profane  history, 
descriptions  and  meditations  in  pleasing  i)rofusion ;  lastly,  a  post- 
huiiioiis  volume  of  sermons  and  lecHires.  l!l(i:i.  Or.  Olsson  {)os,sessed 
a  fascinating  literary  style,  and  his  writings,  like  his  public  addresses, 
abound  in  wit.  epigram,  delicate  sentiment  and  profound  thought. 

The    Illinois   Conference 

The  Synod  of  Xortlici'ii  Illinois  was  coinposcd  of  LulluM-ans  of 
vai'ious  nationalities — Americans.  Hermans.  Norwegians  and  Swedes. 
It  was  early  subdivided  into  two  districts,  the  Rock  River  and  the 
Chicago  conferences.  These  divisions  weri>  not  strictly  gcographieal 
but  based  largely  on  nationality,  the  Americans  and  (iermaius  lieinsr 
counted  with  the  former  and  the  Scandiimvians,  or  rather,  the  Nor- 
wegians, with  the  latter;  for  the  district  comprised,  when  organi/cil 
in  1851,  no  Swedish  minister  or  congregation.  Where  Rev.  Kslijiirn 
and  his  I'hun-lies  in  western  Illinois  shoidd  belong  was  not  definitely 
stated,  but  at  the  second  synodical  convention,  held  in  1S.">'J.  a  third 
conference  district  was  formed,  to  be  known  as  the  ^lississippi  Con- 
ference, The  pastors  Esbjorn  and  llassel(|uist  and  the  licensed  preach- 
ers Valentin  and  Iloknnson,  with  tin'  churches  in  their  chnrge,  coii- 
stit4ited  its  first  membership.     The  Swedish  cluirehcs  which  soon  canu' 


THH    ILLINOIS    CONKKRKNCR 


525 


into  existence  in  the  Chicago  Conference  were  added  to  the  Mississippi 
Conference.  ThiLs  the  foniu  r  came  to  he  all  Norwegian  and  the  latter 
all  Swedish.  But^the  two  licld  point  confcri'iiccs  aiimially,  wherein  tin- 
younger  ^Miniiosota  Coiifereiicc  soon  joined. 


►n 


The  meeting  of  the  Mississippi  Conference  held  at  ^Moline.  Jan.  6-9, 
1853,  was  the  first  Swedish  Lutheran  chureli  convention  in  America. 
The  delegates  in  attendance  were :  ministers,  Esbjorn,  Ilasselquist  and 
Valentin ;  laymen.  Samuel  Jonsson  of  Andover,  Johaiuies  Jonsson  of 
Knoxville  and  Carl  Liudman  of  Moline.  Of  two  other  meetings  held 
the  same  year,  at  Andover  and  Galeslnirg,   respectively,  no  minutes 


526 


THK  i.rTHP:RAXS 


were  preserved.  The  joint  meeting:  held  in  Chieafro  .Tan.  4-!t.  1S.")4.  liy 
the  ^Mississippi  and  Cliieago  conferences,  was  the  first  of  its  kind  and 
one  of  the  most  important  conventions  held  prior  to  1860.  The  lack 
of  ministers  beinf;  one  of  the  most  pressing  needs  of  the  time,  a  remedy 
was  sou'-'ht  in  two  ways — licensing  devout  and  able  lay  preachers  and 
calling  ministers  from  the  fatherland.  Before  going  abroad  for 
teachers  it  was  thought  best,  however,  to  organize  regular  congrega- 
tions, ilany  and  widely  scattered  as  the  Swedish  settlements  were, 
this  work  could  not  be  accomplished  at  once  by  the  mere  handful  of 
Swedish  pastors  in  the  field,  but  the  jilan  was  imparted  to  the  various 
communities  in  a  circular  letter.  At  this  stage  the  idea  of  the  con- 
ference calling  ministers  for  the  individual  churches,  as  set  forth  in 
llic  |il;in.  >\;is  |ircili;ilil.\'  the  only  practicable  method,  and  tiiis  was 
tlie  ]iractice  for  a  munlier  of  years.  Later  the  choice  was  vested  in 
the  congregations  themselves.  The  license  system,  though  a  temporary 
expedient,  did  iml  meet  the  needs,  and  was  gradually  abandoned.  In 
all  other  essentials,  this  meeting  I'oiniiiitted  itself  to  the  jirinciples  and 
practices  ever  since  generally  followi'd  among  the  Scandinavian  Luth- 
erans of  America. 

When  the  Jlississi])i)i  Conference  met  in  Andover  in  Di'cember  of 
the  same  year.  Dr.  Peter  Fjellstedt  of  Sweden  was  connnissioned  to 
select  and  liill  [la-stors  who  were  thought  willing  to  leave  their  country 
to  preach  the  gospel  to  their  scattered  countrymen  in  the  United  States. 
At  tiiis  meeting  the  Andover  church  was  dedicated.  When,  at  a  joint 
contVi-ence  meeting  in  AVaverly  (Leland).  111.,  in  October.  18.")").  calls 
extended  to  ministers  in  the  old  country  were  finnid  to  have  elicited 
no  favoral)le  res])onses.  the  plan  to  educate  men  to  suj>ply  the  need 
was  first  suggested,  and  resolutions  were  ])assed  looking  to  tiie  estab- 
lishment of  a  Scandinavian  professorship  at  the  theological  school 
ni:i!;it;iined  at  Springfield  i)y  tiie  Synod  of  Northern  Illinois. 

At  a  joint  meetiiiir  of  tlie  two  conferences  in  Ciiicago  .Marcli  18-23, 
JS")?.  it  was  decided  to  asl;  the  chnn-lies  to  eontrii)ute  $25  each  pet 
annum  toward  tlie  maintenance  of  thi'  proposed  professorshiji  and  to 
call  a  |)i-ofessoi'  as  soon  as  ^,")(i(l  had  lieen  raised.  Tiie  otiier  important 
thing  done  ,ii  tills  time  \v:is  the  adoption  of  a  proposed  constitution 
to  l)e  accepted  in  its  essential  ]iarts  i)y  tiie  congregations  as  a  condition 
of  memi)ersliip  in  the  conferences.  Tliis  document,  siilimitted  by  L.  !*. 
Esbjorn,  E.  .Nonlius.  Ilrl.nid  Ciirlsson  and  O.  ('.  T.  .\ndren.  and  ehietly 
the  work  of  Norelius.  commitled  tlic  chureiies  to  tiie  unaltered  .Augs- 
burg Confession  and  laid  down  the  law  for  ehurcli  government,  which, 

\'itl rtain  alterations,  has  ln-eii  I'ollowed  by  the  Swedish  Lutherans 

peiicr.illy  to  the  present  time.  In  September  of  the  same  year,  while 
asscnibicil   at    b'oc'kfonl.   the   eonrercnces   elected   a    i-andiilale    for   thi- 


'  IS 


I 


Gethsemane  Swedish  Liilheran  Church,  Chicago 


528 


THE   lATHERANS 


professoi-shii).  subject  to  tlu'  aftiim  of  the  next  syiiodical  eoiivention. 
Esbjorn  was  tlie  choice,  with  all  i)ut  two  votes  east  in  his  favor.  The 
lack  of  ministers  was  a  standing  topic  for  discussion  at  the  meetings. 
Calls  extended  to  clergymen  in  Sweden  were  continually  declined,  and 
the  education  of  its  own  pastors  had  become  an  imperative  con^lition 
for  the  progress  of  the  young  church. 

The  lack  of  unaniinity  l)etween  the  orthoddx  and  the  New  Luther- 
ans of  the  synod  and  diti'iculties  which  hampered  the  work  of  Esbjorn 
at  the  seminary  in  Springfield,  prompted  the  organization  in  1860  of 
an  independent  Scandinavian  Lutheran  church  body  named  the  Angus- 
tana  Synod.  I'rior  thereto  the  northern  part  of  the  Mississippi  Con- 
ference had  been  formed  into  a  separate  organization  named  the 
IMinnesota  Conference.  With  this  exception  the  Mississippi  Conference 
comprised  the  entire  Swedish  Lutheran  field  in  the  United  States. 
mainly  the  settlements  in  Illinois.  Indiana  and  Iowa.  The  Swedes  and 
(he  .\(ir\vegians  remained  one  synodical  body  until  1870,  when  their 
ways  i)arted.  The  separation  was  amicable  and  the  Norwegian 
I)rctliren  withdrew  to  form  a  distinct  synod.  At  the  subsequent  sub- 
division (if  the  Augustana  SjTiod  into  the  New  York,  Illinois.Minn- 
csota.  Iowa  and  Kansas  conferences,  the  Illinois  Conference,  whose 
territory  comprised  Illinois,  Indiana,  ^lichigan  and  the  southern  part 
of  Wisconsin,  became  the  natural  continuation  of  the  old  ilississippi 
Conference,  wherefore  the  origin  of  the  Illinois  Conference  is  ilated 
back  to  1853. 

At  the  first  meeting  of  the  conference  luider  its  new  name  in 
August,  1870,  the  field  was  divided  into  two  districts  corresponding 
to  the  respective  territories  of  the  former  Chicago  and  Mississippi 
conferences.  In  1877  there  were  seven  districts  in  all.  and  after 
Further  gmwlli  and  sulKlivision  thirteen  districts  now  compose  the 
conference. 

Augustana  College  and  Tlu'iilogieal  Seminary  was  founded  in  tin' 
territory  of  this  conference,  which  has  always  contributed  the  greatest 
share  toward  the  snpiKU't  of  the  school.  The  other  conferences,  having 
each  eslalilislied  one  or  more  colleges  or  schools  of  their  own.  look 
to  file  Illinois  and  Iowa  cont'ercnces  to  furnish  the  main  sujiport  of 
the  synodical  institution. 

This  conferiMK-e  maintains  I'our  cliarilablc  institutions  exclusively 
its  own,  ii.imcly.  the  .Vutrnstana  Hospital  in  Chicago,  orphans"  Innnes 
at  .\n(lovcr  and  .loliet  and  the  Salem  Home  for  tlu'  Aired,  also  at  Joliet. 

.\l  the  organization  nu'cting  of  the  Mississippi  Conference  diviiu' 
scrxiccs  were  held  once  in  the  Knglish  language,  but  aside  from  tin* 
English  classes  in  the  Sunday  schools  thi>  work  has  been  conducted 
ji'most    exclnsivelv    in    the    Swedish    l.-uiguage    until    in    recent    veai-s 


Tin-;  ILLINOIS  cnNr"KRp:N'cic 


529 


several  congregations  worshiping  exclusively  in  tlie  language  of  the 
land  have  been  established.  ^Many  others  are  using  the  two  languages 
interciiangeably,  as  a  concession  tt)  the  needs  of  the  youngci-  genera- 
tion. 


Trinity  Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  Chicago 


For  the  first  few  years  of  the  conference  there  are  no  .statistics. 
The  first  report  of  the  condition  of  the  treasury  is  found  in  the  minutes 
of  the  meeting  held  in  1867,  showing  !fil~'^.G7  in  receipts  and  ^^^76.^0  in 
disbursements.  In  1871  there  were  41  congregations  with  a  total  mem- 
bership of  15.292.  the  result  of  about  20  years  of  work.  During  tlie 
next  period  of  18  years  there  was  an  increase  to  132  churches  and 
40,702  members,  as  shown  by  the  statistics  of  1889.     These  also  show 


530 


THK    I.ITHERANS 


o 
■■J 


AIGLSTANA     IIUSriTAI.  531 

the  vjiliic  (if  cliureh  proporty.  less  debts,  to  be  ;t;f)42,5lt().  The  expenses 
and  eontril)utions  for  all  jiurposes  aggregated  $liUU,UOU.  From  the 
statistics  of  1906  for  the  entire  conference  we  derive,  by  excluding  the 
six  conference  districts  lying  wholly  outside  the  state,  the  following 
data  relative  to  the  Swedisli  Lutherans  in  Illinois:  number  of  congre- 
gations, 111;  members,  4(i,'239 ;  value  of  church  property,  exclusive  of 
the  charitable  institutions,  .$1,373,622;  debt  on  same,  $186,862;  local 
church  expenditures,  $285,568 ;  contributions  of  local  ehm'ches  to 
general  funds,  of  the  Augustana  Synod,  $16,318,  of  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference, $18,170;  expenditures  for  all  church  jmrposes  for  the  year, 
.$320,057. 

The   Aug'ustana    Hospital 

The  need  of  a  Swedish  hospital  was  early  felt  in  Chicago,  especially 
among  the  Swedisli  Lutherans.  Rev.  Erland  Carlsson  had  not  lalioi-ed 
long  in  this  field,  when,  realizing  this  need,  he  established  a  private 
hospital  in  rented  quarters.  This  institution,  especially  designed  for 
sick  and  ailing  immigrants,  later  was  merged  with  the  hospital  estab- 
lished by  Dr.  Passavaut.  The  great  fire  put  an  end  to  this  work  for 
many  years,  but  the  idea  of  a  Swedish  Lutheran  hospital  was  still  kept  ■ 
alive,  and  in  1880  the  first  step  toward  its  realization  was  taken. 

That  year  Dr.  0.  Olsson  in  a  newspaper  article  suggested  the 
establishment  of  a  deaconess  institute  in  connection  with  a  hospital 
after  the  pattern  of  benevolent  institutions  in  Germany,  which  country 
he  had  visited  the  year  before.  At  Dr.  OLsson's  initiative  a  meeting 
to  discuss  the  matter  was  held  at  IMoline  Nov.  6th  of  the  same  year. 
Then  and  there  a  committee  was  chosen  to  pave  the  way  for  the  enter- 
prise. Its  members  were,  Eevs.  0.  Olsson,  G.  Peters,  C.  A.  Evald,  C.  P. 
Rydholm,  H.  0.  Lindeblad  and  Jlessrs.  Peter  Colseth  and  C.  G.  Thulin. 
Thej-  were  instructed  to  make  inquiries  whether  one  or  two  deaconesses 
could  be  had  from  Stockholm,  also  to  advise  with  Dr.  Passavant  and 
to  negotiate  with  him  for  the  use  of  part  of  certain  groiuids  in  Lake 
View  given  him  for  hospital  purposes.  Letters  containins  much  en- 
couragement and  some  cash,  the  latter  amounting  all  in  all  to  $]()1, 
were  received,  but  nothing  further  was  accomplished  up  to  February, 
1881,  when  the  question  was  taken  up  at  the  meeting  of  the  Illinois 
Conference  in  Chicago.  There  Rev.  C.  B.  L.  Boman  was  added  to  the 
committee  and  the  cause  was  recommended  to  the  congregations  as 
worthy  of  their  hearty  support.  In  October  the  conunittee  recom- 
mended Lake  View  as  the  location  of  the  future  institution  and  the 
conference  at  its  next  meeting  authorized  the  purchase  of  property 
in  that  part  of  Chicago  for  a  sum  not  to  exceed  $10,000.  But  up  to 
that  time  little  more  than  $(i()0  had  lieen  received.     The  c-imunittee  was. 


532 


THE   UTHERANS 


therefore,  given  tlie  alternative  of  starting  hospital  and  deaconess 
work  in  rented  quarters.  Dr.  Passavant,  wliile  warmly  favoring  the 
project,  was  constrained  to  decline  the  committee's  request  for  the 
purchase  of  any  part  of  the  ground  controlled  l)y  liim,  hut  he  oflfered 


.Viijiiislaiia    Hospital 

to  erect  thereon  a  l)uiltliiit;  I'nr  !i<.').(l()i)  tluil  mijrlit  lie  used  tor  the 
purpose  in  question  ahuost  gi-fituitously  for  a  period  of  five  or 
ten  years. 

— ^  At  this  siiiiic  I'Diil'i'iM'iicc  iiu'i'liiifi.  held  in  Fi'liruarv.  ISS'J.  the  first 
hospitiil    hoard    was    ch'ctcd.    consist injr    of   the    following:    ministers, 


AlCUSTANA    IIOSl'ITAI. 


533 


Erlauil  Carlsson,  0.  Olssou,  ('.  15.  L.  IJimiaii.  .M.  (J.  Ranseen;  laymen, 
C.  P.  Ilolnibcrg.  (t.  a.  Kolinian.  .John  Krlaiuli'i-.  At  its  first  iiicctiiifi:, 
Feb.  13th,  ineorixiratinii  papers  wci-c  made  out  and  the  following 
oflEicers  chosen:  Erland  Carlsson,  pn'sidi-nt;  0.  Olsson,  vice  jiresident; 
C.  B.  L.  Boman,  secretary,  and  (.'.  P.  Holraberg,  treasurer.  An 
executive  committee  was  made  up  of  the  president,  the  treasurer  and 
M.  C.  Ranseen,  as  the  third  member. 

By  New  Year's,  1884,  the  hospital  fund  amounted  to  about  $1,200. 
With  this  money  at  their  disposal  the  board  had  instructions  to  open 
the  institution  shortly  after  the  following  conference  meeting  in 
February.  On  Fel).  20th,  the  board  accepted  an  offer  from  Dr.  Passa- 
vant  to  the  effect  that  four  acres  of  the  hospital  grounds  in  Lake  View 
would  be  leased  to  them  for  twenty  years  and  a  building  for  $5,000 
to  $10,000  erected  for  their  use,  on  condition  that  the  new  hospital 
would  care  for  a  reasonable  proportion  of  the  patients  for  wliom  Dr. 
Passavant  had  assumed  responsibility.  This  agreement  was  sanctioned 
by  the  conference  then  in  session.  The  constitution  adopted  at  this 
same  meeting  named  the  new  hospital  The  Deacoue.s.s  Institution  of 
the  Swedish  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church,  and  defined  its  aim  and 
purpose  as  follows :  to  care  for  the  sick  accoi'ding  to  the  Lord 's  com- 
mand and  to  educate  and  train  Christian  nurses  of  the  evangelical 
Lutheran  faith. 

In  ilarch,  1884,  the  homestead  of  Rev.  Carlsson,  located  at  Lincoln 
and  Cleveland  avenues,  was  secured  as  a  temporary  hospital,  at  a 
rental  of  $50  per  month,  Dr.  Truman  W.  ^Miller  was  selected  as  chief 
physician,  with  two  assistants,  and  on  May  28th  the  institution  was 
dedicated  and  formally  opened,  its  first  patient  being  a  Mi.ss  Nibelius, 
who  broke  her  leg  in  stepping  oft'  the  street  car  which  brought  her  to 
attend  the  dedication. 

The  Deaconess  Institute  of  Stockholm  having  declined  to  send 
trained  deaconesses,  Mrs.  Hilda  Carlsson  was  ajtpointed  matron  and 
Miss  Lottie  Freid  assistant,  the  latter  being  in  reality  the  first  nurse 
at  the  in.stitution.  The  new  hospital  had  fifteen  beds,  which  were 
soon  occupied.  All  went  well  until  Oct.  2nth.  when  a  disastrous  fire 
occurred,  stopping  operations  until  the  beginning  of  the  year  1885, 
when  the  building  was  again  occupied,  repairs  having  been  made  and 
one  .story  added  to  the  building. 

In  September.  1884,  the  conference  rescinded  its  action  with 
respect  to  Dr.  Passavant 's  offer,  which  had  been  found  unsatisfactory. 
At  the  next  meeting  the  corporate  name  was  changed  to  The  Augustana 
Hospital  and  Deaconess  Institution. 

During  its  first  year  of  activity  the  hospital   had  a   total   of  35 


534 


THE    LITHERANS 


patifiits.  id  bfiiig  eliarity  cases.  Up  to  February.  18S5,  the  tutals  of 
income  and  expenditure  for  the  hospital  balanced  at  about  $3,500. 

The  Carlsson  residence  had  been  leased  for  three  years  from 
February,  1885,  but  the  conference  was  desirous  that  property  should 
be  purchased  for  the  growing  institution.  In  October.  188ti,  in  response 
to  inquiries.  Rev.  Carlsson  offered  his  jiroperty,  consi.sting  of  the  house 
and  several  lots  at  Lincoln  and  Cleveland  avenues,  for  $;i5.(H(0.  agree- 
ing to  donate  $1,000  of  the  amount.  The  offer  Wiis  declined  for  the 
time  being,  and  later  four  lots  at  Larrabee  street  and  Belden  avenue 
were  iMirchascd  from  a  real  estate  agent  for  $12,000.  By  a  singular 
coincidi'iici'  tlie  owner  had  simultaneously  sold  tiie  same  lots  for  .$12,500 
ti)  another  party,  wiio  came  into  possession.  After  several  other  futile 
attciiijits  to  aci|uirc  a  suitable  site.  Rev.  Carlsson 's  offer  was  accepted 
ill  Fcbniiirx',  1S87.  He  demanded  ])ayiiu'iit  in  full  by  Feb.  2.'1.  1889, 
and.  after  having  raised  $9,600  by  means  of  a  bazaar  and  other  sub- 
stantial amounts  through  subscriptions,  and  taken  a  loan  of  $20,000. 
the  directors  in  May,  1890.  paid  oft"  $14,176,  thereby  settling  in  full 
Mitli  Rev.  Erland  Carlsson. 

In  the  spring  of  1890.  l)rs.  IMiller  and  his  assistants.  Chew  and 
Woodworth.  having  resigned.  Dr.  Charles  T.  I'arkes  was  chosen  piiysi- 
cian  and  surgeon  in  chief  and  Dr.  A.  J.  Oehsner  atteiuliiig  i>hysiciaii 
and  surgeon.  Upon  the  death  of  Dr.  I'arkes  one  yeai-  later.  Dr.  Dciisner 
lieeame  elii(>f  of  the  medical  staff". 

Aliiuit  this  time  a  donation  of  $5,000  was  received  from  Henry 
;\Ieliilin.  ;i  Dane,  the  gift  being  in  iiieiiiiiry  of  his  Swedish  wife,  for 
whom  a  ward  in  tlie  hospital  lias  been  gratefully  named.  In  1890 
115  j)atieiits  were  cared  for  and  the  accounts  I'av  the  year  sluiwed  an 
income  of  $8,326.  exclusive  of  the  $20,000  loan,  and  an  exi)enditure  of 
.$31,072.  iiieliiding  the  last  iiayiiieiit  of  the  debt  to  l\ev.  Carlsson,  $fi,5(KI 
on  redeemed  notes  and  $5,400  to  the  bank. 

In  view  of  the  iirireiit  need  of  increasing  the  cai)acity  of  tiie  institu- 
lioii  I  lie  coiirerciii-e  in  1891  empowered  the  board  to  erect  a  new 
liiiilding  and  called  upon  tin'  members  of  the  <'hurches  to  jirovide  tile 
means  by  liberal  subscript  ions.  The  result  was  a  disappointment,  only 
a  few  thousand  dollars  coming  in  through  that  channel. 

The  iiitei-est  of  the  women  (d"  the  confereiu-e  had  been  enlisted  in 
this  enterprise  from  the  start,  and  about  1890  a  ladies'  board  was 
organized  in  order  to  do  nmre  .systematic  ami  telling  work  in  beludf 
of  the  institution  and  to  superintend  its  lious(>hold  affairs.  This  boanl 
consisted  of  the  following  nann'd  ladies:  Mrs.  Kmmy  Kvalil,  Mrs.  .M.  C, 
lianscen,  Mrs.  \,.  (1.  .\braliamson.  Mrs.  ,1.  Ulomgrcn.  Mrs.  Iv  Olson  ainl 
Mrs.     I',    .lolinson        .\riollier    ngeiicy    doing    efficient    ser\  ice    for    the 


ArOrSTANA    HOSriTAI, 


535 


hospital  was  "The  (iood  Saiiiiiritaii.''  a  Swedish  (|uartcrly,  published 
in  its  behalf. 

Undismayed  by  the  lack  of  means,  the  board  through  its  Iniilding 
committee  proceeded  to  iiave  a  new  l)\iilding  erected.  Ground  was 
broken  Oct.  22.  1892.  and  on  Feb.  12tli  the  following  winter  the  corner- 
stone was  laid.  The  building,  designed  as  a  part  of  the  future  hospital 
structure,  was  to  be  ()2  l>y  84  feet,  6  stories  high,  with  liasi'incnt.  iiuilt 
of  iron,  brick  and  stone,  at  a  cost  of  .'{JSo.flOO.  and  to  provide  room  for 
125  beds.  A  loan  of  .+■'»<•.( IOC  was  taken  and  through  a  bazaar  held  in 
April.  IS!):?,  an  additional  .+"'.7411  was  realized.  In  the  eai'ly  fall  the 
building  was  finished  and  its  dedication  took  placre  Sept.  17th.  At 
the  end  of  the  year  the  total  resources  Avere  $122,390  and  the  liabilities 
$65,825. 

The  records  for  1893  show  267  patients,  providing  an  income  of 
$5,668,  but  at  this  jioint,  after  the  completion  of  the  new  building,  a 
period  of  greater  prosperity  ensued.  In  1895  the  corresponding  figures 
were  721  and  $21,170.  and  the  institution  again  began  to  be  crowded 
for  room.  By  housing  the  nurses  in  the  old  building  and  in  rented 
quarters  and  by  adding  several  wards,  the  capacity  of  the  hospital  was 
substantially  increased.  In  1897  the  number  of  patients  passed  the 
thousand  mark  and  three  years  later  it  reached  1,500. 

In  1902  the  board,  being  pressed  for  room  to  accommodate  the 
ever  increasing  number  of  patients,  recommended  the  completion  of 
the  hospital  building  according  to  the  original  plan.  With  the  sanction 
of  the  conference  the  directors  took  the  necessary  steps  but  a  bitter 
fight  waged  on  those  in  control  intervened,  delaying  building  opera- 
tions until  late  in  the  following  year. 

This  fight  ensued  when  in  July,  1902,  Dr.  'SI.  C.  Rauseen  was  called 
as  superintendent  of  the  institution  and  Eev.  Henry  O.  Lindeblad,  who 
had  acted  as  chaplain  and  solicitor  since  January,  1898,  resigned, 
protesting  that  he  had  been  called  to  that  position  and  had  in  fact 
served  as  superintendent.  To  his  grievance  was  added  that  of  Dr.  C. 
0.  Young,  since  January,  1898,  attending  physician,  who  raised  a 
variety  of  complaints.  In  December  a  special  conference  meeting  was 
held,  at  which  these  grievances  were  aired  for  days  in  heated  and 
acrimonious  debate.  The  oiitcome  was  that  Rev.  Lindeblad  ol)tained 
a  nominal  vindication,  but  without  reinstatement.  Dr.  Young's  connec- 
tion with  the  hospital  was  severed  by  the  board  and  Dr.  Rauseen 
resigned  the  superintendency  before  having  fully  entered  upon  his 
new  duties.  The  struggle  seemed  to  accentuate  the  fact  that  capable 
management  on  the  part  of  the  board  and  the  efficient  service  of  Dr. 
Ochsner,  a  surgeon  of  high  repute,  have  l)epn  the  chief  factors  in  the 
npbuilding  and  maintenance  of  the  institution. 


536 


THK    UTHKRANS 


The  storm  over,  building  operatious  were  begun  in  August,  1903, 
and  about  Dec  1.  in04.  the  annexed  strueturc  was  ready  for  oceupauey, 
giving  the  hospital  a  total  eapaeity  of  220  beds.  The  additional 
structure,  completing  the  building  as  originally  planned,  was  finished 
at  a  cost  of  about  $100,000. 

In  1!)02  the  debt  on  the  old  structure  was  wiped  out,  but  on  the 
new  building  a  debt  of  .^lOO.OOO  was  incurred.  This  is  being  gradually 
reduci'd. 

In  1894  a  training  school  for  nurses  was  opened,  comprising  a  two 
years'  course,  and  in  1896  the  first  class  of  trained  nurses,  eight  in 
number,  was  graduated.  This  school  heretofore  has  taken  the  place 
of  the  deaconess  institute  originally  contemplated  and  implied  in  the 
corporate  name. 

Til  the  iiatuial  course  of  development  the  Aiigustana  Hospital  has 
ceased  to  be  an  exclusive  retreat  for  patients  of  a  ]iartie\dar  faith  or 
nationality  and  beeonie.  as  it  is  today,  a  hospital  for  the  general  public, 
pervaded,  however.  !)>■  the  religious  influences  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Churel). 

The  men  who  have  remained  longest  on  the  board  and  given  the 
institution  the  most  efficient  and  faithful  service  in  that  capacity  are: 
Dr.  M.  C.  Ranseen,  who  has  been  on  the  board  since  1882.  with  the 
exception  of  three  years,  1902-5;  Dr.  C.  A.  Evald,  from  1884  to  the 
present;  Dr.  L.  G.  Abrahamson,  from  1886  to  the  present;  Sanuiel 
Anderson,  1890-94  and  from  1898  to  the  present;  Theodore  Freeman. 
from  1892  to  the  juv^sent.  and  Rev.  ^I.  Frykmaii.  from  1S9.^  to  the 
present. 

Tile  triiiiiiiig  scliool  for  nurses  at  present  has  an  enrollment  of  7"). 
It  is  ill  eliarge  of  .Miss  Lihi  1*.  Pickhardt.  the  head  nui-se.  and  her  assist- 
ant. Miss  Johaiiiia  Nelson.  The  course  now  covers  a  period  of  three 
years  .iiid  since  tlie  I'ii'st  gradiiat ion  in  ISlKi  177  nurses  have  received 
iliphmias.  .\  iiuiiii)er  of  these  hold  ]>ositions  of  trust  and  responsiliility 
ill  various  hospitals. 

In  1904  Rev.  Dr.  .M,  Wahlstroiii.  president  of  Gustavus  .\dolphus 
Colleirc.  was  called  as  superintendent.  Having  resigned  his  former 
position,  he  assumed  his  new  ot^'ice  in  September.  \Vith  the  duties  of 
superintendent  are  combined  those  of  chaplain  of  the  institution. 

The  jiresent  hospital  staff  numbers  sixteen  pliysicians  and  surgeons, 
all  of  whom  are  either  s])ecialists  or  medical  men  (d"  large  expi'ricnco. 
Resides  these,  seven  internes  and  ten  extcrnes  serve  as  assistants  to  the 
doctors  in  eliarg(>. 

The  growth  of  tlie  institution  in  the  last  few  years  is  indieati'd 
liy    llicsc    figures: 

III   1IIII4  1.7:ill  piitiinls  \\i  re  carcil  I'oi-  aiul  the  income  from  pnyinff 


OKl'IIAXS'    lIOMi;,    .\NI)()VI:R  c,- 

patients  was  $57,699.  In  190.').  after  the  eonipletion  of  the  Imilding,  the 
number  of  patients  grew  to  2;20')  and  the  income  from  tliat  souree  to 
$80,394.  The  corresponding  figures  for  the  year  ]90G  were,  2,353 
patients  and  cash  from  patients,  $96,752. 

Since  the  founding  of  the  hospital  its  principal  suppoi-t.  aside  from 
current  income,  has  been  derived  from  the  following  sources:  church 
bazaars,  more  than  $35,000;  donations  and  legacies  about  $80,000,  the 
largest  amount  willed  to  the  institution  being  $20,000  from  Thomas  D. 
Lowther.  In  the  first  quarter  century  of  its  existence,  the  total 
eai'nings  of  the  hospital  tiirough  the  1  i-ciil  iiiciit  and  care  of  patients 
foot  up  to  about  half  a  million  dollars. 

The   Orphans'   Home   at  Andover 

Three  years  after  its  organization  the  Augustana  Synod  took  up 
the  question  of  founding  a  home  where  poor  orphans  might  be  cared 
for  and  given  a  Christian  bringing  up.  The  decision  to  establish  such 
an  institution  was  reached  at  the  Chicago  convention  of  the  sj-nod  in 
1863.  A  committee  of  five  was  ai^pointed  to  solicit  funds,  purchase 
land  near  Paxtou  and  carr.y  out  the  plan.  Within  the  next  two  yeai-s 
$3,000  were  raised  and  a  160  acre  farm  was  purchased  for  $3,520. 
Cultivation  of  the  land  had  begun  when  in  1867  the  orphanage  com- 
mittee was  instructed  to  sell  this  farm,  secure  a  more  favorable  location 
for  the  proposed  home  near  Andover  or  Swedona  and  open  the  institu- 
tion, if  practicable,  in  the  fall  of  the  same  year.  As  a  temporary 
arrangement  a  two  story  hoiise,  18  by  28  feet,  was  erected  on  an  acre 
lot  near  Swedona  and  the  home  was  opened  at  the  time  designated, 
with  S.  P.  Lindell  and  wife  in  charge.  During  the  first  year  they  had 
three  wards  under  their  care.  In  1870  a  farm  two  miles  from  Andover 
was  purchased  for  $5,150.  Here  the  orphanage  was  permanently 
located  shortly  afterward.  Additional  land  purchases  were  made  until 
the  farm  comprised  440  acres,  valued  at  over  $40,000.  In  1902  the  total 
property  value  was  $47,930,  but  the  institution  was  burdened  with  a 
debt  of  $11,000. 

At  its  Jamestown  convention  in  1876  the  Augustana  Synod  turned 
the  establishment  over  to  the  Illinois  Conference,  which  from  that  time 
has  been  responsible  for  its  administration.  When  the  exigencies 
required  the  building  of  a  schoolhouse  the  Sunday  schools  were 
appealed  to  for  the  funds  needed.  The  response  was  generous,  and 
from  that  time  the  home  has  had  a  substantial  annual  income  from 
the  mites  contributed  by  and  through  the  Sunday  school  pupils  in  a 
similar  manner.  By  1880  the  number  of  children  at  the  home  had 
reached  40,  overtaxing  the  house  first  erected,  wherefore  a  new  build- 
ing was  put  up  the  following  year,  costing  $3,364.     In  1902  an  annex 


538 


THK   LITHERANS 


was  added  at  a  cost  of  $7,746,  a  building  strictly  moderu  in  construction 
and  equipment. 

Mr.  Lindell  served  as  superintendent  of  the  home  until  his  death 
in  1881.  His  successor  was  J.  S.  Swenson,  who  served  for  eight  yeai-s. 
Thereafter  frequent  changes  in  the  management  have  taken  place.    The 


eonlrol  of  tlie  institution  is  vcsti'd  in  a  Ixuird  of  nine  direetoi-s  eliosen 
l)y  the  Illinois  Confcrenee.  'I'lic  iiunil)er  of  orplians  in  the  care  of  the 
home  is  al)out  seventy,  and  its  present  superintendent  is  Key.  A.  U. 
-Xiider.  'I'he  annual  dishurstMuents  for  the  lioine.  neeording  to  a  late 
rc|Hirl.  aj;Kri'giilt'  $S,(HI()  and  the  net  present  wt)rtli  exceeds  .i!4:i.tM)0. 


ORPHANS'   IIOMIv,  JOI.Iin" 


539 


The  Orphans'  Home  and  Industrial  School  at  Joliet 

In  1887  tlu'  Illinois  ('(iiiRtciu-c,  after  liaviiig  found  tin-  Andovcr 
orphans'  home  iiuideciuatc  to  the  •,'i-o\viMg  nueds,  took  iji-uliniinary  sti'[)s 
toward  increasing  its  facilities  for  taking  care  of  the  helpless  young. 
A  coniiiiittce  tlicn  appointed  re|)()rted  at  the  following  annual  meeting, 
submitting  aphm,  whereupon  tlie  conference  resolved  to  found  a  second 
orphanage  and  instructed  the  committee  to  select  a  suitable  site.  Jii 
1889,  at  the  annual  conference  in  Joliet,  it  was  proposed  to  locate  the 
new  orphans'  home  within  the  territory  of  either  the  Chicago  oi-  the 


Orphans'    Home,    Joliet 

Rockford  district,  whose  respective  churches  were  asked  to  submit 
offers  for  securing  the  institution  in  their  immediate  neighborhood. 
No  definite  offers  were  submitted  until  1891,  when  an  advantageous 
bid  was  reported  from  Joliet.  It  was  then  resolved  to  locate  the  home 
at  Joliet  and  put  up  a  .$15,000  building,  $8,000  having  been  pledged 
by  the  city,  the  remainder  to  be  raised  within  the  conference. 

A  set  of  seven  directors  now  elected  reported  progress  at  the 
annual  meeting  of  1892.  Work  on  the  new  building  had  been  begun, 
and  on  the  9th  of  August  following,  the  corner-stone  was  laid  by  Dr. 
L.  Gr.  Abrahamson,  president  of  the  conference.  On  May  26,  1896,  the 
building  having  been  completed  by  slow  stages,  according  as  the  means 
could  be  raised,  the  instit\ition  was  dedicated  to  its  purpose  under  the 
corporate  name   of  The   Or|)han   Home   and   Industrial   Sehool    of  the 


540  THI-;    MTHERANS 

Illinois  Confereuee  of  the  Swedish  Evangelical  Lutheran  Augiistana 
Synod.  On  Feb.  llth,  a  few  months  prior,  it  had  been  opened  for  the 
reception  of  wards.  Sister  Frida  Schelander.  who  had  been  trained  at 
the  Swedisli  Lutheran  Deaconess  Institute  in  Oniaiia.  was  secured  as 
superintendent  of  the  home.  During  the  first  year  she  had  22  orphans 
under  her  care.  The  number  has  since  grown  to  nearly  one  hundred. 
The  full  capacity  being  already  taxed,  the  directors  are  cunstraincil  to 
refuse  a  large  numhci-  of  applications  for  admission  every  year. 

The  home  is  pleasantly  situated  in  a  parklike  spot  a  short  distance 
outside  the  city  of  Joliet,  with  which  it  has  excellent  connections  by 
means  of  a  street-railway  line  and  a  good  driveway. 

The  treasurer's  report  of  1007  shows  disbursements  for  ciu'rent 
expenses  for  the  year  last  past  aggregating  $8,000.  From  partly  paying 
inmates  the  home  had  an  income  of  $2,000.  The  grounds  of  the  institu- 
tion are  valued  at  $25,000  and  the  total  net  worth  is  about  $30,000. 

The  Salem  Home  for  tKe  Aged  at  Joliet 

Tlir  SmIchi  liiiinc.  at  Jolicl.  ill.,  which  is  an  old  age  retreat  for  the  i 

wortliy  ])ii<)r  among  the  .Swedish  Lutherans,  is  the  most  recent  chari-  i 

table  institution  established  by  the  Illinois  Conference.  In  lilO-3  the 
need  of  such  ii  home  was  officially  recognized  by  the  conference  in  the 
appointment  of  a  committee  to  solicit  fuiuls  and  prepare  tentative  jilans, 
and  to  report  to  the  conference  at  the  subsecpient  meeting,  (."ertain 
propert.y  was  offered  by  parties  in  Chicago  on  condition  that  the  insti- 
tution be  located  in  that  city,  and  other  conditional  donations  were 
promised.  As  locations  were  suggested  Joliet  and  West  Irving  Park, 
Chicago.  This  being  reported,  the  conference  in  1004  definitely 
decided  that  an  old  people's  home  siiould  be  established,  but  left  it 
with  another  coiimiittec  to  propose  the  location  and  continue  the 
preparatory  work.  The  iollowing  year  it  was  resolved  to  locate  the 
new  institution  adjacent  to  I  lie  or|ili;uis"  home  in  Joliet,  on  ground 
belonging  thereto.  Hy  February,  litotl.  some  tiiree  tlunisand  dollars 
had  lieen  raised  and  the  eoMiniitli'c  in  charge  aceepteil  jtlans  for  the 
proposed  building,  a  two-stoi'v  building  with  basement,  30  by  86  feet, 
to  coTitain  tliirix'  rooms.  Tlie  corni>r-stone  was  laid  on  May  (!,  lOOG, 
(bu'ing  the  conl'ei-ence  nu'cting  iield  that  year  at  Joliet.  A  ]>ermaiient 
board  ol'  ilinctors  was  elected,  wilii  instructions  to  complete  the 
building  at  an  added  cost  not  to  ex<'eed  $12.(I0(>.  and  to  prosecute  the 
work  of  soliciting  funds  so  that  the  institution  siiould.  if  possible,  be 
comi>Ieted  without  debt.  In  llie  fall  of  lOdii,  tlu'  exti-rior  of  tli«> 
building  was  completed,  the  total  cost  so  far  being  $I),.">00,  in  May, 
1!)07,  the  conference  autiuuMZccl  llie  boanl  to  lake  a  loan  of  .$.">, (10(1  in 
(U'der  to  comi)lete  the  interior  and   put   the  luiihliiig  in  coiulitiou   for 


THI'.    AIGISTANA    SVN(M) 


541 


occupaiK'y  witliout  fiirthci-  delay,  and  early  in  the  present  year  the 
Salem  Home  welcomed  its  first  inmates.  By  resolution  of  the  con- 
ference in  May,  1908,  the  home  for  the  aged  and  the  orphanage  were 
placed  under  one  board  of  management.  The  object  of  the  institution 
is  to  provide  and  maintain  a  Christian  home  for  worthy  old  people, 
with  preference  given  to  members  of  the  Illinois  Conference. 

The    Aug'ustana    Synod 

The  relation  exi.stiug  i)etween  the  Illinois  (ilississippi)  Conference 
and  the  Augustana  Synod,  of  which  it  is  now  but  a  pai't,  reminds  one 
of  the  adage,  "The  child  is  father  of  the  man,"  for  the  greater  of  these 
bodies  is  virtually  the  product  of  the  smaller. 

Pursuant  to  a  resolution  pa.ssed  at  the  common  convention  of  the 
Chicago  and  ^Mississippi  Conferences  in  Chicago,  the  Scandinavian 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Augustana  S^Tiod  of  North  America  was  organ- 
ized June  5,  18(i0.  at  a  meeting  held  in  the  Norwegian  Lutheran  Church 
of  Jefferson  Prairie,  Eock  county,  Wisconsin.  Delegates  were  present 
from  the  aforesaid  conferences  and  from  the  ^liunesota  Conference, 
forty  all  told.  The  numerical  strength  of  the  new  organization  at  the 
time  is  shown  by  the  following  figures:  Swedish — 36  congregations, 
3,753  communicants.  17  ministers ;  Norwegian — 13  congregations,  1,220 
communicants,  10  ministers,  making  a  total  of  49  congregations,  4,967 
communicants  and  27  ministers.  There  Avere  21  Swedish  and  8  Nor- 
wegian church  edifices. 

The  next  synodical  convention  of  great  importance  was  that  of 
1870,  at  Andover.  After  having  worked  together  in  harmony  for  a 
decade,  the  Swedish  and  Norwegian  brethren  now  decided  upon  a 
friendly  separation.  The  growth  of  the  synod  and  the  complexity  of 
work  seemed  to  both  sides  to  demand  such  a  step,  while  all  were  agreed 
that  the  union  had  lent  strength  to  the  synod  in  its  early  stages.  In 
the  official  name  of  the  Augustana  S.vnod  the  word  "Swedish"  Avas 
substituted  for  "Scandinavian."  and  the  new  body  was  named  the 
Norwegian-Danish  Augustana  Synod.  To  preserve  amicable  relations 
between  the  sister  synods  it  Avas  resoh'ed  that  each  send  representatives 
to  the  couA-entions  of  the  other;  that  neither  should  admit  ministers  or 
congregations  to  membership  except  liy  nn;tual  agreement,  and  that 
in  places  where  the  Scandinavians  Avere  fcAv  in  niunber  all  be  recom- 
mended to  join  one  local  church,  be  it  SAvedish  or  XorAvegiau.  At  this 
convention  also  was  adopted  a  constitution  for  the  congregations  in  all 
its  essentials  corresponding  to  the  one  adopted  by  the  Chicago  and 
Mississippi  conferences  in  1857. 

The  progress  made  during  the  past  ten  Acars  Avas  shown  in  figures. 
as  folloAvs :   congregations — SAvedish.   99.    NorAvegian.   30,   mixed,   13. 


542 


THE    HTHERANS 


tiiliil.  ^'y2■.  (1111111111111081118 — Swedisli.  113.316.  Norwegian.  1.7>4.  total, 
IS.ltJO:  ^ciiiTiil  iiiciuhcrshi]) — Swi'disli.  2^).'^2'2.  Norwegian.  2.8!S(l.  total, 
30,555;  church  edifices,  7G  in  all;  uiinister.s — Swedish,  4G,  Norwegian 
27,  total,  73. 

In  1870  three  new  conferences  were  organized  a.s  integral  parts 
of  the  synod.  This  meant  a  decentralization  of  power  and  entailed  a 
change  in  the  plan  of  operation,  so  much  of  the  authority  of  the  synod 
being  vested  in  the  subordinate  bodies  as  almost  to  make  them  co- 
ordinated district  synods.  Prior  to  this,  all  mission  work  was  in  the 
liaiuls  of  a  central  mission  board,  and  the  various  institutions  were  un- 
der .syiiixlical  foiiiriil.  Init  alter  the  change  in  the  direction  of  Congre. 

gationalisiii  tlie  Imlk  of  tiic  iiiission  work  was  left  to  tin nferences.  as 

were  also  existing  educational  and  ciiaritable  institutions,  exeejit 
Augustaiiii  Collcgi-  and  Thciildgiciil  Sciniiiary.  togetiier  with  authority 
to  establish  and  maintain  new  ones,  and  sole  responsibility  for  the 
same;  the  power  of  exercising  church  iliscipliiie  as  well  as  the  duty 
of  installing  pastors  and  ilcdicatiug  churches  was  transferred  from  the 
synodical  to  the  conference  officials,  the  right  of  ordination  alone 
being  reserved  by  the  .synod.  The  real  or  apparent  need  of  these 
ecmstitutional  changes  lay  in  the  growth  of  the  synod  far  beyond  the 
bounds  of  cxjiectatioii  and  tiie  local  needs  arisins  from  changing  eon- 
<liti(iiis.  The  loss  by  tlic  sc|)aration  in  1870  was  more  than  made  uj) 
by  the  organization  of  tlic  tiiree  new  subdivisions,  the  Iowa.  Kansas 
and  New  York  conferences. 

The  growth  and  activity  of  the  synod  will  ajipear  from  the  follow- 
iiijr  i-iuiccntrated  statisti<'s.  exclusive  of  the  Norwegian  element  of  the 
I'ii'sl  decade: 

Statistics  of  the  Augustana  Synod,  1860-1906 


Year 

.Minis- 
ters 

ConRrc- 

>;ntions 

Church 

Coinnni- 
iiicants 

Totnl 

Ml- III  be 

ship 

General 
Contri- 
butions 

Locnl  Bx- 
peniliturcs 

Total   |ii«- 
bttracnicnts 

i860 

■7 

36 
99 

21 

3.753 

M  Kiona 

$       622 

t          8.549 

$        9.>7i 

1870 

46 

51 

16,376 

26,322 

7.381 

124.707 

132.088 

1880 

•47 

332 

226 

41.976 

84.583 

121,446 

154.39" 

74.716 

'45.503 
201,100 

243.705 

36.757 
75.467 

2I7.«5S 
552.986 

253.9' 2 

i8qo 

325 

637 

499 

781 

9"3 

628,4.13 

1900 

449 

921 

154.S87 
312,190 

794.977 
'.338.193 

949,864 

1906 

55S 

1,049 

1.550.383 

The  .synod  has  sixteen  lienevolent  instil  lit  ions  worth,  less  tlebls. 
.'l>57ft,<l<l(t,  and  nine  ediiealioiial  inslitiilions  wiiose  net  jiri'seiit  w<irtli 
aggregates   !JiH'25,t)(l().      Two   sriiools    have    been    diseoiitiniicil.    iiaiiii'ly. 


Till-:    AUGtSTANA    SYNOD 


543 


ITopp  Academy,  lociitcd  at  Moorhoad.  ]\Iiiin.,  and  Martin  [jutlicr  Col- 
lege, at  Cliieago.  Tlie  total  value  of  ehureli  i)ro])erty,  acconliug 
to  the  statistics  tor  llinc.  was  $7,290,162,  and  debt  ou  same  was 
$8'49,(J82.  showing  a  net  worth  of  !i!(;.44(),4S(). 

The  Augiistana  Synod  now  comprises  eight  conferences,  the 
Nebraska  Conference  having  been  organized  in  IHSti.  and  the  Columbia 
and  California  conferences  in  1893.  In  addition,  mission  work  is 
carried  on  in  three  large  districts,  known  as  the  Utah.  Montana  and 
Alabama  mi.ssion  districts.  Kounding  out  the  figures,  we  fi^d  that  in 
a  period  of  fifty  years  the  Swedish  Lutlieran  Chnrch  of  America  grew 
to  one  thousand  congregations,  served  by  five  hundred  ministers, 
and  that  this  church  body  now  contributes  annually  more  than  one 
and  one-lialf  million  dojlni's  to  Christian  work. 


CHAPTER    IX 


1 

I 

m 

^S^ 

The  Suedish  Baptist  Church 

Earliest    Knovsrn    Swedish    Baptists 

XDIN'IDl'AL  Swctlisli  Jlajitists  arc  known  to  have  livi'd 
and  laliiircd  in  tlic  I'nitt'tl  States  long  before  any  Baptist 
iliiiich  <it'  tlie  Swedish  nationality  was  organized  here 
or  in  the  old  country.  As  they  were  affiliated  with  the 
general  Baptist  congregations  iu  the  localities  where 
tlu  y  liajipened  to  live,  there  is  no  special  record  of  them,  except  as  they 
asserted  themselves  through  religious  activity.  The  fii-st  of  whom  we 
have  any  record  was  one  Robert  Xordin.  In  their  writings  on  Swedish 
Baptist  history  A.  (J.  Hall  and  G.  W.  Schroeder  make  no  reference 
to  him,  but  from  otlur  sources  we  learn  that  he  came  over  from  Eng- 
land to  West  \'irgini;i  as  early  as  1714  and  there  jireached  the  gos|iel 
until  his  death  in  17;{.").  The  second  of  these  isolateil  Swedish  Baptists 
to  be  historically  traii-d  is  John  Asplund.  A  Swede  by  birth,  he  went 
to  England  in  177")  and  si'rvc<l  in  the  Britisii  navy,  deserting  whii-h  he 
came  over  to  Xoi-tli  Carolina.  There  lie  joined  the  church  at  Ballard's 
Bridge,  and  soon  afterward  removed  to  Southampton  county,  where  he 
was  ordained.  More  than  a  century  ago.  when  Wasiiington  served  his 
fir.st  term  as  president  of  the  Ignited  States,  Asplimd  traveled  seven 
thousand  miles  in  eighteen  numths,  mostly  on  foot,  through  all  the 
states  and  territories  of  the  newly  formed  Union,  collecting  facts  and 
statistics  of  the  American  Baptist  churches,  which  he  first  published 
in  a  yearbook  in  17!K).    This  work,  entitled  the  "Baptist  Kegisler."  and 

roiHiing   an    in valualilc   r rd   ol'   tlii'    Baptist    denomination   for  that 

period,  was  afterwards  issued  in  revised  editions  foi-  several  years  in 
succession.  u|i  to  and  inehiding  17!I4.  (M'  his  first  publisheil  register 
or  yeai'i)o()k  oidy  two  eopies  are  known  to  be  in  existeni-e.  and  eojjies 
of  tJKise  for  the  following  years  are  very  rare.  The  two  original  eopies 
are  presei'ved  in  the  arehives  of  Colgate  rniversily.  .lohn  .Vsphmd 
lived  For  many  yeai's  in  tin'  city  of  New  York,  where  he  labored  as- 
siduously in  behalf  of  the  church.  He  sellled  lastly  in  Mai-yljiml,  ami 
met  his  death  in  \'irginia  in  l.S(l7.  being  accidentally  drowned  in  at 
tempting  to  cross  Kish  Creek. 


ivAKr.ii;sT  uArrisTS  ^^^ 

For  almost  forty  years  following  the  death  of  John  Asplund,  we 
have  no  record  of  any  Swedish  Baptist,  luitil  Gustavus  W.  Schroodor. 
then  a  sailor  before  the  mast  and  later  a  sea-captain,  was  ])ai)tized  in 
New  York  City.  "When  I  became  a  Baptist,"  says  Captaiu  Schroeder 
iu  his  memoirs,  "I  did  not  know  of  the  existence  of  another  Sw('<lish 
Baptist  in  the  whole  world."  The  erroneous  supposition  that  he  was 
the  first  Swedish  Baptist  knoivn,  Schroeder  himself  corrects  1)y  refer- 
ence to  the  aforementioned  John  Asplund. 

Gustavus  W.  Schroeder,  while  on  a  voyage  from  New  York  to  New 
Orleans,  was  converted  in  April,  1844,  through  Methodist  agencies,  in 
the  latter  city.  His  purpose  was  to  join  a  Methodist  church  in  New 
York  after  his  return  from  a  subsequent  voyage  to  England.  In  the 
if  meantime,  the  articles  of  faith  and  practice  issued  from  the  Baptist 

Seamen's  Bethel  in  New  York  won  him  over  to  the  views  therein  ex- 
pressed, and  on  Nov.  3,  1844,  he  was  baptized  in  East  River,  near 
Corlear's  Hook,  and  became  a  member  of  the  Seamen's  Bethel,  sub- 
sequently known  as  the  First  Baptist  Mariners'  Church,  and  its  house 
of  worship  as  the  ^Mariners'  Temple.  In  1S94,  fifty  years  later,  the 
Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  New  York  celel>rated  the  third  of  Novem- 
ber as  a  day  of  .iubilee.  in  commemoration  of  tlie  event.  Schroeder, 
although  brought  in  touch  quite  extensively  with  the  Swedish  Baptists, 
both  in  this  country  and  in  Sweden,  has  remained  almost  continuously 
a  member  of  the  American  Baptist  Church. 

Prior  to  1853,  probably  for  a  number  of  years,  one  John  Akerblom, 
a  well  to  do  Swede,  was  a  deacon  and  an  influential  member  of  the 
First  Baptist  Church  of  Detroit,  Michigan.  A  Swedish  nobleman,  one 
Count  Piper,  and  a  daughter  of  Katharina  Broberg,  one  of  Sweden's 
pioneer  Baptists,  both  were  members  of  American  Baptist  churches  in 
New  York  at  an  early  date.  Captain  Schroeder  states  that,  having  be- 
come a  Christian,  his  first  desire  was  to  go  to  Sweden  to  make  known 
his  new  religious  views  among  relatives  and  friends ;  but  lieretofore  no 
one  of  these  pioneer  Swedish  Baptists,  as  far  as  known,  had  undertaken 
to  labor  especially  among  their  own  countrymen. 

The  foimder  of  the  first  Swedish  Baptist  church  in  America  was 
still  to  come.  This  was  Gu.staf  Palmquist,  a  former  schoolmaster,  who 
came  over  in  1851  and  joined  the  American  Baptist  Church  in  Gales- 
burg  the  year  following.  He  was  soon  after  engaged  by  the  American 
Baptist  Home  IMi.ssionary  Society  to  missionate  among  his  fellow- 
countrymen  and  was  instrumental  in  organizing  at  Rock  Island.  111., 
the  first  Swedish  Baptist  church  iu  the  United  States.  The  first  Baptist 
church  on  Swedish  soil  had  been  organized  just  four  years  prior,  and 
Palmquist  had  inclined  to  Baptist  views  before  emigrating.  Five  days 
.after  the  organization  of  the  Rock  Island  church  Rev.  Anders  Wiberg. 


546  THE   BAPTISTS 

who  had  left  the  ministry  of  the  Lutheran  state  church  of  Sweden  an<l 
embraced  the  Baptist  faith,  landed  in  New  York  and  there  labored 
among  his  countrymen  for  eifj;ht  months,  but  without  building  up  a 
separate  congregation,  the  converts  being  brought  into  the  fold  of  the 
Mariners'  Church.  This  church  is  notable  in  the  history  of  the  Swedish 
Baptists  for  having  motlicrcd  two  of  tlieir  eminent  pioneers  and  lead- 
ers, namely  Capt.  Sehroeder  and  Dr.  J. ^\.  Edgren,  while  Col.  Broady. 
prominent  in  the  work  in  Sweden,  was  originally  a  member  of  the 
Tabernacle  elinreh  in  the  same  city. 

Pioneer   WorK    iri    Sweden 

In  most  cases  the  Swedish-American  religious  denominations 
have  been  transplanted  from  Sweden  to  America,  but  in  the  case  of  the 
Ba[>ti.sts  the  order  was  reversed,  inasmuch  as  the  seed  from  which 
sprung  the  Baptist  Church  in  Sweden  was  sown  first  by  Sehroeder, 
followed  by  a  number  of  other  workers,  who  had  embraced  the  Baptist 
faith  in  this  country  or  had  labored  here  for  greater  or  less  periods. 

Sehroeder 's  desire  to  preach  Baptism  in  Sweden  was  soon  realized. 
In  May,  1845,  a  few  months  after  his  conversion  and  baptism  in  the 
United  States,  he  started  for  Sweden  and  arrived  a  month  later  in 
Goteliorg.  After  the  home  salutations  were  over,  his  first  call  was  on 
Predrik  Olaus  Nilson.  tlie  American  Seamen's  Friend  Society's  mis- 
sionary in  that  city,  to  wliom,  in  their  first  interview,  he  related  how 
he  had  become  a  Baptist.  The  following  Sunday  Nilson  and  his  wife 
were  invited  to  Schroeder's  old  home,  four  miles  from  the  city,  for 
private  worship.  Nilson  preached  to  a  small  gathering  of  friends  and 
neiglibors,  and  after  the  close  of  the  services  proper,  Sehroeder  spoke 
to  the  gathering  about  the  doctrines  and  practices  of  the  Baptists. 
Thus,  in  his  childhood  home,  Sehroeder  was  the  first  to  expounc' 
Baptist  doctrines  publicly  in  Sweden.  Sehroeder  also  visited  Stock- 
holm and  northern  Sweden,  meeting  with  groups  of  Pietists  an<l  dis- 
senters, bnt  refraining,  acconling  to  liis  own  statement,  from  i)ro- 
selyting  among  llieni. 

In  lS-43,  two  years  i)rioi-  lo  Schroeder's  visit,  a  Danisli  Baptist 
preacher  named  Ryding  had  visited  the  village  of  Mala  in  soutliern 
Sweden,  where  lived  a  single  Bajitist  who  had  been  converted  and 
baptized  in  Copenhagen.  Hyding  had  come  intent  on  preaching,  but 
encoimtering  bitter  p\iblic  jirejudice  he  confined  himself  to  operations 
strictly  private,  lie  was  soon  compelled  to  return  home,  and  tlie  lone 
convert  emigrated  to  America  to  escape  persecution. 

Sehroeder  left  for  IlairilHirg  without  any  direct  attempt  to  win 
Nilson  over  from  Methodism,  which  he  professed,  but  his  conversations 
and  certain  ti-acts  sent  from  Ilia)  city  eonvineed  Nilson  on  the  sntijccf 


ROCK    ISLAND 


547 


of  bajitism  so  that  he  himself  went  to  Hamburg  where  lie  obtained 
furtlier  instruction  by  J.  G.  Oncken,  a  pioneer  German  Baptist  preacher, 
and  was  baptized  by  him  in  the  river  Elbe  Aug.  1,  1847.  As  between 
emigrating  to  America,  where  he  might  worship  and  preach  according 
to  the  dictates  of  his  own  eons(-ience.  and  remaining  in  Sweden  to 
propagate  Baptism  in  the  fat-e  of  persecution,  Nilson  chose  the  latter. 
After  one  year  the  Hamburg  church  sent  A.  P.  Porster,  a  Danish 
preacher,  to  assist  him,  and  by  united  effort  they  organized  the  first 
Baptist  church  in  Sweden.  This  took  place  in  the  house  of  Bernt 
Nikolaus  Nilson  in  Landa  parish,  province  of  Halland,  Sept.  21,  1848. 
The  memliers  were  six  in  number,  including  Nilson,  five  other  persons 
having  been  baptized  in  the  sea,  near  Goteborg,  by  Rev.  Fcirster,  under 
cover  of  darkness  the  night  before.  The  ceremony  took  place  at 
Ullervik,  and  those  baptized  where  Nilson 's  wife  Sofia,  his  brothers 
Sven  Christian  and  Bernt  Nikolaus,  Andreas  Wrang  and  Abraham 
Anderson.  Sven  Christian  Nilson,  who  was  the  first  to  be  immersed, 
like  his  brother  Predrik  had  been  in  the  United  States,  where  both 
were  converted  among  the  Methodists.  He  emigrated  and  in  1898  was 
still  living  in  Wastedo,  iliun.  His  was  the  first  baptism  by  immersion 
that  took  place  in  Sweden,  the  foregoing  adherents  of  the  movement 
having  been  baptized  in  Copenhagen  or  Hamburg. 


The   Sv^-edisln   Baptist   Church    of   RocK    Island 

Of  the  origin  of, the  Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  Rock  Island, 
the  mother  church  of  the  Swedish-American  Baptists,  there  is  but 
meager  information  available.  It  appears  that  a  few  members  of  a 
party  of  so-called  "Hedbergians,"  who  came  over  from  Sweden  in  1850, 
located  in  Rock  Island  and  lloline.  Among  these  people  Gustaf  Palm- 
quist  was  in  good  repute  in  Sweden  and  he  came  to  America  for  the 
specific  purpose  of  serving  as  their  pastor.  Upon  his  arrival  he  found 
his  intended  parishioners  widely  scattered,  and  when,  after  joining  the 
American  Baptist  Church  in  Galesburg,  he  was  made  missionary  to  the 
Swedish  settlements,  it  was  most  natural  for  him  to  tui'u  first  to  this 
little  group.  He  soon  won  them  over  to  his  views,  and  Roek  Island  thus 
became  in  the  summer  of  1852  the  starting-point  for  the  propagation 
of  the  Baptist  doctrine  among  the  Swedish  people.  He  brought  in  his 
first  sheaves  from  the  new  harvest  field  on  the  8th  day  of  August,  when 
three  persons  were  baptized  by  him.  one  of  whom,  Peter  Sodersti'oni. 
had  been  a  member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of  Moline.  On 
the  thirteenth  of  the  same  month*  a  church  was  formally  organized. 
Its  first  members  are  said  to  have  been  six  in  nvunber,  to-Avit :    .\. 

•  The  date,  also  given  as  Sept.  ISth  .ind  J^-pt.  -T.th.  cannot  he  definitely  fixed  owing 
to  the  absence  of  church  records. 


548 


T}1K    BAPTISTS 


Theodor  ilaukee  (also  written  Mankie),  A.  Boberg,  Fredrika  Boberg, 
Peter  Soderstrom,  Karl  Johanson  (Charles  Johnson)  and  Anders 
Norelius.  The  organizer  and  first  pastor  of  this  fioek  was  Palmquist, 
who,  from  the  absence  of  his  name  on  tlie  list,  appears  to  have  retained 
his  membership  of  the  Galesburg  chiinli.  After  eight  months  the  new 
church  was  officially  recognized  by  a  council  of  delegates  from  Amer- 
ican churches,  who  met  in  Rock  Island  ^lay  5,  1853,  when  Rev.  Anders 
Wiberg  of  Sweden  also  was  present,  having  came  on  a  visit  to  this 
country  shortly  before.  The  church  now  numbered  thirteen  members, 
all  of  Avhom  are  said  to  have  been  baptized  by  Palmquist.  The  addi- 
tional members  as  recorded  were:  Charles  Hakanson,  John  Asp,  6.  H. 
Peterson,  Hans  Smith,  formerly  of  the  Moline  Lutheran  church,  Hans 
Mattson,  Margreta  Peterson  and  Jlaria  Johnson.  A  number  of  the 
members  lived  in  iloline.  In  his  published  memoirs  Col.  Hans  Mattson 
makes  incidental  mention  of  his  connection  with  these  people  early  in 
the  year  1853.*  But  that  he  was  one  of  the  original  members  of  the 
church  would  nevertheless  seem  uncertain  in  view  of  the  fact  that  he 
became  one  of  the  first  members  of  the  Lutheran  chiu'ch  organized  at 
Vasa,  Minn.,  in  1855,  and  that  tiiere  was  among  the  earliest  Swedish 
Baptists  another  person  of  the  same  name,  who  is  said  to  have  preached 
in  Altona  about  1858. 

A  revival  followed,  bringing  the  membership  \ip  to  fifty,  and  in 
the  summer  of  1853  Fredrik  Olaus  Nilson,  a  pioneer  Baptist  preacher 
of  Sweden,  arrived  with  a  small  number  of  followers  of  whom  three 
families  from  Berghem  iiaiisli  located  in  Moline  and  joined  the  Rock 
Island  church. 

With  the  support  of  tiic  American  Baptist  Home  Missionary  So- 
ciety, Rev.  Palmquist  was  pastor  of  the  dinrcli  up  to  August,  1857,  but 
divided  his  time  between  his  pastoral  duties  and  mission  work  in  Iowa 
and  Miiinesota.  also  in  Ciiicago  and  New  York  during  the  last  two 
years. 

Hev.  Palmquist  was  succeeded  l)y  .\iiders  Norelius.  who  had  pas- 
toral charge  until  April.  1858.  The  pulpit  was  now  vacant  until  the 
fall  of  1859,  when  F.  O.  Nilson  became  pastor  in  Rock  Island,  re- 
maining for  six  months,  until  iiis  return  to  Sweden,  .\fter  that  tlie 
church  iiad  no  regubir  pa.stor  till  llie  fall  of  18()2,  when  L.  L.  Frisk  was 
stationed  IIhti'.     Owing  to  lack  of  pastors  and  consequent  neglect  of 

•  A»  foiiiiiiK;  a  bit  Dl'tlic  histcir.v  of  tlilit  church.  Matlson'a  reference  in  here  qiiotetl: 
"Pr.  iiiul  Mi».  ohcr  (who  hurt  befrlcndiil  M.ittsoiil  were  deeply  reliKl""'  iwople  niul 
ilieililierH  of  the  lliipti*t  Clinrch;  iukI  ii»  I  wiis  now  umler  their  Inllueilce  timl  >ooii  ciinie  in 
contiict  with  ('iiisliir  I'liliiiiinist.  tlie  Swcilisli  lliiptist  preiichrr,  iinil  the  hiinilful  of  people  who 
formed  the  core  of  the  tii»l  Swedish  Baptiiit  Church  iu  America.  I  liecaine  one  of  their  circle 
before  HprioK  and  doubtless  winild  have  remained  one  of  them  t(»  thin  ila.v,  liiit  fttr  llie  fact 
that  circuniKtances  over  which  1  had  no  control  brouKht  nie  into  dilTerent  environmentu  and 
another  Held  of  aclivlt.v.  That  Banie  winter  Key.  WilierK  of  Stocklu'lin  visited  .Moline.  w  hen 
I  likewise  fornicil  bis  ac(piniiitance."     (.Mianeii.  |i.  .1)1.1 


fi 


ROCK    ISI.AXD 


549 


its  interests  this  first  ehurcli  did  not  attain  noteworthy  growtli,  its 
membership  rcmaiiiinjr  at  a  standstill  fo:  many  years.  In  lSf;4  the 
total  was  hut  72.  showing  little  increase  since  18'):?. 

A  period  of  prosperity  for  the  church  came  in  the  seventies,  while 
Rev.  Olof  Lindh  was  in  charge.  Lindh  came  there  in  the  winter  of  1870 
on  a  preaching  tour  and  in  July  located  in  Moline,  intent  on  leaving 
the  ministry  to  engage  in  ordinary  employment.  He  was  requested  to 
put  this  off  until  the  local  church  had  held  its  monthly  meeting,  when 
he  was  elected  its  pastor.  The  Rock  Islaud-]\Ioline  church  was  at  this 
time  the  largest  in  the  denomination,  numbering  as  it  did  about  125 


The  Rock  Islaml  Cliurch— First  Swedish  Baptist  House  of  Worship  in  America 

members.  Lindh  preached  here  for  several  years  with  hut  indifferent 
success.  But  early  in  1873  a  revival  was  iuaugiu'ated  which  brought 
large  numbers  into  the  fold.  The  church  grew  to  a  membership  of  200, 
notwithstanding  many  removals,  and  a  hundred  or  more  converts 
should  be  credited  to  Rev.  Lindh 's  efforts. 

After  six  years  of  service  Lindh  contemplated  leaving  to  return 
to  Sweden.  His  ultimate  determination  so  to  do  led  indirectly  to 
an  amicable  division  of  the  flock  and  the  organization  of  the  Moline 
contingent  into  a  distinct  church.  For  manj-  years  pa.st  they  had  had 
a  house  of  worship  in  Moline,  where  meetings  were  regularly  held. 
The  increase  had  been  greatest  among  the  ^loline  members,  and  thev 
now  felt  able  to  support  their  own  pastor.  When  the  ^Moline  church 
was  organized,  some  seventy-five  persons  joined  at  once,  depleting  the 
ranks  of  the  mother  church,  and  leaving  it  with  a  membership  about 


550 


THE    BAPTISTS 


the  same  as  iu  1870.  The  younger  church  wished  to  retain  Lindh  as 
pastor,  but  he  was  fixed  in  his  resolve  to  leave  for  the  old  country  and 
at  his  suggestion  Rev.  Olaus  Ockerson  was  called.  During  the  six 
years  Lindh  was  in  charge  the  Rock  Island  uhurch  flourished  more  thau 
at  any  time  before  or  afterwards.  While  the  daughter  has  grown  ever 
stronger,  the  mother  has  been  on  the  decline,  and  according  to  the 
statistics  of  1907  the  Rock  Island  church  niuubered  but  36  membei-s. 

The  church  was  without  a  house  of  worship  during  the  first  five 
years  of  its  existence.  In  1857  a  small  edifice  was  erected,  seating  70 
persons.  It  was  a  very  ordinary  frame  building,  remarkable  in  no 
other  respect  than  this  that  it  was  the  first  house  of  worship  erected 
by  Swedish  Baptists  in  the  United  States.  The  present  church  property 
is  valued  at  $5,000. 

The  Moline  church  is  in  a  flourishing  condition,  with  234  members 
at  the  last  accounting  and  owning  a  church  edifice  valued  at  $15,875, 
seating  500,  and  a  parsonage  worth  $3,000.  Rev.  Detlof  Lofstrom  is 
the  present  pastor,  having  served  since  1005. 

The   S'wedish  Baptists    of   Galesbvirg 

Tlie  Baptist  movement  in  Galesburg  in  1852  was  not  without  effect 
upon  the  Swedish  people  there,  but  those  among  them  who,  like  Palm- 
quist,  embraced  that  faith,  apparently  joined  the  American  church, 
and  no  Swedish  church  was  organized  at  the  time.  Not  until  five 
years  later  was  such  a  step  taken,  when,  in  1857,  seven  persons  met 
and  organized  a  Swedish  Baptist  church.  Among  them  was  one  Ahn- 
berg.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  all  but  Ahnborg  removed  to  Altona, 
whereby  the  original  church  organization  in  Galesburg  was  dissolved. 
L.  L.  Frisk  served  as  their  pastor  in  both  places.  Galesburg,  however, 
was  for  a  time  the  headquarters  of  the  Baptist  propaganda,  inasmuch 
as  from  that  city  were  published  two  newspa])crs  in  the  interest  of  the 
church,  first,  "Frihetsvannen,"  then  "Evangelisten,"  both  engaged  in 
hot  controversy  with  the  Lutlieran  pajier  "Ilcmlandet."  Of  tlie 
status  of  local  church  work  during  this  period  little  is  positively  known. 
The  fact  is  that  a  small  group  there  continued  without  an  organization 
until  1869,  when  Rev.  Lindh,  then  traveling  mi.ssionary.  and  Rev 
Rirndqiiist,  then  stationed  in  Altona,  met  in  Qaleslnirg  and  organized 
a  church,  the  second  in  order  in  that  place.  A  young  preacher  named 
Hamilton  was  chosen  pastor,  .superseding  Rev.  Liden.  who  had 
jircaclicd  in  Oalesburg  and  vi<Mnity  for  a  long  time.  Tlicy  lield  thi'it 
initial  piitili<'  services  in  tlie  Anici-ican  Ba|)tist  chiircli.  wlicn  two  jicr 
sons  were  baptized,  making  ten  or  twelve  members  all  told.  This 
church  organization  went  llie  way  of  the  first,  being  broken  up  after 
some  time. 


KARI.Y    cat  KCHICS 


551 


A  third  organization  was  formed  in  187!)  or  1880  by  Rev.  (J.  Silene, 
from  new  material  and  possibly  the  remnants  of  the  former  church. 
Even  this  did  not  attain  permanence,  and  in  1888,  for  the  fourth  time, 
the  Swedish  Baptists  in  Galesburg  went  throush  tlie  forms  of  organiz- 
ing. The  church  then  formed  has  endured  to  tlie  present  day.  Rev.  P. 
E.  Sorbom  has  served  this  church  during  the  past  five  years.  The 
latest  statistics  give  it  a  membership  of  89.  The  Altona  church,  which 
sprung  from  the  first  one  in  Galesburg,  is  still  on  the  records  of  the 
denominalion  and  was  credited  with  i:^  members  in  the  year  1007. 

General    Organization    of  Early   Churches 

During  the  period  of  1S52  to  1864  there  were  organized  in  Illinois, 
Iowa  and  Minnesota  fourteen  churches,  three  of  which  had  been  dis- 
rupted prior  to  the  latter  year.  The  oldest  churches  outside  of  Illinois 
which  still  survive  are:  Village  Creek,  la.,  organized  1853;  Stratford, 
la.,  1856 ;  Scandia,  Minn.,  1855. 

In  1856  the  first  step  toward  organic  union  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
churches  was  taken  throiigh  the  holding  of  a  conference,  June  20th  to 
25th.  at  Rock  Island.  Gustaf  Palmquist  presided  and  A.  Norelius 
acted  as  secretary.  Nine  churches  were  represented,  those  of  Rock 
Island  and  Chicago,  Allamakee  and  New  Sweden,  la.,  Root  River  (or 
Houston),  St.  Paul,  Clear  Water  Lake  and  Chisago  Lake,  ]Minn..  and 
New  York  City.  There  were  reports  on  the  work  in  the  various  fields, 
but  this  and  several  successive  conferences  met  and  adjourned  witliout 
effecting  a  permanent  organization.  Little  interest  was  shown  in  these 
meetings.  Of  the  first  six,  all  but  two  were  held  at  Rock  Island,  and 
at  the  sixth  conference  but  one  church  besides  the  local  one  was 
represented.  No  conferences  took  place  in  1861  and  1863.  At  a  meet- 
ing, the  seventh  in  order,  held  at  Village  Creek,  la.,  June  16-18,  1864, 
the  Ulinois-Iowa  Conference  was  formally  organized. 

With  those  of  his  followers  who  did  not  remain  in  iloline  and  Rock 
Island  P.  0.  Nilson  proceeded  to  Iowa  and  thence  to  Minnesota,  where 
they  formed  the  nucleus  of  a  church  in  Houston.  Nilson  preached  in 
various  localities  between  Houston  and  St.  Paul  and  three  otlier 
congregations  sprung  up  which  on  Sept.  18,  1858,  were  organized  into 
a  conference  of  their  ovra.  The  churches  were  at  Houston,  Scandia, 
Wastedo  and  Chisago  Lake  and  their  pastors  were  Nilson  and  Norelius. 
In  July.  1860,  the  Rock  Island  congregation  in  a  circular  letter  to  the 
sister  churches  submitted  the  qiiestion  whether  the  general  conference 
should  be  continued  and  how,  indicating  that,  although  Nilson  had 
been  present  at  the  preceding  annual  conference  at  Rock  Island,  the 
brethren  there  were  still  ignorant  of  the  existence  of  the  ^linnesota 
Conference. 


552 


THK    BAITISTS 


Sv^redish  Baptist  Founders  and   Leaders    Rev.  Gustaf   Palmquist 

Giistaf  Palmquist,  the  pioneer  Swedish  Baptist  preacher  iu  the 
state  of  Illinois  and  the  West,  was  born  in  S(»ll)erga  parish.  Snialand. 
May  26,  1812.  At  the  age  of  six  he  lost  his  father  through  deatii. 
His  mother,  wlio  was  converted  at  the  deathbed  of  one  of  her  sons, 
gave  the  remaining  six  children  a  Christian  training,  resulting  in  their 
conversion,  Gustaf  last  of  all.  In  183!J  he  obtained  a  situation  as 
school-teacher  in  Filipstad  and  later  held  a  like  position  at  Gustafs- 
berg,  near  Stockholm.  After  his  conversion  he  began  evangelizing 
among  his  pupils  and  in  the  tenements  and  prison  cells  of  the  capital. 


CUfttnr    Pulmquiat 


Rev.  Gustaf    Palmquist 

In  1850  a  group  of  Pietists  in  Norrland,  known  variously  as 
"Luther-Readers"  and  "iredl)ergians. "'  prepared  to  emigrate  in  order 
to  secure  greater  liberty  o(  wufsliip  than  was  accorded  tlicm  in  the 
state  cinircii,  with  wliifli  tln'\'  were  dissatisfied  also  on  doctrinal 
grounds.  In  the  I'liitcd  States  tlicy  intended  to  form  a  genuine  Ijitlicr 
an  congregation.  Tlicy  wished  to  seeiire  a  minister  on  whose  doctrinal 
soundness  Ihey  coulii  (lejieiid  and  asl<eil  iiev.  .\iiders  \Vil)erg.  then  a 
clergyman  of  the  slate  elnn-ch.  to  aecompan\'  tliem  to  .Vmeriea  as  their 
s|)iritual  teacher.  Himself  unable  lo  accept  the  call,  Wiberg  suggested 
l'alm(|uist,  who  agreed  lo  eonu'  over  the  following  year.  I'pon  their 
arrival,  these  people  were  scattered  to  the  four  winds,  and  when  Palm 
(piist  came,  in  .\ugust,  IS;")!,  lie  did  not   meet  <uie  of  their  ninuber  for 


i 


OrSTAK    r.\I.M<M,IST 


553 


several  months.  Some  had  located  in  Princeton,  otiicr.s  in  Rock  Island 
and  Moline.  still  others  in  Andover  and  vicinity,  and  some  time  after 
a  few  Avent  to  McGregor,  la.  The  only  one  of  the  party  who  stuck  to 
the  oritrinal  plan  was  Per  Anderson  from  Ilassela,  Ilelsinfjland,  who  in 
the  .spring  of  18')!  went  to  Minnesota  and  foimdcd  the  C'lii.sago  Lake 
settlement. 

According  to  his  own  statement  Pulmquist  in  1845  and  thereafter 
had  his  belief  in  infant  baptism  shaken  by  the  study  of  the  Bil)le, 
church  history  and  the  writings  of  Luther.  Jlartensen,  Pengilly,  Hinton 
and  others,  and  by  conversations  with  Xiison  of  Goteborg  and  -Johans- 


d^^^^ 


The  Present  S\ve<lish  Baptist  Church  of  Galesburj; 

son  of  Hull.  On  all  other  doctrinal  points  he  considered  himself  a 
soimd  Lutheran,  and  his  new  position  did  not  ripen  into  full  con- 
viction and  open  profession  luitil  1852. 

Palmquist  came  to  Andover  in  the  fall  of  1851  and  remained  there 
a  short  time.  His  situation  Avas  rather  cheerless,  and  Avhile  he  Avas 
debating  with  himself  whether  to  join  the  Swedish  Liitherans  or  not. 
Rev.  Esbjorn  suggested  that  he  go  to  Galesburg  to  preach  to  the  people 
under  his  spiritual  care,  which  he  did,  remaining  in  charge  over  Avinter. 
In  the  spring  he  made  a  trip  north,  visiting  Lansing,  la..  St.  Paul, 
Stilhvater  and  other  points  in  JMinnesota  Avith  a  vicAV  to  locating  some- 
where as  a  preacher,  but  finding  his  countrymen  few  and  living  far 
apart,  he  returned  to  Illinois.  During  a  Baptist  revival  at  Galesburg 
he  noAV  took  the  decisive  ste]i,   and  Avas  baptized  June  27th.  joining 


554 


THE    BAPTISTS 


the  American  Baptist  Church.  He  severed  his  coniiection  with  the 
Lutherans  of  Galesburg  in  rather  dramatic  fashion  by  calling  his 
former  flock  together  as  if  to  rejoice  over  the  step  he  had  taken.  In 
July  he  was  assigned  as  Baptist  missionary  among  the  Swedish  settlers 
in  the  snrroiuiding  territory.  Work  was  taken  up  at  Rock  Island, 
resulting  in  the  organization  of  a  small  church  there  in  the  late  summer. 
Palmquist  became  its  pastor.  During  his  six  years  of  service  he  spent 
much  time  in  the  mission  field  in  Illinois,  Iowa  and  Minnesota,  planting 
new  chiirches  wherever  practicable. 

In  August,  1857,  Rev.  Palmquist  went  back  to  Sweden  to  aid  in 
the  work  started  there  under  American  auspices  by  Rev.  Anders 
Wiberg  in  the  fall  of  1855.  Before  leaving,  he  gave  the  following  state- 
ment of  the  number  of  Swedish  Baptists  in  the  United  States:  Rock 
Island,  45;  Chicago,  25;  New  Sweden,  la.,  13;  Boone  county,  la.,  25; 
Allamakee  county,  la.,  45;  Scandia.  Minn.,  45;  Chisago  Lake,  ^finn.,  20; 
Houston  covmty,  Minn.,  17;  Red  Wing,  Minn.,  11;  besides,  there  were 
26  Swedish  Baptists  affiliated  with  American  churches,  viz.,  in  New  j 

York  City,  14,  in  Galesburg,  8,  and  in  Keokuk,  la.,  4,  making  a  total  | 

of  272.     The  predominance  of  the  figure  5  in  Palmquist 's  statement  ; 

indicates  an  estimate.     It  should  be  noted  that  Palmquist  visited  and  ' 

labored  in  most,  if  not  all,  of  the  places  named,  and  that  a  goodly  share 
of  the  result  must  be  credited  to  his  endeavors.  { 

In  Sweden  he  found  a  large  field.    The  cities  of  Stockholm.  Orebro  i 

and    Sundsvall   were   given    into   liis   charge    and.    besides,    he   made  ; 

extensive  missionary  trips  throughout  the  country.  In  both  Stockholm 
and  Orebro  he  conducted  private  schools  for  the  training  of  lay  preach-  ! 

ers.  After  ten  years  of  faithful  labor  in  Sweden,  where  his  success 
was  greater  and  the  growth  of  the  denomination  more  rapid  than  in  ' 

its  early  stages  in  tliis  country.  Rev.  Palmquist  passed  away  Sept.  18. 
1867,  at  55  years  of  age.  Of  Palmquist 's  sermons,  which  arc  said  to 
have  been  of  the  old-fashioned,  pithy  and  powerful  variety,  none  have 
been  preserved,  but  as  a  writer  of  religious  verse  he  has  left  a  rich 
heritage  to  his  church.  He  combined  poetic  genius  with  musical  talent, 
and  wrote  many  of  the  gospel  hymns  found  in  a  collection  entitled 
"Pil^rimssSnger, "  first   jiublislied  in  1859. 

Rev.  Anders   Wiberg 

Rev.  Wiberg  is  one  of  the  fathers  of  the  Baptist  movement  among 
the  Swedish  jicople  on  botli  sides  of  tlie  Atlantic.  His  bios;rapliy  con- 
tains much  interesting  history. 

Anders  Wiberg  was  born  in  'I'liiui  |>;irisli.  near  tlic  city  of  Hudiks- 
vail,  Sweden,  .Inly  17,  181C.  His  ]iarcnts  were  rarii\crs.  In  liis  child 
hooil  he  liad  some  religious  impressions.     In  his  carl.v  youtli  lie  attended 


ANDIiRS    WIHliRG 


555 


a  so-called  Lancaster  school.  When  about  fourteen  years  old,  he  was 
near  being  drowned,  but  was  saved  as  by  a  miracle.  In  consequence 
he  became  anxious  for  the  salvation  of  his  soul  and  began  to  read  the 
Bible  and  otlier  religious  books,  among  which  was  "The  Holy  War," 
by  Bunyan.  He  was  at  that  time  a  shopkeeper's  clerk  in  Hudiksvall, 
but  had  an  ardent  desire  to  study  and  become  useful  in  God's  kingdom. 
For  a  year  he  was  under  the  guidance  of  a  pious  country  clergyman  in 
the  home  of  the  latter,  then  jiursued  his  studies  at  the  Hudiksvall 
elementary  school  under  a  more  learned,  but  ungodly  teacher,  and  now 
yielded  to  worldly  influences.     In  1833-5  he  attended  the  Gefle  gym- 


Rev.  Anilers  Wibery 


nasium,  from  which,  after  his  college  graduation,  he  entered  Upsala 
University.  There  he  maintained  himself  by  private  tutorship  in  the 
homes  of  the  genti'y.  During  his  four  years  at  the  seat  of  learning  he 
became,  from  associations  and  from  the  natiu'e  of  his  studies,  an  infidel. 
At  the  end  of  this  period,  however,  he  reached  the  tuming-pomt  in  his 
life  and  became  a  devout  believer. 

In  1843  he  became  a  minister  of  the  state  church,  after  a  course 
in  theology,  during  which  he  made  diligent  research  of  religious 
writings,  particularly  those  of  the  German  mystics.  He  was  now 
stationed  at  different  places  as  assistant  to  aged  clergymen,  and  was 
permitted  to  see  the  fruitage  of  his  preaching.  Scruples  soon  arose  in 
his  mind  about  admitting  the  ungodly  to  commimion.  Having  obtained 
from  the  Upsala  consistory  leave  of  absence  from  duty,  he  was  occupied 


556  THK    BAPTISTS 

for  two  years  translating  and  publishing  certain  works  of  Luther  and 
in  editing  a  cliureh  paper,  called  "Evangelisten. " 

In  the  spring  of  1851  Wibcrg  went  from  Stockholm,  where  he 
then  resided,  to  Hamburg  in  company  with  a  friend,  to  act  as  his  inter- 
preter. At  Hamburg  he  visited  the  Baptist  church  and  formed  the  : 
acquaintance  of  Oneken  and  Kobner  and  other  Baptist  preachers.  The  j 
constitution,  discipline  and  the  {)ious  spiritual  life  which  he  discovered  ' 
in  this  cliurili  Mi)pealed  to  him  and  he  thought  he  saw  in  them  the  true  i 
apostolic  order.  To  their  doctrine  of  baptism,  however,  he  could  not  ' 
assent.  After  warm  disputes  with  the  pastors  named,  he  left  them  ' 
without  being  convinced  of  the  error  of  infant  baptism.  On  his  w&y  ) 
home,  he  read  Pcnsilly's  treatise  on  baptism,  by  which  his  faith  in  1 
the  Lutheran  tenets  was  somewliat  shaken.  Later  he  eagerly  studied  ' 
Hinton's  "Historj^  of  Baptism,"  but  it  was  long  before  he  could  be  | 
fully  persuaded. 

Before  he  visited  Germany,  a  number  of  Christians  in  northern 
Sweden,  who  had  conscientious  scru])les  against  tlic  state  church,  but  i 

put  confidence  in  Wihci-j^  as  an   evangelical  minister,  had  requested  i 

him  to  sever  his  connection  with  the  state  church  and  become  their  : 

pastor.     He  was  about  to  comply  with  their  request  when  he  became  ;, 

acquainted  wilh  the  Baptists  and  their  teachings.  After  that  he  sent 
them  word  about  liis  change  of  views,  stating  that  as  he  was  about  to 
become  a  liaptist,  he  could  not  sprinkle  their  children  and  minister  to 
them  ill  tlic  way  they  had  thought.  Shocked  and  amazed,  they  knew 
not  what  to  make  of  the  matter,  but  wrote  to  Rev.  lledberg  of  Finland, 
a  man  of  learning  and  highly  esteemed  among  them,  for  advice.  Ho 
replied  by  drawing  a  very  dark  ])icture  of  the  Anabaptists,  and  making 
Wiberg  out  as  a  noxious  heretic  and  an  apostate.  Wiberg  endeavored 
to  convince  his  friends  of  his  biblical  position,  but  witliout  success. 
At  length,  he  promised  them  that  he  would  write  a  book  on  tlie  subject. 
Not  being  as  yet  fully  pei-su;i(liil.  Init  lu'lirvinir  tlic  truth  to  lie  <>ii  tlic 
side  of  the  Bajitists,  he  set  to  work  on  tlic  book.  Needing  help  and 
advice  on  iiiiiiiy  ]ioiiils.  hi>  wrote  V.  O.  Nilson.  who  sent  iiim  Dr.  ("arson's 
work,  "liiiplisiii  ill  lis  .Mode  ami  Siilijects,"  and  also  several  tracts. 
Having  studied  these  and  compared  tlic  arguments  witii  jnissages  in 
the  Circeic  New  Testament,  he  finally  bccaiin'  fully  satisfied  on  all 
matters  pertaining  to  the  question  ol'  luiptisin.  liis  own  work  on  the 
subject  was  completed  before  he  b'i'l  Swcilcii  for  America,  and  was 
left  in  the  hands  of  the  printer. 

Soon  after  his  rctnin  riiPiii  1  laiiiliiirg.  Wilicrg  lay  dangerously  ill 
for  about  three  months.  During  his  eonvaleseenee  he  wroti'  to  the 
<-oiisistory  rc(|iiest iiig  his  dismission  from  the  slate  church.  Bcfcu'c 
that  Iribnnal  he  had  bci'ii  twice  summoned  to  answi-r  to  the  charge  of 


ANIJKRS    WIHKRG 


557 


affiliating  with  tlie  separatists  in  Nortlicni  Swodeii.  The  first  time, 
after  loug  and  heated  disputes  with  several  members  of  the  eonsistory, 
he  was  suspended  from  the  ministry  for  three  months  for  non- 
conformity. The  second  time,  his  accuser,  a  dean  in  the  city  of  Iludiks- 
vall,  urged  that  Wiberg  should  be  banished.  The  latter  appealed  from 
the  ecclesiastical  to  the  civil  power,  but  in  the  meantime  his  accuser 
and  persecutor,  a  man  of  learning  and  ripe  age.  put  an  end  to  his  own 
life  by  hanging. 

Having  regained  strength.  Wilierg  began  to  preach  in  imblii'.  Ijut 
the  clergy  sought  to  ]n'eveut  these  assemblages,  and  twice  the  lord 
mayor  of  Stockholm  forbade  the  meetings. 

Still  infirm,  AViberg  was  advised  by  his  physician  to  take  a  sea 
voyage  as  the  best  means  of  regaining  strength.  Several  of  his  friends 
in  Stockholm  were  just  tlien  building  a  vessel  for  carrying  emigrants 
to  the  United  States.  He  applied  for  and  obtained  free  passage,  much 
to  his  satisfaction,  as  he  greatly  desired  to  go  anywhere  out  of  Sweden 
to  be  baptized,  but  lacked  the  means.  The  vessel  sailed  from  Stock- 
holm July  17th,  At  Copenhagen  the  vessel  was  delayed  by  head  winds 
for  two  days.  Here  he  met  Rev.  F.  O.  Nilson,  who  was  in  exile,  and 
by  him  was  immersed  in  the  sea  at  11  o'clock  in  the  evening  of  July 
23rd.  in  the  presence  of  many  brethren  and  si.sters. 

The  ship  arrived  in  New  York  harbor  on  Sept.  18th.  With  a  letter 
from  Xilsou  recommending  that  "Wiberg  he  employed  by  the  American 
Baptists  as  a  missionary  in  Sweden,  he  sought  Rev.  Steward  of  the 
Mariners'  Church.  Shortly  afterward  he  gave  an  account  of  himself, 
substantially  as  here  narrated,  in  the  Olive  Street  Church,  before  an 
audience  met  to  hear  the  annual  report  of  the  New  York  Baptist 
Female  Bethel  Union.  Having  been  given  a  cordial  public  welcome, 
Wiberg  was  soon  employed  by  the  Mariners '  Church  as  colporteur  anc* 
missionary  among  the  Scandinavian  immigrants  and  seamen.  He  was 
the  first  Swedish  Baptist  home  missionary  in  New  York  and  the  East. 
Having  united  with  the  chui'ch,  he  was  ordained  March  3,  1853,  as  a 
regular  Baptist  minister.  In  the  summer  of  the  same  year  the  American 
Baptist  Publication  Society  of  Philadelphia  invited  him  to  come  there 
and  prepare  his  work  on  baptism,  and  when  ready  a  large  number  of 
copies  wei*e  sent  over  to  Sweden  and  there  distributed. 

This  work,  entitled.  "Det  kristliga  dopet."  was  published  in 
Philadelphia  in  ISS-l.  It  is  a  duodecimo  volume  of  288  pages.  A 
pamphlet  of  36  pages  by  AViberg.  entitled  "Ar  du  dopt?"  was  pub- 
lished the  following  year  by  the  same  society.  These  are  the  first 
known  Baptist  publications  in  the  Swedish  language  in  this  country. 

Next  to  the  banishment  of  Nilson.  the  fact  that  Wiberg,  a  devout 
man  and  a  scholar,  had  left  the  established  church  with  all  its  allure- 


558  THE    BAPTISTS 

ments  of  comfortable  living,  promotion  and  honors,  to  cast  his  lot  with 
the  despised  and  persecuted  sect  of  Baptists,  had  great  moral  effect 
on  the  advancement  of  their  cause  in  Sweden.  Calls  for  Wiberg  to 
return  to  tlie  old  country  were  both  frequent  and  urgent.  He  remained 
three  years  in  America  and  became  intimately  acquainted  with  the 
ways  and  means  of  operation  in  the  American  Baptist  Church.  After 
being  married  in  Philadelphia  Aug.  23,  1855,  to  Jliss  Caroline  Linte- 
muth,  he  started  on  his  mission  to  his  native  land,  arriving  at  Stock- 
holm in  October.  From  now  on  the  work  in  Sweden  took  a  more 
organized  form,  and  under  his  able  direction  the  Baptist  propaganda 
attracted  widespread  attention. 

While  in  the  United  States,  Wiberg  solicited  means  for  the  erection 
of  a  Baptist  church  edifice  in  Stockholm,  and  for  a  long  time  he  received 
from  the  American  Baptists  suppoi-t  for  his  work  in  Sweden. 

Wiberg 's  work  on  baptism  had  commanded  attention  and  aroused 
vigorous  opposition.  During  his  three  years'  sojourn  in  the  United 
States  no  less  than  fourteen  pamplilets  against  the  Baptists  had  been 
published,  and  these  were  but  the  beginning  of  a  "watery  war  of 
words"  waged  by  a  host  of  clerical  writers.  Wiberg  ably  defended 
ills  position  with  tongue  and  pen.  lie  took  part  in  two  public  debates 
with  representatives  of  the  state  eluirch,  held  a  few  weeks  after  hit 
return,  the  latter  of  whicli  broke  up  in  a  riot.  Wiberg  and  his  associates 
nari-owly  escaping  bodily  violence  by  fleeing  through  a  side  door. 

From  the  moment  Wiberg  set  foot  on  Swedish  soil,  he  was  strenu- 
ously at  work.  It  is  said  that  he  went  directly  from  the  docks  to 
preach  in  a  hall  where  an  expectant  crowd  had  assembled.  The  little 
bands  of  Baptists  everywhere  requested  his  aid  and  advice,  and  it 
devolved  upon  him  not  only  to  give  counsel  in  temporal  matters,  but 
also  to  make  the  doctrines  and  principles  which  they  professed  more 
clearly  understood.  It  is  said  of  l\cv.  George  Scott,  the  pioneer  ^leth- 
odist  missionary  to  Sweden,  that  he  admittedly  questioned  the  right 
of  any  church  to  carry  on  mission  work  in  an  evangelical  land  and  laid 
himself  open  to  the  cliarge  of  hypocrisy  by  pretending  that  he  did  not 
seek  to  win  over  members  of  the  state  chiu-ch.  Wiberg,  on  the  other 
hand,  worked  in  the  open  and  made  no  attempt  to  dissemble  or  com- 
promise. With  him  at  the  head  of  the  movement,  persecution  of  the 
Baptists  soon  ceased  in  the  capital,  but  still  continued  in  several 
])r()vinces. 

The  day  after  Wiborg's  arrival,  the  congregation  at  Stockholm, 
organized  in  the  spring  of  18r)4  and  innnl)ering  now  eleven  souls, 
decided  to  rent  a  larger  meeting  liall  atid  reorganized,  choosing  as 
elders  WilxTg  and  one  Mollersviird,  an  ardent   pnunotcr  of  the  cause. 

At  Wiberg's  initiative  the  I'li-st  general  conference  of  Baptist.s  in 


I 


I'RICDRIK    OI.AIS    NU.SON  c^g 

Sweden  was  opened  at  Stockholm  Jnue  13,  1857.  At  that  time  he 
estimated  their  nnmber  at  1,400,  and  the  number  of  delegates  present 
was  20,  besides  Wiberg,  who  presided.  He  was  also  one  of  the  prime 
movers  in  the  establishment  of  a  Bible  institute  at  Stockholm,  named 
the  Bethel  Seminary.  The  matter  was  discussed  at  several  annual 
conferences  up  to  1861,  when  on  Wiberg's  motion  it  was  resolved  to 
take  action.  Yet  the  plan  was  not  realized  for  several  years  to  come. 
In  ISfiG,  while  Wiberg  was  in  tlie  United  States,  he  induced  two  in- 
fluential brethren,  Broadj'  and  Edgren,  to  accompany  him  to  Sweden 
and  take  charge  of  the  instruction  in  the  proposed  school.  With 
financial  aid  pledged  by  the  American  Baptist  Missionary  Union, 
through  Wiberg's  efforts,  the  annual  conference  of  1866,  held  in  Stock- 
holm Aug.  27-28,  finally  took  the  decisive  step,  foimding  the  in.stitvition 
and  electing  a  board  of  directors  and  a  corps  of  instructors,  K.  0. 
Broady  being  made  the  head  of  the  school  and  J.  A.  Edgren,  Gustaf 
Palmquist  and  A.  Drake  associate  teachers. 

In  1864  Wiberg  spent  some  time  in  the  West,  visiting  the 
struggling  little  chiirches  in  Illinois,  Iowa  and  Minnesota.  Here  his 
genius  for  organization  was  again  in  evidence.  At  the  conference 
held  in  Village  Creek,  la.,  in  June,  1864,  he  presided  and  took  part  in 
the  formal  organization  of  the  Illinois-Iowa  Conference.  He  was  the 
soul  of  the  meeting,  the  proceedings  of  which  were  printed  and  form 
the  first  yearbook  of  the  Swedish- American  churches. 

During  the  thirty-two  years  that  Rev.  Wiberg  labored  so  effectual!/ 
in  Sweden,  he  had  the  pleasi;re  of  seeing  the  Baptist  Church  in  that 
country  grow  in  membership  from  1,000  to  30,000. 

We  have  indicated  the  extent  of  Wiberg's  literary  labors.  His 
principal  works  are :  translations  of  works  by  Johan  Arndt  and  Luther ; 
"Hvilken  bor  dopas?"  —  a  work  on  baptism,  published  in  1852;  "De 
kristnas  enhet";  a  reply  to  P.  Waldenstrom's  book,  "Barndopets  histo- 
ria";  a  tract  entitled,  "Ar  du  dopt?"  and  "Det  christliga  dopet."  For 
various  periods  he  edited  "Missionstidningen,"  published  "Evangelisk 
Luthersk  Tidskrift,"  edited  and  published  "Evangeli.sten."  and  con- 
tributed to  "Kristianen."  He  assisted  in  editing  a  hymnal,  "Psalmis- 
ten,"  and  began  a  translation  of  the  New  Testament  which  was  never 
completed. 

Rev.  Wiberg  passed  away  Nov.  5.  1887,  in  his  seventy-second  year. 

Rev.    FredriK   Olaus   Nilson 

A  sketch  of  the  career  of  Fredrik  Olaus  Nilson,  Sweden's  first 
regular  Baptist  preacher,  who  subsequently  lived  and  labored  in  the 
United  States,  will  more  fully  illustrate  the  hampered  yet  successful 
progress  of  the  Baptist  movement  in  its  early  days. 


56o 


THK    BAPTISTS 


He  was  born  <iii  Viindelso  on  the  coast  of  Hallaud,  Swedeu,  July 
28.  18(i!l.  His  parents,  who  were  of  the  middle  class,  gave  their  children 
the  religious  edueation  imparted  in  the  common  schools.  At  ten  years 
the  boy  awoke  to  his  spiritual  needs  and  seems  to  have  earnestlj'  sought 
salvation  until  his  eighteenth  year,  when  he  went  to  sea.  leaving  Gote- 
borg  in  1827.  Spiritual  indifference  followed  Until  1835.  when  a  ter- 
rific storm  off  Cape  Ilatteras.  threatening  with  destruction  the  vessel 
on  which  Nilson  was  employed,  deeply  stirred  the  mind  of  the  young 
sailor.  Fearing  death,  he  took  the  works  of  Thomas  Paine,  which  he 
had  been  studying  at   leisure  moments,  and  threw  them  into  the  sea, 


Rev.  Freilrik  Olaus  Nilson 

witli  a  solemn  promise  that,  should  his  life  be  spared,  he  would  become 
a  Christian.  Upon  his  return  to  New  York  safe  and  soiuid.  he  attended 
tlie  .Mariners'  Tfiii|ile.  aiicl  there  found  peace  with  God. 

During  the  siuiiinci'  a)'  1S.'?()  Nilson  was  employed  by  tiie  New  York 
Tract  Society  to  (listi-il)iile  traets  among  the  inunigrants.  but  he  eon- 
tiinied  sealai'ing  initil  lS.i!l.  when  lie  shii)ped  in  a  Swedish  vessel  and 
returned  home.  Several  so\ils  were  won  by  his  preaehing  on  board  the 
ship,  a  I'aet  tliat  strengthened  his  desire  to  proclaim  lln'  gospel  among 
his  relatives  :\\u\  friends  at  home. 

During  the  next  few  yi-ars  Nilson  worked  as  an  independent 
evangelist  in  a  lumiber  of  parishes  on  the  west  coast.  In  1S42  he  was 
engaged  by  the  American  Seamen's  Krieiul  Society,  n  Methodist  organ- 
ization, as  a  missionary  among  the  seamen  in  the  harbor  of  (iiitcborg. 
During  the  sailing  si>asori   he  w;is  stationed   in  the  city,  but   in  winter 


FRKDKIK    OI.At  S    XII.SOX  C561 

made  ini.ssioiiiu-y  trips  inlaud  to  tlit:  provinces  of  llallaiul.  \'cstcr5|6t- 
land  and  Bohu.sUiu.    In  1844  lie  married  Ulrika  Sofia  Olson. 

When  he  became  a  Baptist,  Nilson  Avas  deserted  by  many  of  his 
former  followers.  The  little  Baptist  conj^rcgation  orji;anized  at  Laiida 
in  1848  was  the  result  of  Nilson 's  efforts,  ])ut  not  until  ifay  8,  184It.  was 
he  ordained  as  a  regular  Baptist  preacher.  Ilis  ordination  took  ])lacc 
at  the  Baptist  meetinghouse  in  Ilamlmrg.  After  that  Nilson  received 
the  support  of  the  Bai>tist  .Alarincrs'  Church  in  New  York. 

The  Baptists,  who  openly  attacked  the  doctrines  of  tlic  state 
church,  could  not  hope  to  escape  molestation.  At  first  they  worked 
privately  and  iu  secret,  seeking  thereby  to  avoid  giving  offense  and  to 
escape  persecution.  Nilson  for  a  time  pursued  the  same  tactics,  but 
shortly  after  the  organization  of  the  fii'st  church  opposition  to  the 
Baptist  "proselyters"  appears  to  have  grown  more  bitter  than  before. 

At  Christmas,  1848,  while  a  little  group  of  Baptists  were  gathered 
in  Nilson 's  home  in  Goteborg  to  worship  and  break  bread  behind  closed 
doors,  a  crowd  collected  outside  and  began  to  bombard  the  house  Avith 
stones.  The  windows  were  shattered  and  the  candles  extinguished  by 
the  wind.  In  the  darkness  the  worshipers  escaped  and  hid  in  the 
attic  while  their  assailants  stormed  the  house  and  destroyed  everything 
the.v  could  lay  their  hands  on.  JIany  instances  of  similar  outrages 
have  been  recorded.  Nilson 's  followers  were  frequently  accosted  in 
the  streets  with  vile  epithets  or  bodily  assaulted,  and  the  saying  was, 
that  "it  costs  but  eighteen  shillings  to  kill  a  Baptist."  These  outrages 
were  committed  by  the  laivless  element,  but  with  the  connivance  of  the 
clergy.  The  Baptists  were  persecuted  in  other  ways,  by  being  dis- 
charged from  work,  bo,vcotted  by  shopkeepers,  ostracized  from  the 
society  iu  which  they  were  wont  to  move,  and  in  some  instances 
expelled  from  their  own  families.  By  the  pastors  they  were  repri- 
manded and  disciplined,  and  Nilson  himself  Avas  summoned  before  the 
consistory  of  Goteborg,  After  a  hearing  on  July  4,  1849,  he  Avas  de- 
clared an  apostate  and  charged  Avith  teaching  heresy.  He  escaped  Avith  a 
severe  reprimand  and  an  order  to  cease  spreading  dangerous  doctrines 
at  the  peril  of  punishment  to  the  full  extent  of  the  laAV.  Nilson.  how- 
ever, continued  preaching  unmolested  by  the  civil  authorities  the 
remainder  of  the  year. 

On  New  Year's  day,  1850,  Nilson  Avas  conducting  divine  Avorship 
in  the  house  of  one  Abraham  Anderson  in  Berghem  parish  of  Elfsborg 
Ian.  In  the  day  the.A'  had  set  Avatch  to  guard  against  surprise,  but 
in  the  evening,  reassui'ed  by  the  absence  of  any  shoAV  of  molestation, 
the  Avatchmen  had  left  their  po.sts  to  join  the  brethren  inside.  About 
to  celebrate  communion,  the  Avorshipers  Avere  alarmed  by  a  loud  rap 
at  the  door.     When  it  Avas  opened,  they  found  the  house  surrounded 


562 


THH    HAPTISTS 


by  meu  armed  with  sticks,  clubs,  rusty  old  sabers,  pistols  and  muskets. 
Led  by  a  fjerdingsman,  the  men  made  a  rush  for  Nilson,  who  was 
violently  kicked  and  beaten.  The  constable,  after  demanding  Xilson's 
name,  had  him  bound  hand  and  foot,  dragged  from  the  house,  placed 
in  a  sleigh  and  driven  first  to  another  village,  where  he  was  confronted 
with  the  lansman,  or  sheriff,  thence  to  the  Skened  jail.  .Vfter  six  days 
spent  in  a  cold,  dark  cell,  he  was  taken  to  the  prison  in  Goteborg  to 
await  trial,  but  was  released  in  two  hours,  through  the  intercession  of 
his  wife  with  the  governor  of  the  province. 

A  month  later  Nilson  was  summoned  before  the  high  court  at  Jon- 
koping  to  answer  to  the  charge  of  preaching  false  doctrine.     He  was 


ik  L  I  '  ■ 


Tlie   I'Mrsl   Ivlifice  of  thi:  Swedish   Haplist  Cliurcli  of  Rtjckford 


on  trial  March  Stli  and  11th,  resulting  .Vi>ril  2Gtli  in  a  verdict  of  banish- 
ment from  the  realm.  Through  the  publicity  given  the  trial  Baptist 
teachings  were  made  known  generally  througliout  Sweden. 

Nilson  went  to  Stockholm  and  made  a  personal  appeal  for  pardon 
before  the  king,  who  denied  the  petition.  Sixteen  petitions  in  his 
behalf,  addressed  to  the  leading  men  in  the  state  church,  and  signed 
by  one  thousand  Baptist  churches  in  Great  Britain  and  Ireland,  were 
ignored.  Availing  himself  of  every  recourse,  including  the  court  of 
last  appeal,  Nilson  was  able  to  remain  in  Sweden  for  more  than  a  year 
from  the  time  the  verdict  was  pronounced.  lie  left  the  country  on 
July  4,  1851.  jiiid  came  to  the  United  States  after  one  year  .spent  in 
Copenhagen. 

He  arrived  in  New  York  in  .linie,  1S,").'{,  at  the  head  of  a  party  of 
23  of  his  followers  from  Sweden.  Tliey  proceeded  westward  via 
Chicago  to  join  their  brethren  in  the  faith  in  Rock  Island  and  .Moline. 
Only  a  few  of  the  parly  located  there,  while  Nilson  willi  others  of  the 
party  seems  to  have  i)roceoded  shortly  afterwards  to  Burlington,  la., 
and    in    ISri.'j   to    Minnesota.     There   lie   lal>ored    practii'ally   alone    for 


JOHAN    ALEXIS   EDGRRN  563 

several  years,  organizing  a  numl)er  of  the  earliest  Swedish  Baptist 
churches  in  tlie  state.  While  in  liiirlington  hn  converted  and  baptized 
Jolin  Erickson  and  John  Anderson,  both  prominent  workers  in  the 
early  days  of  the  church. 

In  the  fall  of  1859  Nilson  assumed  charge  of  the  church  in  Rock 
Island,  remaitiing  as  its  pastor  for  six  months.  In  December,  18G0,  the 
Swedish  law  pimishing  dissenters  with  banishment  was  rescinded  and 
Nilson  forthwith  returned  to  his  native  country.  During  his  absence, 
the  handfuls  of  Baptists  in  various  localities  had  been  scattered,  not 
a  few  of  them  having  left  for  the  New  "World.  The  remnants  of  the 
church  in  Goteborg  now  rallied  and  reorganized,  electing  Nilson  pastor, 
with  Captain  Sehroeder  as  his  right  hand  and  chief  backer. 

In  1862  Nilson  returned  to  the  United  States  and  continued  to 
preach  for  many  years.  Ultimately  he  wavered  in  tlie  faith,  and  is 
registered  in  Baptist  history  as  a  "backslider."  He  spent  his  last 
years  at  his  home  in  Houston,  Minn.,  where  he  died  Oct.  21,  1881,  at 
72  years  of  age. 

Rev.  Johan.  Alexis   Edgren 

An  event  af  prime  importance  to  the  Swedish  Baptist  Chiu'ch  of 
America  was  the  foimding  of  its  first  institution  of  learning  by  Rev. 
J.  A.  Edgren,  in  1871,  at  Chicago.  His  work  in  behalf  of  the  Swedish 
Baptists  on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic  probably  was  of  broader  scope 
than  that  of  any  other  man. 

Johan  Alexis  Edgren  was  born  at  Ostana,  Vermland,  Sweden, 
Feb.  20,  1839,  being  the  eldest  child  of  Axel  Edgren,  superintendent  of 
the  Ostana  steel  works.  A  yoimger  son  was  Hjalmar  Edgren,  deceased, 
who  fought  in  the  Civil  War,  and  afterward  became  renowned  as  an 
educator,  author,  scholar  and  linguist,  who  during  his  last  years  was 
connected  with  the  Nobel  Institute  of  Stockholm.  Johan  Alexis  en- 
tered the  Karlstad  elementary  school  in  1849,  but  abandoned  his  studies 
after  three  years  to  go  to  sea,  following  his  boyish  penchant  for 
adventure.  In  G6teb6i-'g' he  attended  a  school  for  intending  sailors 
for  a  short  time,  then  hired  out  to  a  Norwegian  sea-captain  and  made 
his  first  trip  on  board  a  rotten  old  brig  destined  for  a  French  port  with 
a  cargo  of  lumber.  With  a  few  needful  hints  the  captain  put  the  lioy 
to  work  in  the  kitchen,  and  his  first  maritime  experience  consisted  in 
an  attempt  to  cook  peas,  porridge  and  coffee  for  the  crew,  while  the 
first  attack  of  seasickness  was  playing  havoc  with  his  own  stomach. 
When  he  returned  home  the  following  Christmas  the  lad  had  had  his 
thirst  for  adventure  qiienehed  to  a  considerable  extent,  having  been 
almost  shipwrecked  in  a  severe  storm  while  outward  bomid  and  roblied 
of  all  his  savings  by  a  Norwegian  stage  driver  on  his  way  home.     Vn- 


564 


THE  haptists 


i 


disniayeil  l)y  tlK'se  reverses,  he  returned  on  shipboard  at  the  opening 
of  the  next  season.  l)ut  beinfr  (lisal)lpd  by  over-exertion  he  spent  almost 
a  3'ear  at  home  and  sul)se(in('nlly  entered  the  school  of  navigation  in 
Stockholm,  graduating  after  a  year's  studies  as  captain's  mate.  The 
next  fall  lie  went  to  sea  as  shijj's  constable,  a  position  wiiieh  proved 
so  distasteful  to  him  lliat.  contrary  to  his  sense  of  duty,  lie  deserted 
on  reaching  England.  ;inil  went  with  the  English  clipper  "Wild  Wave," 


Rfv.  Julian  .\lcxis  Ivlj^roii 

lioiniil  Icii-  .Mali,!  Willi  a  rur'^n  of  iiowiler  fur  llie  British  forces  then 
engaged  in  the  C'rimcjin  War.  .\t  \'aletta  Edgren,  not  quite  restored 
from  his  former  injuries,  was  airaiii  prostrated  by  illness  and  when 
dismi.ssed  from  the  hospital  round  iiimself  a  penniless  stranger  in  a 
strange  city.  'I'o  raise  inoncy  I'or  his  next  uienl  lu'  sold  his  bhuise  to  a 
IMaltese  laborei'.  He  was  fortunate,  however,  in  finding  in  the  harluir 
a  Swedish  hark,  wilh  which  lie  slii|t|>cd  to  .Mexandria  and  thenc.-  li«.-k 
to  Sweden. 


joHAX  Ai,i;xis  i;i)(;ri-;n  ^65 

At  London  Edsrcii  joined  the  crew  of  an  American  vessel,  bound 
for  New  York.  Reaching  that  port  he  learned  aci'identally  that  there 
was  a  letter  for  him  at  the  ilethodist  Betiiel  ship  in  Ivist  Kiver.  This 
brought  him  in  contact  with  tlie  Methodist  seamen's  missionaries, 
whose  ardent  i)rayers  for  his  soul  so  impressed  the  young  sailor  that 
he  himself  from  that  moment  began  to  seek  the  way  of  salvation. 

Edgreu  next  shipped  with  a  brig  Ixumd  for  the  West  Indies. 
Eeturning  to  New  York  the  following  year,  he  again  sought  the  society 
of  Christians,  visiting  various  churches.  On  his  next  voyage,  to  the 
coast  of  Virginia,  he  gave  his  heart  to  (tod  and  during  a  terrible  storm 
pledged  himself  to  the  Lord's  service  as  a  missionary,  whenever  called, 
provided  bis  life  was  spared.  Back  in  New  York,  he  again  sought  the 
brethren  and  brought  them  the  .joyful  news  of  his  regeneration.  His 
intention  now  to  visit  his  old  home  was  changed  when  he  was  offered 
a  place  on  a  large  frigate  boiuid  for  Valparaiso.  With  this  long  voyage 
he  planned  to  finish  his  practical  course  in  common  seamanship  before 
eventually  adopting  another  vocation. 

Touching  at  New  York  again  on  returning  from  the  South  Amer- 
ican trip,  Edgren,  while  at  a  loss  to  determine  what  denomination  of 
Christians  to  affiliate  with,  chanced  to  visit  a  Baptist  seamen's  mission 
chapel,  where  he  was  partially  convinced  that  baptism  should  follow, 
not  precede,  conversion.  He  reasoned  with  bis  iletbodist  friends,  liut 
found  their  arguments  nnconviucing,  and  after  inner  struggles  and 
earnest  scriptural  study,  was  baptized  by  Rev.  I.  R.  Steward  in  the 
spring  of  1858,  just  before  starting  for  bis  home  in  Sweden. 

With  a  two  years'  course  ahead  of  him,  Edgren  again  entered  the 
Stockholm  school  of  navigation,  but  succeeded  in  completing  his  studies 
in  one  year,  and  the  following  spring  gave  his  parents  a  pleasant  sur- 
prise by  showing  a  captain's  diploma,  with  the  highest  honors  of  the 
class  and  a  first  prize  besides. 

On  a  subsequent  voyage  to  American  ports  as  second  mate  on  a 
Swedish  brig,  Edgren  visited  Charleston,  S.  C,  and  there  received  his 
first  direct  impressions  of  the  curse  of  slavery,  impressions  that  later 
prompted  him  to  lend  a  hand  in  blotting  it  out.  His  plan  to  enter  the 
Swedish  navy  having  miscarried.  Edgren  was  still  in  the  service  of  the 
merchant  marine  when  the  Civil  War  broke  out.  He  chanced  to  be  on 
board  a  vessel  off  Charleston  at  the  time  and  became  an  eye-witness 
to  the  first  shots  exchanged  in  that  great  conflict. 

In  the  fall  of  1861  a  friend  in  Sweden  proposed  to  Edgren  that 
they  open  a  navigation  school  in  the  United  States,  but  he  had 
planned  to  fit  himself  further  by  taking  an  advanced  course  at  Stock- 
holm and,  unable  to  choose,  cast  lots,  which  fell  in  favor  of  the  latter 
plan.    In  the  capital  he  came  in  contact  with  Rev.  AViberg  and  preached 


566  '1H1-:    HAPTISTS 

now  and  then.  Some  two  years  prior,  he  had  preached  his  first  sermon 
on  f'liristuias  Day.  1859,  to  a  ship's  crew  on  the  Atlantic  Ocean. 
Thoiij,'li  urged  liy  Wiberg  to  forsake  the  sea,  Edgren  did  not  yet  see  his 
future  mission  clear.  In  the  spring  of  1862  he  came  over  to  tlie  United 
States  as  a  passenger,  to  visit  his  brother  Hjalmar,  who  was  in  the 
Union  army  and  had  just  been  through  the  memorable  battle  of  Hamp- 
ton Roads.  He  found  him  at  Port  Rip  Raps,  and  returning  to  New  York 
at  once  apjilied  for  service  in  the  navy  as  a  non-commissioned  oflFicer, 
but  was  given  a  commission  upon  passing  examination.  He  first  served 
as  navigator  on  board  a  bark  participating  in  the  blockade  of  the  At- 
lantic ports.  When  his  brother,  now  an  oflficer  of  staff,  resigned  from 
the  army  on  account  of  ilbicss  and  left  for  Sweden,  he  also  left  the 
service  and  took  up  theological  studies  at  Princeton  University. 
Still  undecided  about  entering  the  ministry,  he  resumed  his  com- 
mission in  the  navy  at  the  end  of  the  school  year.  He  was  now 
given  command  of  the  small  armored  steamer  "("atalpa"  and  ordered 
to  report  to  Admiral  Dahlgren  at  Port  Royal.  Disliking  the  inactivity 
on  board  the  Idockading  ships,  he  applied  for  service  in  a  battery  at 
C'ummiug's  Point.  From  now  until  the  fall  of  Charleston  he  was  almost 
constantly  on  the  firing  line,  and  was  present  when  on  that  memorable 
15th  of  April,  amid  the  thunder  of  guns  and  deafening  cheers.  General 
Anderson  again  hoisted  the  selfsame  Union  tlag  lie  had  been  compelled 
to  haul  down  at  the  opening  of  the  war,  over  the  shattered  ramparts  of 
Fort  Sumter. 

The  close  of  the  war  was  at  hand,  and  after  commanding  for  a  time 
a  confederate  vessel  taken  as  a  prize,  Edgren  resigned  from  Ihe  navy 
and  was  engaged  b,v  the  Aiiui-icaii  Uaptist  Publication  Society  a.s  a  col- 
porteur and  seamen's  missionary  in  New  York.  In  the  fall  of  18fi5  he 
entered  I\Iadison  University.  After  one  year's  study  he  was  appointed 
missionary  by  the  Baptist  Missionary  Union,  accompanied  Rev.  W'iberg 
to  Stockholm,  and  heeame  professor  of  matliematies  and  natural  science 
at  the  Bethel  Seminary  at  the  opening  of  the  institution.  He  was 
accompanied  to  Sweden  by  his  wife,  formerly  Miss  Annie  Abbott  Cliap- 
man  of  Becket.  ^Fass.,  whom  he  married  at  Hamburg.  ^lareh  10,  IStUi. 

When  Dr.  Warren,  secretary  of  the  Missionary  Union,  on  a  visit 
to  Stockholm,  found  too  many  missionaries  stationed  there,  Edgren 
resigned,  and  removed  to  I'psala  to  devote  himself  to  preaeiiing  and 
theological  study.  Of  the  local  einirch  there  was  but  a  remnant  left, 
almost  all  the  members  having  iiecome  adherents  of  one  llelge  .\kes- 
son,  who  taught  Christian  perfectionism.  The  church,  after  being 
reorganized,  airain  hail  begun  to  grow  wlien  Eilgren  was  eonipelled  to 
leave,  his  wife  being  unable  to  einliu-i'  tlie  clinuite.  The  following 
winter  he  labored  as  a  missionary  at   Ooteborg  and   in  tlie  spring  tlie 


JOIIAX    AI,I-;.\IS    IvDC.RICN  ^67 

pair  returned  to  America.  Edgreii  iiuw  accepted  a  call  to  the  Chicago 
church  aud  served  until  its  chapel  was  destroyed  in  the  great  fire. 

The  need  of  missionary  forces  in  the  West  was  apparent,  and 
Edgren  soon  conceived  the  idea  of  meeting  this  want  by  means  of  a 
Bible  school.  In  the  fall  of  1871  he  was  about  to  begin  instruct  idii  in 
the  rooms  of  the  Baptist  cliapel.  when  the  Union  Theological  Seminary, 
in  ^Morgan  Park,  wliich  planned  to  open  a  Scandinavian  department, 
invited  him  to  establish  his  school  in  conjunction  with  it.  Edgren 
accordingly  made  arrangements  to  move  and  his  library  was  saved 
from  destruction  by  being  removed  just  a  few  days  before  the  fire. 

At  first  the  students  of  Edgren 's  department  were  very  few,  and 
he  gave  part  of  his  time  to  study  at  the  seminary,  preaching  and  edit- 
ing a  religious  monthly.  Failing  health  soon  forced  his  complete  retire- 
ment for  one  year.  Almost  destitute,  he  was  enabled  by  a  friendly 
donation  to  go  baclj  to  his  old  home  for  a  rest.  The  vessel  on  which  he 
returned  was  almost  battered  to  pieces  in  a  storm  and  he  was  in  greater 
peril  of  his  life  than  ever  before  in  his  seafaring  career.  In  New  York 
he  met — and  left — his  wife,  who  without  informing  him,  had  hired  out 
as  wetnurse  in  order  to  earn  a  living  for  herself  and  children. 

He  resumed  his  professorship  in  Chicago,  whieli  Avas  in  no  sense  a 
sinecure,  the  incumbent  being  required  to  raise  the  means  of  maintain- 
ing himself  and  the  school.  Before  long  his  family  could  rejoin  him  at 
Morgan  Park.  For  fifteen  years  Edgren  remained  at  the  head  of  the 
Swedish  department  of  the  seminary,  which  meanwhile  reached  a 
maximum  attendance  of  40.  Owing  to  failing  health.  Edgren  in  1887 
withdrew  from  his  various  activities  and  since  lived  in  retirement  in 
California  until  his  death,  which  occurred  on  Jan.  26,  1908. 

Prof.  Edgren,  who  in  1880  received  from  the  Chicago  University 
the  honorary  degree  of  D.  D..  was  a  noted  biblical  scholar  and  com- 
mentator, and  has  written  interesting  memoirs  of  his  life.  His  literary 
work,  aside  from  newspaper  editing,  comprises  these  published  vol- 
umes: "Bibeln  en  gudomlig  uppenbarelse"  (1867)  ;  "^linnen  fran  liaf- 
vet  oeh  kriget"  (1872)  ;  "Efter  doden;"  "Den  oppua  kommunionen  i 
skriftens  Ijus;"  "Sabbat en  och  Herrens  dag,"  the  last  three  revised 
and  re-published  under  the  common  title,  "Braiinande  fragor;"  "Jlin- 
nen  fran  hafvet,  kriget  och  missionsf altet "  (1878),  a  revised  reprint; 
"Bibeln  Guds  bok"  (1878);  "Forsoningen,"  a  lecture  (1880):  "Epi- 
phanea:  A  Study  in  Prophecy"  (1881);  "Bibeltolkningens  lagar;" 
"Kristlig  troslara  for  barn;"  "Biblisk  troslara;"  "Ofversattning  och 
utlaggning  af  Mattel  evaugelium,"  and  "Pa  lifvets  haf"  (1898).  The 
church  papers  edited  by  Dr.  Edgren  were,  "Zions  Vakt,"  started  in 
1873  and  continued  for  a  brief  period,  and  "Evangelisk  Tidskrift," 
established  in  1877  and  continued  by  him  until  1880. 


568 


Tin-;  lUPTisTs 


Capt.  Gustavus  W.  Schroeder 


Gustavus  W.  Schroeder  was  born  near  Goteborg  April  9,  1821.  At 
sixteen  he  became  a  sailor  and  followed  the  sea  for  the  next  thirty 
years.  lie  was  twenty-three  years  of  ajre  wlien  baptized  l»y  Rev.  Ira  R. 
Steward  in  New  York  and  continued  for  21)  years  a  member  of  the 
JIariners'  Church.  Wliile  in  Sweden  in  1845  he  learned  that  his  two 
brothers,  one  master,  tlie  otlier  second  officer  of  a  Chilian  bark,  were  in 


Capt.  ('ruslaviis  \V.  ScliruciltT 


Ilamhui'ti:.  lie  met  tlieiii  tluTc,  and  being  tendereil  the  chiel'  «)ll"icer"s- 
place,  shipped  for  Valjiaraiso,  where,  at  the  age  of  twenty-five,  he  was 
made  captain  of  a  vessel.  Four  years  later  lie  married  Mi.ss  Mary 
Steward.  daugiiliT  ol'  his  pastor,  and  in  ISfJl  located  in  Giitcborg  to 
clianipioM  the  causr  nl'  I  he  little  tloek  of  Baptists  in  that  city.  After 
two  years  he  i-etiiiiicd  li>  tli<'  liiited  States,  and  lived  first  in  Illinois, 
tlien  in  Califcirtiia  until  he  again  located  in  (Jiiteborg  about  ISSI?  and 
joined  the  chun'li  in  which  he  had  formerly  labored.  In  lS!tl  he  came 
back  to  tliis  country  and  is  now  a  member  of  the  Memorial  Baptist 
Chui'ch  of  Brooklyn. 

The  Baptist  congregation  in  (liitcliorg  Inul  .just  been  organi/.eil. 
when  Captain  Schroeder  came  there  in  1S(!1.  He  built  a  house,  in 
which  a  large  room  was  fitted  up  as  a  nu'cling  hall.  Here,  as  elsewln-re 
in  Sweden,  tin-  state  ehiM-eh  resisted  the  movement  as  heretical.     The 


TlllC    CIlICAl'.o    1-IIU-I) 


569 


local  consistory  iiiipcalcd  to  the  police  to  have  the  hall  closed  and 
brought  suit  against  P.  0.  Nilson.  pastor  of  the  cluu-ch,  and  (Japtain 
Sehroedcr,  charging  the  former  with  holding  religious  meetings  illegal- 
ly, and  the  latter  with  aiding  and  al)etting  the  crime.  After  a  vigorous 
figlit  by  Nilson  and  Schroeder,  the  case  was  decided  against  them  and 
a  fine  of  100  crowns  was  imposed  on  the  latter.  The  course  of  the 
elerg}^  was.  at  the  time  publicly  criticised  as  unwise,  to  say  the  least,  as. 
the  persecution  of  the  leaders,  instead  of  serving  to  suppress  the  move- 
ment, had  the  opposite  effect  and  proved  a  moral  victory  for  the 
Baptists. 

The   Chicago    Field 

Tlie  earliest  Swedish  Baptist  clmrch  in  Chicago  existed  from  1853 
to  1864:.  It  was  organized  by  some  thirty  persons,  formerly  members 
of  the  American  First  Baptist  Church.  These  are  known  to  have  been 
among  the  organizers,  viz.,  Peter  Peterson,  Peter  Modine,  AndreM' 
Ander.son.   John   Uberg.  Matthew  Matson,   Fred  Blomqui.st,   William 


Tlie  First  Swedisli  Baptist  Church  of  Chicago,  Second  Kdifice 


Wiglaud,  Ira  J.  Collings.  F.  31.  Winterset,  one  Jlr.  Mullen,  all  with 
their  wives.  L.  L.  Fri.sk  was  ordained  to  become  their  first  pastor. 
Meetings  were  held  in  the  homes  of  members  until  November,  1854, 
when  the  American  clmrch  raised  $900.  for  which  .sum  a  small  edifice 
situated  at  La  Salle  avenue  and  Erie  street  was  purchased  from  the 
German  Lutherans  for  tlie  use  of  the  Swedi.sh  brethren.  It  was 
removed  to  Bremer  street  in  1S5S  and  there  used  as  a  house  of  worship 


570 


THI-;    BAPTISTS 


until  destroyed  by  fire  in  1860  or  1861.  A  schoolhouse  was  then  rented, 
in  which  the  meetings  were  held  for  an  indefinite  period.  Kev.  Frisk 
remained  as  pastor  until  1857,  when  he  was  succeeded  by  Rev.  Palm- 
quist,  who  served  for  six  months.  After  him  the  church  appears  to 
have  had  no  permanent  pastor,  but  the  congregation  continued  in 
existence  until  1864,  when  the  unsettled  conditions  incident  to  the 
Civil  War  caused  the  members  to  scatter,  which  resulted  in  the  dis- 
integration of  the  eluirch. 


Tlie   I'irst  Swuilisli   I!ai)tisl  Church  of  Chicago,   IVcsenl  ICdifice 

The  present  First  Swedish  Bapti-st  Church  of  Chicago,  therefore, 
is  not  the  original  one.  It  was  not  called  into  existence  until  1S66. 
On  Jan.  16th  of  that  year  a  little  group  of  persons  who  had  belonged 
to  Baptist  churches  in  Sweden  met  at  the  house  of  J,  C.  Fasten  to  talk 
over  llic  outlook  for  ii  local  <-hiii-('li.  Tlie  meoliiig.  over  wliii-li  Captain 
R.  E.  Jeanson  of  New  York  presided,  was  barren  of  results.  After  six 
months  a  second  nVeeting  was  held  at  tlic  same  place,  when  it  wa.s 
uiiaiiimonsly  resolved  to  organize  a  clniri'li.  \ine  preliminary  meetings 
were  held  before  action  was  taken. 

In  the  meantime  a  party  of  Baptists  from  Ihnliksvnll.  Sweden, 
arrived.  Willi  them  were  two  preachers,  Olof  Ijindh  and  N.  K.  .\xling, 
and  their  ])resence  in  Chicago  hastened  action  in  the  nuitter.  The  new- 
comers first  .ioined  their  lirethren  at  a  mi-itmg  in  tlie  house  of  one 
Nylund,  at  185  Townsend  street,  held  on  ilic  10th  of  July,  when  the 


TIlIv    ClUCACO    I-IIU.I) 


57' 


plan  to  organize  a  church  was  further  iiiatured.  Some  were  members 
of  the  Danisli  Baptist  Church,  which  opposed  the  plan;  others  carried 
their  letters  of  membership  in  their  pockets.  A  couple  of  weeks  later 
came  John  Ring  and  J.  H.  Ullmark.  also  Baptist  preachers  from 
Sweden.  Finally,  on  Aug.  19,  1860,  the  formal  organization  took  place 
in  the  edifice  of  the  North  Star  Baptist  Church,  which  had  been  opened 
for  the  use  of  the  Swedish  brethren.  On  this  occasion  Lindh,  Axling 
and  Ring  officiated.     John  Ring,  who  had  been  called  as  pastor  at  a 


The  Englewood  Sweilish  Baptist  Church 

salary  of  $150  a.  year,  was  installed  by  the  laying  on  of  hands  and  the 
invocation  of  the  blessing. 

The  church  numbered  from  the  outset  38  members.  That  same 
faU  the  new  church  was  recognized  by  a  council  held  in  the  Danish 
church.  The  services  were  held  there  and  in  the  North  Star  Church 
on  Division  street  until  November,  when  a  Presbyterian  schoolhouse 
on  Bremer  street  was  rented  for  the  purpose. 

Rev.  Lindh  remained  a  member  of  this  church  unti'  the  following 
spring,  when  he  accepted  a  call  from  Altoua.  He  assif  it  d  Rev.  Ring 
in  the  work,  taught  the  Bible  class  and  served  at  Ring's  request  as 
chairman  of  the  church  council.     Ring  resigned  in  the  spring  of  1869, 


572 


THE    BAPTISTS 


whereupon  Lindh  stepped  in  and  filled  the  pulpit  temporarily,  until 
Rev.  C.  W.  Scfrcrbloni.  a  Baptist  preaeher  from  Sweden,  arrived 
and  was  at  once  claimed  by  this  church  as  their  pastor.  Segerblom 
was  an  erratic  character  and  ])rovcd  mitrustworthy  as  a  leader.  He 
did  not  last  long  in  Chicago.  Subsequently  he  went  over  to  Methodism 
and  became  pastor  of  the  Swedish  ^lethodist  Church  in  Jamestown, 
N.  Y.,  where  he  operated  to  the  detriment  of  that  church.  He  next 
flopped  to  Lutheranisni  and  changed  his  name  to  Sidger.  This  clerical 
turncoat  died  in  ISIissouri.  lime  unknown. 


I'Ik'   I,.ike  \'ii-H    Swtilish   lta|ilisl   Cluircli 

In  ]8()8  llic  ciingregat ion  luiill  its  itwu  edifice,  on  Oak  street, 
between  Sedgwick  and  Townscnd  streets.  Tliis  ehiu'ch.  whieli  was 
dedicated  May  14th.  had  a  sejiting  capai'lty  of  7(U)  and  ensl  $r),0(H), 
inehmive  of  tin'  Int.  When  it  was  destroyed  in  tlie  great  fire  the 
congregat  inn  was  on  tlie  jjoint  (if  dislianding.  but  its  si'allered  niemliers 
rallied  ami  huilt  a  new  edifiee.  sealing  .'{lid  juTsons  and  ensting  .$!',. ")0(l. 
This  w.is  (lc<licaled  l''eb.  ITi.  IST:!.  .\n  addition  was  built  in  187(5. 
Having  I'ai-  imlgrown  its  ea|)aeily,  the  eiingregation  in  ISS!)  erected  a 
$IJ7,()0(I  edifice  at  .Milton  aveiuie  and  Kim  street,  whieii  was  dedicated 
the  first  Sunday  in  ^lareh,  IHiUI.     This  slriu-ture,  which  is  one  of  the 


\ 


1 

i 


Till';  CHiCAC.o  I'livi.i)  573 

costliest  owned  by  tlie  Swi'disli  Baptists,  uceoiiiiniKlalcs  an  aiidii'ticc;  of 
one  thousand  jjeople. 

The  pastors  of  this  rhui'i-li,  pci-inaiicnt   or  li'iii[>iii'ary.  have  liccii : 


f 


The  Hunibolclt  Park  Swedish   Baptist  Church 

John  Rinsr.  Olof  Lindh,  C.  W.  Segerblom,  J.  A.  Edgren,  E.  Wingren, 
E.  Lundin,  John  Ongman.  P.  A.  Hjelm.  Gr.  A.  Hagstrom  and  Thorsten 
Clafford,  the  present  iuenmbeut. 


574 


THK    HAPTISTS 


Rev.  Jolin  Ongman  who  served  the  church  as  its  pastor  from  1875 
to  1881  and  again  from  1885  to  1886,  making  a  total  of  eight  years, 
came  to  Chicago  from  Sweden  in  1868,  but  soon  left  for  Minnesota, 
where  he  labored  for  the  church  in  various  localities  for  about  thirteen 


3 


S 


1 


years,  including  the  pastorate  of  tlm  First  church  in  St.  Paul,  which 
he  served  during  three  ditTcrcnt  periods,  atrgregatiug  ten  years.  Siuce 
1890  he  has  been  active  in  the  Baptist  Cliurcli  of  Sweden.  Rev.  Dug- 
man's  labors  in  this  ecimili>  were  very  fruitful,  lie  was  chosen  i>resi- 
deiit  of  the  Swedish  Haplist  Oenernl  Coui'ereuee  at  the  orgaui/.alion 
of  that  body  iu  1870  aud  served  fm-  tin in-^e.'ulive  ye.irs. 


THi':  ciiiCAno  riHi.i)  375 

During  Rev.  P.  A.  Iljelm's  term  of  service,  from  August,  1S88, 
until  October,  1896,  the  church  made  remarkable  progress.  It  was  his 
privilege  to  welcome  no  less  than  711  new  members,  240  of  whom 
were  baptized  by  him.  In  the  same  period  there  was  a  loss  of  644 
through  death,  removals  and  expulsion,  leaving  a  net  increase  of  67. 
The  principal  drain  on  the  membership  was  caused  by  the  organization 
of  four  daughter  churches,  each  of  them  claiming  members  directly 
from  the  First  church  and  indirectly  impeding  its  growth. 

Succeeding  Hjelm,  Ivev.  G.  A.  llagstrom  served  this  pastorate  for 
ten  years.  In  1902  the  fiftieth  anniversary  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Church  of  America  was  celebrated  in  this  church,  with  a  jubilee  held 
in  connection  with  the  General  Conference  sessions. 

The   fortieth    anniversary   of   the    founding    of   the   church    was 


Rev.  John  Ougman  Rev.  P.  A.  Hjelui 

celebrated  Oct.  18-21,  1906.  At  that  time  a  historical  review  was 
published,  giving  many  data  and  figures. 

Five  daughter  churches  have  been  organized  from  the  membership 
of  the  First  church,  viz.,  the  Evanston  church,  in  1886,  with  26  mem- 
bers, to  which  have  been  added  59,  total  gain  from  the  First  church, 
85;  the  Lake  View  church,  in  1889,  members,  30,  total  gain  from  First 
church,  96;  the  Salem  church,  in  1890,  members,  9,  total  gain  from 
First  church,  20;  the  Austin  church,  in  1891,  members  9,  total  gain 
from  First  church,  27;  the  Humboldt  Park  church,  in  1891,  members, 
16,  total  gain  from  First  church,  64.  Beyond  this,  the  First  church 
has  lost  to  other  Chicago  churches  a  large  number  of  members,  includ- 
mg  56  to  the  Second  church,  81  to  Englewood  and  34  to  American 
churches. 

Up  to  1880  this  church  had  gained  549  members  and  lost  316, 
retaining  a  net  total  of  233;  in  1890  it  had  515,  in  1898,  695 
and  in  1907,  657  members.  It  is  the  largest  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
churches  in  this  coimtry,  leading  the  largest  in  Minneapolis  and  St. 


0/<^ 


TIIK    BAPTISTS 


Paul  by  about  TO  and  those  of  New  Yoi'k  aud  Brooklyu  by  about  200 
members.    The  church  property  is  valued  at  $43,000. 

Rev.  John    Ring 

John  King,  wlio  became  pastor  of  the  Chicago  church  at  its  organ- 
ization in  1866,  had  just  come  over  from  Sweden,  where  he  had  preached 
for  five  or  six  years.  He  was  born  in  Delsbo  parish.  Ilelsingland.  Feb. 
16,  1829.  After  his  conversion  and  baptism  in  1859  he  began  to  preach 
the  Baptist  doctrine  in  his  home  locality  and  shared  the  pei-secution 
then  contingent  on  teaching  at  variance  with  the  state  church.  For 
holding  services  during  the  hours  of  10-12  a.  m.  on  Sundays,  reserved 


Rev.  Joliii  Rinj; 

by  law  for  the  state  cluncli.  lie  was  arrested  and  convicted,  and  served 
a  sentence  of  one  monlh  in  the  Ilcrniisand  jail  in  the  winter  of  1862-3. 
He  was  pastor  of  the  ("iiicjigo  i-hui-fii  from  its  inception  in  August, 
1866,  until  May,  1869,  when  he  Ideated  as  a  farmer  at  Trade  Lake.  Wis. 
lie  Ix'caine  instrumental  in  organizing  a  ehureh  there  and  later  laid  tlie 
foundation  for  the  First  Swedish  liaplist  Church  of  IMinnoapolis.  Sub- 
sequently Ring  removed  to  Omaha,  where  he  lived  for  many  years,  at 
various  periods  in  charge  of  the  local  Swedish  Baptist  church.  For 
tliree  years,  1877-80,  he  was  in  pastoral  charge  at  Kiron,  la.,  then  for 
five  years  conducted  a  jewelry  store  in  Oakland,  Neb.,  and  removed 
the  business  to  Omaha,  where  lie  died  Oct.  6.  1896,  from  injuries 
received  in  a  liieyele  aecidmt.  King  was  twice  nntrried  an<l  had 
three  cliildren. 


Rev.   Olof  Lindh 

Among  the  successful  Swedisli  Itaptist  woi'kers  in  Illinois,  as  well 

as  in  the  Eastern  states  and   in   Swiden,  Rev.  Olof  Lindh   hulds  an 

eminent  jjlace.     He  was  born  in  llelsingtuna,  Sweden,  Sept.  24,  183'). 

His  father,  a  iironiiiient   farmer  ;in<l  ji  trusted  man  in  the  <'ommunity. 


oi.oi'   i.ixnit 


577 


^\■■ds  ;i  l;i  y  iircaclii'i-  ^iiiioiiu-  t  ln'  n'M^idnisIs  styled  Kciiders.  Tlir  sdii  ( lie  if 
was  deeply  iiillueiicL'd  from  cliildliiKid  liy  liis  t'atlier's  pious  preeept  and 
right  living,  but  ilid  not  expericiUH'  regeneration  of  the  heart  until  his 
twenty-fifth  year,  lie  was  baptized  in  the  sea  near  lludiksvall  on  May 
8,  1860,  by  his  brother.  Per  Liiidh,  and  began  preaching  after  nuhdi 
trepidation  some  two  years  later,  ineanwhile  supporting  liiniself  by 
his  trade  as  shoenudcer.  For  four  years  he  was  pastor  of  I  he  liajitist 
chureh  in  lludiksvall.  then  emigrated  aiul  located  in  (,'hiciigo.  There 
he  helped  to  organize  the  ehurdi  in  August,  1S(J(),  and  was  elected 
elder  at   the  tinu\      Prior  thereto   he   preacdied   his   first   sermon    here 


Rev.    Olof    I.inilli 


on  July  22nd,  a  week  after  his  arrival.  He  took  turns  with  Ring  in 
preaching  in  Chicago,  then  was  stationed  for  a  time  at  Altona  in  1867-8, 
and  next  became  traveling  missionary  in  Illinois  and  Iowa.  In  1869, 
during  the  vacancy  after  Rev.  Ring,  and  before  the  arrival  of  Seger- 
blom,  his  successor,  Lindli  supplied  the  pulpit  of  the  Chicago  church 
for  a  brief  jieriod.  Segerblom  nuide  things  so  disagreeable  for  him 
that  he  left  Chicago,  determined  to  give  up  preaching.  Going  to  Moline 
to  work  at  his  trade,  he  was  by  the  Swedish  Baptists  there  and  in  Rock 
Island  induced  to  become  their  pastor  and  served  them  for  the  next 
six  years.  In  that  perio<l  no  less  than  l:W  members  joined  the  chureh 
at  Rock  Island. 

Lindh  returned  to  Sweden  in  1876  and  lalxu-ed  there  for  three 
years,  serving  as  pastor  in  Sundsvall  and  Hassjo.  In  that  time  he  was 
instrumental  in  bringing  a  large  luimber  oF  new  nunnbers  into  the 
Baptist  churches. 


578 


TMK    KAI'TISTS 


Ki'tuining  to  the  United  States,  Liiulli  had  a  call  to  preaeh  in 
Bostou.  but  owing  to  the  burning  of  Treniont  Temple,  where  the 
Swedish  Baptists  met,  just  after  his  arrival,  he  left  in  discouragement. 
After  a  brief  stay  in  ^loline.  he  accepted  a  call  to  the  church  in  Xcw 
York,  wliich  was  about  to  go  to  pieces,  but  imder  his  leadership  began 
to  flourish  and  lias  tliiivcd  greatly  ever  after.  During  his  eight  years 
in  New  York  Liiidh  lic^aii  mission  work  in  a  number  of  places,  indud- 
intr  Hi-ooklyn  and  Jaiiicstown,  X.  Y. :  Bridgeport.  New  Haven,  ^leriden 
and  New  15rit;nii.  Conn.,  and  Antrim  and  McKeesport.  Pa.,  and  organ- 
ized churches  ill  the  pbiccs  iiameil.  In  1887  he  became  jiastor  of  the 
Boston  church,  but  left  the  following  year  to  l)ecome  traveling  mission- 
ary of  the  Eastern  Conference.  As  sueh  he  labored  until  18i)l. 
whereupon  he  was  stationed  at  Bridgeport.  Conn.,  until  1893.  when  he 
went  again  to  Sweden,  returning  in  189.^.  IIo  Avithdrcw  from  ]iastoral 
work  in  1!)00,  after  serving  in  Cand)ridge.  ilass..  Concord.  X.  11..  and 
New  Haven,  Conn. 

Rev.  Lindh's  work  as  a  jiastor  and  preacher  during  thirty-eight 
years  has  been  blessed  in  more  than  ordinary  measure.  He  has  oraran- 
ized  a  score  of  churches  in  this  country,  including  three  in  Illinois,  and 
baptized  500  converts  in  the  United  States  and  300  in  Sweden.  Among 
those  converted  through  his  instnnnentality  several  have  become  pro- 
minent Uaptist  preachers.  Lindh  has  lived  a  life  rich  in  experience, 
and  these  he  recounts  in  a  goodnatured  aiul  entertaining  manner  in  a 
volume  of  remiinsc(>iices.  entitled.  "Minnen  och  iakttagelser  fran  en 
forHntcii   |('t'ii;iil,"  pulilislicil   in   l!iii7. 


The  S\Aredish  Theological  Seminary  of  the  University  of  Chicago 

Tlic  founder  ciT  this  llic  t  lic(il()i:ical  seminary  of  the  Swedish 
Baptists  of  America  was  l)i-.  .1.  .\.  Pldgren.  He  retui-ned  in  1870  from 
Sweclcn.  wlicrc  lie  liiul  tan!_dit  in  the  Bethel  Seminary  at  Stockholm. 
witli  a  li\c  sense  (if  the  ini|iiirtancc  to  the  Swedish  Baptists  in  this 
cciuiitiy  III'  eilucatinu  their  own  picachcrs  and  ])astors.  as  their  brethren 
in  Sweden  wci-e  duiiij^-.  .Vfler  tlie  decision  had  been  reached  to  begin 
instruction  in  the  Oak  Street  cluu'ch.  the  Bajitist  I'nion  Theological 
Seminary  invited  Ivlgren  to  talvc  up  this  work  at  that  institution,  an 
iilTcr  thankl'iilly  acci'|iteil.  In  I  lie  I'mII  of  1>71  the  course  was  opened 
with  an  altcnilancc  nf  imc  stmlcnt  Cliristii|ilicr  Silciie.  Later  a  few 
ot  llel's  Were  ••iijilcil. 

In  l.S7.'i.  alter  an  inlcrru|it  inn  in  liis  work,  caused  by  ill  health. 
Kdgren  was  olVicially  called  to  cnniliict  a  Scandinavian  di'i>arlment  at 
tin-  seminary,  with  the  added  burden  of  providing  for  the  sn|iport  and 
nuiintenam-e  of  himself  and  the  de]>arlment.  rndisma\'ed  liy  such  a 
pi'dspcct,  he  accc|itiMl  the  piisit  ion  and  wnrkcd  nnilcr  the  same  dishi-art- 


Till'    THI'Ol.OCICAl.    Sl'.MINARV 


579 


ening  (•(Miilitidiis  l'(ir  IIm'  m-xl  five  ynws.  Tlir  (i|n'iiiii^''  ;it tciidance  in 
1873  was  four,  and  airidim-  the  first  graduates  were  N.  Hayland,  A.  A. 
Linne.  C.  Sileuc  and  A.  H.  Or^rcn.  In  1S77  the  seminary  Avas  removed 
from  ("liieauro  to  the  suburb  of  .Morjran  I'ai'k.  where  tlu'  Scandinavian 


a 

o 
a 
S 
o 


c 


department  was  eonducted  by  Edgren  vuitil  18S4.  A  desire  on  the  part 
of  the  Swedish  brethren  to  have  a  school  distinctly  their  own  then 
ripened  into  action,  after  a  resolution  to  that  effect  had  been  passed  by 
the  General  Conference  three  years  before,  designating  Minneapolis  as 


58o 


THK    BAPTISTS 


its  loi-atioi).  During  tlie  fullowiug  year  iustnu-tion  was  given  at  St. 
Paul,  pending  a  definite  location  of  the  institution.  That  year  ample 
means  for  its  support  were  contributed,  while  no  less  than  $20.(KtO 
were  subscribed  to  a  building  fund  and  a  site  between  the  twin  cities 
was  offered. 

A  year  later,  liuwevcr,  the  school  was  removed  to  Stromsburg, 
Xeb..  where  it  had  been  given  10  acres  of  land  and  a  bonus  of  $10,500. 
Apparently  the  desired  end  had  now  been  attained,  yet  it  has  been 
intimated  that  this  move  probably  did  more  than  anything  else  to  cross 
the  purpose  of  the  Swedish  Baptists  to  build  up  their  own  .school.  Its 
location  there  seems  to  have  been  dictated  by  ]irivate  interests,  and  the 
name  now  given  to  tlu'  institution — The  Central  Bilile  Seminary — was 
a  mi.snomer  from  tlic  cliurcli  jioint  of  view.  As  early  as  1888  it  was 
geiiPi-ally  realized  that  a  mistake  lunl  been  made,  and  a  nuijority  of  the 
directors  favored  a  more  central  location.  Negotiations  were  taken  up 
for  moving  the  in.stitution  back  to  ;\linneapolis-St.  Paul,  or  Chicago. 
Rev.  Ei'ic  Sandell,  having  secured  acccj)table  terms  from  the  Baptist 
Theological  I'liion.  the  question  of  i-euiiitiiig  with  the  Chicago  institu- 
tion M'as  taken  up  tlic  same  year  by  tlic  (icucral  Conference,  when 
the  proposition  was  carried  by  a  vote  of  -42  to  7. 

In  1887  Edgren's  impaired  health  had  eomitelled  his  withdrawal 
from  the  teacher's  chair  occupied  by  him  for  fifteen  years,  and  now 
Kcv.  ('.  (i.  Lagergren  was  called  fnnu  Sweden  to  take  his  ])lace.  The 
other  teachers,  Eric  Siindcll  ami  X.  .\.  .Morten,  were  conlinned  in  the 
service.  At  the  0])eiiing  of  the  school  year  we  find  the  school  again  at 
Morgan  Parl<.  after  having  received  pledges  for  the  maintenance  of 
the  (le])artmciil  and  aid  for  its  students  from  the  Baptist  Theological 
T^nion  and  the  Ba|)tist  Education  Society.  The  former  organization 
agreed  to  pivivide  lt'cl\[ic  lialls  and  lodgings  for  the  .students  in  Walker 
Hall  at  ^lorgan  Park  and  to  pa\  the  salaries  of  two  of  the  Swedish 
professors,  while  the  entire  depart  iiK-nt  was  to  be  nnder  the  super- 
vision of  the  Divinity  Scluinl  of  ilu'  University  of  Chicago.  In  1895 
Sandell  and  Morten  were  suceeedeil  by  Profs.  W.  .\.  Peterson  and  (>. 
Iledeiii.  anil  Pi-of.  Lagergren.  who  acce])ted  the  call  in  1888,  remains 
at  tlif  hrad  n\'  the  Swedish  inst  met  ion.  Others  who  have  taught  for 
longer  (ir  shm-lcr  periods  arc:  I'l  Wingren.  N.  P.  .lensen.  Frank  Peter- 
son, .lohn  Onu'iiian  and  .\.  P.  Orgrcn. 

.\t  the  celclii-at  ion  III'  Ihc  lenlli  anniversary  of  the  scmiiniry  it  was 
ripiii'lcil  llial  instrnd  inn  had  lii-cn  rccei\ed  by  S7  students,  of  whom 
(iM  wel'c  Swedes,   17   Dams  and  II   Nnrwegians. 


'FRIDHKM' 


581 


The  Home  of  Rest  at  Morgan  ParK 
A  donation  of  $25  received  from  a  bcnevDlent  lady  iu  tlie  spring 
of  1S98,  liy  Rev.  Erie  Rosen,  started  the  fund  through  wliieh  the 
Swedish  Baptist  home  for  the  aged  has  been  realized.  Rev.  Ro.sen, 
who  had  cherished  the  idea  for  some  time,  continued  to  speak  for  the 
cause,  i)resenting  the  matter  at  various  conferences,  yet  without  calling 
forth  definite  action.  Four  years  passed  without  any  advancing  step. 
Then  a  devout  couple  promised  to  donate  $1,000  to  the  cause,  as  a 
memorial  to  their  deceased  son,  and  this  gave  the  impulse  to  a  definit<' 
movement  among  the  Swedish  Baptists  toward  establishing  an  old 
j)eople's  home.  At  a  private  meeting  of  interested  persons,  held  Nov. 
26,  1902.  it  was  resolved  to  accept  the  gift  and  proceed  to  incorporate 
an  association  whose  object  should  be  to  found  such  an  institution. 
The  date  of  incorporation  was  Jan.  14,  1903,  and  the  object  of  the 
association  was  thus  stated:  "to  provide  a  home  and  place  of  rest  for 
aged  and  destitute  Swedish  Baptists  and  other  worthy  persons  in  need 
of  a  temporary  or  permanent  home." 

During  1904  the  cause  did  not  advance  beyond  tlie  drawing  up  of 
plans  for  a  building  to  be  erected  in  sections  according  to  the  future 
needs.  It  being  deemed  advisable  to  open  the  home  without  further 
delay,  a  private  house  at  236  Smmyside  Ave.,  Chicago,  was  leased  from 
Dec.  12,  1904,  to  May  1.  1906.  and  opened  as  an  old  age  retreat.  Its 
fir.st  inmate  was  Johan  Gunnarson,  aged  80  j-ears,  who  arrived  on  Jan. 
28,  1905.  The  dedication  of  the  temporary  home  took  place  Feb.  19th 
following.  During  the  year  ten  other  inmates  were  accepted.  Rev.  C. 
J.  Almquist  was  employed  as  traveling  solicitor  for  the  institution  and 
in  six  months  raised  -$7,000  in  cash  and  subscriptions. 

A  permanent  location  for  the  home  having  been  selected  in  ^lorgan 
Park,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Swedish  Baptist  theological  seminary, 
building  operations  were  begun,  and  the  central  section  of  the  proposed 
structure  was  completed  and  occupied  in  1906.  This  the  permanent 
building  of  the  Swedish  Baptist  home  for  the  aged  was  formally 
dedicated  in  connection  with  the  holding  of  the  General  Conference  in 
September  of  the  same  year.  The  present  valuation  of  $24,000,  less  a 
debt  of  $7,000,  shows  the  net  present  worth  of  tlie  institution  to  be 
$17,000,  while  outstanding  subscriptions  amount  to  $14,000. 

Prior  to  the  eighties  the  work  of  the  Swedish  Baptists  showed  no 
great  results  in  Illinois,  there  being  but  four  or  five  small,  struggling 
churches  in  the  state  up  to  that  time,  the  yoiuigest  of  which  was  that 
of  Princeton,  organized  in  1877.  During  the  last  twenty-five  years 
greater  success  has  attended  their  efforts.  In  Chicago  and  vicinity 
thirteen  congregations  liave  been  added,  nine  of  them  In^ng  among 
the  most  populous  ones  in  the  state.     The  church  in  Rockford,  orsran- 


582 


THH    BAl'TISTS 


ized  ill  1880,  now  has  a  mi'iulxTsliii)  nf  27ii.  and  is  the  largest  iu  the 
state,  outside  of  Chicago. 

The  sfatistifs  of  ]!M)7-8  showed  that  the  state  eonference  eoinprised 
35  churches,  with  a  total  iiicnibership  of  4,392.  The  number  of  ministers 
was  22;  tlie  total  value  of  cliurdi  i)ropert>-.  ■'i!2!)7.ir)7.  The  total  di.s- 
burseiiu'uts  for  the  year  were  .'i;7().til4.  iiichuliny  $36,708  for  local 
current  expenses  and  .$33,90(j  for  all  other  purposes. 

From  Illinois  the  Swedish  Baptist  Cliureli  has  been  extended  to 
every  section  of  the  country  i)opulated  by  Sweilish  i)eople.  Its  greatest 
gains  have  been  made  in  the  state  of  Minnesota,  where  work  was  begun 
almost  as  earlv  as  in  Illinois.     'I'odav  the  church  is  subdivided  into  21 


"Kridheiii,"  The  Sweilish  Haplist  Home  for  the  .\j;cil,  .Mmiiaii  I'ark 

conferences,  each  embi'acing  one  or  several  states,  iu  addition  to  which 
there  are  a  number  of  scattered  congregations  in  other  states  and  in 
Canada.  A  (jcneral  CoMlereiire  is  held  annually  simu'  1S7!'.  when  it  was 
organized  at  Village  Creek,  la. 

The  statistics  ])ul>lislie(l  in  1II0S  give  the  following  figures:  Con- 
gregations, 3r)7  :  ordained  ministers,  208;  prcaciuM-s  aiul  wonuin  mission- 
aries. 13.");  church  i)uildings.  30.');  net  increase  iu  mendiership  for  the 
year  last  |)ast.  !UI2:  total  membership.  2(>.ti4.');  value  of  church  property. 
$1,837,830:  debt  on  same.  $327..')14:  local  disbursements,  $400.07"); 
contributions  to  missions  and  benevolent   purposes.  $88,37."). 

Besid<'s  the  theological  school,  there  are  two  edui'atiiuud  institu- 
tions, Adelphia  College,  in  Seattle.  Wash.,  and  Hethel  .\cadeniy,  in 
Minneapolis,  Mirui.,  also  an  orphans'  asylum,  located  at  .New  Kritain. 
Conn.,  all  of  wlii<'h  receive  tlii'ir  main  sup|>ort  from  the  Swedish  Maptist 
Cliurcli. 


CHAPTER    X 


The  Swedish  Mission  Church 


The    Movement    Defined 


X 


HE  deuoiuiiiation  of  believers  known  as  tlie  ^Mission 
Friends  is  one  of  the  outgrowths  of  a  movement  within 
the  state  church  of  Sweden  toward  deeper  spirituality, 
greater  freedom  from  dogmatism  and  set  forms  of  wor- 
ship and  church  practice,  the  exclusion  of  all  but  true 
Christians  from  participation  in  the  holy  communion  and  ultimately 
the  reorganization  of  the  church  on  the  basis  of  admitting  as  membei-s 
true  believers  only,  ilany  of  the  adherents  of  this  movement,  known 
by  the  common  and  reproachful  name  of  Readers,  remained  loyal  to 
the  Lutheran  state  church,  but  about  the  middle  of  the  last  century 
numbers  of  them  became  Methodists,  Baptists  and  Erik  Janssonists. 
In  the  sixties  and  seventies  another  part  of  this  same  church  element, 
organized  into  local  "communion  societies''  and  more  general  mission 
societies,  began  to  crystallize  into  a  new  denomination  of  dissenters, 
who  became  known  as  ]Mission  Friends  and  in  1878  established  a  free 
church,  named  the  ^Mission  Covenant  of  Sweden.  Its  coimterpart  in 
this  country  is  the  Swedish  Evangelical  Mission  Covenant  of  America, 
organized  in  1885.  This  is  the  only  well-defined  body  of  the  Mission 
Friends  in  the  United  States,  who  are  otherwise  divided  into  three 
groups,  the  JMission  Covenant,  the  Swedish  Congregationalists  and  the 
Swedish  Free  ^fission.  The  lines  of  demarkation  between  these  cannot 
be  distinctly  drawn.  Owing  to  a  peculiar  looseness  in  organization, 
these  groups  overlap  and  run  into  one  another.  Thus,  by  way  of 
illustration,  a  pastor  who  is  duly  registered  as  a  member  of  thi>  ^lission 
Covenant  may  be  in  charge  of  a  church  not  organically  t'onnected  with 
the  Covenant,  but  either  independent  of  all  church  denominations  or 
allied  with  the  Congregational  Church,  and  vice  versa.  The  so-called 
Free  Mission  Friends  are  the  ultras,  who  at  first  frowned  upon  all 
forms    of   denominational    organization    as    unbiblical    and.    therefore, 


584 


THE    MISSION   CHIRCH 


uiifhristiaii.  In  lati-r  yeais  tlu-y  liave  formed  an  organization  of  their 
own,  differing  from  tlie  Mission  Coveuant  eliiclly  in  the  liigher  degree 
of  looseness  in  construction. 


Beginning  of  the   Movement  in   Chicago 

111  the  year  18ti7.  a  iiumher  of  Mission  Friends  from  the  city  of 
Joukoping  and  vicinity  emigrated  and  came  to  Chicago.  Here  they 
joined  the  Iiniiiaimi'l  Swedish  Lntlieraii  Clnirch.  hut  did  not  feel  at 
home  ill  the  Augiistaiia  Synod,  which  to  their  mind  was  no  great  im- 
provement on  the  state  <liurch  of  the  old  country.  As  a  consequence 
they  soon  formed  a  group  by  themselves  and  l)egan  to  hold  meetings 
in  the  various  homes.  One  .Martin  Sundin  was  in  the  habit  of  reading 
to  them  from  the  religioiis  periodical  "Pietisten,"  but  as  yet  they  had 
no  recognized  leader.  In  18G8.  John  Peterson  and  several  others  from 
Jonkopiiig  came  over  and  joined  the  group.  Peterson,  who  had  been 
a  lay  preacher  in  Sweden,  naturally  took  a  leading  part  in  the  private 
meetings,  which  for  a  time  were  held  in  his  own  rooms.  Another  of 
the  earliest  preachers  was  C.  J.  Lindahl,  who  took  a  prominent  part 
ill  the  work  in  lS6!t.  The  arrival  of  J.  M.  Saiingrcn.  and  a  j)owerfid 
evangelical  sermon  prcailird  by  liim.  is  said  to  have  given  the  real 
impetus  toward  a  distinct  organization,  and  on  December  2G.  1868.  at 
a  meeting  held  in  the  home  of  Martin  Sundin.  1:^4  E.  Superior  street. 
Ilie  i)rcliiniiiary  stcjjs  wimt  talccii  in  the  organization  of  a  ilission 
Association  on  the  order  of  those  in  Sweden.  This  was  the  nucleus 
of  tlie  North  Side  Lutheran  ^lission  Church  subsetiucntly  establisheil 
iii(b|M'ii<l(iill\-  of  the  Iiiiiiianui'l  Church.  The  growing  attendance  at 
these  meetings  necessitating  a  larger  meeting-place,  a  little  old  school- 
house  on  Bremer  street  (now  ]Milton  avenue)  was  ]>rocured  and  adapted 
for  the  jiurpose.  This  was  soon  taxed  to  its  full  capacity  and.  although 
put  ill  I'jiirly  good  condition,  threatened  to  fall  from  overcrowding. 
The  nec<l  of  a  licltcr  hall  was  aiijiarent  and  work  to  that  end  was  bei/un. 
the  building  fund  starling  with  th(>  sum  of  IS  cents.  A  sewing  society 
was  foniicd  for  llir  purpose  of  increasing  the  fund  and  at  its  first 
auction  sale  tiic  sum  of  sfllT  was  reali/.i'd.  One  of  the  brethren.  .\.  \V. 
I  leib'iischoiig  by  name,  a  proiniiii'iit  member  of  the  group,  suggested 
the  piircliase  of  a  certain  properly  mi  i''i-aiildin  street,  comprising  three 
building  lols.  The  price.  .to.Iidll.  looked  proliibitive.  but  one  Samuelson, 
a  leading  nieiiiber  of  the  Iinmanuel  Clmrch.  wlwre  many  of  them  still 

weri'  erirolbcj.  en t(i  Iheir  assistance  \>y  mortgaging  ids  own  home 

for  the  aiiioiiiit   deii.     The   purchase  was  made  May  21,  ISiilt.     .\s 

soon  as  the  \n-\\  mission  iionse.  ii  structure  S(l  i)y  42  feet,  had  been 
enclosed,  in  October,  a  iiieetini;  was  held  (here.  Urolher  Peterson 
preaching  to  a  Jubilant   audience  sealed  on  planks. 


CIIICACO 


585 


I 


llax'iiig  attained  sudi  pniportions,  tin-  imivfiiicnt  licgaii  to  attract 
the  attention  of  the  synodical  pastors,  who  endeavored  to  prevent  a 
separation  by  assuming  a  friendly  attitude.  Tlie  dedicatory  services 
were  attended  by  liev.  Erland  Carlsson  and  J.  G.  Prineell,  an  Augus- 
tana  student,  then  continuing  his  studies  at  the  Chicago  University. 
Eev.  Hasselquist  and  other  ministers  showed  tlieir  interest  by  preaching 
in  the  new  mission  liouse.  Tlioy  offered  the  suggestion  that  this  be 
made  a  "week-day  chnrcli."  while  all  should  attend  the  Sunday 
services  at  the  Iiiiinanucl  ('liurdi.  as  fi)nnri-ly,  or  that  it  be  tui'n('(t  into 
a  refuge  for  the  needy.  Neither  suggestion  was  agreed  to.  The  breach 
widened,  and  the  trend  was  in  the  direction  of  a  separate  church,  with 
or  without  any  such  intention  on  the  jiart  of  those  involved.  The 
primary  purpose  had  been  to  hold  evangelistic  meetings  in  the  spirit 
of  the  "Readers'  meetings"  in  the  old  country;  to  this  was  added 
the  secondary  one  of  missionating  and  biiilding  vip  a  society  or  congre- 
gation of  true  believers  only,  patterned  after  the  mission  societies  in 
Sweden.  At  this  jimctm-e  a  certain  lawyer  inquired  whether  any 
legal  organization  had  been  affected.  Being  instructed  by  him  as  to 
the  necessity  and  advantage  of  such  organization,  the  adherents  of  the 
movement  proceeded  to  organize,  adopting  the  name  of  The  Swedish 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Missionary  Association  of  Chicago.  The  next 
question  raised  was  that  of  "recording"  or  incorporating  the  associa- 
tion, which  was  also  done.  A  Swedish  newspaper  now  propounded  the 
question,  what  was  the  spirit  and  tendency  of  the  so-called  Mission 
Friends,  and  in  its  next  issue  answered  by  stating  categorically  that 
they  were  "un-Lutberan,  unchurchly  and  unchristian."  At  a  meeting 
of  Mission  Friends  held  in  Princeton  in  the  fall  of  1869  two  brethren, 
Peterson  and  Hedenschoug,  were  selected  to  call  upon  the  ministerium 
of  the  Augustana  Synod  for  a  correction  of  that  uncharitable  state- 
ment. The  onus  was  then  thrown  upon  a  certain  editor  employed  on 
the  newspaper  who,  in  resigning  his  position  shortly  afterward,  gave 
it  out  that  certain  clergymen  were  responsible  for  the  article  in 
question. 

The  association  thus  formed  for  a  time  existed  as  an  organization 
within  the  Innnanuel  Church.  It  had  a  board  of  ten  or  twelve  directors, 
its  first  set  of  officers  being  ]Martin  Sundin.  president;  Olof  Anderson, 
secretary,  and  S.  Samuelson,  treasurer,  and  the  total  membership  in 
the  association  during  the  first  month  of  its  existence  probably  did 
not  exceed  a  score.  C.  J.  Lindahl,  the  first  preacher  engaged  by  the 
association,  was  a  brother  of  Rev.  S.  P.  A.  Lindahl  of  the  Augustana 
Synod,  and  had  previously  been  in  the  service  of  the  Swedish  Lutherans 
of  Chicago  as  city  missionary,  but  was  discharged  on  the  ground  of 
"hyper-evangelical"  tendencies.     Lindahl.   who   was   engaged  by  the 


.S86 


THE    MISSION   CHIRCH 


association  in  February,  1869,  remaiiit'd  only  a  few  months  in  its 
sf>rvice,  subsequently  going  over  to  the  Lutheran  General  Synod  to 
serve  as  its  missionary  among  the  Swedish  people.  Liuilahl  was  suc- 
ceeded in  the  summer  of  186il  b\-  J.  M.  Sanngren.  the  first  regular 
])astor  of  this  flock. 

AVlien  tlie  mission  society  h;iil  taken  the  decisive  step,  separating 
from  the  chin'ch  and  t'dundinir  an  independent  congregation,  one  of 
its  fii-st  cares  was  how  lo  olitain  a  I'cgnlarly  ordained  pastor.  After 
sonic  trepidation  as  to  the  propriety  of  celebrating  the  holy  communion 
withiiut  till'  services  of  a  minister,  tiie  society  had  accepted  the 
Jiucharist  at  the  hands  of  Sanngren.  but  while  they  held  him  competent 
as  a  layman  to  administer  the  sacraments,  there  was  still  a  ditferenee 
of  opinion  among  the  members  as  to  whether  ordination  by  a  clergy- 
ni;in  of  tlic  cliurch  was  a  prei'equisite  for  exercising  the  functions  of 
tlie  apostolic  ministry.  At  its  incorporation  the  societj-  was  invested 
with  authority  to  license  preachers,  and  the  first  four  to  be  licensed 
were  its  own  preachers,  Sanngren  and  J.  Peterson,  and.  at  the  request 
of  other  societies,  ('.  A.  Bjork  and  II.  Uloni.  Others  who  shortly  after 
were  given  their  licenses  were:  V.  P.  ^lellgren.  P.  AVcdin  and  ('.  J. 
Magnuson.  But  thai  a  inci-e  license,  granted  by  the  civil  authorities. 
was  (piite  different  fi'om  tlie  biblical  consecration  for  the  holy  ministry, 
was  clearly  realized,  and  soon  all  were  agrceil  that  to  come  into  the 
full  exercise  of  ministerial  functions  tiie  preacher  should  l)e  con- 
secrated 1)\'  prayers  and  the  laying  on  of  hands,  without  agreeing, 
however,  as  to  who  was  the  proper  person  to  perform  this  act. 

For  light  on  this  mooted  question  the  New  Testament  as  well  as 
tile  writings  of  Luthci-  and  Rosenius  were  consulted.  The  latter 
authorities  were  found  to  sui)port  the  position  that  the  consecration 
of  men  to  the  miiiistr\'  is  the  function  of  ordained  ministers.  These 
writers  being  held  in  high  esteem  by  all  the  brethren,  no  om'  ventured 
to  o|)pose  them,  altiiougii  several  differed  with  them  on  tills  point.  Tiie 
outcome  was.  that  the  !\lissio!i  Society  of  ("hit-ago  tlii-ough  ('.  Anderson, 
a  Danish  pasloi-  lichniiriiitr  to  tin-  l,uihci-an  Synod  of  Northern  Illinois, 
j)etitioned  foi- .).  .M.  Saiingrcn"s  ordination  by  that  body.  The  request 
was  granted,  and  accordingly,  at  a  special  meeting  of  the  society. 
Sanngren  was  by  llic  said  synod  oi-daiinMl  to  tiic  ministry  of  the  gospel.* 
The  (|uestioii  of  "apostolic  snceession"  having  been  thus  settled,  so  far 
as  the  society  was  coiwerned.  ('.  A.  Hjiirk  was  ordained  by  Sanngren 
in  1870  aiiii  tiic  same  order  has  been  subsequently  followed. 

Traveling  mi.ssionaries.  supported  by  this  church,  were  sent  out 
to  (iilT'crcnt  pai-ts  of  the  country  to  ]ireaeh.  iiududing  the  aforesaid 
John     I'clcrson.    jind     Ihrongh    tiieir    elVorts    or    independently    little 


nownlan:      NnHHionHvUlint-ritii  i   Anu-rikii. 


CHICAGO 


587 


gi\)Ul).s  lit'  .Missiiiii  l''ricnils  spniiii;'  up  in  variniis  loi^alitics,  such  as 
PriiK'ctdii  jiiid  (ialcslmr^-.  111..  Swcilc  I'.cinl.  KcnUuk  and  Des  IMoinns, 
la.,  St.  Paul  and  ]\Iiiiiieapoli.s.  .Minn.,  and  elsewhere. 

The  llissioii  Chureh  on  the  nm-lh  side,  which  dates  its  iiulcpendent 
existence  from  the  early  pari  of  ISfif),  i)rospered  and  finished  its  house 
of  worshij)  in  a  short  lime,  hut  liardly  liad  tliis  liecn  done  when  the 
great  fire  of  1871  swept  it  away.  The  mi'mbers  wei'e  now  scattei-i  d 
in  all  directions,  tlu'  majority  taking  refuge  on  the  west  side.  There 
they  were  shell ered  in  a  schoolhouse,  together  with  othei-  refugees  of 
all  nationalities.  John  I'etei'son  was  appointed  (juartermaster  for  tliis 
aggregation  of  luuigry  and  ill-clad  fire  sufferers,  who  were  furnishetl 
food  and  clothing  by  the  relief  committee.  Scrupulou.sly  avoiding 
every  suspicion  of  selfishness  or  mismanagement,  Peterson  would  not 
appropriate  a  single  thread  of  clothing  for  his  own  use,  but  turned  to 
his  personal  friend  D.  L.  lloody,  who  had  charge  of  a  relief  station 
near  by.  for  what  he  needed  for  himself.  [Moody  regretted  to  say  that 
he  came  too  late,  all  his  supplies  having  been  exhausted  the  day  before. 
"But."  said  he.  "I  have  here  an  old  coat  from  a  Catholic  priest,  if  you 
eare  to  take  it."  Grateful  for  any  favor.  Peterson  donned  the  garment 
and  returned  to  his  party.  There  he  was  at  once  surrounded  by 
Catholic  women  who  called  him  "Father"  and  implored  him  to 
administer  the  sacraments  to  them.  He  refused  tlu'iii  on  the  ground 
of  not  being  a  priest,  but  they  were  insistent  in  their  prayers,  and  as 
against  the  silent  testimony  of  that  coat  no  arguments  could  convince 
them  of  their  mistake.  When  Peterson  shortly  afterward  was  sent  to 
preach  in  Des  iloines  that  long,  black,  ecclesiastical  garment  so  shocked 
the  free  church  friends  there  that  they  ushered  him  post  haste  to  a 
clothier's  shop  and  bought  liim  a  coat  of  more  "evangelical"  cut. 

After  the  fire,  the  Mission  Friends  at  first  held  their  meetings 
in  a  rented  church  on  the  south  side,  but  bent  their  et¥oi'ts  toward 
rebuilding  the  mission  house  on  the  north  side.  When,  after  a  few 
months  spent  in  Des  Moines.  Peterson  returned  to  Chicago,  he  was 
engaged  to  solicit  funds  for  a  new  edifice.  Tn  the  short  jieriod  of  six 
weeks  he  raised  $2,600.  C.  A.  Bjork,  who  had  begun  jireaching  in 
Swede  Bend.  la.,  came  to  his  assistance  and  succeeded  in  raising 
.$4,000  more.  With  these  funds  a  new  and  more  commodious  mission 
hoiise  was  reared  on  the  site  of  the  first.  Rev.  Sanngren  continued  in 
charge  of  the  chureh  from  1869  till  1877,  when  he  was  succeeded  by 
Rev.  Bjork.  He  served  the  church  for  a  period  of  seventeen  years, 
until  February.  1895,  when  he  was  required  to  devote  his  entire  time 
to  his  duties  as  president  of  the  Covenant.  His  successor  was  Rev. 
August  Pohl.  who  resigned  in  1899.  The  next  permanent  pastor  was 
Rev.  K.  F.  Ohlson.  who  was  in  charge  from  Mav.  1900.  till  the  end  of 


588 


THK    MISSION    cm  RCII 


the  year  1903.     Rev.  F.  il.  Johnson,  the  present  pastor,  succeeded  to 

the  pastorate  Jan.  1.  1904. 

The  .splendid  edifice  in  which  the  congregation  now  worships  was 
dedicated  in  December,  1887.  The  lots  which  it  occupies  were  pur- 
chased in  1886  for  $10,000  anil  the  same  year  ground  was  broken  for 
tlic   new   stnicturi'.    wliii-li    w;is   c(iini>]i'tcd    ;ind    t"iiriii-<licd    at   a    ''ost    of 


Tlif  Swdli.sli    -Mi^-Mwii  Cluiuii.   Uili.ii 


$3r).000.     A  parsonage  also  was  Imilt,  ami  thf  iiroperly  of  the  congre- 
gation is  valued  at  !|;(;o.(Ml(). 

SiliiuhancMiusl.v  with  thai  uii  llie  iioi'tli  side,  tin'  .Mission  Krii'lids 
started  ;i  mnvemeiil  mi  the  sontli  side.  Meetings  were  held  in  a  liall 
on  Areliei'  avenue  milil  after  Kev.  K.  A.  SUogshergh  hail  been  called 
from  Sweden  to  labor  in  this  field,  when  the  attendance  reaebetl  a 
|i(iiii1  wliei'e  il  w.'is  roiiiiil  necessary  to  make  olbei*  arrangements. 
I"'nnds  Were  secnred  llirougli  SUogsbergh 's  elVorls  and  in  the  summer 
of  1S7S  !i  tabernacle  measuring  !l(l  by  70  feet  was  ereeti'd  on  a  piece 
of  grouml  ciiiiiiii-ising  lliri I'diiiary  building  lots. 


JOHAN'     MAC.NIS    SANNORHN 


589 


Rev.    Johan    Magnus    Sanngren 

.(oliaii  ilagiuis  Sanngren  was  born  in  Alshcda  parish,  Smaland, 
Sweden.  July  4.  1837.  He  remained  on  his  father's  farm  until  the  age 
of  twenty,  when  after  his  eonvcrsion  he  entered  Hev.  Ahlherg's 
si'ininai-y  at  ^Milsliorg,  Smaland.  lie  pi-earhed  while  a  sliideiit.  and 
after  having  finished  the  course  of  instrviction,  he  labored  fruit  fully 
for  five  years  as  a  preacher  in  his  native  province.  In  1S(;,S  he 
emigrated,  reaching  Chicago  in  September.  Appearing  in  ihc  puliiit 
of  the  Innnanuel  Church,  he  impressed  favorably  those  not  cDutented 
with  the  average  Augustaua  minister.  After  having  lived  for  a  short 
period  in  Altona.  and  preached  in  the  Lutheran  churches  roundabout, 
Sanngren  was  called  to  the  newly  organized  mission  society  in  Chicago, 
which,  upon  its  subsequent   organization   as  the   North   Side    Mission 


Rev.  Joliaii  Magnus  Sanngren 


Church,  retained  him  as  its  pastor  until  the  year  1S77.  Seeking  to  im- 
jirove  his  impaired  health  by  a  change  of  climate,  he  removed  to  Red 
Wing.  Minn.,  in  the  fall  of  that  year,  upon  a  call  to  the  local  ^Mission 
Church.  Here  his  condition  grew  worse,  and  after  a  period  of  confine- 
ment to  the  sick-bed  Rev.  Sanngren  passed  from  this  life  Sept.  2fi,  1878, 
survived  by  his  wife  and  son. 

Sanngren  Avas  a  pioneer  of  the  ^lission  church  movement  in  this 
country  and  the  first  regular  pastor  of  the  first  organized  church  of 
that  denomination.  When  the  Mission  Synod  was  organized  in  1873, 
Sanngren  was  chosen  its  head,  and  held  the  presidency  luitil  his  death. 
At  the  synodical  meeting  in  Bethesda.  Saunders  county.  Xeb..  in  May. 


590 


THE    MISSION    CHIRCH 


1878,  lie  preach  Avliat  proved  to  be  his  farewell  sennou  to  the  chureh 
body  he  had  so  faithfully  served. 

Sanngren  has  been  described  as  a  man  of  rich  gifts  but  of  peculiar 
temperament  and  odd  manners  in  the  pulpit.  He  often  spiced  his 
sermons  with  a  dash  of  humor  and  punctuated  them  with  violent 
gesticulation.  Some  would  take  offense  at  his  manner  and  reject  the 
course  on  account  of  the  dish  in  which  it  was  served.  Far  from  defend- 
ing his  eccentricities,  he  regi-etted  them,  but  as  they  were  tempera- 
mental, he  striv(<l  in  ^aiii  tn  overcome  these  faults.  But  he  was  sincere 
and  free  from  affectation,  and  those  who  knew  him  best  lost  sight  of 
his  shortcomings  in  their  ajjprcciation  of  his  worth.  If  the  pulpit 
hiiuiorist  drew  smiles  from  liis  hearers,  it  was  apiiarently  without 
intent,  for  the  next  moment  he  would  hurl  a  thiuiderbolt  of  divine 
truth  with  a  vigor  th;i1  bcspol^c  intense  sei-iousness. 

Rev.  John  A.  Peterson 

John  A.  Peterson,  one  of  the  first  iireachers  among  the  Mission 
Friends  in  tliis  country,  was  born  March  24.  18-SS.  in  Ljiniga  jtarish. 
Smaland.  Sweden.     In  his  inl'Miiey  he  lost  his  mother  by  death.     After 


Riv.  Jnliii   .\.    IVlelsoil 

allending  edininoii  school,  he  was  appi'eiil  ii'ed  to  a  shoemaker  at  four- 
teen years  of  age  and  at  nineteen  began  to  ]>\y  that  trade  on  his  own 
account.  lie  was  converled  at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  In  ISti'J  he 
removed  to  Svenarnm,  when'  he  was  married  to  Anna  Sofia  Asp.  After 
two  years  they  moM-d  to  .irnik('>|)ing  where  Peterson  ojiened  a  shoe-shop. 
He  was  now-  called   liy  Ihe  .Mission  Society  of  .liiidviipini;  to  aid  in   its 


i:rik  ai  gist  skogsbkrc.ii 


591 


worlc  tliroiiRli  preachiiii,''  and  c-iilj)ortair(^  <>!'  ivIiLndiis  IhidUs  and  tracts. 
In  April,  1808,  Peterson  emigi-ated  witli  Ins  family,  and  reaehed 
Chicago  Jlay  20tli.  Here  lie  took  a  iii-oiiiineiit  part  in  the  woi-k  of  the 
Mission  Friends,  then  reeenti\'  ix'tiini.  and  he  holds  an  hnnnred  place 
among  the  early  preachers  of  the  ^lission  Church  in  ('hicago.  Respond- 
ing to  a  call  from  I)es  ^loines,  la.,  Peterson  removed  from  Chicago  in 
the  fall  of  1871.  shortly  after  the  fire.  ITe  served  as  pastor  of  the 
Mission  Church  of  Des  Moines  for  a  jici-iod  of  eight  years  with  un- 
qualified success.  His  next  removal  was  to  the  Salem  Chui'ch.  a  country 
congregation  in  liurt  comity.  Nebraska,  which  remained  in  his  charge 
for  twenty-four  years.  "With  his  wife  he  is  now  living  in  the  city  of 
Oakland,  while  his  sons  arc  cultivating  a  farm  owned  by  him  in  the 
same  county.  He  resigned  the  pastorate  several  years  ago,  hut  con- 
tinues to  preach  occasionally.  Rev.  Peterson  is  revered  as  one  of  the 
fathers  of  the  ^Mission  Church,  to  which  he  has  given  the  best  eifoi'ts 
of  a  long  and  useful  life.  He  has  been  a  member  of  the  directors  of 
the  ^Mission  Covenant  and  was  often  called  to  offices  of  honor  and 
trust  in  the  various  branches  of  its  activity. 


U 


Rev.  EriK   August   SKog'sberg'li 

In  1876  the  ^Mission  Friends  of  Chicago  and  clscMiiere  were  stirred 
to  religious  activity  as  never  before.  chieHy  by  the  virile  evangelistic 
work  of  one  man — Rev.  Erik  August  Skogsbergh.  He  had  just  come 
over  from  Sweden  to  assist  Rev.  Sanngren,  but  soon  became  the  leading 
factor  in  a  notable  revival.  Skogsbergh.  who  was  born  at  Elga.  Verm- 
land,  June  30,  1850.  and  was  pursuing  .studies  at  Jonkoping  when  called 
to  Chicago,  took  up  the  Avork  here  with  a  will  and  energy  remarkable 
in  so  young  a  man.  His  fir.st  sermon  in  Chicago  was  preached  on  the 
day  of  his  arrival.  Oct.  10.  1876.  AVith  a  burning  zeal  for  the  salvation 
of  men's  souls,  he  at  once  kindled  his  hearers,  and  people  went  to  hear 
this  "Swedish  Moody"  in  ever  growing  numbei-s.  Skogsbergh  proved 
both  a  preaching  and  a  singing  evangelist,  who  wielded  a  twofold 
influence  over  his  audiences. 

He  was  assigned  a  field  on  the  south  side,  where  the  north  side 
church  had  conducted  a  mission  siuee  1871.  From  there  the  revival 
resulting  from  Skogsbergh 's  sermons  and  songs  spread  to  the  north 
side.  From  the  mission  a  separate  congregation  was  soon  formed, 
named  the  Tabernacle  Chi;rch.  and  Skogsbergh  became  its  pastor.  The 
mission-house  having  become  inadequate,  a  large  structure,  known  as 
the  Mission  Tabernacle,  was  erected  in  1877.  where  Skogsbergh  con- 
tinued to  preach  to  large  audiences  for  upwards  of  eight  years.  His 
reputation  meanwhile  spread  to  the  other  mission  churches,  and  dui-ing 
the  same  period  he  was  in  constant  demand  for  evangelistic  work  in 


592 


THE    MISSION    CHIRCH 


other  fields.  In  January,  1884.  he  removed  to  Minneapolis  and  his 
labors  there  as  pastor  of  the  Taheriiacle  Church  for  almost  a  quarter 
centurv  have  been  ridily  ble.ssed.    He  there  founded  a  school  of  which 


Nortii  I'lirk  ('oHc^fc  in  ( 'liii'ii;;(i  is  a  rdntiiuiation,  and  suiisei|uiMil  Id 
the  removal  of  this  institution  he  has  iieen  en^aKcd  in  educational  work 
at   .M  inneapnlis,      .\s  a    pn-acln'r  anil   relij;i(iiis   leader  Sko^rsberjrli    for 


i 


I 


GALESBIRG  593 

thirty  years  lias  held  a  pri'-emineiit  position  in  tlie  Mission  Churcli  of 
the  United  States. 

TKe   Mission   Movement  in   Galesburg 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Ciuireli  of  (ialrsiiurg  liail  been  organized 
with  some  difi'ienlty,  and  formed  from  rather  heterogeneous  elements. 
Part  of  the  membership  consisted  of  persons  of  free  ehurc-h  tendencies 
fi-om  Sweden,  who  had  been  fostered  among  the  Readers  and  mission 
societies  in  the  old  country.  Hasselquist,  its  first  permanent  pastor, 
made  concessions  to  this  element.  This  church  did  not  as  a  wiiolc 
sanction  the  act  of  the  Swedish  Lutherans  in  leaving  the  Synod  of 
Northern  Illinois  to  form  the  Augustana  Sj'uod.  When  Hasselquist 
was  succeeded  by  Dahlsten  in  1863,  the  services  became  too  ritualistic 
to  suit  the  liberalists,  who  now  began  to  gather  in  private  for  devotional 
services  led  by  laymen.  Among  the  initiators  was  S.  W.  Sundberg. 
"Warnings  against  the  separatists  did  not  have  the  desired  effect,  and 
the  active  opposition  of  the  pastor  seemed  rather  to  hasten  actual 
separation.  The  feud  continued  for  several  years,  not  without  un- 
charitable bitterness  on  both  sides.  To  the  annual  convention  of  the 
Augustana  Synod  in  1868  the  congregation  sent  through  its  lay  delegate 
a  protest  again.st  the  ritualistic  order  of  services  prescribed  by  the 
synod  and  certain  other  regulations  not  conforming  to  the  ideas  of  this 
church.  One  of  its  demands  was  that  the  lay  delegate  should  be 
admitted  to  the  closed  session  of  the  ministerium.  Rev.  Hasselquist 
and  one  or  two  other  pastors  were  sent  to  Galesburg  to  reprimand 
the  rebellious  church  and  admonish  it  to  remain  true  to  Lutheran 
doctrines  and  usages.  All  but  about  40  members  submitted,  and  no 
further  action  was  taken  at  the  time. 

About  this  time  a  lay  preacher  named  Bergenskold,  who  had  been 
educated  at  the  Fjellstedt  school  in  Upsala  and  served  as  preacher  at 
Count  Staekelberg's  factory  in  Ofverum,  came  to  Galesburg.  His 
friends  asked  that  he  might  be  allowed  to  preach  occasionally  in  the 
church,  but  when  the  pastor  refused  him  his  pulpit,  Bergenskold 's 
friends,  several  of  whom  were  on  the  board  of  deacons,  arranged  private 
devotional  services,  led  by  Bergenskold.  Alarmed  by  the  spread  of  the 
"New  Evangelism"  in  his  church,  the  pastor  called  in  Hasselquist. 
Carlsson  of  Chicago  and  Swensson  of  Andover.  who  administered  a 
second  reprimand. 

In  August  five  deacons  and  several  other  members  met  for  counsel 
in  the  home  of  Olof  Johnson,  the  Sunday  school  superintendent,  Ber- 
genskold being  absent.  Johnson  declared  the  situation  intolerable 
and  announced  his  decision  to  leave  the  church.  Others  shared  his 
vie^\■s.  and  then  and  there  it  was   I'csolved  to  form  a  mission  society 


594 


Till-;    MISSION    CHI  RCH 


modeled  on  those  in  Sweden.  The  organization  took  place  at  a  sub- 
sequent meeting,  when  about  forty  persons  signed  for  membership. 
A.  hall  was  procured,  where  Berfrciiskiild  imw  preached  regularly. 

The  need  of  a  legally  inc()r])()ratcd  rliurch  and  a  regularly 
ordained  minister  was  soon  felt.  Bergenskijld  was  only  a  lay  preacher, 
who  had  no  inclination  to  .iniii  any  particular  dfiioniination.  Many  of 
tlic  new  socictv  still  felt  kiiidlv  toward  the  Sviiod  nf  N'drthcrii  llliiiois. 


Rev.  S.  \V.  Siiiiilbi-rj; 


and  favored  joining  that  Ixxly  .-ind  calling  the  aforementioned  Hcv. 
Carl  Anderson  as  their  pastor.  The  proposition  aiul  call  were  sub- 
mitted in  November,  at  the  synodical  convention,  anti  after  the  society 
had  adopted  the  confession  and  constitution  of  the  synod  it  joined  that 
body  under  the  name  of  the  Second  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of 
(ialcsliiirg.  Kcv.  .\iidcrsoii,  after  having  been  duly  elected,  succcedi'd 
111  tlic  pastorate  u|iiin  Hergenskold's  dc|)arturi>  for  Iowa  in  .\pril,  ISti!). 
.\t  first  the  eimi'eh  held  strictly  to  the  p\n-ily  rule,  but  after  join- 
iiiL'  the  synod  it  beeaiiie  more  la.\  in  the  admission  of  members.  Years 
of  coiitiiit  ion  orj  this  point  followeil  and  not  nntil  alter  the  year  187li. 
wlh'n  lu'v.  .1.  (i.  Sjiiipiisl  assumed  pastoral  eharge,  was  any  cfTcetivc 
attempt  made  to  weed  out  the  worldly-minded  nu'nd>ers.  This  process 
was  (Munplcted  by  his  successor.  Hcv.  iv  (!.  Iljerpc,  whose  eflforls 
rcsidtcd  in  the  ex|iulsioii  of  many.  This  church,  iU)W  known  as  the 
Mission  ('Iniri-h  of  Calesburg,  is  the  second  oldest  in  the  denomination. 
Shortly  alter   liev.   .Anderson's  succession   to  the  pastiU'ate  in   lS(i!),  ii 


CAR],   ANDERSON  5^5 

building  lot  was  purfhasfd  for  ifJl.L'dO.  on  wliii-h  a  church  edifice  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  about  $1U,0U0.    Tliis  iiuilding  is  the  one  still  in  use. 

Rev.  Carl    Anderson 

Rev.  Anderson  was  a  man  af  more  than  ordinary  ability.  His 
American  education  and  his  familiarity  with  conditions  in  this  country 
placed  him  in  the  forefront  of  the  Scandinavian  churchmen  of  his 
period.  In  1871,  Mhile  pastor  in  Galesburg.  he  started  a  church  paper, 
"Zious  Ranei'. "'  which  for  a  time  was  the  mouthpiece  of  the  ^lission 
Friends  and  did  nuich  to  advance  their  interests.  Later  it  chauged  its 
tone  and  became  an  advocate  of  the  jilans  and  interests  of  the  General 
Synod  and  )uore  especially  the  Synod  of  Xorthern  Illinois  anent  the 
Scaiulinavians.  Prior  thereto.  Anderson's  pajier  had.  however,  earned 
the  thanks  of  the  ilission  Friends  as  the  first  to  champion  their  cause. 

The  proposal  to  organize  the  mission  societies  or  churches  into  a 
general  body  originated  with  Anderson.  His  secondary  purpose  was 
to  make  the  new  organization  a  part  of  the  General  S>niod.  but  finding 
this  idea  unpopidar  among  the  brethren,  he  declared  his  willingness 
to  aid  in  forming  an  independent  .synod  of  the  ^lission  Friends.  When 
some  such  measure  was  proposed  at  a  meeting  in  Princeton  in  July, 
1871,  action  was  deferred  for  fear  that  it  would  lead  to  a  worldly 
church. 

In  1S73,  after  having  lost  jiart  of  his  prestige  among  the  ilission 
Friends.  Anderson  left  Galesburg  for  Keokuk,  la.,  where  a  Swedish 
church  of  the  Synod  of  Xorthern  Illinois  had  been  established  in  1870. 
Here  he  started  a  school  for  the  training  of  preachers,  which  was  the 
forerunner  of  Ansgarius  College  in  Knoxville. 

TKe    Mission   Church   of  Princeton 

The  beginning'  of  the  mission  church  at  Princeton  was  a  family 
named  Lundholm.  man  and  wife,  who  arrived  there  in  1867.  They 
began  missionating  among  their  comitrymen  after  the  manner  of  the 
Readers  of  Sweden,  to  whom  they  had  belonged,  thereby  gathering  a 
little  group  of  persons  who  later  imited  into  a  mission  society.  In  the 
fall  of  the  next  year.  C.  P.  ]\Iellgreu,  a  lay  preacher,  arrived.  He  was 
born  at  Torpa.  Smaland.  ^larch  7.  1836.  Converted  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one,  he  began  to  testify  in  intimate  circles  of  the  faithful  and 
was  a  few  years  later  assigned  as  eolporteiu-  by  the  Sunnerbo  Mission 
Society.  He  labored  as  such  for  six  years  jirior  to  his  emigration. 
After  his  coming  to  Princeton,  where  he  was  dependent  on  the  labor 
of  his  own  hands  for  his  support,  he  contiiuied  preaching,  meetings 
being  usually   conducted   in   a   s<'hoo] house   outside  the   city.     On   the 


596  THE    MISSION    CHURCH 

14tli  of  December,  1868,  there  was  organized  a  mission  society  of  -iO 
members,  which  in  1871  was  incorporated  as  a  church.  The  second 
general  meeting  of  tlie  various  mission  societies  was  held  in  Princeton 
in  the  fall  of  1869,  the  first  having  taken  place  in  Chicago  in  July  of 
the  same  year. 

While  in  Princeton.  ]\Icllgrcn  extended  his  labors  to  other  places 
in  lllinoi-s,  including  Altona.  Gencsco,  Galesburg  and  others.  He  often 
undertook  long  missionary  journeys  to  Minnesota,  Iowa,  Missouri  and 
Kansas.  In  1873  he  removed  to  Osage  Citj'.  Kans.,  where  he  ha.s  ever 
since  resided.  His  successor  was  P.  Wedin,  boi-n  at  Agunnaryd.  Sma- 
land,  March  1.  1835,  died  in  Aurora.  Xeb..  April  11,  19(t7.  Wedin  came 
to  Princeton  direct  from  Sweden  in  1870.  and  at  first  obtained  work 
on  the  railroad.  He  preached  on  occasion,  prior  to  Mellgren's  leaving, 
and  sul)sc(nirnlly  filled  his  place  for  seven  years,  during  which  time 
the  Mission  church  flourished,  and  became  one  of  the  strongest  of  the 
early  ones  of  the  denomination.  Wedin  was  engaged  for  several  years 
as  traveling  missionary  of  the  ilission  Synod,  and  during  that  period 
preached  the  gospel  throughout  the  country  from  coast  to  coast. 

Wedin  ojiposed  the  organization  of  the  Mission  Covenant  in  1885. 
demanding  a  strict  and  clearly  defined  confession  in  place  of  the  one 
proposed.  Yet,  when  the  Mission  Synod  to  which  he  belonged  vir- 
tually joined  the  Covenant  in  a  body,  Wedin  automatically  became  a 
member,  but  withdrew  from  his  former  brethren  and  for  a  short  tinu> 
was  a  member  of  the  Augustana  Synod.  During  his  last  years  he  be- 
longed to  no  cliurch  body,  but  continued  to  jireach  to  little  bands  of 
followers  ;i1  pliiccs  in  Texas.  Kansas  and  Nebraska,  where  he  lived. 

The   RocRford   Field 

A  little  groiij)  of  Jlission  Friends  in  Rockford  were  wont  to  hold 
private  meetings  there  as  early  as  1868.  The  same  year  P.  Undeen 
canu!  tlierc  from  Sweden  and  went  to  work  for  a  neighboring  farmiT. 
mcanwliile  forming  the  ac(|uaitit;uice  of  these  people  and  eventually 
becoming  llicii-  |ire;iclier.  While  working  as  a  painter  in  tiie  city,  he 
acted  as  ])aslor  of  tlie  little  Hock,  which  was  not  formally  organized 
as  a  church  \inlil  1875.  The  first  man  to  devote  himself  exclusively  tn 
the  charge  of  this  rlniich  was  Rev.  I*.  .1.  Lindell. 

TIndeen.  who  was  in  a  wii.v  Ihe  founder  of  this  church,  was  born 
!it  rndeiiiis.  X'estcrgiitland.  Aug.  13,  1S;{5.  He  is  known  to  have  al- 
Iciidiil  !u\.  .Milberg's  seminary  prior  to  18(i5,  whereupon  lie  workcil 
in  Veriiihiiiil  and  elsewhei-e  ;is  a  Hii)le  colporteur  aiul  lay  preacluT  in 
the  serviei-  ol'  l-lvangeliska  l"'nsliTlandsstif1elsen.  After  the  loss  of  his 
wife,  whom  he  married  in  1S()6.  he  piii'sued  studies  at  the  same  seiiool 


K 


THI';    MISSION    SYNOD 


597 


t'ltr  aiKitlii'r  year  pridC  to  liis  eiiiigriitioii.  Engaged  as  a  ti'aveling  mis- 
sionary by  the  first  conference  of  Mission  Friends.  I'lidcen  soon  after 
entered  tlie  service  of  the  General  Synod  of  the  American  Lutherans, 
and  was  ordained  by  that  body  in  1870.  The  change  is  thought  to  have 
been  prompted  by  lack  of  support  from  tlie  ^lission  Clunvli.  He  re- 
moved to  Swift  county.  Minnesota,  and  liis  labors  in  the  nortlnvest 
bore  rich  fruit.  The  founding  of  the  Mission  churches  in  Red  Wing  and 
Minneapolis,  as  also  in  Lmid.  AVis.,  is  credited  to  his  efforts.  Undeen 
joined  in  organizing  the  ^lission  Synod  in  1873,  and  devoted  his  last 
years  to  the  service  of  that  body.  He  passed  away  at  Lund.  Wis., 
Feb.  9.  1876.  ' 

TKe    Svv^edish   Lutheran    Mission   Synod 

As  the  movenu'iit  grew  and  groups  of  ]\Iission  Fi'icnds  were 
formed  in  various  Swedish  localities,  the  need  of  union  and  co-operation 
became  apparent,  and  at  a  meeting  held  at  Princeton  in  1871,  it  was 
proposed  to  unite  all  ^Mission  Friends  in  a  synod,  the  initiative  being 
taken  by  the  North  Side  [Mission  Church.  Acting  on  the  suggestion, 
a  little  groxii)  of  preachers  and  la.^■men  met  at  Keokuk.  Iowa,  and  on 
May  22,  1873,  organized  the  Swedisli  Evangelical  Lutheran  ]\[ission 
Synod.  On  the  same  day  the  synod  was  incorporated  under  the  laws 
of  the  state  of  Iowa,  the  incorporators  being  the  following  five  persons: 
Peter  Euglund.  Charles  Anderson.  C.  G.  Svenson.  S.  "W.  Sundberg  and 
C.  A.  Bjork.  Of  these.  Englund.  Svenson  and  Bjcirk  were  elected 
trustees  for  the  first  year.  In  the  articles  of  incorporation  the  ob.jeet 
and  business  of  the  organization  was  stated  to  be:  "To  organize  and 
govern  churches,  to  educate  and  ordain  ministers  of  the  Gospel,  to 
promote  the  cause  of  home  and  foreign  missions,  to  hold  synodical 
meetings  in  the  state  of  Iowa  and  elsewhere  in  the  LTnited  States,  and 
to  promote  the  preaching  of  the  Gospel  therein."  In  all  matters  speci- 
fied in  the  articles  of  incorporation  the  .synod  was  to  be  governed  by  the 
constitution  adopted.  In  Art.  II  of  said  constitution,  the  s.vnod  pro- 
claimed its  adherence  not  only  to  the  three  oldest  Symbola.  the 
Apostolic,  the  Nicene  and  the  Athanasian,  but  also  to  the  Aiigsbiirg 
Confession,  thereby  affirming  allegiance  to  the  Lutheran  Church  in 
principle.  By  way  of  reassurance,  the  last  article  stipulated  that  said 
Art.  II  was  to  stand  unaltered  forever.  The  rein-esentation  at  the 
synodical  meetings  was  to  be  by  delegations  of  three,  the  minister  and 
two  la,v  members,  from  each  and  every  congregation  having  adopted 
the  synod's  constitution. 

Subsequent  events  in  the  Mission  Synod  may  be  briefly  sum- 
marized. In  1874  the  synod  began  publishing  a  religious  monthly, 
called    "Missions-Wannen,"    patterned    after    "Pietisten."    published 


598 


THH   MISSION   CH(  RCH 


iu  SwodL'ii  l>y  V.  U.  Jiusciiius.  a  paper  extensively  read  by  tlie  Devo- 
tionalists  in  the  old  country.  Later  a  songbook.  entitled  "Samlings- 
sanger, "  was  published,  whieh  was  in  general  use  throughout  the 
synod  for  a  nunil)er  of  years.  At  the  synodieal  mei'ting  of  1870.  held 
in  Chicago  -May  27th  to  June  2ud,  it  was  reconuiiended  that  the  in- 
dividual congregations  adopt  the  plans  and  i)ractiees  of  chureh  gov- 
eriiinent  prevailing  in  tlic  ^Mission  Covenant  of  Sweden.     At  this  same 


Rev.  Carl  A.  Bjork 

nii-cliiif,'  the  (•iiiiticil  (iT  I  lie  .\iisgariiis  Symul.  a  Swi'dish  church  or- 
ganization similar  to  the  .Mission  Synod,  tiic  cliicf  tlilVcrcncc  lit>ing 
the  hitter's  greati-r  i'l-ccdoiii  in  i-ccciving  nicinlxTs.  prnpuscd  a  union  of 
the  two  synods.  .\  pl.in  ol'  unioii.  Imscd  on  Ihc  constitution  and  l>y-iaws 
of  the  Mission  Coveniml  in  Swcih'o  and  ci>nditionc<l  on  the  dissolution 
of  both  .synods,  was  laid  on  the  tabic  alter  some  discussion,  the  matter 
being  postponed  on  the  ground  tli.il  I  lie  lime  was  not  yet  ripe  for  such 
a  step. 

In  IMS]  the  'r.iliernaile  Cliureli  on  the  south  siilc  in  Chicago 
withdrew  lidiii  lln'  .Mission  S\  nod.  This  action  was  Ihc  result  of 
agitation    against    all    t'oniis    of    or^rani/at  ion    or    federation    of    local 


:4 


Till'.    ANSCARIfS    SVNOn  ^gg 

congregations  or  societies  into  larger  elniich  liddics.  those  iiolding 
this  view  maintaining  that  sueh  organizations  are  (-onti-ary  to  l)il)lical 
preeept  and  endanger  and  liain|ifi-  Cliristian  life  and  iit)erty.  Airitation 
on  tills  ])oln1  I'oi-  years  llnaUy  dixldrd  the  .Mission  I-'ricnds  into  two 
camps,  the  ant  1-oi-ganlzatlon  |)eo|)li'  liclng  tlieiirct'ort  h  known  as  the 
Free   ■\Iission  Frieiuls. 

In  the  late  fall  of  1S84.  a  rircnlar  anthorizcd  liy  the  'l'ai)ei-naele 
Chnreli  was  issued  to  the  ministers  of  the  Ansgarius  and  .Mission  synods, 
incjuiring  whether  they  desired  a  general  meeting  in  Chicago  for  the 
purpose  of  devising  plans  of  unification.  The  proposition  was  dis- 
cussed at  the  suhseciuent  meeting  of  the  directors  of  the  Mission 
SjTiod,  held  at  Randolph.  Kans.,  Dee.  4 — S.  and  a  resolution  was 
passed  fixing  Feb.  18,  1S85.  as  the  date  of  the  proposed  meeting,  also 
stipulating  that  the  sessions  be  equally  divided  between  the  Taber- 
nacle and  the  North  Side  Mi.ssion  Church.  At  this  meeting  the  pro- 
position carried  and  a  new  church  body,  entitled  the  Swedish  Evan- 
gelical ^lission  Covenant  of  America,  came  into  existence.  The  two 
synods  were  not  therel)y  dissolved,  tlie  question  of  .ioining  the  new 
organization  being  left  to  the  individual  congregations. 

The   Ansgarius  Synod 

The  Swedish  Evangelical  Lutheran  Ansgarius  Synod  of  the  United 
States  was  organized  at  Gales])urg.  111.,  IMay  18.  1874.  The  ^Mission 
Church  in  that  city,  organized  in  1868  as  an  independent  Lutheran 
congregation  under  the  name  of  the  Second  Swedish  Lutheran  Church, 
had  called  as  its  minister  Rev.  C.  Anderson.  He  was  of  Danish 
descent  but  M^as  educated  in  this  country  and  had  worked  as  a  Scan- 
dinavian missionary  under  the  auspices  of  the  Synod  of  Northern 
Illinois. 

In  1873  he  started  a  theological  school  in  Keokuk,  la.,  and  was 
one  of  the  men  who  organized  the  Mission  SjTiod  in  that  city  the  same 
year.  He  had  expected  this  synod  to  become  a  Scandinavian  depart- 
ment or  district  of  the  Synod  of  Northern  Illinois,  but  finding  the 
brethren  unwilling  to  affiliate  with  that  body,  be  withdrew  l)efore  tlie 
close  of  the  meeting.  Several  mission  churches  already  belonging  to  th 
Sjiiod  of  Northern  Illinois  did  not  join  the  ilission  Sjniod.  Rev.  An- 
derson, desirous  of  obtaining  funds  for  a  school  building,  issued  a  cir- 
cular in  English  setting  forth  the  purposes  and  plans  of  his  institute. 
A  copy  fell  into  the  hands  of  James  Knox,  a  wealthy  banker  of  Kjiox- 
ville.  111.,  who  simimoned  Anderson  to  his  home  and  offered  to  donate 
$12,000  toward  a  Swedish  institution  of  learning  to  be  located  in  the 
city  of  Knoxville.  The  donor  stipulated  that  the  teaching  was  to 
conform  to  the  professed  dnctriiu^s  of  the  church  under  whose  auspices 
"the  school  was  to  be  established,  otherwise  it  should  become  the  j)roper- 


6oo 


THE   MISSION   CHI  RCH 


ty  of  the  city.  His  offer  was  accepted,  aud  the  city  subscribed  $5,000 
more,  while  the  sum  of  $3,000  was  raised  among  the  Swedish  people. 
Anderson,  realizing  the  need  of  an  organization  to  back  him  and  the 
institution,  became  the  prime  mover  in  organizing  the  ^Vnsgarius  Synod. 
This  was  done  at  a  conference  of  the  Swedish  churches  of  the  Synod 
of  Northern  Illinois,  held  in  Galosburg  ^lay  16 — 20.  Anderson  and 
C.  J.  Lindahl  from  Brantford,  Kans.,  seem  to  have  been  the  only 
ministers  present.  Among  the  laymen  was  J.  Anjou,  a  teacher  in 
Anderson's  school  at  Keokuk,  who  was  chosen  president  of  the  new 
organization.     The  synod  affirmed  its  adherence  to  the  Augsburg  Con- 


>^f***^. 


«    i  A*\;  aiAuu  fc.    f-| 


.  M 


.■\iiSKarius   Collej^c,   Kiioxville 

I'essitin  anil  ailopteil  a  i-misl  itiil  ii)ii  very  similar  in  other  respects  ti> 
that  of  the  Mi.ssion  Syniiil.  llui  Anderson's  arbitrary  action  aroused 
suspicion  niiiong  tiie  ^lission  Friends.  .\  misunderstanding  between 
tile  two  synods  existed  for  a  time,  and  |>etty  nuarrels  among  the 
leaders  and  iiiinistors  on  eitlier  side  t'oi-ced  the  two  organizations 
farther  and  I'arlln'r  apart.  Tlie  hreaeli  was  still  further  wiilencd  when 
tlir  .\nstrariiis  Synod  oti'icially  joined  the  Ijutheran  (ieneral  Synod. 

In  the  course  of  a  few  years,  however,  the  <litTerenees  were  so  far 
obliterated  Ihal  I  lie  .\iisgarius  Synod,  at  its  I'lMirlh  annual  niei'ting. 
held  in  (laleslinrir  'hnie  .')-12,  1S7S,  resolved  to  invite  the  eo-operation 
of  the  .Mission  Synod  with  es|)eei«l  referenee  to  the  educational  work 
carried  on  by  llic  .\nsgariiis  Coilege  at   Knowille. 

The  religious  revival  in  .Sweden  was  inlensifieil  in  llie  seventies 
by  the  great  agitation  airainsi   the  lailliiian  doctrine  of  atonement   and 


I 


Till-;    ANSC.ARirS    SYNOD  6oi 

justification,  led  by  P.  Waldenstrom,  a  prominent  free  eliiiicli  man, 
whose  views  of  the  atonement  have  been  briefly  stated  by  himsell'  as 
follows:  "The  Scriptures  teach  that  no  change  took  place  in  God's 
disposition  towards  man  in  ronsfi|ucni'e  nl"  his  sin;  that,  therefore,  it 
was  not  (lod  who  needeil  to  ln'  I'econciled  to  man,  but  it  was  man  who 
needed  to  be  reconciled  to  (Jod;  and  tliat,  conseiiuentiy.  r(>conciiiat  ion  is 
a  work  whicii  proceeds  from  God  and  is  directed  towards  man,  and 
aims  not  to  appease  God,  Init  to  cleanse  man  from  sin,  and  to  i-estore 
him  to  a  right  relation  with  God." 

The  movement  had  a  similar  effect  on  this  side  of  the  water,  the 
powerful  preaching  of  Skogsbergh,  Bjiirk,  and  others,  together  with 
the  defection  of  Waldenstromians  from  the  regular  Lntherau  con- 
gregations, combining  to  bring  large  numbers  of  converts  into  the 
Mission  churches.  Waldenstrom's  views  were  very  generally  accepted 
by  the  Missions  Friends.  His  rejection  of  dogmas,  confessions,  and 
"man-made  rules,"  as  being  needless,  imauthorized  and  prejudicial  to 
a  correct  interpretation  of  tli<'  Holy  Scriptures  and  to  the  Christian 
life,  caused  both  the  Ansgarius  and  the  Mission  synod  to  amend 
their  constitutions  by  inserting  in  the  respective  articles  dealing  with 
the  creed  the  specification  that  the  Augsburg  Confession  was  to  be 
"interpreted  in  accordance  with  the  Bible."  The  revival  movement 
had  a  tendency  to  unify  the  ilission  Friends  spiritually,  and  thus 
paved  the  way  for  organic  union.  At  the  annual  meeting  in  Moline, 
May  30,  1879,  the  Ansgarius  Synod  had  reached  a  new  point  of  contact 
with  the  Mission  Synod,  according  to  the  statement  of  the  president 
that  true  Christianity  was  now  a  requisite  both  for  membership  and 
participation  in  the  breaking  of  bread.  At  the  same  occasion  the  result 
of  the  overtures  for  consolidation  was  reported.  The  answer  of  the 
Mission  Synod  was  favorable  in  sentiment  but  pointed  out  that,  in  the 
absence  of  hearty  sympathy  and  true  harmony  on  which  the  outwai-d 
union  should  be  based,  a  consolidation  had  better  be  postponed 
iuntil  the  members  of  the  ^Mission  Synod  churches  themselves  should 
ask  for  such  a  move.  In  its  records  the  Ansgarius  Synod  made  note 
of  the  fact  that  many  churches  in  both  synods  favored  a  union  based 
on  the  constitution  and  by-laws  of  the  ilission  Covenant  of  Sweden, 
and  urged  the  remainder  to  join  in  the  movement,  whereby  all  cause  for 
further  strife  would  be  eliminated. 

In  1880  the  synod  adopted  a  new  constitution  essentially  different 
from  the  one  in  force.  The  article  aft'irming  adherence  to  the  Augs- 
burg Confession  was  practically  annulled  by  an  amendment,  in  dis- 
regard of  a  specific  constitutional  provision  that  said  article  should 
never  be  changed.  To  get  around  this  legal  obstacle,  the  amendment 
was  made  a  separate  article. 


6o2 


THK    MISSION    cm  RCH 


The  I'outrol  and  uiauagcnient  of  tlii.'  Ausgarius  Colk'gt.'  was  now 
entrusted  to  an  association  of  individuals  within  and  without  the 
synod,  for  a  term  of  three  years,  Anderson  and  liis  associate  teacher, 
K.  Erixon,  having  disagreed  and  in  turn  left  the  institution.  The 
association  engaged  J.  G.  Princell  as  head  professor  and  carried  on 
till-  worlc  until  the  spring  of  1884.  when  it  resigned  its  stewardship 
for  lack  of  ciicouragcnient  and  financial  support.  Two  years  before, 
the  Ansgarius  Synod  lia<l  severed  its  connection  with  the  General 
Synod. 

The  constitutional  changes  i)roved  unsatisfactory  and  led  to 
further  difficulties.  The  regular  Lutherans  i)ointed  out  the  falsity  of 
the  synod's  jxisition  in  not  living  up  to  its  professed  creed,  the  Augs- 
burg Confession,  while  the  Free  ilission  people  attacked  it  on  account 
of  its  alleged  adherence  to  tiiat  creed.  Still  the  Ansgarius  people  dared 
not  siunmarily  dispose  of  the  troublesome  Art.  II  for  fear  of  invalid- 
ating the  incorporation  and  losing  its  property,  consisting  chiefly  of 
the  college  at  Knoxville.  At  the  annual  convention  in  18S:{.  in  .laines- 
towii.  N.  Y.,  a  connnittee  was  ai>i)ointed  to  ascertain  the  legal  status 
of  the  case.  In  the  event  that  desired  changes  could  not  be  made 
without  jeoi)ardiziiig  the  corporation,  the  Synod  was  to  be  dissolved 
at  its  next  meeting.  ^Yhen  the  synod  convened  in  Galesburg  the 
following  yeai'.  the  committee  reported.  i>n  the  authority  of  the  secre- 
tary of  state  at  Springfield,  that  everything  in  the  constitution,  except 
Art.  11.  migiit  be  altered  without  hazard.  l)ut  that  any  change  in  said 
ai'tieje  would  annul  the  eliarti'r.  In  its  dilemma  the  synod  tentatively 
a(lii|ited  an  entirely  iii^w  cimst  it  ut  ion.  drawn  up  by  J.  (!.  Princell  and 
A.  Larsdii.  eliMiijiiiijr  till'  name  to  ""The  Swedish  Mission  (."ovenant 
of  .\iiieriea"'  anil  ailopling  the  Hible  as  the  only  perfect  guide  in 
matters  of  lailli  and  lixing.  I'rinecU  himself,  who  had  previously  with- 
drawn Irom  the  syniid.  agi-ei'd  to  abide  by  the  drafted  constitution 
at  I  lie  saeril'ire  of  certain  persotud  convictions,  he  being  ojiposed  to 
any  ileiioiiiiiial  imial  iiriraiii/.at  ion  whatsoever. 

The  s\nod  re-asseml)led  at  Worcester.  Mass..  in  August  the  same 
yr-ar  to  take  final  aelion  on  the  constitution.  Further  disintegration 
Inicl  set  in.  aided  by  iloelrinal  dissensions  and  persunal  dilTerences 
between  I'rincell  and  .1.  llagstriim.  the  former  leading  the  ultra  free- 
clinreli.  or  anti-organization,  forces,  the  latter  iieloliging  to  the  party 
that  l'a\ored  organization.  \o  agreement  eonid  be  reaebed.  and  for 
the  .second  time  it  was  decided  to  dissolve  the  synod  at  its  next  annual 
meeting.  It  was  vote<l  to  turn  the  school  property  over  to  the  city  of 
Knoxville  on  llie  first  day  of  September,  shortly  after  adjournnuMil. 
The  synod  met  at  Muline  the  I'ollowing  May.  to  wind  up  its  atTairs.  ami 
on   till'  seeomi  ibr    nl    .Imie.    1SS.">.  liie  Swedish    Kvangelical    laitheran 


TIIK   MISSION   C(i\i;na\t 


603 


Ansgarius  S\nod  passed  <iiit  of  existence.  At  the  syiioilical  meeting 
in  Worccsti-r,  J'l-iiieell  had  ajraiii  projjoscd  tin-  forming  of  some  sort 
of  a  general  ])ody,  but  tlie  suggestion  found  litlli;  favor  with  the 
delegates,  wlio  l)y  tliis  time  were  tired  of  the  strife  and  dissension  tlnit 
had   rliaraeterized   tlie   synod   throughout   its   e.\istenee. 


I 


The  S\Aredish  Evangelical  Mission  Covenant 

The  convention  that  gave  liirth  to  the  ^lission  Covenant  was  not 
devoid  of  travail  and  partisan  bitterness.  At  the  opening  of  the 
meeting  5")  ministers  and  lay  delegates  were  present,  seven  more  ar- 
riving later.  Rev.  C.  A.  Bjiirk  was  elected  chairman.  The  first  ques- 
tion raised  was  who  should  be  entitled  to  vote.  The  call  having  been 
understood  to  include  all  ]\Ii.ssion  Friends  interested  in  the  question 
of  nnion  one  way  or  another,  several  anti-organization  men  came  to 
the  meeting,  chief  among  whom  were  Rev.  J.  G.  Princell,  leader  of  the 
Free  Mission  Friends,  and  John  Jlartenson.  publisher  of  "Chicago- 
Bladet."  the  organ  of  that  movement.  By  raising  the  question  whether 
he.  as  a  pastor  and  elder,  although  not  a  member  of  either  synod  nor 
a  dul.y  elected  delegate  from  any  independent  ]\Iission  church,  wonld 
be  entitled  to  a  seat  in  the  convention.  Princell  preei])itated  a  wai'm 
debate,  resnlting  in  a  resolution  seating  all  members  of  the  respective 
synods,  but  only  such  ministers  and  delegates  of  independent  churches 
as  favored  the  proposed  nnion.  Princell  declared  himself  in  favor  of 
the  unification  of  all  Christians  on  a  biblical  basis,  meaning  thereby 
imity  in  faith  and  good  works,  without  any  organic  connection,  but 
the  convention  held  that  this  did  not  bring  him  within  the  terms  of 
the  call  and,  putting  the  question  to  a  vote,  unseated  him  by  a  vote 
of  18  to  fi,  less  than  half  of  the  delegates  voting.  Later,  by  a  vote 
af  11  ayes  to  17  noes,  the  convention  refused  to  reconsider  its  action. 
Princell  then  withdrew,  exjilaining  that  he  knew  very  well  he  could 
not  be  seated  according  to  the  letter,  l)nt  only  according  to  the  spirit, 
of  the  call  issued  for  the  meeting.  The  ju-incipal,  though  not  the 
technical,  ol).iection  to  seating  Princell  was  his  determined  effort  to  set 
at  naught  the  proposed  union  by  relentless  agitation  again.st  it  for 
months  before  the  meeting.  In  a  series  of  articles  in  "Chicago-Bladet."' 
of  which  paper  he  was  then  the  assistant  editor,  he  denounced  the 
organization  movement  in  immeasured  terms,  going  so  far  as  to  char- 
acterize the  combining  of  congregations  into  a  synod,  luiion  or  federa- 
tion of  any  kind  whatever  as  "lawlessness  from  a  scriptural  point  of 
view;  rebellion  again.st  the  chiu'ch  of  God  and  its  local  authorities; 
ecclesiastical  commimism :  an  unchaste  relation  to  sister  congregations, 
and  faithlessness  and  harlotry  in  relation  to  the  betrothed  bridegroom 
of  tlie  church.  Jesus  Christ."    These  words  were  quoted  from  his  own 


6o4 


THE   MISSION   cm  RCH 


I)aper  in  support  of  the  position  taken  by  the  convention,  whieh,  how- 
ever, stood  ready  to  reverse  its  action  on  condition  that  Princell  would 
witlidraw  his  diarges  against  the  hretlircii  supporting  the  niovi'inent. 
This  he  refused  to  do;  on  tlie  contrary,  he  jjcrscvercd  in  his  antagonism 
and  it  was  largelj'  due  to  his  stand  and  the  treatment  he  received  at 
the  hands  of  the  convention  that  quite  a  number  of  free  churches  re- 
fused to  join  the  Covenant  and  have  remained  independent  to  this 
ilay.     In  just  ice  to  the  Covenant,  it  should  be  added   that  at  a  sub- 


Rev.  Jolm  ("..  I'riiiccll 

seijuent  nu-eling  it  adiiiittfd  its  mistaki'  by  aixilogi/.iug  to  I'rincell  for 
its  action. 

Having  determined  the  basis  of  representation,  the  eonvenlion 
proceeded  to  discuss  the  main  issue.  Owing  to  the  difTerenec  in 
ojjinion  as  In  I'iiurcji  organixations.  a  pri'liminary  discussion  wa.s  held 
i>n  llie  sigiiiricjinl  subject:  "Is  it  riglit  lU"  wrong  for  Christian  con- 
gregations and  societies  1o  c(iml)inc  in  tiicir  endeavor  ti>  further  the 
kingdom  of  God,  and  on  what  basis  can  such  union  be  elTected?" 
The  meeting  answeri'il  Ihr  i|Ucslion  as  follows:  "A  union  of  Christian 
i-iingi'cgal  ions  ought  to  l)c  ai'i-omplishcd  on  a  scriptural  basis,  among 
such  ('bristian  bclicvi'i's  as  ba\f  coiiridcuci'  in  and  true  love  for  one 
another  and  arc  ailinilril  by  a  desire  for  peace  and  harmony."  .\l 
the  Ibii'd  session,  tlu'  ipicslinn  nl'  organi/.ing  was  put   tn  a  formal  voliv 


Hi 


i 


TIUv    MISSION    COVICNANT  605 

By  a  rising  vote  the  proposition  was  almost  luianiiiiouslj'  carried,  only 
two  or  three  persons  remaining  seated  when  the  ayes  were  called  for. 

A  constitHtion  was  adopted,  closely  corresponding  to  that  of  the 
Mission  Covenant  in  Sweden.  Its  striking  reseml)lance  to  that  pro- 
posed for  the  Ansgarius  S.vnod  by  Princell  less  than  a  year  before 
bears  evidence  to  the  fact  that  the  dissension  between  the  Free  Mis- 
sion Friends  and  those  forming  the  Covenant  was  based  not  so  much 
on    principles  as  on  quibbles   and  personal  differences. 

The  Swedish  Evangelical  ilission  Covenant  of  America,  now 
organized,  recognizes  no  creed  or  confession  beyond  the  words  of  the 
Bible  itself;  it  consists  of  congregations  and  associations,  whose  mem- 
bers are  required  to  be  converts  as  a  condition  of  admittance.  In  most 
other  respects,  the  Covenant  is  not  different  from  other  bodies  or 
synods,  except  in  its  lack  of  solidity  and  compactness,  owing  to  the  fact 
that  it  officially'  includes  independent  churches  and  mission  societies 
as  well  as  those  having  joined  the  Covenant  in  the  prescribed  order. 

The  Mission  Synod,  after  ascertaining  the  wishes  of  the  individual 
churches  at  a  meeting  in  Des  Moines,  la.,  in  May,  1885,  joined  the 
Covenant  in  a  body,  while  those  of  the  dissolved  Ansgarius  Synod 
and  independent  congregations  were  required  to  make  individual 
application.  Many  of  the  latter  stood  aloof,  as  did  the  majority  of 
the  Free  IMission  churches.  The  Mission  Synod  not  having  been 
formally  dissolved  before  joining  the  Covenant,  a  number  of  its  min- 
isters resolved  to  maintain  the  old  organization  by  holding  a  legal 
meeting  each  year.  They  assembled  in  Phelps  Centre.  Neb.,  in  1886, 
and  there  decided  to  meet  only  when  it  would  be  found  necessary. 
The  attempt  to  keep  the  synod  alive  was  apparently  due  to  dissent 
from  the  opinion  of  the  majority  and  doubt  as  to  the  future  of  the 
Covenant,  but  the  precaution  proved  needless.  No  meeting  has  been 
held  since  1886.  and  the  synod  is  considered  legally  dead. 

The  Covenant  held  its  first  annual  meeting  in  Princeton,  Sei)t. 
25-30,  1885,  the  delegates  being  the  same  as  at  the  organization  meet- 
ing in  Chicago.  John  ]\Iarteuson.  who  appeared  with  credentials  from 
the  Swedish  Christian  Church  of  North  Star  Hall,  Chicago,  signed  by 
Princell.  was  refused  a  vote  on  the  ground  that  the  church  he  rep- 
resented had  not  applied,  and  did  not  wish  to  ajiply  for  membership 
in  the  Covenant.  ^lartensou  was.  however,  made  advisory  member. 
At  the  meeting  46  congregations  were  admitted,  and  the  Christian 
Association  of  the  Nortliwest.  organized  in  1884-.  was  given  two  del- 
egates, its  congregations  being  required  to  seek  admittance  singly. 
Ministers  of  independent  congregations  known  to  be  well  disposed 
toward  the  Covenant  were  admitted  at  their  own  request  and  regis- 
tered in  the  roll  of  ministers.    A  t<ital  of  .SS  ministers  were  matricnlnted 


6o6 


THK    MISSION    LIUKCII 


at  this  time,  several  newcomers  being  licensed  to  preachetl  for  one  year. 
In  order  to  fnrther  the  mission  work  it  was  reconnnended  that  the 
churches  within  a  certain  state  or  geographical  division  be  organized 
into  conferences  and  these  be  subdivided  into  mission  districts.  Such 
conferences,  called  associations,  have  since  been  formed  in  several 
states,  but  only  those  of  Minnesota  and  of  Illinois  have  been  sub- 
divided into  districts. 


—  ^  r3s- 


,n-^, 


TIk'  Swedish   .Mission  Climvli  of  Moliiic 


One  111'  the  most  ini])ortant  questions  dealt  witli  was  that  of  co- 
opci-iitioii  willi  the  Swcdisli  Congrepationalists  in  tlie  control  and 
siii)p(>ft  of  a  tlicological  seminary.  Tlie  Chicasro  'riieoiogical  Seminary 
liaviii;.;  jiroiiiisril  to  oiicii  :i  Swcilisli  department  and  to  support  a 
teacher  III  l)c  sclccti'd   liy  the  Covenant,   i'rof.   F.  Kislierg  from  Sweden 

had  I n  called  at  the  sutrtrestion  of  the  Covenant 's  sehi>ol  coiiiiiiittc  and 

liM(l  already  aei(|iti'd  (In-  jiosition.  and  this  arrangement  was  now 
saiiclioned  by  the  Covenant.  The  Covenant  also  decided  to  incorporate 
and  selected  the  following  seven  men  to  carry  out  the  decision,  viz.. 
C.  A.  Hjork,  .1.  ().  lieggen,  .\.   llallner,  Swcn   Yonngijvist,   .\.   Larson. 


North    tark  i:oi.i,i;c,h  607 

C.  R.  Carlson  and  F.  Ci.  Tliitr^qvist.  It  was  ri'snlM'd  to  cstahlisli  a  liome 
for  orphans.  ])oor  widows  and  invalids,  and  II.  Paind)lad  was  ajjpointed 
to  solicil  funds  in  ('lui-a^c)  I'nr  the  prnixiscd  insi  it  iit  inn.  .\t  llir 
followiiiij:  annual  nu'i'lin^-.  held  in  Kix'kford,  it  was  I't'portcd  tiial 
a  charity  home  had  bi'cn  estalilishcd  at  HownuuivilU',  Chicago,  with 
twelve  inmates. 

At  the  animal  moot  ins:  hold  in  Chica<j:o  in  Septomher,  1888.  Rev. 
I'rinooll.  claiming  to  represent  the  gonci-al  opinion  among  the  Free 
ilission  Friends,  proposed  a  coustitiitional  ohanfj;o.  i)ermittiug  three 
classes  of  members  in  the  Covenant,  which  chaiifjo.  ho  alleged,  would 
open  the  door  for  hijiiself  and  his  followers.  "While  maintaining  his 
views  on  church  organization,  he  admitted  that  even  the  Free  ifission 
Friends  now  recognized  the  need  of  some  form  of  organization.  The 
i  Covenant  respectfull.v  declined  to  adopt  the  change,  at  the  same  time 

,-  apologizing  for  the  treatment  accorded  Prineell  three  .vears  before. 

Owing  to  a  desire  on  the  jiart  of  many  Mission  Friends  in  each  of 
the  throe  groups,  the  Covenant  in  1005  took  action  looking  to  the 
unification  of  the  Covenant,  the  Free  [Mission  and  the  Swedish  Con- 
gregational churches.  It  was  recommended  that  a  committee  of  seven 
peacemakers  be  appointed  to  confer  on  the  matter  and  plan  the  pro- 
posed union.  Of  these,  two  wore  to  be  appointed  by  each  of  the  three 
interested  parties,  the  seventh  to  be  chosen  by  these  six  and  to  act  as 
chairman  of  the  committee.  Representatives  were  appointed  to  act 
for  each  of  the  three  groups,  and  at  the  call  of  this  committee  a  union 
conference  was  held  in  Chicago  in  the  fall  of  1906.  This  conference 
recommended  the  establishment  of  a  common  divinity  school  in  place 
of  the  three  existing  ones,  and  suggested  as  additional  factors  for  the 
promotion  of  union,  frequent  interchange  of  pulpits  and  union  revival 
meetings,  common  evangelists  for  the  home  and  foreign  mission  fields, 
common  district  conferences  for  the  discussion  of  questions  of  faith 
and  doctrine,  and  common  religious  textbooks  and  hymnals.  The  re- 
commendations of  the  committee  have  subsequently  been  discussed  at 
the  various  annual  conventions,  but  no  decision  has  been  reached,  and 
the  main  question  of  unification  still  remains  open. 

North   ParK   College 

The  idea  of  establishing  an  institution  of  learning  within  the 
Swedish  Mission  Covenant  is  as  old  as  the  Covenant  itself.  In  its 
articles  of  incorporation  the  founding  and  maintenance  of  schools  is 
specifically  mentioned  as  one  of  its  prime  ob,iects.  The  first  oppor- 
tunity to  realize  this  purpose  was  offered  the  same  year  that  the 
Covenant  was  formed,  when  the  Congregational  theological  seminary 
in   Chicago   agreed  to   establish   a   Swedish   department   to   be   jiartly 


6o8 


Till-.  MISSION  cm  KCH 


e;  z 


-.  ^ 

=   r. 


T^ 


53 


CR) 


NORTH    I'ARK    COIJ.EGK 


609 


imdei-  the  coutrol  of  the  Covuiiaut.  Tliis  was  done,  but  tlio  arrange- 
ment did  not  prove  entirely  satisfactory,  and  the  idea  of  founding  a 
school  distinctly  its  own  was  never  abandoned  by  the  Covenant. 

The  first  step  leading  to  the  establishment  of  such  an  institution 
was  taken  in  1891,  at  the  annual  meeting  in  Phelps,  Neb.,  the  Covenant 
resolving  to  take  over  a  school  conducted  by  Kev.  E.  A.  Skogsbergh 
and  David  Nyvall  in  Minneapolis.  conil)ininfr  llieologif-al  courses  with 
instruction  in  general  suh.ieots  and  business  training.  For  the  next  two 
years  the  Covenant  maintained  this  school  at  its  old  location,  with 
comparative  success.    In  1894,  at  the  end  of  the  second  year,  the  total 


North  Park  Colletre — General  \'ie\v 


attendance  was  125,  including  31  in  the  theological  department,  a 
number  not  again  reached  until  very  recently.  The  school  was  in  a 
sound  condition  financially,  with  a  small  surplus  in  the  treasmy. 

These  advantages  were  outweighed,  however,  by  the  difficulty  in 
obtaining  the  necessar.y  buildings  in  Minneapolis  and  the  offer  of  sub- 
stantial aid  from  people  in  Chicago,  on  condition  that  the  institution 
be  removed  to  this  city.  Accordingly  the  removal  was  brought  about, 
and  the  school  was  located  in  North  Park,  Chicago,  in  the  year  1894, 
and  named  North  Park  College.  A  tract  of  land  was  secured  and  sub- 
divided to  be  sold  in  building  lots  for  the  benefit  of  the  institution. 

The  inner  growth  of  the  school  did  not  keep  pace  with  the  material 
development  during  the  next  few  j'cars.    Year  by  year  the  attendance 


6io  ■'■"■•-  MISSION  em  Rcii 

fell  uff.  \intil  ill  1MI!I  llic  lowest  iiiai'lv  was  ri-arlicd.  iiaiiii'Iy.  a  total  of 
"il  stiuk'iits  ill  all  (It'partnients  and  but  foiii-tfcii  in  the  divinity  school. 
But  from  that  time  on  there  has  been  a  uniform  increase,  to  62  in  1!(W. 
83  in  liMll.  107  in  1II02.  about  ir)(>  in  l!l(i:{.  and  2<I4  in  1907.  followed 
by  a  decrease  to  a  figure  below  190  in  the  last  year. 

The  institution  now  comprises,  besides  the  theological  department, 
a  complete  academy,  a  business  scliool  and  a  conservatory  of  music, 
the  collegiate  department  to  be  completed  liy  the  adding  of  college 
classes  as  fast  as  the  growth  of  the  institution  warrants. 

There  are  three  buildings  on  the  college  premises,  a  main  building, 
a  dormitory,  and  the  ]>resident's  residence.  The  groumln  comprise 
8Y2  acres.     The  present  value  of  tiie  .s<-liool  property  is  ^.jtJ.SOO. 

Till'  iiuiiilier  (if  tcacliiTs.  wiiicii  was  si.\  at  the  time  of  the  '•emoval 
to  Chicago,  has  since  readied  as  liigli  as  fourteen,  and  is  at  pn-sent 
twelve.  These,  with  the  sulijects  taugiit  resi)e<-tively.  are:  A.  W. 
Fredriekson.  A.  'SI..  English  language  and  liteiiitiiic.  and  mathematics: 
.\.  ]\ri'llaii(b'r.  Olil  Testament,  church  history  and  systematic  tlieology; 
Kiv.  Carl  Hanson.  .Vcw  Testanieiit.  homiletics  and  mental  science;  C.  .). 
Wilson.  A.  ;\I..  Latin  and  natural  science;  Alfred  X.  Ahnfeldt,  Greek, 
German.  Swetlish  and  liist(H-y;  Lena  Salilstrom,  Knglish  and  arith- 
metic; Mrs.  IJIaiiilii'  Waldcnstroiii.  jiiaiio;  Ksther  Wallgren.  piano; 
C.  F.  Fredriekson.  violin:  I*'.  .1.  llolleiibi'ck.  Knglish  langnagi'  and 
lilci  at  lire  :   A.   E.   AiidiTsoii.  iiiaiidolin   and  guitar. 

I'liil'.  David  .Xyvall  was  president  of  North  I'ark  College  up  lo 
I  III'  I'liisi'  of  llir  srhiiiil  year  ill  11104.  .\fter  having  served  as  acting 
president  in  the  interval,  rrol'.  A.  W.  Fredricks(Ui  was  regularly 
elected  to  the  position  by  the  Covenant  in  litO.').  The  school  is  under 
the  control  of  a  lioard  of  twenty-three  directors,  elected  by  tiie  Cov- 
eiian!.  anil  K'ev.  •Inlin  lla'/siiinn  serves  as  business  nmnager  and 
treasurer.  An  organization  iiained  the  .Vuxiliary  Society  has  lent 
material  aid  in  raising  funds  for  the  institution   in  years  i>ast. 

The  S\vedishi  Covenant   Hospital  and   Home  of  Mercy 

It  was  not  included  in  the  original  jilans  and  purposes  of  the 
institution  now  known  as  the  Swedish  (NiN'etiant  llospiial  and  Home 
of  .Mercy  to  make  it  a  regular  hospital  lo  which  the  pulilic  in  general 
might  have  access,  but  rather  a  home  for  the  aged  and  destitute. 
The  idea  of  founding  such  a  lnuue  must  be  credited  to  .Mr.  Henry 
I'alniblad.  for  several  yi'ars  city  missionary  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Ndrlli  Side  .Mission  Church.  In  his  missionary  woi-k  he  met  witii 
many  of  his  count  I'yiiien  and  brethren  in  the  faith  who  wei*e  home- 
less, destitute  and  sick.  Moved  by  eonipassion  l'(U'  these,  he  went 
before  the  Swedish  .Mission  ('ovenaiil  al   its  annual  meeting  at   I'rinet'- 


Till-:  iioMi'',  oi'  mi:rcv 


6ii 


1(111.  ill  Si'iitcmhrr,  ISS."),  ^inil  |ircsriil  cd  his  (•■■iiisr.  Ilis  proji'd  nicl 
willi  (Ircidctl  iipprdv.-il.  Mini  ;i  I'diiiiiiilli'c  to  srlrct  mikI  |iiircli;isc  a  sil<! 
for  the  proposed  lioiiii'  ol'  iiici-cy  \\;is  :il  oin-i-  jippoinlcd.  roiisist  inir  of 
tlir  rollowiiiL;'  CliirM^'o  iicntlcnicn.  I\c\s.  ('.  A.  lijdrlc.  F.  .M.  .loliiisoii, 
■  I.  I'.  Mji.uic,  and  .Messrs.  11.  I'aliiililad.  S.  N'oiiiieipiisl  and  ( '.  (i. 
I'etersiMi. 

This  cinnniitlee  a1  onee  bei^'an  its  work  with  the  result  thai  llie 
|)i'ope]'ly  of  one  -Mr.  Hecker,  situated  on  West  Foster  a\'e,,  in  Uo^vnlan- 
villc,  witliiii  tln'  city  limits  of  ('liiea<;'ii,  was  pundiased.  This  jji-operly 
consisted   of  three   aeres   of   ground,   a   two   story   hT'iek   house   and    a 


i 


. C^.. — ^-~ 

L#^ 

1 

'file  Swedisli   Coxeiiant   Hespital   ami   Home  of   Mercv.    ]!(  ^\  iramille 

stahle.  The  price  Avas  .+."1. .")(!(!.  of  Avhich  $2..">IHI  was  to  lie  [laid  .May  1. 
]S8(i.  and  tlu'  lialanee  in  annual  installments  of  ^f;l.()(K).  So  Avell  did 
the  eommittee  succeed  in  raising  funds  that  on  the  following  ilay  fii'st 
the  entire  balance  of  the  purchase  money  was  paid.  Additional  con- 
tributions proved  adeipiate  for  repairing  and  remodeling  the  buildings 
at  a  cost  of  .^l.-l'I'l.  and  the  purchase  of  furnisliings  and  cdiatfcls  for 

.+i.2no. 

In  the  early  part  of  ^lay.  isSli.  the  home  was  opened  for  the 
acceptance  of  wards  ;iud  jiatieiits.  Shortly  afterwai-d  c\-crythiim'  was 
in  readiness  for  the  public  <ipening.  and  in  the  presence  of  a  large 
lunnber  of  its  friends  and  supporters  the  institution  was  solennily 
dedicated  on  tlii^  27th  of  -lune.  Rev.  C.  A.  B.jiirk  delivering  the 
dedicatory  address. 

It  did  not  take  a  great  Aviiile  until  the  Home  was  filled  and  uii-ilili' 
to  accept  all  who  sought  admission.  The  conunittee  went  to  the 
jiiuiual  meeting  at  Galesliurg.  in  ISDd.  with  a  proposition  to  enlarge 
it.  and  tlie  Covenant  authorized  such  cnlargenu>nt  as  the  treasnrx'  and 


I 


6l2  T"K    MISSION    CHIRCH 

additional  funds  received  for  tlie  purpose  might  warraut.  aud  a  loan  f 

in  addition  thereto  not  to  exceed  $2,000.    At  the  next  annual  meeting  * 

of  the  Covenant,  lield  in  Septembr,  1891,  the  president  of  the  home  | 

was  able  to  report  that  a  large  two-story  addition  had  been  erected  S 

and  improvements  made  in  the  other  buildings,  all  at  a  cost  of  some-  ii 

what  over  $7,000.  i! 

From  the   Swedish  Home   of   ^lerey  has  developed   the   Swedisii  L 

Covenant  Hospital.     JIany  of  the  inmates  of  the  former  soon  after  f 

their  arrival  were  found  to  be  in  need  of  medical  treatment  or  surgical  i 

operations.  The  home  had  enlisted  the  services  of  several  able 
physicians,  including  Dr.  C.  W.  Johnson  and  Dr.  F.  I.  Brown,  and  these 
men  soon  attracted  patients  from  Chicago  and  elsewhere.  Although 
the  home  was  enlarged  in  1891,  yet  the  many  apjilicafions  for  admission 
to  the  hospital  department  created  a  demand  for  a  hospital  building, 
well  i'c|iii|iped  and  modern  in  all  its  appointments. 

In  the  meantime  the  question  of  raising  funds  for  sui-h  a  building 
was  much  pondered,  but  several  years  passed  before  anything  could 
be  done.  Two  financially  able  persons  had  held  out  promises  of  sub- 
stantial aid  toward  the  erection  of  such  a  building,  one  preferring 
that  it  be  located  in  Lake  View.  At  the  Covenant's  annual  meeting 
in  Duluth  in  1901  this  matter  was  taken  up,  resulting  in  definite  action. 
.V  committee  was  appointed  to  select  a  site  and  confer  with  the  would- 
be  donors.  It  developed,  however,  that  these  parties  withdrew  their 
r>ff9rs  because  of  the  decision  of  the  committee  to  build  the  hosiiital 
adjacent  to  the  ITonie  of  Mercy.  Prior  to  their  decision,  however,  the 
committee  had  issued  a  general  ap])eal  to  the  people  of  the  llission 
Covenant  for  means  when>with  to  piu'chase  a  new  site,  but  the  lack 
of  response  caused  them  to  decide  in  favor  of  the  ol<l  one.  A  definite 
decision  to  erect  a  lu)s])ital  building  on  the  groiuids  of  the  Home  of 
Mercy  was  i-eached  at  the  aiuuial  meeting  of  the  Covenant  at  (Jalos- 
burg,  in  1902.  Grouml  was  broken  for  the  new  building  early  in 
October  that  year,  'and  the  cornerstone  was  laid  on  the  nineteenth 
of  the  same  month,  Rev.  K.  F.  Ohl.son  officiating  and  Prof.   David  j 

Nyvall  delivering  the  address.     The  building  was  completed  d\uMng  | 

the  ensuing  winter,  and  was  dedicated  on  ISIay  31.  1903.    The  hospital  J 

is  o]ien  not  only  to  the  people  of  the  Swedish  Mission  Covenant,  but  it 
invites  patronage  from  all  denominations  and  nationalities.  ■ 

The  first  superintendent  or  nmnager  of  the  institution  was  Mr. 
Edward  Johnson,  and  the  first  trained  nurse.  Aliss  Annie  Andei*son. 
Mr.  Pahnblad  for  many  years  was  the  president  of  the  board  of 
directors  and  general  supi  rinl<  iidcnl  of  the  institution  he  had  fathered. 
Dr.  C.  W.  Johnson  servecl  as  cliid'  nl'  llie  nicdicnl  <li'i)arliiient  for  a 
long  period. 


Till-;    l'Ki;i-.    MISSION  61-. 

Till'  incsciit  |)cr.s(iiiiu'l  1)1'  lilt'  instil  lit  ion  is  ;is  follows:  iiu'dical 
staff,  Drs.  0.  Tli.  JJoherg,  F.  1.  Brown  and  K.  L.  'I'lKn'sgaiird ;  super- 
intendent of  nurses.  Miss  Ida  C  L.  Isaacson;  manager,  Alliin  .lolinson, 
successor  of  Kev.  A.  Lydell,  ■who  served  for  a  iiiiiiiher  of  years. 

A  training  seliool  for  nurses  is  eondiieted,  from  ■\vhi(;li  a  class  of 
trained  nurses  lias  hci-n  uraduatcd  eaeh  year  siiiee  1900. 

The  only  large  donation  ri'eeived  by  the  institution  was  one  of 
$2,500  from  the  late  Louis  Sand  of  ^lanistee,  ]\[i(-higan. 

The  hospital  has  aeeoiiniiodations  f<u'  about  (JO  persons,  besides 
tlie  force  of  atteiulants.  and  an  average  of  40  to  50  wards  are  being 
eared  for  at  the  home.  The  institution  during  the  last  fiscal  year  had 
resoui-ees  amounting  to  $21,310,  including  an  income  of  $10,ti!)l  froni 
paying  patients.    The  present  worth  of  the  property  is  $4G.:i5n. 

The    S^wedish   E-vangelical    Free   Church 

Those  Mission  Friends  Avho  are  opposed  to  a  hard  and  fast  general 
organization,  whether  it  be  local  or  general,  have  maintained  local 
groups  or  societies  in  a  miml)er  of  localities  ever  since  the  beginning 
of  the  ^lissiou  (_'hiu-ch  as  a  specific  Christian  deiioniiuation  in  the 
United  States.  Many  of  them  having  been  subjected  to  diseiplinai'y 
measures  and  eveu  persecution  by  the  .state  church  of  Sweden,  they 
had  formed  an  aversion  to  everything  savoring  of  established  church 
authority  and  for  that  reason  they  were  suspicious  of  every  form  of 
church  organization,  however  liberal  in  scope.  As  they  had  held 
aloof  from  the  Mission  and  the  Ansgarius  synods,  so  they  shrank 
from  affiliating  with  the  ^Mission  Covenant  formed  to  take  the  place 
of  the  other  two.  Besides,  there  was  a  great  deal  of  agitation  on  the 
sub.ieet,  in  which  the  very  defenders  of  organization  feared  to  commit 
themselves  to  too  rigid  a  system,  having  but  recently  left  the  i*egular 
Lutheran  Church  as  a  protest  against  formalism,  while  the  opposition 
went  to  extremes  both  in  their  denunciations  of  order  and  system  and 
in  their  demand  for  liberty  and  a  literal  return  to  the  customs  and 
usages  of  the  earliest  Christians.  Some  even  went  so  far  as  to  frown 
on  the  very  idea  of  binding  the  members  of  a  local  church  by  register- 
ing their  names.  Had  they  wished  to  .join  the  Covenant,  no  creeds  or 
dogmas  stood  in  the  way,  for  it  pledged  allegiance  to  no  special  creed 
or  confession.  And  in  matters  of  faith  the  Mission  Friends  were  all 
one,  being  guided  in  the  main  by  "Waldenstrom's  interpretation  of  the 
Bible  on  the  .subjects  of  atonement,  justification,  sauctification, 
baptism,  eternal  jnuiishment  and  other  essential  teachings.  It  appears, 
therefore,  that  the  main  dift'erence  of  opinion  was  not  on  doctrines 
and  tenets,  liut  on  methods  and  practices.  The  Free  Mission  Friends, 
in    luaiiitainiiig   that   the   loeal   rlnirehes   sliall    govern    thenisi'lves   and 


6i4 


Till-:    MISSION    (.IUKCII 


be  iiulciK-iKlent  of  others,  really  favor  Congregationalism,  while  the 
Covenant  .Mission  Friends  comliiiic  Pri'sliyterianism  with  Congrega- 
tioiniiisni. 

The  first  sifrn  of  eo-operation  amonj;  the  Free  llission  Friends 
was  a  niectin'r  held  in  Hoone.  la..  Oct.  14-1!).  1884.  when  a  number  of 
pastors  gallu-red  for  Hihlc  stndy  and  diseussiou  of  conunou  intere.sts. 
Six  arlieles  relating  to  the  ihnrcli.  loeal  and  general,  its  fiinetions. 
meinhershii).  etc..  were  agreed  ni)on.  printed  and  circulated  among 
the  congregations,  who  seem  to  have  adoi>teil  the  article  without  a 
vote,  by  tacit  consent.  A  connnittee  was  ap|>ointed  to  arrange  for  a 
siiiiil.ir  meeting  lln'  lolldwing  year,  its  membei's  being  J.  6.  Princell. 
Ij.  Liiidquist.  K.  l^ii.\oii  iiiid  John  Martenson.  For  .several  yeaiN. 
Pi-iiicclj  was  the  chini-iiian  of  this  conujiittee.  to  which  three  members 
Wen-  ;i(l(li'(l  ;il  1li<'  sri-oinl  Mniiual  iiiccliiig  held  in  .Mirnieapolis.  in 
]\lai-cli.  188.").  Thei-e  J\Iartcnsoii  was  <'lcctcd  treasurer,  an  office  sub- 
seipiently  held  !)>•  him  for  moi-e  than  fifteen  years.  The  connnittee. 
electcil  e:n-h  year,  was  iiiei'ely  to  serve  as  an  agency  for  the  carrying 
on  of  iiiissioii  work  in  home  and  foi'cign  fields.  After  a  couple  of 
yeai-s.  meetings  were  liekl  semi-annually.  In  18!l().  the  Swedish-Aun»r- 
ican  .Mission  Society  was  organized,  all  men  and  women  liciug  admitted 
as  nicniliers  npon  plediiini,;-  lliemselves  to  give  one  dollar  a  year  to 
tile  inission  Fund.  The  soi-iety  existed  onl\-  for  a  short  time,  in  1>>!U. 
the  sense  ol  union  iiad  developed  to  the  extent  that  a  connnon  name 
and  title  was  adopted,  the  I'ederation  lieiiMj-  tlu'reafter  known  as  The 
Swedish  l-]\angelii-al  Free  .Mission.  .\t  a  jiMstoral  conference,  held 
^lay  :2 -1-127  of  tiiat  year,  a  decisive  step  toward  ordinary  cluu'ch  organ- 
ization was  tal<en  by  the  adoption  of  a  set  (d'  iiy-l;iws.  ilefiniug  llle 
doctrinal  tenets,  laying  d<iwn  rules  for  mend)ci'ship.  providiui!  for 
a  set  of  oH'icers  and  evi'U  going  so  fai'  as  to  stipulati'  disciplinary 
measures.  In  several  essential  fiNiliu<'s,  these  by-laws  are  identical 
with  coi-i'csponding  pi-ovisions  in  the  constitution  of  the  Coveuant. 
and  ;is  if  to  e;irr.v  out  the  pai'allel.  the  meeting  hekl  at  Chicago  in 
October.  ]S'.)i\.  ailopted  "K'nli's."  wliii-h  are  practii-ally  a  constitution, 
coniplelini;  the  organization  of  the  federation  of  the  churches,  as  the 
al'oresaid  li>'  laws  iiad  that  oT  the  ministerial  association.  (Jrowu  wise 
by  experieiiie,  the  h'lee  Mission  Friends  have  abandoned  the  theories 
of  I'rinrell  as  to  ortraniza!  ion  and  changed  their  attituile  in  various 
<ithei-  ri'spei-ls.  Inileed.  I  hi'y  have  faced  about  completely,  turning 
their  back  on  some  ol'  the  pi-inciples  held  most  sacred  dui'ing  t  he 
conlro\ersy  preccdine-  the  forming  of  the  .Mission  Covcuaul.  .\t  that 
lime,  the  leaders,  as  also  the  public  organ  of  the  Free  .Mission  Friemls. 
were  •.'ratified  lo  find  that  the  Covemuit  did  not  givi'  every  pastor  a 
Mill'    at    (he    meeiinirs,    bnl    onh     those    elected    as    representatives    of 


Till'.    OAK    STRICirr    MISSION  615 

(•(iiii;i'i'L;iit  inns,  tlicrchy  Mvnidiii^'  tlic  crcatidii  ol'  "ji  [iri  vili'irrd  rlass 
ot"  luiiiistcrs" :  Imt   tlic  rules  of  tlie  Fi-cc  Missimi  nnw  •javc  a   vole  to 

every  |)i'eai'lier  in  ir I  slaiidinc;.     Again,  when  its  ministerial  assoeia- 

tion  assumed  I  he  riulit  to  disei|)line  and  expel  ministers  wliose  teaeli- 
in-is  and  acts  are  im)  in  ai-eoi'd  wiih  I  he  beliefs  and  ()l).)eets  of  the 
assoeiat  inn.  it  arrnj^ated  unto  itself  an  authority  whioli  I'rineell  denied 
to  any  oi'sianizat  ion  Inil  the  h)cal  eonfjre<rati()n  itself  and  Avliirh  is  not 
even  ^'i-anled  in  (he  eonstitution  of  the  Jlissioii  Covenant.  It  is 
espeeinlly  worthy  of  remark  tliat  the  eoii!xregatioiis  themsehcs  were 
not  irix'en  a  vote  in  the  diseiplinin<r  of  tiieii'  ministers. 

.\1  its  an?iual  meetini:'  in  .runi',  lilOS.  at  .Minneapolis,  the  Free 
.Mission  took  another  stej)  toward  t)etter  organization.  It  was  there 
deeided  to  ineorjioi'ate  as  a  (diureli  body  mulei"  the  name  of  the  Swedisli 
Evan,u-eli<-al  Free  (Minrrh.  1liei-eby  practically  rejeetinj^'  the  oriLi'inal 
theory  underlying'  the  movement.  The  oru-tinization  is.  however,  so 
liberal  as  to  ij'ive  rc|iresentation  to  all  indepi'udent  eons're'rations  who 
desii-e  to  eo-operate.  Kach  local  (duirch  of  fifty  members  or  less  is 
allowed  one  lay  delegate,  two  delegates  for  one  hundred  members,  and 
one  delegate  for  eaeli  additional  hundred.  ^Jloreover.  a  vote  is  granted 
every  pastor,  jtreacdiei'.  evangelist  and  missionary  affiliated  with  the 
cjini-eh.  These  are  empowered  to  vote  and  act  ou  all  matters  coming 
before  the  annual  meetings,  while  the  corporate  affairs  are  placed  in 
the  hands  of  a  hoard  of  trustees,  nine  in  nnmbe.r.  By  this  last  act 
the  Free  ilission  Friends  have  fornu'd  a  cliur(di  organiz.ition  nominally 
distinet  and  tending  toward  greater  solidity. 

The  Free  Chnrcdi  supports  missionary  wiU'k  in  Utah  and  southern 
China.  It  maintains  an  orphanage  with  a  capacity  of  50  to  fiO  children, 
founded  at  Pheljis  Centre.  Neb.,  in  1888.  hy  Kev.  A.  Nordiii.  In 
Chicago,  Rev.  Priiicell  for  a  nnniher  of  years  has  conducted  a  Bible 
institute  for  the  education  of  pastors  and  missionaries. 

The    OaK    Street    SwedisK    Mission 

As  the  educational  and  iniblishing  center  of  the  Swedish  Free 
Church  of  the  United  States  the  Oak  Street  ^Mission  in  Chicago  holds  a 
pre-eminent  place  in  the  denomination,  aside  from  the  fact  that  its  age 
and  size  lend  it  prominence. 

This  cluu'ch  dates  its  origin  from  the  autumn  of  ]8S(t.  when  sonu> 
seventeen  brethren  met  at  90  ]\Iilton  avenue,  then  known  as  liremer 
street,  and  decided  to  hold  regular  devoti<inal  meetings  thenceforth. 
When  this  meeting-place  would  no  longer  aci'onuuodate  the  worshipers, 
they  were  given  the  use  of  a  hasement  in  the  building  occupied  hy  John 
^fartenson's  newspaper.  "Chicago-Bladet."  at  'M')S  AYells  street.    From 


6i6  Till-;    MISSION    CIU'RCH 

May,  1881,  week-day  meetings  also  were  held  in  the  Chicago  Avenue 
Church.    In  the  fall  of  that  year,  Freja  Hall,  at  155  Chicago  avenue. 

was  secured  for  the  holding  of  meetings,  and  the  brethren  met  there 
for  the  first  time  on  Oct.  30, 1881.  As  yet  they  had  no  regular  preacher, 
the  most  gifted  among  their  number  taking  turns  in  speaking  at  the 
meetings.  At  intervals  visiting  preachers  appeared,  chiefly  Rev.  Sahl- 
strom.  During  the  two  years  the  Sunday  services  were  held  at  Freja 
Hall,  the  flock  increa-sed  rapidly,  and  in  October,  1883,  the  church 
secured  larger  quarters,  at  243-5  Chicago  avenue,  where  an  old  shop 
was  remodeled  as  a  meeting  hall,  with  a  capacity  of  about  750.  It  was 
named  for  the  owner  of  tlu>  building,  Busli  Hall.  From  now  on  all  the 
meetings,  including  the  week-day  meetings  continued  at  90  Jlilton 
avenue  and  the  Chicago  Avenue  Church,  were  held  here.  About  this 
time  a  Sunday  school  was  started,  comjjrising  six  or  seven  cla.sses. 
Such  was  the  enthusiasm  aniong  those  Avho  desired  to  teach  that  if 
there  were  no  pupils  for  them,  they  went  out  in  the  streets  and  picked 
up  material  for  a  class  wherever  they  could  find  it. 

After  occupying  Bush  Hall  for  two  ycai"s,  at  an  annual  icntal  of 
$900,  wliieh  proved  too  heavy  a  burden,  the  congregation  removed  to 
North  Star  Hall,  on  Division  street,  near  Sedgwick  stivet.  which  was 
.secured  for  $500  per  year.  For  the  next  two  years  Hev.  J.  G.  Princell 
I)reached  regularly  hei-e.  11  is  suci-essor  was  Hev.  -1.  \V.  Sfriimberg, 
who  served  for  one  year. 

Driven  from  North  St;ir  Hall  (now  I'lidtiiix  Hall)  by  a  raise  of 
.'t;300  in  the  annual  rental  in  ISSil,  tiie  congregation  in  January  of  the 
i'ollDwinsr  year  decided  to  ])urcliase  the  old  church  on  Oak  street, 
owned  by  the  Swedish  Baptists.  By  its  faihu-e  to  i-omi>lcte  the  deal 
after  paying  down  $200,  the  congregation  lost  tliat  amount.  In  aulici- 
pation  of  the  purchase,  the  clnircli  was  incoi'poi-atcd  luulcr  the  name 
of  the  Oak  Street  Jlission. 

In  Sept.,  1888,  two  lots.  120.")  and  I'd?  Oak  street,  and  a  frame  bnild- 
iiif,'.  were  purchased  for  $10, (Kid.  Here  a  building  was  erected  in  18S0, 
at  a  co.st  of  about  $l(i.(t(Ml,  the  total  debt  incurred  for  the  property 
being  $24,000.  'rih-  struclnrc  is  54V:;  '^y  l^^'^  f''''^-  ^^o  stories  and  bivse- 
njcnt,  anil  contains,  besides  a  lai-gc  hall,  seating  about  800  people,  two  f 

apai-tiMcnts  and  two  stoi-cs  for  renting  purposes.     One  of  the  latter  has  , 

been  ociMipicd  I'oi'  a  nnniiii-r  of  years  as  the  otTice  of  "Chicago-Bladet " ; 
llic  oilier  was  until    I'ci-cniiy   used  as  a   smailci-  nieetingbail   ;uid  also  | 

served  as  i|uartci's  for  a  Bible  sciiool.    The  new  structure  was  formally  ' 

fledicatcd   in   -lulv.    1889.   wln'U   jidilresses  were   niaile   by    Kcv.    I'riin-ell 
and  Prof.  P.  ^^■aldl•nsl  i-iini  of  Swcdi-n.  j 

The  nei'd  of  a  pcrnianclit   preacher  was  not  supplied  until   .Vugust,  I 

I'^m.   wbi'n    \\<\     Am'I    Xc.rdin    look    charge,   scrvini.'  until  .lnl\.    PlOl.  J 


Till-:    CONCKKCATIONAI.ISTS  hij 

During  this  tlei-adc  tin;  inombersliip  was  doubled,  I'cauliiiig  l.so,  whili- 
many  participated  in  the  work  of  this  chiircli  without  being  registered 
members. 

In  the  fall  of  1898  the  congregation  openetl  the  lower  hall  for  a 
divinity  school,  named  the  Swedish  Bible  Institute,  wliieh  was  con- 
ducted by  Rev.  Princell,  assisted  by  the  pastor  of  the  church.  When 
in  July,  190],  Rev.  G.  A.  Young  succeeded  to  the  pastorate,  lie  entered 
energetically  into  the  work  both  as  a  preacher  and  a  teacher  in  the 
institute.  After  three  years'  work  his  flock  exceeded  250  in  number. 
In  1903  a  con.stitution  for  the  government  of  the  church  went  into  effect. 
In  1907  Rev.  Young  Avas  succeeded  by  Rev.  Victor  Swift,  the  present 
pastor  of  the  Oak  Street  Mission.  The  membership  of  the  church  now 
approaches  '2'yO. 

The   Svv^edish   Cong'reg'ationalists 

A  number  of  jMission  Friends  have  associated  themselves  with  the 
^Vmerieau  Congregational  Church,  the  first  step  being  taken  in  1881 
by  the  Mission  Church  of  Worcester,  Mass.  The  cause  for  this  defec- 
tion is  twofold:  first,  the  education  of  Mission  ministers  at  tlie  Chicago 
Theological  Seminary,  a  Congregational  institution ;  second,  the  chance 
of  obtaining  financial  aid  from  the  American  Cougregationalists  for 
the  Swedish  Mission  churches.  Doetrinally,  the  Swedish  Cougrega- 
tionalists do  not  differ  from  other  ^Mission  Friends,  and  if  they  did.  that 
could  not  cause  a  separation  on  their  part,  holding,  as  they  do,  that 
all  true  believers  may  unite  with  their  churches  while  still  I'emaiuing 
Lutherans,  ^lethodists.  Baptists  or  whatever  they  may  be.* 

The  fountain-head  of  Swedish  Congregationalism  is  located  in 
Chicago,  at  the  Swedish  Institute  of  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary, 
but  the  main  stream  has  rim  eastward.  In  the  New  England  and  other 
eastern  states,  that  group  has  the  bulk  of  its  membership,  and  it  is 
freely  admitted  that  the  mission  funds  of  the  American  Congregational 
Church  are  largely  responsible  for  the  general  transition  of  the  ^fission 
churches  in  the  East  to  Congregationalism. 

There  M'cre  no  Mission  Friends,  in  the  specific  sense  of  the  terra, 
in  the  East  until  the  year  ]879.  when  a  niunber  of  followers  of  Rev. 
Princell,  then  a  Lutheran  pastor  of  the  Augnstaua  Synod,  seceded 
from  the  Lutheran  congregations  in  New  York  City  and  Campello. 
Mass.,  and  went  over  with  him  to  the  ^Mission  Friends.  The  movement 
spread  successively  to  Brooklyn,  Boston,  Worcester.  Quincy  and  other 
cities.  Mission  churches  being  formed  in  each  of  these  places.  The  men 
who  carried  on  the  work  were,  besides  Princell.  C.  W.  Holm.  Emil 
Holmblad,  A.   Lidman.  A.   G.  Nelson  and   George   Wiberg.     On  the 

*    Xclscin  ;    MissioiisvaniicnKis  lustori.-i.   p.  GTS. 


6i,S  ''■'"■-    MISSION    CIIIKCH 

]>riin-ii)l('  iif  pure  ehurelies.  it  was  not  possible  to  Ijiiild  up  large  eoii- 
gregations.  especially  in  places  where  the  Swedes  were  few  in  num- 
ber. It  was.  therefore,  very  difficult  to  maintain  i)astoral  work  in  the 
different  localities,  and  when  the  Congregationalists  i)rofferred  i)ecuni- 
ary  aid.  this  was  gratefully  accepted.  The  example  of  the  W<u-cestcr 
church  was  followed  within  five  years  by  the  Mi.ssion  churches  of 
Boston.  Canii)ello.  Lowell.  Brooklyn  and  Xew  Britain,  and  after  that 
the  movement  l)ecanie  general.  Wiicn  in  the  '8(»s  Swedish  emigrants 
began  to  settle  in  the  Hast  in  greater  nnnd)ers  than  before,  a  large 
mission  field  was  opened  up.  which  the  Swedish  churches  themselves 
were  not  prepared  to  care  for.  The  Congregational  home  mission  board 
came  to  the  aid  of  the  Mission  Friends  and  resolved  to  maintain  a 
Swedish  missionary  in  the  field.  Kev.  C.  J.  Erikson  l>eing  engaged  for 
that  work.  To  supply  the  need  of  more  traveling  missionaries,  the 
^lassachusetts  Free  ]Mission  was  organized  in  1886.  It  engaged  Eric 
O.stergren.  who  served  until  ISOi'.  In  the  meantime  the  Congregational 
mission  lioanl  sujjportcd  Hi'\ .  Iloliiililad  and  others  on  the  mi.ssii.ii 
fii'ld    in    ^Massachusetts. 

The  aid  rcnilcn'd  liy  tiic  Amcrii'an  Congregationalists  mostly  tooK 
<li.-  loiin  af  salaries  for  the  ^lission  pastors  and  liberal  contributions 
ti]  tile  church  buildiuir  funds  of  the  .Mission  churches.  The  church 
edifii-e  at  Worcester  dedicated  in  ISS,")  was  erected  at  a  cost  of  .1>8.39o. 
of  which  amount  ■^l.S(H)  was  contriliuted  iiy  the  Americans.  In  18% 
this  edifice  was  sold  for  $8,000  and  another  jjurchased  from  the  Amer- 
ican Congregationalists  for  $40,000.  What  jiart  of  this  sum  was 
advaiu'ed  by  the  Congregational  mission  board  has  not  been  publishcil. 
Thi>  Worcester  congregation  is  the  largest  of  the  Swedish  Congrega- 
tional churches,  ninnbering  at  the  |)resent  time  somewhat  over  .")(MI 
members. 

The  Lowell  church,  which  had  joined  the  Congregatioiuilists  in 
188").  was  among  the  lirsl  to  eNpei-iene<'  trouble  in  the  effort  to  live 
u)i  to  tlie  |)i-inci|)li'  of  toieiatiiii;  doelrinal  differences  anuuig  its 
menihei-s.  Almost  from  Ihe  start  it  was  toi-n  by  dissensions  which 
came  to  a  head  in  1SI)1.  when  L'ti  mcnd)ers  left  in  a  body  ami  fornn'd  a 
.Mrlliddist  c'bun-h.  Tliey  were  rollowed  by  othei's.  and  shortly-  after- 
ward a  second  group  seceded  to  start   a   Haplist   chiu'ch. 

The  ministers  of  the  Swedish  Congregational  i-hurches  in  tlu'  East 
arc  iiiiileci  ill  a  ndinsterial  association,  known  as  The  Swedish  I'astorai 

ConlVrent f  the  Hast,  organized  Feb.  8,  18S8,  at  New  Britain,  Conn. 

Its  by-laws,  adopletl  the  following  year,  under  which  the  Conferenci- 
was  incorporated  in  1S!t1.  iuliiiit  all  ministers,  but  provide  diseioliiie 
and  e\|iulsiiiii  I'di-  lalse  ti'acliing  and  luichristian  living,  from  which 
it    appears    thai     while    all    Christian    beliefs    ai'c    tolerated    among    ill. 


TIIH    CoNC.kHC.ATIoNAl.ISTS  619 

iiK'niliiTs  of  till"  cliiirch.  the  Coiifcroiico  ilocs  not  sanction  every  iiitfi-- 
]>rt'tiition    of    tlu'    Sci-iptnrcs.      The    ConfiTcnec    now    numbers    aliout 

7"    lllciiilx'I's. 

Con^rcf^ationalisni  was  almost  unknown  to  tli<>  ^lission  FimimkIs 
of  tlie  West  up  to  the  yeai"  ISSo.  wlicn  at  the  (ii-<rani/ation  of  the 
Mission  Covenant  the  Chicago  'rheoh)u;iea!  Seniinai-y  triMier-ously  olfei'ed 
to  defray  the  expenses  for  tlie  education  of  its  ministers.  A  de- 
noniinaticnial  historian  is  autlioi'ity  for  tlie  statement  that  with  very 
few  exceptions  tlie  <'ieri;y  and  laity  of  the  [Mission  churches  were  un- 
acquainted willi  the  Congregational  eliun-h  organism.  From  suli- 
sequent  events  it  is  apparent  that  the  Covenant's  acceptance  of  the 
offer  did  not  imply  organic  connection  with  that  denomination,  nor 
did  the  Covenant  sus[)ect  any  hidden  motive  in  the  offer  or  foresee  the 
sulise(|uent  developments. 

While  refraining  from  open  antagonism,  the  ('oveiiant  has  looki'd 
with  disfavor  on  the  trend  toward  Congregationalism.  In  the  East 
its  intluence  has  been  insutficieiit  to  outweigh  the  financial  induce- 
ments held  out  to  the  ]\Iissiou  churches,  but  in  the  western  and  north- 
western states  the  movement  has  been  discouraged  and  its  progress 
has  been  correspondingly  slow. 

In  1889.  the  church  papers  "ilissions-Viiniien  "  and  ""  ilinneapolis 
A'ecl'Colilad."'  both  speaking  for  the  Covenant,  took  a  stand  against 
goint;'  over  to  the  Congregationalists.  The  answer  was  a  unanimous 
resolution  passed  at  the  Pastoral  Conference  of  the  East,  held  in 
Boston  in  December  of  that  >i-ar.  protesting  agaiiis!  tin-  view  ex- 
pressed that  the  movement  was  derogatory  to  the  ilission  clmrcli  and 
testifying  to  its  great  usefulness  to  the  churches  in  the  eastern  states. 

The  question  a  sain  came  up  for  discussion  in  connection  with 
the  establishment  of  the  Covenant's  own  theological  sidiool.  The 
brethren  in  the  East  iironoiinced  the  new  school  not  only  unnecessary 
but  dangerous,  inasmuch  as  it  would  create  a  rivalry  with  the  Swedish 
department  of  the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary,  which  might  lead 
to  unwholesome  competition  in  soliciting  students  and  breed  p.ii'tisan- 
ship  among  the  graduates  of  the  resiiective  institutions. 

In  1S!)()  the  c|uestion  was  raised  of  making  the  Covenant  a  con- 
ference, i.  e..  an  integral  part  of  the  Congregational  church.  The  plau 
was  to  give  it  reju'esentation  at  the  triennial  Cougregational  (len- 
eral  Council  and  allot  to  it  a  snitabb'  api)ropriation  for  h(uue  and 
foreign  missions,  and  leave  it  in  full  control  of  its  own  mission  work. 
Leading  men  of  the  American  Congregational  Church  and  of  the 
Covenant  met  in  Chicaaro  to  discuss  the  jiroposed  union.  M  that 
meeting  the  Swedish  niiiiisti'i-s  emi)hasized  that  they  differed  from 
the   Coiigi'egationalists    in    n-gard   to   conditiiJii    of  mi'mliershi|i    in    the 


620  '""l-     MISSION    CIIIKCII 

churelu's.  and  also  iu  regard  tn  w<irdl\  aiiiusi-iiieiits.  Almost  to  a  man 
the  Covenaut  opposed  the  union,  and  the  plan  fell  through.  It  seeuis 
to  be  a  fact  that  until  recently  discussion  looking  to  the  establishment 
of  closer  relations  among  the  three  groups  of  ilission  Friends  has 
only  served  to  embitter  the  feelings  on  all  sides  and  caused  further 
estrangement.  The  last  of  the  series  of  heated  debates  on  the  question 
of  uniting  the  three  groups  was  carried  on  in  the  respective  news- 
paper organs  in  1903.  After  lasting  for  some  six  months,  the  discus- 
sion grew  so  acrimonious  and  personal  that  it  hatl  to  be  shut  off  iu 
the  public  prints,  proving,  naturally,  worse  than  fruitless.  Tiie  results 
of  the  overtures  for  niiificatioii  uiiidi'  in  lf)ll.">  by  the  Covenant  are  yet 
to  come. 

The  foreign  mission  work  of  the  Sweilish  Congregationali.st,s  is 
carried  on  principally  llirougli  the  medium  of  the  Scandinavian  Al- 
liance ]Mi.ssion,  with  headiiuarters  in  Chicago.  A  mission  association 
of  that  name  was  organized  there  in  1890.  by  F.  Fransou.  a  missionary. 
This  mission  is  independent  of  the  Congregationalists,  but  is  favored 
by  the  Swedish  Congregational  churches  and  also  the  Free  ehurches.  It 
has  an  elective  board  of  seven  directors,  and  liev.  Fransou  was  general 
director  imtil  his  death  in  1008.  All  persons  i)aying  at  least  $10  a  year 
to  its  misKion  fund  arc  counted  members  of  the  association.  Its 
function  is  that  of  an  agency  or  connecting  link  between  the  eongrega- 
tioiis  and  the  missionaries  in  llir  rickl.  Tiie  latter  are  about  100  in 
number,  half  of  wliom  are  engaged  in  Cliina.  the  remainder  in  India. 
ilongolia  and  Afriea.  The  majority  nl'  them  are  sent  out  and  suji- 
ported  by  individual  ihiui-lics  of  the  Congregational  group  in  the  Fast 
and  the  Free  ilissioii  and  inilepeiiilent  Covenant  elnirchcs  in  the  West, 
their  contributions  merely  passing  through  the  hands  of  the  .Mliance 
Mission.  In  sixteen  years  the  Scandinavian  Alliance  Mission  handled 
mission  fumis  aiiimmting  to  iipwiirds  of  $400,000.  aggregating  .$2r),00l) 
per  year. 

To  dale  the  Swedisli  Congregational  elinrehes  in  Illinois  have 
been  twelve  in  number,  two  of  them  Ix-ing  now  niiiiost  exliu'-t  and  a 
tliiril   having  severed  its  eomieetion. 

'i'he  oldest  of  these  is  llie  Hetldeheiii  iliurcli  in  (liiiago.  In  llie 
.iiiluiiin  of  1886,  Prof.  Fridolf  Kisbcrg,  assisted  by  students  of  the 
Cliieago  Theological  Seminai-y.  rented  a  vacant  store  in  West  Lake 
street  and  began  to  eonduct  religious  services  for  the  Swedish  peoi)le 
in  that  neighborhood.  Tlie  mission  ^^ils  kept  up  for  three  years,  and 
in  1889,  Sept.  'Jlst.  a  congregation  was  orirani/ed  luider  the  name  of 
the  Swedish  Christian  Hclblelicm  Clinreh.  lis  meetings  were  held 
successively  in  an  nid  I'.nplisI  clmr<h  ai  Washington  boulevard  and 
Paulina    stri-ci.    ('.isiii-    JLiJI.    in    l.al;c    street,    a    Cnilarian    ilmreli    at 


Till-;    Tlli;()I.()(".IC.\I.    SKMINARY  621 

Monroe  ;iiul  lj:iujrliliii  sti'ccts.  and  airain  in  Castle  Hall  up  ti)  Novem- 
ber, IfKKI,  wlicn  it  moved  into  its  own  church  (nlifiee,  a  remodeled 
residence  in  Fulton  street,  representing  an  outlay  of  $2,500.  The 
church  has  never  had  a  permanent  pastor,  the  services  being  conducted 
in  turn  by  Prof.  Risberg's  pupils  during  the  school  year  and  bj'  students 
or  teachers  during  each  vacation.  Since  1891  the  ehnreh  has  supported 
one  of  its  members,  Jliss  Alma  Svenson,  as  a  missionary  in  China. 
It  joined  the  Congregational  denomination  in  18(17,  but  has  enjoyed 
no  financial  aid  from  that  source. 

Up  to  the  year  1900,  the  Swedish  Congregational  churches  had 
I'eeeived  $365,000  from  the  American  Congregational  Cluu-ch.  A 
historical  work  on  Swedish  Congregationalism,  imlilislied  in  inOf), 
accounts  for  112  churches  of  that  denomination. 

The  SvN^edish.   Institute  of  the  Chicago  Theological   Seminary 

The  Chicago  Theological  Seminary  is  one  of  eight  similar  insti- 
tutions owned  and  maintained  by  the  Congregational  Church.  The 
Chicago  institution  was  founded  in  1854.  A  German  department  was 
instituted  in  1882,  followed  by  a  Scandinavian  department  in  1884. 
The  following  year  this  latter  was  divided  in  two,  a  Danish-Norwegian 
and  a  Swedish  department.  Tlie  institution  is  located  at  81  Ashland 
boulevard. 

Eev.  Fridolf  Risberg  of  Sweden  was  called  to  assume  charge  of 
instruction  in  the  Swedish  department  in  1885.  During  the  prior  j-ear 
of  its  existence  the  department  had  fourteen  students  in  attendance. 
For  three  years  Prof.  Eisberg  was  alone  in  the  w'ork.  Then  Rev.  David 
Nyvall  was  called  as  his  associate.  After  two  years  of  teaching  Rev. 
Nyvall  resigned,  and  his  successor,  Eev.  M.  E.  Peterson,  has  been  con- 
nected with  the  school  up  to  the  present  time.  During  the  first  sis 
yeai-s  the  department  was  in  connection  with  the  Swedish  Evangelical 
Mission  Covenant  of  America,  which  for  three  years  had  the  authority 
to  select  the  associate  teachers  and  also  contributed  the  greater  part  of 
their  salaries. 

After  the  department  had  been  fullj'  developed  the  average 
number  of  students  was  40,  luitil  the  Covenant  in  1891  secured  a  school 
of  its  own,  when  that  number  was  materially  reduced,  the  present 
attendance  being  about  25. 

Tuition  is  given  free  of  cost,  and  gifted  and  deserving  students 
are  granted  a  stipend  of  $50  per  year. 

The  Swedish  students  pursue  partly  general  elementary  studies, 
such  as  the  Swedish  and  English  languages,  history  and  other  sub- 
jects, partly  theological  studies,  including  the  Old  and  New  Testament, 
church   history,   dogmatics,   pastoral   theology,   and   kindred   subjects. 


622 


Till-;  MISSION  ciirucii 


Till-  Swcilisli  laiijruage  is  the  medium  ot  instnutioii  in  most  (.•huri-lu's, 
certain  subjefts.  however,  being  taught  in  English. 

The  stmlents  are  (■()mf(>rtal)ly  housed  in  tlic  dormitories  of  the 
institution,  antl  liave  access  to  Swedish  and  ireneral  libraries  and  a 
wi-li  iMiuijipcd  ^yinnasiuni. 

One  hour  every  week  is  set  aside  for  addresses  and  discourses 
in  English  by  missionaries  or  eminent  jireacliers  on  topii-s  of  espi-cial 
interest  to  divinitv  students.     Aside  from   I  he  regular  class  practice 


rrrr  n 


|t«e|i|rflfiil  ill 


"^        "^^iTH 


l-"isk   Hall,   lu>mL-  of  IIk-  Sui-'lish   IhnUUiIi.-  "t   Uk-  Cliua.L;o  TluoloyuMl  M-iinii.uy 

in  picacliinu-.  the  sliidcnts  arc  fre(iueidly  a.ssigned  to  (lulpits  in  Chicago 
and  V'..  inily.     In  the  ncigliliorliood   (d'  the  seminary  is  the  ISethlehem 

Chiircli.   organized   by  the   dcpartiiicnl    and   islituting   the   spiritual 

liiinii'  111'  llic  stiidiMits  and   Icai'licrs. 

ill  the  y<'ar  llHi:!  Ilii-  Toi-eign  deparliiients  of  the  Chicago  'riicolog- 
ii-al    Scniiiiary   aci|uiic(l    a    status   of   greater    independence     by    being 

pi; (I   parli:ill\    under  the  roiilrol  ol'  tin'  ciiiU"<du'S  for  whi(dl  they  were 

called  into  existence,  and  who  now  contribute  regularly  towanl  the 
salaries  of  the  assistant  teachers.  To  accentuate  (heir  position  they 
wore  named  inst  itiilcs.  The  name  id"  the  Swcilish  department  was 
thus  tdiangcd  to  \hr  Swedish  liislilutc  of  the  Ciiicago  Tln-oloirical 
Semiinirv. 


Sr.MMAKV 


623 


Friiiii  its  iiircpl  inn  ;is  ;i  (ii'iKir!  riirnl  llii-  SwimUsIi  Institute  lins 
boon  attended  liy  a  total  dl'  (i\-er  L'.')i)  vdimi.'  men.  iki  wcmien  liavinj:  as 
yet  availed  tlieiuselves  of  tlie  iiistiMietion  for  teiieiiin^  or  missionary 
ivork.  Twenty  have  eiit;a<re(l  in  missionary  work  amoMj;  tlie  heathen 
in  .\laska.  Jaiian.  .MouLCdiia.  and  China  proper.  India.  West  and  South 
Afriea  and  South  Aineriea.  Three  of  these  iiiissionai'les  were  miirileri-d 
iu  the  Boxer  riots  of  IDOd.  Ahout  ]')()  of  the  graduates  are  entrained 
in  ))astoi'al  woi'ii  in   .\nieriea.  Sweden  and  Xorway. 


Denominational  Estimate 

The  ^Mission  Friends  iiuhlish  hardly  any  statistics  worthy  of  the 
name,  and  only  a  rough  estimate  can  be  made  of  their  numbers,  expend- 
itures for  religious  purposes  and  the  extent  of  other  aetivitie.s.  A  woi-k 
on  the  ilission  Church  of  America  published  in  1D(]7  gives  a  summai-y 
from  •which  we  quote,  adding  certain  figures  found  in  recent  re|Hirts. 

The  ilission  Covenant  comprises  I'M)  churches  with  a  combined 
membership  of  about  16.000.  Of  these  there  are  28  cluu'ehes  in  Illinois. 
Co-operating  with  the  Covenant,  although  not  organically  united  with 
it,  are  a  number  of  congregations  with  an  aggre-.;ate  nu'mbership  of 
4.000,  making  a  total  of  20.000.  The  Congregationa-  churches,  ineludine' 
only  a  few  small  ones  in  this  state,  are  about  one  himdrcd  in  number, 
with  a  total  membershi|)  of  aboul  S.dOd.  The  Free  ^Mission  in  lUdT. 
according  to  Rev.  Princell.  claimed  st)me  2(10  churches,  with  a  total 
membership  of  12.000,  the  20  churches  in  Illinois  having  about  l.-')()ii 
members.  Bownum.  however,  gives  an  estimate  far  below  these  figures, 
allowing  at  most  5.000  mend)ers.  Other  figures,  based  on  PrinceH's 
estimate,  are:  numbers  of  pastors,  not  including  student  preachers.  l:5n. 
14  of  whom  labored  in  this  state.  There  were  l:^  churehes  in  this  state 
and  100  throughout  the  country.  Those  in  Illinois  were  valued  at 
.-f;123.000,  and  the  total  value  of  church  property  was  $840,000.  The 
largest  and  most  influential  Free  ili.ssion'  churches  in  Illinois  are  the 
Chicago  churehes  at  Oak  street.  Lake  View,  West  Twenty-second  street 
and  Pullman-Roseland :  and  those  of  Rockford  and  IMoline. 

It  is  Avith  respect  to  mission  work  in  heathen  lands  that  the  .Missicjn 
Friends  especially  earn  their  luime. 

The  Free  ^lission  group  was  the  first  to  go  into  foreign  fields. 
Its  first  heathen  missionary.  II.  J.  von  (^)valen.  was  sent  to  Canton  in 
1887.  Two  years  latei'  the  Covenant  began  work  in  Alaska.  The  Vvea 
Mission  in  1907  supported  five  missionaries  of  its  own  in  Canton  and 
besides  contributed  generously  to  the  Alliance  ^Mission.  The  Covenant 
had  18  missionaries  and  8  native  assistants  in  Alaska  and  14  mission- 
aries iu  China.  The  Swedish  C<ingregati(Mialists  maintain  no  foreiirn 
missions   of   their   own.   but   contribut<>    considerable    amounts    to    the 


624 


Till-;    .MISSION    CmRCH 


Alliance  Missiou  and  somewhat  to  the  niissious  carried  mi  l>y  the 
Covenant,  the  Free  ^lission  and  the  American  Congregational  Churcli. 
In  foreign  mission  work  the  ilission  Friends  rank  second  only  to  the 
German  Brethren,  who  are  said  to  have  one  foreign  missionary  to  every 
52  members.  According  to  the  statistics  of  1906  the  American  Con- 
gregationalists,  who  lead  the  larger  denominations  in  mission  work. 
maintained  a  foreign  missionary  to  every  1.1^^4  members,  and  tlie  i)er 
capita  contribution  was  $1.10.  The  ratio  among  the  ^lission  Friends 
of  Sweden  was  for  the  same  year  1  to  943  and  $3.39  per  capita,  and 
among  those  in  the  United  States,  1  to  252.  with  $2.08  per  member  paid 
into  tlic  foreign  mission  1)'oas\irv. 


H 

M 

CHAPTER     XI 

The  Swedes  in  the  Ci\ll  War 

Early    Sw^edish    Patriots 

EN  of  Norse  blood  have  lielped  to  make  American  history 
from  the  first  chapter  to  the  last.  Swedes  have  played 
a  jiart  iu  shaping  the  destinies  of  our  coiuitry  at  every 
important  epoch.  Bj^  early  settlement  they  became 
a  component  part  of  the  population  of  at  least  two 
of  the  thirteen  original  colonies.  In  the  framing  of  a  nation  by  a  union 
of  these  fragments,  two  conspicuous  Swedish-Americans  had  a  hand — 
John  Morton,  who,  as  chairman,  had  the  casting  vote  which  determined 
Penn,sylvania's  stand  for  Amei'ican  independence,  and  John  Hanson, 
Maryland's  most  noted  representative  during  the  revolutionary  period 
and  at  one  time  president  of  the  congress.  Two  noted  Swedish  com- 
manders, Hans  Axel  von  Fersen  and  Curt  Bogi.slau.s  von  Stedingk, 
fought  in  the  war  for  independence,  both  receiving  the  Order  of  Cin- 
cinnati for  heroism,  wliile  many  less  renowned  patriots  of  Swedish 
descent,  their  numlier  unknown,  took  part  in  the  great  struggle  for 
liberly.  Again,  in  the  peaceable  conquest  of  the  great  West,  the  Swedes 
participated  by  colonizing  great  areas  in  the  central  states — a  move- 
ment vastly  more  far-reaching  iu  its  consequences  than  that  of  found- 
ing the  colony  on  the  Delaware. 

In  the  year  I860  this  influx  from  Sweden  had  but  fairly  begun. 
yet,  when  the  great  national  crisis  came,  there  were  Swedes  in  every 
rank  and  station  fighting  and  working  for  the  cause  of  freedom  and 
union,  and  the  Civil  War  marks  the  beginning  of  their  general  parti- 
cipation in  jmblic  affairs.     Among  the  Swedes  who  rendered  eminent 


626 


THK    Civil.    WAR 


servitM's  to  iIk-  ii.iiinn  in  this  coriHii-t  were  iiii-ii  of  tlie  ulil  Di-lawari- 
stock,  like  Adiiiii-iil  Dalilf^^ri'ii,  naval  (-(iininandci*  and  inventor  of  the 
Dalil^rcn  fjiui.  and  (icn.  Jiobcrt  Anderson  of  Fort  Sumter  fame;  men 
who  came  over  ilireetly  from  Sweden  to  ai»l  the  I'nion.  like  Gen.  Ernst 
von  N'l'f^esaek;  that  i.solated  f?eniiis.  Captain  John  Kric.s.son.  inventor 
of  the  Jlonitor;  and  la.st.  hut  not  U'a.st.  the  thousands  of  Swedish- 
Americans  of  the  West,  who  fought  in  the  volunteer  ranks  of  tlie 
I'nion  army,  and  the  scoi-cs  of  l)rave  ami  skilli'd  commanders  of 
companies,  refiimcnts  and  l)ri}ra<les.  fonMnost  of  wlmni  were  Stolhrand 
and  .Mnlinhorfr. 


A    Study    of    Swedish    Enlistments 

When  l'rtsi(hiil  .\l>r;di;Mii  Lincdln  on  A|)ril  1.').  iSlil.  in  reply  to 
the  rebel  attack  on  Fort  Sumter,  issued  a  proclamation  callin'r  for 
7."). (100  voliMitci-rs  to  sci-\-c  thrci'  months  for  thi-  purpose  of  putting 
down  tli<'  rcliclliim  in  ih<'  South,  many  times  that  nnndjer  in  the  loyal 
states  otfci'cd  their  scrxices.  The  Swedish-Americans,  then  less  than 
2(J.0(K)  in  number  and  mostly  new  arrivals  from  their  native  land, 
hastened  to  respond  tn  tln'  call  for  defeiulei-s  of  the  Finon  and  eidisted 
ill  the  service  of  their  adopted  country  as  eaaerly  as  the  most  patriotic 
111'  her  native-l)orn  citizens.  On  the  first  call  an  entire  Swedish  coni- 
pany  was  orjjanized  at  (iali'sluirjr.  and  Stolhrand  raised  a  company  of 
artilliTv  in  Chica^'o.  IkpIIi  of  which  were  at  first  rejected  as  super- 
iiiuni  rary.  and  indixidiial  Swedes  enlisted  in  all  the  various  localities 
in  which  they  li\  cd.  To  sul)se(|uent  calls  for  troops  they  responded 
in  inereasiiijr  niniilii'i's.  and  the  estiinati-  which  has  been  maile  that  one 
Swede  out  of  cvci'v  six  in  tlii'  central  West  and  Northwest  .joini'd  the 
col<ii-s  cannot  be  far  wron<r.  even  if  a|)plied  to  all  Swedish-Americans. 
Ill  the  latter  |iart  nf  Ihi'  year  isill  an  all  Swedish  company  was  raised 
!>>■  .Ma.joi-  Forsse  in  anil  aromid  I'.ishop  Hill.  HI.,  the  (ialcsbnr'r  company 
was  reortraiii/ed  and  acce|)tcd.  ('apt.  Silfvcrspari'e  recruited  a  battery. 
laiirely  S\\(<iish.  ill  this  state;  Col.  Hans  .Mattson  orpinized  a  Scandi- 
navian company  in  .Minnesota;  soini'  Swcilcs  joined  a  Norwe^iian  regi- 
ment, the  l.'jtii,  ipf  WiscDiisin.  and  the  muster  rolls  of  thi'  northwestern 
states  show  a  jfoodlv  niiinber  nf  Swedish  names. 

The  frcneral  census  of  istio  records  a  total  td'  IS.liL'o  Swedes  in 
the  liiiled  States,  or  these.  1 1  .SOO  were  living  in  the  four  slates  of 
Illinois.  Iowa.  .Minnesota  and  Wisconsin,  The  inuni^ration  from 
Sweden  in  the  next  two  years  was  2.:!00.  .Mlowiiijj  two-thirds,  for 
these  lour  slates,  thcii-  combined  Swedish  population  durinii  the  main 
period  of  inlislnii'iit  would  approximati'  KS.riOO.  The  best  estinuites 
matle  of  Swedish  enlistments  in  the  four  states  ^ives  a  total  of  •J.L'.'iO. 
or   exactly    one-sixth    of    their    Swedish    |iopulation.      Illinois,,    with    a 


I'.M.IS'l'.Ml-'.NTS 


627 


SwimIisIi  ]i(i|illl;it  icill.  ill  ISIIn,  (if  11,4711,  Mini  :i|ipri.N  iiiiiilcly  7,llllll  ;il  llir 
I'lul  III'  llic  ,\r,-ir  lS(il.  iMinl  riliuli'd  iiol  Irss  tli;iii  l.olMI  Swedish  \ciiiiii- 
tt'iTs.  iiulicat  iti^'  lluil  in  this  stjitc  nni'  Swnh-  nut  dl'  cxcry  I'ivc 
VdluiitiM'i'cd  for  military  service.  «liile  nut  cil'  the  wlmle  popidat  ion  one 
to  e\ci\\'  seven  persons  oidisted.  Army  statistics  compiled  in  1S6H  show 
tliat  anioiii;'  imiiiijirants  and  the  t'oreiun  element  the  aide  liodicd  males 
of  military  aj^'e.  IS  to  4-">  years,  constituted  one-thiivl  dI'  the  total 
nundier.  Thus,  it  Avill  lie  seen,  more  than  half  of  the  Swedes  of  Illinois 
fit  for  militar,\'  service  ai'tuall,s'  served-  all  of  which  speaks  volumes 
for  the  loyally  of  the  lihcrtydovinsj  Swedish  nationality. 

Xo  fie'iircs  to  show  the  total  rnnnhcr  of  Swedes  eiigagetl  in  the 
wai'  can  lie  ei\-cii.  liiiwc\cr.  with  any  claim  to  accuracy.  In  the  i;o\|.|-||. 
nient  army  statistics  tlic  Hnji'lish.  the  Irish  and  the  (iermans  were 
accounted  foi'.  hut  all  others  wei-e  entered  under  the  head  of  "other 
foreigners."  ().  X.  Xelson.  who  has  eiulcavoi-ed  to  ascertjiin  the  iium- 
l)er  of  Sweilish  soldiers  mustered  in  the  states  of  .Minnesota.  Iowa  and 
Wisconsin,  "'ives  an  estimated  total  of  Dod.  hut  he  slinuik  from  tlie  task 
of  an  actual  canvass  of  the  reports  of  the  adjutant  geiu'rals  of  those 
states  for  Swedish  names.  That  being  the  only  uu'thod  yielding  any- 
thing like  reliable  information  on  this  point,  the  laborious  search 
IliVviiigh  nine  volunu's  of  iuiin(>s  of  Illinois  volunteers  has  been  undei-- 
iak(Mi.  with  the  result  stated. 

The  Swedish  organizations.  Co.  ("  of  the  VAvd  reginu'ut.  and  Co.  I) 
of  the  57th.  and  the  largely  Swedish  Silfversparre  battery  gives  us  :i35 
to  start  with.  The  remaining  thousand  Swedish  names  are  seattered 
among  the  'iorj.OOO  on  the  Illinois  nmster  rolls.  The  enumeration  has 
been  made  with  conservatism  and  due  care.  Xames  iduiraeteristieally 
Swi'ilish  have  been  counted  without  ipiestioii:  .\ii<li'rsons.  .rohnsous. 
Xelsons  and  like  surnames,  rarely.  exce]it  when  preceded  by  a  Swedish 
given  name  ov  known  to  have  been  boi'iu'  by  Swedes  or  men  from 
Swedish  settlenu^nts.  Xames  like  Smith.  Young.  Thdl.  Holt.  Fri'euuin, 
Newman.  Swan.  Stark,  Berg.  Beek.  Holmes,  lienson.  Gibson,  etc.. 
although  liorni'  by  many  Swedes,  have  been  ciuuited  onl\'  in  known 
eases,  a  loss  which  doubtless  is  not  outbalanced  liy  those  erroneously 
credited  to  the  Swedish  natiotuilit.x'.  We  have,  furthermore,  guarded 
against  claiming  as  Swedes  the  several  hundreds  of  other  Scandinavians 
who  fought  in  the  Illinois  regiments.  Again,  the  tendency  of  the 
Swedes  to  AnuM-ieanize  their  names  or  adopt  new  ones  that  completely 
mask  their  nationality  uuist  neee.ssai'ily  cause  a  number  of  omissions 
in  the  count.  Other  ditficulties  have  iieeii  encountered  in  the  attempt 
to  pi(d\  out  the  Swetlish  soldiers  from  anuing  the  promiscuous  mass. 
Their  names  were  often  distorted  by  the  cderks  of  the  recruiting 
stations,  who  spelled  them  phnneticall,\'.  or  tlu'.v  have  been  rendi'rcd 
almost  unrecoi;uizable  by  tlu'  state  printer.     Thus  for  instance.  Carlson 


62S 


TIIK    CI\II.    WAR 


is  frequently  written  C'ulson.  Iledeiiskog  lias  been  fuuud  in  the  two 
forms  Iladcnseogg  and  Aadenskoy.  Person  is  anglicized  into  Parson 
and  even  sueii  a  typical  Swcdisii  name  as  Akcrliloni  in  tiie  reports 
takes  the  Celtic  form  of  O'Kerbloni.  Common  Swedish  given  names, 
like  Nils,  or  Nels.  Aiignst  and  Jonas  an-  nsually  diangetl  to  Nelson. 
Augustus  ;ind  Jones. 

With  these  renuirUs  ^ve  s\iljniit  the  i-esnlt  of  our  struggle  with  the 
problem  of  ennmcratifm  in  Ihe  following  tabidated  form: 


i 


Sv/^edes  in  the  Illinois  Volunteer    Regiments 

Three   Months   Service 
IN  l-A  N•■l•|<^ 

Niiniljei-  «'t" 
Kcj;iiiiciil  Swcdfs 

Seveiitli 3 

Ninlh 2 

Teiitli ; 

Eleventli i 

Twelftli 17 

Total 26 

It  siidulil  be  )i(inic  in  mind,  however,  that  one  whole  eumpany  of 
Swedi.sh  volunteers  at  1h<^  first  call  for  ti-oops.  and  one  battery, 
recruited  by  Stolbraml,  were  not  accepted.  Most  of  these  volunteers 
imdoubtedly  enlisted  ;iu:;iin  and  would  then  figure  in  the  report  next 
following. 


Three  Years  Service 


I  .N  hw  N'rl*^■ 


Toliil . 


xJ.S 


i-;m.istm1',nts 


629 


I    A  \' A  I  .l<\' 


RfSt. 
132.. 

134.. 
136.. 


'3«. 

139 

14<'- 


146    . 

■47- • 
14S.. 

149.- 
'S"  ■ 


I  .'> 


10 

4 


9- 
14- 


16 


I  1  .1  .I-.W  N 


I'irsl  Re,t;inieiil.  .. 
Seconil  RegiiiieiU . . 
lleiisliaw's  RaUer\' 


Si 

(.•clfS 

■  93 

■  34 

■  3 


Total 1,: 

One   Hunctred  Days    Service 
IMK^VNTRV 


No,  Swctlcs 


Ru.;;t. 

141 

142 

143 

144 

145 

Alton    lUittalioii. 


Swedes 
.  .  .  .     12 


Total .  1 26 

One  Year  Service 
^>^F•A^:'^H^' 

No.  Suedi-s 
ro 


cs 

RcK 

III 

151 

1 1 

'52 

22 

'53 

3 

155 

I 

156 

3 

I 

14 

Total 80 

Summary 

Infantry,  three  years  service 9^5 

Cavalry,  three  years  service Si 

Artillery,  three  years  service 130 

Infantry,  one  hundred  days  seivice 126 

Infantrv,   one  vear  service 80 


( 'rrand  total T.342 


630  'I'HI-;    CI\I1.    \V.\K 

Simic  iillowiiricf  slioiild  hr  niaiU-  for  rcpcf itimis.  caused  liy  trans- 
fers frniii  one  rcfriTiieiit  to  aiiutlier.  yet  tlu'se  oiiL'lit  not  to  uutnuniber 
the  |irolial)le  omissions.  'I'lie  j:reat  inajority  of  the  Swedish  soldiers 
eidisted  lor  three  years  and.  .iiulfred  liy  the  two  wholly  Swetlish 
coinpanies.  they  very  ireiierally  re-eidisted  in  the  veteran  rejiinients.  so 
(hat  even  when  rediieed  to  a  basis  of  three  veal's'  serviee  their  luuiiher 
will  not  he  ^really  lessened.  Soini'  Swedish  Illinoisans  donlitless  went 
elsewhere  to  enlist,  hnt  i)roliiilily  more  Swedes  eame  from  other  states 
into  Illinois  for  the  same  imrpose.  The  spirit  of  sympathy  with  a 
ivpnlilic  s1i'Ufi;glin<r  for  the  niaintc  nance  of  fi-ee  institutions  brought 
many  \(ilnnteei-s  to  onr  army  fi'om  continental  Europe.  Not  a  few 
came  over  IVom  Sweden.  Illinois  heintr  the  state  then  preeminently 
settled  li.\  llieir  ((luntrymcn,  they  were  iinist  likely  to  come  here  ])efore 
enlistinir.  All  thintrs  considei-ed.  we  wo\ild  probably  l)e  wai-ranted  in 
claiming-  at  least  fifteen  hniuli'ed  Swedes  in  the  llliimis  refrimenls. 
Any  skepticism  then  ai'lsitiL.'  as  to  the  resultant  hiirh  ratio  of  Swedish 
v<ilunteers  to  the  Swedish  po|)ulation  of  tlu'  state  would  be  <1isposed  of 
liy  two  un(|uestioned  fads — that  the  census  and  innniirrat ion  fiyrures  as 
to  forci<iii  nal  ionalil  ies  are  <-ommonly  too  low  and  thai  these  volunteers 
were  not  all  I'csidenls  of  th<'  slat<'. 

The  si'iise  111'  patriotism  and  the  justice  of  the  I'liion  i-anse  was 
II1C  chief  incentive  to  enlistmiMil  on  the  part  of  the  Swedish-Amerieans. 
Amon^^  the  .Xorwef^ians  there  arose  a  controversy  as  to  the  nu>ral 
justificat  iini  of  slavery  and  the  Norwegian  Synod  split  on  that  (piestion. 
Not  so  a]mni^'  the  Swedes:  they  were  abolit  ionists  practically  to  a  man. 
When  conscript  iini  had  to  he  resoi'ted  to.  there  was  hardly  a  Swede 
left  to  111'  drafted,  nearly  all  able  to  fiyrht  havinj;  taken  the  field.  Nor 
ANcre  they  Inreil  by  boniities  to  any  jrreal  extent,  for  by  tlu>  tinu-  these 
were  ImIiI  (uil .  iiiosl  of  the  Swedes  willin^r  and  able  to  fijrht  at  all. 
were  already  ti-ained  soldii'rs.  imu'cd  to  hardships  and  cheered  on  by 
assui'ance  (jf  nllimale  triumph. 

Tllri-e    were    Swedes    also     ill     the    Soul  ll     ill     those    days.    S(Une    T.'iil. 

according:  lo  the  census.  I'resumably  a  few  of  them  took  up  arms  for 
the  ( 'oiifi'dei  acy.  nlliiis  probable  went  north  to  fifxlit  oi'  to  live  in 
peace  Miiioni;-  their  fellow  coiiiil  ryiiien  the  problem  is  as  yet  new  to 
in(|uiry.  This  much  has  been  learneil.  that  a  iri-nuine  Swi-dish  name 
was  borne  by  at  least  one  ( 'onfedei-ate  commander  .Xu^rusl  Forsberf.'. 
meiil  iuiied  in  the  i-i'porls  as  lieiiteiianl  in  the  corps  of  eU'^incers  and 
as  colonel  of  the  ."ilsl   \' ireiiiia.  at  times  in  command  of  a  brijrade. 

The    fiirhtin;;    i|ualilies    of    the    Swedish    soldier\'    Were    tried    on 

many  a    liotl.x    ilested   battlefield.      With  other   Kuro|ieans.  nuui\    of 

them  had  an  advantaf;e  over  their  .\merican-born  comrades  in  having 
underirone  a  course  of  compulsoi-y  military  instruiMion  in  their  native 
land,      (b'licrally.   they   submitted    more    rcadilx    to   military   discipjiui- 


I 


i;xi.isT.Mi;.\Ts 


6.V 


lliMii  till'  Anicricaiis  ;iiiil  Idnk  l;i'i-:iIci-  [iriilc  tluiii  tliry  in  (Irvc'liipiiijr 
lacticMl  skill,  oi'diT  ;iiiil  iHTcisiiiii.  Tlii'  I'.isli(ip  Hill  ciiiiipjiiiy  nf  thi' 
.")7tli  llliiiiiis  pnivcil  itscir  llic  best  (Irilli'il  (•(iiiip.iiiy  in  llnil  rr^inicnl  : 
till'  Sciindinavijin  ('n.  1)  of  the  :{i-(l  .Minnesota,  Col,  Hans  .Mattson's 
rc<rini('iit,  was  the  ci'ack  coinpaiiy  of  tlic  mode]  rc^'inn'iit  of  that  stair, 
and  Col,  .Malinl)()r<;'  ?ria<lc  llic  ')')t\[  what  it  was  the  licst  all-i-(innd 
regiment  J'l'cini  Illinois, 

From  y'ood  sohliers  naturally  sprunii'  able  connnanders,  it  is 
complained,  and  not  without  .iustiee,  that  Auu'i-ii-an  liistoi'y  is  eliar'y 
in  ,<i'i\int;'  ei'cdit  to  the  foi'ei^u  elements  wliieh  i-eti<leri'<|  so  mateiaal 
aid  in  putting'  down  the  I'ehelliini,  freeinii'  the  slaves  and  savinu'  the 
I'nion.  AVhile  the  Swedes  Avere  I'airly  well  I'ewarded  in  the  wa.\'  of 
minor  i)romotioiis.  it  is  hut  tlie  plain  truth  to  say  that  they  earni'd 
well  ex'ery  advancement  <n-cor(h'd  them  and  in  sinidry  cases  the\-  did 
the  hai-d  work"  for  ^^•llil•h  others  took  the  lionors.  The  hist(ji-y  of  the 
o5th  Illinois  regiment  is  convincing  proof  that  Col.  Stuart  received  his 
ill-fated  aiipointment  to  a  hrigadier-generalsliip  on  the  merits  of  the 
fightinii'  (hioe  luider  the  direction  of  his  Swedish  lieutenant-eolonel, 
Stolbrand  did  duty  as  brigadier-general  a  year  or  two  before  eonimis- 
sioned  to  that  rank,  and  even  then  he  was  promoted  only  after  he  Inid 
resigned  in  mild  jirotest  against  official  ingratitude.  And  many  an 
officer  has  attained  the  same  rank  for  less  brilliant  services  than  the 
parts  |)la.\'ed  b.v  31ahnhorg  and  Silfversi)arre  on  the  first  day  at  Shiloh 
in  staying  tlie  enemy's  last  onslaught  and  saving  the  day  for  Grant's 
army. 

In  ordei-  to  eonve.v.  otherwise  than  by  empty  boast,  some  idea  of 
the  high  grade  of  military  service  rendered  by  the  men  of  Swedish 
extraction,  bjire  mention  of  the  known  Swedish  officers  in  the  I'nion 
army  and  navy  is  here  made,  down  to  and  inchuling  first  lieutenants: 
Rear  Admiral  Dahlgreu;  Brigadier-Generals  Robert  Anderson,  Ernst 
von  Vegesack".  Stolbrand:  Colonels  I'Irie  Dahlgren.  Alalmborg.  ]Matt- 
son.  Steelhammar.  Elfving,  IJrydolf.  Hroady.  Burg:  Lieutenant-Colonel 
Gustafson ;  ^Ma.i'ors  Forsse,  Ilolmberg,  Bergland ;  Adjutant  Youngberg; 
Sergeant  IMa.jor  Lindberg;  Captain.s  Silfversparre.  Stenbeek.  Sparre- 
strom,  Aroseniu.s,  Charles  Johnson.  Erie  Johnson.  Lempke.  Edvall. 
Wickstrum.  Carl  Gustavson.  Eustrom.  Cornelieson.  Lund.  Nelson.  Eck- 
strom.  Vanstrum.  Lindberg.  Alfred  Lanstrum.  C,  E,  Land.strom.  Lin- 
qiiist :  First  Lieutenants  Ilellstrom.  Andljerg.  Eekdall,  Nyberg.  Aeker- 
strom.  Johnson.  Olson.  Lindell.  Oliver  Eriekson.  Xels  Nelson.  Il.jalniar 
and  Johan  Alexis  Edgren.  Lil.iengren.  ({ustafson.  Lundberg.  and  others. 
To  eomjilete  the  list  would  involAc  resc^arch  far  too  extensive  foi' 
oui-  ]ii'esent  iini']iose. 


6,^2 


TllK    Civil.    WAR 


Company    C.    Forty-Third    Illinois    Infantry 

Uuder  Lincoln's  first  call  for  troops  a  company  was  organized  at 
Galesburg.  consisting  exclusively  of  Swedish-Americans.  Leonard 
Holmhcrg  was  elected  captain  and  tendered  the  services  of  the  com- 
pany to  the  governor  of  the  state.  Of  three  other  companies  organized 
in  Knox  county,  one  was  accepfed,  Imt  the  other  two.  as  also  the 
Swcdisli  company,  were  disbanded  on  the  gnuuid  that  no  more  troops 
were  then  thought  needed.  It  soon  became  evident,  however,  that  the 
troops  at  the  government's  disposal  were  totally  inadetiuatc  to  put 
down  the  rebellion,  and  congress  authorized  the  issuance  of  a  call  for 
.■iO0,00{)  volunteers  for  three  years'  service.  The  disbanded  Swedish 
company  now  reorganized  luider  new  command.  Captain  Holmbcrg 
and  many  of  the  men  having  previously  eidisted  for  service  in  other 
(organizations.  By  the  first  of  September,  1861,  the  company  was  at 
Camp  Butler,  near  Springfield.  It  now  consisted  of  one  hundred 
Swedes  and  three  Germans.  The  men  elected  their  own  officei-s,  jvs 
follows,  Dr.  Hugo  M.  Starkloff.  captain.  Olof  S.  Edvall.  first  lieutenant, 
and  Nels  P.  McCool,  second  lieutenant.  Dr.  Starkloft"  was  a  German, 
and  his  election  to  the  cajitaincy  was  miilerstood  to  be  in  reward  for 
liis  material  assistance  in  recruiting  the  company  and  only  a  step  to 
the  commission  of  surgeon  in  the  regiment  to  wliiili  the  company  would 
be  assigned.  It  was  given  the  position  of  tlag  company  in  the  Forty- 
third  regiment  and  became  known  as  Company  C,  of  the  Forty-third 
Illinois  Infantry  Volunteers,  commanded  by  Julius  Raitii.  Starkloft' 
being  made  regimental  surereon,  First  Lieutenant  Olof  S.  Edvall  was 
I'onunissioned  captain  of  the  comjiany. 

After  remaining  in  camp  for  a  short  time,  spent  in  company  and 
regiment  drills,  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  St.  Louis  on  Oct.  13th. 
and  (|uartered  at  Benton  Barracks.  There  the  men  were  given  old 
Austrian  muskets  for  exercising  in  the  manual  of  arms,  and  .just 
before  leaving  for  Otterville.  150  miles  west  of  St.  Louis,  they  were 
armed  witli  old  Harper's  Ferry  and  English  Tower  nuiskets.  altered 
from  Hint  lock  to  jxTcussion  guns,  .\rri\ing  at  Otterville  Nov.  4tli, 
they  remained  in  tliat  vicinit>'  doing  guard  (liii\  and  i)erfeeting  them- 
selves in  militai-y  tactics  until  Jan.  !'<•.  lS(i'_'.  when  they  were  onlei-ed 
back  to  St.  Louis  and  there  equipped  "itli  .")4  e;dilnT  Bi'lirLin  I'illes. 
an  excellent  firearm,  but  very  lieavy. 

There  were  only  eight  companies  in  llie  re'.'imenl.  inilil  now  two 
more  companies.  I  and  K.  were  added,  l)ut  many  ot'  the  i-ompanies 
were  so  snuiU  that  the  regiment  still  f(>ll  200  short  of  its  full  <|Uota 
III'  line  thousand  men. 

On  l''e)i.  (Mh  it  was  urden-d  to  .join  General  (irant's  expedition 
againsi    I'ml    llenr\    and  Fort  Oonelson.     The  men   end)arked  on   the 


CO.  C,    I-ORTY-TIIIRD    IM-XNTRV  fy<^T^ 

steamer  Mi-mpliis.  which  cairinl  thciii  to  i'orl  Henry,  on  lln;  Tennessee 
River,  ■whcM'c  tliey  were  lei't  to  giiai'd  transports  and  supplies  and  tints 
prevented  from  taking  part  in  the  battle  of  Fort  J)onelsou,  only  fifteen 
miles  away.  This  proved  a  great  disappointmeut  to  many  of  the 
Swedish  boys  who  had  an  apprehension  that  the  war  would  be  over  in 
a  short  time  and  they  would  have  to  return  home  without  havinjj  taken 
part  in  any  real  battle. 

On  Feb.  2rlth  the  regiment  was  ordered  to  Fort  Donelson  and  I'niin 
there  on  March  4th  back  to  the  Tennessee  River,  and  sent  by  transpt)i't 
steamers  to  Savannah,  Tenn.,  where  they  ilisembarked  and  were 
ordered  out  in  the  country  aboitt  twenty  miles  to  disperse  hostile 
detachments.  The  regiment  was  soon  after  encamped  near  Pittsburu- 
Landing,  a  short  distance  fi-om  Shiloh  church,  as  a  part  of  the  Third 
Brigade  of  General  ]\reClernand's  Division  of  the  Army  of  the 
Tennessee. 

The  boys  of  Company  C  had  now  been  in  the  service  about  seven 
months,  had  become  fair  marksmen  and  were  able  to  execute  move- 
ments in  approved  military  style.  Sooner  than  expected,  their  skill 
was  to  be  put  to  the  test.  The  brigade  had  been  in  camp  at  Pitt.sburg 
Landing  some  three  weeks,  awaiting  reinforcements  in  order  to  march 
on  Corinth,  Miss.,  and  attack  the  enemy  who  were  reported  to  be 
concentrating  a  large  force  there  and  strongly  fortifying  their  position. 
Corinth  was  but  twenty  miles  from  the  Union  camp  and  skirmishes 
frequently  took  place  between  the  cavalry  scouts  of  the  two  oiiposing 
armies.  On  Friday  evening,  April  4th,  troops  were  called  out  on  the 
line  in  front  of  the  camp  and  kept  there  till  midnight,  in  consequence 
of  a  collision  between  the  Union  outposts  and  a  rebel  scouting  party. 
%  but  the  alarm  subsided.    "While  the  union  forces  were  intent  on  moving 

,;.  upon  the  enemy's  position  at  the  opporttine  moment,  no  one  in  camp 

seemed  to  suspect  that  the  enemy  might  have  the  same  design. 

On  Saturday  afternoon,  April  5th,  the  43rd  Regiment  Avas  ordered 
to  hold  itself  in  readiness  for  inspection  and  review  on  Stnaday  morn- 
ing at  seven.  As  the  men  Avere  awaiting  orders  that  morning  to  form 
ranks,  volleys  of  musketry  fire  were  suddenly  heard  in  front.  While 
they  were  puzzling  over  the  meaning  of  the  firing  on  the  picket  line, 
the  drununer  beat  the  long  roll  of  alarm.  The  pickets  came  rushing 
into  camp  barely  in  advance  of  the  pursuing  rebels.  Seizing  their 
giuas  and  accoutrements,  the  boys  of  the  43rd  formed  ranks  in  company 
quarters,  marched  to  the  parade  ground  in  front  of  the  camp  and 
formed  in  line  of  battle.  Althoiigh  it  took  but  a  few  minutes  for 
the  regiment  to  form,  yet  the  firing  had  increased  so  as  to  be  con- 
tinuous all  along  the  line.  Just  as  Company  C  swung  into  i)osition. 
a  shell  from  one  of  the  rebel  batteries  came  screaming  over  their 


631 


TMK    Civil.    WAR 


licjids  :tii<l  <-iil  iitV  II  liiiili  (if  ii  Iri'i'  wliii-li  sli-in-k  Lidiis  Nelson,  (lisaliliiit; 
liiiii  for  tile  fiKlit.  Col.  Kailli  si-iit  Jjit'iit.  Col.  Kiitrfliiian  to  (Jt'iK-ral 
.McClcriiaiKl  to  inform  liiiii  of  the  a|)i>roacliiiig  battle.  Engelniai)  was 
instructed  to  tell  ("ol.  Heardon  of  the  2!Jth  Illinois  to  assume  <-onniiaiul 
of  the  lii-jirade.  as  General  Koss,  the  regular  commander,  was  absent 
on  furioufrh.  Heardon  Ix'insr  siek.  the  eonnnand  devolved  upon  Kaith. 
wlio  left  his  own  rejrinient  in  command  of  Kn<;clman. 

The  l-'dity-tiiird  Wiis  one  cif  the  few  rc^'imciits  rcaily  for  action  mi 
that  fatal  inorniny:.  The  frenei'al  condition  in  the  I'nion  c-amp  at  the 
moment  of  attack  is  described  by  Creeley  as  follows:  Sonu'  of  the 
men  wci-c  dre.ssiiifr.  othci's  washing'  or  cookinj.'.  a  f<'W  were  eatin>r 
lii-caiifasl.  many,  esix'cially  olficcrs.  had  mit  yet  risen.  .Neither  otTicers 
mil-  men  ^verc  aware  of  the  a|i|ii'iiacliintr  <'nemy  until  matrnificent  lines 
(if  liiilllc  |i(iiircd  (lut  (if  the  Woods  in  front  of  the  eamixs  and  at  double- 
(|iiick  rushed  in  iipdU  (uu-  liewildered.  half-dressed  and  not  yet  half- 
fdi'iiicd  men.  firinir  deadly  vdljcys  at  close  ranjie.  then  spriufjing  upon 

the   coat  less,   musketless    Ii    \\ilh    tiic   bayonets.      Sonie   fell   as   they 

ran.  others  as  they  enierged  from  1lie  tents  or  strove  to  buckle  on  their 
accdut  rciMcnts ;  some  tried  t(i  suircinler.  but  the  rel)els  could  not  stop 
then  Id  tnl<e  ]irisonci-s. 

Lieut,  ('dl.  i'!n(icliiian  had  (irdcrcd  dul  a  line  of  skirmishers,  hut 
they  hardly  had  time  t(i  dcphiy  before  the  eiu'iny  appeared,  marching 
in  rc'/iniental  divisions  in  sudi  masses  as  to  cover  the  ground  over 
wliicli  llic  iiiiidiiists  had  a  clear  view,  and  so  close  U|i(in  them  that 
the  skii'iiiisli  line  \\:is  pi'essed  hack  on  the  regiment.  The  left  think 
of  the  4:ird  was  Icl'l  exposed  by  the  retirement  of  the  4!>th  Illinois, 
whose  mcmlici's  were  dri\cn  diil  df  their  camii  before  they  had  time 
to  fdrm  a  line  di'  I'iic  a  shdt.  Kngclman  then  (irdereil  the  second 
lialtalidu.  five  cdiii pan ics.  including  ('omi)any  ('.  ol  his  regiment  to 
lake  the  pdsilidH  Icl'l  vacant  by  the  demoralixed  4!>th.  The  battalion. 
alidUl  :!nn  slPdiig.  iiidNcil  inid  that  position  and  held  it  |>robahly  ten 
iiiinnlcs  against  a  Iciifdld  I'drcc  lA'  the  enemy,  then  fell  back  to  the 
I'ii'sl  liattalidh.  leasing  niaii\'  dead  and  wnunded  behind.  Of  Company 
C.  (hai'les  Samnclsdn  was  instantly  killed  here,  and  Swan  Olson  and 
Nels  Uodelson  were  among  the  severely  W(Minded.  I'renliss"  division. 
1(1  the  left  of  .McClernand  "s.  had  been  routed  at  the  first  ousel  before 
it  i-diiid  I'dnii  in  line  df  lialllc  and  by  ten  o'clock  it  had  been  virtually 
(Iciiidlislicd.  Sherman's  divisinn.  on  .MeClerinind 's  right,  uotwilli- 
slanding  the  desperate  and  untiring  exertimis  of  its  leader,  was 
practically  (Mil  df  I  he  light  after  the  first   hour. 

.McClernand  sluod  firm,  though  the  defection  on  holh  his  llaiiks 
left  the  rebels  free  to  hurl  themsehcs  against  him  in  ti'enu-nihMis  force. 
Two    raw    regimenls.    the    l."ilh    and    ICilli    IdWa.    which    he   brought    to 


43^  INFANTRY 


COLONCL  ADJT.    SUSTAV  WAGEHfllEHR  .SIH(.I.  KAI  Hf«RY  ftRBA 

1LPH  EMGEIHIAIIII  Q"R.MR.  ALBERT  WTHOFF        OH  SEBCr  MORnZ  '.VIlERPri 

■:UT.  COLONEL  SURGN.  KUGO  »,  STARKlOff    COtSfHGI,  HfRWU  BUSCH 

UOIPK  OEKGLER  ASS'T.  I  lUUUS  fUKK  HOSP  SI'Kli  CHARLES  IIIEYE«II 

MAJOR  SURCN.I  PRIVCIPAI   1 EUSTACH  KIESfR 


^BLES  STEPHAHI    CHAPLN.  HtlWY  D,  SCHMIDT      MUSICKNS  I  lOUIS  »OGEL 


,   CAPTAIN    lOHK  PETZ  ►»'  ^, 

'  111  LIEUT.  HE«RY  HilLLrTZER         f<«i"  fmsi       5««.ff[i«       j.. 

,  26  LIEUT.  WILHEL*  ZIECLER         SS.S?,".  ^'.AfS   I 


WUSICUN 


eMkQi.tHS'SiM  %um.nimu\  u 

mmn  enmiM  toa.nMn  u 

eUII^V^CHI(ft.FK0.  XIUMtlll.  CMS-  X.^  . 

CBtHH'\i(Ol.«UWSI  IUKB$.  (iniCRICK  S)Mlj<^ 

FiUNK.«Ofin       uMMUstH. rnr;  somki 


UHHXlRDI.JMim     OrffRttULMTIKH  WAKIIMGUSim 


CIPTAIK  SAMUa  SCHI«MIHGER 
til  LIEUT,  HEKBY  STRASSINGER 
25  UEUT.  JOHN  WOU 


SERVED  OURIRG  CAKPAIGfl  if 
EXTERIOR  LINE  WITH  ENGELVANr 
BRIGADE.  PRO'/ISIOKAL  OI'/tSIOK.  16' 
CORPS.  FROM  ABOUT  4.  1861 


isHfg.  rHcooom    misjr.  cmahus 

6flU^.  VAIEITW      l[UU$S.LOU:S 


SflB(Hl,K(f(W         mK/,  *0^» 

"""SIW  WRKLWRBS 
.1.    /UtMH-HI 


I 


r  CAPTAIN  CARL  AROSENIUS 
7;-  la  LIEUT.  lOHK  E.  ANDBERG 
U   2a  UEUT  KELS  KKUTSOII 


PfTEHSW 
^USW 

PETER  a^MISOR 

HUSICMR 

;SP1)RALS 

MOWWEBGSTROI 

r  i  tNOtRSON 

WItGOKER 

If.  CAPTAIN    REIMER  C  FaOKAHP 
^  lil  LIEUT,  AUGUST  fHlTl 

^<n(irAIIIS  MUSICIAN 

nCHTBt  lURTm  HILLtS 

^»KL  W«fl«ER 

^i-^  Aueusi  eucHE 


ATS  rERetAO.  JOHN  i 
WSIfRlUlO- ». 
WtSUHlUIO.  MiRS 


IDHHSKI.  CH«.  P.      REISOR.  «StE         iWlKSON,  ffiiO 
imRSM.  WIHtMl     OlSOH,  PHER  SVUNSON  :iVli 

JUHRSM,  l!M?(CIS      OISM,  SMM  T.         TPfRG.PtltrC 


ttC  DONALD.  K»l<l 
NEUD  CEDRS 
J«.VIIfRf,urH,*LCt;ST 


RE)t.GEIHtGE      JtlMOMAN.  flJUltS    WERVES.  HERlUn 


1 


.:aptai»  johk  tobien 

la  UEUT.  CHARLES  ERGCL 


sEntuTO  comwu 

iLfSFRfDE  FsnicnasTEiii 

V^H  F^TERS  PnERWOUII 

:  ^R'J'H  HEimYUWKN 


^\,  CAPTAII    EWBT  WUERPEL 
;!    12  LIEUT.  ADAdSAmEFI 
r    28  LIEUT.  WILLIAM  SCHWEBEL 
LiMEMis  mmns 

.■;l  OtCENHABOT  PETER  WICKLIEH 

ri:-R  WLNOEHUCK  HENBY  BEUTa 

UDDEtS  WEHR 

HOAMWBDIIEIl 


r,  CAPTAIN  CHARLES  HOENNY 
^-  m  LIEUT.  CHARLES  STORCK 
U    2!  LIEUT.  FREDERICK  EXTEL 


HEnUMWEGMO 
KEHm  KffiHER 
THEOOOffiSUSER 


CAPTAIN    HUGO  WESTERMAN 
la  LIEUT.  lOSEPH  FUESS 
25  LIEUT.  GEORGE  L  HOX 


PffVAIES  WFIUn.KOflGE      WIESE.  JAMI5 
MHNSM.JONATHAHE 

MGELKMn).  FRED.  SCHWDTADAM 

lAOe,  ELORANinE  SONUSEiU.  (UMEL 

u£10SEf>H  SWAKSOPi,  A.  JOHK 

fiEIGER.  KATTHUS  TIMHOWAN.  HANS 

HAlVOBflll.  HEMff  WA6BEB.  PHILIP  I, 


PRIVATES         KOERlS.  WW  S 

KUESTER.  HDtRV  S 

BERTi  AUGUST  L 

CESSNA.  MHATHU     MDRAWtTZ.  IT.KCENT  WAITER.  EZARIA 


[RGEANTS  CORPORALS 

iKUZZARELU  JACOeOtMElOIEH 

HiKRY  Bt;RGH>Hor  waUKWi 

BDLUCMER  SKL^^f?!?" 

PllSKUEl  lOmSPAUrTAB 

MUSKIAfl 
RDDOIPH  SALSmgR 

f,  CAPTAIR  HENRY  KROEGER 
I  I  III  LIEUT.  SAMUEL  KEY«ER 
'  I     2a  LIEUT.  CHARLES  A.  HARMES 


CAPTAIII    GEORGE  H.  HOERING 
28UEUT.MIIIELa4IIOERSOR 


UAliwiLUAH 

iai])i.pnER 

KIDS.  FUNK 


mnm      CROSS.  Michael      meyer,  andri 

HEiHRiCRS,  AHTOR      MEYER.  ELLEfl 
ACKERUaWOfFGANG  HESS.  LOUIS 
6AW0,  AD*«  HODOP,  ERHAAD 

BRUHNEtl.  JOSEPH  UPPEHU  WOLfAM 

CORDES.  LEWIS  tOmUM.  FRUZ 

nSCHER.  CHAHLIS  LDHUK.  tEOPOlOT  : 

FISCHER,  OEORGE  UNNEWRII,  EUNSI  : 

GEiCnt.  HHN  L0R1,  KlCttOUUS  : 

GLASS.  MKHAEl  tUYERS-JOHN  C.  iiAit. 

GRASSvHEMRY  MHZGER.  RAIMUND  ^mi 


ARheHclHI.A0Olf>H  KimHARDT.  H.  i. 

aowK.w. CKAS. ■.   * ■""■ 

BUtSlWAIR.  CHAS.  K..    

BIHRVAh>i.  mWAHO  LEHR,  GEORGE 

BURKHABor.ADA*  OWEIt.  THOMAS     .  ^>- 

BUSH.  HiR! 


BAHTKHAlHf* 

ECKIR.ADAM  UtSER,  MHH 

ERLIRB.  A!(TOII  nr "-" 

EYSE.  OSCAR  Ki 

miORE«  AREWB.HERRY 

URMR.  niEO  W.  ifUN^MAKM.  CHAS. 

UR!m«OT.  CHAS-  LOttliKK.  ffOBK 
LrSI«l«.G0nilE8  HECliER.  PETEB 

FRiTZ.  WILUAW  yUSEASH.  JACOB 

oijtor.  rRAW  .  SAOuhs,  muta. 

8R0W,lllCHAa  ■"■■* 


ViOLL  HEIiRr 
WDIL  LOR»Z 
YEWTB.naRlAfl 


KORic  WH)W  iTRAHaaisrR  Lons 

SALtWH.  MttEPH  lUKes,AD<W  VWUin.*.     "' 

eAfmES,JNffS  lASHl£lTER.LE0raiO  VOlua  CA< 

BURMok  JOSEPH  REJKE.  ANTON  WEBEK.  ft    _ 

DASTAlJimill  BfiACILiUTHUS  X 

DOTTUih.  HNUST  UUCH,  VALENTME 

ntmfL  itam  SUOMM.  IKIMEl 


636 


Till-:    civil.    WAR 


tlie  fiuiit  iindiT  a  heavy  fire,  gave  way  at  ouue  iii  disorder.  The 
reunited  l)attalions  of  the  4:Jrd  Illinois  held  their  jiosition  for  a  time, 
alone  supporting  Capt.  AVaterhouse's  Battery  as  lon^  as  proteeted 
against  an  enfilading  fire,  but  after  the  troops  on  the  right  were 
forced  back,  they  were  compelled  to  give  ground  after  stubborn  resist- 
ance. With  the  enemy  on  their  flanks  and  in  their  rear,  they  were 
squandering  their  lives  to  no  purpose.  In  falling  back  they  lost  two 
guns  of  the  battery  and  had  to  drag  the  others  with  them  l)y  hand. 
On  their  first  position  they  left  36  dead,  while  many  had  been  carried 
severely  wounded  to  the  rear.  Ki'tiring  about  a  thousand  feet,  they 
formed  anew  and  held  their  position  a  short  time,  punishing  the 
enemy  scverelx'  while  themselves  suffering  heavy  losses.  Here  Lars 
0.  Bergliif  of  Co.  ('  was  killed  and  a  number  of  the  Swedish  l)oys  wen- 
severely  wounded.  With  only  one  thin  line  our  men  were  able  to  hold 
in  cheek  the  several  lines  of  the  enemy  because  their  Belgian  rifles 
carried  farther  by  about  200  feet  than  the  rebel  firearms.  By  this  time 
there  were  but  two  other  regiments  left  nearby,  the  other  Union  troops 
liaviug  retreated  in  disorder.  These  three  resimcnts,  sadly  depleted, 
could  not  sustain  the  weight  of  more  than  half  of  the  rebel  army. 
After  rejiulsiug  several  determined  attacks,  sometimes  advancing  a 
litlii-.  but  generally  yielding  ground,  and  losing  three  colonels  of 
lli('  line  and  Ihree  officers  of  his  staff,  with  at  least  half  the  effective 
force  of  his  batteries,  IMcCleruand  by  eleven  o'clock  A.  M.  was  com- 
pelli-d  to  fall  back.  Col.  Kaith,  the  brigade  commander,  had  been 
mortally  wounded.  With  the  foe  on  every  side  and  oecn])ying  ground 
between  this  and  other  portions  of  the  Union  army,  the  retreat  was 
slow  ;iii(l  difficult.  All  camp  equipage  was  abandoned  aiul  the  dead 
;iiid  wounded  MCi-e  left  where  they  fell. 

By  a  circuitous  i-oute  of  about  one  mile  the  43rd  succeeded  in 
connecting  with  other  Union  Inxips.  and.  taking  a  fresh  stand,  resisted 
the  onslaught  until  far  into  tli<'  afternoiin.  cheered  by  the  expectation 
of  reinforcements.  The  position  now  held  was  near  the  road  to  Crump"s 
Landing,  where  General  Lew.  Wallace  was  stationed  with  a  large  force. 
About  4:30  o'clock  Generals  Grant.  Shennan  and  McClernand  with 
many  staff'  officers  came  up  and  inspected  the  position  of  the  43rd. 
They  .soon  sent  troops  from  the  direction  of  the  river,  including  two 
I'cgiinents  and  a  battery.  But  Wallace's  force  marched  a  roundabout 
way,  di'laxing  his  junction  with  the  sorely  pressed  combatants  luitil 
after  niglitfuU,  and  thus  a  number  of  infantry  regiments,  batteries  and 
liallalions  of  cavalry   rrmaiiicd   useless  throughout    thai   da\ 's  liloodv 

struggle. 

Despite  three  <les]ierate  charges  by  the  enemy  that  arieriu)on  and 
evening,  the   bird  stood  firm  and  the  I'nion  forces  slill  held  their  line. 


C(1.  C,   I'ORTV  TllIRI)    IM'ANTKV 


637 


cxtriidiug:  from  this  point  to  the  lan(liii<,'.  when  tlarkuess  put  an  end  to 
the  day's  earuage.  Tlic  enemy  Avithdrew  a  short  distance  for  the 
nifrht,  in  possession  of  tlic  Union  eamps  and  most  of  their  provisions 
and  equipage  togetlier  witli  many  guns  and  thousands  of  prisoners. 
Albert  Sydney  Johnston,  the  Confederate  eommander-in-chief,  had 
fallen  and  the  rehel  losses  had  been  heavy,  but  Beaureijard,  the  general 
commanding.  Iliat  night  I'cporlrd  that  they  had  "gained  a  complete 
victory,  driving  the  enemy  from  every  position."  lie  was  not  far 
wrong,  for  a  large  part  of  the  Union  army  was  in  a  demoralized  state, 
a  motley  mob  of  skulkers,  stragglers  and  fugitives  crowded  doAvn  to 
the  river  bank  around  the  landing. 

But  that  night  the  fortunes  of  war  turned.  Both  Gen.  Wallace 
and  Gen.  Buell  an-ived,  the  latter  Avith  20,000  men.  Next  morning  at 
daybreak  the  reinforced  I'nion  army  was  the  first  to  advance,  and 
the  battle  reopened  anew.  The  field  Avas  hotly  contested  until  about 
4  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  the  Confederates  wavered  and  Beaure- 
gard withdrew  in  precipitous  retreat  to  Corinth. 

In  every  position  held  by  the  43rd  during  the  first  day  it  had  left 
its  dead  and  wounded,  who  were  the  only  men  of  the  regiment  to  be 
reported  missing.  ,Vt  the  end  of  tlie  second  day's  battle  the  regiment 
again  stacked  arms  in  front  of  its  former  camp.  Out  of  a  total  of  500 
actually  engaged  in  the  two  day's  fighting,  it  had  lost  20(J.  of  whom 
49  had  been  left  dead  on  the  field.  Captain  Edvall  of  Co.  C  received 
a  mortal  wound  in  the  second  day's  conflict  and  died  ]May  7th.  The 
privates  of  Co.  C  who  were  killed  in  battle  were:  Lars  0.  Berglof, 
P"  Claes  Danielson  and  Charles  Samuelson.  all  of  Andover.    i\Iany  of  the 

company  were  wounded,  but  we  have  no  record  of  their  names  at  hand. 
The  total  loss  of  the  Swedish  company  in  killed  and  wounded  was  17. 
In  addition  to  the  three  privates  who  died  on  the  battlefield,  others 
died  soon  afterward  from  wounds  received  there. 

The  43rd  participated  in  the  advance  on  Corinth,  which  was 
evacuated  by  the  Confederates  ]\Iay  '2'Mh :  then  it  was  sent  to  Bethel. 
Jackson  and  Bolivar.  Tenn.  ,Vt  Bolivar  they  liad  their  camp  from 
July,  1862,  to  'Slay  31.  ISH.l.  when  they  were  ordered  to  Vicksburg. 
Miss.  While  at  Bolivar,  they  made  frequent  expeditious  to  disperse 
detachments  of  Confederate  troops  and  answered  emergency  calls 
where  needed.  Two  hundred  of  the  regiment,  who  were  moinited.  in 
the  spring  scoured  the  country  dispersing  or  capturing  Confederate 
raiders.  Carl  Arosenius.  quartermaster  sergeant  of  the  59th  111.,  at 
Bolivar  succeeded  to  the  connnand  of  Co.  C.  being  transfei'red  and 
commissioned  captain. 

From  Jime  2nd  the  i-ninpanv  served  around  Vick.sburg  until  Julv 


638 


Till-;    civil.    WAR 


4tli.  when  till-  rclx'ls  sniTi'iidci'i'd  that  fity.  with  iifl.OiKi  nii-n  arid  hir}:<- 
<|iiaiit itics  of  ordnance  stores. 

Next  tile  4;{r(l  was  ordcri'il  to  lltdcna.  Ark.,  to  .join  Steele's  expetli- 
tion  airainst  tlie  Confedei-ates  undei-  (icneral  Sterling;  Price.  A  force 
of  12.(1(1(1  men  iiiarelied  on  I.,ittle  Wiielc.  an-ivinv'  Sept.  lltli.  Siniidta- 
iieons  (h-nionstratioiis  on  lioth  sides  of  tlie  i-iver  i-aiised  tlie  eneiiiv  to 
alianchm  tiieii-  intrenehiiienls  and  take  Imn-ied  le;ive  of  tin-  eit.v.  The 
4'liil  was  llic  lirst  i-e-rinient  1<i  eiitel'*  and  was  detaih-d  to  act  as  polii-e 
iruard  diiiiiii:   that    fall.     From   now.  uutil  miLstcred  out   in    N'ovi'mlit-r. 


Ciqitaiii   C.iil    .\ioM-iiiii> 


isd.").  ihi'  re-.nnienl  was  rm-ainpcil  al  l.illh'  luici;.  from  whence  runner 
ous  expedit  ions,  up  to  l.)()  mih'  mil  re  lies,  wei'e  ina(h'  to  ditl'ei'ent  si-et  ions, 
and  fre<|Ui'n1    lirnsiies  with   r-eliel    i;ueiM'illas  wer'e  had. 

Ill    III iiiliii'.   IS():{,  eijrht   months  i-emainiii'r  of  the  llir-ee  yeai'  lei-m 

of  I'liiislment.  tile  •rovei-rniient  otVered  tlie  volunteers  :{('  dir.xs"  fiirhuiirh 
ami  free  t  r-anspoitat  ion  to  their-  homes  ami  I'l'tui'ii  on  condition  that 
the\  Would  r-i'  enlist  for-  a  new  |c>rm.  This  was  to  he^in  at  om-e.  and 
even     liiouwh     till'     wai'     shonhl     close     in     the     mi-antime.     each     irnin 

•    Col.    MiiUHoii  illiiko  irii-  Hiiiiu-  iliilni  r'lM    rii»  ivulmrnl.   Ilic   :'.iir    .\liiliir>i>t.i.       I.icut 
Ni-tmin  Im  iiiilliiirit.v  for  our  fimici  lion  imi  ttliM  rtillicr  nuiniportatll   |M>liit. 


Ct).   C,    l(lKTV-TinKl)    INl-.Wl'KV  6^9 

\v;is  to  iM'ccixc  M  iKiiinly  ol'  ^-\iH\  wIu'Ii  iiiiisl  rrcd  uiil.  'I'lir  iiioncy 
coiisidcrat  idii  iiuiy  liiivc  iiitliiciiciMl  soiiii'.  Iiiit  iiKist  ol'  tliosi'  wlm  i-i'- 
enlistcil  iliiiilil  less  (lid  s(i  t'i'di'i  unscinsli.  p;il  riot  ic  iiidlixcs.  'I'lic 
iiijijorit  >■  III'  tlir  iiicii  (if  ('11.  (',  wliiisi'  pliysiriil  (■(iiidil  iiiii  |icniMl1cd 
tlieili  t(i  cdiil  iiilic  in  tile  service,  I'e-enlisted  ;ind  Were  |ii\i'ri  their 
t'lifloii'jh  in  l'\'liru;ii'y.  lS(i4,  While  at  lioine.  they  seinicd  tliirt>'  reci-uits, 
;dl  Swedisli-Anierie:ins.  Id  fill  np  Iheii'  depleted  i-;niks.  They  retni'niMl 
to  the  South  just  in  time  to  join  Steeh'"s  expedition  to  the  K'eil  Kiver 
to  I'einforee  (Jen.  IJanks.  Iiut  the  latter  was  det'eateil  l)\-  the  I'eliels 
miller  Kirliy  Sniitli  liet'ore  assistance  cduld  reach  him.  The  ( 'diirederat  es 
then  massed  their  forces  against  Steele,  wiiose  force,  far  out numhered, 
retreated  to  Ijittle  Rock  after  several  (^ncinmters  with  the  foe.  After 
this  sct-td.  which  dccurre(.l  in  Api'il.  lS(i4.  the  hoys  of  tlie  -i'Ayi]  finieht 
in  nil  regular  battle. 

After  re-enlistment  the  resiinient  was  reorganized,  and  Co.  C  was 
assigned  to  first  position  as  Co.  A  and  was  so  known  thereafter.  It 
was  mustered  out  of  the  service  at  Ijittle  Ro(d<  on  Nov.  '-M).  ISti,").  and 
taken  to  S])riiigfield.  where  the  men  received  their  final  pa.v  Dee.  14th. 
The  Swedish  company  then  i-eturned  lionu'  after  a  continuous  sei'vice 
op  4  years  and  :?'j  months. 

The  total  number  of  men  that  served  in  this  compan.v  was  lt)S. 
of  Avhom  108  enlisted  Sept.  1.  ISfil.  8(1  as  recruits  earl,v  in  lS(i4  and 
3o  wei'c  transfei'red  to  the  com]ian.v  on  reiirganizatidu.  After  three 
years'  service  84  were  mustered  out:  'J.'.)  died  from  disea.se  or  from 
wounds  received  in  battle:  80  were  discharged  on  account  of  disabilit.v. 

In  recapitulation,  the  following  list  will  show  the  engagements 
and  sieges  in  which  the  Swedish  ('dmi)aii.\'  ('.  48rd  Illinois  Infantry 
Volunteers,  jiarticipated  : 

Battle  of  Shiloh.  both  days.  April  (i  and  7.  1S(;2. 

Siege  and  occupation  of  Corinth.  ]Miss..  iMa.v.  1862. 

Battle  of  Salem  Cemetery.  Tenn..  Dec.  IS.  1SH2. 

Skirmishes  around  Sommervillc.  Tenn..  Ajiril  and  'Sliiy.  lS(i8. 

Siege  and  captui-e  of  "\'i(d\sburg.  ]Miss..  June  and  July.  lSli8. 

Occupation  of  Little  Kock.  Ark..  Sept.  11.  1S(i8. 

Battle  of  Prairie  D'Ahu.  Ark..  April  10.  1S(i4. 

]?a1tle  of  Jenkin's  Fei-ry.  Ark..  April   :!0.   1S(U. 

The  ro.ster  of  Co.  C  is  here  given  mainl.v  according  to  the  dft'icial 
"Report  of  the  AcVjutant-Oeneral  of  the  State  of  Illinois.'"  with  minor 
corrections  of  names  and  dates. 


640 


Till-:    civil.    WAR 


Roster  of  Company  C,  43cl  Infentry 


N;linc  :itul    K.'itli^ 


Ri'sklcncc 


Date  of  rank  or 
c-tilistineiit 


Caf>/ai>is 
lIuj,'o  M    Slarkliiff. 

Olof  S.   Kdvall 

Carl    Arosenius.  .  . . 


{laleslnirj; 


Crak-sburi' 


/•'/is/  I.iiiitiiuinti 

Olof  S.  Etlvall 

John  r.  Aiidberf;. .  . 
Xels  r.   :\IcCool 


Second   /.iiiiliiiaiils 

Nels  P.   McCool Ic.aksl.iirj. 

Nels    Kmitsoii ' 

Jolin   1'.  AiKlbcrjj.  .  .  I 

First    Si'i;i;ca>it 
Majjiuis   M.   Holt.  . .  kiali-slmri 


Scixtaii/s 
Nels   I'clersoii . .  . 
Nels  Kiiulsoii. . . 

Nels  Nelson 

Nels    Anderson . 


Vounj;  America 
I'Taleslinr}; 


I  orfiorals 
(Uislaf   A.  Anderson 

Charles    Clinj; 

|ohn  W.   Krickson.. 
Olof  A.   Ilallfast..  .. 

I'eU-r  HenKtson 

Adoljjli   Larson 

Ma>;nus  M.   Nelson, 
liilin   I'aulson 


Oaleshur^ 

Andover. 
Caleshnru 


Anilover.  . 

( iales!)uri; 


Miisitiuii  . 

.\ndrew   IviiKstroni.  |Wala).;a, . 

/(  ItilOlllf  , 

Ii.iv  id   .\.    IHiilU\  .  I'.aleshnr" 


riiiuilis 
.Vlnisteill  John   N.. . 
.\nd<r,s<iii  .\ndrew  J. 
Anderson    l.onis    J  .  . 
.Vmlersiin    William .  . 

.\nderson    I'eter 

Ander.son  Ale\aniler 
.Vxi'lson    Nels   I'    . 


Moline 
Walana... 
( ialesbnrg 
Walajja. .  . 
.\nilovcr.  . 


Sept. 

Oct. 

Oct. 


Sept. 
l--el). 
(k-l. 


Sept. 
Feb. 


Sel)l. 


Sept. 


Se])l. 
Sejit. 
Sept. 


Iterlin. 


I.  '61 

I.  '61 

I).  '62 

I,  7>i 

"1.  '61 

1,  61 

I  \,  '62 


I'roinole<l   Surgeon 

Died,  May  7.   "62;  wounds. 
Mnstered  onl  Nov.  .;o.   "65. 

Promoted 

Mustered  out  Hcb.   13,   "65. 
Died  Jan.   13.   '62 


Pronioleil    isl   I.ieiilenanl. 
Mustered   out  Feb.   2S,   '65. 
Promoted    1st  Lieutenant    . 


Sept.        I.     hi     Disili.  June    1  (,    ■»i2:    wotnids 


I,    '61 


I.    '61 


I,    '61 


hi 


!<e-enli.sted  as    Veteran 

Promoted   2d   Lieutenant 

Re  enlisted  as   Veteran 

Disi-h.   May  27,   't2\  disability, 

Re  enlisteil  as  X'eteran 

Miisterc<l  out  Sept.  26,   '64     . 
Re-enlisletl  as  Veteran 

Di.seli.  Se]>l    4.   "62;  disability.. 

1  )eserteil  Sejit.    15.    '64 

Mustereil   out   Se])!.    2(1.    "hi 


Re-enlisted 


N'elerau 


Mustered  out  Si'pl.    i'>.    '(>.! 

Mustered  out   Si-pl.  26.  'txj    .    . 

Re-enlisted  as   X'etenin 

Died,  St.   Louis    June  14,   "ha. 
Died,  Hebron,  Mis.s.,  .Vu};.  I.^,'6.; 
Tr.  to  Invalid  Corps  Nov.  \S-'(>i 
Disdi.  June  .v>.   'i>i\   •li.subility . 
"         .\pril  i»,   "6.;; 


CO.   C,   I'ORTV-TIIIKI)    INI-ANTRV 


641 


Nanu-  nnil   Kriiik 


nishop  Hill        . 

AndoviT 

New  Sweden  I;i, 

(ialcsl)urj; 

Berlin 

Anilover 

(ialesbui-jj 


Residence 


Andc 


Moline 

Andover 

Vicloria 

Andover 

New    I'.oslon . 

Berlin 

Galesbnrg  .  .  . 
Berlin 


Watasja. . 
Ontario. . 
.Andover. 
Berlin.. . . 
Andover . 


Priz'a/is 

Benfitson  Olof 

Ber^Iof   Lars  O 

Bjork   (Uistaf 

Boilelson  Nels 

Chillberi;  Jacob 

Daniel  Clae.s 

Denninj;  Henry. .  . . 
luicksou  John  A.  . . 
Krickson  ( Uislav  \V. 

Engnell   Peter  J 

Fje'llstedt  Swan  T-  ■ 
HallK'ren  Xcls  X..  . 
Harpnian  William. . 

Hall   (Uistaf 

Juhn.son  .\ndrew. .  .  . 
John.son  Francis. . . . 
John.son  Cliarles. .  .  . 
Johnson  William. . . 
Johnson  Charles  X.. 

Johnson  Olof 

Johnson  John 

Johnson  Charles  P. . 
Johnson  Charles  W. 

I.ar.son  John 

Larson  Charles  J . . . 
Larson  Charles   E.. 

Larson  Xels 

Lindell    Nels 

Lindell  John 

Liljenjiren  John  P. . 
Lundqnist  John  .... 
Malmberjf  Sven  P.  . 

XeLson  Sven   A 

X'elson  Vjctor 

Xelson    Weste 

Xelson   Lonis 

Xelson  Andrew  J. .  . 
Xel.son  Gustaf  W... 
Xelson  Charles  JM  .  . 

Xorlinder   Xels 

Xvberi;   Krick 

Olson  Sven 

Olson   Peter 

Olson  Xels 

Olson    William .... 

Olson  Sven  T 

Peterson  Xels  C  . .  . 

Peterson  Jonas 

Peterson  John jBishoii  Hill 

Peterson  John |Galesbur,>;  . 

Peterson    Olof 

Peterson  Xels  X  .  .  . 
Peterson  Sven  M .  .  .  i 

Peterson   Sven ' 

Rosbnrg  X'els  P  . . 
Sandbertr    -\nilrew 
Sanmel.son  Charles..  L\ndover 
SainnelsonAlexand'r  " 

Samuelson  Andr.  JI.  Berlin... 
Samuelson  John .... 
Strid   Walter 


Date  (if  rank  or 
enlistment 


Sept. 


1,    '61 


Berwick.. .  . 
Andover . . . 

Berlin 

Andover.  . . 
Victoria  .  . . 
C.alesburg  . 


.\ndover.  .  . 
Oalesburg  . 


.\ndover. 


Jloline  . .  . 
Kewanee. . 
Knoxville. 
Galesbnrg 


Wataga . .  . , 
Galesbursr  . 
Knoxville.. 
Galesbnrg  . 


.\ndover. . 
Gale.sburg 


Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 

Killed  at  Shiloh.  April  6,  "62.. 
Died,  St  Louis,  Xov.  13.  '61  ... . 
Disch.   Oct.   II,   '62;  wounds... 

Re-eidisled  as   Veteran 

Missing  after  battle  of  Shiloh.  . 
Di.sch.  July  H,  '62;  disability., 

A])ril  29,  "62;         " 
"         July  26,   '62;  wounds. 

Re-enlisted  as  Veteran. 

Disch.   War.  2S,   '63;  di.satjilily 

Feb.  6,  '62;  disability. , 

Aug.  14.   '62; 

May   15,  '63; 

June  17,  '62;  wounds.. 
Mu.stered  out  Sept.  26,  '64, ... 
Dis  Sept.  9,  '62;  di.sability . . . 
Re-enlisted  as   Veteran 


Died,  Helena,  Ark.,  Aug.  21. '63 

Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64 

Disch  July  4,  '62;  disability.. 
Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64.... 
Died,  Bolivar.  Tenn.,  Apr.  2,  '63 

Re-enli.sted  as  Veteran 

Disch.  Jun  18.  '62;  disability. .  . 
Re  enlisted  as  Veteran 

Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64 

Died  at  St.  Louis,  Feb.  4.  '62. . 

Re  enlisted  as  \"eteran 

Died.  Jackson,  Tenn., Sept  30.'62 

Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64 

Died.  Little  Rock,  Dec,  16,  '63. 
Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 

Died.  Onincy,  111..  June  30,  '62.. 
Disch.  March  3,  '63;  di.sability. 
Died,  Bolivar,  Tenn.,  Xov.  5, '62 
Died  at  St  Louis,  Jan.  24,  62.  . 
Disch.  June  21,  '62;  woinids. . . . 
Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64.... 
Died. Savannah, Tenn.,  Apr.  10 '62 
Re-enlisted  as   \"eteran 


Di.sch.  XoV.  S,  '62;  disability... 
Tr.  to  Invalid  Corps  Xov.  15,  '63 
Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 


Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 

Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64.... 
Killed  at  Shiloh  April  6,  '62.. 
Disch.  June  30,  '62;  disability.  . 
Died,  Otterville,  Mo.,  Jan  iS,''62 
M.  O  Sept.  26,  '64,  as  Sergeant 
Mustered  out  Sept.  26,  '64 ...  . 


64^ 


TllK    LI\1I.    WAR 


Name  and    K.-ink 

Kesitlence 

I>ate  ol 

r.'itik   or 

Reiu:irks 

cnlistinciil 

J'rivalcs 

SuiiilberK    I'eler  J  .  . 
Suiulberi;   Ciustaf... 

IJerliii 

Sept. 

■fil 

Discli.  July  9,   "62;   (li.sabilitx  . 
Dieil  at  St.   I.onis  Jan.  22,  '62.. 

Sveiisoii  Svfii  C.  .  . . 

Amlover 

Discli.  .\uj;.  2S,  '62;  wounils. . . 

r.alesburt; 

liishop  liill... 

Sveiisun    ICrick 

Ke-enliste<l  as  Veteran 

Sveiisoii   Sven 

I'lale-sburn 

" 

Sveiisoii    Hciijit 

Disch.  Sept.  6,  "62;  ili.sabilitv 

Teberg  I'eler  J 

Aiulover 

Re-enlisted  as  Veteran. 

Weiidslraiiil   Nels  1". 

•• 

" 

Weslerblail   joliii  A. 

New    Hoslon . .  . 

Mustered  out  Sept.   26,    (14 

Weslfrlund    Andrew 

.\ndover 

" 

Weslerluuil  Hans.. . 

Re-enlisted  :us  Veteran 

Wilberj;    Daniel 

Chicago 

Disch.  Jan.   i,  'hy,   disability.. 

I'cU-rans 

.Mustered  out  Nor. :tO. 

1  sH.**.  except  as  noted. 

.Vnder.'ion  (Uislaf  .\. 

("lale.sbnrjj 

Dec. 

IS. 

b? 

Promoted  Serjieant  Jan.    5,   '64 

.\ndersoii   .\ndre«  J. 

Walaga 

Dec. 

.v>. 

■63 

'■           Cor|x>ral    Jan.  s.  '64 

llenjjlson    Peter 

(".alesbur^ 

Dec. 

iS, 

•6.^ 

Pro.CorplIh;c.2S,63,M.O.Scr)<t 

HengLsDM  Olof 

nishop  Hill..  . 

Dec. 

?>"• 

•6.'. 

L'linj;    Charles 

Andover 

* 

Prom.  Corjxinil.  M.O.  Serjieaiil 

Chillberji  Jacob  .... 

Berlin 

• 

•• 

lui.unell   I'cter  I 

Andover 

Promoted  Corporal 

ICnjiStrom  .\ndrew.  . 

Hishop  Hill 

Nov. 

IS. 

■b?. 

l-'rilliioff  I'eler  J. .  .  . 

M.  0.  Curi>oral  July  7,  "65 .... 

Ilallfasl  Olof    A    ... 

Andover 

Dec. 

^o. 

M 

Jolinson    William.  .  . 

Hisho])  Hill.  ■   . 

Dieil.  Mound  Citv,  Oct.  25,  '64. 

lolinson  Charles   N. 

Lima 

• 

lohnson   Olof 

• 

Larson  Charles    K. . 

.\iidover 

I.in.lell    Nels 

■• 

Died,   I.iuU-  Rock.   l-eb.  21.  "65 

I.indell  John 

.MalnibiirK  Sven   1'.  . 

Jan. 
No\-. 

.s. 

iS. 

•64 

Galesburn 

Di.sch.  Sept  2,    "65;  disabilitv.. 

.Nelson   Louis 

•• 

Dec. 

■V'. 

•6.^ 

Nelson  .\iidrew 

Andover 

Nelson    Nels 

C.alesburji 

Pr.  2d  Serj;t.Jan.5."64;  i-l  Lieu- 
tenant Jlar.    17,   '65 

Olson   William 

Wataga 

■ 

M.  0.  as  Cori)oral 

Olson  Sven   T 

(ialesbnrj; 

I'eler.son    Nels 

Younn  America 

Transf.  to  Co.  .\,    con.sulidute<I 

I'elerson   Nels  C  .  . 

Knoxville 

• 

Died.  Knoxville.  Jan.   24,   "65.. 

I'elerson  Sven  M  .  . 

Amlover 

I'elerson   Jona.s 

OalesburK 

Dec. 

iS, 

■6-, 

Promoted  Corjjoral  Dec.  j.S,  '6,:} 

I'eler.son  John 

Monmouth 

Dec. 

2\. 

•6^ 

M .  0 .  as  Corjxiral 

I'eler.soM  John 

Cale.sbur}; 

Nov. 

iS. 

•6^ 

RosberK  Nels    I' .  .  . . 

Andover 

Feb. 

u- 

•64 

Dieil,  Little  Rock.  Sept.  22,   "64 

Svenson   Sven 

(".alesburj; 

Dec. 

iS, 

'61 

•       15.   -64 

Svenson   Ivrick 

!<ishoi>  Hill.... 

Dec. 

,V'. 

'(>■, 

Svenson  John    !•;.      . 

("paleslmri; 

Teberji  I'eler  J 

Auiluver 

M.   0.  as   Corporal 

Weslerliniil   Hans. .  . 

Prom.    Serjeant    |an.  5,  "64;   3d 

Lieut.  Nov.i),'''S:  M.O.asSst. 

Wendslrand   .Wis  1'. 

l-eb. 

I.(. 

•64 

h'lrniils 

.\nderson  James.  .  .  . 

( ialesl)ur^ 

1-eb. 

1 1, 

•6.) 

Anilerson  John  A..  . 

Amlover 

Tel). 

.'S. 

•64 

.\ndersiiii  I'eler   1). . 

'• 

I'eb. 

i4. 

•f>4 

Ilniwn  'rimmas  M  .  , 

Chicago 

l-eb. 

"4. 

•64 

l!er)i(iuisl  Sum  .\.  .  . 

Amlover 

I'eb. 

Ji). 

•64 

I'.spiuK   .\\el 

(■alesbiir^ 

LOl..    MALMIIOKC'S    R  I'.l  W  M  l-N'l' 


643 


N;itiu-  Mini   Rank 

Rcsidcnco 

I  late  or  ran 

k  or 

Rfttiarks 

ciilistmenl 

A*t'cnn'/s 

Kspinii   C«irl 

EspiiiL;  Julius   I. 

Chicai;o 

JIarch  16, 
Ang.     21, 
March  f6. 

•64 
'62 

Di.sch.  April  6,   'by,  di.sability.. 
Re-enlisU'd  as  \'eleran 

Ilaiiiiiiar   Ikiirv .... 

Chicajjo 

•64 

HjerllKTi;   l'"re<l.   A.. 

Andover 

Mustere<l  out  Mav  27,   '65 

lIoU  Magnus   M 

tialesbursi 

I'V'b.       2g, 

■64 

I'rom.Julv  lo,  'fis.in  i  nl'.S.C.T. 

Hanson  Andrew  M. 

Andover 

JIarcli  17. 

■64 

Hullberj;  Sanuicl   1". 

(".alesburtt 

Feb.      29, 

'64 

Ilockonib  Magnus. . 

March  r  1 , 

■64 

Mustered  out  Jlav  27,   '65 

Johnson   William... 

•' 

Jan.       15, 

•f'4 

Transf .  to  Co.  A  as  con.sol .... 

Jacoh.son   John 

March  1 1 . 

■b4 

Johnson    Charles. . .  . 

March     i, 

•64 

Johnson  John 

" 

March  21. 

•64 

Johnson  Charles  A.. 

.\ndo\er 

Jlarch  16, 

•64 

Johnson  John  A.  .  . . 

Chicago 

Transf.   lo  Co.   A  as   con.sol.... 

Larson  John 

iMan<.;erson  Sam'l  A. 

March  25. 
March  27, 

•64 
•64 

rralesbnrg 

Nelson  John    X 

Chicago 

March  16. 

■64 

Norton  Charles   ().. 

Andover 

Feb.      29. 

•64 

Nelson  Benjamin  .  .  . 

Paxton 

March  24. 

'64 

I'elerson  Sven 

(ialesburg 

Nov.     25. 

'6^ 

Rosennren  CharlesG. 

Pula.ski  CO.  Ark. 

Feb.       3, 

•64 

SamuelsonCharles  A. 

Galesbnrg 

March  1 1, 

•64 

Willnian  Gustaf 

•' 

Feb.      29, 

'64 

Died,   Little  Rock.  Oct.    16,   '64 

Wager  Henr\-  B 

Chicago 

Nov.       4. 

'63 

"                Dec.  II,  '64. 

Col.   Oscar    Malmborg   and   the    Fifty-Fifth    Illinois    Volunteer 
Infantry    Regiment 

Early  in  the  summer  of  1861,  David  Stuart,  a  lawyer  of  Chicago, 
obtaiued  authority  from  the  war  department  to  raise  a  body  of  troops 
to  participate  in  the  conflict  just  then  assuming  formidable  proportions. 
At  first,  probably  one  regiment  only  was  contemplated,  but  a  surplus 
of  recruits  being  tendered,  a  brigade  was  ultimately  formed,  which 
Stuart,  himself  a  war  democrat  and  a  great  admirer  of  Douglas,  who 
had  ardently  declared  in  favor  of  the  Union,  christened  the  Douglas 
Brigade.  It  was  made  up  of  two  regiments,  the  42nd  and  55th.  When 
the  first,  organized  from  material  already  at  hand,  was  mustered  in 
and  left  for  the  field,  Stuart  went  with  it  in  the  capacity  of  lieutenant- 
colonel.  In  his  absence,  the  55th  regiment  was  gradually  taking  form 
under  the  hands  of  Oscar  Malmborg,  who  declined  the  colonelcy  of 
this  and  also  another  regiment,  when  tendered  the  commission  by 
CTOvernor  Yates. 

Malmborg,  a  native  of  Sweden,  born  in  1820  or  1821.  was  a  nephew 
of  Lieutenant  General  Otto  August  Malmborg  of  the  Swedish  army, 
who  was  raised  to  noble  rank  in  1842.  Prepared  by  prior  academic 
training,  Oscar  ilalmborg  entered  the  Karlberg  Military  Academy  at 
Stockholm,  from  which  lie  was  graduated  after  completing  the  six 
years'  course   of  study.     He  sitbsequently  served  for  eight   years   in 


644  ''""'■•   <-'^'"-    \^\'< 

the  Swc'disli  army.  Wlicii  tin-  war  with  Mexiio  broke  ttut.  lie  c-aiiic 
to  the  United  States  to  tender  his  services  to  our  poveriunent.  Em- 
barrassed from  an  imperfect  knowh'iljre  of  Knfrlish.  he  voluntered  in 
the  artillery  corps  as  a  private,  although  it  is  understood  that  at  first 
the  experienced  soldier  soucrht  some  prade  above  the  ranks.  Hi-  served 
for  twenty-one  montlis  in  <rari-is(in  at  Fort  Hrown  on  the  Kio  (irande. 
a  position  wliidi.  iinn-li  In  iiis  eiiawrin.  withheld  him  from  nmre  active 
service  in  the  firhl.  His  military  knowled're  earned  him  |>romotir>n 
and  he  served  till  llir  close  of  tiie  war.  In  ]S.')2  .Malmbor^r  Im-ateil  in 
Chicago,  and  was  in  the  emjiloy  of  the  emigrant  department  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railway  Comi)any  when  the  Civil  War  broke  out. 

The  .j.jtli  regiment  was  recruited  mainly  from  the  farmers  and 
workingmen  of  the  state,  but  during  the  summer  and  fall  these  raw 
recruits,  luider  ^Malmborg  as  connnander  and  <lrillmaster.  were  trans- 
formed into  a  military  body  wliose  fine  bearing  was  eonuneiited  upon 
and  wiiicli  later  became  noted  for  its  good  discipline  and  splenditl 
fighting  ([ualitics  and  knowu  as  one  of  the  model  regiments  of  the 
volunteer  army.  Malmborg  po.ssessed  thorough  tactical  knowledge, 
then  a  rare  acquirement  among  volunteer  oflFicers.  and  was  untiring 
in  his  efforts  at  drill  and  discipline.  lie  was  exacting  to  the  utmost 
limit,  and  M'holesome  as  his  discii)line  was.  it  was  too  rigid  to  suit 
his  subordinates,  especially  those  among  them  who  had  enlisted  to 
attain  their  ambition  to  command,  not  to  obey,  or  under  the  erroneous 
imiiression  that  the  campaign  would  be  a  continuous  picnic.  ^lalm- 
liorg's  temper  is  said  to  have  been  irritable  and.  at  times,  violent,  niul 
this,  comljined  willi  his  relentless  discipline,  made  him  unpopular. 
Stuart  liiiiisclf  had  unbounded  faith  in  the  militar.\-  skill  of  .Malmborg. 
while  (listi-uslinL''  liis  own  ability  in  that  direction,  and.  therefore,  took 
little  part  ill  .■letiially  (Iriiliiig  the  regiineiil.  The  result  was  that  when 
lie  afterwards,  as  colonel,  took  the  command,  his  lack  of  technical 
training  generated  a  sjieeies  of  contempt  always  fatal  to  the  respect 
due  a  siipei'icir  olVieer.  Tliiis  it  hai>i>ened  that  the  colonel  and  the 
lieutenant  colonel  of  the  r).')th  both  came  to  be  held  in  contempt  b.\ 
the  rank  and  file,  the  one  for  kiu)wing  too  little,  the  other  for  knowing 
more  than  the  green  citizen  soldiers  thought  necessary. 

Th('  greatest  source  of  dissatisfaction,  however,  lay  in  the  manner 
in  which  the  reginu-nt  was  organized.  For  the  most  jmrt  the  recruits 
had  come  to  the  rendezvous  at  Camp  Douglas  as  end)ryo  companies, 
headed  by  nu'ii  who  were  ambitious  to  beeonu-  captains,  ami  provided 
with  a  full  complciiieiil  of  prospi'ctive  otTieers.  but  lacking  the  required 
quota  of  pi-ivates.  Ill  liic  transfers  and  eimsolidations  necessary  to 
the  formal  ion  of  ten  full  eomi)anies.  nuuiy  would-be  olTieers  were 
reduced  lo  the  ranks,  while  their  res]>ective  handfuls  of  recruits  helped 
to   I'iil  companies  over  which   Stmu-t,  arbitrarily,  as  Ihey   considered. 


L'Ol.     M.\I..Mli()RC.S    KI-;C,IMKNT 


^^45 


plaireil  otlnTs  ill  eoiimuuKl.  Aiuuiig  lliusi;  who  liad  been  lll()^sl  activi' 
ill  raisiiifT  recruits  were  two  ^lethodist  jireaehers,  Ilaiiey  and  I'ressoii. 
Each  was  made  captain  of  a  company,  and  these  men  alsd  exercised 
great  inthiciice  over  the  rest  of  the  ret^iment,  the  hulk  of  wliieh 
a|)i)aieiitly  was  made  uj)  of  recruits  of  the  same  faitli.  Like  most 
patriots,  they  also  were  '"willing  to  serve  as  lirigadiers,"  or,  leastwise, 
regimental  officers,  and  when  ]\ralmborg  was  made  lieutenant  colonel 
of  the  regiment,  tliese  reverend  gentlemen  and  their  friends  felt  griev- 
ously disappointed.  Tf  we  are  to  believe  "The  Story  of  the  Fifty-fiftli 
Regiment."  a  book  largely  devoted  to  the  task  of  defaming  the  name 
and  character  of  ]\ralml)org-,  and  airing  the  grievances  of  those  wlm 
vainly  aspired  to  his  position,  the  55th  regiment  was  on  the  verge  oi' 
mutiny  from  the  time  of  muster-in  until  near  the  end  of  the  three-year 
term  of  service.  And  yet  Col.  ^lalinborg — ridiculed  for  his  foreign 
brogue,  denoiuieed  as  a  tyrant,  hated  for  his  ''martinet  discipline," 
branded  as  un-American  and  declared  unfit  to  command  free-born 
citizens,  led  this  same  regiment  through  a  score  of  battles,  in  which 
none  fought  better  and  few  won  greeuer  laurels.  Whatever  his  short- 
comings may  have  been,  as  a  man  or  an  officer,  ]Malmborg  proved  him- 
self a  highly  capable  military  leader,  Avhose  achievements  on  the  field 
of  battle,  complimented  by  his  superiors  again  and  again,  are  the  best 
answer  to  the  charges  of  his  scheming  and  envious  traducers. 

On  the  31st  day  of  October,  1861,  the  regiment  was  mustered  into 
the  United  States  service  and  on  Dec.  9th  left  Chicago.  Some  time  prior 
to  the  departure,  the  former  colleagues  of  Lt.  Col.  ]\lalmljorg  in  the 
employ  of  the  Illinois  Central  railroad  presented  him  with  an  elegant 
sword,  the  Avhole  ceremony  tending  to  show  that  he  was  held  in  high 
esteem  by  his  former  associates.  He  was.  as  a  matter  of  fact,  a  gentle- 
man of  more  than  ordinary  culture  and  enjoyed  the  respect  of  his 
fellow  countrymen  in  Chicago,  from  among  whom  he  had  just  been 
appointed  local  consular  representative  of  Sweden  and  Norway. 

T'l>oii  reaching  Benton  l^arracks.  near  St.  Louis,  the  regiment 
continued  its  course  of  company  and  tiattalion  drill,  then  became  a 
part  of  Gen.  "William  T.  Sherman's  division,  and  was  sent  south  to 
join  the  Army  of  the  Tennessee.  While  in  camp  near  Pittsburg  Land- 
ing, prior  to  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  the  regiment  was  brigaded  with 
the  54th  and  71st  Ohio  and  Col.  Stuart  was  placed  in  command  of  the 
new  brigade.  Altlnnigh  a  part  of  the  fifth  (Sherman's)  division,  the 
brigade  was  encamped  two  miles  east  of  the  other  three  brigades  and 
formed  the  extreme  and  isolated  left  of  tlie  I'liion  army  in  the  first 
day's  battle  of  Shiloh. 

In  the  battle  the  three  regiments  were  placed  in  line  by  Smart. 
They  were  at  first  supported  by  a  battery  and  by  the  -ll.st  111.  Inf.  regi- 


646 


TIM-:    CI\II.    WAR 


;iu-iil,  'I'licsL-  and  alsu  tlic  7Jst  Uliin  rcti-c-atL-d.  k-aviiig  tin.-  .').')tli  Illinois 
and  r)4tli  Ohio  to  figlil.  willi  a  total  of  800  men  at  the  outset.  With 
110  fcdi'i-al  forces  in  view,  the  two  refjiments  fonght  for  two  hours 
again.st  a  Coutederate  force  of  five  infantry  refriinents.  a  battery  of 
four  jruns  and  a  liody  of  cavalry.  After  the  eartridtre  l»o.\e.s  of  the 
killed  and  wounded  had  been  emptied,  the  ammunition  was  exhausted. 
Tliey  retreated  in  "rond  order,  allhoufrii  siielled.  and  stopped  near  the 
landiiifr  Aviiei-e  ihcy  wrr-e  promised  ammunition.  Col.  Stuart  was 
woiHided.  jiiid  liinicd  tile  I'omniand  over  to  Col.  Thomas  Kilhy  Smith 
of  the  .")4th  Ohio.  Smilh  left  the  command  to  Lt.  Col.  Malmborp  in 
order  to  find  a  i)art  of  liis  i-efj;inient  whicli  had  been  detached  iluring 
the  retreat.  Gen.  Grant.  ])assing,  ordered  Malmborg  to  form  a  line 
near  tlie  batteries.  Thi-ou-rli  INTalndiorg's  et^'orts  a  battle  line  of  some 
three  llioiisand  men  was  formed,  eomjiosed  largely  of  renniants  of 
regiments  retreating  towards  the  landing.  How  splendidly  Malndiorg 
acquitted  himself  in  the  desperate  strugi.de  during  the  rest  of  the  day 
may  be  inferred  from  these  words  in  Stuart "s  re])ort  of  tile  work  of  his 
brigade:  "I  was  uiuler  great  obligations  to  Lieutenant  Colonel  ^lalm- 
borg.  whose  military  education  and  experience  were  of  every  import- 
ance to  me.  Coinprelieiuling  at  a  glance  the  piu'pose  antl  oiijeet  of 
every  movenu'ut  ol'  the  enemy,  he  was  able  to  advi.se  nu^  promptly  and 
intelligentl\'  as  to  the  dis]>osition  of  my  men.  lie  was  cool,  oliservanl. 
disi-reet  and  l)ra\e  and  of  infinite  service  to  me."  After  the  battle. 
Malmborg  reported  to  Col.  Stuart  a  long  list  of  names  of  officers  and 
])rivates  meriting  sjiecial  nu'iition  for  bravery.  Among  them  wjus  First 
Tiieutenant  Lucien  H.  Crooker.  ■\vlu)se  elaborate  villification  of  Col. 
Mahnborg  seven  years  after  the  death  of  the  latter  was  doubtless  his 
most   iiotiw ortliy  siilisei|uent  achievemetit. 

In  this,  the  initial  engagi'inent  of  the  ."t.'itii  regiment,  its  U)ss  was 
the  heaviest  of  any  i'l-deral  regiment  engaired  in  that  terrible  contlict. 
except  the  l»th  Illinois.  'I'ln-  loss  of  the  r).')th  was  1  officer  and  "»1 
eidisted  men  killed  and  ll  ofl'icers  and  liltl  men  wounded,  being  a  total 
of  l-'-'tl.  and  lit)  men  captured,  (bi  the  second  day  the  regiment.  et)m- 
maiidi'd  liy  .Malmborg.  I'oiight  in  Shei-man"s  division,  luider  Ins  very 
eye,  sustaining  but  slight  loss.  During  the  advance  on  Corinth  ^lalm- 
borg  hail  charge  of  tin'  strategic  movenu'nis  of  the  lirigade  and  later 
of  the  enlii-c  division,  in  the  matter  of  picking  the  positions  and 
plaiuiing  and  executing  the  fortifications.  For  this  work  he  was 
complinicnled  by  his  superiors,  including  Generals  Graid  and  'riionnis. 
II  may  be  added  here  tiuit,  although  the  extensive  intrenehments 
thrown  n|>  diU'inir  th<'  advain-e  on  Corinth  proved  needless,  owing  to 
the  demoralized  condition  of  the  Coid"ederate  army,  yet  it  woidd  have 
been    the  height    of   recklessness   to   conliiMie   hazarding   the   safciv    of 


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r.48  Till-:    CI\II.    WAR 

llio  I'liioii  army  in  i-xposed  i'aiii|ts,  while  the  enemy's  streiifftli  was 
still  uiikimwi].  After  Sliiloh.  (Jriint's  army  learned  the  value  of 
fortifieatioiis  in  the  field,  and  ^lalmborfr  was  the  instructor.  Seven 
different  and  complete  lines  of  intrenehments.  reaching  for  miles 
across  the  front  of  the  army,  were  erected.  They  were  solid,  massive 
earthworks  with  lo-j  l)ackin{r.  and  all  scientifi*-  attachments,  and  were 
far  sujierior  to  llic  rel)el  works  around  Corinth.  They  are  yet  to  In- 
seen  with  their  outlines  almost  perfect.  "The  o5th  did  its  full  share 
of  diRtriiif?.  fiiitl  till'  fortifications  built  by  the  refjiment  were  the  pride 
of  Lii'ulenant  Colonel  Malinl)ort;"s  heart."  says  the  aforesaid  Crookcr. 
wlio  siieeringly  adds:  "He  was  never  so  hapi)y  as  when  disj>laying  his 
allejied  en<rineering  skill."  Other  military  writers,  however,  have 
taken  a  ditfereiit  view,  deijlorinir  the  absence  of  intrenehments  on  the 
Shiloli  lialtli'TicliI,  aiKJ  1iii'.\  pi-iilialily  wduld  a^'ree  that  a  few  prior 
iesst)ns  in  dijijrinji  iiiiirlil  have  \vii(illy  elian>;eil  the  asjiect  of  that  battle. 
Malmbortr  and  his  eommand  shared  largely  in  the  creilit  for  the 
victory  at  .\ricansas  I'ost  on  -Ian.  12.  1863.  The  oiith  Illinois  n'giment 
<lisenibarke(l  from  tlie  transports  in  the  Arkansas  river  and  was  b-d 
\>y  .Malnibiir<;-  to  ;i  posit  ion  -'4  mib'  cast  of  the  fort.  At  dark  the  regi- 
iiieiif  advanced  and  pi'di-eedcd  for  a  (juartci-  of  a  mile  through  a 
tiiicket.  to  an  open  spaei'  a  siiort  distance  from  the  fort.  The  enemy 
sliowerec!  ;,Mape  and  sliell.  lint  did  little  damage.  Here  the  men  slept 
on  tlieii'  arms.  One  lioni'  liefore  daylight  .Malmborg  directed  the 
coiistiMKt  ion  of  earthwoiks  \\i\-  a  liattery  of  lid-ixmndcr  I'arrott  gun: — 
formerly  Silt'\ crsijarre's  hattiTv.  .\l  noon,  after  a  brisk  bombanlmcnt. 
.MaimlHiiji'  with  his  regiment  took  part  in  tlu'  first  assaidt  upon  the 
iiHiny"s  works,  .\fter  an  obstinate  fight  of  three  hours,  a  second 
assault  was  ordi-red.  whereupon  the  enemy  surrendered.  In  his  report 
of  the  battle  Col.  Thomas  Kilby  Smith,  the  sui>i'rior  oft'icer  in  conuinind. 
says :  "  I  desire  to  make  special  mention  of  Col.  .Malmborg.  commanding 
llie  Kifty-fiftli  Illinois,  whose  zeal  and  unremitting  diligence  in  super- 
intending wor-king  partii's  ami  jilaiding  batteries,  performing  at  thi' 
same  lime  liis  wlidc  ilnly  to  his  regiment,  demand  compliment." 

In  the  "Tallahatchie  eami)aign"  Mabnbi)rir  and  his  ennnnand 
in  less  than  24  hours  constructed  a  bridge  ITd  feet  in  length,  on  which 
Sherman's  army  and  train  crossed  the  Tallahatchie  Kiver.  At  Vicks- 
burg  Malmborg "s  eomnnind  participated  in  the  assaults  of  May  l!tlh 
and  22nd.  his  regiment  bearing  its  full  shari-  during  the  siege,  losing 
14  killed  and  :{2  woimdcd.  Col.  .Malmlmrg  bimsi-lf  on  the  liMh  was 
struck  b>  a  musket  ball  near  the  right  e.\ c  and  was  stunned  for  a 
moment,  but  uimiu  rallying  he  refused  to  withdraw  from  the  fight. 
I'ontinuing  to  cheer  his  no'U  on.  In  the  second  assault  .Mahnborg 
participated  against  the  adviei-  of  (icn.  Shernuni  and  was  again 
w.innded.  beinj;  struck  b\   a  fraL'ment  of  shell  near  the  left  eye.     \"i>i 


Cdi..  :\iAi,.\ii!()i^(',s  i< !■;(■. I. mi-:nt 


649 


\\itli.st;iii(lii|i;'  Ills  Wdiiiids.  lie  \v;is  iictivc  tlirdiiy;! I   llic  sii'fi'c.  N|icii<liiitr 

t\vc'iit\'  wlidlc  iii^'hts  tViiiii  hcl'orc  siiiisrl  I  ill  iil'tcr  siiui-isc  in  ])ri>se- 
ciltiiifi'  tlir  \\iirk  allodril  In  liini  liv  \ii1iic  of  liis  I  r;i  iiiiii<^'  and  i-x- 
pcriciu'c. 

J)iii'inf;-  the  siege  and  invcstinrnl  of  tlii'  cily  .Malinlxii-';-  had  cluiriri' 
of  Hi-i<>:.-(Ti'n,    Lifilitliurii  "s   work    of  advaiicrd    rifle    pils   and    at  lack-inj,' 


the  enemy's  stockade.  He  coudiicted  sap-rolling  operations  and  was 
constantly  su]ierinteiiding  this  perilous  work  in  person.  With  his 
men  lie  approai-lied  the  enemy's  stockade  -within  ^.l  feel  and  "was 
shelled  severely  dnrins  the  niglits  of  Jiuie  ;5l)tli  and  •lul>'  1st  and  :ind. 
After  the  saps  conld  be  advanced  no  farther,  being  within  reach  of  the 
enemy's  hand-grenades,  with  which  his  men  were  coiiionsly  served, 
^lalmlioi-g   went   to   mining,      lie   proccedfd    far   with   the   mines,    and 


6  so 


Till.     L'lXII.     WAK 


1)11  tlie  iiifjrht  hi't\\i.'i-ii  .Inly  -li'd  and  4lli  had  li'id  ll).s.  ol'  iiuwder  and 
fuses  ready  to  blow  up  llic  enemy's  works.  Half  an  liour  after  he 
had  reeeivcd  these  supplies,  witli  iiistructious.  the  eity  surrendered. 
His  ai'hievemeuts  before  \'ieksburg  at  tlie  head  of  the  ootli  regiment 
were  no  less  notewortiiy.  Dnriiifr  tlie  a.ssault  on  ilay  19th.  the  55th 
at  2  1'.  M.  advaneed  in  line  with  other  regiments  under  heavy  fire 
to  within  no  or  40  yards  of  I  lie  enemy's  works  and  lii'ld  their  jiosition 
until  -i  A.  ^1.  next  day.  when  they  were  withdrawn.  On  the  22nd. 
Jfalniborg.  asrain  taking  i)Mrt  in  the  assault,  remained  near  the  enemy's 
ririe  pits  until  ordered  liai-k  on  the  niorning  of  the  23rd. 

Col.  Thomas  Kiiby  Sinitli.  eoiniiiaiider  of  the  brigade,  in  his  report 
of  the  operations  before  the  eity.  said:  ''I  .shall  make  no  apology  for 
undue  length  of  my  i'e])ort  nor  stint  with  measured  ])raise  the  meed  of 
the  officers  or  the  men  of  the  Second  ISrigade.  I  only  regret  my  own 
inability  in  language  to  do  them  full  jastice.  With  Col.  Malmborg. 
of  the  Fifty-fifth  Illinois.  I  have  been  side  by  side  in  seven  battles: 
liave  stood  with  bim  litei'ally  among  lieaps  of  slain.  He  is  always  cool, 
prudent  and  of  daunt li-ss  courage,  and  in  the  recent  engagement. 
although  wounded  twice,  and,  by  strange  fatality,  first  in  the  rigid 
and  iie.\t  in  the  left  eye.  displayed  tliose  ((ualities  willi  the  ai-dt)r  and 
clicci'  so  necessary  in  a  charge." 

In  Ihc  movements  about  Chattanooga  in  November.  18t>3.  and  in 
the  final  battle,  ^lalmboi-g  took  a  cons|)icious  i>art.  On  the  night  of 
the  23rd.  with  the  hiigadc  now  again  commanded  by  Malmborg  in 
the  absence  of  the  superior  officer,  he  manned  a  Heet  of  pontoon  boats 
in  North  C'liickamauga  Creek  and  during  intense  darkness  descended 
and  crossed  the  Tennessee  and  captured  the  enemy's  i)ickets  -a  feat 
conceded  to  be  one  ot'  the  most  daring  operations  of  the  war. 

After  the  battle  of  .Mission  b'idge.  in  which  >ralmborg  anil  his 
regiment  fought,  the  .'>.")tli  marched  with  Sherman  the  rouiiil  trip  to 
the  relief  of  Know  illc.  and  alter  their  relurn  encamped  during  winter 
successively  at  l!ridge])ort.  Hclleionle  and  Larkinsvilie.  \VliiK-  al 
the  latter  place,  alter  exacting  the  right  to  elect  officers,  the  regiment 
veleraiii/ed.  al  wliidi  lime  the  existing  field  otVici'rs  all  failed  of 
cleelion  and  at   tln'  (ml  nl'  their  term  (|iiil  tlu'  servici'. 

The    result    is   aeronntcd    for    by   the   disafl'ecti(»n   existing    in    tlie 
regimeni    IVoin    iis   oi-ranization.     The    relations   between    Stuart    and 
.Malmborg  on  the  one  hand  and  a  number  of  liie  lowi'r  officers  on  the 
other    •'rcw    more    strained    as    lime    passed.      The    faults    of    the    com 
nianders  were  niagiiil'ied  and  real  or  imaginary  grievani-es  aeenmulaled. 

Stuart's  failure  to  have  11 ommissions  i.ssued  was  a  legitimate  enuse 

for  com|)laint.  they  being  delayed  for  over  a  year. 

In  the  fall  of  lS(i2.  when  Stuart's  promotion  seemed  liki-ly.  steps 
were   taken    boldly   and    openly   to    get    riil    of    Malniliorg   also.      In    a 


coi..  MAi.Mi'.oRi'/s  ri;(',i.mi;nt  6si 

letter  to  GoveriKir  Vutes,  confessedly  iiis|iirctl  liy  ( 'luipljiin  lliincy. 
tweuty-oiie  subordinate  officers  demanded  a  voice  in  tlie  prospective 
selection  of  a  colonel.  nr<iinfj  nnpopnlarity.  military  incapacity.  Iiarsli 
discipline  and  abnsiv(>  treatment  of  liis  subordinates  against  Malm- 
borg's  succession  to  the  colonelcy.  The  action  oT  the  sub-officers  was 
reported  to  ("ol.  Stuart,  who  at  once  wrote  to  Xhv.  governor  to  counter- 
act the  effect  of  the  protest.     From  liis  letter  we  (|uote  the  following: 

"Col.  .Malniborg  is  a  strict  disciplinarian,  an  exacting  otVic-iT.  Avho 
demands  from  every  officer  tlie  active  and  complete  iliseharge  of  all 
his  duties.  There  arc  very  few  of  them  who  do  not  feel  pretty  well 
contented  with  themselves  when  tlicy  somewluTi'  near  half  jierform 
their  duties:  such  men  are  not  oidy  not  patted  on  the  l)aclv  by  him. 
but  tliey  are  sternly  and  promptly  reproved  by  him.  and  are  driven 
nji  nnd  compelled  to  do  their  duty.  They  would  like  to  get  rid  of 
liim  and  have  a  slip-shod,  easy-going  time  of  it.  It  is  this  vigilance, 
zeal  and  discipline,  whieb  has  made  this  regiment  in  every  regard 
today  the  best  one  in  this  army.  1  claim  boldly  for  it  (and  it  will  be 
conceded  by  the  commanding  generals),  tliat  it  is  the  most  eft'ieient. 
the  best  drilled,  best  disci]>lined.  best  behaved,  cleanest,  healthiest  and 
most  soldiei-ly  regiment  in  this  army.  This  ])erfection  has  not  been 
attained,  nor  these  qualities  acquired,  without  great  labor  and  care, 
constant  and  earnest  vigilance.  I  have,  of  course,  the  rc]mtatiou  of 
having  accomplished  this,  amongst  those  who  know  only  genei'ally.  that 
I  am  at  the  bead  of  the  regiment;  they  who  know  us  more  iiitiuuitely 
are  well  informed  of  the  consequence  Col.  ^lalmborg  has  been  to  me. 
It  would  be  not  alone  ungenerous,  but  ungrateful  in  me  to  apin-opriate 
any  share  of  the  credit  and  honor,  which  so  justly  belongs  to  him.  to 
myself. 

"There  was  scarcely  an  oft'icer  in  this  regiment  who.  wlien  he 
entered  it.  knew  his  facings;  they  have  learned  here  all  they  knf)W 
(and  with  some  of  them  the  stock  of  knowledge  on  liaud  is  not  burden- 
some even  now),  but  by  dint  of  hard  work  and  doing  their  work  for 
many  of  the  officers,  we  can  get  along — and  do.  They  ought  to  be 
grateful  to  Col.  Malmborg  for  what  he  has  done  for  them,  but  vanity, 
selfishness  and  that  'pi-urient  ambition  for  fame  not  earned.'  M'hich 
afflicts  most  men,  makes  them  insensible  to  the  better,  nobler  and  nmre 
generous  sentiments  of  their  nature. 

"I  desire  frankly  and  truthfully  to  bear  witness  to  you.  as  our 
cliief.  that  this  regiment,  which  has  done  and  will  do  honor  to  your 
state,  owes  its  efficiency,  its  iirofieiency.  and  everything  Avbich  gives 
it  superiority  or  a  name,  to  Col.  ^falmborg — I  owe  most  that  T  know 
to  him — the  officers  owe  all  to  him." 

The  governor  replied  by  issuing  a  eolimers  (■(munission  for  Malm- 
borff.  to  date  from  Dec   10.   Isii2.  which   was  received  Jan.   L'T.   ISfi:?. 


652 


Tin:  civil.  WAR 


Stuart    was   piuiiiotcil    brigaditT-friMicral   liiit    the   a|i|ioiutmeiit    liy   tin- 
I'lTsidciit  failed  of  ruiifinnatiiiii.  wliiTfUpim  In-  k-ft  the  service. 

Tile  o|)pi)siti<)n.  haviiifr  failed  to  (uist  Malmlxn-ir.  I»idi'd  tlieir  time. 


Colniiil    (Kiar    MaliiilK>r;L> 


after  live  olVii-ci's  had  resi>;iied  in  dis<;nsl  at  .Malinlioi'i;'s  proiiiotioii. 
The  iiiiiKteriiit;  out  of  six  first  lieiiteiiaiits  for  disal)ili!y  followed,  at  the 
coJoiii-rs  reeoiiiiiieiidatioii.  made  likely  in  a  spirit  of  retaliation,  in 
the  simiiiii'i'  (if  ISi;::  an  attempi  was  made  to  have  Col.  Malmhor^  tried 


COI..  MAI.MliOKC.-S   ki:c.iMi;NT  653 

hct'orc  till'  ^.M'licriil  rdiiil  ■iiuii't  ial.  'I'lii'  iliiii-jrcs.  jilli'iiiiii;'  intuxii-at  icm 
and  tlic  usL'  of  pi'ofaiiity  at  sundry  tiiiius.  were  prt't'crred  and  forwarded 
to  llie  brigaile  coniniandcr.  \vli<i  detained  and  finally  suppressed  them. 
This  documenl.  \\liieh  (piotes  certain  offensive  phrases  ascribed  to  tin- 
colonel,  but  is  silent  as  to  the  provocation,  is  remarkable  in  this,  that 
it  makes  ilalmbortr  speak  very  plain  and  correct  English,  while  all 
other  .stories  about  "tlie  d — d  old  Swede  "  make  him  speak  ;in  im- 
possible German  brogue,  highly  suggestive  of  fabrication. 

But  the  real  crisis  did  not  come  U7itil  the  question  of  re-enlistment 
for  a  new  term  was  urged  on  the  regiment  early  in  1864.  By  this  time 
the  faction  dominated  by  Chaplain  Ilaney  had  grown  to  comprise 
almost  the  entire  regiment.  Contrary  to  usage,  the  malcontents  in- 
sisted on  the  jn-ivilegc  of  electing  officers  anew,  and  successfully 
frustrated  every  attempt  to  re-enlist  the  men  until  that  special  per- 
mission was  accorded.  .Malnil)org  himself  in  a  regimental  order 
finally,  luider  pressure,  made  the  extraordinary  and  luimilitary  con- 
cession, and  on  April  (ith.  tlie  second  anniversary  of  Shiloh.  the  regi- 
ment ousted  the  man  who  had  heliied  them  pluck  laurels  on  that  and 
many  subsequent  liattlefields.  Chaplain  ^lilton  L.  Haney  was  elected 
colonel  with  1G4  votes,  as  against  22  for  Malmborg,  and  all  the  other 
regimental  oft'icers  were  sacrificed,  no  matter  how  bravely  and  well 
the.v  had  served.  Haney  had  been  captain  of  a  company  until  the 
regiment  reached  the  field  in  Jlarch,  1862,  when  he  resigned  to  take 
the  less  perilous  position  of  chaplain.  He  was  entirely  ignorant  of 
military  tactics  and  seemed  to  have  had  little  faith  in  his  own  ability, 
for  he  preferred  not  to  accept  the  command.  To  complete  the  reform, 
the  principal  musician  was  elected  sergeant-major  and  a  man  hardly 
able  to  write  his  own  name  was  made  quarter-master.  The  whole 
procedure  seems  to  have  been  looked  upon  by  the  superior  officers  as  a 
ridiculous  farce.  General  Logan,  commander  of  the  army  corps,  is 
quoted  as  having  said  to  Col.  ilalmborg:  "We  have  been  accustomed 
to  look  upon  the  55th  as  the  best  regiment  in  the  army,  and  how 
shall  I  express  my  astonishment  to  find  they  are  after  all  but  a  set  of 
d —  fools!  Electing  a  chaplain,  a  civilian,  a  know-nothing  for  their 
colonel !  Are  they  prepared  to  go  into  battle  under  such  a  man  ?  Do 
y(ni  suppose  that  I.  now  on  the  eve  of  the  most  important  campaign  of 
the  war,  am  going  to  send  that  regiment  into  battle  under  that  man? 
Do  you  suppose  the  Governor  and  the  Adjutant-General  of  Illinois  will 
commission  him?"  As  a  matter  of  fact,  only  those  officers  elected, 
who  were  in  line  of  promotion  to  their  respective  positions,  ever 
received  the  sought-for  commissions.  Col.  ^lalmborg  expressed  his 
intention  of  resigning  soon  to  give  place  to  the  colonel-elect,  but  seems 
to  have  been  prevailed  upon  to  retain  his  commission  while  awaiting 
developments,  and  did  so  until  the  end  of  the  three-year  term.     After 


^>54 


Till-:    C1\II.    WAR 


the  election  Malinboig,  liowever.  did  not  remain  in  active  comuiund 
of  his  i-efiiiiient.  He  served  as  chief  engineer  of  the  17th  army  corps 
until  July  18th.  Thinking  to  ease  him  of  his  exertions  and  divorce  him 
from  his  difficulties,  Sherman  on  July  24th  eommissioued  him  to  visit 
posts  on  the  ^fississijipi  River.  While  the  assertion  that  Malmborg 
resigned  from  his  regiment  owing  to  broken  health  is  erroneoas,  it  is 
nevertheless  true  that  his  health  was  on  the  decline.  His  condition 
did  not  improve  by  tlie  combined  light  duty  and  recreation  afforded  by 


55TH   INFANTRY. 

COL.  OSCAR  MALMBORG 
2o  BRIG..  2o  DIV  .   ISTK  CORPS. 

casualties: 

ASSAULT     MAT  19.  1863. 

KILLED  4.   WOUNDED  22.  TOTAL  26. 

LIEUT,  LEVI  MILL  KILLED. 

ASSAULT     MAY    22.    KILLED  5.  WOUNDED 

13.  TOTAL  ie 

AGGREGATE,  KILLED  9.  WOUNDED  35. 

TOTAL  44 


Moiiiiiiieiit  at   \ii'k--liiirK   Nalioiiiil    Military   I'ark 


hi.s  iH'W  (•iiiiiiiiissimi.  w  lurcl'dri'  lie  now  resigned  and  was  mustered  out 
im  Sept.  2(1,  1S()4,  returning  to  his  home  in  Ciiieago. 

On  Jhm.  1.  186;'),  ]\Ialml)org  was  eoinmissioneil  colonel  in  tlie  First 
Veteran  Army  (Jorps  then  l>eing  organized  under  Oen.  Ilam-ock,  ami 
was  ordered  to  superintend  the  recruiting  in  Illinois,  with  headnuarters 
in  Chicago.  Soon  after  appointed  head  of  the  second  regiment,  with 
orders  to  be  at  Winchester.  \'a..  at  the  beginning  of  April.  .Mahnborg 
there  became  the  conunantlcr  id'  the  only  brigade  of  this  corps  that 
was  ever  organi/.ed.  His  impaired  e.\c-sight  weakened,  and  in  order 
to  avoid   cuMiplele   blindness   .Malmborg.   a<-ting  upon   mcdii>al   advice. 


Ct).    I).     lIl-TV-Si;\lv.\Tll     IMANTUV  fiis 

now  asUcd  for  his  dismissal,  wliieli  was  Kraiili'd  ^lay  M,  ISti.").  'riicrc- 
upoii  he  was  givuii  a  ]iositioii  in  tin;  di'iiai'tniciits  at  Wasliinf;ti'n.  In 
course  of  time  liis  vision  was  sliil  I'niilicr  inipaii'i'd.  and,  almost  wIkiIIv 
blind,  ]\rahnl)oi'g'  rctnrncd  to  Swollen,  suljsisting  on  hi.s  pension  niilil 
the  spring  of  188(1.  when  he  died  in  the  city  of  Visby,  on  (lolland. 
on  April  29tli,  in  the  sixtieth  year  of  Ids  age. 

After  the  retirenu>nt  of  i\Ialnd)org,  the  regiment  continned  to 
acquit  itself  creditably,  at  Jonesboro,  Kenesaw  JMoiintain  and  thnmudi- 
out  the  Atlanta  campaign,  but  most  of  its  fighting  had  been  dniu'  nndci- 
the  intrepid  Swedisli  colonel.  This  regiment  was  engaged  in  tliirt\(inc 
battles  aud  was  128  days  under  fire.  It  lo.st  108  men  acluall.\  killed 
in  battle,  and  its  total  wounded  were  339,  making  an  aggregate  of  447 
struck  b.v  the  missiles  of  war.  During  the  entire  period  of  sei\  iii^ 
it  i-eceived  less  than  fifty  recruits,  and  the  fact  that  it  had  onl.\-  4'.l  men 
captured  speaks  well  for  the  discipline  and  cohesion  imparted  to  it  li.\- 
its  gallant  commander. 

By  their  countr\-men  the  Swedish  commanders  ]\Ia.)or  Stolbrand 
and  Captain  Silfversparre  have  been  lionized,  and  deservedl.v  so,  for 
their  military  exploits,  while  for  some  inexplicable  reason  Col.  Malni- 
borg  has  received  but  meager  credit  at  their  hands.  A  diligent  search 
of  the  war  records,  however,  reveals  the  fact  that  in  point  of  skill. 
brilliancy  and  jiersonal  liraverv,  the  leadership  of  the  latter  was  in  no 
wise  inferior  to  that  of  either  of  the  other  two,  and  all  the  facts  point 
to  the  conclusion  that  there  were  but  few,  if  any,  better  fighters  of  any 
f  nationality  in  the  Union  army  than  was  Col,  Oscar  ilalmborg. 

The  state  of  Illinois  has  erected  in  the  Vicksburg  National  Military 
Park  the  Illinois  State  Memorial  Temple,  On  the  interior  walls  there 
are  bronze  tablets  and  basrelief  portraits  in  memory  of  Lincoln,  Grant 
and  Logan.  On  the  tablet  giving  the  organization  of  the  staff  occurs 
the  name  of  Charles  Stolbrand,  chief  of  artillery  under  General  Logan. 
There  is  a  bronze  tablet  for  each  regiment  of  Illinois  troops,  giving  the 
names  of  all  officers  and  privates  who  fought  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg. 
Among  them  may  be  remarked  as  of  greatest  interest  to  Swedish- 
American  history  those  of  the  43rd  and  55th  Infantry,  and  the  1st  and 
2nd  Artillery.  The  55th  Illinois  has  a  marble  moniunent  on  Union  ave.. 
besides  which  it  has  five  marble  markers  to  designate  the  positions 
occupied  on  the  firing  line.  ^larble  monuments  are  also  erected  to 
the  43rd  Infantry  and  to  Co.  IT.  1st  Artillery  and  Co.  G.  2n(l  Artillery. 

Company    D.    Fifty-Seventh    Illinois    Infantry 

In  the  summer  of  the  year  1860  a  certain  martial  spirit  was  aroused 
in  and  about  the  Bishop  Hill  settlement,  resulting  soon  in  the  organiza- 
tion  of  a  military  compan.v,   with   Eric  Forsse   as   captain.      With    his 


656  THK   Civil.    WAK 

Hwedisli  iiiilit.iiy  traiuiiig.  coiiibincd  wiili  natiinil  tak-iit  for  K-ack-r- 
sliij).  lie  drilled  the  boys  under  liis  coiniiiaiid  to  a  fair  deprt'e  of  skill 
in  tlif  use  of  arms.  At  the  lime  there  was  probably  uo  serious  tliou'jht 
of  ever  engaging  in  actual  warfare,  but  the  very  uext  year  momentous 
events  called  for  the  service  of  every  patriot  willing  and  able  to  bear 
arms.  Not  lonsr  after  the  first  call  for  volunteers,  the  liishop  Hill 
military  company  tendered  their  services  to  the  state  and  nation.  On 
the  16th  day  of  September,  IStil.  they  enlisted,  and  on  the  30th  they 
boarded  the  train  at  Galva.  bound  for  Cam))  Hureau.  near  Princeton. 
MJiei-e  Col.  AVinslow  was  in  command. 

At  this  time  a  number  of  resiments  of  .sharpshooters  were  being 
organized  at  St.  Louis,  for  the  recruiting  of  which  emissaries  were  sent 
to  the  various  military  cam]>s.  Several  visited  ('am|)  Bureau  and  secretly 
persua(le(l  the  iininlirrs  of  tlie  regiment  to  join  the  sharpshooters, 
and  maile  aiTangeiiieiits  for  their  transportation  to  St.  Louis  on  the 
•  luiet.  A  steamer  named  ^[usselman  was  moored  at  a  convenient  point 
in  the  Illinois  IJiver  and  before  daylight  dawned  ou  the  23rd  of  October, 
the  regiment  broke  camp,  embarked  and  steanunl  away  down  the  river. 
When  Col.  Winslow  that  morning  foinid  tin-  eamp  vacated,  he  at  once 
endeavored  to  iiilcicciil  the  deserters.  These  had  taken  the  precaution 
to  i-iit  the  1eli"_'r,i|ih  wires,  but  messengers  were  dispatched  to  the 
nearest  telegrapli  station  in  operation,  from  Avhicli  the  state  authorities 
were  notified  of  what  had  occurred.  From  Springfield  a  battery  was 
ordered  to  Alton,  there  to  .iwait  the  ai-rival  of  the  Musselmau  and 
eaptui-e  those  on  lioanl.  AViien  the  steamer  attemiited  to  pa.ss  tluit 
point  a  blank  shot  was  fired  directly  over  the  vessel  as  a  signal  to  stop. 
Tlic  warn  in  t!'  li'H  nnheeded.  tln'  prow  of  the  ^Musselmau  was  shattered 
liy  a  well-aimed  cannon  ball.  Then  the  engine  was  stopped,  the  boat 
la\'  to  and  all  its  passengers  were  lodged  in  the  old  state  penitentiary 
at  Alton.  From  tlu're  the  absconders  were  brought  to  Camji  Hutler. 
at  S|iringrield.  for  coui't  martial.  Thi-ough  the  intervention  of  inlliu-n- 
tial  I'rienils  all  w<'re  aei|uitted  and  liieii  sent  to  Camp  Dou'.'las,  Chieago. 
where  the  regiment,  whieh  hitherto  had  but  six  companies  and  was 
known  as  the  "jdth.  was  made  a  i)art  of  the  "jTth.  The  change  in  the 
numeral  was  almost  imi)erative,  the  stigma  left  on  the  .")tith  by  the 
('aiiip  I'ureau  ei>isode  making  it  well-nigh  im]iossible  to  secure  recruits 
for  it.  <  hi  I  )(•!•.  21),  18fiL  the  oTth  regiment  was  mustered  in.  with  Col. 
Silas  I),  lialdwin  in  c(unnmnd. 

On  Feb.  8,  1St>2,  the  reginienl  left  Chieago  for  Cairo,  en  rouli'  to 
the  war  scene.  Ueaehing  l''orl  |)onelson  on  the  Nth,  it  participated 
in  the  siegi'  of  the  fort  and  its  rapture  two  da\s  later.  The  resriment 
next  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Sliiloh. 

The  f^Tth  was  held  in  resi'i've  for  a  time,  then  orderetl  to  take  up  a 


I 


CO.  I).  I'll  tv-si';vi-;nth  ini-antrv 


''57 


position  to  the  left,  in  sti|i|ioii  of  a  liattcry  wliicli  was  sluirjily  ciigagetl 
witli  llic  ciiciiiN-.  Ilci-e  llio  regiment  suft'cred  little  from  the  enemy 'a 
fire,  hut  was  soon  to  he  tried  in  tiic  crucihlc  of  hot  confliet.  Well  along 
in  tlie  afternoon  it  took  a  i)osition  on  tiic  left  of  Gen.  liurlhut's  division, 
and  on  the  exti'eiiie  left  ol'  tlie  I'nion  line,  harring  Stuart's  isolated 
iiriirade.  Here,  ahoiit  4  o'l'loek.  an  advance  was  made,  encountering  the 
enemy  in  strong  force  directly  in  front.  Firing  began  on  both  sides 
and  for  about  20  minutes  there  was  a  constant  roar  of  musketry.  Not- 
withstanding this  was  the  fii-st  severe  engagement  of  the  GTtli,  they 
fovight  with  all  the  heroism  and  valor  that  could  have  distinguished 
old  and  tried  soldiers,  hut  the  i-ontest  was  unequal.  The  old  altered 
flint-lock  muskets  became  foul  after  a  few  rounds,  rendering  it  im- 
possible to  get  a  load  down,  though  many  of  the  men,  in  their  etfort 
to  drive  the  charge  liome.  drove  the  rammers  against  the  trunks  of 
trees:  some,  baffled  in  this  attempt  to  reload,  picked  up  the  muskets 
of  their  fallen  comrades  and  renewed  the  firing.  Thus  crippled  by 
unserviceable  arms,  flanked  on  both  sides  and  left  without  support 
under  an  enfilading  fire,  the  gallant  command  was  compelled  to  retire 
or  suft'er  capture.  In  falling  back  the  regiment  was  subjected  to  a 
storm  of  grape  and  canister  from  the  enemy's  cannon  until  it  passed 
the  artillery  line  massed  not  far  from  the  landing  by  Col.  J.  D.  Web.ster. 
which  checked  the  Confederate  advance,  ending  the  day's  conflict.  In 
this  murderous  engagement  the  57th  lost  187  of  its  officers  and  men  in 
killed,  wounded  and  missing,  the  losses  of  Co.  D  being  Charles  M.  Green 
and  Adolf  Johnson  killed  and  fourteen  wounded,  including  Andrew  G. 
Warner,  who  was  promoted  soon  after.  On  the  second  day'  this  regi- 
ment moved  into  position  at  daybreak  and  was  in  the  fight  imtil  the 
enemy  withdrew  defeated  late  in  the  day. 

From  Pittsburg  Landing  the  regiment  joined  in  the  advance  ou 
Corinth.  The  city  having  been  occupied  on  May  80th.  the  57th  was 
garrisoned  there. 

On  Oct.  3rd  and  4th  the  Union  army  in  and  around  Corinth  fought 
liack  an  attack  of  a  large  force  of  Confederates.  In  these  engagements 
Co.  D  lost  tliree  men.  Otto  W.  Peel  and  Andrew  Anderson,  who  were 
killed  ou  tlie  battlefield,  and  Olof  Wiekstrum.  who  was  mortally 
wounded,  dying  on  the  7th. 

From  Jan.  ;Ust  to  Sept.  13th,  1863.  wliih/  the  regiment  was  still  at 
Corintli.  Co.  D  was  assigned  to  garrison  duty  at  Battery  Robinet,  just 
out  of  town,  where  the  regiment  had  its  winter  ciuarters.  The  57th 
remained  at  Corinth,  except  for  an  occasional  raid  or  scout  into  the 
surrounding  country,  until  the  fall  of  1863.  On  Nov.  4th  this  entire 
command,  composing  a  part  of  Gen.  Sherman's  army,  moved  t()  middle 
Tennessee,  where  the  57th  was  assigned  to  outpost  duty.    Twenty  days 


658 


TIIK    CI\II.    WAR 


later  Co.  1)  was  diilireil  l<i  taUi-  possession  ol"  .Mitchell 's  Mill,  near 
Lynnville,  where  the  company  remained  till  Jan.  18.  18G4.  occupied  in 
cutting  tiniljer  and  operating  the  sawmill. 

The  term  of  enlistment  having  exjiired.  tlie  regiment   veteranized 
on  Jan.  17.  lS(i4.  with  the  exeeption  df  Co.  C  and  a  fi-w  men  of  the  other 


Si)liliir>'    MiiiiuiiKtit,    llislio]!  Mill 


eonipanies.  Of  Co.  1)  the  men  very  genei'ally  re-eidisted.  Tlu'  next  day 
the  regiment  started  for  Chicago  on  veteran  furlough  of  'M  ilays.  arriv- 
ing Jan.  l-'7tli.  The  niemhers  of  Co.  J)  arrived  at  (iaiva  .Ian.  '2'M\\. 
receiving  an  enlhusiaslie  reeeptimi  at  (he  liaiids  of  the  townspeople. 
l''rom  the  station  they  marched  to  .Sorlon's  Hall,  where  the  ladies 
sjii'i'ad   for  litem  a   liani|nel    lo  which   ihe  ai'my   rations  could   uowisi> 


CI).   I).  Ill  T\-si';\i';N'ni   iM'Anirv 


659 


1)0  i'(iiii|i;irr(l.  K'rl  iiniiim  sdiiIIi  .Mjircli  IMIi.  wilh  ll.'id  iTmiils,  llic  n-j,'!- 
ineiit  wi'iit  t(i  Alhriis.  Al.i..  Ihciici'  (o  jdin  Sl)ci-iii;iirs  ;ii-iiiy  ;it  Cliiit- 
l;ilio()j;';i. 

I  Iciicct'dii  li  llir  I'l'^imciil  \v:is  kepi  cdiisIjiiiI  ly  iiKixin^'.  iiiai'diiiiji; 
\y\\\\  II1C  Aniiv  of  llir  Ti'iiiii'sscc  in  tli<'  Allinilii  i-aiiipaig'ii,  1al<iiig'  part 
ill  the  iiiaii('iiv<'i-iiiu''  against  tin'  rear  nt'  (Icn.  .loluistou 's  rctrcatinu;  army 
ami  ill  till'  battle  of  licsai'a.  On  May  Hilli.  with  tiic  Tiiiril  lirigadr  in 
advance,  the  line  iil'  march  \vas  taken  up  (in  the  Calliunn  r(iai|.  The 
whole  hrijiiide.  under  the  command  of  .Major  Forsse  of  the  oTth.  en- 
countered the  enemy  in  force  near  Rome  C'ross  Koads,  where  the  ivhels 
had  taken  a  stand  tn  [iroteet  the  train  of  the  retreating  army.  The 
])rigaile  was  drawn  up  in  battle  array  and  soon  became  engaged,  the 
fighting  being  at  intervals  ([uile  severe  and  lasting  until  nearly  night. 
Following  the  enemy's  retreat  the  next  day  the  division  moved  to 
Kingston,  thence  to  Koine,  -vvIkm-c'  the  .ITtli.  with  other  I'egimciils.  was 
assigned  to  gai'i'isoii  duty,  while  the  lialance  of  Uen.  Dodge's  command 
continued  with  tlie  adx'ance  on  Atlanta.  On  Oct.  l:ith  the  regiment 
luider  comiiianil  of  ]\lajor  Forsse  mo\'ed  out  from  Rome,  wilh  a.  brigade 
under  Lieut.  L'ol.  Ilurlbiit.  on  tlie  Cave  Springs  road.  Avhere  a  i)ortion 
of  Gen.  Hood's  army  was  encountered,  resulting  in  driving  the  enemy 
ftuu'  miles  back.  «itli  a  loss  to  tlii'  .")7th  of  seven  killed  and  wounded. 
iMa.ior  Foi-sse  resigned  on  Oct.  16,  1S()4.  while  at  Home. 

The  regiment,  with  504  men  in  line,  on  Nov.  Idth  moved  out  from 
Rome  four  miles  to^vards  Kingston,  being  the  initial  movement  on  its 
part  for  what  prov<'d  to  be  the  famous  ".Jlarch  to  the  Sea."  and  on 
Dec.  21st  reached  S;ivaniiali.  just  evamiated  by  the  enemy  without 
a  fight. 

Going  u[)  the  Sa\aiinah  River  on  Jan.  2-i.  IStir).  the  -jlth  hail  its 
last  eneomiter  with  the  Confederates  at  Bentouville  two  months  later, 
on  ]\lareli  2(lth  and  L'lst.  ll  took  part  in  the  final  grand  review  at 
Washington  I\lay  24th.  From  the  eajiital  the  57th  regiment  was  brought 
to  Louisville.  K.\..  and  there  mustered  out.  but  retained  its  organization 
and  returned  to  Chicago.  On  -Inly  14th  it  received  final  pay  and  was 
disbaiuleil  at  ('amp  Douglas,  its  starting-point,  after  three  years  and 
five  months  of  active  service  or  three  years  and  ten  months  from  the 
time  of  enlistment  of  the  greater  portion  of  the  regiment. 

The  roster  of  Co.  1).  exclusi\-e  of  non-Swedish  recruits,  is  here 
given. 


66o 


Till-;    CI\II.    WAR 


Roster  of  Company  D.  5  7th  Illinois  Infantry 


N.'inic  and   K;iiik 


RcshIciu-c 


Dau*  of  ratik  or 
i-iiti*itnieiu 


liisho]!  Hill. 

Galva 

Kisliot)  Mill. 


Cafilaiiis 

Ivric  l-'orssi- 

Ivric  j(ihnsuii 

I'eler  M.  Wii'kslruiii 

Firsl  /.itiiliiniH/s 

Ivric  Jolinson 

ICrio  Itertilaiiil Hislio])  Hill. 

Seioiid   /.irii/iiiaiih 

Hric  Herjilaiul Hislio]>  Hill. 

Pelcr  yi.  Wickslruin 
(ie<)r>;e  K.  Rodceii.. 
Anilrcw  <V.   Warner.  .Aiidover. 


C.alva.. 


Olof  Aii.Iersi.n liisliop   Hill 

/'iis/  .Siixitiii/ 
IVlLT  M.  Wiikslrum  HisliDp   Hill. 


.Srri;ta>i/< 

( )l<il'  Crans 

I'etcr  Nilsnii 

Olof  Ol.soii 

(ieorjje  K.  Rodeen. . 

t  '(>i/>i)ia/s 
-Viidrew  (1.  Warner. 

I'eler  Johnson 

Olof  Wiikslrnni . . . . 
Jonas  M.  Johnson. . 
Jonas  AU.stroni 

//  'a,i;i>>itr 
Ivric  l/inil^ren 


A/iisit  itiiis 

I  Hof  .Vnilerson 

Swan   J.   Xoriliii ... 

J'lii'alfs 
.Vndcrson  Andrew. 
Anderson  I'eter  V, . 
.Anderson  C'liarles  I' 
.Vnderson  \\'illi:ini. 
Anderson   I'eler. ... 

An<lfrson   I.ars 

.\nderson  I.ars  W.. 
.\nders()n  .\unnsl.. 
liroherK  .Xu^nsl  ... 

Heck    John 

Crone  Andrew 

Caline   ICric. . 

Danielson   Daniel . . 

Krickson  I.ars 

I'orsell   Jonas 

(iranal  John 

I'.reen  Charles  M.. . 

Hanson  Jo.ias  

Hail/  .Xnilrew 

Millsironi   lohn  I'. 


Hisho])  Hill. 


Dee.  26.  1.S6 

.■\l)ril  15.  1.S62 

Sepl.  T,.  1S62 

Dec.  2h.  1S61 

.\pril  15.  1.S62 


Dei-.     26.      1.S61 
August   15,  1S62 
Sepl. 
Auj;usl 


\pril 


Victoria 

Bishop  Hill. 


SejU. 
Nov. 


Andover. .  .  . 
nisho])  Hill. 


liisliop    Mill. 


Sepl. 

Sejil. 

Sepl. 

Ocl. 

Sept. 

Nov. 


liishop   Hill. 


C.alva 

Moline 

ISisho])   Hill. 


Ilerlin 

(>illson  . . .  . 
Walerlowii. 
Itisho])  Hill. 

C.alva 

Iti.shop  Hilt. 


Italesliuru. 
Hishop  Hill. 

Wala^a 

Dishop  Hill. 


Sepl. 


Sepl. 

Ocl. 

Ocl. 

Ocl. 

Ocl. 

Sepl. 

Sepl. 

Dec. 

Oct. 

Dec. 

Sepl . 


Sepl. 

Sepl. 

Sepl. 

<  )cl. 

Sept. 

Ocl. 

Sepl. 

Sept. 


M. 


S. 

(). 
1 1, 

*>, 
2.S. 
I*), 


M. 
16, 

s, 

II. 


1S62 
1.S6., 


1.S64 


Sepl.     14,     1.S61 


1S61 
1S61 


Sejil.     14.     1.S61 


Rciiinrk.. 


Proniolol   Slajor 

Resijjiieil  Sept.  3.   1S62 

Mustered  out  July  7.   1S65 


Promoted 

.Mustereil  out  July 


rrouioled. 


Died  al  Corinlli.     .Xuj;.   7.    1S62 
Promoted  in  Colored   Rejjim'nt 

Commission  canceled 

Mustered  out  July  7.    |.S65 

Promoted  2il   I.icuU-uant 


Disch'xeil  June  3,  '62,  di.saliility 
Term  expired,  1.S64 


Prouioleil   2d   l.ieulenant  . . 


16,  1861  Prom.  2<l  I.ieuful  -■Vug.  7.  1M6.; 

14.  1S61  Re-enlisled  as  Veteran 

16,  i,S6i  Dieil  at  Corinth  Ocl.   7,  '62... 

6.  1S61  Re-cnlisleil  as  Veteran 

25.  1.S61  Mu.stered  out    1S64 

25,     iShi  Disch'Kcil  July  i,  "62,  disjiliilily. 
Louisville,   Ky 

1  I,     iS(>i  Re-enlisled  as  Velcniu 

l)ie<l.   Mound  City,   Jan.  15,  'h4 


1.S61 
1.S61 
iSdi 
1S61 
i.Shi 
iShi 
1.S61 
1.S61 
1S61 
iShi 
|S<>1 

1S61 
1S61 
1S61 
1S61 
I.S<>| 
I  Shi 
1.S61 
|S*>1 


Killed    al    Corinth.    Ocl.   4.   "62 

Re-enlisle<l  as  Vclemn 

Disch'ned  July  S.  '62;  disability 


Term  expired    i  S64 

Disch.  Julv   I,  "62;  wounds. 
Re  enlisletl  as  Veleran... 
Term  cxpiriil    i.Sh)   .... 


Re-enlisle<l  us  vclcmii 


Killed  al  Shiloh,  April  h,   "M.. 

Term  expired    iSfv] 

keeiilisted  as  X'eterati . 
Tel  III  expired    1  sii  | 


CO.   I),  1-ii'Tv  si:vi-:\Tii   ini-antkv 


66 1 


N.'inu'  ami    Rank 


I 


Jolinsoii  AdDlpli .  . 
Johnson  Joliii  ().  . 
Jiihnsoii  Hans. . . . 
Johnson   .Vndrcw.. 

Johnson  John 

Johnson  Nils 

Johnson  John 

Johnson  N.  J 

Johnson  John 

I.iml  John 


Rfsidcilcf 


l);ilc  of  rank  (i 
ciilistmcnl 


I'rincelon ()rt. 

VndovtT 'Sepl. 

Sci)l. 

St-|)l. 

Oct. 


Lilulj^ren  Jonas. . . . 

Lock  Andrew 

Larson   Lars 

Matthews  Olof 

Moberg   Jonas 

Xorstedl   Olof 

Neston  Charles.  . . . 

Xorline  Olof 

Norlnnd   Lars 

Olson  William  O.  . 

Olson   IVter 

Ol.son  Eric 

Peterson  John   P.. . 
Peterson   Lars  F. .  . 

Peterson  Peter 

Peterson  Nels 

Peterson  Andrew.... 
Peterson  Maijnns.... 

Peterson   P.   L 

Peel  Otto  W 

Rudenian  Olof 

Swanson  Nils 

Tillman  Nils 

Tolin    Charles 

Trolin  Eric  J 

Valentine  Chas.  J.  V 
W'estlund  Jonas. .  .  . 
Wickstrum  Hans.... 
Voung    Prank 


Veterans 
Anderson  Olof. .    . . 
Anderson  Peter  E . 
Anderson  Aui^ust.. 
Anilerson  Andrew. 

Blom  Gnstaf 

Caline  Eric 

Danielson  Daniel... 

Erickson  Lars 

Erickson  Eric 

Erick.son  Charles  J. 

Forsell  Jonas 

Frederickson  Claus, 

Granat  John 

Hartz  Andrew 

Johnson  John 

Johnson  Nils 

Johnson  John  O 

Johnson  Clans 

Johnson  Peter 

Johnson  Jonas   1\L . . 


Hisho])  Hill 
Moline  .... 
Hisho])  Hill 

Princeton, [St'pl 

Andover Oct. 

Henry jOcl. 

Moline Sept 

Herlin 


Bisho))  Hill 


Andover 

Ki.shop  Hill. 


Victoria 

Moline 

Bishop  Hill 

Swede  Bend,  la. 
Bishop  Hill 


Princeton . . . 
Bishop  Hill 

\"ictoria 

Bishop  Hill. 
\'ictoria  .  . . . 
Bishop  Hill. 

Weller 

Geneseo 

Bishop  Hill. 

Geneseo 

Bishop  Hill 


lOct. 
|Sept. 
!l)ec. 
!Sepl. 

iSe])t. 


Sept. 
Dec. 
Sept. 


Princeton. 


Bi.shop  Hill. 

Galva 

Berlin 

Galesburj;.. . 

Chicago 

Galva 

Bi.shop  Hill. 


Moline 


Bishop  Hill . 

Chicago 

Galesburs;.. . 
Bishop  Hill . 
.\ndover. .  .  . 
Princeton.... 

.\ndover 

Chicago 

Bishop  Hill. 


Dec. 

Oct. 

Oct. 

Sept. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Nov . 

Dec. 

Sept. 

Dec. 

Sept. 

Oct. 

Sept. 

Dec. 

Sejit. 

Sept. 

Sept. 

Dec. 


Dec. 


1 6, 


6, 

/  ■ 

i6, 


25 

i6 
22 

'9 
25 


lS6i 
i.S6i 
|.S6i 
l.Sfti 
i.S6i 
1.S6I 
|.S6i 
l.S6l 
iS6i 


[.S6i 
I.S6i 
I.S61 
l,S6i 
i.S6i 


l.S6i 
iS6i 
i.S.Si 

iS6t 
l.S6i 
I.S6l 
i,S6i 
i.S6i 
1 86 1 
i,S6i 
1.S61 
1.S6I 
iS6i 
i.S6i 
1 86 1 
iS6i 
iS6i 
1 86 1 
1 86 1 
i86i 
iS6i 


Killc<l  al  Shiloh,  Ajiril  h. 
Re-enlisted  as  Veteran... 
Term  expired    1864 


•62., 


Ke-cnlisted  as  \'eteraii . 


Term  exjiired   1864 

Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 

Died   at   Hambnrg,  Tenn  .   May 

13,    1.S62, ' 

Term  exjiired  1864 

M    O.  to  date.  Dec.  25,  '64 

Disch.  July  5,   '62;  disability.. 

Re  enlisted  as  Vetenin 

DieiL  Corinth,  .Vug.  24,  '62... 
Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 


Term  expired    1 864 

Disch.  July  5,   '62;  disability. 

Re-eulisteil  as  Veteran 

Term  expi  1  ed   1 864 

Discharged  Feb   8.  '62 

■'     Sept.  9,  "62;  disability. 

•■     July  3,  "62;  wounds... 

"     July  [o,  '62;  disability-. 


Disch.  July  12,  '62;  disability.. 

May    29,    '62;  di.sability 

Killed  at  Corinth,  Oct.  3.  '62.  . 

Term  expired   1864 

Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 


1863 


Deserted 

Died  at  Corinth  Jidy  9.   '62.. 
Re-enlisteil  as  Veteran 


Promoted  to  2d  Lieutenant. 
Mustered  out  July  7,  '65.... 
Trans,  to  Co.  F,  Oct.  2,  '64. . 
Mu,stered  out  July  7,  '65. . . . 


M.  O.  July   7.  '65.   as  Corporal. 
Mustered  out  July  7.   '65 


Committed  suicide.  June  27,  ■6,s 
Mustered  out  July  7,  '65 


M.  O.  Julv   7, 
M.  O.  July  7, 


iM 


O.  Julv 


•65 

'65,  as  Corporal.. 

as  Sergeant. , 

'65,  as  Sergeant. . 

'65,  as  1st  Sergt . . 


M-,2 


Till-;    LI\II.    WAR 


Name  ami   Kaiik 

KfsiiU-nt-f 

Ilati- 

of  ran 

k  or 

Remarks 

ciiliiililR-tit         1 

Privates 

J.)hnsoii  John 

Moline 

Dec. 

27. 

|S6., 

Mustered  out  Julv  7.    1S65  . . 

Larson  Andrew 

Chicaj^o ; 

*' 

" 

Matthews  Olof 

Hishop  Hill....' 

tt 

M.  0.  July  7,  "65,  as  Sergeant .  . 

Neston  Charles 

" 

* ' 

M.  0  Julv  7.  '65.  as  Corporal .  . 

Norsteilt  Olof 

" 

'• 

Mustered  nut  Julv  7,    1.S65 

Olson  William   ()..  . 

Moline 

" 

M.  0.  lulv  7,  '65.  as  Sergeant.. 

I'eterson  J'lhn 

Hishop  Hill 

•* 

Mustered  out  Julv  7.    lS6s 

Swanson    Nils 

*' 

'• 

I  tied  at  Newark.  N.J...Mavi6,'6s 

Swaiison  IVler 

Chica}?o 

" 

Mustereil  out  Julv  7.   1.S65 

Tillman   Nils 

Weller 

•* 

Died.  Rome.  Ga.,  June  15,  '65.  . 

Tolin  Charles 

(ieneseo 

•* 

Mustered  out  Julv  7.    i,S65 

Warner  Anilrew  G.. 

Andover 

Com'd  2d  I.eut.;  not   mustered; 
priiin.  Cajjt.  63d  V .  S.  Col'd 
Inf.  from  Sergt.  .\pr.  5.  '64. 

Wii-kstrum    Hans... 

Bishop  Hill . . . 

" 

M.  0.  Julv  7.  '65.  as  Corjioral.. 

Voiinji    I'"rank 

Princeton 

' ' 

" 

Recruits 

Anderson  Nils  P 

Bishop  Hill 

Pel.. 

20, 

I.S64 

Mustered  out   lulv  7.    ifi6s 

.Xnderson   John  G.  . 
.\nderson  I'eter 

Berlin 

Feb. 

'3. 
25. 

lSh| 

.t                 .. 

Princeton 

Aug. 

I.S62 

Re-enlisted  as  \'eteran 

An^ilund    ICric 

Galva 

Feb. 

12. 

1S64 

Musteriil  out  Julv  7,  '6s 

.\hnqiiist  V.r'w 

Chicago 

Oct. 

•S. 

i,S64 

.. 

Huniison  Charles  G 
Hlom   ('Tiislaf 

Ijerlin 

Feb. 

5. 

iHfil 

ti                      •• 

Cook    CO 

Jan. 

I.S62 

Re-enlisteil  as  Veteran .... 

Heck  John   I' 

Walerlown 

Jan. 

26, 

I.S62 

Disch.  Oct.  19. '62;  wounds... 

Blom  John 

Bishop  Hill.... 

Nov. 

.V 

iSbi 

Disch.  .\ug.  2;   '62;  disabilitN  . 

Erickson  Jonas 

" 

Feb, 

iS, 

1S64 

Mustered  out  Julv  7.    1.S6.S 

Erickson  John 

Erickson  Andrew.. . 

Truro 

Feb. 

15. 
29. 

iShl 

tt                    11 

Chicago 

Feb. 

1S64 

.. 

Erickson   ICrick 

Moline 

Jan. 

6, 

1S62 

Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 

Erickson    Charles  J. 

•• 

Julv 

1 1. 

lSb2 

" 

Easllund  Charles  K. 

Bishop  Hill.... 

Feb. 

iS, 

1S64 

Disch.  Jan.  2S,  "65;  disabilitv. . 

Frederickson  Claus. 

Cook    CO 

Jan. 

4. 

1S62 

Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 

I'"orsse   Olof 

Chicago 

Feb. 

21, 

1S64 

Mustered  out  Julv  7,  1.S65 

Dec. 

1, 

l.Sh? 

«•                    .. 

Hasletl  IVler 

Sept. 

6, 

1S62 

.. 

Hartsell  John  E.... 

Moline 

Jan. 

6, 

1,S62 

Disch.  .■Vug.  23.   '62;    disabilitv 

Iledlicru    Ivric 

Imherj;  I'eter 

Galva . 

Died  at  Corinth  July   10.   '62.. 
Mustered  out  Julv   7,    1S65 

Victoria 

Feb. 

s. 

.S64 

Johnson  Charles  J  . . 

Berlin 

Feb. 

>.^. 

I.S64 

" 

Johnson   i)li>f 

Galesburg 

Feb. 

12, 

l.S<,4 

*'                     *• 

Johnson  .\ndrew  P.. 

Princeton 

Sept. 

9. 

1S62 

*•                     '• 

Johnson  Swan  P. . . . 

" 

Aug. 

2.S. 

1S62 

It                    >. 

John.son  Clans 

Cook  CO 

Jan. 

4. 

1S62 

Re-eulisted  as  Veteran .  . 

Johnson  Guslaf 

Moline 

Jan. 

26, 

I.S62 

Disch.  June  iS,  "62;  disabilitv,  . 

Jones  Anilrew 

Kniith  William 

Weller 

Dec. 

20, 

1S61 

Disch.  Aug.  2;,  '62;  wouiiils.  .  . 

Bureau 

Dec. 

2S 

1S61 

Disch.  Oct.  20,  '62;  disabilitv.  . 

I,a;.;erl<>f   I'rans  O... 

.\ndover 

Feb. 

26, 

lS(>4 

Mustered  out  Julv  7,    |S<>5 

l,aMitnreii   .Xilolph..  . 

Chicago 

March  i6, 

|S<)4 

Died,  Rome.  V,;\.,  June  30,  |S<X4 

I..irsiin   .Anilrew 

Cook    CO 

Jan. 

4. 

l.S(,2 

Re-enlistcd  as  Xi-leran 

Martin  Swan    II 

Chicago 

Feb. 

20, 

1S64 

Mustereil  out  July  7,    1S65.   .. 

Galvft  . 

Nov. 
Feb. 

15. 

'3. 

1S61 
1.S64 

Nonl  Y^\\^\    M 

NonlsU'dl   I'rcilerick 

Berlin 

Mustered  out  Julv  7.   1865 

Bishop  Hill 

Mnrc 

h  20, 

|S<M 

•• 

Sept 

iS, 

1.S61 

t,                    it 

Nordi|uisi   I.onis.  .  . 

Watnga.    

Dec. 

2.S> 

Term  expireil    iS<>4 

NvIktv;  Thomas.  .  .  . 
Olson   Ivrie 

Bishop  Hill 

Disch    lune  H>.  '(>.■;  disubilitv 

Chicago 

Bishop  Hill... 

Feb. 
Nov. 

21, 

1S64 
1H61 

Mustered  out  Jntv   7.    lS6v.. 

Peterson  John 

Rc-enliste<l  as  Veteran 

MAJOR     I-KIC     l-OKSSK 


663 


M.'iinc  :in(l   R:nlk 

KcshU'IU'C 

Datf   ot'  rail 

U    or 

Ri'tn.-trks 

I'lilislmciu 

Rtri  iii/s 

1 

I'eterson  Jacob  C. 

.  ,Cliica<io 

l-eli.       2... 

l.Shl 

Mustered  uiit  Julv  7.   '6s 

Pierson  Jolin   .... 

.1          '• 

"                      " 

Peterson  William. 

.  Princeton 

Sept.       5, 

I,S62 

1  •                      (4 

Swanson  Anj,'iisl.. 

.  Chicago 

March   i.s. 

1.S64 

" 

Swanson   Peter...  . 

.  Cook  00 

Jan.         4, 

1S62 

Re-enlisted  as  \eteran 

IHishop  Hill 

Disch.  Aug    7,  '62;  wonnd.s  . . . 
Term  expired,   1S64 

Vouiig  Fred 

.  jPrinceton 

Jan.        15, 

1862 

Major    E,ric   Forsse 


I 


]\Ia,joi'  Eric  Fdi-s.se  was  a  native  of  the  Swcdisli  provin<-e  of  Dalarne. 
where  lie  wa.s  born  ]Mareli  4.  1810.  in  the  parish  of  ilaluug.  lie  served 
for  twelve  years  in  the  Swedish  army  prior  to  his  emigration  in  1850. 
Coming;  to  this  eomitry  with  his  family,  he  landed  at  New  Orleans  and 
took  a  steamboat  up  the  ^Mississippi  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  was  laid  up 
as  a  cholera  patient  for  some  time.  After  getting  well,  he  proceeded 
with  his  family  to  Galesbiirg.  and  removed  in  turn  to  Knoxville,  to 
IMoline  and  to  Bishop  Hill,  settling  there  in  the  winter  of  1851-2  and 
remaining  until  after  the  eolony  had  been  dissolved.  As  already  told, 
the  organization  in  1860  of  a  military  eorapany,  which  later  became 
Co.  D  of  the  57th  111.  Vol.  Inf.,  was  the  work  of  Eric  Forsse.  who  served 
as  captain  from  its  inception  and  was  given  the  same  rank  in  the  army. 
He  enlisted  in  the  siunmer  of  1861  and  was  mustered  into  service  Sept. 
14tli  the  same  year.  When  Major  Norman  B.  Page  of  the  57th  Regi- 
ment fell  in  the  Battle  of  Shiloh.  Captain  Forsse  was  promoted  ma.ior 
to  take  his  place,  the  commission  being  dated  April  15,  1862.  His 
ability  was  recognized  by  his  superiors  and  he  was  sometimes  called 
upon  to  command  as  large  a  force  as  a  brigade,  which  was  the  case  at 
Allatoona  Pass.  He  shared  the  hardships  and  triumphs  of  the  campaign 
with  his  regiment  until  after  the  fall  of  Atlanta,  when  he  resigned 
together  with  a  large  number  of  other  oft'icers,  confident  that  their 
services  were  little  needed  from  that  time  on.  Having  been  mustered  out 
Oct.  16.  1864.  IMajor  Forsse  returned  home.  l)ought  a  160-aere  farm 
northwest  of  Galva  and  disposed  of  his  share  of  the  colony  property 
at  Bishop  Hill.  In  November.  1869,  he  sold  out  and  removed  to  Saline 
county.  Kansas,  where  he  had  purchased  a  section  of  railroad  land. 
Major  Forsse  headed  a  party  of  some  50  Swedes  who  located  at  or  near 
Falun  at  this  time,  forming  the  nucleus  of  a  large  and  prosperous 
Swedish- American  settlement. 

When  a  postoifice  was  established  at  Falun  in  1870  Forsse  Avas 
made  postmaster  and  retained  the  position  for  seventeen  conseciative 
years,  serving  all  this  time  as  township  trustee  and  justice  of  the  npapp. 


664 


Till-:    civil.    WAK 


In  the  fall  of  1872  he  was  elected  to  tlie  Kansas  legislature  and  st-rvi-d 
as  p  member  for  one  term. 

Major  Forsse,  gallant  fighter  and  trusted  citizen,  jiassi-d  away  on 


Major  l'>ic   l'iir»c 


April  18,  188i).  <>!'  Iiis  r.iiiiil_\  uf  ri\c  cliildi-in  iliri'c  survivf.  including 
the  oldest  son,  Old!'.  Iiorn  .lulv  S.  1S42.  lie  also  .served  in  Co.  I),  joining 
as  a  recruit  in  l'\'i)i-UHry,  18()4,  and  remaining  in  I  lie  service,  as  higli 
private  in  I  lie  rear  rank,  until  nnistered  out  .Inly  7,  lS(i.").  Olof  Koi-sse, 
wild  is  ;i  dejiier  ill  grain.  imuiI  and  fnriii  iiii|i|eiiii'iils  iil  l-'alun.  lias  served 


CAI'TAIN    i;RIC    JOHNSON  55^ 

till'  cDuiilv   I'di-  tlii'fe  years  as  i-ouuly  coiiiinissiiiiici'  an<l  seven  years  as 
sheritr. 

Captain    E,ric   Johnson 

(.'aptiiiii  Krie  .li>liiisiin 's  inilitai'y  rei.-ord  is  iirief.  but  ereditahle. 
At  tile  time  of  enlistment  he  was  a  puny  stripling  aucl  would  nol  liaxc 
joined  the  army  but  for  the  military  enthusiasm  of  the  lime  and 
possibly  a  spark  of  the  fighting  spirit  inlierited  from  his  grandfather 
on  his  mother's  side,  who  was  a  veteran  of  Sweden's  war  with  i\ussia. 
Johnson  enlisted  as  a  pri\ate,  but  at  tin-  organization  of  the  eonipaiiy 
at  Camp  Bureau  he  was  elected  first  lieutenant.  After  the  battle  of 
Sbiloh,  when  Capt.  Eric  Forsse  was  promoted  major  of  the  regiment. 
Co.  D  held  a  new  election  April  15th,  and  Eric  Johnson  was  chosen 
captain  to  fill  the  vacancy.  During  the  siege  of  Corinth,  he  was 
stricken  down  with  typhoid  fever  and  Ijrought  so  near  death's  door 
that  arrangements  were  made  to  ship  his  body  home.  Somehow  he 
rallied  from  the  fevci-,  but  was  attacked  by  another  disease,  and  upon 
the  urgent  advice  of  the  regimental  surgeon  resigned  the  captaincy  and 
left  the  army  Sept.  3.  1862.  about  one  year  after  enlistment. 

An  incident  which  occiu'red  in  the  summer  of  1862  in  Capt.  John- 
son's company  is  worthy  of  record  as  showing  how  the  Sw'edish  boys 
in  the  field,  as  well  as  the  nationality  in  general,  felt  on  th<'  snbjeet 
of  slavery. 

The  Democratic  partly  secured  jiower  in  Illinois  after  so  many 
Republicans  had  enlisted,  and  in  order  to  make  hay  while  the  sun  was 
shining  they  called  a  constitutional  convention.  Among  the  pro-slavery 
articles  framed  for  the  new  constitution  several  were  submitted  to  the 
voters  in  the  form  of  separate  propositions.  To  make  a  show  of  fair- 
ness, the  Democrats  allowed  the  Illinois  soldiers  in  the  field  to  vote 
upon  the  proposed  constitution,  and  sent  a  commission  of  three  Dem- 
ocrats, with  the  notorious  "Sam"  Buckmaster  as  chairman,  to  poll  the 
vote  of  the  soldiers.  The  ballotting  w^as  not  secret,  but  as  each  soldier 
appeared  befoi'e  the  commissioners  he  was  asked  how  he  washed  to  vote 
on  each  separate  proposition,  and  his  answer  was  recorded  on  prepared 
tabvdar  sheets.  "When  it  came  to  the  negro  propositions,  if  the  vote 
of  the  soldier  was  not  satisfactory  to  the  commissioners,  they  woidcl 
say,  "You  do  not  want  to  find  your  sister  married  to  a  negro,  when 
you  return  from  the  war. ' '  Of  course  the  soldier  would  answer  ' '  No, ' ' 
and  this  answer  would  be  recorded  as  his  vote  on  a  proposition  to 
which  the  voter  at  first  assented.  Company  D  was  the  fourth  in  oi'der. 
and  its  members,  having  noticed  how  the  soldiers  were  being  confused 
and  made  to  vote  contrary  to  their  convictions,  went  to  Eric  Johnson 
and  said:  "Captain,  we  want  you  to  vote  fir.st,  and  when  our  turn 


666 


Till-;    civil.    WAR 


comes,  we  will  have  them  record  our  votes  tlie  same  as  youi*s."'  C'apt. 
•Johnson  voted  imi  (uily  against  all  the  Democratic  propositions  on  the 
n<'frro  (jueslion.  hut  .ifrainst  the  entire  ]iro-slavery  eonstitution  as  well. 
To  a  man  his  eoiii|iaiiy  voted  the  same  way.  When  the  last  vote  of 
Co.  1)  iiad  l)(iii  jiolied,  Hmkinaster  remarked  with  an  oath:  "That  was 
the  d — (lest  black  abolition  company  in  the  service." 

Another  incident  highly  creditable  to  Co.  D  is  a  part  of  the  record 
of  the  company  dnriiifr  the  first  summer's  campaigning,  which  might 
]iiii|ici-]y  have  lieeii  recordi-d  in  tlie  olVicial  history  of  the  regiment. 


I'ri/i-   Drill    llaj;,   Co.    1),   S7lli   I"-    Iiilaiilrv,   Ciiiritil   in    itli  of  Julv  jiariiile 

at   liisho])  liill 


•      ■     r- r,     -    o      •      -  -       ic   regl 

nieiil  was  a  wholly  (leriiian  i-nnipaiiy  (Co.  (iK  and  when  this  and  tlie 
Swedish  company  had  di-illid.  Ilie  companies  still  remaining  withdrew 
from  the  compel  ii  loll,  (lecniing  further  etVuris  liopel(>.ss.  After  compar- 
ing notes,  tile  judges  i'e|i(irl<'(l   liiat   as  Ki-iwecii   the  <!criiiaiis  and   the 


CAITAIN    I'I;TI;U    .M.    WICKSTRUM  667 

Swcdi's  lIu'V  wcl'f  uiiiililc  111  dccidr.  'I'liry  1  licrctnrr  ri'(|iics1 1'd  tliciii 
to   rcpc;!!    Ilii'ii'   drill,   wliii-h    ciiilirMccd    iii;indiinu'   and    liattalidii    imivc- 

iiii'iits  in  addition  to  the  manual  of  arms.     .M'tcr  the  s nd  drill   tlio 

award  was  unanimously  given  to  ("o  J),  the  Swrdish  compjinN-.  This 
tiag  is  still  preserved  at  Bishop  Hill — tiie  tro]iliy  of  a  friendly  contest 
in  tinu'  of  war. 

Captain   Peter    M.    WicKstrum 

{'ai)t.  Peter  M.  "Wickstrum  was  born  ^Marcli  3,  1S27.  in  .Mo  parish, 
llflsiiitrland.  i^weden.  lie  was  a  son  of  ]\[athias  aud  Anna  { Nelson) 
Wiekstrum.  AVheu  he  was  six  years  old  Ins  niothei-  died,  leaving  two 
sons,  of  whom  Peter  was  the  younger.  His  early  a])titude  for  learnintr 
made  him  the  favorite  eliild,  aud  almost  constant  eomitanion  of  his 
father.  From  him  he  acquired  a  love  of  legendary  lore  aud  a 
thirst  for  knowledge.  His  father  was  a  num  of  more  than  average 
intellect,  but  fate  had  placed  him  where  he  must  labor  for  liis  daily 
bread  where  the  hours  were  long  and  the  pay  meager.  Determined 
that  his  yoimger  son  should  have  some  of  the  advantages  deuied  him- 
self, he  seut  him  to  school  at  Soderhamn.  But  as  soon  as  he  reached 
an  age  Avheu  he  could  be  of  use,  he  was  taken  out  of  school  and  put 
to  work.  At  that  time  there  were  only  two  men  in  the  whole  parish 
who  were  readers  of  a  newspaper,  the  young  Peter  aud  his  employer, 
the  two  together  subscribing  for  one  paper.  At  the  age  of  twenty-one 
he  married  iliss  Ingrid  Bergquist.  Shortly  after  that  he  came  in 
contact  with  an  influence  destined  to  shape  his  remaining  life. 

Ilelsingland  was  in  a  state  of  ferment  over  the  teachings  of  Eric 
Jansson.  Young  Wickstriun  became  a  convert,  and  with  his  wife  and 
yoimg  child  sailed  for  America  in  the  spring  of  1850.  He  became  a 
member  of  the  Bishop  Hill  Colony  and  worked  there  until  its  dissolu- 
tion in  1860.  He  learned  the  English  language  with  the  aid  of  a  small 
dictionary  loaned  him,  and  at  night  plugged  the  keyhole  in  the  door 
to  shut  ofif  the  light  that  would  have  betrayed  him,  for  at  that  time 
the  study  of  English  was  frowned  upon  in  the  colony.  Ten  years  of 
a  deadening  routine  dampened  his  religious  ardor  and  caused  him  to 
adopt  more  liberal  views  than  those  taught  at  Bishop  Hill. 

On  Sept.  14,  1861,  Mr.  "Wickstrum  enlisted  in  the  57th  111.  Vol.  Inf.. 
Co.  D,  as  a  private,  and  was  appointed  orderly  sergeant.  After  the 
battle  of  Shiloh  he  -was  promoted  second  lieutenant,  and  on  Sept.  3rd 
of  the  same  year  he  was  again  promoted,  this  time  to  the  position  of 
captain  to  succeed  Eric  Johnson,  resigned,  which  rank  he  held  until 
the  close  of  the  war,  receiving  an  honorable  discharge  July  7,  1865. 
He  participated  in  the  battles  of  Fort  Donelson.  Shiloh,  siege  of 
Corinth.  Sherman's  campaign  before  Atlanta,  and  in  his  famous  march 


668 


TllK    LIVII.    WAK 


I'loiii  Atliintii  to  tliij  sea.  lie  fought  iu  the  battle  of  Beutoiiville  while 
on  tiif  iiiiinh  to  the  sea,  and  also  participated  in  niany  minor  skirmishes 
and  i-ngaifcmeuts. 

After  the  war  he  returned  homo,  purchased  a  farm  i>f  210  acres 
near  the  village  of  Galva,  and  settled  down  to  a  peaceful  rural  life. 
For  the  fir.st  time  he  was  now  free  to  live  his  life  according  to  his  own 
dictates.     Ili.s  love  for  knowledge  was  revived.     However  hard  the 


Captain   IVUr   M.    \\irk>.tniiii 


labors  of  tlic  dav,  night  I'omid  liiiii  with  his  beloved  bonks  and  papers. 
He  was  more  of  a  reader  and  thiiiUei'  than  a  farmer;  in  faet.  he  had 
iiK  rejisli  for  any  work  that  tool;  him  away  from  his  books.  He  loft 
his  children  no  greater  heritage  than  this  love  of  freedom,  the  desiri' 
to  know  and  to  grow.  He  believed  that  love  is  mnri-  than  dngma.  that 
hiunanity  is  the  greatest  church. 

(.'apt.  Wiekstrum  died  at  his  home  in  Calva,  111..  Oct.  .10,  161>l>. 
leaving  a  wife  and  four  children,  one  daughter  and  three  sons. 

Politically  \w  was  a  Democrat,  socially  he  was  a  mend)er  of  the 
(I.   .\    U  .  belonging  to  (iaiva   Post.  No.  :i:{. 


CAl'TAIN    .\M)Ri;\\     C.    WARNICR 


Captain   Andrev/   G.   Warner 


669 


Captain  A.  G.  Wai-iicr  was  Ijorii  in  norlhern  Ilelsinghunl.  Swcilrn, 
July  13,  1837.  His  parents  emigrated  in  1850  and  located  at  AiuIumt. 
Henry  eounty,  wliero  the  family,  ineludinp:  tlio  son  and  two  dauulitcrs, 
iMiMiaired  in  farming.  Young  Warner  was  a  member  of  the  military 
(•ompany  organized  in  and  around  Bishop  Hill  in  186(1.  which  JdinccI 
the  army  of  volunteers  in  September.  1861.  and  was  liesignatt-d  as 
(,'0.  1)  in  the  .Mtli  regiment  of  infantry,  Warner  being  appointrd  fir-st 


Captain   Andrew  G.   Warner 


corporal  at  its  organization  as  a  part  of  the  army.  In  the  battU'  of 
8hiloh  he  received  an  ngly  bullet  wound  in  his  right  arm,  but  refused 
a  furlough  and  staid  with  the  company,  performing  his  duties  while 
carrying  the  arm  in  a  sling.  He  was  soon  promoted  first  sergeant  and 
subsequently  second  lieutenant.  In  LSG-t  the  government  organized 
regiments  of  colored  troops  officered  by  experienced  white  soldiers. 
These  connnands  were  not  eagerly  sought  for,  because  in  cas(>  of 
capture  the  rebels  would  show  no  mercy  to  either  the  colored  soldiers 
or  their  officers.  Warner,  however,  volunteered  to  aceept  one  of  these 
jierilous  posts,  and  on  the  7th  day  of  ^larch.  1864.  he  was  commissioned 


670  ■'"•'I      C1\1I.    WAR 

captain  of  Co.  A.  ii'-ivd  I'.  S.  (.'olure-tl  Jut'aiitn'.  He  served  as  sueh 
until  the  Dtli  day  of  Jaimarv .  lS(j(i.  when  lie  was  mustered  out  of  the 
service  at  Duval's  Hliiff.  Arkansas,  after  an  honoralile  service  of  4 
years,  -i  months  and  lo  days. 

At  the  close  of  tiie  war  Caiitain  Warner  afrain  settled  down  as  a 
farmer  at  his  old  homi'  in  Andover.  In  the  fall  of  I8li8  he  was  called 
away  from  his  agricultiiral  pursuits  by  election  to  the  office  of  sheriff. 
as  an  indepi'ndent  candidate  nnining  a^rainst  the  refjular  Kepui)lican 
candidate,  wiuninf;;  hy  a  ma.jorit.v  of  llti  votes,  while  the  county  gave 
General  Grant  for  IVesident  a  ma,jorit.v  of  over  2.700  votes.  Warner 
was  nominated  by  an  independent  convention  of  Swedish  voters  after 
their  reipiest  for  a  jdace  on  the  Republican  county  ticket  iiad  been 
deniiMl.  wliereupoii  the  Democrats  refrained  from  making  a  nomination 
and  a-ssisted  in  electing  Captain  Warner.  At  the  end  of  his  term  of 
office  he  took  a  trij)  west  to  find  a  new  home  and  located  in  Page 
count.\',  Iowa,  where  he  i-emoved  with  his  family  in  the  .spring  of  1S71. 
On  Dec.  4.  1865,  Capt.  Warm  r  inari-ied  Matliilda  .lohnson.  the  oidy 
daiiglilci-  (if  Erik  Jansson.  founder  of  liislioji  Hill.  On  Dec.  .">.  187.">. 
just  I  en  years  after,  he  tiled  at  his  Page  county  home,  leaving  her  a 
wi<liiw  with  two  cliililreii  (  liarles  A.  Wai'iier.  who  still  lives  at  the 
iild  lidiriesteiid.  Jiiid   MMUiie   Wjii'iiiT.  now  .Mis.  'rhomas. 

Major    Eric    Bergland 

.Miijor  I'jje  i)ei<;iand.  Corps  of  Engineers  V.  8.  Army,  n-tired. 
enlisted  at  the  age  of  seventeen  in  (_"omp;iny  D.  Kifty-seventh  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry,  Sept.  14.  IStil. 

In  December,  1861,  he  was  nnislered  into  W  S.  service  as  second 
lieutenant  and  in  Ai>ril.  1S()2.  was  promoted  to  first  lieutenant,  in 
wliicii  <'a|)acit.v  he  served  mitil  the  i-eirinienl  was  n.usten-il  i>ui  of 
service  after  the  close  of  hostilities. 

During  liis  eonneetion  with  the  .')7tli  Illinois  Volunleei-  Inlanli-y 
he  tool?  i)aft  in  the  capture  of  Fort  Donelson.  the  battles  of  Shiloh, 
Corinth  ant!  K'e>,aea.  the  laller  part  of  this  lime  being  in  command  of 
his  eomjiany.  While  in  the  lield  al  K'unie,  (ieoi'gia.  in  the  autumn  of 
]S()4.  he  i-eeei\i'd  an  appoinlnieni  as  eadi-l  at  the  I'.  S.  .Military 
.\eadeni\  at  West  Point.  New  York.  On  reporting  to  the  superin- 
Iriidciit  111'  tile  military  academy.  Xo\'.  16.  1S()4,  he  was  informed  that 
his  class,  wliicli  had  begun  their  sluilies  September  1st,  was  alri-ady 
Well  advanced  ami  that  it  would  re(|uire  considerable  previous  knowl- 
i'<l^'e  of  mat  lieimil  ics  to  be  able  to  make  u|i  bel'oi-i'  tile  .January  exami- 

nal  ioll    I'nr   I  lie   I  ime   lo^l  . 

.\s  liel'ore  enlisting  in  the  army  lie  had  only  cn.io.\iMl  the  advantages 
of  a  village  school  education,  ami  knew  nothing  of  hiirUer  unit heiiuit ics. 


MAJOR    i;kk'    I!i:ri;i.a\ii 


671 


i 


lie   I  IliMlji'llt    il    lli-illly    ini|inili;ili|r    lli:il    lir    wunlil    lie    ;iIj1c    111    |irr|i;ilT    t'lif 

tlie  .liimiai'v  cxiniiinntioii  Ml'tcr  Ix'iiiff  iic;irly  Iwn  iimiiths  bcliiiid  his 
elassinati's.  On  tlir  a(lvi<'('  ol'  llic  suixM-intciidi'iil  lir  t  liri-ffoi'i'  applied 
to  the  Seeret.iry  of  War  (o  lia\'e  his  a|)|)iiinl  nieiil  exIiMided  tn  the 
folhnvini;'  •liine,  ■\vlieii  he  eoiiKl  enh'i-  nn  more  nearly  eipial  li-i'iris  with 
other  iiieiiiliei-s  of  liis  class.  This  reipiesl  was  i;ranled  and  he  was  in 
the  meantime  oi'dered  to  Johnson's  Island.  Ohiii.  tnr  dut.v  as  assistant 
to  Captain  Tard.v.  Corps  of  Engineers,  luitil  -lune  1st,  ISIjo. 

lie  enlei'ed  the  mililai\\'  academy  as  a  cadet  Jid.v  1.  ISti.").  and  was 
sjraduated  -Inne  l.").  ],S(;|I.  at  the  head  of  his  cla--s.  The  staff  <-cirps 
heinii'  then   chised  liy  Act   of  Congress,   he  was  coniinissiniicd  as  sci-nnd 


Major  Kric  HerL;l:inil 


lieutenant  Fifth  Artillery  and  stationed  at  Fort  Wari'cn.  .Mass.;  at 
Fort  Trumlmll,  Conn.;  in  the  field  on  the  Canadian  Itouudary  dnrin.y;' 
the  Fenian  raid,  1870;  at  Artillery  School,  Fort  .AEonroe.  ISTl'.  AVIiile 
there,  he  was  transferred  to  the  Corps  of  Engineers  and  proimitcd  to 
first  lieutenant.  He  was  promoted  cai)tain  .Tannar>-  10.  1884.  and 
major  Oet.  12,  189.5. 

Since  his  transfer  to  the  Corps  of  Engineers.  F.  S.  Army,  he  has 
served  with  the  Engineer  Battalion  as  a  company  officer;  luis  been 
instructor  of  military  engineering  and  mathematics  and  assistant 
professor  of  ethics  and  law  at  the  U.  S.  IMilitary  Academy;  assistant 
engineer  on  western  surveys,  under  Capt.  George  M.  Wheeler,  for  three 
years  in  California,  Arizona.  Xevada  and  Colorado;  engineer  in  charge 
of  river  and  harbor  iinprov(Mnents  in  Tennessee,  ^fississiiiiii,  Arkansas, 


672 


Till-;    Cl\ll.    WAR 


Louisiana  and  Trxas:  in  cMuuniand  of  ('onipany  ('.  Uattaliuii  of  En- 
gineers, and  inslnietor  of  civil  onfrintM-iint;  at  l'.  S.  Knpineer  Soliool  at 
Willets  Point,  New  York;  was  ordi-icd  to  .lolinstown,  I'eun..  a  week 
after  the  great  Hood,  in  eliargc  of  a  detachment  and  bridge  train  and 
ordered  to  replace  by  pontoon  bridges  those  swept  away  l)y  the  flood. 

In  November,  1891.  he  was  ordered  to  Baltimore  as  engineer  of 
the  5th  and  6th  Light  House  District.  During  four  years"  service  as 
above  he  built  liglit  houses  at  Cape  Charles.  Hog  Island.  Wolf  Trap 
and  otlK'r  points.  lie  retired  from  active  service  Jfarch  -U.  189().  on 
his  own  application,  after  over  :{<•  ycai-s"  service,  and  resides,  since 
ret  iri'Mii-iit .  at  Hailiniori'.  .Md. 

.Ma.jor  Kric  Hcrgland  is  a  native  of  the  provim-e  of  llelsinglancl. 
Sweden,  born  at  Alfta  Ai)ril  I'l.  lM+4.  In  lS4ti  he  was  brought  to  the 
United  States,  his  father,  Anders  Berglund.  beinir  one  of  the  leaders 
iif  a  i)arty  of  Erik  JanssoTiists.  whn  eniigraled  that  year.  He  was 
reared  in  the  Bishop  Hill  Colon\ .  At  the  age  of  twelve.  Eric  was  put 
to  work  in  tin-  colony  i>rinting  office  at  Galva  and  some  yeai"s  later 
was  given  the  management  of  that  modest  estalilishment.  He  was  thus 
employed  up  to  IBtil,  when  he  enlisted  for  service  in  the  Civil  War. 
As  shown,  the  young  volunteer  served  with  credit  and  he  was  the 
first  eadet  of  Swedish  liirtli  lo  be  ailniitted  l(]  West  Point. 

On  June  'i.  Is7s,  .MmJoi*  Bergiand  was  joined  in  nuirriagt>  to  Lucy 
Scott  .MeFai-lan<l  n\'  Kentucky,  a  cousin  of  the  wifi-  of  President 
TJutliei'l'iiid  11.  Hayes. 

Charles    John    Slolbrand.  Chief   of   Artillery.    Brigadier     General 

i'harles  .iiijii]  Sliilliranil  was  limn  at  nv  neai'  the  city  uf  Kristian- 
stad,  Sweden.  ^Ia.\  11.  1S"_'1.  His  (iritrinal  name  was  Carl  .Inhan  .Miill.'i- 
At  tlie  age  nl'  eighteen  he  entered  military  service  as  a  constabb'  cadet 
in  tile  |{(iyal  X'eniles  .Vrlilli'ry,  \\  the  time,  according  to  coniinon 
i-nst(iin.  Ii-  e.\i-li:ingiMl  his  pat  runyniii-  t'nr  a  more  martial  name  and 
was  cnrc(lli-(l  as  Carl  -lolian  Slahlijrand.  In  this  eoiuitry  tin-  name  was 
wi-itlen  Stiililbrand  or  Slolbrand.  sonu'timcs  precede<l  by  Carlos  .lolm. 
but  in  these  pages  preference  is  given  to  the  form  foiuid  in  the  olVicial 
war  rii(.iils.     I'rinr  to  Joining  the  ai'iiiy  he  was  assistant  to  a  sin-vcyor. 

Sl.ill)i:in<l  was  pionioted  "Jnd  cnnsljdilc  in  lS:!!t.  Isl  constable  in 
lS4it  and  serLTcant  in  1S4'!.  .Minnl  twn  yeai's  latei'  he  was  married  to 
one  .Miss  Pettersson.  dangliter  i<\'  a  non-commissioned  otTicer.  During 
the  Danish  (lernian  Wai-  Stuilirand  served  in  a  battery  attached  to  a 
Swedish  arni>  ((irps  nmh'r  .\la,)<)r-<icnei-al  tttlo  .\ugust  Malmborg. 
which  was  encamped  at  l-'lenslmi-g  I'runi  .Vnirusi.  1S4!I.  until  .lune  liic 
ne.\l  Near.  This  fai-l  is  pnibably  res|iiinsili|e  I'nr  the  assertion  nuidc 
tlnit   Slnllirand  ser\  ed   Dennnirk  as  a  volunti'cr  soldier.     On  July   I'J. 


CEN.     STOI.liKAXl) 


673 


Brig.-General  Charles  John  Stulbrand 


674 


THK    CIVn.    WAR 


1850,  shortly  after  his  return  to  Sweden.  iStolbraud  resigned,  owiii't, 
it  is  alleged,  to  some  differences  with  a  superior  officer,  after  having 
served  for  seven  years  as  sergeant. 

He  came  to  this  country  in  1851,  locating  in  Chicago,  where  after 
some  time  he  secured  a  position  iu  the  office  of  the  county  recorder. 
During  his  residence  in  Chicago  he  was  prominent  in  Swedish  circles. 
When  the  Svca  Society  was  organized,  in  1857.  lie  was  chosen  its 
jiresidciii  and  was  re-electecl  time  and  again.  At  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  War  his  martial  spirit  was  rekiiuUi-d.  and  at  the  first  call  fin- 
troops  he  i-aiscd  a  coinpany.  which,  iiowcvi-r.  was  not  accepted,  tile 
(|uota  of  the  state  hjiviiig  hci-ii  already  filled.  At  the  second  call  for 
volunteers,  later  in  the  same  year,  a  second  company  was  recruited  by 
Stolhrand  at  S.Acamore,  where  he  was  then  engaged  in  making  abstracts 
of  DeKalb  county  land  titles.  This  was  mustered  into  service  on  Oct. 
;').  18(>1.  as  Battery  G.  Second  111.  Light  Artill.-ry.  with  Stolhrand  as 
captain,  his  commi.ssion  being  dated  the  day  before. 

On  Dec.  31st  Stolhrand  was  promoted  ina.jor  and  sui)se<iuently 
he  was  made  chief  of  artillery  under  (ieneral  John  A.  Logan. 
In  1868,  on  Logan's  succession  to  the  conuuand  of  the  ITith  army  corps, 
Stolhrand  \vas  transferred  to  tlic  command  of  its  artillery  brigade, 
virtually  assuming  llic  duties  of  lirigadier-general.  By  Gen.  Ijogan, 
Stoll)ran(l  was  greatly  admired  as  a  fighter  and  was  held  inestimable 
to  him  as  a  military  tactician.  Sherman,  who,  as  Gen.  Wallace  said, 
was  "crazy  on  the  subject  of  artillerj',"  also  accorded  him  unstinted 
praise,  as  told  by  Col.  ]\Iattson.  who  narrates  the  following: 

Tlie  great  (Jeneral  Sherman  about  18r)()  visited  St.  Paul  and  a 
bani|uet  was  gi\cn  to  him  at  which  1  was  present.  During  the  con- 
vei'sation  I  asked  al)out  General  Slolhraiul.  "Do  you  know  him,"  he 
inipiired.  "Yes.  sir.  he  is  m\'  counlrynian.  and  we  served  in  the  sanu- 
regimeiil  in  Sweden."  I  replied,  "'rhen.""  said  lie,  "you  may  be  prouti 
of  your  old  comi'ade.  lor  a  braver  man  and  a  better  artillery  officer 
than  (ienei'al  Stolhrand  couM  not  be  founti  iu  the  entire  army."  .\t 
the  same  time  the  general  told  the  story  of  Stolbi-and"s  promotion  to 
brigadier-general,  which  Malison  repeats  as  follows:  Stolhrand  had 
served  in  his  corps  for  some  time  with  the  raid<  of  major,  anil  performed 
such  services  as  properly  belong  to  a  colonel  or  i)rigadier-general  with- 
out being  ]iromote(l  accoi'ding  to  his  merits,  because  there  had  been  no 
vacancy  in  the  regiment  t<i  which  he  behuigetl.  Displeased  with  this. 
Stolbi-and  sent  in  his  resisjrnalion,  which  was  accepted,  but  Sherman 
had  madi'  up  his  mind  not  to  let  him  leave  the  army,  and  asked  him 
lo  go  by  way  (d'  Washington  on  his  return  home,  pretending  that  he 
wished  to  send  imporlani  dispatches  to  President  Lincoln.  In  due  lime 
Stolhrand  arrive<l  in  the  capital  and  handed  a  sealed  package  to  the 
Presiilent   in   person.     Having  looked  the  papers  ihrough.   Linciiln  ex- 


I 


676  THI-:    CIVIL    WAR 

tended  lii.s  hand,  exi-lainiing.  "How  do  you  do,  General?"  Stolbrand, 
correctinfr  liini.  said.  "I  am  no  general:  I  am  only  a  major."  "You 
are  niistaki-n."  .said  Lincoln,  "you  are  a  general" — and  he  was 
from  that  moment.  In  a  few  hours  he  reeeived  his  commission  and 
later  returned  to  the  ai'iiiy  with  a  rank  three  degrees  higher  than  that 
held  by  him  before. 

After  the  war  General  Stolbrand  took  up  his  residence  in  South 
Carolina,  locating  at  Beaufort,  where  he  owned  a  jtlantalion.  In  that 
once  ("onfederate  state  the  former  Union  commander  attained  prom- 
inence as  a  citizen,  his  allegiance  to  the  Republican  party  always 
remaining  unswerved.  In  1868  he  was  elected  secretary  of  the  con- 
stitutional convention  of  the  state.  The  same  year  he  was  delegate 
at  large  to  the  national  Republican  convention  at  Chicago  and  .served 
as  presidential  elector.  lie  was  for  some  years  superintendent  of  the 
state  penitentiary  and  luider  Harrison's  administration  was  superin- 
tendent of  the  United  States  government  building  in  Charleston. 

King  Carl  XV.  of  Sweden,  in  1866,  recognized  Stolbrand 's  soldierly 
achievements  by  decorating  him  with  the  Royal  Order  of  the  Sword. 
While  the  latter  jiart  of  his  life  was  chiefly  devoted  to  politics.  Stol- 
l)i'aiid  was  also  engaged  in  mechanical  inventions  nnd  made  various  im- 
l)rovemcnts  in  steam  engines  and  steam  boilers. 

He  i)assed  away  in  Charleston.  Feb.  .'5.  1894.  after  having  spent  the 
winter  months  in  New  York.  His  remains  were  interred  with  military 
honors  at  Cohunbia,  S.  C.  beside  those  of  his  wife.  At  the  tinu>  of  Stol- 
brand "s  death,  three  of  his  children  were  living  in  New  York,  and  one 
married  daughter,  a  I\Irs.  Strol)el.  in  Atlanta.  Ga. 

One  who  was  intimate  with  Gen.  Stolbrand  in  his  later  yeai-s 
gave  to  the  "News  and  Courier"  of  Charleston  at  the  time  of  his  death 
certain  recollections,  which  tend  to  reveal  some  of  the  traits  of  the  man. 
Stoll)rand  often  spoke  of  his  life  in  Sweden.  ]>articidarly  of  his  career 
as  professor  of  horsemanship  and  sword  exei-cises  in  tiie  Swedisli  army. 
and  claimed  that  he  had  drilled  King  Oscar  11.  while  the  latter  was  a 
cadet.*  He  said  that  the  i)rinee  was  very  dift'icult  to  maimge,  but  that 
he.  Stolbrand.  was  upliehl  in  his  discipline  of  the  young  prince  by  tlie 
king,  his  Father.  H(>fore  entering  the  federal  army,  Stolbrand  had 
been  engaged  in  irrigation  enterjirises  in  the  Northwest.  He  also 
related  how  he  had  invented  a  shoe  of  sufficient  size  to  enable  liim  to 
move  about  on  water,  carrying  his  military  ciinipments.  and  had  learned 
to  use  sncli  a  pair  of  shoes  with  dexterity  and  ease.  While  he  resided 
in  Columbia  Stoliu-and  had  filti'd  up  in  his  waleniu'lon  patch  a  trap 
for  thieves,  so  if  tiu'V  attempted  to  steal  his  melons  thi-  guns  would  go 

*  For  tliln  atory  tlir  kiinwii  I'luta  in  Stolliniiiil'n  llfr  fiinilth  nol  thr  •HKhlrst  aiipport. 
It  nirrrly  brtrayit  In  hlin  a  foiulncMH  t'or  iiiiikliix  an  liii])rc«Nioit  in  nnrratliiK  iiast  r»|MTl- 
rnccii,  real  tir  faiiclctl. 


CIKNERAI.    ST(  )I.I1R.\M) 


677 


ort'  and  kill  lliriii.  In  cuniiccl  ion  w  itii  stories  of  his  army  uart'iT  in  tlii.-, 
country  tlic  jjrcncral  wdiiKI  show  with  <,'reat  pride  the  burning-g^lass 
with  which  he  clainii'd  to  have  fired  the  gnu  that  seut  the  first  ball 
that  struck  tlie  state-lionse  in  Columbia.  He  was  an  enthusiastic  mem- 
l)er  of  the  Grand  Ai-my  of  the  Republic  and  a  firm  believer  in  its 
|iatriotic  objects. 

To  complete  the  account  of  Stolbrand's  military  career  the  follow- 
ing data,  culled  from  the  army  records,  are  added  as  showing  more 
precisely  the  functions  performed  by  him  during  the  war.  As  major. 
Stolbrand  in  Se])tember,  1862,  is  shown  to  have  been  in  conunand 
of  five  batteries  of  Brig. -Gen.  John  A.  Logan's  artillery  brigade  in  the 
district  of  Jackson,  Tenn.,  and  in  November  he  liad  a  brigade  of  nine 
batteries  of  Maj.-Gen.  Stephen  A.  ITurlbut's  division  under  him.  He 
commanded  five  batteries  in  the  siege  of  Vieksburg  and  the  largest 
ft)ree  under  his  command  at  any  one  time  was  ten  batteries.  Ample 
testimony  of  Stolbrand 's  usefulness  in  the  operations  before  Vieks- 
burg is  given  by  Gen.  Logan,  who  repeatedly  compliments  him  in  his 
report  of  May  26th.  thus:  "The  admirable  manner  in  which  this  battery 
was  handled  reflects  the  highest  credit  upon  ilaj.  Stolbrand,  my  chief 
of  artillery." — "The  respective  batteries.  . .  .  under  the  personal  sui)er- 
vision  of  ]\Iajor  Stolbrand  rendered  incalculable  aid  in  effectually 
shelling  the  enemy." — "To  Major  Stolbrand.  my  chief  of  artillei-y. 
I  am  indebted  for  valuable  aid." 

In  the  Savannah,  Ga..  campaign,  Nov.  15  to  Dec.  31,  1864.  Stol- 
brand took  an  efficient  part.  In  the  siege  of  Savannah,  Stolbrand  on 
Dee.  19th  placed  half  of  his  batteries  before  the  Confederate  forts  and 
uncovered  and  silenced  the  enemy's  heavy  batteries,  whereupon  the 
Confederaies  under  cover  of  darkness  abandoned  the  foi't  and  the 
city,  leaving  guns  and  ammunition  behind  them.  In  his  report  a  few 
days  thereafter  Maj.  Gen.  P.  J.  Osterhaus.  of  the  15th  army  corp.s, 
said:  "To  ^lajor  Stolbrand  I  have  to  acknowledge  important  services 
during  the  campaign  as  chief  of  artillery  of  the  corps.  Through  his 
energy  and  skill  that  branch  of  the  arms  which  was  under  his  im- 
mediate care  was  in  most  excellent  condition." 

The  one  imfortunate  incident  in  Stolbrand 's  army  career  occurred 
on  May  19.  186-1,  when  he  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  enemy,  while  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee  was  encamped  at  King.ston.  on  the  Etowah 
River.  "While  examining  the  siu'rounding  country  liy  my  direction." 
says  Maj.  Gen.  Logan  in  a  report  dated  Sept.  4th.  ".Alaj.  C.  J.  Stol- 
brand, a  gallant  and  untiring  officer,  was  captured  by  a  stiuad  of  the 
enemy's  cavalry.''  Xo  mention  w'as  then  made  of  his  return,  but  in 
October  of  that  year  he  again  figures  in  the  reports  as  chief  of  artiller.w 

At  his  ow'n  recpiest,  Stolbrand  was  relieved  from  further  duty  as 
chief  of  artillery  of  the  lath  arm\'  cor])s.  at  lieaufort.  S.  ('..  on  Jan.  28. 


678 


Till-:    CIVIL    WAR 


1865,  his  three  years'  term  of  service  having  expired.  In  February  liis 
promotion  to  hritriidier-oreneral.  as  told  l)y  Sherman,  took  plaee.  On 
.Marcli  Moth,  iis  liritriKJier-L'enerai.  he  was  liy  the  Secretary  of  War 
ordered  t<>  rciKH't  in  prrsmi  t<p  Ma.j.  (Jen.  Sherman  for  a.ssignment  to 
duty.  A  month  later  he  was  placed  in  <-i>mmand  of  the  second  brigade, 
fourth  division.  17th  army  corps,  formed  from  the  14th,  l')th  and  -i^nd 
111.  Vol.  Inf.  The  brigade  marched  north  from  Haleigh.  N.  ('..  Ajirii 
2!)th,  passed  in  review  through  Washington  M.iy  l24th.  whence  it  was 
sent  via  Louisville  and  St.  Louis  to  Foi-t  Leavenworth.  After  brief 
servii'c  on  tin-  plains  ol'  the  far  West  the  three  regiments  were  mustered 
out  at  F(U-t  Leavenworth  in  Septend)er,  terminating  Stolbrand's  com- 
mand. One  of  his  last  assignnu'uts  was  to  the  temporary  command  (if 
the  Fort  Leavenworth  district  in  the  absence  of  the  general  command- 
ing. Hi-ig.-fiPi).  Stolhrand  continued  to  hold  his  conuni.ssion  until 
•Tanuai'v.  lS(i().  when  he  was  mustered  out  of  service. 

Till'  Swcdisii  members  of  Stolbrand's  Hattery  were:  Oscar  L. 
Ekvall  of  Chicago,  enlisted  Aug.  6,  1861.  mustered  in  Oct.  'ith.  re- 
enlisted  as  veteran  JIarch  1.  1864,  mustered  out  Sept.  4,  I860:  Francis 
Lindcbeck  of  Chicago,  pidisted  Aug.  6.  1861.  mustered  in  Oct.  .Itli. 
ili-iiwncd  liy  siidxing  nf  llic  steamer  Horizon  on  the  ilississippi  river, 
-May  1.  IStiM;  Claes  .Matiiiason  of  Oalesburg.  eidisted  Aug.  6,  IStil. 
re-eidisted  as  vetei-an  .March  1.  1864.  died  at  Montgomery.  Ala.,  July  14, 
ISfi.');  (jlijiiles  J.  Jlellberg  of  Mendota.  enlisted  Aug.  6,  1861,  re-enli.sted 
as  vcteriin  March  1.  1.^64.  discharged  Aug.  7,  1S6.").  as  corporal,  supi-r- 
nuni<>rary:  Svcii  .\ugnst  X'idcli  <if  Chicago,  eidisted  Aug.  6.  istil. 
iiiusti'ii'il  nut  Oct.  4.  lS(i4;  .\niircw  Uurgstrom  of  Chicago,  enlisted 
•  Ian.  2s,  lS(i4.  iiiustercd  out  Sept.  4.  186");  Nicholas  Carlson,  enlisted 
aiKJ  iiiiistcrcd  in  Jan.  1.  ISIi'J.  drowneil  by  sinking  of  the  steamer 
llori/.iin  nil  Ihc  Mississippi  ri\ii-  .May  1.  18(i:{:  Oscar  Kelburg,  enlisted 
aiKJ  iiiiisliTcd  in  Sept.  l-i.  \S\',\,  innstci-ed  out  June  '-i.  186.");  Joseph 
l^sliyorn  of  ChicaL'o.  nilislcd  .\ug.  6,  1861.  mustered  in  Oct.  oth.  re- 
enlisted  as  vcttran.  Other  iiieiiitu'rs  of  the  battery,  apparently  of 
Swedish  lildod,  \(ire.  Olsnii  L.  Durkce  of  Chii-ago.  Alfred  Hall  of 
b'ocK'fnrd  ^111(1  .Idlin   \'clil.'ii  ,it'  ( 'liii-ago. 

Capl    FredericK  Sparrestrom  and   Battery  C.  2d  Light  Artillery 

I-'iimI,  rick  Span-csl  iiim  cniistcil  at  ( 'liica'.'o  in  the  seeiuid  eiunpany 
of  artillery  cirgaiii/cd  iiy  Charles  J.  Stolhrand.  When  on  Sept.  16. 
ISdl.     Iliis     niiiipany     \vas     nmstcrcd     into     service     as     Ualtery     (i, 

dl'   the    S( 11(1    Light    .\rtill(ry    regiment,    he    was   comnd.ssioned    first 

lieiileiuinl.  The  battery  was  recruited  mostly  from  Sycamore,  Chicago. 
I>(  Kalli.  helvidere.  Joliel  and  Koekford.  Karly  in  Deccndier  the  bat- 
lerv    was  (iidered  t(i  ('airo.   III.,   where  it    was  assigned  lo  (Jen.   Pain's 


SI'AKKI-.STKOM'S    I'..\TTI':RV 


679 


division  and  I'lirnisluMl  with  two  Xapuli'dTi  and  I'onr  K'dtlinan  guns.  [11 
the  iiicaiitimi'  the  iiicii  were  detailed  to  man  tlie  Howitzers  nsp<l  in  tiie 
attiU'ks  on  Foi-ts  Tfenry  and  Donelson. 

Sparr.'stroni  served  as  second  in  conmiand   until    Dec.  31st,  when, 
n|)on  Str-llii'and  "s  pi-oniot  ion  to  nnijor  of  the  seeond  artilli'i'v  refiinient. 


Captain   Fredericlc  Sparrestroiu 


Sparrestroin  succeeded  to  tlie  captaincy.  The  liattery  .served  undei- 
StoUirand,  tlie  chief  of  artillery  in  Logan's  army,  and  was  generally  a 
part  of  the  artillery  brigades  commanded  by  Stolbrand  from  time  to 
time.  Ou  ]May  1,  1863,  the  battery  was  si^nk  in  a  collision,  while  being 
ferried  across  the  Mississippi  river  to  Bruinsburg,  Miss.  Two  men  and 
most  of  the  horses  were  drowned.  The  battery  was  re-equipped  at 
Memphis  and  returned  to  Gen.  Logan  by  June  30th.  In  the  interval 
Sparrestrom  was  detailed  to  take  charge  of  Battery  D,  First  111.  Artil- 
lery, M'hose  captain  had  been  killed  on  Jlay  29th.  and  whose  lieutenant 
was  sick.  In  this  eaj)aeity  he  served  during  the  month  of  June,  par- 
ticipating in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg.     About  July  1st  Sparrestrom  re- 


68o 


Till-;    civil.    WAR 


Slimed  i-<iiiiiii;itul  ol'  his  dUii  hattcry.  whit-li  took  part  in  several  expedi- 
tions around  Vicksltiirtr.  In  Deeeniber  it  moved  to  Union  City  and  was 
engaged  in  the  eanipaigii  asrainst  Gen.  Forrest.  Early  the  next  spring 
it  went  to  Colunil)us.  Ky..  where  it  was  reorganized  and  veteranized. 
Returning,  it  took  ]iart  in  the  expedition  to  Tupelo.  Miss.,  and  in  July 
and  August  in  tlic    expeditions    to    llnlly    Springs    and    Oxford.      In 


MmiihhhiiI  :U   XiiUsluirj;  Nalioiial   Mililaiy   Park 

SeiJlfiiilier  it  ji)ini'(l  (iin.  .\.  •).  Sinilli's  army  eor|)s  in  pursuit  ul'  (Icn. 
Price  in  Missouri.  In  .\ii\  iinlier,  lSti4.  it  moved  to  Nashville  and  par- 
tii'ipated  in  the  fighting  of  Deeeniher  l.')th  and  Kith.  From  here  it 
.joiiU'd  in  I  111'  pni'snil  of  tiic  defeated  Coid'ederale  army.  The  liallery 
snhse(|uiii1 1.\'  Icidk  p:ii1  in  I  lir  .Mciliilr  campaign  and.  'm  'In-  siege  and 
capture  of  i-'orl  Ulaiiciy.  Sparreslrom  I'esigned  from  the  service  Aug. 
L'"_'.  isdl.  and  the  liatlery  was  mustered  (Ult  Sept.  4,  ISIi.'i.  Sparrestrom, 
of  wIkimi  \\r  ha\c  nil  infornuition  beyond  his  military  career,  proved 
himself  a  gallant  and  skillful  olVici'r-  and  I'cndered  eJi'ieient  service 
wherever  placed  during  his  three  .\cars  in  the  army.  Two  of  the 
lllim)is  monuUH'ids  in  the  X'ickshurg  mililarv'  park  hear  his  name. 


II 


BATTERY  G"  2-"  ARTILLERY 


ITTKG,  RfTURKED  TO  DITOIOH 


CAFTAH    FRfO.  SP/WRtSTRO* 
la  UEUT.  lOHII  W.  LOWELL 

SEKOJIS  COHTOUIS 

lom  iiuus 


BATTERY  K^  2-»  ARTILLERY 


E  llfUT.  A8R  S.  GALE 

Vt  LIEUT.  WESLEY  PUn  , 

28  LIEUT.  JOHI  ran 


SEMfUTi  eodflliuij 


'""-  ^;4^^S!F     '••^  mw  kss-"  SSn 


BATTERY  '  L-  2^  ARTILLERY 


SERVED  DLJRUG  a«PAIG»  AlfO  OH  HVESTKEUT  LI«E 
WITH  3«  Division.  17!"  CORPS 


E LIEUT  lABEZOOORf         mt«,.,„      »C.    W^^    iS».™K,      i,S!v«!. 
la  LIEUT.  SIMOfI  P.  TRACY  ml 

29  LIEUT.  ORUIIDO  S.  WOOD       ''"' 


?,!'"   Inij"?"'    Kfim'S'iM,  »iis: 


S#U1«hMi] 


CHICAGO   MERCANTILE 
BATTERY 


SERVED  DVRIKG  CA«PAIG«  AID  OriJVFSr*.E«T  LI«E  WITH  lOU  OTOOI.  ISH  CORPS 
LOSS  BfPORTEO.  WnUKDFD  3 


CAPTAH    PATRICK  H.  WHITE 
^  LIEUT.  GEORGE  THROOP 
E  UEUT.  PIKCMEY  s.  CO»E   - 
2niEUT.  JOSEPH  W.  BARB 
2»  LIEUT  HERRV  ROE 


WUJM I  wm^ 


!<««•.  <inpc.i««r.«£M,t 


CABOfR.  £H»filfS  H    ■' 
(MIfS,WiL.iA«c 


SRi««t-»uw  mTuin'A 


.  [MAtDLGbilOHTl 


UUU.OUVIRV. 

AlflCK,K!«]| 
MdOlD.  lOHfl  W. 


flUl(GS.fllCHUn 

^ORtiT,  HIRAM 
GilBfRljonii  H. 


KffirSIK£ft.  KO 

i[r,»K»t 
iiii.ciroiittii. 


PtATJ.HOUTB 


!uiiiyiff.Ti7TiM*srifw! 


COGSWELLS    BATTER! 


CAPTAH    WILLIAM  COGSWELL 
la  LIEUT  HESRY  G.  EDDY 
S  UEUT.  WILLIAH  R  ELTIKG 
Km«»ij       ir«o»t.«cio«ur 


'.  WllUUf      I 


!««««c,.n  ? .«',5„     SWa,  SK»/  M«'<S"' 


682 


Till-;  cnii.  WAR 


Lieutenant  Joseph   E.  Osborn 

Josi'ijh  E.  Osliin-n  lias  liail  a  vaiii-il  career  in  ilie  army  sct\  n-e  as 
well  as  ill  eivil  life,  lie  was  liorii  July  12.  l!S4:J.  at  llille.  lk'lsiii«ilaiid. 
Sweden,  where  his  father,  Rev.  L.  P.  Esbjorii.  then  served  as  pastor  and 
schoolmaster.  The  family  came  to  America  in  1849.  locating  in  Andover. 
111.  The  son  Joseph  attemleil  Capital  I'liiversity  for  a  short  jieriod  at 
the  age  of  eleven,  tiieii  worked  on  "Heinlandet"  as  tyi)o  and  roller 
hoy.  wlien  that  i)aper  was  started  in  (ialeslmr^r.  In  1S.")S-(i<'  he  stiidieil 
at  the  Illinois  State  Tnivei'sity  at  Spriii^'fieiil.  where  his  father  tausrlu. 


Lieutenant  Josejill   l\.  Osborn 

While  I  here  he  l)ecaiiie  ae(|uaiiite(l  in  a  hoyisli  way  with  Aliraham 
Lincoln  and  more  intimately  so  with  his  son  Koliert,  who  atteiuled  the 
same  school.  The  Kshjorn  laiiiily  lia\  in^'  renioxed  to  t'hieago  in  18()0, 
Joseph  worked  at  the  pi'inti  r's  trade  nnlil  the  war  hroke  out.  when  he 
enlisted  immediately  in  a  eoni|)any  recruited  hy  Charles  J.  Sinlhrand. 
The  quota  heiner  already  lilltil.  I  he  company  was  not  accepted,  but  at 
the  second  (-all  for  volunteers  Stolhrand  ajjain  raised  a  company,  which 
youiiK  Esh.jorn  joined  Aur.  12.  IStil.  He  served  with  this  orjrani/.ation, 
known  as  Mattery  (i..- Second  III.  Linlit  Artillery,  until  July.  lSii:i.  when, 
after  the  siege  of  Vickshnrjr.  he  was  placed  on  iletachcd  service  at  (icn. 
liOiran's  headquarters,  where  lie  served  for  scvi-ral  months. 

During'  this  time  Slojlirand  olVi-rcd  Osliorn   the  captaincy   in   the 
lllh  .Miss.  Inf..  a  colored  n-riment .  which  he  .Ic. lined  and  rejoined  liie 


I 


ijiuT.  josicrii  !■:.  osHOKX 


683 


liatti'i-y.  Harly  in  181)4  lio  Mpplied  to  l)c  cxaniiiu'd  for  a  coiiimissioii  in 
a  coloiv'd  rcgimenl  ami.  after  passiiif^  tlie  examination  at  Menipliis. 
'I'eiin,.  was  conimissioned  second  lieutenant  and  assifjiied  to  Co.  G..  4tli 
U.  8.  Heavy  Artillery,  eolored,  in  garrison  at  ('ohiiiilnis.  K\-.  lie  was 
at  once  appointed  on  the  staflf  of  ]\Iaj.-Gen.  Ord,  conimandcr  of  the 
department  of  the  ]\Iississippi.  and  placed  in  charge  of  the  l'.  S.  ord- 
nance depot  at  Cohunbns,  a  responsible  place  for  a  man  of  twenty-one. 
Relieved  of  the  command  after  eight  months,  he  was  appointed  post 
commissary  at  the  same  point,  to  succeed  INFaj.  Overton.    When  relieved 


CAPT.  FREDERICK   SPARRESTROM 

LIEUT.  JOHN    W    LOWELL. 

3d  DIV.,   17TM  CORPS. 

CASUALTIES  : 

WHILE  CROSSING  THE  RIVER  TO  BRUINSSURG. 

MISSISSIPPI.   ON   MAY  1.  1863.  AT  3  O  CLOCK   A    M 

ON  TRANSPORT  "HORIZON,  ■   THE    BOAT 

WAS   SUNK    BT  COLLISION    WITH  TRANSPORT 

'  MODERATOR  ■■     TWO  ENLISTED  MEN 

WERE  DROWNED.  THE  GUNS.  EQUIPMENTS    AND 

MOST  OF  THE   HORSES   WERE  LOST 

WENT  TO   MEMPHIS   FOR  RE-EQUIPMENT. 

REPORTED     FOR     DUTT     WITH     THE     DIVISION 

ABOUT  JUNE  30 


LL^@U 


Monunieiit  at  Vicksburs;  National  Jlilitary  Park 

of  his  duties  as  such,  he  was  made  provost  marshal  of  the  Freeilmen's 
Bureau.  He  again  rejoined  the  regiment  late  in  the  fall  of  18G5,  when 
ordered  to  Arkansas,  Avhere  it  was  mtistered  out  Feb.  5,  1866,  Osborn 
being  at  the  time  in  command  of  a  company,  although  not  holding  a 
captain's  commission. 

Osborn,  after  a  visit  north,  took  charge  of  a  store  in  Corinth,  iliss., 
owned  by  Gen.  Eaton.  In  1867  he  visited  his  relatives  in  Sweden,  re- 
turning the  following  year,  when  he  became  cashier  and  general  book- 
keeper for  the  American  Emigrant  Co.,  and  in  1869  traveling  reprc- 


684 


Till':    civil.    WAR 


sentative  for  the  ctnnpaiiy.  He  was  sent  to  Sweden  in  1871  Ijy  the 
C  B.  &  Q.  Railway  Co.,  to  advertise  their  lands  in  Iowa  and  Nebraska, 
and  remained  two  years.  On  his  return  he  opened  a  steamsliip  ticket 
and  foreign  exchange  office  and  importing  and  exporting  agency,  and 
was  laying  the  foundation  for  a  very  itromising  business  when,  during 
his  absence  in  the  ^Vcst.  the  stealings  of  a  confidential  clerk  caused  his 
failure. 

Oslxiiii  in  1874  associated  himself  with  two  clergymen.  J.  G. 
Princell  and  A.  Ilult,  for  the  inn-|)ose  of  founding  "Barnviinncn.'"  a 
juvenile  paper  published  in  Chicago  for  a  number  of  years.  In  1875-6 
he  was  organist  of  the  Swedish  LutheiMn  Cinirch  of  Boston.  While 
there  he  was  married.  Sept.  1!).  187(i.  to  .Mi.ss  Ainia  I.  Bergstriini.  From 
1877  to  lS8;i  he  seryed  as  school  teacher  and  organist  of  his  father's  old 
charge  in  Amlovcr.  111. 

Osborn  was  associated  with  ('apt.  Eric  Johnson  in  the  publishing 
of  "The   Swedish   Citizen."  a   pajjcr  finall.v   named   "The   Daily   and  * 

Weekly  ;\I(>line  Citizen,"  In  1888  he  severed  his  connection  with  the 
publication  and  removed  tn  St.  i'anl  U\  become  manager  of  "Skaft'a- 
ren"  ("Minnesota  Stats-'J'idning" ).  in  that  city  he  now  holds  a  posi- 
tion in  the  office  of  the  State  Auditor. 

Captain    Andrev/    StenbecK 

('aplain  .Vmln-w  Steiiheck.  who  cnniinanded  Battery  li.  L'nd  Illinois 

Liglit  Artillery  from  date  of  muster  \)cr.  :{1.  18tJl.  until  his  resignation 

May  25,  18(33,  was  a  native  of  Ilal'xarod.  Skane,  Sweden,  where  lie  was 

born  Feb.  12,  1828.     Emigrating  in  18.'4.  he  settled  in  C.alcsburs.     In 

December.  18H1,  having  enlisted  as  a  volunteer,  he  organized  the  battery 

at  Cam])  l'>utb-r,  Springfield,  and  mi  ti:e  last  of  the  montii  received  liis 

<-aptain's  commission,  paitiy  llinmgli  the  inthicncc  of  C.  J.  Stolbrand. 

then  cai)tain  of  Co.  (J.  lind  111.  .\i-l  illeiy.  and  a  t'ormer  comrade  in  arms 

in   the   Swedish    arms'.      Captain    Stcnbeck    foutrht    at    \'\tv\    Donolson, 

',  .  ' 

Shiloh.   Clarksville.    .Nashville,   and    leil   his   company   through   a   num-  • 

ber   of   other   operations   in    the   Tennessee    campaign.      After    having  ' 

resigned  his  command.  Stcidiei-k  located  in  St.  Louis,  where  he  served  ' 

as  supcriiilcndcnl   of  IJcnton    l'.,ii-i  acks  until   18(;().  when  in   the  piping 

time  of  peace  lie  ichkimiI  in  (liicago  and  became  a  piano  timer.     Capl. 

Stenlieik   had  a  desire  to  enter  the  regular  army,  and  after  peace  was 

restiircd   applied    in  .icilinson    for  a   captaincy,   whi(di   was  denied,   the 

Presideiil    (ilVcriiig   liim    the   rank    (d'   first    lieutenant,   whiidi   Steiibcck 

declined.     .Ml  lln-oiigh  his  vocation  as  a  tuin'r.  ("apt.  Stenbc(d\  worked 

in  cniinccl  inn  with  the  linn  (il'-liiluis  llaiici-  and  ('ompany.     He  was  an 

ainateni'  violinist  ol'  no  me.in  talent.    To  relicxc  the  strain  on  his  nerves 

and   hearing   incident    to   his   vocation,   he  secured   an   appointment    as 


sii.i-vi;ksi'.\RRi-:'s    batticrv 


685 


ilcjnity   under   Sheriff   .Mattsmi.   hut    failiiiL'   licaltl inpi'llrd    him   to 

resign  the  position  after  a  few  inonths.  resinning  his  fm'nier  eniploj-- 


Captain  Andrew  Stenbeck 

nieut.  He  passed  away  at  liis  lionie  in  Chieago  Dee.  14,  18!)1.  leaving- 
a  widow,  ]\Irs.  Caroline  Stenbeck,  and  three  ehihlren.  of  whom  a  son. 
Edward  Stenbeck,  of  Denver,  Colo.,  survives. 

Capt.  Axel  Silfversparre  and  Battery  H,  1st  Reg't.  Light  Artillery 

In  18G1,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war.  Axel  Silfversparre.  a  former 
lieutenant  of  the  Svea  Artillery  Eegiment  in  the  Swedish  Army, 
left  in  order  to  go  to  the  United  States  to  fight  for  the  Union 
cause.  He  received  his  commission  from  Gen.  John  C.  Fremont,  who 
at  once  put  the  knowledge  and  experience  of  the  young  Swedish 
artillery   officer  to   good   use.      Silfversparre   was   first    sent   to   Fort 


686  '1"I"--    Civil.  WAR 

Fremont,  at  Cape  (iiianleau,  ..Mo.,  to  put  a  number  of  heavy  artillerv 
pieces  in  place.  This  duty  done,  Silfversparre.  burning  witli  an  anitii- 
tion  to  distinp^uish  himself  in  the  war,  went  to  Illinois  on  leave,  intent 
on  organizing  a  Swedish  battery.  On  Dee.  25,  18t)l.  he  secured  from 
the  state  authorities  a  commission  to  that  effect  and  during  the  next 
two  months,  accompanied  by  John  A.  Anderson  of  Chicago,  he  made 
<i  recruiting  tour  of  the  Swedish  settlements  in  the  state,  starting  with 
Chicago  and  visiting  Kockford.  St.  Charles.  Batavia.  Geneva.  Sycamore. 
DeKalb.  Pi-inccdni.  (ialva.  Bishop  Hill,  Andover.  Moline,  Knoxville. 
Victoi'iii.  (iiili'sl)iirg.  and  other  places.  Swedish-Americans  to  the 
nuinher  of  fifty  joined  him.  besides  a  larger  number  of  men  of 
ten  other  n.itiiin;ilil  it's.  These  volunteers  met  in  Chicago  to  complete 
tlic  organization,  when  the  organizei-.  Silfversparre  himself,  was  elected 
<-;iptain.  Avhile  all  the  subordinate  otfices  were  given  to  men  of  otiu-r 
tlwiii  Swnlisli  descent. 

Silfversparre  Avas  a  scion  of  the  Swedisli  nobility.  His  parents 
were  Viseoiuit  Gustaf  Johan  Silfversjjarre,  an  ex-lieut.-eoloiud  of  the 
Royal  Horse  Guards,  and  his  wife.  Countess  Sophie  Morner  of  ^for- 
landa.  He  was  born  in  the  city  of  Striingniis  May  8.  18.'14.  and 
educated  at  the  Ilp.salu  I'niversity.  After  his  graduation  from  college 
in  ^S■y2  he  became  a  non-conmiissioned  officer  of  the  Svea  Artillery. 
and  was  i)romotcd  second  lieutenant  the  following  year.  He  served  in 
the  regiment  at  Stockholm.  V'axholm  and  Hernosand  until  IS.'JS,  when 
he  entered  the  artillery  academy  of  ]\larieberg.  continuing  his  stuflies 
until  bSdO.  He  is  said  to  have  been  one  of  a  number  of  army  officers 
who  ai'tei-  having  been  engaged  in  a  fraeas  with  civilians  in  Stockholm, 
were  court-niai'tialed  and  degraded.  Shortly  thereafter  he  eame  to 
the  United  States  and  was  emi)loyed  in  ^lissonri  as  army  engineer  be- 
foi-e  enlist  iiiu'   in    the   vulunteer   army. 

Captain   Silfversparre's  Command 

The  liallery  was  nnist<'re(l  in  at  ('amp  Dmiglas.  ('liieago.  on  Feb. 
2nth.  1802.  as  Battery  H.  First  Illinois  Light  .\rtillery.  eonnnanded  by 
Col.  .b)se|)h  1).  AVehster.  Ivifly  in  .Mareh  it  was  ordered  to  Benton 
iiair-acks.  Mo.,  where  the  iiii'ii  were  given  three  weeks'  drill  and  the 
lial1er\-  was  |ini\i(li'cl  with  I'onr  L'd-pound  I'ai'i'olt  guns.  By  boat  they 
were  llirii  sent  soiilii  tii  Jiiiii  llie  aririx'  of  the  Tennessee.  The  battery 
reached  I'litsliiirL'  liaiidiiii:  >>ij  .\|)ril  .'iili.  the  <lay  before  the  battle. 
It  was  gi\-eii  a  place  in  the  center  nl'  a  line  iif  artillery  protecting  the 
landing,  and  aiilcd  inateriall>  in  heating  liaeU  tiie  last  assaults  of  tin- 
l-ebels  <in  the  lirsl  day's  liattle.  Silfverspai're  here  put  his  Swedish 
military  traininii-  to  e.\ci>lliiit  nsi>  and  displayed  gri'at  skill  anil 
braverv. 


sii,i-\i:RsrARKi';s  hattkrv 


68/ 


SilfverspaiTc  had.  accortliiig  to  liis  dwii  iiiciiHiraiKia  i)f  lln'  halllc. 
most  carefully  jjivpai'ed  for  the  reception  of  tln'  ciieiiiy.  ditVci-iii^r  in 
that  respect,  as  we  have  seen,  from  most  of  tiie  other  I'liioii  oificcr-s  in 
llial  fatal  affray.  Al  that  tiiue  the  Swedish  artillery  was  in  point  of 
equipment  rather  in  advance  of  that  of  tlu'  I'nion  army.  Patterning' 
after  the  Svea  Artillery,  Silfversparre  had  furnishctl  his  mm  with 
spades,  i)icks  and  axes,  and  liavin":  planted  his  cannon,  lie  had  tliem 
well  protected  by  walls  of  earth  and  logs  built  np  in  front.*  To  those 
who  thought  he  took  needless  ])aius  he  explained.  '.My  battery  is  |)ut 
to  stay,  not  to  run."  Another  arrangement  of  his  was  to  imiunt  his 
gunners  on  the  horses  hitched  to  the  guns  so  as  to  be  instantly  im  haiul. 
instead  of  following  with  the  ammmiition  wagons.  By  putting  handles 
on  the  sponge-heads  he  made  it  possible  to  reload  without  danger  while 
the  gmis  were  still  hot  from  the  last  discharge,  thereby  enabling  his 
men  to  fire  about  five  shots  in  the  time  otherwise  required  for  one. 
AVhile  in  St.  Louis  he  had  procured  at  his  oM'n  expense  fuses  of  varied 
length,  and  when  in  this  battle  the  enemy  closed  in  on  his  position  hi' 
used  the  shortest  lengths,  with  the  result  that  when  General  Chalmers' 
column  charged  the  battery,  it  was  met  by  a  blizzard  of  shrapnel  which 
made  further  advance  impossible,  and  the  enemy  was  forced  back  with 
great  loss.  Silfversparre  was  personally  thanked  by  Grant  and  Sher- 
men  that  day  for  his  part  in  checking  the  advance  of  the  enemy,  but 
like  most  of  the  heroes  of  the  day,  received  no  mention  in  Grant's 
report  of  the  battle. 

These  arrangements  are  said  to  have  rendered  him  many  compli- 
ments in  the  press,  which  in  turn  aroused  the  envy  of  the  other  artillery 
officers.  Twice  he  was  court-martialed  on  the  trumped-up  charge  of 
cruelty  to  the  horses  and  wasteful  handling  of  the  ordnance  stores  and 
material,  but  was  acquitted  both  times,  and  complimented  upon  his 
skillful  tactics. 

Shortly  after  the  battle  of  Shiloh  the  Silfversparre  battery  was 
transferred  to  General  Sherman's  division  and  subsequently  belonged 
to  the  second  division  of  the  15th  army  corps  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
At  the  first  inspection  Gen.  Sherman  re.iected  the  "newfangled  things" 
introduced  by  Silfversparre  with  instructions  to  equi|)  the  battery  in 
ihe  regular  way.  This  was  done,  but  after  the  second  shot  sub- 
sequently fired  by  the  battery  a  man  lost  his  hand  in  a  premature 
explosion  of  a  load,  all  because  of  the  absence  of  the  handle  to  the 
sponge-head. 

In   September,   1862,   Capt.    Silfversparre   was   assigned   to   Fort 

*  A  survivor  of  Battery  H  st.'ttcs  as  his  recollection  that  sacks  of  ^r.nin  and  feed  from 
the  commissary  stores,  stacked  up  in  front  of  the  ^uns,  afforded  the  only  protection  .-lo^ainst 
the  enemy's  fire.  M.aior  Reed's  account  of  the  battle  corroborates  the  survivor's  impression 
in  these  ''A'ords:  "We  find  at  Shiloh  that  with  three  exceptions  no  breastworks  were  i)repare(l 
by  either  side  on  Sunday  ni^ht.  Of  these  exceptions  a  Vnion  battery  near  the  Landin^:  was 
protected  l)y  n  few  sacks  of  corn  piled  up  in  front  t»f  the  guns." 


688 


Till-:    civil,    WAR 


Pifkering.  iit-ai-  .Mciii|iliis.  Timiii.  He  wiis  di-tailcii  liy  Gen.  Slu'riiiaii 
on  Sept.  16th  to  take  eliargi-  of  the  fixed  and  permanent  batteries  in 
the  fort  and  instrueted  to  mount  and  equip  heavy  guns,  besides  super- 
vising  the   ajipurtenanees   of  the   lighter   guns.      The   offieers   of   the 


Ciiplaiii   Axrl  SilfviTS]Mirrr 


batteries  were  to  be  iiist  nicled  liy  biiii  in  the  manind  ol"  the  gtuis. 
Slicriiian  furtlici-  dirccti'd  liiin  to  instruil  «ir  Mipervise  the  drill  of  two 
of  tlie  companies  and  to  persoiudly  drill  tln'  olliri'  Iwo  eompanies  daily. 
In  ease  of  aelion,  Silfvers])arre  was  to  riiiiiiiiand  the  four  eompanies. 
About   the  beginning  of  the  next  year  he  was  also  assigned  as  drill- 


ARTILLERY 


BATTERY  H '- 1^  ARTILLERY 


SERVED  OmK  CAHPAIG*  AKO  OK  IIVtSTMEIfr  LIKE  WITH  28  OIVISIOII.  ISM  COUPS. 
LOSS  flEPOilTfD,  KILLED  I, 


CAPIAH    LEViW.HAPI 
151  LIfUT.  LEWIS  a  HITCHflL 
2!!  LIEUT.  FRAKCIS  DE  GRESS 
2»  LIEUT.  EDWARD  ADAMS 


MSrUNO.  GCITJIV    KntR.  GFOHGl 
WOfBSON,  JWII ».    uatt.LK 
UNiit]  fiiisTW       lAOtmi  rn.w 


NO.GCITJIV    KntR.  crOHGl  OlUM.UIUiUII    ' 

A.    lAtU.F.Il.  OISOII.GUSMV 

«I[KSO"t,  SWII 

V'CKilltLfS  RAY.  mcHAin)' 

..._.    LUIKMIRAH.  RouGanuf 

f  MAHMfY  fkAIH  RUMUJIAN 

NiriUE     wc  cioRu.  juKS  scHLOSsuiamr.  P. 

.'HARUS  C.  W  UODtf.  lOHN  SUUKS.  P.  S. 

TROH.WHNC.Wfmill.WILUAMf  STOCKtS.  NSfm 

vroEK.  WHH1  iwmw.  n-  p. 

",  LtWlS  IWANSWI.  S.  *l. 


ft 
g 


BATTERY  "I"-  l^i  ARTILLERY 


SERVED  DURING  SIEGE  OK  EXTERIOR  LINE,  FROM  ABOUT  JUNE  12, 1863. 
WITH  m  DIVISION,  m  CORPS. 


I  .^niEUT.  WILLIAM  N.LANSING 
1>J  LIEUT.  JOHN  C.  NEELY 

SEIKtAllIS  COBPQfiAlS 

I  .OS.  K  w  cahtney  ouvn  f  moon 

F.  ItUSSElL        i 
EUHUE  5.  RUSSELL     : 

THoiKAs  r.  moflpr    seorge  wiuluis 

STEPHEN  TMT  ROetRI  HECKLES 

HEUHVaEfWtnT         HIRA,H  W.  RUSSELL 


BROWN,  REUBEN  C.     GRAVLlN.  PtrER 

I  C.  (UNOERIMR.  MO, 
MLLAMAN.HMrHEW  KADLfY,  tEPBCE 
CURK.  GAVIN  HIG6IIIS,  JUtf^ 

COOK,  WiTliAM  H.       HIRSEY.OAVIl/ 


LUMMTUnUHta   RMBDEU.DAI«LllWAlICRS.NENRr 

rA.». ffi\Ms  srv- 
asisa  w&r  k^"^' 

MCCARIimUS       SANGHI.  WILLIAM  H.   WtlSON.  ANDREW 
"'■'   "U.      SHAFEH, WILUWll 


MULWlLMO.  WIL  P.  SMTH.  ffORK 

oeiLviE,  pnn       siurv,  wiluaii 

I  p.  STEFWISOLUEOtlMD 

PALNER,T.WLLUlM    STRAUCH.  HENRY 
PUENT.  GEORIt        STIBBS,  lEREMUtH 

PAm.iJUiaH,      rHOHP— -  -- 


BATTERY  A-  2^  ARTILLERY 


SERVED  DURING  CAMPAIGK  AMD  Ofl  IKVESTMENT  LIKE  WITH  1418  DIVISIOK.  I3II!  CORPS. 
LOSS  REPORTED.  KILLED  I. 


CAPTAIN    PHER  DAVIDSON  «""« 

la  LIEUT.  FRANK  B.  FENTON  mimx 
2S  LIEUT.  NATHAN  C.  GOODNOW         »m 

2°  LIEUT  RENSALLERW.HINMAN  iowmw 


Kte"-..  SK?a_  BgSiBBg, 


AUSTIN.  IDHN  W, 
BARNABA.  JOHN  W, 
aAftHHARCil, 
BAUEB.  DICK 
BEST.  WILLIAM 
3ITIini.WlLllA« 


■AUPIR,  iWBm  6.    SICK,10n™ 
HILURfi.  JOSEPH       SHIIH^MORRTS 


BATTERY   E "-  2^  ARTILLERY 


SERVED  DURING  CAMPAIGN  FROM  ABOUT  MAY  20, 1863,  AND  OH  INVESTMENT  LIRE 
WITH  41b  DIVISION,  I61*i  CORPS, 


CAPTAIN    CONRAO  GUMBART 
III  LIEUT.  GEORGE  L.  NISPEL 
•SI  LIEUT.  EMIL  STEGER 
^mmn  corporals 

CHARLES  ICCL 


M  ft  BORDER  a  HC  CLliRE 
iVCauRE  RiAira 

SIGlSMUNO  ANTON 


BLANH,  JACOe 

BJRKDAflT.  CASPTR  HAMILTON,  ALEX. 

r».mLL,  HIKE  HFDUR,  thaBLES 

CKAMefRlAIN.  m.  >f[INIS.  FRANK 


ELHNiHIEB.  CEO,       HOLOEN,  MARONY       RtlO. 
EHGLENDVER,  JOHN     jACOEtS,  IDHN  REEO,  lACOfl 

rNGSLlNG.sfEF'HEN    UUPPIR.  WILLIAM     RLUIER. 


iiLIP    SEGER.iOHII 
S       SHARP.NICMUS 
W         SKtRESjHARlES 


frahk',  PHILIP        Mtvf's,  wauAM      schluiter;  wii  r 

■  ItY,  (lEORGE  VliLtH.  ALBERT         SrHROtS.  llllKt 


BATTERY    F-  2^  ARTILLERY 


SERVED  DURING  CAMPAIGN  AND  ON  INVESTMENT  LINE 
WITH  GIB  DIVISION.  I7IH  CORPS, 


CAPTAIN   JOHN  W,  POWELL 
|SI  LIEUT.  JOSEPH  W.  MITCHELL 
25  LIEUT.  WALTER  H.  POWEU 


LUCIUS  MORSE 
■"LLJAM  BUCHANAH 
SeitfFPELM.lNN 


AN.iOHN  LACKEY,  NA1H.^ft W.   PC URKA. CHRIS.     SPCRLIN&CHRISTUN 

,-,ir)ERSatr.  IDHN  J.     ELLIS,  WilLIAM  LAHPt.GU5TAVUS      PDTT.FRCHHiCKfll.  SnUOWB.  KSSE C 

ARMGARUK  HENRY     FRANK,  LL VI  L'.  lEOKARD,  MORTWED  POn.nfOEIKKSI.  SIAAfcffiHKC 

ARNOiaCDlUMBUS    FRE()ERirKr;.H[RtUlN  lEYHANER.tEREMIAH  RACSOUE.aiUMtM  STEWMT.UWSW. 
AWAITR.  JOHN  (RiIZ.  OANiEl  LONG.  BEUAMIH  H,     UMUU.UOUROf.  SIEIIIMn.SMIUail 

3AtDWiN..DHN  GAINES. WILLIAM H.    HACKENi^I.WILLlAM  lUSStNRT.CHllfKN    $Urt[l.l«fPH 

B.UDWIN,  JOHN  M.      GERHARDI.  iOHN        MAUV.WIUJAJf         USSEUT.  JOHN        196111,  MWUS 

•  fflANCiS  0lBe5.ISAAC  MARKGRAFF.WILLUM  IWTW 

"  IHDS,  H.     CtASTtllER,  rRIOOHN  Mt  A80Y,  WILUAH      RKE.  PE 

USI  HACHUT.IDHN  MC  CARIY,  HKHAf  I     ROtllNIOH.  fCDHK     NUUa.WltlAM 

Rt  rs         HARRtSOH.  JOHN  A.     MC  GAFFRfY,  FRANCIS  ROLOF,  HENRY  MOft  HAI^  F, 

-  HARVa  THOMAS  S.    HC  PHERSON.  JACOB    RUBLE.  WIN  WHTF.IHONUS 

-■ ■- SAAll.OTTO  MnLHlm.HINRV 

SAALEN.  EBfRHAROT  WHEY.  B.  I. 
HINZIEMAR.NKH)IAS  MILLEN,  HEIRV  C.       SANDER,  OKN  H.  _ 
;,E.      UIUER.LOUIS  SOUReIiBERG.  CHRtS. 

i         WNFR,  EDWIN  M         SCHEIBIE,  JACOB 


PEARSON, MAIIHEWr  SHIIH,  RUDOIPH 
PERRY,  LYGI  f*  (         SMITH.  AIFNTO 


690  THI-:    civil.    WAR 

master  of  Geiicial  IIiirll)iit's  tlivisiou.  encamped  four  miles  distant. 
Apparently  douhtful  of  his  ability  to  attend  to  his  complex  duties,  he 
resigned  his  eoniniission  Feb.  22nd.  to  take  a  position  in  another  depart- 
ment of  the  army.  But  before  his  transfer  he  had  the  misfortune  of 
being  captui-ed  by  the  Confederates. 

Like  many  other  officers.  Silfversparre  engaged  in  a  little  i)rivate 
speculation.  While  out  in  llic  i-ountrv  alone  one  day  buying  up  cotton, 
■\vhicli  at  that  time  bniuirht  liiirii  jiriees.  he  encoiuitcred  a  band  of  bu.sh- 
wliackers  and  was  taken  prisoner  after  killing  one  of  his  antagonists, 
lie  was  threatened  with  lianging.  when  a  squad  of  cavalry  interfered 
and  can-icd  liim  off  to  .Jackson.  !\Iiss.  There  he  was  granted  an  inter- 
view with  (Jen.  Jo.seph  E.  Johnston,  who  sent  him  to  the  Libby  prison 
at  Kichmoiid.  with  other  prisoners  of  war.  After  having  endured 
inlunnan  treatment  there  for  ten  months  he  made  good  his  escai)e  by 
bril)ing  a  guard,  whose  uniform  he  donned  and.  after  having  secured 
a  pass  at  the  military  lieadquarters,  M-ent  south  to  Wilmington.  S.  C*. 
There  he  engaged  as  engineer  on  the  blockade  runner  Corinibia, 
which  was  chased  by  Union  vessels  the  better  part  of  the  way  to  the 
Rei'inudas.  Such  was  the  closing  episode  in  t'apt.  Silfversparre 's 
iiiilitiiry  career. 

Death   of  Sergeant   Wyman 

Capt.  Levi  W.  Ilail.  wlio  succeeded  to  the  connnand  of  (he  Silfver- 
sparre hat  I  cry.  was  followed  by  Francis  De  Gress,  from  Cape  Girar- 
deau. .Mo.,  the  oldest  second  lieutenant,  who  was  promoted  to  the  chief 
coiuniand  of  the  battei-y  Hcc.  2r)lli  ul'  the  same  year.  Under  him  the 
battery  took  acli\i'  jiait  in  all  the  engagements  of  the  second  division 
of  the  I'dli  Army  Coi'ps  and  was  one  of  its  working  battt-ries  at  ^'icks- 
bui'g.  Mission  Kidgc  and  .\tlan1a.  Tiie  battery  especially  distinguished 
itself  for  hi'iliiant  woik  at  the  taking  of  the  latter  city  July  21-22.  lSt;4, 
but  lost  in  that  cngagi'nicnt  Sergeant  I'eter  S.  Wynuui.  one  of  its  nuist 
eli'icient  men.  The  batteries  at  tln>  brigade  were  posted  in  a  semi-circle, 
De  Gress'  battery  holding  one  of  the  Hanks.  T)ie  tmionists  were  eon- 
fronted  by  a  force  of  rebels  five  tinu's  their  own  luuidier.  which  made 
an  irresistible  charge.  The  bi-igade  conniumder  therefore  ordered  a 
retreat,  and  all  Imt  ('apt.  De  Gress  and  Sergeant  Wyman  fell  back. 
The  two  stuck  to  the  guns  to  give  the  rebels  a  few  parting  shots.  This 
done,  Dc  Cress  turned  and  ran,  but  Wynum,  not  yet  satisfieil.  reloaded 
for  a  final  warm  farewell.  Then  he  spiked  the  giui  and  sought  safi'ty 
in  (light,  but  fell  I  hi'  next  instant.  piiTci^d  b\  three  nuisket  balls.  The 
battery,  captiu'cd  liy  the  enemy,  was  soon  retaken,  ami  its  guns  again 
pointed  at  tin'  ( 'onfcdei-ates,  who  uow  nunle  reverse  tracks  faster  than 
they  had   stormed    fdrward   just    bcl'oi-e. 


SII.l-'VIvRSrARRI'.'S    1!atti:rv 


6gi 


g 


Under  the  command  of  De  Gross,  IJiittci-y  11.  liciiecfurth  known  as 
De  Gress'  Battery,  added  to  its  laurels  and  liccaiiie  a  very  famous  one 
in  Gen.  Sherman's  command.  From  Allarila.  it  ]iartieipated  in  the 
march  to  the  sea,  and  finally  marched  in  review  before  the  President  at 
Washington  and  was  mustered  out  at  Spi-ingfield  June  14,  18(3;").  The 
surviving  members  of  tlie  Imttery  are  said  In  have  been  a  unit  in  i)raise 
of  Silfverspari'c  as  a   e()iiiinan<b'i'  as  brave  as  aii>'  and   a   lactician   (if 


Sergeant  Peter  S.  \\vman 

more  than  average  skill,  but  they  were  of  the  opinion  tliat  bis  iiMiiclad 
Swedish  discipline  was  impracticable  in  a  citizen  army  of  volunteers. 
Peter  S.  Wyman  (Ymau),  who  died  a  hero's  death  before  Atlanta, 
was  born  at  Ysanna,  Blekinge,  Sweden,  in  1836.  and  emigrated  in  18.")4. 
locating  in  Galesburg,  where  he  was  worlcing  as  a  blacksmitli.  when 
the  war  broke  out.  When  on  his  recruiting  tour  Silfversparre  reached 
Galesburg,  Wyman  was  one  of  the  first  to  appl.v.  Enlisting  as  a  private. 
he  soon  became  sergeant.  Had  he  ]iv<'d  one  day  longer,  he  would  have 
been  promoted,  his  appointment  to  a  lieutenancy  having  reached  his 
chief  the  very  same  day  that  AVyman  lost  his  life.  Capable,  brave, 
patriotic,  Wyman  had  the  yiaking  of  a  gnnd  artillery  officer,  and  his 


692 


Till;  civil.  WAk 


comrades  in  arms  looked  for  liiiii  to  rise  to  high  rank  in  tlie  service. 
His  remains  rest  in  an  unmarked  spot  on  the  battlefield  where  he  fell. 
In  the  battle  of  .Atlanta  Peter  Larson.  Tinstaf  .\hlstrand  and  S.  A. 
Lundgren  fell  into  the  enemy's  hands.  What  became  of  the  two  last 
named  is  not  recorded,  but  Larson  had  to  spend  several  months  amid 
the  horrors  of  Andersonville  prison,  before  he  was  transferred  to  more 
tolerable  quarters. 


BATTERY  H, 
1ST  LIGHT  ARTILLERY. 


CAPT.   LEVI  W.   HART. 
2D  DIV..  15TH  CORPS. 

CASUALTIES  : 

SKIRMISHES.  MAY  IB.  20  AND  21.  1663. 

KILLED  I. 


21 


_    I  — I    I  — I    u   u  v 


.MiimiiiKiit  at   \'ickst)ur>;  National   Military   I'aik 


'■i 


I'ltcr  IV  Larson  nl'  Sill'\  ersparre's  liallery.  who  was  iniisteveil  mil 
as  i-i>i|>iiral.  Iinaled  in  ('liicago  after  the  war  and  as  fjeneral  agent  of 
I  he  .National  Line,  lieeaine  extensively  known  anion'^  his  fellow  eoinitry- 
iiicii.  lie  was  l>iii-n  ill  .Vxellorp.  Sk.ine.  Sweilen.  March  'M.  1S4:{.  and 
caiiie  along  willi  Ins  parents  to  this  eoinilry  in  lS."i4.  'I'lie  family 
Idiateil  in  (ialesliiirg.  where  I'eter  Larson  enlisted.  He  was  c-aplnred  at 
.\1laiita  and  was  a  jirisoner  at  .Xnderson ville.  Charleston  and  Klorenee 
until  the  close  of  I  lie  war.  rpon  his  rciniii  honic  he  look  a  four  years' 
course  of  study  at  the  Illinois  Soldiers'  College  at  Kulton.  prior  to 
engaging  in  tlie  steamship  tii-ket  business,     lie  died  alioul  .\pril.  ISSl. 


sii.vi:RsrARiii;'s  hattickv 


693 


Fi'oiii  Atlanta  tin-  battery  was  oivlcrcd  to  Savaiinali.  [lartii-ipat  iiif,' 
ill  till'  capture  of  Fort  MeAllister,  aud  thence  to  Columbia,  which  was 
destroyed  by  fire  supposed  to  have  been  started  by  a  random  shot  fired 
by  this  battery.    At  Bentoiiville  liattery  II  had  its  last  fight. 

While  the  battery  lay  at  Savannah  the  term  of  eidistnient  expired 
;ind  all  but  eight  men  of  the  battery  re-enlisted.  The  eight  took  the 
steamer  General  Lyon  for  New  York,  but  never  reached  home,  the 
vessel  being  burned  at  sea  .March  81,  18(j.j.  All  on  board  perished, 
including  Charles  IJeckman  aud  John  Johanson  of  Chicago,  Peter  Olson 
Ilult  of  St.  Charles  and  Peter  Minison  of  Knoxville. 

About  the  time  of  re-enlistment,  battery  II  was  giv<'n  a  brief 
furlough.  Its  Swedish  members  then  went  home  to  Illinois  in  a  body 
.tuul  were  accorded  a  public  reception  in  C'hieago.  and  presented  with 
a  handsome  parade  Hag.  emblazoned  with  the  names  of  the  thi'ce  great 
victories — Shiloh,  ^'icksburg,  Atlanta. 


Silfversparre's    Civil    Career 

From  the  Bermudas  Silfversparre  betook  himself  to  New  York 
and  there  met  Col.  AV.  W.  Adams,  who  promised  to  make  him  his  assist- 
ant in  the  construction  of  the  Union  Pacific  railway  projected  by  Gen. 
Fremont  and  of  which  Adams  was  to  have  been  chief  engineer.  When 
the  project  failed,  owing  to  the  murder  of  Fremont's  chief  financial 
backer,  Adams  and  Silfversparre  collaborated  on  plans  for  a  saspension 
bridge  across  East  River,  which  plans  were  afterwards  used  by  the 
Avar  department  and  the  New  York  legislature  in  planning  the  Brook- 
lyn bridge. 

Toward  the  close  of  1864  Silfversparre  was  engaged  as  engineer  of 
the  Quiney  copper  mine  in  Jlichigan.  In  1865  he  became  assistant  city 
engineer  of  Chicago,  a  place  retained  for  several  years.  In  the  great 
fire  he  lost  his  home  and  everything  he  owned,  including  a  number  of 
instruments.  The  year  following  he  helped  to  draw  the  new  city  plans. 
He  was  nominated  on  the  police  lioard  that  year,  but  failed  of  election. 
and  also  suffered  defeat  as  a  candidate  for  county  surveyor  in  187(i. 
Having  left  tlie  city  engineer's  office,  he  was  engaged  in  jn-eparing  a 
■commercial  atlas  of  Illinois  in  1877  and  during  part  of  the  next  two 
years  worked  under  Gen.  ^McDowell,  who  superintended  the  constrm-- 
tion  of  the  federal  building  in  Chicago. 

Going  to  Colorado  in  1880,  Capt.  Silfversjiarre  drew  jilans  for  the 
city  of  Denver  that  year,  and  the  next  made  the  survey  for  tlie  Denver 
and  Rio  Grande  railway  over  the  Rockies  to  the  Utah  border.  A  map 
■of  the  state  of  Colorado,  with  a  supplement  covering  the  mining  dis- 
tricts, was  worked  out  by  him  in  1882  and  printed  in  Chicago  under 
liis  suiiervision  the  following  year.     A  map  of  the  city  of  Washinu'ton 


694 


Till-:    civil.    WAR 


was  in-xt  uiidertaki'ii.  Imt  the  work  ln-ing  interrui)ted,  lie  secured  a 
position  in  1886  as  draftsman  in  the  Department  of  Agriculture.  The 
next  year  the  map  of  the  cai)ital  city  was  completed  and  published. 

Owing  to  failing  strength,  ("apt.  Silfversi)arre  in  1888  sought  ad- 
iiiittaiKC  to  the  soldiers'  home  at  Hampton.  Xn..  where  the  veteran 
si)ent  eight  years,  being  subserineutly  transferred  to  the  home  at  Day- 
ton, O.,  where  he  was  chosen  commandant  in  1897.  Having  been  i)en- 
sioned,  he  made  a  trip  to  Sweden  in  1898.  After  his  return  he  was 
engaged  in  Chicago  on  a  large  wall  map  <if  Sweden,  drawn  according 
to  the  latest  maps  issued  by  the  Swedish  general  staff. 

Again  laying  down  the  draftsman's  pen,  he  entered  the  soldiers' 
home  at  Danville.  111.,  where  he  passed  away  March  2.  19()r>.  and  was 
buried  with  military  honors,  ('apt.  Axel  Silfversparre  was  married  in 
1866  to  Mary  Jane  Gunning  of  Chicago.  Their  union  was  dissolved  in 
1884.  Of  their  three  children,  Servais  Zacharias  Silfversparre.  a 
lawyer,  is  the  juililishi-!'  of  a  mining  .iournal.  "Ores  and  Metals,"  at 
Denver. 

Roster  of  Battery  H.  First  Illinois  Artillery 

Willi   till-  cxcci>li'>ii  itf  t-lif  "fliccrs.  only  Swcdisli  n.-iincs  arc  >rivfn 


.\.-inu-  aiui   Rank 


Date  of  rank  or 
cnlistinent 


Caf>lalllS 
.\\k\  Silfvtfrs])arre. 

Levi  \V.   Harl 

Francis  Dt-Cre.ss..  . 


Spniijifklil I  Dec.      25,  "61 

CliicaKi) Feb.      22,  '63 

C.GiranleauMo.'  Dec.      25,  '63 


Cliicajjo Fel).         i,'62    RtsijiiuMl  Ainil    14-   't>>- 

1   March    6,  "62    Di-ili.irKi.l  N-'V.    1.  '62. 


'Frie,    IVim . 


/•"/;■</  l.iiiilcnaiil.'!. 
r.ewis  li.  Mitchell, 
(ieorjjc  ("..   Knox.  . 

Rul)LTl  S.  dray 

Robert  S.  Gray  . . . 

Seamd   l.iculfnants^  i 

Francis  DeOrcss..  .  .  .C.Giranleau.Mo   Jan. 

Ivdward  .Vlanis jSprint-ficM  Feb. 

Lewis  I.arson Klloxville Jnne 

Henry  Meyers |C.  (^.irar.UauMo 

I'irsI  Sfigcant  I 

John   R.   Scnpbani      Cbii-ii^;o ;    Fel>. 

Sivi^cunls 
William   K.   Mi-niU.  Chicaj;.) 


Krninrks 


Resijineil   Feb.   22,  '63 

Discliar>;eil   Dec.  25,  '63 

Pro.  l>y  Pre.siilenl  Hrevet  Major, 
Mar.  13.   '65,  M.  O.  June  14,  '65 


Dec.      25,  '63 
June      12,  '65 


rr>inoteil  Senior   1st    I.ieuten't 
Mustered  out  Jnne    14.   "63 


I,  '62  |l'roniole<l    Captain 

1,  "62   jKilled  July    10,   '^3 

'3.  '6,S   Mustered  out  June   14.  '65 

M.  t).  June   14,   '65.  ns  Sergeant 


Jan. 


.S.  -62 


2S,   '62 


John   A.   Anderson,  .'  "  |  Jsn. 

U-wis  Larson Knoxville  Jan. 

llenrv  O.  Olson Chicago '  Feb. 

I'eler  ( )lson Rockford )  Jan. 

Daniel   F.  Steward. .  Chicago Feb, 


<>, 

■62 

27. 

•62 

12, 

•62 

'.^. 

•62 

30, 

'62 

Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 


I'rivate.  Drowned  at  sea  by 
buriiiu);  of  steamer  Geu'l 
l.yon,   Man-li    31,    '6.1 

Re-eniisteil  as  Veteran 


Discliarneil   Dec.  14,  "62,  as  pri- 
vate;  disjibilttv. 


STi,rvi:Rsr.\KRi;s  i'..\tti:rv 


695 


N:imc  niid  Rank 


KcsidciK'f 


1^ 


/'n:a/,s 
Abraliainson  Jt>h!i .  . 
AiuIersDii  Amlrew.  . 

AinkTsmi    Peter 

Aiiciersoii  John  A..  . 
Alstraiul  ("yustav. .  .  . 
Aiiiler.soii  Thomas.  . 
Aiulerson  Anders  E. 
Bnckland  John  J. . .  . 
Hecknian  Charles. .  . 


Charleson   X.   Peter. 
Charleson  Aaron  . .  . 

Erickson   Sveii 

Godee   Seth 

HuU.tireen   N  John 
Hult   I'eter  Olson.. . 


Dntc  of  rank  ar  I 
enlistment 


Rockford . 
Andover.  . 
Galesbur}; 
Moline. . . . 
.\ndover.  . 
Cheinnns;. 
Chicago  .  . 
Rockford  . 
Chicatro  .  . 


Rock  Island . 

Andover 

Knoxville..  . . 

Galena 

Andover 

St.   Charles.. 


Hagerstroni  John  C 

Hogberjs'  Olof 

Johannson  John  . . . . 


Chicago  . 


John.son   Johannes.  . 

Johann  .-Vugiist 

Johnson  John  A  .  .  .  . 
Johnson  Carl  Peter. 
Johnson  C.  Julius. . 
Johnson  August . .  . . 

Johnson    Axel 

Johnson  Andrew  J.. 

Larson  Peter 

I.arsou  Ch  W 

Lindman    Axel 

Landstroni  John. .  . . 
I.of.gren   Charles.... 

I.und.gren  S.  A 

Linilqui.st  C 

JInn,son  Peter 


Nelson    August.  .  . . 

Nelson  John 

Nero  Samuel  John . 
Ol.son  Ahrahatn... 
Oberg  Peter  .\lfred 

Olson   Gustaf 

Peters  John 

Peterson  Sven 

Swauson  S.  M .  .  .  . 
Swan.son  Nels  P. .  . 

Stark    Peter 

Winlof  N 

Wvniaii  Peter  S.  .  . 
Westerland  E  A. . . 


Chicago  .  . 
Rockford . 
Moline  . .  . 
Chicago  .  . 


Chicago  , 


Galesburg 
.\ndover.  . 
lloline  .  .  . 
Knoxville. 
Andover.  . 


Knoxville 


Rock   Island. 
Galesburg  .  . . 

Geneva 

.\ndover 

Rockf.jrd 

Chicago 

Rockford . . . . 

Chicago 

Andover 


Chicago  . 


Galesburg  . 
Andover.  . . 


Wahlborg  Louis . 


Rockford . 


I'e/eraiis 
Mustered  out  June  14-, 
1.S65,  except  as  noted. 
Anderson  John  A..  .  Chicago  . 


I"eb.      25,  '62 


Jan. 

i.S. 

•62 

Jan. 

2q. 

'62 

Jan. 

2.S, 

'62 

Jan. 

2.S, 

'62 

Feb. 

21, 

'62 

Ian. 

l.S. 

•62 

I'"eb. 

24. 

■62 

Feb. 

2S. 

'62 

Ian. 

2.S, 

•62 

Feb. 

26, 

•6s 

Marcl 

2, 

■62 

Jan. 

2,S, 

'62 

Feb. 

5. 

'62 

Feb. 

4. 

•62 

Feb. 

2.S, 

•62 

Feb. 

24. 

■62 

Feb. 

24. 

•62 

Feb. 

22, 

•62 

Jan. 

".1, 

■62 

Jan. 

.V, 

'62 

Jan. 

20, 

•62 

Jan. 

22, 

'62 

Jan. 

2^. 

'62 

Jan. 

26, 

•62 

Jan. 

27, 

•62 

Jan. 

3O1 

•62 

Feb. 

26, 

•62 

Feb. 

2S- 

■62 

Feb.       19,  '62 


Feb 


2.=i,  '62 


F'eb.  2,s,  '62 
March  4,  '62 
Jan.  27,  '62 
Jan.  15,  '62 
March  2,  '62 
F'el).  25,  '62 
Jan.  26,  '62 
Jan.        2,S,  '62 

JIarch  2,  '62 

Jan.  28,  '62 

Feb.  26,  '62 

Jan.  2S, '62 


Jan. 


Feb. 


15,  '62 


•64 


Dis.  Oct.   7,   "62;    disability 

Dis.  Se])t.  14,  '62;  disability... 
Died,  Pittsburg  I.dg.  May  9,  '62 
Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 

Died,  Jlemphis,  -Vug.  21,   '62.. 

Disch.  Oct.   24,    '62;  disability. 

Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 

Drowned  at  sea  by  burning  of 
the  steamer  General  I.yon, 
Alarch  31,   '65 

Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 

Died  at  Memphis,  Sept.  19,  "62. 

Deserted 

Disch.  Oct.  20,  '62;  disability. 
Drowned  at  sea  by  burning  of 

the  steamer  General   Lvou. 

.Alarch  31,  '65 ' 

Re  enlisted  as  Veteran 

Disch.  June  19,  '63;  disability. 
Drowneil  at  sea  by   burning  of 

the  steamer  General  Lyon, 

March    31,   '65 


Deserted 

Died  near  Corinth,  Jlay  1; 
Re-enlisted  as  Veteran  .  .  .  . 


'62 


Deserted 

Re-enlisted  as  \'eteran 

Died,  Vicksburg,  Nov.  :o,  '63. 

Drowneil  at  sea  by  burning  of 
the  steamer  General  Lyon, 
March  31,  '65 

Deserted 

Re-eulisteil  as  Veteran 


Died,  .\iidover.  111.,  Sept.  17, '63 
Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 

Died,  Memphis.  Nov.   19,  '62.. 

Re-enltsted  as  Veteran 

Died  at  Camp  Shertuan,  Miss., 

Sept.  4,  '63 

Re-enlisted  as  Veteran 


Disch.  Jan.  4,   '65;   disability. 


696 


THK    Civil.    WAR 


Niiinc  und  Rank 

Rcsidencr 

Diite  of  rank  nr 
cnliKtmfiil 

KcinnrkK 

/  'f/iiaiis 

Amlersoii  John  A.. . 

Chicago 

Peh.       27, 

■64 

M.  0.  Jnne   14,  '65,  as  Curpitral 

Alstraiiil   Giistaf 

•* 

liuckland  John  J.  . . 

" 

March     6. 

•64 

M.  0.  Jnne   14,  "65,  as  Corporal 

Itenson    Henk 

" 

*' 

., 

Charleson    Aaron... 

" 

Feb.      27. 

•64 

.. 

Charleson   N.   Peter. 

Rock    Lsland.  . . 

*• 

Died  in  the  field,  Oa.,Oct.4,  64 

HaKerslnini  John  C. 

Chicajjo 

Pel).      27. 

•64 

l)ie<I,  Cliattanix)>;a,  Nov.  15,  '64 

Johnson    C.  Jnlins. 

" 

*  * 

Johnson   .\u);ust .... 

*' 

Johnson    .\ndre\v   J. 

" 

Johnson    .\xel 

" 

Abst.  wounde<l,at  M.  O.  of  Hat. 

Larson  Peter 

" 

M.  0.  June   14.   '65.  asCoq>or'l 

I.arson   I.ouis 

Knoxville 

as  Serjeant 

as    Co.    y. 

M.  Serg't.    Com.  21I  Lieut., 

Larson  Charles  N.  . 

" 

bnt  not   nuistere<I 

I.indnuin    .\xel 

" 

I.of^ren  Charles. .  . . 

.\ndover 

J.emjircn  John  .\.  .  . 

Chicago 

Nero  Sanniel  J 

" 

March     6. 

■64 

Nelson  John 

•' 

Feb.      27. 

•64 

Olson    .\brahain 

" 

Olson   H.   Olof 

'■ 

I)i>ch.  March  24.  'by,  ilisaliilitv 

OherK   I'eter  Alfred. 

Rockfonl 

" 

Olson   Peter 

Chicaj;o 

Olson  (Instaf 

'■ 

March     6, 

■b4 

M.  0.  June  14,  'hs.  as  Serjjeant. 

Peters  John 

Feb.      27, 

•64 

Peterson  Sven 

" 

" 

Stark   Peter 

" 

March     6. 

■64 

Swan.son  Nels  P. .  . . 

" 

Feb.       27, 

•64 

Corp'l.     Dii-d  in  .\la.  June  7, "64 

Wahlhorj;  I.onis. .  . . 

" 

" 

M.  0.  June  14.  '62.  .IS  Serjjeant. 

Wvnian    Peter  S. .  .  . 

** 

Ser>;'t   Killed  in  lKiltIeJuly22.tJ4 

h'ccniils 

Anderson  John 

Chicajio 

March   ?o. 

•6s 

;\n<lerson  Ilenrv..  . . 

Rockford 

March     4, 

•62 

Deserted  .\i>ril  6,   "62 

Anderson  N  J 

Chicago 

March     2. 

•62 

Danielson    .Xnjjnst.  . 

" 

.Vpril      21. 

■64 

Codec  Seth 

" 

Anj,'.      M. 

'^'4 

.M.  0.  June   14,  "65.  as  Cor]K>ral 

Johnson  Sanniel .  .  . . 

•* 

March   ^i. 

•64 

Johnson   Sven  J 

Galeshnrj; 

IVb          1, 

•62 

Deserteil.    

I.indwall    .\njjust .  .  . 

Rockfonl 

March     s. 

•67 

•  • 

I.indwall   Lewis 

.•\ndover 

Geneva 

March     2, 
March     .|, 

•62 
•62 

>• 

Nelson    Peter 

"         April  6,  "52 

ChicaKo 

March  30, 
March     6, 
March   -^o. 

'6? 

Olson    Nils 

■62 

Okerson  William... 

" 

■64 

Peterson   John  <1.  . . 

" 

" 

Pearson  Olof 

Rockford 

Chico);o 

March     5, 
March   v, 

'62 
■64 

Descried           

Svenson    Sven 

Di.sch.  Oct.  20.  '61;  disability.. 

Swonl   Andrew 

" 

April     22, 

•64 

Absent,  sick,  at  M.  O.  of  Itail'y 

TruKArdh   Lewis 

(1 

Mnrcli  30, 

•64 

Mustereil  out  July  3,   '65 

Captain   Carl  Arosenius 

Carl  .Xrosi'iiius.  whose  antci'fdcnls  \\f  hiivi-  liccn  iiiial>li-  to  Iraci'. 
was  a  resident  of  (iali'slmrj;.  In  IS.'iil  lie  lieeaiiie  etJilor  of  "Kriliels- 
viinneii,"  a  Swedish  newspaper  id"  Maptist  tendencies,  and  appears  to 
lia\c  lietu   in  eliar^re  of  the  papei-  until   it   censed  puldieation  after  a 


AR()Si;.\n  s    i;kstrani) 


697 


year.  Aroseiiius  was  a  colli'ge  bred  iiian  fnun  Sweden  and  has  been 
credited  \vit]i  consideralile  a])ility  as  a  writer.  He  liad  laid  down  the 
pen  some  time  before  talking  up  the  sword  in  defeii.se  of  the  I'nion 
cause.  On  July  17,  18(51.  he  enlisted  and  was  mustered  in  as  corporal 
of  Co.  A.  in  a  regiment  reeruited  in  Missouri,  and  afterwards  credited 
to  Illinois  as  the  50th.  Arosenius  was  promoted  quartermaster  sergeant 
Dec.  1st  that  year,  serving  as  sucli  until  the  following  autunui,  when, 
on  Oct.  9th.  at  Bolivar.  Tenn.,  he  was  transferred  to  the  4.'?rd  regiment 
and  made  captain  of  Co.  C..  to  succeed  ('apt.  Edvall,  who  had  died  of 
wounds  received  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh.  At  the  end  of  his  three-year 
term,  he  re-enlisted,  as  did  almost  all  the  members  of  Co.  C.  and  re- 
mained in  command  of  the  company,  which  was  known  as  Co.  A.,  after 
consolidation  of  the  43rd  regiment,  until  mustered  out  on  Nov.  'MK  1865. 
His  war  record  is  a  part  of  the  history  of  the  company  he  so  gallantly 
led.  After  the  war  Capt.  Arosenius  is  known  to  have  joined  in 
establishing  the  Swedish  weekly  "Svenska  Amerikanaren  "  of  Chicago, 
in  1866.  and  he  is  said  to  have  aspired  to  the  editorial  position  with  that 
paper  which  was  tendered  to  Col.  Mattsou  of  Minnesota.  The  sub- 
sequent career  of  Arosenius  we  are  unable  to  trace  for  want  of  data. 
He  is  said  to  have  died  in  Chicago  not  many  years  after  the  close  nf 
the  war. 

Lieutenant  John   H.   E-Kstrand 

One  of  those  Swedish-American  veterans,  whose  names  deserve  to 
grace  the  roll  of  honor  for  gallant  service,  was  Lieutenant  John  H. 
Ekstraud.  He  was  born  Dec.  2-4,  1828,  in  Goteborg,  Sweden,  and  there 
obtained  a  college  education,  then  taught  public  school  until  he  enlisted 
in  the  Gota  Artillery,  where  he  was  promoted  sergeant.  He  went  to 
sea  in  1851.  was  for  a  time  in  England,  then  shipped  for  Egypt  and  had 
a  siege  of  severe  illness  at  Alexandria.  Returning  to  Liverpool,  he 
shipped  for  the  United  States  and  came  to  New  York  early  in  1854, 
At  Buffalo  he  met  Capt.  C.  M.  Lindgren  and  sailed  on  one  of  his 
schooners  that  summer.  After  two  years  of  errant  existence  he  came 
to  Chicago  in  1856.  Here  he  fell  bravely  to  studying  the  English 
language,  was  soon  married  to  a  widowed  lady,  Katarina  Johnson, 
whereupon  the  pair  settled  on  a  small  farm  at  Beaver,  111.  There  Ek- 
strand  served  as  school  teacher  for  two  years.  One  Christmas  morning 
he  heard  a  stirring  sermon  by  a  Methodist  preacher,  which  effected  his 
conversion.  In  his  spiritual  exaltation  he  began  preaching  the  same 
day  and  was  soon  duly  licensed  as  a  preacher  of  the  Swedish  Methodist 
Church.  On  Sept.  20th, '1861,  Ekstrand  enlisted  for  volunteer  service 
as  a  private  in  the  51st  111.  Vol.  Inf.  regiment.  At  the  muster-in  Dec. 
24.  1861,  he  was  made  sergeant  of  Co.  ('..  and  was  detailed  to  service 


698 


TIIH    Civil,    WAR 


as  orderly,  lie  wiis  with  tin-  regiment  in  tin-  thick  <«f  the  fight  at  Stone 
River,  ami  after  Ihi-  liattle  of  ilission  Ridge.  Nov.  24.  1863.  Ek.strand's 
gallantry  and  military  cajiafitx'  were  lironght  to  the  attention  of  his 
superiors.  rj)on  Sherman's  ri-i-ommendation.  (Jrant  i>romoted  him  to 
second  lieutenant  in  the  13th  regiment  of  the  regular  army.  In  the 
battle  of  Franklin.  Teini..  Nov.  3(1.  lS(i4.  he  received  an  ugly  wound  in 
the  leg,  necessitating  tiie  am]>utatioii  of  the  lindi  and  eompelling  iiis 
retirement  from  the  serviee.  He  resigned  after  having  bravely  served 
the  I'nioM  tor  three  \ears  and  three  months.     The  mutilated  veteran 


l.ii-utfii.iiil    |..lin    II     I'.ksl 


re-eiilered  the  service  of  the  church  militant  as  a  .Methodist  preacher, 
and  during  the  next  fitteen  years  served  tlu'  Swedish  idiiii'clics  in  he- 
laiiil,  \'ic|oria,  .\ndo\cT.  (ieneseo  and  Ueavcr.  In  l>7ll  he  was  retired. 
Iieiii^c  declared  superannuated  when  but  fifty-one  years  old. 

In  the  year  1S!I(I.  or  prior,  he  removed  to  Seattle.  Wash.,  where  he 
altaini'd  some  e()nsc(|ueiiee  as  a  politician.  Ueing  a  maimed  veteran,  he 
had  littli'  dilViculty  in  securing  fairly  lucrative  positions.  lie  was  alter- 
nately clerk  of  court,  under  .lutlgc  .Vshburn.  private  secretary  to  Mayor 


URIKI'     MENTION 


699 


I'liclps  aiiil  held  a  ixisitioii  in  the  couiity  (/h-rk  "s  office.  Kkstraiid 
passed  away  April  11.  1902.  leaviii<;  a  widow  tolei-alily  well  ])r(ivide(l 
for. 

Even  late  in  life  Ekstrand,  althonj;ii  an  invalid,  was  an  exception- 
ally agile  man,  and  still  bore  the  stamp  of  the  rough  and  read.v  fighter, 
with  no  traces  of  the  nieek  and  sanctimonious  divine.  His  gifts  as  a 
public  speaker,  which  vi^ere  not  small,  he  devoted  in  his  latter  years  to 
the  cause  of  polities.  He  entered  with  great  zest  into  the  American 
Protective  Association  movement  while  that  was  at  its  height.  He  was 
an  extreme  and  uncomj)roniising  Republican,  and  is  said  to  have  ex- 
pressed a  desire  to  forego  the  eternal  bliss  of  heaven,  should  a  single 
Democrat  be  admitted  to  that  sacred  realm. 

Officers   and   Men    of  Various  Regiments 

Adjutant  John  E.  Youngberg,  who  was  of  a  i)ioneer  Swedish 
family  of  Galesburg  and  Galva,  enlisted  in  Co.  H.,  57th  111.,  Oct.  2,  1861, 
and  was  mustered  into  the  service  on  Dec.  26th.  He  was  promoted 
sergeant-major  Dec.-  27,  1863,  and  mustered  as  such  Jan.  17,  1864.  On 
Dec.  30th  of  the  same  year  he  was  promoted  adjutant  and  served  in  that 
capacity  until  mustered  out  July  7,  1865. 

Capt.  Herman  Lund  enlisted  as  a  private  in  Co.  II,  16th  111.,  from 
St.  Joseph,  Mo.,  on  May  24,  1861 ;  was  promoted  second  lieutenant  June 
28th,  1862,  and  given  a  captain's  commission  Aug.  2nd  the  same  year. 
His  subsequent  promotion  to  major  of  the  regiment  did  not  go  into 
effect  because  he  was  not  mustered  in.  On  July  8,  1865,  he  was 
mustered  out  as  captain  of  Co.  H. 

Lieutenant  John  Lindroth  of  Co.  G.,  -ISrd  111.,  was  killed  in  the 
first  day's  battle  of  Shiloh,  April  6th.  1862.  He  enlisted  Sept.  1,  1861, 
and  was  made  2nd  lieutenant  at  the  organization  and  muster-in  of 
the  regiment  the  following  16th  day  of  December. 

Capt.  Axel  F.  Eckstrom,  who  commanded  Co.  G.  of  the  65th  111.  for 
two  .vears,  enlisted  as  a  resident  of  Cook  count.v.  He  held  the  rank  of 
1st  lieutenant  from  Nov.  1.  1862,  until  May  31st  the  following  year, 
when  he  succeeded  to  the  captainc.v  to  fill  a  vacancy  caused  b.v  resigna- 
tion.   He  was  mustered  out  April  25.  1865. 

Capt.  Jonas  F.  Lempke  began  earning  his  shoulder-straps  as  a 
private  in  Battery  B.,  First  111.  Artillery,  which  was  organized  in  April, 
1861,  and  mustered  in  July  16th.  With  this  battery,  which  began  its 
career  at  Belmont,  going  into  the  fight  with  six  guns  and  coming  out 
with  eight  after  demolishing  the  balance  of  the  enemy's  batterj\  and 
did  excellent  work  throughout  the  campaign.  Lempke  served  until 
Nov.  30,  1863.  when  he  was  discharged  as  corporal  for  promotioTi.  He 
afterwards  attained  the  rank  of  captain. 


yoo 


Tin-:  civil.  WAR 


Col.  Stccllianiniiir'.  iii<-iit  ioiu-d  in  .Mall^<ll^s  iiii-iiioirs.  appi-ais  to 
have  eiitt'i-t'd  tlie  service  in  Illiiioi.s.  tlioiijrii  In-  is  not  sliown  to  have 
attained  that  rank  in  the  rosters  of  tliis  ^^tate.  One  Charles  Stillliaiii- 
mer  of  JIel.,eau  county  enlisted  July  2"),  18(J],  as  a  private  in  Co.  K.  of 
the  Eifilit  111.  Inf..  and  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran.  He  was  promoted  2nd 
lieutenant  Nov.  2;").  1864.  or.  accordiiif?  to  another  statement.  1st  lieut- 
enant from  corporal.  The  ad.jutant-fjeneral's  rei)ort  of  Illinois  gives 
no  t'lirtliiT  record  of  promotion. 

Lieut.  Xels  Nelson  of  (Jaleshurn:  served  in  the  ranks  of  Co.  C.  of 
the  4:h'd  Til.  Inf.  until  at  the  expiration  of  tliree  years  the  regiment  wa.s 


Lieutenant  Nels  Nelson 


Con'or'''   I^eter  Larson 


eonsolidaled.  when  lie  was  ]>ronioted  to  the  rank  of  1st  lieutenant  of 
the  company,  now  Co.  A.,  dating  from  March  :i.  IStio.  lie  was  mustered 
out  of  the  service  Nov.  30,  18(55.  lie  was  for  many  years  a  merchant 
iuid  sul)s('(|ueMtly  managed  the  head  otTice  of  a  mutual  life  association. 
as  Idlil  elsewhere   in  a   biographical  sketch, 

l'i-i\ale  .lohii  .1,  iMiglicrg.  of  a  family  well-known  to  the  first 
general  iiiM  of  Swedi.sh  settlers  in  the  West,  enlisted  before  attaining 
militar\  age.  On  his  way  to  the  recruiting  otfice  he  chanced  to  cross 
Kinzie  street  bridge,  which  had  .just  lieen  dosi-d  by  the  tender,  Charles 

iiindhnhii.  an  ai'i|n;iintai Iroin   .Minnesota.     "Where  are  you  botuid 

for,  .John.''"  said  he.  "To  the  recruiting  olTice.  to  erdist."  Liudholm 
threw  down  the  liiining  bar  .saying:  "Wait  till  1  gel  my  coat,  and  1 
am  with  you."  lie  Inic  Ihal  night.  -Nov.  12.  18G:1,  the  two  were  mustered 
in  Co.  1).  Kighly  ninth  Illinois  Infantry,  popularly  called  "the  Ifailmad 
Hegimeiit"  bei-ansc  it  was  originally  made  up  of  railroail  men. 


iiRii;i-  mi:nti()X 


701 


After  (liilliiifT  two  niiiiitlis  nt  llic  inslnn-tioii  cjinii)  at  Spriiist'icld, 
EiiK''e'"S  ^vas  sent  to  his  refijiiiieiit.  tlicu  slatioiuMl  at  Cliattaiuiof^a, 
prei^aratory  to  taking  part  in  (Jciieral  Sheniian's  famous  ".March  to 
the  Sea."  Engberg  fought  in  Ihc  battles  of  Koeky  Face,  Resaea, 
Pickett's  trills,  Kenesaw  ^Mountain,  and  Peach  Tree  Creek.  The  latter 
engagement  took   place  July  20,   18(i4,  near  Atlanta. 

Having  become  slek.  he  was  sent  to  the  hospital  in  (Jliattanooga 
and  later  to  Xasiiville.  He  was  transferred  to  the  Fifty-iiintli  Illinois 
Infantry  and  shortly  after,  about  Dec.  1st,  was  transferred  to  Co.  A, 


Private  John   Kiijiberic 


^ 


Veteran  Reserve  Corps  at  Chicago,  where  he  guarded  Confederate 
prisoners  at  Camp  Douglas  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

Among  the  score  or  so  of  Swedes  in  the  55th  regiment  was  Oliver 
Erickson,  first  lieutenant  of  Co.  Vj,  who  died  a  hero's  death  liefore 
Atlanta  in  August.  lSf)4.  He  was  a  gallant  officer  who  had  won 
promotion  from  the  ranks,  having  entered  the  service  as  a  corporal 
in  Co.  A.  He  was  struck  by  three  or  more  bullets,  while  at  the  head 
of  his  company,  and  died  where  he  fell. 

Lieutenant  Jonas  Eckdall  enlisted  from  ^Macomb.  Ill,,  on  Dec.  1. 
1861.  and  was  nnistered  in  with  Pattcry  H.  Second  Light  .\rtillcry.  on 


702 


THK    WAR  WITir    SPAIN 


the  31st  of  the  same  month.  The  next  day  he  was  promoted  sergeant 
and  on  Aup.  '21.  18fi2.  became  senior  second  lieutenant.  He  attained  the 
rank  of  senior  first  lieutenant  in  the  hatft-ry  nii  May  "Jo,  1863.  and  was 
mustered  out  July  29,  1865. 


Swedes    in   the   Spanish-American    War 

When  in  more  recent  years  the  Spanish-American  War  stirred 
the  i)atriotic  sentiment  of  our  country,  the  SwedLsh-Americans  gave 
proini)t  response  to  the  call  to  arms.  In  the  ten  regiments  of  land 
troops  furnished  by  this  state  there  were  more  than  four  hundred  men 
of  Swedish  extraction.  Those  in  the  naval  reserves  of  Chicago  and 
^loline  Ill-ought  tlie  inuiiber  safely  beyond  five  hundred,  making  them 
iiImiuI  oiic-twcnticth  of  the  forces  mustered  into  service.  The  great 
battles  of  the  war  being  fought  at  sea.  deciding  the  outcome  of  the 
conflict  in  a  very  short  time,  the  volunteers  did  little  or  no  fighting. 
These  troops  consisted  largely  of  the  National  Guards,  whose  men. 
trained  and  discii)]iiie(l  as  they  were,  needed  but  an  opportunity  to 
make  tlie  same  distingnislied  record  as  the  defenders  of  tiie  Tnion 
lliii'ly-five  years  before. 

The  greatest  percentage  of  Swedes  was  fouud  in  the  fii-st  and 
second  regiments,  from  Chicago,  in  the  third,  where  they  were  numer- 
ous in  the  Rockford  companies.  IT  and  K.  and  others,  and  in  the  sixth, 
where  the  Swedes  of  Galesliurg  figured  iirominently  in  Companies  C 
and  D.  and  those  of  ^[ojine  in  Co.  F.  A  (-anvass  of  the  names  gives 
the  following  result  : 

KiKl.  No.    S\vi-<li-s       Kiyt.  N".   Swcilcs 

1  InfaiUry 53      7   liifantrv  i» 

2  "      ' 78      S         ••         12 

3  "             ••■ <"4  9         "         

4  "         i  . ...  6  I  Cavalry >7 

5  "         22  1  .Vrlilk-ry ,   Hatlery  .\.                                m 

6  ••         95 

Total l-'S 

While  war  was  imminent  and  before  the  actual  outbreak.  Carl  A. 
\V.  iiiljensfolpe  of  Chicago  |iliiniied  to  organize  an  entire  regiment  of 
Swedish-Americans.  Aided  hy  Ax<l  af  Jocknick.  another  Swedish 
Chieagoan,  he  set  about  recruiting  and  on  May  1,  1S!)S,  within  ten  days 
after  war  was  deelared,  he  was  reported  lo  have  fiuu'  iiundred  men 
enrolled.  The  recruiting  conlinned  \'uv  a  ninnber  of  weeks,  and  in 
.liilv   the  riLMinetil.  wliieli   was  niiiiied  '■The   l!lne  and  tiray   licgion," 


Till-;    WAR    WITH    STAIN 


703 


had  its  officers  apiiointod.  includiiij!:  Ijil.jcnstolpc  as  lieutenant  enlonel 
and  Joeknick  and  M.  Tlieodore  Mattson  as  majors  of  l)attalions,  'J'lie 
son  of  a  major  in  llic  Swedish  army.  Lilji'iisloliif  iMilrrcd  tin-  Karlhcr^ 


Brevet  Lieutenaiil-Colont-I  Carl   A.   W.  IJljenslolpe 


military  academy  at  the  age  of  thirteen  :  became  instruetor  in  yym- 
nasties  and  fencing:  was  graduated  at  twenty-t\\o.  as  lieutenant:  was 
offered  a  place  as  instructor  in  gymnastics  in  tlie  Kussian  army,  wliieli 
he  declined;  served  as  lieutenant  in  the  Kalmar  regiment  until  1SS2, 
when  he  resigned  to  devote  hiniself  to  the  rare  of  liis  estate,  (ktralio. 


704 


TMK    WAR    WITH    Sl'AIN 


in  Siii;il;inil.  iiml  in  18!)4  i-aiiic  to  tliis  country  (•n>;ii>;iii^  in  tin-  prai-tice 
(if  nu'diral  fryninastics  and  nia.ssa«r<'.  a  vm-alion  In-  still  inirsufs. 

liy  sliDi-t. sharp  and  decisive  action, the  American  navy  jmt  a  sudden 
end  to  the  war,  and  the  Swedish-American  regiment  of  Illinois  was 
one  of  many  volunteer  orpanizations  who  never  were  called  into 
service.  It  appears,  therefore,  that  no  less  than  I.'KIO  Swedes  had 
enlisted  in  this  state,  up  to  the  time  of  the  naval  enuragement  at 
Santiago,  which  deprived  two-thirds  of  them  of  the  privilege  of  taking 
the  field.  But  in  the  fact  that  among  tho.se  who  actually  entered 
military  service  in  Illinois  in  the  year  18!)8  one  out  of  every  twenty 
men  was  a  Swede,  while  that  nationality  constituted  little  more  than 
one-twentieth  of  the  slate  population,  the  former  record  of  the  Swedish- 
Americans  for  loyaltx'  and  patriotism  seems,  neverthele.ss.  well  sus- 
tained. 


s 


CHAPTER    XII 

Music  and  Musicians 

Music   in   the    Early    Days 

"WEDISH  son^  on  Am(>ricaii  soil  dates  from  the  arrival  of 
the  iirst  Swedish  immigrants  who  upon  landing  raised 
tlieir  voices  in  praise  and  thanksgiving  to  God  for  safe 
guidance  across  perihius  seas.  Strangers  in  a  foreign 
land,  they  found  their  first  comfort  and  cheer  in  the 
sacred  hymns  dear  to  them  from  childhood.  Also  for  some  length  of 
time  after  settlement,  their  musical  utterances  were  chiefly  of  a 
devotional  character.  But  there  were  occasions  even  in  hard  pioneer 
times  when  the  joy  of  life  or  recollections  of  the  home  land  prompted 
the  singing  of  merry  folksongs  or  patriotic  airs.  The  first  harvest 
festival  at  Bishop  Hill  in  18-47  and  the  visit  of  Fredrika  Bremer  to 
Pine  Lake  in  1850  are  instances  in  point.  We  have  noted  that  L.  P. 
Esb,j6rn,  the  pioneer  preacher,  who  had  a  musical  education,  early 
began  drilling  his  congregations  so  as  to  improve  their  singing,  which, 
even  at  its  best,  was  not  of  a  high  order.  Another  musical  pioneer  was 
Jonas  Engberg.  who  in  1855  formed  and  conducted  a  small  Swedish 
choir  in  Galesburg,  probably  the  first  of  its  kind  in  this  state,  and 
during  the  winter  of  IS.'ifi-T  led  the  singing  and  conducted  choral 
practice  in  the  church  at  Vasa,  Minn.  About  that  time  the  first  musical 
instruments  were  introduced  in  the  Swedish  churches.  A  primitive 
affair  with  one  string,  known  as  a  psalmodikon  or  monochord, 
played  with  a  bow,  was  used  in  1853  in  the  Immanuel  Church  of  Chi- 
cago. This  was  .superseded  in  1856  by  a  melodeon.  An  instrument  of 
the  latter  kind  was  procured  for  the  Moline  Lutheran  church  in  1858. 
The  Vasa.  Minn.,  church  bought  a  psalmodikon  in  1859,  the  same  being 
replaced  the  following  year  by  a  melodeon.  Among  the  people  at  large, 
there  were  musical  amateurs  who  loved  the  characteristic  folksongs, 
ballads  and  romances  of  Sweden  and  sang  them  in  their  immediate 
circles,  and  proltably  some  self-taught  fiddler  might  be  found  to  time 


7o6 


MISIC    AND    MISICIANS 


till'  i)ld-c(iiiiitry  (iaiicc  at  lu'l^hhorhocid  patherings.  Most  of  the  new- 
comers, however,  were  sternly  relifrious  folk,  who  tlisapproved  of 
pleasures  of  a  worldly  sort,  and  in  eonse<iuenee  secular  music  among 
Swedish-Americans  is.  on  the  whole,  of  a  much  later  date.  At  the 
present  day,  when  no  Swedish  home  is  considered  well  equipped  with- 
out some  musical  instrument,  and  music  is  the  art  cultivated  by 
Swedish-Americans  with  predilection,  in  all  branches  and  to  every 
degree  of  perfection,  it  is  interesting  to  recall  that  it  was  from  the 
very  first  a  cultui-al  factor  among  these  [)eople. 

TKe    Immanviel   Church   Ch\oir 

With  the  exception  of  the  clinir  named  Svenska  SSngfilreningen. 
which  existed  in  August  and  September,  1855,  in  Galesl)urg.  during  the 
short  sojourn  of  Jonas  Engberg  in  that  place,  the  Innnanuel  Church 
Choir  of  Chicago  ha.s  the  distinction  of  having  been  the  first  Swedish 
church  choir  in  Illinois.  It  was  formed  at  the  instance  of  Jonas  Eng- 
berg. who  was  oi-ganist  lS():i-t)7.  The  choir  was  the  fii-st  Swedish- 
American  chorus  to  sing  a  cantata.  The  work  chosen,  George  F.  Root's 
"Quppn  Esther."  was  sung  at  the  opening  of  Augustana  Cnllege  at 
Paxton  in  the  fall  of  1863.  The  performei*s  were  Jonas  Engberg.  Emma 
Peterson,  Anna  Carlsson,  Tilda  Swedman.  Hannah  Carlson,  John  J.  i 

Engl)erg,  L.  E.  Lindberg,  and  P.  liindherg.    "Queen  Esther"  was  later  I 

repeated  at  Chicago.     Trijjs  were  made  to  tlie  clnirch  conventions  at  j 

Geneseo  and  Moline.     Jonas  Engberg  was  so  interested  in  his  choir  | 

that  he  provided  it  with  music  at  his  own  ex|)ense.    Among  later  choir  j 

leaders  were  Lars  E.   Lindberg.  18(17.  Joseph  Osborn.  18G!).  K.  Sand-  i 

(luist.  1870-74,  J.  V.  Hinsr.  1874-711.     In  1SS3  the  cliuir  was  reorganized  i 

by  ]Mrs.  Emmy  P^vald.  who  drilled  the  augmented  choir  of  about  one 
hundred  voices  for  a  .jubilee  concert.  This  choir,  together  with  the 
choirs  of  Salem  Cliurch  and  Gethsemane  Church  .sang  some  Messiah 
choruses  and  several  of  Wennerberg's  "Psalms  of  Daviil"  at  the  Luther 
Jubilee  concert,  Nov.  10,  1883.  at  Central  Jlusic  Hall.  Joseph  t)sluirn 
was  the  director  and  the  accompaniments  were  played  l)y  the  Augustana 
Orchestra  with  Clarence  Eddy  at  the  organ.  The  choruses  siuig  were 
"And  the  glory  of  the  Lord."  "Hehold  the  Lamb  of  God."  "Psalm 
XXIV,"  "Psalm  LXXXIV,"  "  Psalm  XCVl.'  ••  I'salm  CXXXVH"  and 
"Psalm  CL."  Mr.  Osborn  and  the  orchestra  hatl  just  a.ssisted  in  similar 
celebrations  Nov.  7th  and  Sth  at  .Vugustana  College.  C.  Levinsen  and 
Mrs.  Ella  Carlson  were  liic  soloists.  The  latter  was  one  of  the  few 
excellent  Swedish  sopranos  of  that  time.  In  188!)-5)0  she  wn.s  soj>rano 
soloist  of  the  Immanuel  Cimrch  Choir.  Slie  is  now  soprano  soloist  of 
the  liavenswiiod  .M.  E.  Church  Choir. 

Victor   J.    Tengwald    served    as    director    from    188t>-88    and    was 


I 


n 


r. 

o 


7o8 


MISIC    AND    MISICIAVS 


followed  by  John  L.  Swensoii.  1888-90.     It  was  in  1889  that  the  choir  ' 

sang  Gaul's  "The  Holy  City."    The  choir  was  brought  to  a  high  state  ' 

of  efficiency  under  Swenson's  term  and  tliat  of  his  successor,  Sanmel 
E.  Carlssou,  1891-98.     The  latter  had  been  trained  under  Dr.  Stolpe,  I 

was  highly  musical,  and  prepared  many  artistic  programs  from  time  ; 

to  time.    On  Nov.  14,  1894,  the  choral  numl)ers  were  Farmer's  "Gloria  ' 

in  Exeelsis."  Rossini's  "Inflammatus"  and  Gounod's  "Unfold,  ye  Por- 
tals." The  choir  sang  on  Jan.  22.  \Sm.  Woodward's  "The  Ka.liant  , 
Mom  Hath  Passed  Away,"  and  Gounod's  "By  Pahylon's  Wave."  with  ; 
splendid  effect,  ilr.  Carl.sson  organized  during  his  incumbency  an  I 
orchestra  of  twelve  memlxTs  whicli  played  both  sacred  and  secular  1 
music.    It  existed  about  a  year.                                                                                                     1 

During  the  fir.st  eight  nuinths  of  1897  .Afartiii  J.  Eugberg  acted  as  i 

director.    The  choir  sang  Gaul's  "Ruth"  on  April  21.  1897.    In  the  fall  i 

of  1898  William  Dahleu  became  ilirector.  serving  until  1907.     During 
this  period  several  cantatas  have  been  sung.  viz..  Stainer's  "Daughter  , 

of  Jairus,"  Xov.  19,  1902,  an  abridged  version  of  Gaul's  "The  Holy  j 

City."  Nov.  3.  190:5.  Gaul's  "The  Ten  Virgins."  April  23.  1904,  besides 
two  revivals  of  Gaul's  "Ruth." 

Alfred  Holmes,  the  organist,  succeeded  Dahlen  in  January.  1907. 
Some  months  later  he  directed  a  third  revival  of  Gaul's  "Ruth."  with 
accomi)animents  by  an  orchestra.  On  June  3,  1908,  he  directed  Haydn's 
"Creation,"  abridged,  with  orchestral  accompaniment,  ilrs.  Christine 
Engstrom  has  been  soprano  soloist  of  the  choir  since  1890. 

The  annals  of  this  organization  have  been  given  at  some  length 
because  it  is  a  tyi)ical  Swedish-American  church  choir.  Besides  per- 
forming its  chief  f\mction.  viz..  assistiiisr  in  the  congregational  sing- 
ing, it  has  generally  prepared  from  one  to  tliree  anthems  for  each 
Sunday,  besides  rehearsing  special  choruses  and  cantatas  for  numerous 
concerts  during  its  long  career. 

Edward   A.  Wimmerstedt 

The  first  professional  iiiusiciaM  ■•iinoiig  the  Swedish  Illinoisans  was. 
without  doubt.  Edward  Anders  Wininierstedt.  who  was  born  at  Skiir- 
stad,    near   Jiiiikiiping.    Sweden,    Jan.    IS.    183S.      His    father,    Anders 

Willicliii   Wii iTslcdl.  was  .'III  (ii-giiiiist   and  imisical  director,  having 

attained  lioth  jmsitions  liy  examination.     He  was  a  prolific  composer. 

The  son  emigrated  in  1S(>.'{  ;iinl  settled  in  Chicago,  where  he  was  a 
]iiaiiii  teacher  for  three  years.  In  IStlii  lie  iiinxed  tn  Jacksonville,  111., 
where  he  became  the  (iirector  of  the  niusicd  dcparliiiciit  of  Illinois 
Female  Colletre.  He  also  imjiarted  instruction  in  thi'  Illinois  School 
liir  the  jiliiiij  ill  llie  same  city.  .Mr.  Winiiiu'rslcdt  married  a  fellow 
leaelier   ill   llie  college,   .M:iiiiiii    I'liilliiis.  a  siipraiio  and   pianist.     They 


OLIVER    LARSON 


709 


gave  many  recitals  duriiiji;  tlicir  career  at  llic  collej^e.  K.  A.  Wiiiimer- 
stetlt  coiiipostHl  many  soii^s  and  piano  ])icccs  wliich  were  popular  in 
the  sixties  and  seventies.  On  one  of  his  pro<;i-amnies.  dated  Nov.  15, 
1878,  are  to  lie  I'ouiul  the  titles  "Shadows."  a  son-,'.  ".Mirtli  and  I'rank," 
a  rondo  and  "Polacea  Sentinipntale."  Op.  156.  lie  is  said  to  have 
become  wealthy  through  his  musical  talents. 

Wimmerstedt  became  consumptive  and  went  to  Xapa.  Cal.,  in  iSTi) 
or  188(1,  where  he  lionght  a  fruit  farm  which  he  cultivated  sui'ccssful! v. 


Edward  A.  \\'iimiierstedt 

In  the  fall  of  1883  a  frost  was  threatened,  whereupon  he  climbed  to  the 
top  of  a  tree  to  cover  it  with  a  sheet  and  thus  protect  it  from  damage. 
The  limb  broke  and  Winnnerstedt  fell  to  the  ground  and  was  hurt 
internally.  He  was  taken  to  Oakland,  where  lie  lingered  some  time. 
He  died  on  Oct.  28,  1883,  leaving  a  widow,  who  still  survives. 


Oliver   Larson 

Oliver  Larson  M'as  born  in  1851  at  Ahus.  Skane.  Sweden.  He 
emigrated  in  1863  with  his  parents  who  settled  in  Chicago.  The  father 
purchased  a  melodeon   and   Oliver  attained  with  its  aid  quite  a  pro- 


7IO 


MrSIC    AND    MISICIANS 


ficiency  in  playing.  His  voice  developed  into  a  rich  seeond  bass.  In 
1869  he  became  identified  witli  an  organization  known  a.s  the  Scandi- 
navian National  Quartette,  composed  besides  himself  of  two  Swedes, 
John  L.  Swenson,  C.  J.  Blomquist,  and  three  Norwegians.  Evert,  Jacob- 
sen  and  Olsen.  They  made  a  tour  of  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota,  always 
appearing  in  provincial  costumes.  After  returning  they  became  the 
nucleas  of  tlie  Freja  Society. 

Mr.  Larson  was  a  typographer  and  had  worked  in  the  "Ilem- 
landct"  and  "Svenska  Amerikanaren"  offices.     Leaving  in   1873  for 


Oliver  Larson 

Minneapolis,  he  workctl  tlicre  at  his  trade  and  married  in  tiiat  city. 

Mr.  Larson  became  active  in  the  musical  life  of  the  twin  cities, 
singing  solos  and  leadinsr  (|uartettes  and  male  choruses.  For  several 
years  he  was  organist  of  the  Augustana  Sw.  Luth.  Church  and  besides 
gave  instruction  in  vocal  and  instnnncntal  music.  He  wa.s  drowned 
June  18,  1882,  in  tlic  Mississip]ii  river  and  left  a  widow  and  a  daughter. 
Mr.  Ijiirson  was  ;i  limtlicr  of  Kiiiil  hai-son.  the  well-known  musician. 


Joseph    El.   Osborn 

(>nc  III'  I  III'  |iiiiiiriT  S\vr(lisli-.\iiicrii-an  tniisii-ians  is  Jos.  K.  Osborn, 
son  of  the  patriarch,  Lai's  1*.  Hsbjiirn.  l>nrint:  a  portion  of  the  year 
18(J!(  he  was  organist  and  choir  leader  of  liie  Iniiiianuel  Church  in 
Chicago.  In  ls7.")ti  he  was  organist  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  ehurch  in 
Uoston.  The  nc.xl  year  lie  moved  to  .Kndovcr,  111.,  wliere  he  served 
us  school  leacher  and  organist  initil  1SS;1.  It  was  at  Audover  in  the 
summer  of  ISSd  that   the  idea  of  the  .Vugustaiia  Oratorio  Society  was 


ANNA  I'.  MAGNISSON  JEW'ETT  711 

first  broached.  Joseph  Osborii  beeaiiie  leader  of  tlie  societj'  and  coa- 
dueted  the  "Messiah  concerts"  at  various  places  during  the  next  few 
years.  From  the  proceeds  of  lialf  a  dozen  concerts  conducted  under  his 
direction  at  Lindsborg  the  first  building  of  Bethany  College  was 
erected.  Mr.  Osborn  has  two  daughters  who  have  had  musical  careers. 
Constance  Osborii  lias  been  well-known  as  a  i)ianiste  in  Minnesota. 
Esther  Osborn  has  not  only  ajjpeared  as  a  vocalist  in  this  country  but 
has  prosecuted  further  studies  at  the  Koyal  Conservatory  of  Music  in 
Stockholm  and  has  made  a  successFul  delnit  in  the  Royal  ()pei-a  in 
that  city. 

Anna  FrederiKa  Magnusson  Je-wett 

It  was  in  1855  that  Lewis  J.  ^Magnusson  came  to  Chicago  with  his 
family.  He  was  a  merchant,  an  early  memlier  of  the  Svea  Societj',  and 
was  a  cousin  of  Consul  von  Schneidau's  wife.  He  had  once  lived  in 
New  York,  where  he  met  Sarah  Corning,  a  young  lady  of  Huguenot 
and  New  England  ancestry,  who  was  becoming  known  in  literary 
circles  through  her  sketches,  essays  and  verses.  They  were  mutually 
attracted  and  were  nuirried.  IMoving  to  Stockholm,  his  birthplace,  Mr. 
Magnusson  embarked  in  business  and  prospered.  Mm.  Magnusson 
became  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  Swedish  language  and  trans- 
lated many  Swedish  poems  into  English.  The  young  couple  mingled 
in  the  literary  and  musical  circles  of  the  day.  Among  the  family 
friends  were  Crusenstolpe,  Fredrika  Bremer,  Jenny  Liud,  and  Ole  Bull. 
Three  children  were  born  to  the  parents:  Howard  C.  Magnusson,  who 
became  the  founder  of  Northwestern  College  of  Dental  Surgery,  Anna 
Frederika  and  Rosalie. 

Anna  Frederika  began  the  study  of  the  piano  at  the  age  of  seven. 
The  talented  girl  made  rapid  progress,  for  when  only  thirteen  years 
old  she  played  Avith  orchestral  accompaniment  at  the  Saturday  after- 
noon concerts  instituted  by  Arne.  an  early  Chicago  musician.  The  next 
year  she  became  organist  of  the  St.  Ansgarius  Church,  and  subsequently 
had  a  similar  position  in  Ascension  Church.  Having  found  that  she 
had  an  unusually  good  voice.  Anna  went  to  New  York,  where  she 
studied  under  the  direction  of  Barille,  the  brother  and  teacher  of  the 
famous  Patti.  In  1860  she  went  to  Hamburg  to  study  with  ;\Ime. 
Cornet.  It  is  said  that  she  was  the  first  Chicago  girl  to  go  abroad  to 
seek  instriiction  in  music.  She  soon  met  Jenny  Lind.  who  advised  her 
to  become  a  i)upil  of  Lamperti  at  ]Milan.  Anna  went  there  and  studied 
operatic  singing  with  the  famous  Italian  vocal  teacher.  She  also 
studied  dramatic  art  with  Fiorvanti  and  the  playing  of  accompaniments 
with  Alberti,  remaining  three  years  in  Italy. 

Returninu-  in  18H4  to  Chicago.  iliss'iMagnusson  sang  at  the  Chicago 


712 


MI  SIC    AND    MISICIANS 


Philharmonic  Society's  eoneert  in  Hryan  Hall  and  was  enthusiastically 
welcomed.  She  also  sang  to  the  Swedish  people  at  the  St.  Ansparius 
and  Immaiuiel  churches.  Engaged  as  iirima  donna  by  Strakosch  for  a 
season  of  grand  opera,  she  was  having  great  success  when  she  was 
stricken  with  typhoid  fever.    Several  recurrences  of  the  illness  induced 


Anna   l-'rcilerika   Mamiussoii  Jewett 


liir  iicnuMiiriil  ly  to  ;ili;iiiil(in  I  he  ii|)fr;it  ic  stage.  Miss  Magnu.sson 
opcin'il  a  studio  in  Ci'oslty  ()|)<-rii  House  and  enlcrctl  upon  a  successful 
career  as  vocal  teacher.  Among  the  many  pupils  traim-d  iiy  her  was 
Marie  Engcl.  a  gr;iri<l  upera  singer.  She  marrifd  Frederick  .Icwctt  ami 
llicreafler  was  known  as  .Mrs.  .Magruisson  .Icwett.  While  in  KiU'ope  she 
had  liccii  corri'spotidcnt  for  tic  "Kvcning  •lournal."  She  was  a  facile 
writer  iiiid  pii'piiii'd  many  artidi's  fur  the  iimsical  journals.  No  less 
than  si.\  languages  were  familiar  to  her. 

.Mrs.  .Magnusson  Jewett   was  seized  with  a  stroke  of  apoplexy  ami 
dird  on  May  8,  18i)-l. 


ROSALIE    MAGNrSSON    LANCASTHR 


Rosalie  Magnusson  Lancaster 


713 


The  younger  daiifilitcr,  Kosalic,  was  l)i)rii  in  Stot-klioliii  and  came 
to  Chicago  at  a  tender  age.  When  she  was  six  years  old  her  parents 
took  her  to  hear  Ole  Hull,  the  violinist.  After  they  had  returned  home, 
the  child  asked  her  father  to  open  the  piano.  Seating  herself,  she 
a.stonished  her  parents  b\'  pla\inir  through  one  of  the  Norwegian 
violinist's  selections,  "The  Carnival  of  Venice."  "While  still  a  young 
girl,  she  became  a  puj)il  of  Louis  Slaali,  a  Cliicago  pianist,  and  cdnlinucd 
with  him  several  years.    After  a  period  of  study  in  New  York  siic  went 


Rosalie  Matrmisson  Lancaster 


to  Berlin  in  1871,  where  she  was  a  student  under  the  ablest  masters. 
In  Vienna  she  enjoyed  the  advantage  of  studying  under  the  personal 
direction  of  Anton  Eixbinstein,  who  took  a  kind  interest  in  her. 

After  three  years  of  intense  application.  Miss  Magnusson  returned 
to  this  country.  She  was  married  to  Alvin  ^l.  Lancaster  and  moved  to 
southern  California,  where  she  achieved  a  reputation  as  a  concert 
pianiste.  She  was  generally  regarded  as  the  most  successful  jiiano 
teacher  on  the  Pacific  Coast,  having  trained  a  number  of  concert 
pianists  and  piano  teachers.  The  Lancaster  ]\Iusical  Club,  a  southern 
California  society,  was  named  in  her  honor. 

]Mrs.  Lancaster  has  recently  returned  to  Chicago,  where  she.  besides 
giving  occasional  recitals,  imparts  instruction  on  her  chosen  instrument. 
She  is  a  fine  linguist  and  is  a  writer  of  ability  on  mtisieal  subjects.  Mrs. 
Lancaster's  daughter  Rosalie  is  also  a  professional  pianiste. 


714 


MISIC    AND   MISICIANS 


The    Freja    Society 

A  singing  society  naiiR-d  Fr.'ja  wa.s  organ izcd  in  the  fall  of  1869 
by  Swedes  and  Norwegians  in  Chicago.  The  initiative  was  taken  by 
John  L.  Swenson,  together  with  a  little  company  of  Chicago  singers 
upon  their  return  from  a  concert  tour  in  the  Northwest.  The  funda- 
mental idea  was  to  imite  the  Scandinavian  singers  of  Chicago  into  a 
common,  powerful  organization.     Its  first  director  was  Mr.  Swenson. 


John  I,.  Swtiison 

who  led  the  choral  society  for  ten  years.    A  biographical  sketch  of  him 
appears  elsewhere  in  this  work. 

The  chorus  numbered  si.xty  singers  on  an  average.  ^lauy  excellent 
concerts  were  given,  attracting  audiences  numbering  ivs  high  as  one 
thousand  persons.  The  bulk  of  the  membership  in  Freja  was  Swedish. 
A  sick  and  death  benefit  was  an  added  feature  of  the  societj',  but  the 
principal  beneficiaries  turned  out  to  be  "Bikiipan"  and  Skow- Peterson, 
Isberg  &  Co.'s  bank,  two  Swedish  financial  institutions,  upon  whose 
failure  Freja  lost  respectively  $500  and  $200  of  its  funds.  Among  the 
early  in-csidcnts  of  the  orgiiiiization  wci'e  ('.  Hrydi".  (!.  Nvciuisl.  Ib'iu-y 
L.  Hertz  and  Charles  Fcrm. 


SvensKa    S6ngf5reningen 

A  society  known  by  the  iianii'  of  Svcnska  Siingforcningen  was 
formed  in  .lanuary,  1875,  by  .MfnMJ  iiagergrcn.  l*c'i*sons  of  both  sexes 
were  eligible  to  membership  and  tlicrc  were  no  ])articnlar  riMiuircmenls. 
tlie  organization  being  more  of  a  singing  school  than  a  boiiy  of  trained 
singers.     .Mmost  at  the  outset  the  mcniliership  was  aliout  one  innidred. 


THK    S\Vi;i)ISII   I.ADV    nrARTICTTE 


715 


The  results  obtained  were  commendable.  AiiMuiir  tlie  soloists  who 
ap])eared  were  Eniiiia  Larson  (Mrs.  II.  K.  ('.  I'ctcrson),  sojiraiio, 
Christine  Britten  (Mrs.  EiiLrstroni),  soprano,  and  Kninia  Hlanxius  (.Mrs. 
Hodge),  alto.  Tliis  clidinis  w:is  (■iin1inuc<l  iinlil  1S7II,  when  it  was 
dissolved,  the  bni-den  of  holdini;'  tlic  iirijanizat ion  together  having 
grown  too  heavy  for  tlie  shduidcrs  of  tlie  ilireetor. 

Alfred  Lagergren  was  bofii  in  l\i-i.stianstad,  Sweden,  May  29,  1840. 
After  having  had  employment  in  ;\hihnii  and  Gciteborg,  he  emigi'ated 
in  186!)  and  became  identified  with  the  White  Star  Line  steamship 
ticket  office  in  New  York.  In  L^Tl  he  established  a  branch  oifiee  in 
Chicago  and  continued  in  the  same  business  during  the  rest  of  his 
career  in  that  city.  Mr.  Lagergren  was  active  in  musical  circles  in 
both  New  York  and  Chicago  and  did  all  that  he  could  to  keep  alive 
the  interest  in  Sven.ska  Sangforeningen.  He  returned  to  Sweden  in 
1883  and  has  since  lived  near  Goteborg.  where  he  conducts  a  chicken 
farm. 

D'Ailly   and   O'wen 

About  1876  there  was  in  Chicago  a  tall,  good  looking  yovuig  man 
by  the  name  of  D'Ailly.  His  grandfather  had  fled  from  France  during 
the  French  revolution  and  settled  in  Stockholm  so  that  the  family 
became  Swedish.  D'Ailly  had  a  sonorous  bass-baritone  voice  and  sang 
at  concerts  in  Swedish  and  American  circles.  Gran,  the  impresario, 
was  so  struck  with  the  quality  of  his  voice  that  he  paid  D'Ailh'  one 
hundred  dollars  a  month  to  aid  him  in  preparing  himself  for  the  grand 
opera.  D'Ailly  did  not  appreciate  his  opportunity,  and  after  a  few 
mouths  Grau's  interest  in  him  ceased. 

One  of  the  early  Swedish  musicians  of  Chicago  was  Ben.jamin 
Owen,  (Oven),  who  M-as  organist  of  Plymouth  Church  about  1878.  He 
retained  this  position  for  several  years  and  was  considered  one  of  the 
leading  organists  of  the  city.  Owen  was  a  good  musician,  theorist  and 
composer.  Some  of  his  anthems,  as  the  "Ave  Maria."  are  still  sung. 
He  moved  to  Wisconsin  and  died  there  in  the  eai-l.y  eighties. 

The    Swedish   Lady    Quartette 

The  woman's  quartette  wliich  first  toured  this  country,  calling 
themselves  the  Swedish  Lady  (Quartette,  was  organized  at  Stockholm, 
in  1873,  by  August  Jalnike.  They  then  styled  themselves  "Den  nya 
svenska  damkvartetteu."'  T'nder  Jahnke's  management  they  toured 
Sweden,  Norway,  Denmark,  Germany  and  Holland,  retuniing  to  Stock- 
holm. Continuing  their  studies  for  a  year,  they  were  graduated  from 
the  Eoyal  Conservatory  of  ^Music.  The  two  first  sopranos  now  left  and 
a  single  soprano  was  chosen  in  tlicir  stead.     The  members  now  were 


7i6 


MISIC    AND    MISICIANS 


Amanda  Carlson,  soiirano.  Ingeborg  Lofgren.  mezzo-soprano.  Inga  Ek- 
strom,  alto,  and  Bertha  Erixoii.  foiitralto.  In  1875  they  started  on  a 
tour  through  Sweden.  Finland  and  Kussia.  where  at  St.  Peters- 
burg they  sang  at  Nobel's  reception  given  in  honor  of  A.  E.  Xorden- 
skiold.  They  continued  on  through  Germany.  Belgium  and  Holland. 
There  meeting  the  impresario  Max  Strakosch.  the  ([uartette  came  to 
America  under  his  management,  arriving  in  Bo.ston,  Sept.  5.  1876.  Their 


IMIA  KKSTIIOM  VM\MH  rillLS"X  IIKIITIIA  tlllXl'N 

The  S\vi-(lisli   I.a<ly  yuartellc 
i'irsi   .\iiicric;in  cniiccrt   was  <,nvfn  at  that  iilai'e  willi  tln'  I'liilliannonic 

Chill,     .\ricr  ; crrt  ;i1    New    Viirk  llu'.v  wnii   In  I'liiiadelpiiia.  where 

they  sanj;  on  .Nov,  Isl  al  one  ol'  the  ( 'ciitcnnial  .Musii'al  Festival  Coneerts 
conducted  liy  Tlieo<l(ire  Tiiiimas.  .Myron  \V.  Whitney,  the  famous  basso, 
and  I  he  Tliniiias  Ofi'licslra  wrrr  mi  the  same  |)r(iL:raiiiiMc'.  .M'ter  ret\n'n- 
iM'_'  In  New  Vmk  aii<l  llicre  siii^'ing.  tliey  wi-nl  In  IJdslnii  ami  on  Nov. 
li-ltli  apiirand  nii  llic  sami'  sla;.'!'  witli  i)\r  Bull,  .\plommas.  Hie  Welsh 
harpist,  and  llir  .Mrnd.lssniin  (ihiinli'ltc  ( 'lub.  Nnl  Iniig  after.  Iliey  sang 
at  the  WoreestiT  nmsii'a!  IVslivai  and  cnntiinn'd  their  tnin-  thrnuv'li  tin- 
east  ern  states. 


THE   SWEDISH    I.ADV   UlARTirrTH  717 

Tn  the  fall  of  1877  tlii'  (iiiartcttc  went  westward,  stopi)iiifir  at 
Chieago.  There.  011  Nov.  .')th,  tlu'v  save,  in  I'oii.jiiiictidn  with  Aptoiiiinas, 
a  concert  in  ^[eCoriiiiek's  Hall,  at  Chii-k  and  Kinzie  streets,  then  the 
largest  hall  in  the  eity.  In  the  east  the  ipiartette  sang  both  Swedish 
and  English  songs.  To  their  eountryiiien  they  sang  only  the  cherished 
songs  from  the  fatherland,  such  as  Prince  Gustaf's  "Kiilkarne  fram," 
compositions  by  Lindblad.  Waldin,  Soderman's  "Wedding  .March." 
"Kjerulf's  "Brudefan-den  i  Ilardangers  Fiord,"  besides  numerous  folk- 
songs, among  them  being.  "En  gang  i  bredd  med  mig,"  "A  .janta  a  ja'," 
"Tanker  du  att  jag  forlorader  iir. "  "Vill  int'  du.  sa  ska'  fall  ja',"  etc. 
It  was  the  first  time  that  a  Swedish-American  audience  here  heard  the 
familiar  songs  interpreted  by  highly  cultivated  voices.  Numerous 
bouquets  of  flowers  besides  frantic  plaudits  were  bestowed  ui)on  the 
quartette  by  the  enthusiastic  audience. 

After  a  second  concert,  given  in  the  same  hall.  Nov.  7th.  a  banquet 
was  tendered  the  Swedish  Lady  Quartette  at  Brand's  Hall.  Vice-consul 
C.  J.  Sundell.  J.  A.  Enander.  C.  F.  Peterson,  0.  G.  Lauge  and  C.  G. 
Linderborg  made  addresses,  while  Freja  and  Svenska  Sangforeningen 
sang  several  numbers. 

The  quartette  was  greeted  with  many  poetic  effusions  in  the 
Swedish  and  American  press  of  the  day.  Continuing,  they  went  as  far 
west  as  San  Francisco,  where  their  tour  was  interrupted,  for  Bertha 
Erixon,  in  1878.  was  there  married  to  the  violinist  Christian  Krause. 
Returning  to  Chicago.  !Mi.ss  Carlson  left  them  and  was  engaged  as 
soprano  in  a  Reading.  Pa.,  church.  After  a  couple  of  years  she  married 
August  Svenson  of  Kearney,  Neb.  In  Chicago  the  remaining  two  met 
Emma  Larson,  a  young  soprano  of  rare  musical  ability  and  education, 
who  was  soon  persuaded  to  join  them.  The  three  ladies  sent  to  Stock- 
holm and  engaged  ^Vnna  Cedergren,  a  contralto  of  very  rich,  deep  voice. 
The  quartette  went  on  concert  tours  through  Upper  and  Lower  Canada, 
and  all  over  the  United  States,  until  1882,  when  Anna  Cedergren  left 
them.  Bertha  Erixon  Krause,  then  widowed,  rejoined  her  former  com- 
panions, and  the  quartette  traveled  until  1883,  when  the  Swedish 
Lady  Quartette  was  disrupted  by  the  double  marriage  of  two  of  the 
members,  the  event  taking  place  at  the  Palmer  House,  Chieago.  on  June 
5th.  Inga  Ekstrom  was  united  with  Emil  Olund.  then  a  politician  and 
business  man  at  Red  Wing.  ^Minn.  Emnm  Larson  was  married  to  Henry 
E.  C.  Peterson,  a  portrait  artist  of  Chicago. 

Anna  Cedergren  and  Bertha  Erixon  Krause  are  both  dead.  Inge- 
borg  Lofgren  Schreiner  lives  at  Palestine.  Texas.  Amanda  Carlson 
Svenson  in  1895  went  to  Salt  Lake  City  where  she  trained  a  woman's 
choriLS  so  well  that  it  gained  first  prize  at  the  Eisteddfods  of  1895.  '97 
and   '99.     ilr.  and  Mrs.  Olund  moved  to  Hudson.  Wis.,  and  later  to 


7i8 


MISIC    AND    Ml  SICIAN'S 


Diiluth.  where  Mr.  OIuikI  was  t-ollei-tor  of  eiistoms.  Tlu-y  now  reside 
at  St.  J'aul.  where  Mr.  Olund  is  in  the  insuranee  busine.ss.  Mrs.  Olund 
has  continued  to  use  her  musical  talents  a-s  vocal  instructor  and  as 


IM^KII'ilKi  l.ni'iaO.N 


^NNA  t'KDKItliKKN 


MIUl  I  .\l(Si>N 


IKIIA  UCkTHAH 


Till-  S\vf(lisli   I.ady  yuiirteltc   187S — 83. 


concert  singer.     One  I'f  In  r  five  children,  a  dau^jhter.  is  ii  student  at 
till'  IJriyal  ('(>iis<Tvatiiry  <pf  .Music  at  Stiicklmlni. 

Diiriiit;  its  career  the  Swedish  Lady  '^hiartettc  was  inannRed  hy  tlie 
SlaytiHi    liyccniii    llnrciin  ul'  Chii'ai;!!.  the    ikcdjiath   Lyceum   itureuu  of 


ICMMA    I. ARSON 


719 


Boston,  and  then  by  their  nwn  iiianairciinMit,  They  were  among  the 
most  popular  attraetions  of  Ihe  (hi\-,  i'oi-  im  other  woman's  ([uartettes 
liad  sung  in  this  <-ounti'y  pi'ior.  Tlie  sympatliy  of  the  sinifing  and  the 
perfect  blending  of  their  voices  made  Ihcm  irresistil)le  to  their  audi- 
ences. They  had  a  standing  invitation  to  sing  at  the  Worcester  jMusical 
Festival.  Their  popularity  caused  sexcral  female  quartettes  to  appear 
under  similar  names  at  various  prrinds  for  yrars  after. 

Emma   Larson 
Mrs.  Emma  L.  Peterson  is  the  daughter  of  Anders  and  Sarah  B. 
Larson,  who  eame  to  this  eify  in    1846.   on   the  same  ship   with   Eric 
Jansson,  the  Bishop  Hill  i)rophet.     The  family  settled  in  Chicago  and 


Miss  Etiinia  Larson 


it  was  there  that  the  daughter  Emma  was  born.  From  her  eleventh 
year  it  was  noticed  that  she  had  an  unusual  voice.  When  Christina 
Nilsson  was  banqueted  by  the  Svea  Society  on  the  occasion  of  her  first 
visit  to  Chicago  in  December,  1870,  it  was  Emma  Larson  who,  escorted 
by  Vieuxtemps,  the  famous  French  violinist,  placed  in  the  Swedish 


720  MVSIC    AND    MISICIANS 

singer's  hands  a  magnificent  bouquet.  At  a  subsequent  interview  the 
little  girl's  voice  was  heard  by  iliss  Nilsson.  whu  advised  her  to  liave  it 
cultivated.  ]\Iiss  Xilsson  came  to  Chicago  at  various  times  until  ltSt»4. 
and  at  each  visit  Miss  Larson  was  a  welcome  caller. 

Miss  Larson  studied  singing  for  two  years  with  Sig.  Carrozi.  Slie 
sang  solos  at  the  public  concerts  of  Freja  and  Sveiiska  Sangforeningcn 
in  the  St.  Ansgarius  Church,  and  was  well  known  in  the  Swedish  circles 
of  that  time.  Besides  singiMi^  at  concerts  in  various  American  churches, 
she  was  soprano  soloist  at  tiie  Eigiith  Presbyterian  Church  and  the 
Fullerton  Avenue  Presbyterian  Church.  A  benefit  concert  was  given 
to  ]Miss  Larson  by  Freja  and  Svenska  Sangforeningen.  aft<'r  which  siie 
went  to  New  York,  where  a  year  was  spent  in  study  with  Mme.  Kuders- 
<lorfl',  the  mother  of  Richard  Mansfield.  During  this  period  Miss 
Larson  was  soprano  soloist  of  Dr.  Scudder's  church  in  Brooklyn. 
Returning  to  Chicago,  she  had.  in  1878,  just  accepted  an  ai)pointnu'nt 
as  soloist  in  St.  James'  Episcopal  Church,  when  she  was  asked  by  Inga 
Ek.stroin  and  Ingeborg  Tiiifgren  to  join  with  them  in  reorganizing  the 
Swedish  Lady  Quartette,  which  had  successfully  toured  this  country 
for  two  seasons.  The  three  ladies  sent  to  Stockholm  for  the  contralto. 
Anna  Cedergren.  They  traveled  many  times  through  this  country  and 
three  times  tiirough  Canada.  Ofttimes  they  were  welcomed  to  the 
country  towns  by  })rass  bands.  They  a()peared  on  tile  same  progrannnes 
with  many  notabilities,  among  whom  may  be  mentioned  Tagiiapetri. 
Anne  Louise  Cary.  Teresa  Carrenno,  Edwin  Booth  and  Clara  Morris. 
Among  tiieir  pleasant  recollections  is  tlu'  dinner  given  tiiem  at  Wasii- 
ington  by  the  Swedisii  minister.  Count  Leweidiaui)t.  Miss  Larson  had 
the  leading  part,  that  of  first  soprano,  ihu'lng  her  five  years  memlier- 
ship  witli  the  (|uartette.  Th(»ir  artistic  triumplis  were  brouglit  to  a 
close  by  the  marriage  of  two  of  tin'  ineiuliers.  ^liss  Larson  was  married 
June  5,  188;!,  to  Henry  E.  C.  IVtersoii.  the  portrait  artist,  of  Chicago, 
of  whom  a  sketcii  appears  elscwliere  in  this  volume. 

Since  her  marriage  Mrs.  Peterson  has  oceasioiudly  sung  in  public 
at  charity  concerts. 

The   Original   Ladies'   Quartette 

The  seciiiid  \\(ini:in's  i|iiMi-|elte  wiiieli  saii'_'  in  the  I'niled  States 
was  the  first  one  of  its  kind  organized  in  Sweden  and  was  lliere  known 
as  "Svenska  damk vartctten."  Ilihla  Wideln-rg.  .\my  Aberg,  Willie!- 
niina  Siideriuiui  and  Mrs.  Maria  Petlerson,  fellow  students  at  the  Royal 
Conservator\'  of  Music  at  Stockliolm.  after  a  successful  (h'l)Ut  at  the 
university  seat.  l'|)sala.  toured  througii  Norrland  and  Einland.  sang  at 
St.  i'etersburg  and  other  K\issiaii  cities,  at  Rome,  ijcipsic.  Berlin,  Paris. 
Loinluii  .111(1   dlliei'  Clint  iMeiit;il   piiiuts.     Tlie\    sang  at    Waiter's  home. 


Ml  SIC   AT   AfOrSTANA   COLLKGK  721 

"\Vahnfried,''  wh»n\>  thoy  moved  tlu'  in;isli'i-  I0  tears  by  llicii-  beautiful 
singing. 

The  quartette  made  tours  of  the  United  States  during  the  seasons 
1878-79  and  ],S7r)-S0.  dnring  whieli  time  they  made  several  visits  to 
Chicago  and  vieinity.  Their  first  eoneert  was  lield  in  llershey  Hall  on 
JIadison  street. 

Music    at   Augustana    College— The    College   Band 

The  first  band  at  a  Swedish-Amei'ic-an  college  was  founded  in  1874 
by  President  Ilasselquist.  It  played  at  various  college  celebrations. 
At  one  time  it  was  called  Augustana  Silver  Cornet  Band.  Like  all 
student  organizations,  its  membership  has  ehaiiired  greatly  each  succeed- 
ing year.  Prof.  C.  L.  Krantz  led  the  Augustana  Band  in  190.3-4  whilst 
Prof.  L.  W.  Kling  was  the  director  in  1907-S.  The  membership  is 
usually  about  twenty. 

The   Augustana  Orchestra 

This  student  orchestra  was  first  proposed  by  Henning  Jacobson  in 
1879  to  some  of  his  musically  inclined  comrades.  The  idea  caught  fire 
and  early  in  January.  ISSO,  the  boys  had  au  orchestra  composed  as 
follows: — Samuel  E.  Carlsson  and  C.  L.  E.  Esbjorn.  first  violins;  F.  A. 
Linder  and  J.  A.  Krantz,  second  violins;  Fritz  X.  Andreu,  viola;  J.  A. 
Udden,  cello;  Henning  Jacobson,  contra  bass;  Gustaf  Andreen,  flute; 
"William  Eeck.  second  flute;  G.  X.  Themanson.  cornet;  C.  J.  Preberg, 
clarinet,  and  Fritz  Jacobson,  trombone.  Henning  Jacobson  "s  enthusiasm 
soon  cooled  and  C.  A.  Backman  took  his  place. 

The  accompanying  illustration  portrays  the  orchestra  at  this 
stage  of  its  career. 

The  boys  engaged  Petersen,  a  Danish  musician  in  Davenport,  as 
instructor  and  chose  S.  E.  Carlsson  as  director.  They  had  no  aid  from 
the  college,  but  bought  their  om'u  instruments  and  music,  and  paid  for 
their  instruction  themselves.  The  orchestra  played  overtures,  marches 
and  other  light  music  at  college  entertainments  and  made  short  trips 
to  various  towns  in  Illinois  and  Iowa,  playing  in  Swedish  churches. 

"When  it  was  decided  to  sing  the  "Messiah"  at  Rock  Island,  the 
orchestra  was  annexed  to  the  chorus.  The  score,  parts  and  books  were 
imported  from  London,  arriving  early  in  January.  1881,  after  which 
rehearsals  of  the  orchestra  and  chorus  began.  The  story  is  told  under 
the  caption  Augustana  Oratorio  Society. 

Samuel  E.  Carlsson  continued  as  leader  of  the  oi-chestra  until  he 
left  college  in  1SS3.  Dr.  Stolpe  now  took  active  charge  and  introduced 
some  of  his  orchestral  compositions  and  other  music  to  the  members,  be- 
sides having  them  play  the  accomiianiments  to  the  oratorios.     During 


111 


OI.OF    ni.SSON  ^23 

1888  S.  E.  Carlsson  acted  as  assistniil  Icjidcr.  Aflcr  Stdlpr's  willidijiwiil 
from  the  Ausiistaiia  Conservatory  the  orchcstr;!  h;i(l  ;i  precarious  exist- 
ence. It  was  revived  by  Franz  Zedeler.  who  eoiidiu-ted  it  until  11)04. 
For  the  next  (wo  years  it  -was  dii-ected  hy  Clirisliaii  ( >elsi-hhiegel. 
During  the  .school  year  1!)()7-(W  (xerti'ude  Ilousel,  the  violin  instructor 
at  the  conservatory,  lias  conducted  the  .Vusustana  Orchestra.  With 
the  help  of  a  few  outside  iiuisicians  they  played  the  <i\'ertures  to 
]{ossini"s  "Bai'her  of  Seville"  and  Halfe's  "  Bohenuan  (Jirl"  besides 
furidshing  aeeompaniments  for  Gounod's  "Gallia"  and  ^Mendelssohn's 
'■  IlyuHi  of  Praise. "    The  memhershi])  is  about  sixteen. 

Olof  Olsson 

Among  our  musical  pioneers  we  may  well  include  Dr.  (Jlof  (_)lsson. 
It  was  he  who  gave  the  first  imi)ulse  to  the  rendering  of  the  "Jlessiah" 
and  other  great  oratorios,  first  at  Augustana  College  and  later  at 
Bethany  College,  where  the  annual  .Messiah  concerts  have  become  a 
noted  musical  event.  His  gloM'ing  account  of  a  Messiah  concert 
attended  by  him  in  Exeter  Hall.  London,  at  Easter,  1S79,  inspired  the 
organization  of  the  Augustaiui  Oratorio  Society  in  February,  1881.  The 
idea  iinderljing  the  establishment  of  the  Augustana  Conservatory  of 
Music  is  also  traceable  to  Dr.  Olsson,  who  that  same  year  publicl.v  ex- 
pressed the  desirability  of  having  an  orchestra,  a  trained  chorus  and  a 
professor  of  music  at  the  Rock  Island  institution.  We  quote  the  follow- 
ing words  by  way  of  characterizing  his  musical  views  and  ideals:  "If 
ever  there  was  a  place  for  an  orchestra  and  a  good  chorus  it  is  at  a 
divinity  school.  There  the  great  works  of  Handel.  Bach  and  other 
masters  ought  to  be  most  thoroughly  studied.  In  the  sacred  composi- 
tions of  Handel  and  Bach  there  is  more  geiuiine  theology  than  in  nuiny 
a  heavy  tome  of  biblical  exegeses  and  theological  treatises.  Had  our 
congregations  the  correct  conception  of  the  matter,  they  would  forth- 
with engage  a  competent  professor  of  sacred  music  at  our  institution." 

The   Augustana    Oratorio   Society 

In  the  svunmer  of  1880  the  preliminary  steps  toward  the  organiza- 
tion of  an  oratorio  societ.v  were  taken  by  the  forming  of  choruses  in 
various  cities  and  communities,  including  Rock  Island.  ^Moline,  Gales- 
burg  and  Andover,  but  the  actual  organization  was  not  comjileted 
before  Feb.  25-26.  1881.  when  the  various  choruses  and  the  orchestra 
met  together  to  rehearse  for  the  first  time.  They  chose  the  name 
Augustana  Oratorio  Society.  After  a  second  general  rehearsal  the 
society  gave  its  first  public  concerts  April  11th  and  12th.  at  ^Moline  and 
Rock  Island,  respectively,  this  being  the  first  time  that  the  "^Messiah" 
or  any  eciually  pretentious  musical   work  was  rendered  by  Swedish- 


t 

f 


Till'.    AICI  STANA    oKAToRK)    SoCIirrV 


725 


Americans.  Eiieouragi'il  liy  the  first  sueL-i'ssl'iil  api)i'araijccs,  tiiu  chorus, 
orchestra  and  soloists  at  once  started  out  on  a  tour  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, appearini;'  at  (ialva,  (ialesburjr.  Orinn.  (inn'si'd.  Altmia  and 
Andover,  lar^c  aiuiicnces  being  attracted  at  each  place. 

The  participatinijj  niendters  of  the  Oratorio  Society  iiuiiiliircd  one 
hundred.  Dr.  Olsson  was  prcsitlcnt  and  \ii-tual  inana','ci-:  .|()se|)h 
Osborn  (Esbjorn),  musical  director;  J.  F.  King,  organist,  and  the  solo- 
ists were,  C.  A.  Biickman,  Wilhelmina  Kohler,  Sophie  Fair,  Cecilia 
Stroraberg,  Esther  and  .losiiiia  Hasselquist  and  ^Mai-ia  Bergblom. 

In  April  the  following  year  the  ^Messiah  concerts  were  repeated. 
The  society  first  appeared  at  Princeton  and  Genesco,  then  rendered 
Handel's  great  masterpiece  in  the  lai-ge  Swedish  Lnthei-an  Chui'ch  of 
proline  two  successive  evenings.  These  two  events  proved  a  most 
gratifying  climax  to  the  tour,  the  edifice  being  crowded  to  the  doors 
both  times,  while,  on  au  estimate,  five  hundred  people  were  turned 
away. 

That  same  spring  the  orchestra  and  soloists  went  to  Kansas  and 
participated  in  the  first  renditions  of  the  "Messiah"  in  Lindsborg  and 
vicinity.  The  entire  society  was  also  invited  to  Omaha,  to  several 
places  m  Iowa  and  to  Minneapolis.  It  was  found  impracticable,  how- 
ever, to  fill  these  engagements,  but  as  a  direct  result  of  Dr.  Olsson 's 
successful  efforts  at  Rock  Island  similar  choruses  Avere  subsequently 
formed  in  Lindsborg,  St.  Paul  and  New  York  City. 

On  Nov.  7  and  8,  18S8,  a  grand  Luther  jubilee  was  celebrated  at 
Augustana,  and  for  that  occasion  there  was  erected  on  the  slope  of  the 
college  hill  an  amphitheatrical  structure,  named  Jubilee  Hall,  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  several  thousand.  This  rudimentary,  yet  service- 
able structure,  now  torn  down,  w^is  made  necessary  principally  through 
the  success  of  Dr.  Olsson  and  the  Oratorio  Society  in  attracting  large 
audiences.  The  "^Messiah"  was  simg  the  first  evening.  The  second 
concert  was  devoted  chiefly  to  Wennerberg's  "Psalms  of  David,"  Dr. 
T.  N.  Hasselquist  figtu'ing  as  one  of  the  soloists.  Two  days  after,  the 
orchestra  assisted  at  a  similar  celebration  in  Chicago.  The  following 
year  P.  A.  Edquist  became  director  of  the  chorus.  Some  of  the  choruses 
from  "Messiah"  were  repeated  in  the  annual  concert.  On  June  10, 
1885.  selections  from  Haydn's  "Creation"  and  ^Mendelssohn's  "Elijah" 
were  sung.  Nov.  6th,  the  same  year,  selections  from  "Wennerberg's 
"Psalms  of  David"  Avere  sung.  Professor  Stoipe  directed  the  choi'us  in 
1886  and  was  followed  the  next  year  by  James  Moody.  In  the  latter 
part  of  1887  Professor  Stoipe  again  assumed  direction  of  the  society. 
At  this  period  Stoipe  composed  and  dedicated  to  the  chorus  "David's 
LXVIIth  Psalm"  for  three  solo  voices,  chorus  and  orchestra. 

During  1888  there  arose  friction  causing  a  division  of  the  chorus, 


726 


MISIC    AM)    SirSlClANS 


Stoliie  rpniainiiifr.  however,  at  tlic  head  of  the  collefre  chorus  and 
orchestra.  The  same  year  "Messiah"  and  Staiiier's  "Daugliter  of 
Jairus"  were  reinh'i'cd  by  the  chorus.  Uii  .June  4,  1891,  Bennett's 
"\V()iii;ui  of  Samaria"  was  perfctrnied. 

Tlic  other  wing  chose  in  1888  Victor  J.  Tengwald  a-s  its  director  and 
the  II  athiptcd  the  present  name.  Handel  Oratorio  Society.  Jlr.  Teng- 
wald reliearsed  assiduously  with  his  chorus  and  in  1HS9  the  "Creation" 
was  for  the  first  time  rendered  in  full,  the  concert  taking  place  at 
Jloliiie.  At  a  later  concert  in  Rock  Island  .some  of  Wennerberg's 
"Psalms  of  David"  were  sung.  The  "^lessiah"  and  "Creation"  were 
also  given. 

In  1891  Prof.  0.  Olssoii  sueceeded  to  the  presidency  of  Augnstaua 
College.  He  effected  the  next  year  a  union  of  the  two  choruses  under 
the  leadership  of  Prof.  G.  E.  Griffith,  who  remaiiu'd  in  this  capacity 
until  18!)(i.  The  organization  retained  the  new  name.  Ilanilel  Oratorio 
Society.  .\t  the  .luliilee  Concert  in  ISilM  the  following  works  were 
rendered  with  the  assistance  ()f  Strasser's  Orchestra,  Augustana  Brass 
Hand  and  Hethaii\-  Hrass  Hand;  Stolpe's  ".luliel-kaiitat "  f<>r  haritone, 
alto.  I'lionis.  organ  and  unliestra ;  Ga<le"s  "Zion."  a  cantata  for  hari- 
tone. chorus,  orchestra  and  organ:  Cowen's  "Song  of  Thanksgiving;" 
e.xcerpts  from  ".Messiah."  and  AVennerherg's  "Psalm  CL."  Other 
work's  sung  in  lS92-t)  are  .Mercadaiite's  "Seven  Last  Words,"  Wenner- 
berg's "Jesu  Fiidelse,"  Gaul's  "Holy  City."  Spohr's  "Last  .ludg- 
nient."  "Creation,"  "Elijah."  Bach's  "God's  Tihie  is  Best,"  besides 
other  works  of  a  high  order.  During  1896  and  1897  Prof.  A.  D.  Bodfors 
directed  the  society,  presumably  drilling  several  of  the  above  works. 
In  the  fall  of  1898  Prof.  F.  E.  Peterson  took  charge  of  the  chorus  and 
directed  the  performance  of  the  t'ollowing  oratorios:  1889,  Apr.  aiul 
Dec.,  "Messiah";  1900,  "Creation";  1901.  ••Klijah";  1902.  "Crea- 
tion": Founder's  Day.  190:1  "Messiah":  1!I04.  "Messiah";  190.'). 
"Crcalidii".  I'rof.  Christian  (^elschlaegel  was  the  next  leader,  i-epeat- 
iiig  llie  "Messiah"  in  1!)('fl.  Hiiiil  fjarson.  the  conservatory  director, 
next  assumed  charge,  and  in  the  spring  of  1907  (iaid's  "Holy  City"  was 
l)erformed.  On  May  7.  1908.  Mendelssohn's  "Hymn  of  Praise"  and 
(iouiiod  's  "Gallia"  wcrr  n'lidered  by  the  chorus,  which  on  this  occasion 
eonsistecl  of  7.")  voic-es.  accoiiipanie<l  by  organ,  |>iano  and  the  Auguslana 
Orchestra  nf  I'n  pieces.  .Mr.  Larson  in  .Inly,  190S.  severed  his  connee- 
ticiii  witii  the  .\ugustaiia  ( 'iiiisit\  atory  of  Music  and  thereby  with  the 
chorus.  Tile  aliiivc  list  of  works  |u-rr(U-iiied  would  be  creditable  to  any 
musical  socidy.  luit  is  especially  so  to  a  college  cliorus,  whose  memlx-r- 
ship  changes  IVom  year  to  year,  a  large  pen-entage  each  year  being 
lost  to  it. 


TIIIC    WKNNERHKRC,   CIIORIS  727 

The    Chapel   Choir 

'IMit'  (MiaiK'l  Choir  at  Aiitrnstiina  Collf^ii-  lias  Ihmmi  IciI  I'm-  qiiiti'  a 
imnilicr  of  yi'ars  hy  EiUa  Lund,  the  vocal  iiistructor.  .Mati\  f^ood  com- 
positions have  been  artistically  rendered  by  it  in  the  course  of  time. 
Anioii<j;  thcni  may  ho  nu^ntioncd  Siidcrman's  smaller  mass  with 
Latin  text  called  "Andcli'ia  San>rcr."  Siidcrman's  "Hjcrtesor^'. " 
Gadc's  "Spring' S(ini;'"  and  Mad  )ii\vi'll 's  ' '  IJai-carollc.  "  .Mrs.  Liiiid  lias 
also  been  conductor  of  the  Choral  Ciiion  of  .Moliiic.  which  iimoiiK  other 
thiiisis  has  siuig  the  Siidcrman  Mass.  the  "ilessiah"  and  Goriiig- 
Thoiiias'  "The  Swan  and  the  Skylark." 

The   Wennerberg'   Chorus 

The  first  male  ([uartcfle  at  Augustana  College  was  formed  in  ISliT 
when  the  school  was  still  at  I'axton.  In  that  year  the  350th  anniversary 
of  the  sixteenth  century  Keformatiou  was  celebrated  very  generally  in 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  churches.  Professor  llasselquist  lectured  in 
many  of  the  Illinois  churches  and  the  male  quartette,  which  accom- 
])anied  him.  sang  at  each  place  to  appreciative  audiences.  From  time  to 
time  similar  student  (juartettes  arose,  so  that  when  the  first  college 
building  at  Rock  Island  was  dedicated  in  1875.  the  students  could 
furnish  both  band  and  vocal  nuisic  to  enrich  the  exercises. 

It  was  not  until  IDOl  that  a  student  male  cht>rns  was  permanently 
organized.  Gunnar  Wennerberg  had  died  that  year  and  memorial  con- 
certs were  held  in  many  of  the  Swedish  communities.  The  Svea  ^lale 
Chorus  of  Moline  asked  the  aid  of  the  students  for  such  a  concert  and 
the  Wennerberg  Chorus  was  accordingly  organized  Oct.  21.  10(11.  A.  S. 
Hamilton,  the  first  director,  was  succeeded  by  Prof.  C.  J.  Sodergren  the 
next  year.  In  September.  1908.  E.  C.  Bloonuiuist  was  chosen  leader.  The 
following  April,  the  ehonis  gave  concerts  in  Rockford,  Aurora,  Batavia 
and  Elgin.  In  January.  1!)05,  Emil  Larson,  the  conservatory  director, 
became  the  miisical  head  of  the  chorus.  .During  April,  concerts  were 
given  in  Rockford.  DcKalb.  Joliet.  Aurora.  Paxton  and  Chicago.  After 
commencement,  a  tour  was  made,  beginning  with  Galesburg  and  extend- 
ing as  far  west  as  Stromsburg.  Xeb.,  concerts  being  held  in  twelve 
places.  Since  then  the  Wennerberg  Chorus  has  sung  in  ^Michigan, 
Indiana,  Illinois.  Iowa  and  Nebraska. 

The  repertory  comprises  the  standard  Swedish  student  songs  and 
also  many  selections  with  English  text.  It  is  noteworthy,  that  there  is 
an  entire  absence  of  the  burlesque  and  vaudeville  features  characteristic 
of  the  usual  college  glee  club  programme.  Under  'Mr.  Larson's  leader- 
ship the  Wennerberg  Chorus  has  so  gained  in  precision  of  attack,  in- 
tonation, enunciation  and  general  musical  effect,  that  it  is  (lerhaps  the 
peer  of  any  similar  sti^dent  body  in  the  West. 


CVSTl'    STOI.Al'K 


729 


Gustaf  Stolpe 

Gnstaf  Erik  Stolpe  was  born  Supt.  21!,  183:3,  in  Torsiikor  parish, 
Gestrikland,  Sweden,  where  his  forefathers  had  been  organists  for  a 
period  of  one  hundred  and  forty  years.  At  tiie  early  age  of  five  years 
he  began  to  receive  instructions  in  i)iano  and  violin  from  his  father, 
Johan  Stolpe.  Three  years  later  he  was  sent  to  the  atlienaeuni  at  Gefle, 
which  he  atteaded  for  seven  yearsj.  WIhmi  ten  years  old,  he  played  the 
organ    at    the    regular    services    one    Smidiiy    and    also    apuearecl    in 


Dr.  Gustaf  Stolpe 

concert  with  some  visiting  musicians.  His  mother  died  when  he  was 
twelve  years  old.  The  young  boy  relieved  his  father  of  playing  at  the 
funeral  service  and  performed  a  fimeral  march  which  he  himself  com- 
posed for  the  occasion.  The  father  preserved  at  the  homestead  a  pile  of 
musical  manuscripts  composed  by  the  son  from  his  tenth  to  his  sixteenth 
year. 

At  the  age  of  fifteen  Gustaf  was  entered  in  the  Koyal  Conservatory 
of  Music  at  Stockholm.  After  a  year  he  passed  the  organist's  examina- 
tion with  credit  and,  continuing,  graduated  at  the  age  of  twenty-two, 
with  the  degree  of  Director  Musices  et  Cantus.  At  this  period  he  acted 
as  accompanist  and  piano  soloi.st  to  Jenny  Lind  during  her  tour 
through  Sweden. 


730 


MISIC    AND    MUSICIANS 


At  the  age  of  twenty-three  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Ensrel 
Aurore.  daughter  of  Per  .Johan  I'alnian  and  his  wife  Hrita  EIngel  Ihr- 
fors  of  Vesteras.  The  same  year,  185(5.  Stolpe  succeeded  the  composer 
J.  N.  Ahlstriim  as  director  of  the  orchestra  at  the  Ladugardsiand  and 
Ilmnlc^ard  Theatres  in  Stockholm.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  the 
|)rcsciit  royal  kapellmeister.  Conrad  Nord(|vist.  then  played  second 
violin  in  his  orchestra.  Stoljic  either  composed  or  arranged  most  of  the 
Miusical  repertory  during  his  cdiineet  inn  with  the  theatre.  He  com- 
posed thirty-eight  operettas,  each  containing  from  fifteen  to  twenty- 
four  pieces.  Among  thcin  may  be  mentioned  " Sven  och  liten  Anna,"  a 
three  act  piece. 

Removing  in  186.'3  to  Varberg.  ITalland.  Stolpe  was  engaged  as 
organist  of  the  city  church,  besides  teaching  vocal  and  instrumental 
masic  at  two  institutions  of  learninir  in  that  city.  These  position.s  he 
retained  for  many  years,  meanwhile  making  frequent  concert  tours  in 
Sweden  as  a  skilled  performer  upcni  organ,  piano  and  violin. 

During  1879-80  Stolpe  had  a  year's  leave  of  absence  which  was 
spent  in  Stockholm.  .^luch  of  this  time  was  passed  in  companionship 
with  his  friends.  Ludvig  Norman  and  P.  A.  (>pi)feldt.  It  was  at  this 
time  that  his  twenty-four  studies  for  the  piano  were  published. 

In  1881  Stolpe  left  for  a  concert  tour  of  the  United  States.  The 
enterprise  did  not  prove  a  financial  success,  and  he  was  facing  actual 
want  when  called  to  the  jjrofessoi'ship  of  music  at  Augustana  ("oHcgc 
in  1882.  He  accepted  the  pnsilion.  and  his  connection  with  the  institu- 
tion resulted  thi'ee  yeai's  later  in  the  estalilishment  of  the  Augustana 
Conservatory  of  ]\hisic.  of  which  he  thus  was  tlie  virtual  founder. 

Stol])!-  ga\c  instructiun  In  advanced  |iiipils  in  piano,  organ,  violin. 
violoncello,  voice  and  harmony.  His  lectures  on  nuisieal  history  were 
no  less  fascinating  for  their  style  than  for  the  musical  illustrations  with 
wliicii  tlicy  were  embellished.  I'rof.  Stolpe  was  a  capable  writer  on 
topics  pertaining  to  his  ai't  and  contribuled  on  occasion  to  various 
periodicals. 

His  ethiial  \  lews  Dr.  Stolpe  set  forth  in  "En  Examinerad  Musik- 
direktor."  a  monogra|ih  wi-itten  in  1SII4  to  the  memory  of  his  deceased 
friend  P.  A.  Oppfeldt,  tiic  contents  of  the  book  being  an  indirect,  but 
none  the  less  vigorous  protest  a'„'ainst  tlie  pretentions  of  cheap  dilet- 
tantism. 

l-'i-oin  lSS;i  until  the  end  of  his  K'ock  Island  career.  Prof.  Stolpe 
was  organist  of  llie  Swedish  Ijutlii'iau  Church  in  Moline.  He  had  won- 
(lerl'nl  skill  in  inipmvisat ion  and  his  choi-ah-  playing  has  lu'en  decdared 
liy  Miusicians  to  lie  well-nigh  matchless.  He  refused  to  play  music  of  n 
"gospel  hviini"  rliaractei-  at  the  Siniday  eveninir  services.  dciMuing  it 
uncjiuri'lil  \ .  ( 'onse(|nenl  ly  a  subslitnle  hail  lo  perform  the  o))jection- 
alilc  iiieloilies. 


e;rsTAi'"  SToi.ric 


731 


Dnriiifi   ISSS   tlic   Stolpc   Ti'io   cxisttMl.     i^tolpc   pliiyt-d   tin-   i)iaii(), , 
SiinuK'l  10.  Carlssdii  the  \iolii\  ami  A.  D.  Bodfors  the  cello.     Tln'v  play- 
ed many  classic  (•(nnpositiniis.    Tlif  degree  of  Doetoi'  of  Music  was  con- 
ferred upon  Stolpc  in   1S!)1   hy  the  .Xew   ^'cirl<  ('iiiiservatory  of  .Music 
in  r(>co<rnition  of  liis  talent  in  composit  ion. 


I 


Dr.  Giistaf  Stolpe 

During  the  school  year  lS9;{-i)4  differences  of  opinion  arose  be- 
tween Dr.  Stolpe  and  the  president  of  the  college,  which  culminated  in 
the  resignation  of  the  former.  Dr.  Stolpe  remained  in  Rock  Island, 
giving  instruction  to  advanced  students.  In  1895  he  opened  in  Rock 
Island  a  music  school  of  very  modest  proportions,  which  existed  for 
several  years.  In  1900  Dr.  Stolpe  was  called  to  head  the  department  of 
music  at  Upsala  College.  Kenihvorth.  New  Jersey,  and  taught  there  for 


J32  MISIC    AND    MISICIANS 

two  terms.     The  following  year  liis  health  failcil   and   on  Oetolier  3, 
1901,  he  breathed  his  last. 

Dr.  Stolpe  had  a  son  in  hi.s  first  iiiarriajie,  viz..  Kt-v.  Julian  Caistaf 
ilauritz  Stolpe,  D.  I).,  Knis^ht  of  the  Order  of  Vasa.  pastor  of  the 
Gustavus  Adolphus  Swedish  Lutheran  Chureh  in  New  York  City.  In 
his  second  marriage,  with  an  American  lady,  he  had  two  sons,  George 
Vitus,  a  naval  veteran  of  the  Spanish-Ameiieau  war,  now  dead,  and 
David  Evald.  The  widow,  Mrs.  ^lalvina  Stolpe,  resides  in  Kenil- 
worth,  N.  J. 

Professor  Stolpe  was  a  pious  man,  who  spent  his  Sunday  after- 
noons in  the  study  of  the  Scriptures.  It  is  said  that  he  read  his  Bible 
through  about  two  hundred  times.  Tliis  undoubtedly  had  a  great  in- 
fluence upon  his  literary  style. 

An  idea  of  Dr.  Stolpe 's  productiveness  and  vei-satility  is  afforded 
by  the  following  schedule  of  his  published  works: 

Thirty-eight  operettas,  all  of  tlioni  rendered  in  Stockholm:  about 
twenty-five  orelu'stral  works,  among  them  "Marehe  Mililaire,"  '"Fes- 
tival Overture,"  "I\Iazurka,"  "Fantasia  on  Swedi.sh  Jlelodies,"  "Ar- 
rangement of  Gavotte  from  J.  S.  Bach's  Second  \'iolin  Sonata,"  "The 
Lark  in  tiic  Sky."  "Tone  Sketches. "'  a  suite,  and  several  more  over- 
tures; twenty-five  pieces  for  brass  band;  a  string  rpiartette;  a  trio  for 
violin,  cello  and  i)iano:  a  trio  for  violin,  jiiano  and  organ,  entitled, 
"Over  the  Forest,  Over  the  Sea;"  three  duets  for  violin  and  piano, 
among  them  "Vue;"  several  piano  duets;  for  organ:  "Fantasia 
Heroica,"  "Symphony,"  "Concertino,"  "Preludium  and  Fu-ja."  fifty 
"Preludes,"  "En  moders  bon;"  for  piano:  "20  Originalpolskor  fran 
Gestrikland."  composed  by  Per  Stolpe,  17r)(i.  Jolian  Stolpe.  1792.  and 
by  Gustaf  Stolpe  in  his  youth,  and  harmonized  by  him;  "24  Piano- 
studier."  about  twenty-five  jiiano  solos,  including  "\'interkviillarne." 
".Matrossang."  "Gondoliersang."  "Guldf  jarilarne."  "Ballad  vid 
hafvet,"  "Sonja,"  "Den  gamla.  goda  tiden."  "Priirieskizzer."  "En 
tonsaga,"  "ITedvig  Vals,"  "Konsertvals."  '•Huinoresk."  "Irliind.sk 
Dans,"  "Malvina."  "A  Dream  of  Haydn."  ■■Soblalkiir ;"  for  mixed 
chorus:  "Korer  for  Blandade  Roster,"  comprising  twenty-four  sacred 
choriLses;  "Davids  LXVTT  I'salm"  for  solo  voices,  chorus  and  orchest- 
ra; "Ordet,"  for  ailci-naling  choirs;  a  cantata  for  chorus  and  organ; 
"Jubelkanlat."  for  baritone  and  alto,  chorus,  organ,  and  oreiiestra;  n 
cantata  foi-  baritone  solo,  eliorus,  and  orchestra;  for  male  chorus: 
"Tjugufyra  siinger  for  Manskilr,"  with  sacred  text;  "  Dolda  ting," 
"Sverige  och  Norgc";  "100  Si\ng.stycken,"  for  children's  voices;  about 
fifteen  songs  with  piano  accompaniment,  among  tiiem  lieinir.  "Mina 
dagar,"  "En  lyra  iir  hjiirlat."  with  violin  obligato.  "  Tppfi  tJud  hoppas 
jng,"    "Pa  blomslerdoft."    "Angeu    stAr    slagen,"    "Paa    Fjeldet." 


IvRlII,    LARSON 


733 


"When  the  grass  shall  cover  nie, "  "Ilur  skoiit  (let  iir  att  komma  i 
Herreiis  tenipelgiird,"  l)Osides  a  sacred  duet  for  sopi'aiio  and  alto,  and 
"Dagar  koinina,  dagar  ilykta,"  for  soprano,  female  quartette  and 
piano. 

Stolpe's  Opus  W  Avas  published  in  189.j,  and  the  opus  luunber  since 
reached  was  umhuilitedly  over  100,  as  various  songs  and  piano  com- 


Emil  Larson 

positions  were  published  in  this  eountry  (luring  his  last  years.  If  the 
individual  compositions  in  these  were  counted  they  Avould  amount  to 
far  more  than  one  thousand  numbers. 


Emil   Larson 

One  of  the  most  prominent  figures  in  Swedish  musical  life  iu  this 
country  is  that  of  Emil  Larson.  Schooled  vuuler  teachers  like  Creswold, 
Mathews,  Eddy  and  Sherwood,  he  has  developed  into  an  able  musician, 
Vi'hose  influence  has  been  far-reaching. 


734  MIISC  AM)  MISICIANS 

Emil  Larson's  career  as  organist,  professor  of  music  at  North  Park 
College,  director  of  the  Angiistaiia  Conservatory  of  Music  and  as 
private  instructor  in  Cliicaiio  has  served  to  inii>art  the  prini-ii)li's  of 
good  iiHisicianship  to  hundreds  of  earnest  pupils,  many  of  whom,  in 
turn,  have  themselves  liecome  nuKsie  teachers  in  various  parts  of  the 
ciiuntry. 

.Many  mid  innnii-nls  during  his  l)usy  life  have  hceu  dcvot«'d  to 
composition.  Perceiving  the  dearth  of  good  music  for  Swedish  church 
choirs,  he  has  written  or  arransred  numerous  anthems.  Aliout  twenty- 
five  of  these  were  pui)lisiied  in  the  collection  called  "Kyrkokoren." 
A  fresh  series  collected  under  the  title  "Saugkoren"  has  just  been 
issued.  The  new  series  has  also  been  iniblished  in  Knglisii.  (Jerman  and 
Norwegian  editions.  Larson's  choral  arrangements  are  characterized 
by  the  melodiousness  of  not  oidy  the  leading  air  but  also  of  the  iiuier 
parts.  ;Many  short  airs  have  also  been  prepared  for  children's  choruses 
ami  collected  in  annuMJs  called  "  Hethlchcinsstjiirnau "  and  "i'ask- 
lil.jaii." 

The  folksongs  of  the  fatherland  hav^  appealed  to  Emil  Larson  to 
so  srreat  a  degree  that  he  has  taken  some  of  the  melodies  as  themes  and 
built  lar'gcr  nuisical  structures  therefrom.  "  Konsert  fantasi  ofver  sven- 
ska  I'dlivvisor."  "Second  Fantasia  on  Swedish  Folk  Songs"  and  "Varia- 
tions on  an  Old  Swedish  Lullal)y"  show  considerable  powers  of  inven- 
tion and  originality,  and  arc  very  brilliant  and  effective  concert  pieces. 
Tiicy  :>]■!■  not  to  lie  cl.isscd  with  the  general  run  of  variations  and 
fantasies  on  opci'atic  di-  other  airs. 

In  .lulv.  IDdS,  Kniil  Larson  severed  his  connection  with  the  .Vugus- 
lana  Consci'valory  of  .Music,  moving  to  (liicago.  wlii'rc  he  has  resunu'd 
his  career  as  a  musician.  .V  liioLM-aphii-al  sketch  is  given  elsewhere  in 
this  work. 

The   Swedish   Festival  Chorus,  Chicago 

'i'lic  .May  Festival  Clioiiis  was  organized  in  1S!>4  a.s  a  part  of  a 
movement  to  provide  funds  to  prosecute  the  uuu'derers  of  the  unfortun- 
ate Swan  .Nelson.  .\  concert  was  given  in  .May  in  the  Auditorium  and 
provccl  ;i  Miusic  al  as  well  as  a  financial  sui'ccss.  The  chorus  numbered 
several  hundred  men  and  wonn-n.  enlisted  mostly  from  the  church 
choirs  and  the  male  choiaises.  dohn  K.  Orleuiircn  acted  as  ilirector  antl 
Kmil  Larson  was  a<'C(impanist.  Farly  in  l,S!l,">  rehearsals  began  for  an- 
otlii'r-  conci'rt  whii'li  was  held  in  tin-  .\ndilorium  the  following  .May. 
"The  Heavens  arc  telling"  was  sung  with  orchestral  accompaniment, 
hesidi's  sevei'al  iMclodics  a  eapella.  In  l"'i'liruar.v.  ISittl.  ijic  name 
Swe<li.sli  i-'cslival  Chorus  was  adopted.  The  mendiei-ship  varii'd  from 
three  to  foiu'  hundred,      .\  coi rt    was  given   .Ma\    LMrd   in  the   .\udito- 


CHORISES   AND   CHOIRS 


735 


rinm.  one  of  tlic  iiuiiilici's  l)t'iiif;  Alit's  "  Xi'C'kni.scn."  !iri'aii<,'('(l  t'ni' 
tile  chiii'us  !)>•  Kiiiil  L;irsiiii.  Haydn's  chorus  from  tlic  "( 'I'catioii."' 
'■  Acliit'Vi'd  is  tlir  (Jlorio\is  Worlv"  was  also  siiiilt. 

Tlu'  next  couL-ert  took  [ilace  May  S.  ISDT.  in  llic  saini'  hall.  Wen- 
nerberg's  largest  chorus,  "Psalm  CXIIL""  was  one  of  the  iiiinibers. 
Concerts  were  held  in  various  churches  ami  lialls  during  the  season  of 
1897-i)S.  The  attendance  at  the  rehearsals  Hagtied  during  the  last  two 
seasons  and  the  chorus  wound  up  its  existence  in  the  fall  of  18!)8. 

The    Gunnar   Wennerberg   Memorial   Choruses,    Chicago 

The  Gunnar  Weniu'rberg  ^Menuirial  Chorus,  for  the  most  part  com- 
posed of  the  same  luaterial  as  the  Swedish  I'\>stival  Chorus,  was  organ- 
ized to  assist  in  a  concert  to  be  held  in  memoi'y  of  the  then  recently 
departed  poet  and  composer.  Gunnar  AVennerl)erg.  -John  R.  Orten- 
gren  was  the  director  of  the  chorus  of  five  hundred  voices.  The  con- 
cert, held  Oct.  2,  1901.  in  the  Auditorium,  began  with  an  organ  fantasia 
on  Wennerberg  melodies  ai-ranged  by  Emil  Larson.  The  mixed  chonis 
sang  "Psalm  XXIV"  and  "Psalm  CL, "  whilst  the  male  chorus  sang 
"Hor  OSS,  Svea,"  "Sta  stark"  and  "0  Gud,  som  styrer  folkeus  oden." 
The  other  Wennerberg  numbers  were  two  duets  fi'om  "Gluntarne"  and 
three  .solos.  Four-fifths  of  the  proceeds  were  distributed  to  local 
charities,  the  balance  being  sent  to  Sweden  in  1907  to  go  toward  the 
erection  of  a  statue  of  Wennerberg  at  Ujisala  University. 

In  August,  1907,  John  R.  Ortengren  gathered  a  choiiis  of  five 
hundred  voices  from  the  vai-ious  church  choirs  and  male  choruses  in 
order  to  add  to  the  fund  for  the  proposed  Wennerberg  .statue. 
The  concert  was  held  at  the  Casino.  The  mixed  chorus  sang  "Psalm 
CL. "  "Psalm  XXIV."  "Sommarsondag"  and  "Trasten  i  hostkviillen." 
The  male  choims  sang  "Iliir  oss.  Svea"  and  "Sta  stark,  du  Ijnsets  rid- 
darvakt. "  A  duet  and  a  solo  by  Wennerberg  were  also  on  the  iiro- 
gramme. 

Baptist   Choirs 

The  choir  of  the  First  Swedish  Bajitist  Church  of  Chicago  was 
founded  in  1S71  but  had  a  somewhat  irregular  existence  until  reorgan- 
ized in  1891.  when  it  assumed  the  name  Symphony  Singing  Society.  A. 
P.  Xelsou.  who  had  been  leader  since  1889,  translated  the  text  to 
Baker's  cantata  "The  Storm  King"  and  conducted  its  production  on 
Dec.  4.  1891.  It  was  repeated  in  189-J  and  1893.  Among  the  later 
leaders  were  Axel  Fraucke  1899.  John  E.  Sininn  1895-8.  m)0-:i.  and 
1908. 

A  male  chorus.  Sangarbroderna,  was  organized  among  the  Swedish 
Baptists  of  Chicago  by  A.  P.  Xelsou  in  1900.     It  has  sung  at  several 


736  MISIC    AND    MISICIANS 

large  celebrations,  as  tlie  Golden  Jubilee  concert  in  1902,  and  the  con- 
cert for  the  benefit  of  the  Swedish  famine  sufferers  in  1003. 

The  Swedish  Baptist  Jubilee  Choras  of  Chicago  is  a  union  choir, 
organized  in  1902  with  John  E.  Spann  as  director,  for  the  purpose  of 
singing  at  the  Golden  Jubilee  of  the  Swedish  Baptists  on  Sept.  27,  1902. 
The  chorus  has  since  been  permanently  organized.  It  has  taken  part  in 
the  benefit  concert  for  the  famine  sufferers  of  Sweden,  April  4,  190:{, 
and  in  several  local  charity  concerts.  The  chorus  numbers  about  250 
mixed  voices  and  rehearses  about  ten  weeks  previous  to  the  annual  fall 
concert.  Among  tlie  works  sung  are  Wennerberg's  "Psalm  CL,"  Costa's 
"Zion,  Awake,"  Bellini's  "Lofsang."  Berens'  "Vid  alfvame  i  Ba- 
bylon." Gounod's  "  enfold,  ye  Portals."  Cowen's  "Bridal  Chorus." 
Gounod's  "By  Babylon's  Wave"  and  Gounod's  "Zion's  ways  do 
languish." 

Mission   Choirs 

The  energetic  Axel  L.  Ilvassmau  was  chorister  of  the  Lake  View 
Mission  Choir  1890-92,  the  Swedish  Tabernacle  Choir  1892-96.  1899-1902 
and  of  the  North  Side  :\rission  Choir  1890-99.  1902—.  In  tho  Tabcrna.-ie 
Church  tlie  choir  sang  P.  V.  Stenliammar's  "Iliistpsalra"  on  Nov.  20, 
1892,  H.  Berens'  "Fader  var"  on  May  25,  1895,  L.  Norman's  "Det 
gudomliga  Ijuset"  on  Dec.  14,  1895,  and  (Jounod's  "Vid  Babylons 
iilfvar"  on  Nov.  15,  1!)02.  Several  of  the  al)ovc  works  have  lieen  sung 
by  the  North  Side  Jlission  Choir  luider  Mr.  Ilvassman's  leadership. 
In  1895  many  members  of  the  above  i-hoi-uses  sang  at  the  Covenant  con- 
certs in  St.  Paul  and  Minneapolis. 

Mr.  Hvassman  organized,  in  1892,  tlie  Swedish  ^lission  Festival 
Chorus  of  Chicago.  Under  his  direction  the  chorus,  varying  from  350 
to  500  voices,  has  sung  at  the  Au(lit<irium  during  various  seasons  such 
works  as  Gounod's  "Gallia."  !'.  l'.  Stcnliaiiiiiiar's  "David  ocii  Saul" 
and  "Ilo.stp.salm,"  A.  F.  Lin(ll)lad's  " Driinimarne,"  Gounod's  "Naz- 
areth" and  parts  of  "Messiah"  and  "Eli.iah." 

Tlie  .\sai)ii  Singing  Society  w.is  urirani/.eil  in  1894  by  .Mi'.  Ilvass- 
m;ui  from  among  the  male  singers  in  Mission  choirs.  The  usual 
i|uartettes  are  suiiir.  often  furnisheil  with  religious  text.  On  Nov.  2S. 
18!)(i,  Petterson-Herger's  cycle.  "  F.iiilll'iinl."  was  sung  to  words  written 
by  D.  Nyvall.  The  chorus,  nunilierinir  about  thirty-five  members,  sang 
at  Minneajxilis  aiul  various  points  in  Iowa  in  1900. 

Mr.  Ilva.ssman  is  iiulcratigal)le  in  his  elTorts  to  jirovide  for  iiis 
audiences  a  high  grade  of  chtu-al  nmsie.  both  as  to  content  and  vocal 
quality,     lie  is  one  of  the  best   Swedish  chorus  direettu's  in  the  stale. 

One  of  the  cxci'lleiit  Swedish  ehoirnnisters  in  Illinois  is  Andrew 
G.  IIva.ss,  who  led  the  hake  View  Mission  Choir  in  the  singing  of  P.  U. 


CIIORISKS    AND   CHOIRS  737 

Stonhainmar's  fine  "liostpsalm"  ou  Nov.  2it,  1!)00.  For  several  years 
he  had  a  union  chorus  in  Lake  View,  Chit-ago.  Since  190G  he  has  been 
leader  of  the  Swedish  Tabernacle  Choir.  This  excellent  chorus  sang 
Stenhammar's  "Hostpsalm"  and  part  I.  of  Gaul's  "Kuth"  Nov.  29, 
1906,  while  on  June  29,  1907,  it  sang  A.  F.  Lindblad's  "Drommarne. " 
I\Ir.  Ilvass  has  organized  the  South  Side  Choral  Union  which  sang  Van 
Boom's  "Lofsang"  and  Stolpe's  "Davids  LXVII  Psalm"  on  April  9, 
1908,  in  the  Swedish  Tabernacle. 

Lutheran  Choirs 

John  Peters,  organist  and  choir  leader  of  Salem  Sw.  Luth.  Church 
in  Chicago  was  eilueated  in  Oberlin  and  Ne^x-  England  nuisical  con- 
servatories. Besides  the  usual  work,  he  has  prepared  many  programmes 
with  excerpts  from  standard  oratorios  and  cantatas. 

The  Trinity  Sw.  Luth.  Church  in  Lake  View,  Chicago,  sang  "Beth- 
lehem" imder  Robert  Anderson  in  1904.  The  next  year,  when  Otto 
Carlson  became  leader,  the  choir  sang  Stainer's  "-dn-icif ixion. "  This 
was  repeated  in  1906  and  1908.  In  1907  Gaul's  "The  Holy  City"  and 
ilereadaute's  "The  Seven  Last  Words"  were  sung.  The  choir  numbers 
sixty-five  voices. 

On  Feb.  20,  1908,  the  Swedish  Lutheran  churches  of  Chicago  had  a 
"national  festival"  in  Orchestra  Hall,  where  the  Swedish- American 
National  Chorus,  composed  of  church  choir  members,  luider  the  leader- 
ship of  Alfred  Holmes,  sang  Stolpe's  "Ordet, "  a  composition  for  male 
chorus,  female  chorus,  mixed  chorus  and  final  eight  pai't  chorus,  "Wen- 
nerberg's  "Nar  Herren  Zions  fangar"  and  "  Aftonkloekan,"  besides 
several  numbers  with  English  text.  Emil  Larson  has  been  appointed 
director  for  1909. 

Many  church  choirs  in  various  parts  of  the  state  have  done  similar 
good  work.  Owing  to  their  preparing  from  one  to  four  anthems  for 
each  Sunday  they  do  not.  as  a  rule,  have  the  leisure  to  obtain  that 
finesse  in  singing  which  the  male  choruses  sometimes  attain.  Taking 
this  into  considei'ation,  the  results  obtained  are  praiseworthy.  It  is 
worthy  of  remark  that  with  but  two  or  three  exceptions  the  male 
choruses  have  devoted  themselves  to  the  singing  of  small  quartettes. 
The  church  choirs  have  not  hesitated  to  learn  and  perform  large  choral 
works,  such  as  cantatas  and  oratorios,  quite  often  scoring  brilliant 
results.  In  this  respect  they  may  well  be  emulated  by  the  male 
choruses. 

It  is  doubtless  a  fact  that  one  of  the  greatest  influences  toward  a 
popular  elevation  of  musical  taste  in  the  Swedish  communities  in  this 
country  has  been  exerted  bv  the  church  choirs. 


738 


MISIC    AND   MUSICIANS 


The   Svithiod    Singing    Club 


Thp  jtresent  organization  known  as  the  Svithiod  Singing  Club 
is  the  outgrowth  of  a  male  chorus  fornicil  in  1882  anion;;  tJie  early 
members  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Svitliiod.  It  was  directed 
successively  by  Bjornholzt,  E.  Becker,  August  Elfaker  and  others. 
On  Feb.  11.  1893,  the  chorus  was  organized  under  its  present  name 


Till-  I  Ionic  i>f  till-  Svilliioil  Siii);in>;  Club 


anil  cliiii'tci"  a.s  a  sin}j:ini,'  mid  social  cluli.  Tlicoilore  Sjo(|uisl.  then 
chosen  as  leader  nl'  tlir  clinrus.  shortly  "rave  |)lai-c  to  .lohii  It.  Swenson, 
who  remained  as  tlircctor  until  1  !•(>(!,  when  John  1\.  Orlcn-rrcn  becanui 
his  successor.  The  new  or'^ani/.ation  took  an  active  jiart  in  the  prepara- 
tions for  the  song  festival  on  Swedish  l>ay  at  the  World's  Fair. 

Jan.  n.  18!)(i.  was  a  mi'inorablc  day  in  tiic  history  of  the  Svitliiod 
Singin<!  Cliiii.     On   tiiat    (hitc  a   loiirnaiiicnt    of  song  was  hckl   at    the 


;4o 


MISIC    ANT)    MISICIANS 


Auditorium,  participated  in  liy  male  choruses  of  sevcu  nationalities. 
The  Svithiod.  with  its  twenty-four  voices,  had  to  compete  with  choruses 
three  times  its  size,  but  the.v  sang  Jahnke's  "Sjomannen"  with  such 
spirit,  such  consummate  finish,  that  wlien  the  ct)ntest  was  over,  the 
prize  was  theirs.  This  consisted  of  a  costly  banner,  bearing  the  inscrip- 
tion :  "The  Ciiampion  Singers  of  Chicago."'  The  judgi-s  of  the  contest 
were  three  noted  musicians  of  Chicago.  The  director.  John  L.  Swenson, 
was  awarded  a  gold  medal. 

Besides  numerous  concerts  and  public  entertainments,  this  club 
has  made  two  successful  attempts  in  the  operatic  line.  The  fii-st  wjus 
a  rendition  of  Sullivan's  "Pinafore."  in  Swedish,  at  McVicker's 
Theater,  in  1897.  followed  some  years  later  by  "Tiie  Little  Saint."  a 
Swedish  operetta,  presented  at  the  Studebaker  Tiieater.  "Pinafore" 
was  repeated  several  times,  the  la.st  being  Dec.  29,  1899,  and  Jan.  7. 
1900,  with  the  aid  of  the  Swedish  fJlee  Club.  The  two  choruses  played 
Gustaf  ^Vicklnnd's  "En  afton  pa  Tre  Byttor"  Dec.  .U).  1899. 

To  the  select  ehoriLs  that  toured  Sweden  in  1897  Svithiod  con- 
tributed sixteen  members,  being  one  of  the  two  clubs  to  appear  inde- 
pendently at  the  concerts  given  in  the  old  country. 

The  Svithiod  Singing  Club  owns  its  clubhouse,  located  at  1768 
Wrightwood  avenue,  to  which  was  added  in  1901  a  concert  hall  with  a 
seating  capacity  of  several  hundred. 

The    Svsredish   Glee    Club 

A  male  chorus  called  Svcnska  Sangs;illsl<,i]u't,  foiuided  in  1887.  was 
led  liy  John  L.  Swenson  for  two  years.  In  1889  it  was  consolidated 
with  a  social  organization  known  a-s  tlie  Swedish  Club,  and  renamed 
the  Swedisli  Glee  Club.  Having  secured  John  1\.  Ortengrcn  as  director, 
it  soon  proved  itself  a  splendid  aggregation  of  singers.  At  the  Scandi- 
navian singing  festival  held  in  1891  at  Miiuicapolis.  they  took  second 
honors,  but  for  a  long  period  thereafter  were  accorded  foremost  rank 
among  the  clubs  of  the  Swedish-American  singers'  union.  The  Glee 
Club  furnished  many  of  tiie  best  voices  that  went  to  make  \ip  the 
jiickcd  chorus  for  the  Sweden  tour  in  1897. 

.\mong  the  more  notable  numbei-s  in  its  repertory  may  be  men- 
tioned Soderman's  "Ett  bondbrollop,"  Iledeiddad's  "PA  knii."  Witt's 
"I  natten."  Kiirling's  "Steii  Sture,"  (Jrieg's  "  fjanilkjending. "  N'oren's 
"St.vrbjiirii  Starke,"  Ilallslrom's  "Hymn  till  foslcrlandel."  and  por- 
tions of  Bruch's  "Scenes  fnim  I"'ritliiof 's  Saga."  The  operetta  "  Doktor 
Dulcamara"  lias  been  given  several  times  by  the  chdt. 

.\  l"cw  vcars  l)ack  the  club  was  demoralized,  partly  by  the  loss  of 
men  who  lull!  become  leaders  of  otlici-  clubs,  but  ehiotly  on  account  of 
llagging  interest  in  the  ri'liearsals  on  the  pari  of  the  remaining  mem- 
bers.    It  was  in  excellent   form  at  the  festival  held  in  Chicago  in  19(l.'>, 


TIIIC  SINCIvRS'  INION 


741 


but  shortly  thereafter  disc-diil  iiiind   regular  jiraetice.     It  was  revived 
in  the  fall  of  1!106,  under  the  leadership  of  William  Dahlen. 

The  Swedish  Olee  Club  oecu|)ies  leased  (|iiarters  at  470  La  Salle 
avenue.  Its  elul)  lunise  has  Ikm'd  tiic  seene  of  tnaiiy  a  notable  event 
in  the  Swedish-Aniericaii  iiiusiral  and  social  eireles  of  the  eity 
during    the    past    (juarter   century.      In    the    early    part    of    the    year 


The  Swedish  Glee  Chib,  Chicago,    1902 

1907   the   club   celebrated   its   silver   anniversary,   tlie   nucleus   of  the 
organization  having  been  formed  in  1882. 


The   American   Union    of  Swedish.  Singers 

A  generation  back  little  groups  of  Swedish-American  singers  began 
to  organize  themselves  into  male  choruses  after  the  manner  of  those 
of  the  mother  country.  At  private  or  public  gatherings,  in  lodge  halls 
and  at  social  assemblages,  a  singer  or  two  would  be  present  who  would 
be  asked  to  give  a  solo  or  try  a  duet  together — some  old  favorite  tune 
familiar  to  all.  A  step  farther,  and  the  result  would  be  a  ipiartette. 
This  last  would  frequently  form  the  nucleus  for  a  male  chorus,  formed 
to  sing,  for  their  own  pleasure  and  the  entertainment  of  their  friends, 
the    favorite   songs    of   tlie    hoiiie-lanil.      At    a    later   stage,    when    the 


742 


MISIC    AND    MfSICIANS 


chorusos  would  grow  to  a  score  or  more  of  voices,  fairly  trained  under 
the  direction  of  tile  most  coini)etent  one  from  amon|r  their  own  number, 
they  would  attempt  the  more  difficult  task  of  rendering  the  charac- 
teristic creations  of  Wcnnerberg.  Siiderman  and  others,  written  origi- 
nally for  the  world-renowned  student  choruses  at  the  Swedish  uni- 
versities. 


Till-  Chill  lldii.sc  <if  Uk   Sui.li.sli  I. lie  Cluli 


.\  like  iiiiiNciiirnl  li.itl  been  going  on  among  the  ofiier  Seaudiiuivians 
of  the  I  iiilcd  Slates.  .Xorwegiaii  and  Panisli  male  choruses  had  lieen 
formed  in  various  localities,  ca.st  and  west.  In  tlw  eastern  states  a 
nniitn  of  Sc-indiiiaxian  I'ralcrnal  and  iniilual  aid  societies  was  effected 
in  the  middle  eit;htics.  Why  not  a  similar  orL'ani/.ation  of  singing 
societies?  The  idea  was  taken  up  liy  the  Scandina\  ian  Society  of 
l'liiladel|iliia  at  the  instan<'e  of  Cnpl  < '  .M .  .Maeholil.  on  whose  initiative 
an  a.s.soeiat  ion   Unown  as  the  roiled  Se,iiidina\iaii  Siii-^'i'i-s  of  .Vmerii'a 


Till';  SINGERS'  I  NION 


743 


was  organized  on  tho  lines  of  the  Gennan-Amoricaii  Saiigi'rl>nii(l.  Tlie 
organization  took  place  in  the  city  of  New  York  May  Ki,  188G,  at  a 
meetin'JT  of  delegates  from  five  cliiiniscs.  in  i'hiladelphia.  New  York, 
Brooklyn  and  Boston. 

Their  first  singing  festival  was  lield  at  I'liiladclphia  tiie  following 
year.  This  was  attended  by  a  strong  Norwegian  male  chorus  from 
Chicago,  which  was  forthwith  admitted  to  membershi|i  in  Ihc  union. 
The  associntioii  now  grew  so  niiiidly  that  Mt  the  next  frslival,  lifld  in 


Carl  Fredrik   I^uiiclqvist 

Chicago  in  1889,  about  six  hundred  singers  were  in  attendance.  When 
the  singers  met  in  ^Minneapolis  after  another  interval  of  two  years, 
about  two  hundred  more  had  been  added.  Up  to  this  time  harmony 
had  been  the  predominant  note  in  the  united  choruses,  but  the  attempt, 
auspicious  at  first,  to  keep  the  organization  intact  from  the  traditional 
strife  between  Swedes  and  Norwegians,  was  destined  to  fail.  (.Quarrels 
arose  between  these  two  factions,  while  the  Danes  held  aloof  and  made 
unsuccessful  overtures  for  peace.  Close  upon  the  ^linneapolis  festival 
followed  the  dissolution  of  the  organization. 

The  Swedish  choruses  havinar  gained  many  triumphs  at  the  song 
festivals,  were  desirous  of  continuing  mutual  relations   among  them- 


744  MISIC    AND    MfSICIANS 

selves,  and  soon  conceived  the  idea  of  forming  a  federation  of  their  own. 
Tlie  Lyran  Sinj^ing  Club  of  New  York  took  tlie  initiative  in  calling  the 
choruses  together,  and  at  a  meeting  lieid  in  the  club  house  of  the 
Swedisii  Glee  Clul)  of  Chicago  on  Thanksgiving  Day.  Nov.  24.  1892, 
there  wa.s  organized  the  American  Union  of  Swedish  Singers.  Charles 
K.  Johanscn.  a  member  of  the  Lyran,  is  the  acknowledged  father  of  the 
organization,  liaving  l)een  the  first  to  propose  the  idea  and  one  of  the 
most  zealous  promoters  of  the  singers'  union  from  that  day  to  this. 
Other  men  taking  a  prominent  part  in  the  work  from  the  start  were, 
]\Iagnus  Olson.  John  R.  Ortcngren.  Olof  Nelson,  William  Dahlen.  John 
L.  Swpiison,  Fred  Franson,  Arvid  .Xkcrliml.  l^dwanl  Molin.  Alfred  0. 
Larson  and  Onstaf  Ilallboni. 

The  first  singing  festival  of  the  new  organization  took  place  the 
following  summer  and  the  first  of  the  three  concerts  formed  the  cro^vn- 
ing  feature  of  "Swedisii  Day."  July  2ntli.  at  the  World's  Columbian 
Exposition  in  Chicago.  The  union  had  engaged  three  famous  Swedish 
vocalists  for  the  occasion,  viz.,  Caroline  Ostberg  and  Carl  Fredrik 
Lundqvist  of  the  Royal  Opera  at  Stockholm,  and  Conrad  Hehrons,  a 
grand  opera  basso.  The  concerts  were  held  in  Festival  Hall,  which 
seated  6,500  people  and  was  filled  at  each  concert,  thousands  vainly 
striving  to  train  admittance.  The  Thomas  Orchestra  of  140  pieces, 
led  by  Theodore  Thomas  and  his  assistant,  Osear  Riniiwall,  a  native  of 
Sweden,  furnished  the  accompaniments.  John  R.  Ortengren  was  director 
of  the  chorus  of  about  500  voices  from  the  American  Union  of  Swedish 
Singers.  On  account  of  the  importance  and  interest  of  the  occasion 
the  programmes  for  the  threi'  concerts  are  given  in  full. 

The  First  Concert,  Thursday,  4  p.  m..  July  20.  1893 

Overture,   "Orlcan.sk.i  JuiiKfrun" .\ufnisl  S6<leriiian 

V'/iomas    Ihrhfslia 

"Hor  OSS,  ,Svca' ' Guiinar  Weniierberg 

American  I'nion  of  Swedish  Singers 

Hyiiiii  fniiii   "C.iistaf  Wasa" I.  G.  Nauinann 

Carl  Fr.   /.iiHt/(/7'is/ 

"The  Countess'  .^ria,"  fnun  "The  Marriage  of  l"i>;aro" W.   .\.   Mozart 

Mine.  Carolina  Ostberg 

"Swedi.sh  Dances" Max  Bruch 

Thomas    Orchestra 

"Tannhiiuser" Aujj.  Sodernian 

Carl  h'r.   Lundqvist 

a)   "Necketis  I'olska" l-olksoiig 

/) )   "I   BroUopstiftrden" Aiij;.  S6<lennan 

Sicedish  (,'lee  Ctn/i,  Chicago 

"I'jortou  ,^^  tror  ja^  visst  all  jag  var" Swedish  Folksong 

A/me.   Carolina  (istherg 

"1)11  ^;aiiila,  <lu  friska,  (hi  fjiillhona   iiord" Swe<hsh    I'olksonj; 

Carl  Fr.  I.undqvist,  with  Chorus 

"I  111  I  cUn,  (hi  h(i>;:i  iiord" B.   Crusell 

.Imrrican   I'nion  <>/  .Swedish  Singers 


THK    SINGKRS'    INION  745 

Second  Concert.  Friday.  3  p.  m..  July  21.  1893 

•Slrulsbon" <>•   I-imlblail 

.hnt-rican  I'liion  0/  Stccdish  Singers 

Symphony AuKusl   i;ifaker 

Thomas    Orchestra 

Aria  from  "The  Magic  FUite" W.  A.  Mozart 

Conrad  Behrens 

Aria  from  "Der  Freischiitz" C.  M.  vcm  Weher 

Mine.  Carolina  Ostberg 

"Sjonuiniiens  Far\al" Meurling 

I.yran,  Ncv.'    York 

"Svensk  Rhapsodie" A.  Ilall^i 

Thomas    Orchestra 

a)  "Don   Juans   Serenad" Tschaikowski 

A)   "I  (Ijupa    kiillarhvalfvet" *     *     * 

Conrad  Behrens 

a)  "Still  wie  die  Nacht" *     *     * 

6)  "La  Fioraja" ' *     »     « 

c)  "Klara  stjarnor  med  de  ogon  snalla" I.  Dannstrom 

3fme.   Carolina  Ostberg 

"Faderneslandet" J-  E.  Xordblom 

American   C'nion  0/  Swedish  Singers 

"America" S.  F.  Smith 

American   Cnio7i  of  Szccdish  Singers,  and  the  Audience 

Third  Cor\cert.  Saturday,  3  p.  m.,  July  22.  1893 

"Svensk  Rhapsodie" I-alo 

Thomas    Orchestra 

"Vart  Land" J-  A.  Josephson 

American  Union  of  Swedish  Singers 

"Qvarnruinen" Aug.   Sodennan 

Carl  Fr.  Lundqinst 

Aria  from  "The  Jewess" Halevy 

Conrad  Behrens 

"Xaturen  och  hjartat" O.  Lindblad 

Svithiod  Singing  Club 

a)  "Sjung,  sjung" J-  A.  Josephson 

b)  "Vandring  i  skogen" G.  E.  Geijer 

c)  "Sover  du,  min  Sjjel?" E.  Sjogren 

Carl  Fr.  Lundgi'ist 

"Swedish  Folksong" A.  Hamerik 

Thomas  Orchestra 

"Brollopsmarsch' ' Aug.  Soderman 

Swedish  Glee  Club.   Chicago 

a)  "Trollhattan" O.  Lindblad 

*)  "Nu  ar  det  natt" F-  Abt 

c)  "Per  S\-inaherde" Swedish  Folksong 

Conrad  Behrens 

a)  "Vemilandsvisan" Swedish  Folksong 

*)  "Du  gamla,  du  friska,  du  f jallhoga   nord" Swedish  Folksong 

Carl  Fr.  Lundqvisf,  with   Chorus 

"Sti  stark,  du  Ijusets  riddarvakt" G.  Weunerberg 

American   Cnion  of  Swedish  Singers 


746  MISIC    AND    MISICIANS 

The  above  programmes  show  a  preponderance  of  compositions  by 
Swedish  composers,  particularly  some  of  the  best  of  the  works  of  the 
lirilliaiit  Aug.  Siulcriiiati.  The  syinpiiony  liy  August  Elfakcr.  a  ("hicago 
orgauist,  was  an  ovcraiiihitinus  attempt  at  orchestral  writing.  The 
three  soloists  were  superior  in  vocal  gifts  to  any  subsequent  visitors 
from  Sweden.  They  all  had  taken  part  in  a  concert  on  July  18th.  given 
at  Central  I\Iusic  Hall  by  the  union.  ^Ir.  Lund(|vist  gave  a  parting  con- 
cert with  the  Swedish  Glee  Club  on  Sept.  2,  1893,  at  the  same  place. 

It  having  been  decided  to  hold  (luadrennial  conventions  and 
festivals,  the  union  next  met  in  1807,  at  New  York  City.  Inunediately 
thereafter,  according  to  a  pre-arranged  plan,  a  select  chorus  of  fifty 
men,  with  John  R.  Ortengren  as  miLsical  director,  sailed  for  Sweden  to 
visit  the  Northern  Industrial  Exposition  at  Stockholm  and  give  a  series 
of  concerts  in  the  i)riiicii)al  Swedish  cities.  Their  reception  in  the  old 
ciiiintiy  was  as  cnrdial  as  i-duld  lie  wislu-d.  and  the  tour,  besides  being 
a  liighly  cnjoyalilc  i)lcasur('  trip  for  the  participants,  served  the  addi- 
tional pui'pose  of  (lisjK'lling  the  too  prevalent  skepticism  in  Sweden  as 
to  the  status  of  general  culture  among  the  Swedish  peoi)le  in  the 
I'liited  States.  The  work  of  the  chorus,  while  not  up  to  the  high 
standard  attained  by  the  famous  student  singers  of  Sweden,  neverthe- 
less did  not  fall  so  far  ImIhw  that  standard  as  not  to  be  characterized 
as  an  artistic  triunipli. 

Jamestown.  New  York,  was  thi-  scene  of  the  next  convention,  in 
1901.  In  addition  to  the  regular  concerts  given  there,  the  chorus  of 
four  hundred  voices  sang  at  the  Chautauipni  .\sseinl)ly.  to  an  audience 
that  filled  the  great  amphitheater  to  overflowing.  This  occasion  was 
one  of  the  highest  significance  for  the  singers'  union,  demonstrating, 
as  it  did,  that  their  renditions  were 'listened  to  with  the  greatest  zest 
by  a  disci-iniinatiiig  aiidience  not  made  up  of  their  own  fellow  coiuitry- 
men  and  to  wliom  both  the  words  and  music  of  the  .songs  were  foreign. 
Add  to  this  that  tlu'  eve  nt  cirriid  the  fame  of  the  singers  into  wide 
circles  never  reacliccl  before,  and  it  is  apparent  that  tiiis  wa.s  a  most 
notable  lriuiii|)li  in  the  history  of  the  .Amcrii'an  rnion  of  Swedish 
Singers. 

Till'  11)0.")  i-oM  vent  ion  was  held  in  Chicago,  and  the  grand  concerts, 
given  in  the  .Xndiliiriuni.  proved  highly  jirtistic  events.  .\t  a  sub- 
sequent Hclhrian  fesliv.il,  held  in  iiiii'  of  Chicago's  s\unmer  gardens. 
the  choi-iis  sang  before  a  still  larger  and  more  cosniopolitan  audience 
than  that  assendilc<l  at  the  .\iidiloriuMi. 

For  these  song  festivals  the  singers'  union  lias  brought  over  from 
Sweden  a  number  of  its  most  renowned  artists  of  the  operatic  stage, 
such  as  Caroline  (istberg.  Carl  Kredi-ik  liUndqvist.  Conrad  Mehrcns, 
John  Forsell  and  .\niia  llellstrllm.  besides  bringing  out  many  Swedish- 


TIIK   SINGKRS'    INION 


747 


Aincricaii  soloists,  not  a  i'ow  of  wIkhii  Iimvc  viscii  froiu  tlic  ninlv  ;ind 
file  of  the  male  choruses. 

The  singers'  union  is  divided  into  two  spr-tions,  an  eastern  and  a 
western  division,  each  holding  a  quadrennial  convention  and  song 
festival,  so  that  the  singt'rs  meet  every  two  years,  either  .jointly  or  in 
two  separate  bodies.  The  .joint  festivals  are  held  in  the  East  and  West 
alternately,  and  heretofore  the  concerts  have  been  directed  in  t\irn  liy 
Arvid  Akerlind  of  New  York  and  John  R.  Ortengrcn  of  Chicago. 

In  1008  the  singers'  luiion  decided  to  send,  in  1910,  a  select 
chorus  of  fifty  voices  from  their  body  on  a  concert  toiu'  of  Sweden, 
under  the  direction  of  .Tolui  I\.  (ii'tenuren. 


John  R.   Ortengren,    1S93 


At  the  present  time  the  singers'  union  numbers  about  sixty  clubs, 
those  in  Illinois  forming  one-fifth  of  the  entire  constituency.  No  less 
than  nine  of  these  are  found  in  Chicago,  while  Rockford  and  iloline 
boast  two  each.  Outside  of  this  state  the  union  has  the  bulk  of  its 
membership  in  New  York,  New  England  and  Minnesota.  The  Rockford 
choruses  are  the  Lyran  Singing  Society,  John  L.  Swenson,  director,  and 
Sveas  Soner,  John  R.  Ortengren,  director.  The  Moline  Societies  are 
the  Svea  Male  Chorus,  Petrus  Brodin,  director,  and  the  Olive  Male 
Chorus,  Adolph  Erickson,  director. 

The  Chicago  male  choruses  made  numerous  public  appearances 
under  the  leadership  of  Jolm  R.  Ortengren  before  they  were  incor- 
porated in  1906  as  the  Swcdisli  Singers'  Union  of  Chicago.    The  Chicago 


748  MUSIC    AND   MISICIANS 

choruses,  with  their  respective  leaders,  are:  Svithiod  Singing  Club,  John 
B.  Ortengren;  Swedish  Glee  Club.  Lyran  and  Xorden.  William  Dahlen ; 
Harmoni.  Iduiia  and  Orpheus.  Joel  Mossberg:  Zephyr.  K.  D.  Ytterberg; 
Nordstjeruau,  Erusl  Liiidhloni. 

John   R.   Ortengren 

Proiii  tlie  time  -John  K.  Orteuirreu  cauie  to  this  eountry,  in  1889, 
he  has  been  soloist  at  several  prominent  churches,  and  one  of  the 
principal  teachers  of  a  large  musical  conservatory.  Leader  in  turn  of 
the  best  two  Swedish  male  choruses  in  the  state,  several  mixed  choruses, 
director-in-ehief  of  the  American  Union  of  Swedish  Singers,  of  the 
western  division  of  the  union,  and  of  the  Swedish  Singers'  Union  of 
Chicago,  he  is  the  best  known  musician  among  his  countrymen  in  the 
land  of  their  adoption.  lie  eu.joys  the  universal  respect  and  confidence 
of  the  Swedish  people  of  Chicago  as  evinced  on  more  than  one  occasion. 
In  recognition  of  his  eminent  services  to  the  cause  of  Swedish  music 
in  America.  ]Mr.  Ortengren  was  decorated  in  Sei>tcmbcr,  1908.  with 
the  medal  of  Vasa  by  Kin^  (iiistaf  V.  of  Sweden. 

The  Lund   Students'   Chorus 

Sweden  is  a  (■(iiintry  devoti'd  I'm-  almost  a  <'entury  to  a  capella  male 
chorus  singing.  All  of  its  prominent  composers  have  written  music 
in  this  style  and  it  may  well  be  questioned  whether  any  land  has 
produced  so  many  beautiful  melodies  and  stirring  march  songs  set  for 
male  voices  as  has  Sweden.  Altiiough  cultivated  everywhere,  the 
traditional  seats  of  this  style  of  chorus  singing  have  been  at  the  luiiver- 
sities  of  Upsala  and  Lund.  The  Luiul  Students'  Chorus  was  founded  in 
1838  by  Otto  Lindblad,  who  composed  many  now  famous  songs  for  it 
and  made  it.  at  that  time,  the  best  chorus  in  the  North. 

From  time  to  time  during  the  last  deeadc  tiiere  were  rumors  tliat 
eitlicr  tl:r  I'psala  chorus  or  the  IjIukI  cliorus  woubl  toui-  .\nierica. 
The  former  body  had  made  tours  in  Russia,  (ierniany  and  France, 
taking  grand  prizes  in  the  Paris  Expositions  of  ISlw.  1S78  and  l!t(10. 
It  was  the  fortune  of  the  latter  chorus,  however,  to  take  the  long  trip 
across  the  Atlantic  before  its  famous  rival,  'i'lie  Lund  Students'  Chorus 
of  sixty-eight  nu'n  canu!  to  Ciiieago  after  a  tour  of  New  England  ami 
some  of  tlic  central  western  states.  Tiieii-  conci'ft  was  iield  in  the  Audit- 
orium on  July  7,  1!104,  inider  the  leadership  of  Alfred  Herg.  With  the 
chorus  ai)])eared  John  Forsell.  a  iiaritone  from  tin-  Koyal  Opera  at 
Stockholm. 

The   Lund  Students'  Chorus  ProiJrOkmmo 

Orxnii,  "\'iiriiitioiis  on    l)u  j;aiiila.   ilii  fria,  il>i   fjaUhonH  Nonl  " l\iiiil   I.tirson 

/://///  /.arson 

■'Hor  OSS,  Svea" <■•  \Vi'HHcrl>ci>; 

"C'llad  s&suiii  fAntln" I'linoc  ('•iislaf 


THE   SWlilMSII    V.  M.  C.  A.  CIIORIS  749 

"Stridsbon" Otlo   I.iiidlilad 

'•Den  store,  hvide    Flok" Kdv.  Orieg 

The  l.und  Slttdenls'  Chorus 

"Naturen  och  hjartat" Otto   I.imlblad 

Sic'cdish  Si>it;rrs'    I  'nion  of  Chicago 

"Daliiiarscli" I.  Widden 

"Blonimaiide,  skona  dalar" Heriii.  Palm 

The  Tund  Sliidenis'   Chorus 

Organ,   "Variations  on  an   American  Air" Klagler 

Eniil   Larson 

"Indan,  ur  vagen" C.  M.  lielhnan 

"Sten  Sture  ' Aug.  Korling 

The  Lund  Students'   Chorus 

'  Bjorneborgarnes   Marsch" *     *     * 

Stcedish  Sinjfers'   I  'nion  of  Chicago 

"Olav   Trygvason' ' F.  A.  Reissiger 

"Till  svenska  fosterjorden" Arr.  af  Alfr.   Berg 

"Ett   Bondbrollop" Aug.  Sodernian 

a)  "BroUopsuiarsch;"  li)  "I  kyrkan;"  c)   "Onskevisa;"  d)   "I  brollopsgarden" 
The  Lund  Students'   Chorus 

Besides  the  eleven  numbers  iiidieated.  the  chorus  sang  several  extra 
numbers.  The  first  tenors  had  a  beauteous  lyrieal  quality  of  voice 
whilst  the  second  bassses  gave  forth  a  smooth  and  resonant  tone.  The 
distinct  articulation,  the  good  pronunciation,  the  precision  of  attack 
and  steadiness  of  pitch  were  remarka1)le.  The  nitanees  and  climaxes 
attained  can  be  compared  to  the  effect  produced  by  a  fine  string 
orchestra.  This  was  most  marked  in  "Undan,  xlt  vagen."  Grieg's 
"Den  store,  hvide  Flok"  was  new  to  the  audience  and  was  greatly 
admired.  The  noble  but  difficult  ballad  "Sten  Sture"  was  brilliantly 
rendered.  The  tempi  chosen  had  a  tendency  of  being  rather  fast  in 
certain  niunbers.  The  general  impression  made,  however,  is  that  such 
splendid  a  capella  singing  had  probably  never  before  been  attained 
by  any  chorus  in  this  country. 

Concerts  were  given  July  8th  at  Rock  Island,  July  9th  at  Roekford 
and  again  on  July  10th  at  Chicago. 

The    Sw^edish   Y.  M.  C.  A.  Chorus 

This  male  chorus  was  first  organized  in  Sweden  to  sing  at  the  Inter- 
national Y.  M.  C.  A.  conference  at  London  in  1894.  It  is  composed,  for 
the  most  part,  of  professional  men  from  various  parts  of  Sweden,  who 
have  sung  in  university  choruses,  but  it  includes  also  several  laborers 
in  its  ranks.  For  several  years  past  the  Swedish  Y.  il.  C.  A.  Chorus 
has  been  considered  one  of  the  best  choruses  in  Sweden.  Leaving  Stock- 
holm ;\lay  28.  1906,  it  made  a  short  tour  of  the  southern  cities  of  Sweden. 
Its  American  tour  began  June  17th  in  New  York.  The  chorus  sang  in 
Roekford  June  25th,  and  the  next  day  in  DeKalb.  On  June  27th  a 
large  audience  was  assembled  in  the  Chicago  Auditorium  to  attnid  the 


750 


MISIC    AND    MISICIANS 


festival  of  song.    Hugo  Liiuliiuist  was  the  director  and  John  Hasberg 
the  baritone  soloist.    Tlie  chorus  con.sisted  of  fifty  singers. 

The  Swedish  Y.  M.  C.  A    Chorus  Programme 

Organ,  Overture  to  "Rayiiioml" .A.  Thomas 

./.  .U/rfd  Holmes 

"Sta  stark,  ilu   Ijusets  riddan-akt" G.  Wennerberg 

"Hor  OSS,  Svea" G.  Weiuierberjj 

"Ofver  sko>;eii,  ofver  sjon" A.  F.  Limlblail 

"Og  jej;  vil  ha  inij»  en  hjertenskjer" -■^un.  Soilernian 

"Nog  niins  jag,  hur  <let  var" Aug.  S6<lcrinan 

"Afskerl" Hemies 

The  Swedish   Y.  M.  C.  .1.  Chorus 

Fides"  .^ria  from  "The  Prophet" G.  Meyerljeer 

lilisahcth  Hriice   WickstrCiin 

Violin  and  I'iano  Duet,    a)  "Romance" Hugo  Alfv^n 

b]     'Norwegian   Dance" Johan  Halvorsen 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Frederik   Frederiksen 

"Glad  sftsoni  fageln" Prince   Giustaf 

"Ack,  \'arnieland,  du  skona" Swedish  Folksong 

"Dalniarsch" I.   Widcf-en 

"Styrbjorn  Starke" G.  Nor^n 

The  Sivedish    Y.  M.   C.  A.   Chorus 

Organ,  Overture  to  "Seniiraniide" G.  Rossini 

./.   .U/red  Holmes 

Sven.ska  Folk  visor *     *     * 

Elisabeth  Bruce   U'iekslrom 

"Guds  lof  i  naturen" L.  Beethoven 

"Solnedgang  i  hafvet" E.  G.  Geijcr 

"Israels  herde" Borlnian.sky 

"Den  store,  hvide  Flok" ICdv.   Grieg 

The  .Swrdi.ih    )'.  .)/.   C.   .1.   Chorus 

The  same  cut  ranciiiK  effect  as  thai  produced  by  the  Lund  Students' 
Cliiirus  was  afraiu  experienced  hy  the  audience.  The  beautiful  timbre 
of  tile  first  ami  second  tenors,  the  si)lcndor  of  the  first  basses  and  tlu' 
velvety  sniodtiiness  of  tlie  second  hjisscs  may  l)e  filly  compared  to  the 
effect  prixinecd  1)\-  a  strinj^ed  orclieslra  or  hy  a  Itrilliantly  voiced  organ. 
Several  da  capo  numbers  were  sini-r.  among  them  being  a  novelty. 
"Steiibocks  irossar."  l)y  Aug.  Kiiriing.  which  was  sung  in  a  spirited 
fashion  and  afforded  the  tenoi's  an  opportunity  to  display  tiicir  limpitl 
high  tones. 

After  a  luiu'  id'  llic  central   wcsli'rn  stales  a  second  (■oiiceri    was' 
given  in  Chicago  on  July  7th. 

The  w'cll  nigii  i)erfect  rendition  attained  by  the  two  ciioruses  from 
Sweden  will  long  be  a  criterion  to  tile  Swedisli  nuile  and  mixed  choruses 
in  tiiis  country. 


THE  SVKA    MALIC    CHORIS 


751 


The    Svea    Male    Chorus.  Moline 

One  of  tlie  oldest  iiuilc  clioriiscs  in  tln'  state  is  tlie  Svea  .Male  Chorus 
of  Moline,  which  was  organized  Aug.  23,  1887.  The  nueleu.s  was  formed 
from  the  sixteen  male  voices  in  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  Choir. 
It  remained  a  church  organization  for  a  lumiher  of  years,  until  it 
engaged  its  own   (juarters.     Its  nnisieal   directors  have  been   William 


o 


o 


Ljung,  1887-91,  P.  Ilartsough,  ISUl-l!,  William  Svenssou,  then  teacher 
at  Augustaua  Conservatory,  1892-3,  Joseph  Lindstrom,  1893 --t,  C.  M. 
Carlstedt,  1894,  D.  S.  Davies,  1894-6,  Adolf  Hult.  1896-7.  C.  M.  Carlstedt. 
1898-1902,  Edla  Lund,  1902-5,  Emil  Larson.  1905-8.  In  August,  1908, 
Petrus  Brodin  was  chosen  leader.  During  the  last  few  years  the  chorus 
has  gained  so  much  in  precision,   in  surety  of  jiitch.  in  shading  and 


752 


MISIC    AND    MISICIAKS 


plirasiiif^,  as  to  make  it  oiu'  oi'  the  best  male  choruses  in  the  singers' 
union. 

Gustaf  Holmquist 

Doubtless  Uustaf  lIolnK|uist  is  the  Swedish-Anieriean  vocalist  who 
is  best  known  to  the  American  music  loving  public.  Gifted  with  an 
imposing  presence  and  a  rich  and  sympathetic  voice,  he  is  rapidly 
becoming  a  favorite  oratorio  singer,  for  he  is  engaged  by  the  leading 
choral  societies  of  the  country,  from  the  central  West  to  the  East. 
Having  sunsr  the  bass  solo  in  the  |)roduetion  of  Gabriel  Pierne's  "The 


(iiistaf    Holmquist 

('liililrcn's  Cnisadc,"  liy  tlic  .\|i(ill(i  Cliili  of  Chicago,  he  has  been 
engaged  tu  tjikc  tlic  same  part  mi  Feb.  111.  l!t(l!l.  with  the  Jlinneapolis 
I'liilliarmonic  Society. 

Hvcr  since  1f)()(),  wiien  he  movcil  to  Cliicago,  .Mr.  lUilm(|uist's  voice 
h;is  hern  .1  riiiiilli.ir  one  to  Sweilish  concert  aiulieiices  in  Illinois.  An 
exteiiilcil  bidgrapliical  sketch  of  .Mr.  Ildliminist  is  given  in  anoliicr 
part  of  tills  work. 


The   Orion    Quartette 

The  Orion  Quartette  lias  existed  since  1S87.  when  it  made  its  first 
piililic  appearance  in  Chicago.  Willinni  Dahleii  is  first  tenor,  Mauritz 
Iliiltin,  second  tenor,  IVter  Westerbcrg,  first  bass,  and  Kmil  (iranath. 


Till';  s\vi;i)isii  i.Ai)ii:s'  ocnriTic 


753 


second  bass.  They  liaxc  lucii  |iiiiicii)iils  at  scores  of  concerts  during 
the  last  twenty  yc;irs  and  iiioliMlily  t'onii  the  olch'st  existini;  Swedisli 
nude  (inartette  in  the  state.  .Many  siiiiilai'  orfiaidzations  are  to  he 
I'onnd  in  all  Swedish  i-mnninnit  ies. 

The   Sw^edish    Ladies'   Octette 

The  Swedisli   Ladies'  Odette  was  orji-anized   in   ISSS  jind   i-aiiie  to 
New  Ydi'k   in  the  fall  of  thai    N'car  fi-oin  Sweden.     Tin'  meniliers  were: 


M.  HULTIN  \V.  DAHLKN  K    CH.INATH         T    WESTKBBKRfi 

The  Orion  Quartette 


first  sopranos,  Agnes  Stahergh.  Wilnia  Sundhorg;  second  sopranos, 
Ifaria  Hedeu,  Amanda  Carlson-Svenson  :  first  altos,  Elizaheth  Bruce, 
]Maria  Solberg;  second  altos,  Amelia  Heden,  Hilma  Zetterstrand. 
After  touring  the  eastern  states  throughout  the  winter,  they  went  west 
and 'gave  concerts  in  Chicago,  Jlarch  1!)  and  20,  1889,  after  which  they 
sang  in  various  Swedish  eommiuiities  in  Illinois  the  rest  of  the  season. 
They  toured  the  country  from  coast  to  coast  twice  and  also  sang  their 
way  through  Canada  and  Briti.sh  Columbia.  The  octette's  last  concert 
was  in  Englewood,  Chicago,  on  May  12,  1891.  Jenny  Norelius,  a  native 
of  Helsingland,  was  a  substitute  for  a  sick  member  for  almost  one 
season.  Miss  Norelius  is  very  generally  known  as  ]Mme.  Norelli,  a 
I)rima  donna  of  the  Italian  Grand  Opera  Company  of  New  York. 


754 


MUSIC    AND    MUSICIANS 


The   S-wedish   Ladies'  Quartette 

For  several  years  past  tliere  has  existed  in  Chicago  the  Swedish 
Ladies'  Quartette,  composed  as  follows:  Ida  Linn-Cooley,  first  soprano, 
Maria  Solbcrg-Sinn,  second  soprano.  Stephanie  Ileden.  first  alto,  and 


.MAIIlMVKt.l    IUIII.STI10.M 


sTt:l'll.\M>:  ll>:l>KN 
iiu  ll^^  r>HM.t.v 


NAKIA  SUIIIKlill  MN\ 


The  Swedish  Ladies'  Quartette 

Mar{!;aret  Dahlstroni,  second  alto.  Tlieir  repertory  comprises  many  of 
the  Swedish  student  songs,  besides  songs  in  Knglisii,  espe<Mally  arranged 
for  women's  voices.  Mrs.  Cooley  and  Miss  Daidstrom  iiavc  appeared 
with  credit  as  soloists  on  mnnerous  occasions.  Mrs.  Sollicrg-Sinn  was  a 
m('inl)er  dI'  tiie  Sw<'(iisii  Ladies'  Octette. 


THK    CARI.SSON    TRIO 


755 


The    Carlsson   Trio 

Thi^  Cfirlssoii  Trio  lias  existed  since  1!)()7.  It  is  coinixised  of  Sarmiel 
K.  <';n-lssiiii.  (Jiistaf  Eiigstroin  and  Axel  D.  Smith.  S.  K,  ("arlsson,  the 
violinist,  was  leader  of  the  Augustana  College  Orchestra  at  its  organiza- 
tion ill  1880.  After  moving  to  Ijiiidsborg.  Kans.,  he  organized  ,iii 
orchestra  of  fourteen  players,  which  develo])e(l  into  the  Bethany  College 
Orchestra.  In  ('liicai;ii  he  ciMuliirled  an  aiiialeur  orchesli'a  for  a  year 
in  the  early  nineties.     He  has  played  in  se\rral  ehanilier  innsic  iirganiza- 


■  \ 

mm^m  A 

m^ 

\l 

1^ 

^K^^ 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^Be^^IHk^^^^^^^B^^ 

■*~s*^^^' 

WrrL^f 

The  Carlssuii  Trio,   Chicago 

tions  from  time  to  time.  From  1902  mitil  IDOo  he  wa.s  first  violinist 
of  a  string  quartette  composed  of  Messrs.  Carlsson,  Hoyt,  Carr  and 
Carpenter. 

Giistaf  Engstrom  devoted  his  studies  to  the  violin  from  his  eighth 
year.  Conceiving  a  liking  for  the  violoncello  he  derived  instruction 
in  that  instrument  from  several  teachers,  finishing  under  Carl  Brueek- 
ner.    Mr.  Engstrom  has  played  in  several  trios  and  orchestras. 

Axel  D.  Smith  has  studied  the  organ  and  piano  under  tlu'  able 
musicians  Emil  Larson,  Thorwald  Otterstrom.  W.  C.  E.  Seeboeck  and 
Dr.  Julius  Fuchs.    He  has  devoted  his  whole  life  to  musical  art  and  has 


756  SIGFRID    LaIRIN 

made  a  special  study  of  chamber  masie  and  is  familiar  with  the  works  of 
the  great  masters  in  this  genre.  At  present  he  is  organist  of  the  Rogers 
Park  Englisli  Lutheran  Church,  where  Jlr.  Carlsson  is  dioir  director. 

The  Carlsson  Trio  has  appeared  in  concert  at  various  times  during 
the  season  of  1907-08.  Its  repertory  consists  of  the  piano  trios  of 
Beethoven,  Mendelssohn.  Haydn.  Iluinnicl.  Cade  and  Chopin. 

Sig'frid   Laurin 

Sigfrid  Laurin  is  the  best  equipped  pianist  who  has  come  from 
Sweden  to  this  country.  His  technique  is  adequate  to  all  demands,  and 
his  repertory  is  enormous.  His  playing  is  sympathetic,  though,  at 
times,  extremely  erratic. 


Sigfrid  Laurin 

The  works  ol'  Laurin,  most  of  wliicli  arc  still  in  iiiannsi-ript,  com- 
prise ciglileen  songs,  romances  and  lialhuls  for  tlic  voice  and  six  com- 
positions for  tlie  jiiano.  several  of  the  latter  being  quite  large  works. 
Tlie  vocal  solos  arc:  songs — "Hon."  "Mitt  hjcrlas  vittncshiird." 
"Julcns  stjcrna;"  romances — "Vid  grafvcn,"  "Solcn  sjuidvcr,"  "ilcni- 
los,"  "I  Gethsemane,"  "Sorgen,"  "Den  diiende  krigaren,"  "1  hostlig 
tid,""B6n;"  ballads— "Vid  hafvct."  "Farviil."  "it  Is  Hone."  "Fran 
mitt  hjerta.s  lyra,"  "At  Kvcntide,"  "Till  diids;"  romantif  ballad  — 
"Hrnstna  striingar."  Tlif  piaim  cipiiiposilions  are:  "Mitt  lif."  a 
rhai)sody ;  "  I'iXcclsior. "  a  .synii)lit>nii'  fantasia.  rc(|uiring  sonit-  two  iiours 
for  its  execution;  "i  driinmiar."  berceuse;  "(ifver  iljupcn,"  fantasia; 


MINOR    MHNTION 


757 


"Pk  ornevingar,"  concert  etude;  "Tempelmiiincii,"  an   arrangement 
of  sacred  melodies  for  piano,  in  four  parts. 

A  biographical  sketch  of  Laurin  is  given  in  anollior  part  of  this 
work.  Jlr.  Laurin  severed  his  connection  willi  Aiigustana  College  in 
Jime,  1908,  and  has  returned  to  Sweden. 

Minor   Mention 

Eleonore  L.  M.  Wigstriim  was  born  in  Upland.  Sweden  in  1835. 
An  actress  in  1856-7  of  the  Royal  Opera  at  Stockholm,  she  was  married 
to  V.  Planckh.  It  is  related  that  he  sold  her  to  a  Russian,  Petroff,  who 
had  fallen  in  love  with  her.  After  their  marriage,  Mme.  Petroff  is  said 
to  have  studied  with  the  best  European  masters  and  to  have  appeared 
in  concert  and  opera  with  many  renowned  artists,  attaining  great 
success.  Petroff  died  in  1869  after  spending  his  fortime.  The  widow 
assumed  the  name  lime.  Eleonore  Petrelli  and  gave  concerts  in  Russia, 
Poland  and  Germany  for  many  years.  Returning  in  1886  to  Stoelvholm, 
she  did  not  thrive,  and  therefore  left  the  next  year  for  this  country. 
After  various  adventures  she  settled  in  1888  in  Chicago  as  a  singing 
teacher.  Mme.  Petrelli  gave  numerous  recitals,  although  her  voice  had 
lost  whatever  beauty  it  onee  possessed.    She  died  Feb.  21,  1904. 

Several  singers  of  Swedish  birth  have  sung  in  grand  opera  at 
Chicago,  as  Christina  Nilsson,  Sigrid  Arnoldson,  Conrad  Behreus,  Olive 
Fremstad,  Mme.  Forstrom,  Johannes  Elmblad. 

About  1885  there  arrived  in  Chicago  two  yoimg  ladies  from  Sweden, 
Ellen  Svendblad  and  Mimmi  Lindstrom.  The  former  was  a  soprano 
from  the  Roj^al  Opera  in  Stockholm.  ]\Iiss  Svendblad  had  a  good 
dramatic  voice  and  appeared  successfully  in  many  Swedish  concerts 
during  the  following  three  years,  after  which  she  moved  to  New  York 
where  she  was  engaged  by  various  opera  companies.  ,^ 

Miss  Lindstrom  was  successful  as  a  teacher  and  accompan-ist.  She 
married  John  R.  Ortengren  after  a  few  years  and  has  since  then 
occasionally  appeared  as  accompanist. 

C.  H.  E.  Oberg  lived  in  Rockford  for  several  years,  where  he  was 
organist,  music  teacher  and  musical  condi;ctor.  He  was  a  graduate  of 
the  Royal  Conservatory  of  Music  at  Stockholm,  being  one  of  the  few  to 
receive  the  degree  of  Director  Musices  et  Cantus.  Oberg  composed  sev- 
eral male  choruses  and  edited  two  collections  for  male  voices,  entitled 
"Nar  och  fjarrau"  and  "Skandia."  He  died  in  Minneapolis  about  1894. 

During  the  past  few  years  A.  D.  Bodfors.  formerly  connected  with 
the  Augustana  Conservatory  of  I\riisic.  has  conducted  music  schools  in 
two  or  three  Illinois  cities,  including  Moline  and  Rockford.  'Mr.  Bod- 
fors, who  is  an  accomplished  performer  on  the  piano  and  the  organ, 
received  his  musical  training  chiefly  at  the  hands  of  Dr.  Stolpe. 


758  MISIC    AND    MfSICIANS 

Dc  Ci'llc  was  an  aiiiatiMir  Swcdisli  ti'iior  of  Krencli  extraetioii  who 
sang  in  tlic  Swcdisli  fliureh  uoneerts  in  the  early  eighties. 

One  of  the  Swedish  |)iatiists  sd.joiiniiiiur  in  Chieafru  in  the  early 
eiglities  was  ime  Uahllierg.  who  gave  cuiieerts  in  Swedish  eireles  and 
aroused   eonsiderable   enthusiasm   through   his  technique. 

Aii-rusla  ohrstrijni  sang  in  Central  Music  Hall  on  Sept.  22.  ISill. 
SIr'  IkuI  but  lately  eonie  to  this  country  from  Europe,  where  she  had 
sung  with  eonsiderable  success. 

About  ]iSI)0-98  the  Liitteman  Sextette,  organized  in  Stockholm  by 
Hugo  Liitteman.  traveled  in  this  country.  The  male  sextette  gave 
concerts  at  many  points  in  Illinois,  and  sang  with  finish. 

Wilhelm  Lindberg  was  piano  teacher  at  North  Park  College  1895- 
flfj.  lie  had  a  small  tenor  voice  and  played  his  own  aeeoinpaninients  on 
a  hari).     His  jiiaiio  jilaying  was  of  a  iiiirli  order. 

Ki-iist  Swedilius  was  in  Chicago  from  about  1895  to  1898.  He  had  a 
tremendous  bass-baritone  voice  and  sometimes  appeared  at  public 
concerts.     More  recently  he  has  sung  in  gi-aiid  opera  at  Stockholm. 

Ill  tlic  iiiiii'lies  a  yonu'jr  Swedish  Cliieago  girl.  Miss  Ilelma  XiLson, 
came  before  the  public,  (iifteil  with  a  fine  voice  and  a  charming 
api)eara?ice.  slie  played  tlic  star  parts  and  sang  the  interpolatctl  songs 
ill  a  iiuiiilu'r  of  Swedish  dramatic  |)roductions  in  Chicago  and  other 
Anu'rican  cities,  and  subsccpiently  ajipeared  successfully  in  Sweden. 

"Prithiof  and  Ingeborg."  an  opera  whose  plot  is  founded  on 
Tegner's  "Frithiof's  Saga,"  was  produced  in  the  Chicago  Atulitorium 
for  three  consecutive  night  in  February.  1900.  The  composer.  Charles 
L.  Hanson,  of  AVorcester.  ^lass..  adapted  the  nuisie  largely  from  extant 
com])ositioiis.  siicli  as  Donizetti's  sextette  from  "Lucia,"  Siiilerman's 
"Ett  bondbriillop"  and  other  well-kiu)wn  works. 

^lartiiia  Johnstoiu'.  the  Xew  York  violinist,  aiui  Aiuui  Ilellstriini, 
the  opera  singer  from  Stockholm.  ap])eared  at  the  American  I'nion  of 
Swedish  Singers'  coiicirls  in  Cliieago  Jidy  20  and  21.  19(15. 

I']l)ba  Il.jertstedt.  a  Chicago  girl,  received  her  first  violin  instruction 
ill  licT  lioine  I'it.v.  She  has  finished  her  e<lucation  in  Europe  and  has 
ap|)carcil  as  soloist  with  several  coni  iiieiital  orchestras. 

A  tour  that  awaki'iicil  iiiiicb  interest  was  that  made  iiy  the  K'oyal 
Kronobci-i;  Ivegiiiienl  Hand  of  thirty-five  playei-s  led  by  Erik  Ibiirln'rg. 
Two  coiiciTis  were  given   ill  Cliicairo  ill   .\pril,   lUiiS. 

.\iiioiig  |)rofessioiial  iiiusiciaiis  of  Swedish  I'Xl  rai'l  ion  in  Cliieago 
\\lios<'  biographical  sUelclics  are  irivcn  elsewhere  in  this  work  are  .John 
]{.  (")rteiigien.  (IiisImI'  I  luliii(|iiisl .  Kiidolpli  Kngberg,  Olof  Valley, 
llaiiiiali  Hiiller.  Kagna  Liiiiie.  l-]ll,\ii  Swansoii.  Lx'dia  llallberg.  Elvira 
Weiinei-skold  and  Ax.-l  H.  C.  Carlstedl. 

Other  Swedish  professional  nuisieians  in  Chicago  ari'  .Mrs.  Christine 


MINOR    mi;nti()N' 


759 


Eiigstroni.  Aniin  Chiiiliiiul.  Arthur  tiraiKiuisl.  Ililina  KiiandiT,  Kdgar 
Nelson,  Johaiiiios  Olsson,  Kariii  LiiuisK-ofj,  Joliii  Xewstrom,  Jolui  Fr. 
Ringr.  Axel  Fraiicke.  Kriist  Frisli'oiii  and  Sara  Noi'dstniiii. 

Sketches  of  the  nuisiciaiis  ICiiiil  Ijjii'soh.  Si^'IVid  Laiirin.  Ivlla  Liiiid 
and  Frank  E.  I'eterson  will  l)e  I'ouiid  uiidrr  the  lii-adinLr  K'm'k  Island, 
in  another  part  of  this  work. 

.Many  niusicianly  ainatenrs  ai'c  In  he  I'ound  in  tlir  Swedish  popnla- 

tioii  of  this  state.     Swedish  pupils  are  to  l)( luiteil  by  the  hundreds, 

divided  lietween  the  various  music  schools  and  the  private  teachers. 
This  bespeaks  a  general  spread  of  culture  which  was  not  jxissihle  in 
the  fii'st  veneration  of  Swedish  life  in  Illinois. 


CHAPTER    XIII 

Press  and  Literature 

Illinois  the   Producing'  Center 


srKVEY  of  tilt"  wliole  field  of  ywcdish-American 
literature  establishes  some  interesting  facts  witli  respect 
t(i  Illinois.  The  first  Swedish  printing-press  on  this 
continent  was  started  within  the  borders  of  this  state. 
From  it  was  issued  the  pioneer  Swedish  newspaper  in 
the  United  States  and  the  second  Swedish  periodical  in  the  Xew  World.* 
Chicago  early  became  the  publishing  center  as  well  as  the  center  of 
literary  activity  among  the  Swedish  jieoplo.  a  position  it  still  retains. 
Until  twenty  yeai's  ago  no  Swedish  newspapers  pui)lished  elsewhere 
in  this  country  could  compare  favorably  with  those  i.ssued  from  Chicago 
or  dispute  the  field  with  them.  Even  now.  with  a  number  of  formidable 
rivals  in  the  East  and  the  Northwest,  the  Swedish  newspapers  of 
Chicago  are  not  outclassed.  All  the  leading  organs  of  the  Swedish 
denominations  were  founde(l  in  Illinois  and  are  beinir  published  from 
f.'hicago.  exce|)t  one.  the  hutlieran  iiioiithiiieee,  which  issues  from  liock 
Island.  In  the  matter  ot  hook  pulilisliirig.  the  jVroduction  of  Swedish 
books  oulside  of  this  state  is  insignificant  as  compared  with  that  of 
the  Swedish  publishing  hons<'s  here. 

The  great  bulk  of  the  literaiy  oulput  has  passed  liirough  jour- 
nalistic channels.  To  a  marked  degree  the  Swedish  people  have  relied 
on  their  newspai)ers  to  furnish  them  willi  ivading  nuitter  of  whatever 
sort.  The  i-esull  has  been,  in  a  niniilier  of  instam-es.  that  around  some 
newspaper  has  grown  np  a  cnnsiderable  publishing  business.  Certain 
of  the  secular  i)apers   have   ])ut    o\it    good-sized   editions  of  standard 

•  Ki-rrriiui-  is  luiil  to  llu-  weekly  "Rvport  n(  St.  Bartholomew."  1.".*  iiiimhrrK  of 
whk-li  wore  iiii1)Hh1u'c1  in  1S04— 1U.  lii  BiiKli"li.  I>.v  Aiiilcm  BciRntcill.  iit  (•iikIuyIii.  on  the 
Hlfind  of  SI.  Hartholoinew,  tlten  a  Swetllah   poHtieHHiun. 


EARLY    PLBLICATIUNS  761 

■works  for  preniiiini  jnirposcs.  while  tlic  imtilishers  of  relifiious  joiiriials 
have  beeu  called  upon  to  supply  the  respective  churches  with  books  of 
a  devotional  and  liturgical  character.  IMany  journalists  have  devoted 
themselves  partially  to  imlependent  authorship,  as  have  also  certain 
educators,  clergymen  and  other  professional  men,  but  their  number 
has  been  regulated  by  the  rather  limited  demand  for  original  works 
by  Swedish-American  writers.  The  literary  production  of  this  char- 
acter, however,  embraces  a  few  works  of  indisputable  merit  in  the  field 
of  history,  church  and  profane,  religion,  ci\ncs,  biography  and  memoirs, 
travel,  prose  fiction  and  poetry. 

In  their  literary  activities  the  Swedish-Americans  are  not,  however, 
confined  to  their  mother  tongue.  Some  of  the  first  and  many  more  of 
the  second  generation  have  devoted  themselves  to  literary  pursuits 
in  the  language  of  the  land  of  their  adoption.  Back  in  the  sixties  we 
find  in  Illinois  newspapers  of  a  distinctively  Swedish-American  char- 
acter published  in  the  English  language.  In  communities  largely 
Swedish,  here  and  in  other  states,  one  frequently  finds  young  men  of 
Swedish  descent  in  editorial  charge  of  the  local  English  newspapers, 
while  Swedish  names  also  are  found  In  the  list  of  writers  on  the  metro- 
politan papers  and  contributors  to  literary  magazines  and  scientific 
journals.  Among  several  Swedish  names  noted  in  American  fiction, 
one  is  borne  by  a  young  novelist  of  Chicago. 

Early    Publications 

]\Iany  of  the  earlier  Swedish  books  and  pamphlets  were  published 
in  Illinois.  The  first  one  appears  to  be  L.  P.  Esbjorn's  four-page 
pamphlet  entitled  "Nagra  enkla  Fragor  oeh  Svar  rorande  Dopelsen." 
which  was  printed  in  the  beginning  of  1854:.  In  the  same  year  was 
issued  the  proceedings  of  the  joint  meeting  of  the  Chicago  Conference 
and  the  Mississippi  Conference,  in  Chicago. 

When  Tuve  N.  Hasselqulst  issued  his  prospectus  for  the  newspaper 
which,  on  publication,  was  called  "Hemlandet,"  he  suggested  that  the 
readers  should  each  contribute  fifty  cents  toward  purchasing  a  com- 
plete Swedish  printery  which  would  become  the  property  of  the  ^Mis- 
sissippi  Conference.  The  proposal  won  favor,  and,  by  degrees,  the 
appurtenances  of  a  small  printing  shop  were  purchased  and  set  up  at 
Galesburg.  The  first  material  had  been  bought  by  Hasselquist  in  New 
York  for  $500.  In  addition  to  the  papers  "Hemlandet"  and  "Det 
Ratta  Hemlandet,"  several  small  books  and  pamphlets  were  printed  at 
Hasselquist 's  shop,  which  was  called  "Svenska  Boktryckeriet."  Among 
them  are,  "50  Andliga  Sanger"  by  0.  Ahnfelt,  1856  ;  "Enchiridion.  Dr. 
M.  Luthers  Lilla  Cateehes.  For  Allmanna  Kyrkoherdar  och  Predikan- 
ter.    Noggrann  ofversattning  Af  L.  P.  E.    'Med  ett  upplysande  foretal." 


762 


I'RKSS    AND    LITERATI  "RE 


42  pages,  1856.  In  the  preface,  L.  P.  Flsbjorn  asserted  that  the  euininoii 
Swedish  editions  of  the  catechism  had  many  alterations,  additions  and 
omissions,  resulting;  from  flic  wliiins  of  various  translators.  Now  that 
he  was  t'n'i'  from  the  inHuciicc  of  the  Swedish  stati-  chureh.  he  thou>/ht 
it  high  time  that  a  faithful  and  correct  translation  he  made.  An  English 
translat  inn  of  tlic  catcciiism  ap|)ciircd  on  the  pages  oi)positc  to  those 
cDiitaining  the  Swcdisii  text.  In  the  sann>  year  aiiotlicr  Knglish  and 
Swedish  edition  of  Luther's  catechism  was  printcii.  hut  this  time  the 


Rev.  Tiivc  X.   Ilassi-Uiui.st 


usu;il  Swi'dish  text  was  ciiiploycd.  OIIkt  i)0(dis  issued  from  the 
Swedish  |iiiiitri-y  arc,  ■"  l-'iirslair  lill  ( 'oust  :t\il  ion  for  Kvangelisk-Lulher- 
si\a  lursanilingai-  i  .Norra  .Vmcrika."'  ll.'  pages,  IS.")?;  "  A-ii-('-i>ok,"  or 

pi-i V.  Iiy  Dr.  A.  H.  Ccrvin.  1S.")(;  or  1S.')7;  "  Augsl)nrgiska  Hekiiiuiel- 

scn."  1")  pages,  IS.'iT;  "Doktor  .Mai-tin  Lulhers  Siinilebnd'  till  Ivcnne 
kyrkoliei-dai-  oiii  vederdopct,  loliiS,"  :iS  pages,  1S.")7;  several  snudl 
tracts;  "I'lan  for  Dr.  ('.  II.  Hrans  Skandinaviska  Kansas  koloiii ;" 
"  j.iil  lii'r  Uokcn  cllci-  Dcii  dyrc  ( iudsinaiiiicii  jioklor  Martin  Luthers 
licfverne  ocli  (icrningaraf  Herman  Kick,"  Iranslnled  from  the  (iermaii 
hy  Airs.   l'"iVa   llassehpiist,  (>S  pages.  1S.'>,S, 


Till-;  s\\i-:i)isii  uTiU'RAN  n  iu.icatiox  sociutv  763 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Publication  Society 

At  till'  iiicftiiii;'  (if  tlic  .Mississippi  ('i)iit'ci-ciiiM'  held  at  (Jaicsliiii'j;  in 
(trtolicr.  IS,")!),  atti'iition  was  called  to  llii'  fact  that  the  Swedish  pi'iiilery 
founded  liy  I  lasselipiisl  was  its  own  properly.  .\  eoiiiiiiiltee  a|ipciint.ed 
to  e.xaniiiie  the  coiulitioii  of  ati'airs  recoiniiieiidcd  that  a  power  press 
he  [iiireliMsed  ;md  used  in  place  of  the  liaiiil  press.  .\)  the  irieetinir  of 
the  eonfereiiee  in  .Vpi'il,  1S.")S,  it  was  aniiouneeil  that  liassi'l(|uist  desired 
to  III'  relieved  of  the  I'esponsihility  of  piihlishinjf  "  Ilenilandet, "  owiiif? 
to  the  pressure  of  his  pastoi'al  duties.  It  was  therefore  decided  to 
organize  "  The  Swedish  Ijiitheran  I'ulilicat  ion  Society."  The  following 
Septeniher,  the  eoiiference.  then  in  session  at  Princeton,  appointed 
Erland  Carlsson,  Jonas  Swensson  and  .John  John.son  to  confer  with 
Ilasselipiist  as  to  the  jmrchase  of  his  newspapers  and  the  stock  of  hooks 
and  pamphlets  on  hand.  They  were  also  to  order  a  .stock  of  books  from 
Sweden  ;md  to  attenii)t  to  unite  " Jlinnesota-Posten"  with  "Hem- 
landet."  The  first-named  newspaper  had  been  published  fortnightly 
at  Red  Wing,  ilinn..  since  Nov.  7,  1857,  by  Erik  Xorelius  and  Jonas 
Engbei'g.  When  the  Jlississippi  Conference  met  in  Chicago  on  Dec.  (J-!), 
it  was  reiiorti'd  that  Xorelins  and  Engberg  had  agreed  to  sell  their 
printing  office  and  newsjiaper  to  the  society  and  become  its  employees. 
Ilasseliiuist  had  also  made  arrangements  to  turn  over  his  publications 
to  the  society.  It  was  decided  to  move  the  newspapers  to  Chicago 
before  the  end  of  the  year.  Norelius  was  chosen  editor  of  the  news- 
papers and  Erland  Carlsson  was  appointed  business  manager  of  the 
society. 

By  New  Year's,  ]8o!),  the  society  had  moved  its  possessions  into 
a  small  sehoolhouse  in  the  rear  of  the  Immanuel  Church  at  190-192  E. 
Superior  street.  After  the  basement  of  the  church  was  renovated,  the 
concern  was  installed  there.  Jonas  Engberg,  who  had  been  a  book  col- 
porteur when  he  first  came  here,  attended  to  the  store  and  assisted 
on  the  new.spapers  until  1864.  Prom  time  to  time,  .shipments  of  books 
arrived  from  Sweden 'to  replenish  the  supply,  for  there  was  a  brisk 
demand  for  reading  matter.  Engberg  left  in  October,  1864,  to  engage 
in  another  line  of  business.  Plrland  Carlsson  apparently  remained  in 
the  ca[)acity  of  business  manager  until  1868,  when  he  was  replaced 
by  Jonas  Engberg,  who  was  elected  secretary  and  treasurer.  The  office 
was  moved  in  1869  to  better  cpiarters  at  189  North  Clark  street.  About 
this  time  the  society  published  ''Luthers  lilla  cateches,  forsedd  nu>d 
bibelsprak."  "Hemlandssfinger, "  text  edition.  "Svenska  Psahnboken." 
text  edition,  and  in  18(i9  and  1870,  "Hendandssanger. "  nuisic  edition. 

In  the  Chicago  fir'c  of  1871  the  society  lost  its  entire  stock,  printery 
and  liook  plates,  and  even  its  account  bunks  which  were  stored  in  a  safe. 
Fortunately,    ^Ir.    iMigberg   happened    to    ha\e   a    trial    balance   of   the 


764  PRESS   AND    LITERATIRE 

accounts  at  his  home,  which  had  been  spared  from  the  flames,  and  with 
the  aid  of  that  he  could  make  up  the  accounts.  The  property,  valued 
at  $18,000,  had  been  insured  for  $10,000,  of  which  $5,000  was  collected. 
This  sum  was  divided  between  the  bookstore  and  the  news|)apers. 
Mr.  Engberg  had  been  in  Sweden  that  summer  and  purchased  a  lot  of 
books  filling  eleven  cases,  which  arrived  at  Chicago  shortly  after 
the  fire.  A  basement  was  now  rented  on  ^lihvaukee  avenue,  where  the 
business  continued  for  almost  a  year,  after  which  it  was  moved  to  94 
E.  Chicago  avenue.  The  society's  publications  were  now  i.ssued  anew, 
and  in  1872  Dr.  ^I.  Luther's  smaller  catechism  was  printed  with 
Swedish  and  English  text. 

In  the  meantime,  opposition  to  the  society's  activity  arose  within 
the  Augustana  Synod,  wliich  was  in  control,  and  on  Sept.  29,  1874, 
the  book  department  was  sold  for  $17,000,  to  the  new  firm  of  Engberg. 
Holmberg  and  Lindcll.  It  was  arranged  that  this  should  continue  to 
be  regarded  as  the  official  synodical  bookstore,  the  synod  stipulating 
that  standard  works  of  the  Lutheran  confession  should  be  kept  in  stock. 
The  proceeds  of  the  sale  went  to  Augustana  College  and  Theological 
Seminary. 

The    Engberg-Holmberg'    Publishing   Company 

The  new  firm,  Engberg.  Holmberg  and  Lindell,  continued  the 
Ijusiiiess  at  94  H  Chicago  avenue,  for  two  years.  In  1874  the  firm 
moved  into  a  new  building  at  119  E.  Chicago  avenue,  which  it  has  ever 
since  occupied.  Charles  O.  Lindell  sold  out  his  interest  to  his  partners 
in  187(i.  Soon  after,  he  organized  the  Star  Printing  Co.,  wliich  was 
bought  out  latiT  liy  tlie  l)()()k  firm.  Engljerg  and  Holmberg  liave.  at 
various  times,  bought  out  the  stock  and  book  plates  of  tlie  following 
jmblisliiiig  firms:  l)e  Lang  and  Osterliiul.  Julin  and  Iledcnsclioug. 
Wislrand  and  Timlin,  I.  T.  Helling  and  Co..  Knander  and  Uohinan,  1'.  A. 
Nor.stedt  and  Sons'  Chicago  luain'h  and  Sangen  Publishin<j  Co. 

In  1884  the  firm  was  incorporated  as  The  Eiigbcrg-lIolnilnTg  I'ub- 
iisliiiig  Company.  .loiias  lOnglici'g,  tlfe  pioneer  puliJisiKT,  died  Jan.  1. 
1890.  Charles  I'.  1  lohnliiTg  rcinaincd  in  active  charge  of  the  business 
until  1900,  when  he  retired.  He  died  .May  20.  l!IO:i.  Since  1900  the 
firm  has  been  managed  by  Oscar  and  .Martin  .1.  Kngl)erg,  sons  of  .lonas 
Engberg. 

I'x'sides  maintaining  a  large  assortment  (d"  imported  Swedisli  books 
lhc\  iiav<'  |)rodnee(l  several  luindreds  of  tiieir  own.  Of  these,  twenty- 
eight  are  language  methmis  and  seliool  liooks;  ti-n  are  histories  and 
books  of  travel;  thirty-nine  aic  ilevolional  and  oilier  religious  works; 
one  hnndred  and  four  are  Siuiday  school  storybooks;  thirty-five  are 
olhci-    works   of   fiction;    fourteen    are    hymnals;    eighteen    are    pi>enis 


K,  WALI.tN  C.  P.  HOLHBERh  C.  0.  LINDELL 

F    N    ANDREN  JONAS  ENGBERCi 


The  Engberg  and  Holmberg  Book  Store,   1S84 


766  PRESS   AND    LITERATIRE 

ami  tolleetions  of  poetry;  fifty-five  are  music  books  and  pamphlets,  iu 
addition  to  which  there  are  ninety-one  pieces  of  sheet  music;  while 
sixty-one  pulilic-ations  are  of  a  miscellaneous  character.  The  total,  four 
lumdred  and  fifty-five,  does  not  include  reprints  of  sliort  stories  from 
collections,  nor  reprints  of  songs  from  collections.  Of  the  latter  over 
two  hundred  separate  numbers  are  issued,  ilany  of  the  songs  are 
provided  with  English  text,  but  otherwi.se  almost  all  of  the 
publications  are  in  Swedish  only.  Artistically  designed  book  covers 
adorn  many  of  the  books,  especially  the  poetical  collections  and  the 
various  bindings  of  "Den  Svenska  Psalmboken."  One  collection  of 
choir  antliems  is  issued  in  four  languages.  Owing  to  the  large  and 
varied  stock  carried,  they  are  the  central  depot  of  supplies  for  the 
Swedish  book  and  music  trade  in  this  country.  The  most  notable  of 
their  original  publications  are:  Olof  Olsson's  '"Till  Rum  odi  Ilein 
Igen,"  C.  P.  Peterson's  "Ett  Ilundra  Ar."  .^Irs.  Woods-Baker's 
"Pictures  of  Swedish  Life."  and  the  present  work.  The  firm  has  imb- 
lislicd  the  following  papers:  "Xad  och  Sanning."  1877-8(i.  "Vart  Land 
ocli  Folk."  a  weekly  newspaper.  1886-88.  "Land  och  Folk."  a  semi- 
moiiflily  illustrated  story  jiaper.  1898-1901.  "Baruviiunen,"  1880-88. 
aii<1  tile  "Children's  Friend."  1S8()-8S. 

Jonas   Eng'berg 

Jonas  Engberg  was  born  Mai-eh  H\.  18:57.  in  Herge.  Uergsjo  ]iarish, 
Ilelsinglnml.  Sweden,  lie  s])ent  three  years  in  tiie  cnllcgiate  institute 
at  llu(lil<svall,  (ibtaining  several  ])rizes  for  proficiency  in  his  studies. 
Tiiereafter  lie  was  clerk  to  the  crown  tax  collector.  Emigrating  Sept. 
29,  1854,  he  landed  in  New  York  on  Dec.  2(lth.  and  there  met  O.  G. 
Iledstrom.  An  account  book  and  diary  dating  from  Sept.  1.  IS.M. 
relates  this  and  other  inciilents.  Engl)erg  went  to  Columi)Us.  Ohio, 
where  he  remained  a  couple  of  weeks  with  his  cousin,  Erik  Norclius. 
then  a  student  in  that  city.  Continuing  his  .iourney  to  Chicago  he  there 
became  a  book  col])orteur,  for  he  had  liroiight  with  him  some  Swedish 
books.  From  ]\Iay  until  July  he  taught  school  at  West  Point.  Ind.  The 
Swedish  Lutlieran  eiiun-h  of  that  place  was  too  poor  to  retain  hint  any 
longer.  Resuming  his  former  occupation  he  sold  books  until  in  August, 
when,  after  a  visit  to  Bishop  Hill,  he  went  to  Oalesburg  and  began 
woi-king  in  llasselqiiist 's  ])ririting  shop.  Engin'rg  aiilcd  in  the  setting 
n|)  of  .\o.  !l  ol'  "  llriiihiiHlel  "  aiiil  eoiil  iiiiied  ill  tile  priiitery  until  Oct.  ■"{, 
1S.").">.  Once  more  lie  became  a  book  eolporlciir  and  traveled  about 
selling   Kiiglish   and   Swedish    books   until   September.    18.")l>.   when   the 

balaiii r   I  lie    JMigberg    t'aiiiilv    eaiiie    from    Sweden.      From    Chicago 

they  went  to  Ri'd  Wing.  .Minn.  From  .November  until  January.  Eiig- 
bcrg  was  teachei"   in   the  first    parochial   school   at    Vasa.      lie   taught 


JONAS    IvNGHICRC, 


767 


singing  and  the  riidiinciits  of  English  and  Swedish  grammar,  besides 
the  usual  Itrantdies.  His  pay,  $3"). 00  a  montii,  was  tendered  in  the  form 
of  potatoes.  EngluTg  unfortunately  stored  his  salary  in  the  schoolroom 
where  it  froze,  whnreuiioii  he  ixaw  \\\>  the  vocation.  The  next  summer 
Engberg  worked  as  a  eompositor  on  a  newspaper  in  Cannon  Palls.  On 
Nov.  7,  1857,  Norelius  and  Kngberg  issuinl  Xo.  1  of  "^linnesota- 
Posten,"  the  former  as  editoi'.  Ilie  latter  as  printer.  Engberg  and  his 
brotlier  Jiiliii,  who  then  began  learning  the  trade,  sid)sisted  mainly  on 


Jonas    Engberg 

crackers  and  molasses  and  slept  in  the  printery.  The  subscriptions 
were  paid  in  provisions,  silver  coin  and  wildcat  currency.  In  December, 
1859,  the  paper  was  consolidated  with  "Hemlandet"  and  both  editor 
and  printer  went  to  the  Chicago  office.  Engberg  assisted  in  the  editing 
and  attended  to  the  bookstore.  After  nine  months  Norelius  left  and 
Eev.  Erland  Carlsson  took  his  place,  soon,  however,  leaving  all  of  the 
editorial  work  to  Engberg.  The  latter  remained  editor  until  1864. 
During  the  next  four  years  he  was  associated  with  Peter  L.  Hawkinson 
as  insurance  agent  and  printer.  In  their  office  on  Lake  street  they 
reprinted,  in  1865,  the  first  part  of  "Fanrik  Stals  Sagner,"  84  pages. 
This  little  booklet  was  dedicated  to  the  Scandinavian  soldiers  Mdio 
fought  in  the  Union  Army.     In  the  same  year  they  printed  "Lasebok 


768  PRESS    AND    LITERATIRE 

t'iir  liani  oili  Liif^doiu,  utgifvcii  at'  H.  J.  Glasell."  ItiO  pages.  In  1860 
Engberg,  together  with  Sven  Gibson,  liad  published  '■Konung  Oskar 
dc'ii  t'l-idsiillcs  niiiiiie."  91   |)ages. 

Ill  1;S()!S  Eiigljcrg  became  secretary  ami  treasurer  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Publication  Society.  The  next  year  he  also  became  town 
clerk  for  Xortli  ("hicago.  hi  tiie  summer  of  l^>71  he  went  to  Sweden 
to  make  purchases  for  the  bookstore. 

While  there,  he  made  a  visit  to  Berg.sjo,  his  birthplace,  and  copied 
from  the  church  register  the  names  and  dates  of  birth  and  death  of 
his  forbears  as  far  back  as  possible.  He  traced  his  ancestry  to  Peder 
Anderson  from  Savolax  or  Tavastland.  Finland,  who  was  born  about 
1540  or  ir)5().  settled  in  1598  at  Rickmiiki.  also  called  Risasen.  and  in 
]()()()  received  permission  from  Charles  IX.  to  build  and  live  at  Siir- 
gardei).  on  the  crown  estate  of  Kjiilsjo.  Jonas  Engberg  was  the  seventh 
in  de.seent  from  Pedei'  .VndersDn.  licing  a  grandson  of  Anderson's  great- 
grandson's  granddaughtci'.  in  this  well-authenticated  instam-e.  there 
were  eight  geiici-atioiis  in  a  span  of  thi'ee  hundred  and  fifty  years,  an 
average  of  about  forty-three  years  for  each  generation. 

If  has  already  been  related  how  Jonas  Engberg  came  to  organize 
tile  t'ii'in  of  Engberg  and  llolnilierg.     lie  laboi'ed  assiduously  with  his 

account    1 ks  and   |)roof  sheets.  hal)itually   arising  at    '^i  or  4  o'clock 

in  the  iiioi-ning  to  begin  his  work.  He  compiled  the  old  etlition  of 
"  Ileinlandssanger""  and  1r;inslateil  numerous  hymns  from  the  (ierman 
and  Knglisli  for  vai-ious  songbooks.  "Engelsk-sveuska  Hrefstiillaren 
for  Svenska  Folket  i  Amerika."  with  mathematical  tables  and  a  course 
in  bookkeeping,  was  written  by  liim. 

Mr.  Engt)erg  was  one  of  the  fouiulers  of  lh<'  AuL'ustana  Synod  in 
ISlili.  It  lias  been  related  how  he  was  one  of  the  Swedish-American 
musical  pioneers.  In  the  sixties  he  was  a  nuMuber  of  Hatis  lialatka's 
Chicago  Oratorio  Society  and  sang  with  that  chorus  when  liiucoln's 
body  was  on  view  in  Chicago.  His  musical  tastes  resulted  in  thi'  judi- 
lii-.ition  of  numei'ous  music  collections  by  his  firm. 

.Ml-.  Miiglierg's  health  was  undermined  by  too  constant  application 
to  work.     .Mter  a  week's  illness  he  died  on  Jan.  1.  18!)(). 

^Ir.  l^ngcrg  was  married  .March  11.  IStil,  to  Elizabctli  Zimmcr- 
inaii,  a  native  of  Xusslocli.  Haden.  (iermany,  born  Dec.  l(t.  1S41.  who 
eaiiie  to  this  country  in  |S.'):{,  and  to  Chicago  in  1S57.  She  still  survives, 
together  with  eight  of  hi'r  i-iiildrcn.  They  arc:  Oscar  P.  K.  Engberg. 
llclga  E.  C.  (.Mrs.  .Maurit/.  Stolpe).  \'en(l.'la  H.  K.  (.Mrs.  Emil  Larson). 
.Mart  Ml  .1.  (i.  .\.  I'lngberg,  Liieia  Iv  Iv  (.Mrs.  .\ksel  (i.  S.  Josephsou), 
Sigrid  .M.  II.  (.Mrs.  .los.'pli  C.  Sheldon  ).  Kmil  \.  J  Kiigbcrg  ami  Ruth 
T.  H.  Engberg. 


I 


HOLMBERG— I,I.\l)i;i,I, 


Charles    Peter  Holmberg 


769 


Charles  Peter  Holmberg  was  born  .Manli  8,  184U,  in  Fjiirrestad, 
Skiinc,  Sweden.  He  learned  the  mason's  trade  and  became  a  contractor. 
In  this  capacity  he  spent  some  time  in  Coi)enhagen,  removing  thence 
to  Stockholm,  where  he  lived  .several  years.  In  1865  he  emigrated  and 
settled  in  Chicago,  pursuing  the  same  trade.  From  1869  until  1874.  he 
was  engaged  in  tlic  insiirnnc(^  and  real   estate  business.     In   the  last- 


Charles  Peter  Holmberj; 

named  year  he  became  a  partner  in  the  publishing  firm  of  Engberg, 
Holmberg  and  Lindell.  The  latter  retiring,  the  firm  became  Engberg  and 
Holmberg.  Mr.  Holmberg  eventually  became  president  of  the  Engberg- 
Holmberg  Publishing  Company.  He  retired  from  active  participation 
in  business  in  1900. 

]\Ir.  Holmberg  was  a  member  of  the  first  board  of  trustees  of 
Augustana  Hospital  and  was  active  in  church  work.  He  died  ilay  20, 
1903,  his  wife  Wilhelmina,  nee  Vetterluud,  surviving  him. 


Carl    Oscar    Lindell 

Carl  Oscar  Lindell  was  born  Feb.  19,  1847.  in  Hvena  parish,  Sma- 
land,  Sweden.    His  parents  were  Carl  Johan  Roos  and  lugeborg  Roos. 


--0  PRESS    AND    I.ITKRATIRE 

At  tlie  age  of  Icn  years,  tlic  boy  emigrated  to  this  eouiitry  with  his 
uncle.  fJoiiijr  tn  Aiuldver.  111.,  he  fuund  a  fosterfather  iu  S.  P.  Liiulell, 
aud  adopted  his  surname  in  jilace  (if  his  own.  On  the  reeommendation 
of  the  Rev.  Jonas  Swensson.  young  Lindell  entered  the  Augustana 
Theologieal  Seminary  at  Chicago  in  1S()2.  After  finishing  his  studies 
in  the  same  seminary  at  Pa.xton.  he  was  ordained  at  the  syiiodieal 
meeting  in  1868.     His  first  pastorat*'  was  at  Geneva.  III.     Rev.  C.  O. 


Rev.  Carl  O.sciir  l.imlell 


Ijinili'll  w.is  iiiariii'd  llic  same  year  to  Olilia  hiniier.  In  1S74  he  moved 
111  (liicairo  Mild  lii'cainc  a  iiarlner  in  the  hook  firm  of  Knglierg.  Ilolm- 
lierg  and  Liiidell.  lie  remaiiifd  witli  the  firm  t\\d  years,  in  the  mean- 
time having  pastoral  care  of  three  churches. 

liiiiilcll  (ii'i.'aiii/ed  tlic  Si.ir  I'rintiii^r  Co.  ahout  1S77.  and  published 
sevei'al  l)ooks.  .After  si'lling  his  husiness  to  Knglierg  and  llolmherg, 
he  was  the  chief  editor  of  their  periodicals  until  they  were  sold  in  ISSS. 
During  1890-91  hi'  was  a.ssislant  cilitor  of  "Augustana."  Kev.  Lindell 
was  the  founder  ol'  Ucthli'licm  Swedish  Lutheran  Cliurcli  in  I'jiglewood. 


lIlsMI.ANDICT 


771 


("hieago.  niul  served  as  a  mission  pastor  at  various  jjlaces.  From  lf)0:j 
on.  ho  was  assistant  pastoi-  to  Dr.  E.  Xorclius  at  Vasa.  .Mitin.  On  Anff. 
1().  11)0."),  while  at  Ived  Wiii^'.  011  the  way  to  allenii  iiis  daughter's 
funeral,  he  was  sti'i(d<en  with  heai't  disease  and  died  instantly.  Tlie 
remains,  togethei'  with  those  of  the  daugliter,  were  buried  from  the 
old  iiome  in  ( 'hieago. 

Gamla  ocK  Nya  Hemlandet 

One  of  tile  first  men  to  realize  the  need  of  a  newspaper  fur  the 
Swedish-American  immigrants  was  Kev.  T.  N.  Hassehjuist.  |>astor  of 
the  SM'edish  Lutheran  Church  of  (ialesbuig.  T'lideterred  by  an  abor- 
tive attempt  a  few  years  before  to  estai)!isii  a  Swedish  news|)ai)er  in 
New  York  City — named  "SIcandinaven ""  and  published  for  a  short  time 
in  1851-1852 — Ilassehpiist  in  October.  1S54.  issued  the  i)rospectus  of 
a  new  paper  to  be  called  "Deu  Svenska  Posten."  On  January  '.i,  1855, 
the  first  number  was  issued  from  Galesburg,  bearing  the  name  of 
"Ilemlaudet.  Det  Gamla  oeh  det  N,va."  as  a  substitute  for  the  name 
originally  proposed.  The  paper  was  a  sheet  of  four  pages.  10  inches 
by  1-lr  inches,  printed  at  the  office  of  a  local  weekly  in  Knoxville.  It 
was  at  first  issued  fortnightly  and  the  subscription  price  was  two  dol- 
lars per  year.  During  the  first  half-year  it  acquired  about  four 
Inmdred  subscribers,  and  by  the  end  of  the  year  it  had  over  one 
thousand  subscribers,  principally  among  the  mend)ers  of  the  ten 
Lutheran  churches  founded  up  to  that  time,  the  contents  being  from 
the  outset  and  for  a  nundier  of  years  to  come  essentially  religious  in 
character  and  Lutheran  in  tone.  From  1856  a  companion  paper 
called  "Det  Riitta  Hendandet."  a  sixteen  page  monthly,  purel.v  re- 
ligious, was  also  published.  The  editorial  assistant  of  Hasselquist  was 
his  brother-in-law.  A.  R.  Cervin.  After  running  at  a  loss  for  over  two 
years  this  newspaper  enterprise  was  transferred  from  Galesliurg  to 
Chicago,  where  a  publishing  concern  st.vled  "The  Swedish  Lutheran 
Publication  Society"  was  organized,  with  the  energetic  Erland  Carls- 
son  at  the  head. 

Late  in  the  j'ear  1858  the  new  company  took  charge  and  the  first 
number  of  "Hemlandet"  issued  in  Chicago  was  published  Jan.  7.  1859, 
from  192  East  Superior  street,  a  small  schoolhouse,  and  later  the 
basement  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church  serving  as  office  and  print- 
ing shop.  The  "^Minnesota  Posten"  was  merged  with  the  "Hemlan- 
det." and  the  latter  became  a  weekly,  with  a  department  for  Minne- 
sota news.  Eric  Norelius.  assisted  by  Jonas  Engberg.  assumed  the 
editorial  duties  of  the  combined  papers.  The  size  of  the  paper  was  in- 
creased twice  during  the  same  year. 

After  nine  months  of  strenuous  work  Xorelius'  health  gave  wav 


772 


PRESS  AM)  LITERATI  RE 


and  he  resigned.  Erland  Carlsson  then  acted  as  editor,  assisted  by 
Jonas  EnpflxT^.  The  former  soon  after  turned  the  editorial  work  over 
to  the  kilter,  owing  to  pressure  of  other  duties.  Jonas  Kngberg  was 
editor  during  the  greater  part  of  the  Civil  War.  He  inserted  a  large 
uunil)er  of  letters  from  Swedisli-Ameriean  volunteers  in  the  paper.  The 
originals  were  preserved  by  him  as  long  as  he  lived.  A  feature  of  the 
monthly  "Det  Kiitta  Hemlandet"  was  the  h>auns  provided  with  nu- 
merieal  notation,  sometimes  in  four  part  harmony.  A.  R.  Cervin  suc- 
ceeded him  as  editor  on  Oct.  26,  18(34,  and  remained  luitil  the  elo.se  of 
1868,  then  left  J.  6.  Princell.  his  assi.stant,  in  charge  of  both  i)ai)ers 
until  July.  1860.  when  P.  A.  Sniidi'lius  became  editor  of  "Hemlandet." 


Rev.  Anders  R.  Cervin 


"Ilemlandot"  now  inaugurated  a  new  epoch  in  its  develoimient. 
Doubtless  si)nrrc(l  b.\-  comix'tition  with  the  secular  weekly  "Svenska 
Amerikanarcii,"  started  in  1S6().  it  changed  from  a  mainly  religious 
to  a  general  newspajier,  remaining,  however,  loyal  to  the  Lutheran 
Church.  The  oifiee  was  lati-r  removed  to  !:{!•  North  Clark  street, 
where  it  was  destroyed  by  the  fire  in  1871.  Three  or  four  days  after 
the  fire  tlie  iiajjcr  ap|)carcd  as  a  small  sbert,  printed  on  one  side,  being 
issued  from  a  jirinling  oH'ici'  in  Aurora.  On  Nov.  21st  of  the  same 
year  "Hemlandet"  was  again  issued  from  its  own  office,  it  being  the 
first  Swedish  ncwsi)aiier  to  be  issued  from  Chicago  after  the  fire. 

In  l)(>cember,  1861),  Sundelius,  whose  relations  with  the  leading 
111(11  ill  the  i)rinting  company  and  the  Lutheran  Church  inul  become 
strained,  resigned  and  went  over  to  the  competitive  i)aper,  "Svenska 
Amerikanaren."  Johan  .\.  Knander  was  at  once  chosen  his  successor. 
He  was  in  the  service  of  the  company  unlil  1S72,  when  tiie  ])rinting 
concern  was  tin-ncd  over  to  the  directors  of  Augustaini  College  to  helji 
support  that  institution  at  I'a.xton.  The  directors,  deriving  little,  if 
any,  revenue   from   the  busini'.ss,   soon   sold   the  news|>aper  plant,   the 


HEMI.ANDirr 


773 


piii'cliasi'i's  liciii*;  KiKindiT,  the  cdilnr.  aiul  (i.  A.  I4i)hiiiiiii.  ;irinllirr  cm- 
ploj'ee.  Till'  purchase  price  was  ^lO.OOO,  payable  at  the  rate  of  ^oOO 
every  six  mouths  without  interest.  The  directors  of  the  Paxton  iusti- 
tutiou  entered  into  a  formal  agreement  not  to  start  any  other  political 
newspaper  and  never  to  give  their  support  to  any  such  paper  other 
than  "Ilemlandet."  The  purchasers  held  that  the  directors  acted 
also  for  the  entire  Augustana  Synod. 

The  firm  of  Enander  and  Bohman  published  "Hemlandet"  as  a 
"Republican  political  newspaper  for  the  Swedish  nationality  in  the 
United  States."  Notwithstanding  many  reverses,  such  as  the  jianic  of 
1873,  and  successive  losses  through  the  failure  of  Ferdinand  Winslow's 
and  Skow-Petcrson,  Tsberg  and  Co.'s  Scandinavian  banks  in  the  late 
seventies,  the  enterpi-ise  was  successfully  carried  on  by  Enander  and 
Bohman  until  18S9,  when  the  firm  was  dissolved. 

In  1M74 — 77  the  firm  published  an  illustrated  monthly,  entitled" 
"Nar  ocli  Fjerran,"  and  from  1871  to  1881  "Ungdomsviinnen,"  a 
monthly  paper  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  young  people.  The  firm 
was  not.  as  it  had  supposed,  protected  against  competition  from  within 
the  Augustana  Synod,  rival  newspapers  appearing  from  time  to  time, 
inchiding  "Skandia"  of  ]Moline,  founded  in  1876  by  Prof.  Melin  of 
Augustana  College,  and  "Skaffaren"  of  Red  Wing.  Jlinn..  later  of  St. 
Paul.  To  meet  competition  in  the  ^Minnesota  field.  "Hemlandet"  in 
1883  established  a  branch  office  at  St.  Paul  and  for  a  long  term  of 
years  published  a  Northwest  edition,  edited  by  Herman  Stockenstrom. 
In  1874 — 77  the  firm  published  fortnightly  a  special  edition  for  Sweden 
and  later  for  a  short  time  maintained  a  small  weekly  at  Lindsborg, 
Kans.,  named  "Kansas-Post en."  In  IMay,  1886,  the  firm  started  a 
bookstore  in  connection  with  its  newspaper  office. 

The  firm  of  Enander  and  Bohman  went  into  the  general  publishing 
business  quite  extensively.  The  principal  original  works  put  out  by 
them  was  Enander's  "Foi-enta  Statenuis  historia."  vols.  I-IV,  1,358 
pages,  begun  in  1873  and  completed  in  1880.  The  next  in  importance 
was  an  edition  of  D'Aubigne's  "Det  sextonde  arhundradets  Reforma- 
tionshistoria."  vols.  I-III,  1.062  pages.  Other  publications,  original 
works  and  reprints,  by  this  firm  are:  "Frithiofs  Saga,"  with  illustra- 
tions by  Malmstrom;  "Pa  Lifvets  Yadjobana"  (Matthews'  "Getting 
On  in  the  World");  several  editions  of  "Den  svenska  jisalmboken," 
with  and  without  music;  "Zions  sangbok."  both  text  and  music 
editions;  "Eterneller  oeh  Varblommor."  a  collection  of  standard  poems 
of  Sweden;  "Linnea,"  a  collection  of  Swedish-American  verse. 

Several  of  the  above  named  works  were  used  to  increase  the 
circulation  of  the  paper.  In  more  recent  years  "Hemlandet"  has  pub- 
lished a  number  of  the  books  given  as  promiuiiis  year  by  year,  including 


774  PRESS  AND  I.ITERATIRE 

the  followiii'r :  "Hilder  fran  Gamla  Ilciiilarnlct  :'"  ■"  Ht-inlaiKlcts  Kri^s- 
l)il(lfr;"  "Svcriirt's  P^olk;"  "Panorama  (ifviT  Anicrika:"  and  Odlmcr's 
"Sveriges  Historia." 

AVlicii  ill  18Sf)  the  firm  of  Enaiidcr  and  Hohman  was  dissolved,  the 
paper  was  taken  over  l)y  a  stock  company.  The  Ilemlandet  I'utilish- 
ing  Co..  comprising  Enander.  Hohinan.  J.  X.  Sijderholm.  A.  L.  Gyllen- 
liaal  and  several  others.  Tliis  comi)any.  formed  in  1890.  was  dissolved 
the  following  year,  when  "Ilendandet "'  was  sold  to  A.  E.  Johnson  of 
New  York.  The  new  owner  entered  into  i)artnersiiip  with  Siiderholm. 
who  for  the  next  five  years  acted  in  the  double  capacity  of  editor-in- 
chief  and  business  manager.  Dr.  Enander  accepted  a  professor- 
ship at  Augustana  College  and  later  associated  himself  with  a  news- 
paper enterprise  in  Omaha.  Neb.  In  January.  18S)ti.  Mr.  Johnson 
bought  out  his  ])artner  and  then  organized  the  present  Ilemlandet 
('oini)any.  with  himself  as  president.  Enander  vice  president.  A.  Schdii 
secretary  and  ( '.  Tli.  Str.indbcrL'  treasurer  and  business  manager. 
Enander  again  assumed  the  ]>ositioii  (if  editor-in-chief  of  the  pa]ter.  The 
princi])al  co-editors  ciiiraged  from  lime  to  time  liave  been  the  following: 
Magnus  ?]lm])l;i(l  1S71-1S7:!:  (iottliied  Cronwall :  A.  L.  (Jyllenhaal. 
]874-f)l;'c.  G.  Linderborg:  Alfred  lleyne.  ISSl-Si';  Aron  Edstrom. 
since   188:5:  Gustaf  S.i.istriim.   18!)(l-!);i  and   Anders  Sdiiin.  since   18!11. 

Johan.   Alfred    Enaoider 

As  a  pulilislier.  editor  and  aulhur.  .biliaii  .Mfri'd  Inlander  has 
rendered  eminent  service  to  the  Sweilish  press  and  literature  in  this 
counti'.v.  as  shown  in  a  full  sketch  of  his  life  ai>pearing  elsewhere  in 
this  Work.  As  a  .\niing  man  he  came  to  liiis  country  swelling  with  pride 
in  the  countr.\-  and  peojile  from  which  he  spruuir,  and  in  his  career  of 
almost  fort.v  .\-ear-s  in  the  I'nited  States  he  has  made  his  mark  as  tiu' 
Foremost  champion  of  Swedish  letters  and  culture  on  Anu'rican  soil. 
While  a  s])lendid  type  of  the  ultra-patriotic  Swede,  he  has  shown  loo 
little  receptiveness  to  American  intlueiu'cs  to  be  a  true  exemplar  of  the 
Swedish-American  citizen.  Cnniing  here  at  a  lime  when  there  was 
among  his  countrymen  a  scarcity  of  able  wielders  id'  the  pen,  Enander 
hail  an  envi;d)le  oppoi-t  iniit.\'  to  assert  himself  aiul  he  did  so.  For  the 
work  ol  ediicaling  the  iirimigraids  and  their  children  up  to  a  love  and 
a  taste  for  the  language  and  literature  of  Sweden  he  uinpiestional)ly 
deseives  greater  credit  than  any  other  num.  As  his  paper  enlarged 
its  field  beyond  the  i)ale  id'  tin-  church,  so  he  propagated  his  sentinu'uts 
in  wideniMJ  circles.  In  this  mission,  his  idoipieid  tiuigue  has  aldy 
seconded  the  efforts  (d'  his  pen.  Couidb'ss  are  the  limes  he  has  given 
to  Swedish  aiuliences  his  ringing  orations  on  festal  days  or  rccoimlcd 


joiiAN  A.   i-:nani)i;r 


775 


in   cfirefully   j)rt'pareil    Irctiiirs   tin-    \ii-tiirs   of   the   iiiiricnt    NiPitliiiiiMi 
and  the  dectls  of  Sweilisli  hcnu's  in  modern  times. 

The  history  of  the  I'nited  States  compiled  l)y  ICnander  in  the 
seventies  was  a  laiidahle  attempt  on  his  part  1o  acqujiint  the  Swedes 
with  tlie  land  of  their  eiioiee.  Wiiile  the  fonr-voluiiie  wori<  was  a  credit- 
able performance  for  a  man  who  w.is  simultaneously  etlitinj;  a  weekly 
paper  and.  part  of  the  time,  a  monthls'  maj?azine  in  addition,  it  has 
faults  which  arc   not    condoiiccl   1)\-   the  acknowli'(li;-cd   lai-k   ni'  aiiility, 


Jolian  Alfred  Enander 


sources  and  time.  The  author  gives  almost  the  whole  of  the  first 
volume  to  the  discoveries  of  the  Northmen  and  the  history  of  their 
civilization,  or  thrice  the  space  accoi'ded  to  the  earliest  races  on  this 
continent.  This  can  be  attributed  only  to  a  fault.v  sense  of  propoi'tion 
and  a  false  hist(n-ieal  perspective,  caused  by  nationalistic  bias. 

Among  the  works  of  Enander,  elsewhere  mentioned,  the  second  in 
importance  is  a  volume  of  selections  from  his  writing  in  verse  and 
prose,  entitled  "Valda  Skrifter. "  As  a  verse  writer  he  is  not  volu- 
minous, and  he  has  been  char.ired   with   a    lack   of  ori>rinality,  but   we 


776  PRESS  AND    I.ITERATIRE 

concede  to  his  verses  a  ([uality  and  finisli  that   is  rare  in  Swedish- 
American  poets. 

Gustaf  A.   Bohman 

Gustaf  A.  Boliman  was  born  Dec.  24.  1838.  in  SkelJefteS,  Vester- 
botten,  Sweden.  After  finishing  his  school  studies,  he  was  a  clerk  and 
thereafter  was  a  seaman  for  several  years.  In  1866  he  came  to  this 
country  and  roved  about  for  some  time.  After  two  years  he  obtained 
a  position  with  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Publication  Society  in  Chicago, 


Gustaf   A.  Bohman 

later  liccominp;  the  circulatiDU  manajrcr  of  its  paper.  W'liile  Jonas 
Enfjherg  was  in  Swetleii  in  LSTl.  IJohman  superintended  the  bookstore. 
After  December,  1872,  when  the  firm  of  Euauder  and  Bolnnan  took 
over  "ITenilandot."  Bohman  acted  as  the  business  manager,  remaining 
in  that  capacity  until  the  dissolution  of  the  firm  in  18SI).  For  a  number 
of  years  thereafter  Bohman  was  a  clerk  in  the  county  recorder's  office 
and  subscrpiently  was  employed  in  the  office  of  "Svcnska  Tribuiien" 
until  the  death  of  Andrew  Chaiser.  Mr.  Bohman  was  a  member  of  the 
board  ol'  trustees  of  Auguslana  Hospital  in  1884.  and  at  various  other 
times  was  honored  with  positions  of  trust  in  his  diureh  denomiiuition 
and  elsewhere.  On  July  a,  l!IO(i,  ;\Ir.  i{olnnan  died  from  heart  disease, 
leaving  a  widow,  three  sdus  and  a  daughter. 

E.ric    Norelius 

Tn  1872 — 7:i  I'.rie  Xorelius  pulilished  •'Luthersk  Kyrkotidning" 
iiiiil  (liiiiii!,'  I  lie  yeiir  1878  "Evangelisk  Lulhersk  Tidskrift,"  wliieli  he 
eniiiiinieil  in  187!) — 82  under  the  name  ol' "  SkalVareii. " 


NORIU.HS  -HICYNK 


777 


Ever  since  lie  came  to  this  country  Norelius  has  followed  witii 
keen  interest  the  progress  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  and  has 
collected  material  for  Swedish-American  history.  Possessing  an  inti- 
mate knowledge  of  the  chm-ch  and  a  capable  pen,  Norelius  was  elected 
historian  of  the  Augustana  Synod,  and  the  result  of  his  work  as  such 
is  a  compendious  volume,  entitled.  "  l)e  svenska  luterska  fcirsamlin- 
gariies  och  svenskariies  liisli)ri;i   i   .\iiicril\<i."     This  volume,  issued   iu 


Rev.   Kric  Noielius 


189U,  gives  a  very  complete  account  of  Swedish  settlement  in  the 
West  up  to  1860  and  of  the  activities  of  the  Swedish-Americans,  espe- 
cially the  Lutherans,  during  this  formative  period.  One  or  more  ad- 
ditional volumes  of  this  valuable  work  are  awaited. 

From  the  pen  of  Norelius  have  issued  a  nundjer  of  jmlilisbed 
works,  including  "Salems  Sanger"  (1859),  "Ilaudbok  fijr  sondagssko- 
lan"  (1865),  "Evangelisk-Lutherska  Aiigustanasynoden  i  Nord-Ame- 
rika  och  de-ss  mission"  (1870). 


Alfred   Heyne 

Alfred  Heyne.  a  member  of  the  "Hemlandet"  staff  of  editors 
for  two  years,  up  to  August.  1883.  excelled  as  a  music  and  art 
critic.  He  Avas  connected  with  "Oresunds-Posten''  of  Helsingborg 
both  before  and  after  the  period  spent  in  Chicago.    His  pen  was  fluent 


778 


PRESS    AND    LITERATIRE 


in  prose  ami  verse  alike.    Ileyne  was  boru  in  Sk&ne,  Sweden,  in  1855 
and  died  there  in  1889. 

Aron   Edstrom 

Ariiii  Kdstroiii  lias  lirld  .i  pDsition  as  associate  editor  of  "Ilendan- 
det"  since  ^lay,  188:).  witii  the  exi'cjjtion  of  eifrht  inontlis  spent  in 
editing  "Xordeiis  ^ledborgare"  at  ^lanistee.  Mich.  Trior  to  his  en- 
gagement in  Chicago  he  was  editor  of  "Skaft'aren"  of  St.  Paul  from 
188(1.  Edstrom  is  an  interesting  narrator  of  personal  experiences,  hut 
has  done  little  original  literary  work.  A  few  sketclics  by  him  have 
appeareil.  however,  in  "Ilemlandet. "'  "Priirieblomman"  and  else- 
where. 

Gustaf  Sjostrom 

Gustaf  Sjostrdm  attained  wide  popularity  in  the  early  '!IOs 
through  a  series  of  humorous  articles  in  ''Ilendandet."  headed  "Href 
fran  Jan  Olson"  and  subsequently  |)ublished  in  book  form  under  the 
title.  "Jan  Olsons  AfventjT."  l\y  critics  Sjostrom  is  given  front 
rank  among  Swedish-American  writers.  He  wrote  in  a  eiiaraeteristic 
style,  all  his  own.  and,  whether  in  humorous  or  sober  vein,  he  spoke 
in  simple  and  homely  fashion,  his  products  abounding  in  apt  com- 
ment and  wholesome  homespun  philosophy. 

Sjiisfrom  came  to  America  in  1800,  equipped  with  a  imiversity  edu- 
cation obtained  at  I'psala,  Sweden.  Tn  an  editorial  capacity  he  was  in 
tui'n  connected  with  "Ilendandet,"  "Tribunen."  "\'art  jjaiul"  of 
.laiiicslown.  X.  Y..  and  "()sterns  I[;irold"  of  Brooklyn.  Abandoninir 
joni'nalisMi.  he  took  up  the  study  of  theology  and  was  ordained  to  the 
ministry  of  the  Hpisco]ial  ('hiirch.  l*'or  a  time  he  was  in  charge  of  a 
Swedish  Episcoi)al  chiu'ch  in  Chicago,  then  left  for  Sweden,  whert 
he  entered  the  s(>rvice  of  the  Stale  CiuM-<-li. 

Sjiistrc'im  was  a  fluent  vci'sifici' iind  a  sncccssliil  iunnorous  b'cturer, 
louring  the  country  in  ISHT  in  the  latter  capa<-ity. 

Anders  SchSn 

.Vndci's  Scliiiii  was  cdui'ali'd  lor  the  teacher's  vocation  in  Sweden 
;uiil  t.iuelit  public  sclniol  lor  foui'  yeai's.  snbsiMpienlly  serving  for  a  year 
and  a  half  on  the  police  lor<-c  of  Stockholm,  lie  eanu'  to  this  country 
in  18811.  In  the  fall  of  ISiH.  with  some  prior  experience  as  a  news- 
pajier  eorres(>oiident,  he  was  engaged  on  the  staff  of  "Ilendandet"  in 
the  editorial  position  he  still  holds.  I''ew  men  have  served  tlu'  Swedisli 
press  in  I  lie  Inited  States  nioi'i'  ably  and  with  greater  energy  than  has 
•Mr.  Scliiin.  His  pen  is  capable  of  any  literary  task,  except  versifica- 
tion, and   alongside  of  praclii'al   journalism   In'   has  for  \ears  pnrsueil 


SVHNSKA    HKITl'.I.IK.WKN 


779 


literary  and  liistorical  studies,  tiie  latter  heariiifi  mi  the  Swedisli 
colonial  periotls  in  America  in  the  sevi-nteentii  and  iiinitci'Mtii  cen- 
turies. He  has  edited  eifilit  editions  of  the  literary  animal  "Friirie- 
bloniinan."  also  "P>ilder  fran  (iand.i  i  Irmlandet."  and  was  the  trans- 
lator of  "Coin's  Financial  Sclioof"  and  "The  Cross  and  ttie  Crescent." 


Anders  Schoii 


In  the  present  historical  work  ^Mr.  Schlin  has  collahnrated  on  the  firsi 
eight  chapters. 

SvensKa   RepubliKanen 

In  the  year  1856  the  leaders  of  the  Bishoi)  Hill  colony  added  a 
newspaper  to  their  other  numerous  enterprises.  At  Galva  a  printing 
office  was  fitted  up.  from  which  was  issued  a  weekly  i>aper  called 
"Svenska  Repuhlikanen.'"  the  full  title  heing  '"Den  Svenska  Repiibli- 
kanen  i  Xorra  Amerika.""  edited  by  S.  Cronsioe.  In  this  same  shop 
Andrew  Chaiser  and  Kric  Hergluiid  (Herghvnd).  two  well-known  Swed^ 
ish-Americans,  began  their  careers,  as  "printer's  devils."  "Svenska 
Republikanen"  was  the  first  competitor  of  "Ganda  och  Xya  Ilemlan- 
det"  in  the  Swedish  newspaper  field.  It  was.  as  the  name  indicates, 
Republican  in  politics,  and  in  church  matters  it  was.  at  least  at  the  out- 
set, as  non-partisan  as  could  be  expected  of  a  paper  dependent  upon  a 
religious  colony  for  its  chief  support.  The  first  issue  was  dated  July 
4th,  1856.  The  paper  proved  fairly  prosperous  for  a  time,  but  on  being 
turned  over  to  Cronsioe,  as  his  private  property,  it  lost  its  main  back- 
ing and.  after  a  short  strugarle  for  existence,  ceased  publication.  Prior 
thereto,  in  1857.  it  was  rcninvcd  (o  Chicago,  where  it   w;is  issued  until 


78o 


PRESS    AND    I.ITERATIRE 


July,  IfNoS.  Aecordiug  to  ('.  F.  Peterson,  it  was  the  first  Swedish 
newspaper  published  in  this  city.  Toward  the  last,  the  paper  seems 
to  have  deviated  from  its  eo\irse  as  a  non-partisan  in  church  matters, 
for  we  liave  it  from  the  same  authority  that  it  "■succumbed  in  the  fiorht 
with  the  Lutheran  Church,"  while  Cronsioe,  the  editor  and  publisher, 
explained,  that  publication  ceased  because  the  enterprise  "did  not  yield 
and  income  proportionate  to  the  toil  and  labor  expended  on  it." 

Swedish   Baptist    Papers.     Nya    WecKo-Posten 

"Frihetsvannen,"  i)nl>lislic(I  in  (Jalcsburyr  from  .laiaiary.  lSr>9.  to 
March,  ISlil.  was  a  fortnightly  i)aper,  started  by  a  company  of  Swed- 


Rt:\ .   ICric   \\iii};rtn 

ish  Baptists.  The  publishers  were  a  numiier  of  adherents  of  that  de- 
nomination, including,'  L.  .Xhnber!:.  .loiias  I'eterson  and  Louis  Peterson. 
It  was  edited  in  turn  by  Pctcison.  Wilbor-;  and  .\rosenius.  l)urin<r  the 
latter  part  of  its  existence  it  was  issu<'d  weekly.  The  i)aper  .suspended 
publication  for  lack  of  payin-.'  subscribers.  '•  Friiietsviinnen"  was  not 
classed  as  a  denominational  or-ran.  but  in  IStiO  a  i)ai)er  called  "Kvan- 
frelisten"  Avas  started  in  the  same  lity  as  the  recofrnized  niouthpieee  of 
the  Baptists.  Its  span  of  life  was  about  one  year.  This  was  an  almost 
exact  reproduction  of  a  paiter  of  llu-  same  name,  pulilished  in  Stock- 
holm. Sweden,  by  Rev.  .\iidcrs  Wiber^r.  L.  Ahnber}?  was  business 
mana^'er,  but  the  name  of  lh<'  editor  is  not  known.  •' Evangelist. -n ""  was 
the  first  Swedish  Ha]>tist  ]>apcr  here,  followed  by  ■•/ions  N'akt."  in 
1873,  and  "Evangelisk  Tidskrifl."  in  1877,  both  edited  by  \)v.  .1.  .\. 
KdRreii.      Tile   former   was  shorliive.l:   llie   latter   was   turned   over   in 


\\i;CKO-POSTF.N-SANDKBri)ET  781 

1880  to  Kev.  E.  AVin^^riMi.  lidurf  tlio  appcaraiu-e  of  Edf^rcn's  first 
paper,  an  abortive  publication,  named  "P^acklan,"  was  published  by 
K.  A.  Ostergreu. 

After  a  year.  ^YiIl<?l•(■n  ciilar^'od  "  Kvaii'iclisk  Tidskrift"  and 
changed  it  from  a  monthly  to  a  semi-monthly  jiaper.  The  church  had 
need  of  a  weekly  newspaper,  and  from  Jan.  1.  1885,  the  paper  has 
been  published  weekly  under  the  new  name.  "Nya  Wecko-Posten," 
adopted  from  "Wecko-Posten,"  the  organ  of  the  Baptist  church  in 
Sweden.  In  recent  years  several  minor  Baptist  papers  have  been  start- 
ed ill  Chicago  in  the  interest  of  missions  and  the  Simday  school.  Rev. 
Erik  "Wingren  came  over  from  SM'eden  in  1880  on  a  call  from  the  Sec- 
ond Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  Chicago,  lie  preached  and  assi.sted  \)v. 
Edgren  in  teaching  and  editing  his  paper,  until  he  began  to  devote  all 
his  attention  to  the  publishing  Inisiness. 

The  books  iniblislied  by  Kev.  Wingren  in  connection  with  '"Nya 
Wecko-Posten"  are:  "Femtio  ar  i  romerska  kyrkan;"  "Skapelsens 
under;"  "Broderna  Alvarez:"  "Birmas  apostel;"  "Elvira  eller  Evan- 
gelii  makt:"  "Spurgeons  lif  och  verksamhet;"  "Spurgeons  prediknin- 
gar."  vols.  I-II;  "Klosterlifvet  afslo.jadt;"  "Det  heliga  kriget;"  "II- 
lustrerad  kalender,"  issued  yearly  from  IDOi  to  1909,  and  "Sanger  for 
Sondagsskolan  och  hemmet,"  text  and  music  editions. 

Sandebudet 

In  July,  1S62,  Rev.  Victor  Witting,  of  Rockford,  commenced  to 
publish  a  small  church  newspaper,  named  "Sandebudet,"  which  be- 
came the  official  organ  of  the  Swedish  ^lethodists.    It  was  started  as  a 
6-col.  4-page  paper,  the  first  issue  being  dated  July  18th.    Rev.  Witting, 
as  chief  editoi',  was  assisted  by  Revs.  N.  0.  Westergreen  and  A.  J.  An- 
derson.    Notwithstanding  the  loyal  support  of  the  laity  and  clergy, 
the  paper  did  not  prove  self-sustaining,  and  the  ministers  often  had  to 
go  down  into  their  own  pockets  to  meet  balances.    After  a  year  and  a 
half  Rev.  Albert  Ericson,  Witting 's  successor  as  pastor  at  Roekfoi'd, 
assumed  the  editorship,  filling  the  position  until  Nov.,  1864.  when  the 
M.  E.  Book  Concern  of  Cincinnati  was  induced  to  take  over  the  publi- 
cation.   The  paper  was  now  removed  to  Chicago  and  published  by  Poe 
and  Hitchcock,  66  Washington  street,  the  western  branch  of  the  publish- 
ing house,  the  first  issue  after  the  removal  appearing  Dec.  Sth.     In 
August,  1863,  it  was  changed  from  a  fortnightly  to  a  weekly  paper.    In 
1865  Rev.  Witting  again  became  its  editor,  and  two  years  later  he  was 
succeeded  a  second  time  by  Rev.  Ericson,  who  edited  "Siindebudet"  up 
to  Oct.,  1871,  when  the  great  fire  put  an  end  to  publication.    One  year 
elapsed  before  the  paper  was  resurrected.    It  appeared  again  on  Oct. 
14,  1872,  in  a  new  dress,  with  Rev.  N.  0.  Westergreen  as  editor. 


782 


PRESS    AND   LITKRATIRE 


Dr.  William  Ilenschen  assumed  editorial  charge  in  September, 
1875.  rciiiaining  in  the  editorial  chair  until  1882.  when  Rev.  Wittinsr 
for  the  third  time  took  the  [losition.  Uissatisfaetioii  with  the  niauuer 
in  which  the  American  concern  managed  the  paper  prompted  the  or- 
ganization in  Septendier,  1888.  of  the  Swedish  M.  E.  Book  Concern  in 
Chicago,  with  a  view  to  put  the  publication  under  Swedish  control. 
Tlirir  i-e(|uest  that  the  paper  be  turned  over  to  them  was  at  first  re- 
fused, but  when,  three  months  after,  the  new  concern  started  a  com- 
petitive ])aper.  named  " Viiktarcn,"  the  Americans  yieldel  the  control 
to  the  Swedes,  and  the  new  paper  was  merged  with  ''Siindebudct." 
wliicli  has  since  remained  the  iitTicial  orjiaii  of  the  Swedish  Method- 
ists,   niidi-r   the   cniilriil    oi    the   General    Conference.      Since    18S!1    Dr. 


Dr.  William  Henschen 


Ilenschen  has  ix'cn  in  cdilorial  charge,  except  for  the  interval  frtim 
June,  18!)S.  to  October.  I!l(ll2.  when  Hcv.  11.  K.  Eimstrom  occupied  the 
(■(li1(]rial  cliaii'. 

In  connection  with  the  office  of  "■  Siindcliiidet "  is  maintained  the 
Swedish  .M.  E.  Hook  Coiicei-n.  whicli  carries  on  a  general  |)nl>lishing 
business  for  I  he  clinrch.  Besides  '"  Siindelmdct. "'  two  periodicals  are 
publislie<l.  viz..  ■■  Hpworth-Klockan."  a  semi-nioiithl.v  pajier  for  the 
Epworth  Ijcaguc.  and  "Siiiidagsskiilhanerel."  a  monthly  Smiday  school 
paper',  l-'niiii  a  Imig  lisl  of  lidoks  piililishi'd  bv  this  lionsc  we  (piote  the 
titles  of  some  of  the  iiioi-e  nolcworthy.  such  as:  "'Svenska  .Mctodismen  i 
Anu'rika."  a  histor-v  liy  Kev.  C,  (J.  Wallenins  et  al.;  "  N'inti-rrosor. "  a 
Christmas  aiinuMl  piililislied  every  year  from  l!Hi:t  tm  ;  "Bihiisk  llisto- 
ria,"  by  Dr.  William  Ilenschen;  "  BildiM-  fi-an  Bibel-Liindcr. "  by  .1.  E. 
Ilillberg;  ■■  Where  the  Mississippi  Flows."  b\  Mrs,  Emnni  Shogren- 
l''arnian;  "  .Melodist  k\i'kans  Nva   I'salnibok"  and  "  1  Icrdcstiimnnin."  a 


SVENSKA   AMKRIKANARKN  783 

songboiilv,  t'iU'li  dl'  wliii'ii  is  pulilished  in  botli  text  and  nnisii-  rditinns. 
Their  other  publications  are  chiefly  Sunday  school  booklets. 

SvensKa   AmeriKanaren,    I. 

lip  to  IS66  no  fruitful  atlcnipl  had  l)('en  made  to  start  a  Swcdisli- 
American  newspaper  that  was  not  the  organ  of  some  church  drndinina- 
tion.  "Skandinaven,"  started  in  New  York  City  in  ISal.  aiimd  to  be  an 
independent  secular  journal,  but  lacking?  both  vitality  and  a  definite 
tendency,  it  died  the  following  year.  For  a  long  time  after  this  ven- 
ture those  who  were  without  church  connections,  either  by  choice  or 
because  membership  in  secret  societies  disqualified  them,  waited  in  vain 
for  the  launching  of  an  independent  and  cntirel.v  s(M-ular  newspaper  in 
the  Swedish  language.  Finally,  on  April  16.  1866,  a  number  of  men 
in  Chicago  and  elsewhere  in  Illinois  issued  a  circular,  inviting  their 
countrymen  to  .join  in  forming  a  stock  company  lor  the  purpose  of 
publishing  a  weekly  newspaper  that  would  champion  more  liberal  ideas 
in  opposition  to  the  intolerance  of  tlie  church  element  at  that  period. 
Those  who  issued  the  call  and  organized  the  stock  company  were : 
John  A.  Nelson,  president;  N.  E.  Nelson,  vice  president;  P.  J.  Ilussan- 
der.  treasurer;  P.  L.  Hawkinson.  secretary:  Charles  J.  Strrmiberg.  P. 
L.  Eastman.  C.  F.  Billing.  F.  T.  Eugstrom,  P.  :\r.  Almini.  all  of  Chica- 
go; John  Peterson.  Galesburg ;  A.  A.  Schenlund.  Princeton,  and  Olof 
Johnson,  Galva.  Behind  the  enterprise  and  in  strong  sympathy  with  it 
stood  two  well-known  Chicago  Swedes,  Consul  Charles  J.  Sundell  and 
Captain  Oscar  G.  Lange.  The  business  was  incorporated  under  the 
name  of  The  Swedish-American  Publishing  Company. 

At  this  time  most  Swedish-Americans  possessed  of  more  than  a 
common  school  education  were  affiliated  with  the  churches  and  denomi- 
national schools  as  ministers  and  teachers,  making  it  difficult  to  se- 
cure, first,  a  suitable  editor,  and  second,  the  support  of  the  more  in- 
telligent class  of  readers.  Herman  Roos  af  Iljelmsiiter,  a  young  Swed- 
ish nobleman,  employed  in  the  Chicago  office  of  the  Inman  Line,  was 
slated  for  the  position  of  editor,  he  being  a  forceful,  sometimes  even  a 
virulent  and  vitriolic  writer,  who  had  had  prior  experience  as  a  con- 
tributor to  some  of  the  daily  papers  in  Stockholm.  Yet  his  irregular 
habits  counted  against  him  so  that  the  company  decided  on  another 
man  for  the  position.  This  was  Hans  Jlattson.  then  a  young  lawyer 
in  Minnesota.  He  was  editor  of  the  new  paper,  styled  "Svenska 
Amerikanareu."  from  its  first  day.  Sept.  8,  1866,  to  Feb.  6,  1867. 
^Mattson  M-as  little  more  than  nominal  editor,  but  he  commanded  re- 
spect, as  did  also  his  associates.  Many  liberal-minded  Swedish-Amer- 
icans gladly  supported  the  new  weekly,  which  at  once  became  a  for- 
midable opponent  of  "Hemlandet,"  the  mouthpiece  of  the  Augustana 


784  PRESS    AND    I.ITKRATtRK 

Synod.  There  was  continual  warfare  between  the  two  papers,  the 
principal  casus  belli  being  the  secret  societies.  Roos.  who  was  the  vir- 
tual editor  from  the  start  and  also  nominal  head  of  the  editorial  staff 
from  February,  1867,  to  December,  1869,  conducted  an  aggressive  cam- 
paign in  defense  of  the  fraternities  until  his  return  to  Sweden.  His 
place  M-as  then  filled  bj-  Peter  A.  Sundelius,  who  from  July,  1868,  to 
December,  1869,  had  been  editor  of  the  rival  newspaper,  "Ilemlaudet." 
Sundelius.  however,  hewed  closely  to  the  line  marked  out  by  his  prede- 
cessor. His  was  a  caustic  style,  and  despite  his  impaired  health  he  was 
a  forceful  and  able  journalist  whose  greatest  delight  was  to  fight  his 
opponents,  mostly  politicians  holding  views  different  from  his  owni. 
He  was  editor  during  the  year  1870  and  again  from  September,  1871, 
to  April,  1873,  when  the  company  sold  out  to  Charles  J.  Stenquist,  a 
jeweler,  who  changed  the  name  of  the  paper  to  "Xya  Svenska  Ameri- 
kanaren."  In  the  interregnum  from  January  to  August,  1871.  the  pa- 
per was  edited  by  A.  W.  Sehalin. 

In  the  Chicago  fire  the  office  and  composing  room  of  "Svenska 
Amerikanaren"  were  destroyed.  Ten  weeks  later  the  almost  ruined 
company  resumed  publication,  issuing  a  smaller  sheet,  which  led  a 
struggling  existence  and  was  sold  to  Mr.  Stenquist.  He  was  publisher 
and  sole  jiroprictor  luitil  September.  1877.  when  he  disposed  of  the 
paper  to  Hans  ^lattson,  wlio  shortly  afterward  ac(iuired  stock  in  the 
Swedish  I'lililisiiing  Company,  transferred  thi'  pa])er  to  that  comi)any. 
and  on  tlie  ruins  of  "Xya  Svenska  .Vmerikatuiren"  and  "Nya  Verl- 
den,"  of  Chieagt),  and  "Skandia,"  of  .Moline,  a  new  weekly  by  the 
name  of  "Svenska  Tribunen"  was  built  up. 

"Nya  Svenska  Amerikanaren"  was  edited  first  by  Magnus  Elm- 
blad,  a  poet  and  tlueiit,  imaginative  writer,  wiio  liad  formerly  been 
assistant  on  "Hemlandet"  and  co-editor  of  "Skandia"  of  JFoline  and 
"Nya  Verlden"  of  Chicago.  He  was  succeeded  by  Gottfried  Cronwall 
and  he  in  turn  by  A.  L.  Gyllenhaal,  in  April,  lS7i.  The  following 
September  Herman  Roos  upon  his  return  from  Sweden  was  appointed 
co-editor  with  Gyllenhaal.  The  two,  assisted  by  Elmblad.  ei'ited  the 
paper  up  to  llie  time  of  its  sale  to  Hans  'Mattson. 

Hans   Mattson 

E.xeept  for  a  brief  residence  in  Moline  shortly  after  inunigrating. 
and  his  aforesaid  connection  with  the  first  "Svenska  Amerikanaren" 
and  later  with  "Svenska  Tribuni'ii."  Col.  Hans  Mattson  was  a  Minne- 
sola  mail  ami  atlaiiird  i,'rcat  |inviiiiiiriice  in  timt  stale.  He  was  boru  in 
(Miiicslail,  Skaiie,  Dec.  L'.'t.  ls:iL',  educated  at  Kristianstad  and  was  in  the 
Swcdisli  military  service  for  a  year  and  a  half.  Having  emigrated  from 
Sweden  in  1851,  he  came  West  the  year  following  and  workeil  as  a 


HANS    MATTSON 


785 


common  laborer  in  and  about  Galoslinrp;.  Moline  and  neighboring 
places.  In  August,  1853,  he  headed  a  party  of  newcomers  who  went 
to  Minnesota  to  pick  out  suitable  land  for  a  Swedish  settlement.  They 
chose  a  tract  in  Goodhue  county,  and  ^lattson  with  two  others  built 
the  first  dwelling  in  the  Vasa  settlement,  of  which  he  became  the 
fomider.     IVfattson  tried  farmins  and  business,  then  studied  law  and 


Hans  Mattsoii 


was  admitted  to  the  bar.  but  abandoned  legal  practice  for  the  office 
of  auditor  of  Goodhue  county.  At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War 
Mattson  organized  a  Scandinavian  company  wliich  tci<)k  the  field  in 
November,  1861.  In  April.  1863,  I\Iattson  was  promoted  to  the  rank 
of  colonel.  He  was  editor  of  "' Amerikanaren"  1866-67;  the  latter 
year  he  became  secretary  of  the  Immigration  Bureau  of  ilinnesota.  was 
elected  Secretary  of  State  in  1869.  removed  with  his  family  to  Sweden 
before  the  term  expired  and  remained  there  as  representative  of  the 
Northern  Pacific  Kailway  until  1876.  From  January,  1877.  to  May, 
1881,   he   published   "^linncsdla    Stats   Tidning,"   a    Swedish    weekly. 


786 


PRESS    AND    l.ITERATrRE 


and  aidi'd  in  tin-  estaljlislunent  of  "'Svenska  Tril)uni'n"  in  I'hii-ago  in 
1877,  being  a  director  of  the  publishing  company  until  187!(.  In  June, 
1881,  Mattson  was  aii])<)iiit('d  United  States  Consul  (Jeneral  for  India 
by  President  Garfield  and  served  in  that  capacity  at  (.'alcutta  for 
about  two  years,  afterwards  accepting  a  position  as  manager  of  a  land 
company  in  New  ilexico.  He  was  again  elected  Secretary  of  State  in 
^linnesota  in  1887  and  served  four  years.  The  same  year  he  .started  a 
bank  in  .Minneapolis  and  two  years  later  established  "The  North,"  a 
newspaper  in  tin-  English  language,  devoted  to  the  interests  of  the 
Scandinavians.  Col.  Hans  .Mattson  died  .March  .").  189;?.  Two  years 
prior  lie  published  his  memoirs  in  two  languages,  the  English  edition 
bearing  the  title  'The  Story  uf  an    Emigrant."  the  Swedish.  "JHn- 

IH'll.  " 


Herman    Roos 

One  (if  tlic  piDMccrs  in  Svvedish-.\merican  jmuMialisui  was  Herman 
Roos  (af  lljcliiisiitcr.)  As  the  scion  of  a  nol)l('  family  in  Sweden,  he 
obtained  a  university  education,  and  thus  prepared  he  ought  to  have 
nuide  a  successful  <  ai((  r  in  his  native  country,  but  for  the  fact  that  in 
some  way,  never  revealed  even  to  his  intimates,  he  had  closed  to  him- 
self the  door  of  o{)iiortunity.  He  turned  n\>  in  Chicago  shortly  after 
the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  in  which  he  fought.  He  was  one  of  the  un- 
assiniiiative  class  of  Swedish  immigrants  who  never  learn  the  language 
of  tile  land  or  take  any  real  interest  in  things  American,  but  are  con- 
tent to  flock  by  themselves  in  little  ultra  Swedish  circles,  hardly  mer- 
iting the  name  of  Swedish-.\mericans,  AVben  Col,  Hans  ^lattson  re- 
tired from  the  editorship  of  "Sveiiska  .Vmerikanaren."  Hoos  becnnu' 
his  successor.  Opinions  ditVci-  as  to  wlictln-r  he  was  a  man  of  more  than 
average  l;iltnt.  Ilr  was  not  a  studious  man  and  lacked  that  interest  in 
the  living  issues  of  tlic  day,  which,  coupled  with  his  luulcniable  ability 
to  wield  the  |i('ti.  iiiijlit  have  maile  him  a  jonrnalist  of  tiie  highest  rank. 
'I'lie  [Hipiihiiit  \  lie  .iltaiiieij  I'ested  mainly  on  the  attitude  the  jiapcr 
assumed  \('rsus  "  lli'mlandet."  .\mong  the  ant  i<diureii  element  tliis 
jiapcr,  being  partly  of  a  religious  eliaracter.  was  held  to  l)e  the  organ 
of  ignorance  and  liigoliy.  When  it  ti-ained  its  guns  on  the  new  liiieral 
organ.  Hoos  got  a  spleiulid  oppoi'tnnil >'  to  pose  as  the  ilel'endi'r  of  free 
thoiiglil  or,  as  lie  put  it.  the  right  to  yoiu'  own  views,  wliclher  right 
or  wroii^'.  Ill  ilie  wonl\  war  that  I'agi'd  lietwcen  the  representatives 
of  the  two  fact  ions,  lv<ios  gained  a  nundter  <d'  polemical  triumphs  and 
came  to  be  looked  upon  liy  many  as  the  foremost  ehanipion  of  lilicrulism 
among  the  Swcilish  |ieo|i|e  ill  the  \Ve>i.  jlnl  the  pait  he  played  wa.s 
not  initnral  to  him.  While  he  fought  for  lilieralism  and  luunan  rights 
in  the  alistrai'l.  he  alwavs  reniMiiied  the  horn  aristocrat,     in  his  lowly 


hi:rm.\n  rods 


787 


cditoriiil  cluiir  lie  liad  llir  s;inic  hi'^li  rrirard  for  tlic  t  radii  idtis  and  pre- 
rogatives of  tlu'  iiol)ility  as  if  he  iiad  lichi  a  scat  in  soiru'  feudal  house 
of  lords.  Ilis  aristocratic  seutiiiieiits  were  skillfMlly  concealed  under 
the  cloak  of  democracy,  and  it  was  less  I'roiii  choice  than  hy  force  of 
eirciiiiistauces  that  hi'  liccanic  I  he  spokesman  for  popular  views. 

After  a  few   xcars   K'oos  tired   of  his  editorial   duties  and   rcturiH'(l 


Herman  Rons 


to  his  old  home  in  Goteborg.  His  fair  editorial  salary  appears  to  have 
been  inadequate  to  the  demand  made  liy  his  habits  and  appetites.  In 
1873  he  returned,  imw  more  than  ever  enslaved  by  the  drink  habit. 
Securing:  a  position  with  "Nya  Verlden,"  he  did  editorial  work  at  in- 
tervals between  fi-eipient  rampages,  in  which  all  sense  of  duty  and 
moral  responsibility  was  drowned  in  the  flowing  bowl. 

He  now  worked  on  "Nya  Verlden'"  and  later  on  the  new  "Sven- 
ska  Amerikanaren"  for  upwards  of  seven  years.  To  a  biographer  who 
met  Rocs  for  the  last  time  just  before  New  Year's.  1880,  his  last  Avords 


788  PRESS   AND    LITERATIRK 

were.  "Do  you  know.  1  am  tired  of  life."  A  few  days  afterward  it  was 
reported  that  Roos  had  disappeared.  On  Jan.  2nd  liis  dead  body  was 
found  on  a  railway  track  within  the  city,  mangled  liy  the  wheels  of  a 
passing  train.  Whether  his  death  was  accidental  or  self-iutiieted.  no 
one  knows.  At  the  fiuieral  of  the  agnostic.  Captain  Lange.  a  brother 
agnostic,  officiated,  and  no  clergyman  was  present.  While  tabooing 
the  Christian  service.  Lange  nevertheless  felt  constrained  to  use 
the  foniiulii  of  the  Swcdisli  Lutheran  Church,  but  in  tiie  following 
corrupted  form:  "Of  eaitii  tliou  art  come:  to  earth  thou  returnest; 
if  there  be  a  (Jod.  lie  shall  resurrect  thee  on  the  last  day." 

Herman  Roos,  although  a  champion  of  liberal  views,  was  intoler- 
ant with  respect  to  the  opinions  of  others,  and  was  himself  without 
any  pronounced  beliefs.  He  was  a  formidable  opponent,  whether  in  a 
polemical  skirmish  over  personal  matters,  or  a  sustained  campaign  in 
defense  of  some  general  cause.  While  overestimated  by  his  admirers 
and  underrated  b.y  his  antagonists.  Roos  cannot  .justl.v  be  denied  a  place 
of  prominence  among  Swedish-American  .journalists,  earned  by  him  a.s 
one  of  the  frontier  fighters  in  the  struggle  for  an  unbiased  i»ress  and 
an  untrammeled  i)ul)lic  opinion. 

Peter    A.   Sundelius 

Peter  A.  Sundelius,  one  of  the  veteran  Swedish  newspaper  men  in 
the  TTnited  States,  was  born  at  Uddevalla.  Sweden,  in  1831)  or  1840; 
studied  in  Uddevalla  and  Goteborg;  spent  several  months  travelins 
in  Deinuark,  (ierin;iny  and  (Jreat  Hrilain;  crossed  the  Atlantic  in  18(i4. 
and  ill  once  enlisted  in  llie  Cnioii  aniiy.  'I'in'  fojluwing  spring,  in  the 
battle  of  Petersburg,  he  received  a  bullet  wound  from  which  he  did  not 
recover  for  a  .year  and  a  half.  In  the  late  fall  of  ISlit!  he  came  to 
Chicago  and  jiassed  the  wintei-  teaching.  The  next  fail  he  went  to 
Augustana  College,  at  I'axtoii.  where  he  taught  classes  for  two  .vears 
while  studying  theology  himself. 

In  .liiiy,  ISfiS,  Sundelius  entered  upon  his  jonrnalistie  career.  He 
was  editor  of  "Ilemlandet"  froiu  .lul,\.  IStiS,  to  December.  18()!);  of  the 
first  "Svenska  Amei'ikanaren."  its  bitter  rival,  in  1870.  and  from 
September,  1871,  to  April,  187:<,  and  of  "Xyn  Verlden"  from  February 
til  .\pril,  1871.  After  four  years  in  the  V.  S.  internal  revenue  office 
and  seven  in  the  recorder's  ort'ici>.  Sundelius,  with  C.  F.  Pctei-son,  G. 
H.jertquist  and  N.  P.  Nelson  as  piirtiiers.  purchased  the  seciuul  "Sven- 
ska Anu'rikanaren  "  an<l  was  (ine  of  its  editurs  up  In  May.  188S,  when 
he  sold  his  int<'rest  to  F.  .\.  Liiidstrand. 

In  1SS4  Sundelius  was  elected  to  the  state  legislature  ami  served 
for  three  terms.  His  iiinst  noted  nchievcment  as  n  legislator  was  the 
friiiiiinj,'  III  till'  ciiiiipnisnry  cducatiiui  bill,     Dui'iiig  his  last  years  Snndc 


SlNnKIJl'S— ELMBI.AI) 


789 


liiis  was  ciiiployL'd  in  tlio  ort'ice  of  tlu'  county  clerk.     He  died  in  (,'hicago, 
Feb.  18,  1896. 

Tlie  bullet  ■\vbicli  Sinidelins  received  in  l)attle  was  never  removed, 
but  caused  liim  constant  discomfort  and  pain.  Tiie  acerbity  tbat  ebar- 
acterized  tbe  products  of  his  jien.  wliicii  otherwise  were  models  of  style 
and  cogency,  doubtless  was  due  to  the  same  cause.     Sundclius  was  tlie 


Peter  A.  Sundelius 

first  Swedish  political  writer  to  master  the  subject  of  American  polities, 
local  and  national. 


Mag'nus  E,lmblacC 

Magnus  Elmblad  was  recognized  while  in  the  United  States  as  the 
foremost  poet  among  the  Swedish-Americans,  others  having  at- 
tained to  the  same  high  rank  only  in  later  years.  Elmblad 's  author- 
ship, however,  was  not  characteristically  Swedish-American.     He  was 


790 


PRESS   AND    LITERATIRE 


t'diK'atcd  ill  Sweden  and  there  began  his  carctT  as  a  writer  and  pnet. 
He  was  therefore  essentially  a  prodiiet  of  that  country.  Ilis  writings 
bear  but  faint,  if  any.  evidenee  that  tlie  author  was  imjiressed  with 
Anierieau  life  and  eoiiditiinis.  His  ]>i)etry  toiieiies  both  extremes  of 
idealism  and  realism.. 

Although  remembered  chiefly  as  a  poet.  Elnil)lad's  thirteen  years 
in  the  United  States  were  devoted  niainl.v  to  .iournalism.  Coming  to 
Chicago  in  the  fall  of  ISTl.  while  the  fire-swejit  eity  was  still  a  charred 
ruin,  he  soon  obtained  emi)loyment  in  the  Swedish  weekly  press  and 
was  in  its  service  until  1SS4.     Ilis  genius  was  of  the  errant  l.vpe.     lie 


Miinmis     lUiiil)l:i(l 


wrote  mostly  ai'cordiim'  to  Ills  own  whiiiis  and  fancies,  and  the  poetical 
{•ontriliutions  were  by  far  his  best. 

I'Miiiblad  was  a  \eis.il  ile  writer  and  his  pen  was  piieiiomeiially 
productive  and  fliu'iil.  in  six  hours  lie  is  said  to  have  composed 
"Guniiar  ocl:  .\iiiia,'"  a  leiiLrlliy  c|iic  poem  ol'  deeide(l  merit.  His  verse 
is  characteri/ed  liy  ease  and  I'liiency  of  rli.\iiie  and  rytliiii.  lucidity  and 
beauty  ol'  thought  and  elegam'c  of  diction,  lie  was  master  of  the  art 
of  translation,  a  sharp  satirist  and  a  higlil.v  enlcrtaining  <'oiiimeiitator 
of  passing  <'vents. 

Ucsides  some  li\e  liuiiilred  l.\  rii-  poems  and  iiils  of  light  vc|-se. 
I'lliiililad  wrote  a  nuirilier  of  stories  and  sUetches,  a  play  which  was 
produced  on  a  ('liicago  scene,  five  I'pii-  poems.  ".Mian  Txoiiii,"  ".Azil- 


EI.MBI.AD— TRIBINKN 


791 


la,"  "Kristiiia  Xilssoii."  "Pclir  'PlidinassdH ""  ;iimI  IIu-  Jit'iiriMiientioned 
"Giinnar  and  Anna'"— the  t'ii'st-iijinicd  liavinjr  liccii  awardrd  a  prize 
by  the  Swedish  Academy.  He  li'anslatcd  "Kraiid."  by  Ibsen,  antl  a 
number  of  American  poems.  A  vohuiie  nf  patri.)tic  songs  by  Elmblad 
■was  jMiblishod  in  Sweden  in  1871;  Ibsen's  "Brand"  and  a  transbition 
of  Kristofer  Jansou's  "llau  oeh  IIou"  were  publislied  tlie  same  year. 
A  second  volume  of  verse  was  publi.shed  in  Sweden  in  1887.  In  this 
country  two  books  of  verse  by  I'^lmblad  luive  been  put)lishe(l.  one  in 
1875,  reprinted  in  1890,  sinniltaneoiisly  witli  (i  second  coUeetion. 

Magnus  Henrik  Elmblad  was  born  Sei)t.  12.  1848,  at  Herrestad. 
Smaland,  the  son  of  a  country  parson  named  P.  ^I.  Elmblad,  Avho  after- 
ward became  lector,  or  professor,  at  the  Stockholm  Gynniasium.  He 
had  a  college  and  university  education  when  he  came  to  this  country 
in  1871.  Here  he  was  employed  first  on  "Henilandet."  then,  in  1878. 
became  associate  editor  of  "Xya  Svenska  Amerikanaren  :'"  edited 
■"Vart  Xya  Hem."  published  at  Kearney,  Xeb..  during  the  early  months 
of  1877;  was  subsecjuently  etlitor  of  "Skandia"  in  ;\I(iline  up  tn  April. 
1878,  and  soon  after  lieeanie  associate  editor  of  "Svenska  Aniei'ii<ana- 
ren,"  a  position  retained  by  him  luitil  he  left  for  Sweden  in  1884. 
There  he  was  a  free  lance  contributnr  tn  various  journals  and  period- 
icals imtil  his  death.  April  9.  1888. 


SvensKa    Tribunen 

On  January-  4.  1869.  Ph'ie  Johnson,  son  of  the  founder  of  the  Bishop 
Hill  colony,  started  a  newspaper  at  Galva.  entitletl  "The  Illinois 
Swede."  It  was  printed  in  both  English  and  Swedish.  The  salutatory 
said  in  part :  "The  idea  of  a  weekly  journal  printed  in  both  languages, 
•devoted  to  the  interests  of  the  50.(H1fl  Swedes  residing  in  Illinois,  has 
been  the  subject  of  our  thought  for  a  number  of  years,  and  now  we  re- 
joice that  it  is  to  be  a  reality.  The  establishment  of  an  organ  for  the 
•Swedish  population  of  Illinois,  printed  mainly  in  the  English  language, 
is  the  forerunner  of  the  true  Americanization  of  this  class  of  our  citi- 
zens, and  to  that  end  will  our  efforts  be  directed.  We  shall  strive  to 
make  foreign  and  native  liorn  citizens  better  aeiiuainted.  Our  adopted 
country,  first  and  last,  is  oiu'  motto." 

At  this  time  Eric  Johnson  was  publishing  two  other  papers,  the 
•"Galva  Republican"  and  the  "Altona  ]Mirror."  Finding  that  he  had 
imdertaken  a  bigger  job  than  he  could  well  attend  to  alone,  he  in  July 
1869  took  in  Andrew  Chaiser  as  a  partner.  Chaiser  brought  no  capital 
into  the  business,  but  he  was  a  practical  printer.  In  August.  1870,  the 
firm  was  still  further  strengthened  by  the  addition  of  C.  F.  Peterson, 
whose  only  capital  was  his  ability  as  a  writer.  In  Xovember  of  that 
year  the  name  of  the  paper  was  changed  to  "Xya  Verlden.'"    The  pa- 


792  PRESS   AND    LITERATI  RE 

l)pr  was  now  piihlished  exclusively  in  the  Swedish  language,  the  two- 
languajrc  iH)bt)y  of  Mr.  Johnson  having  been  overruled  by  his  two  part- 
ners. It  was  also  at  their  suggestion  that  the  paper  was  moved  to  Chi- 
cago in  January,  1871.  In  Chicago  "Xya  Verlden"  met  with  a  favor- 
able reception.  P.  A.  Sundelius.  a  journalist  of  experience  and  recog- 
nized ability,  became  associated  with  ilr.  Peterson  in  the  editorial 
management.  Sundelius,  by  his  sharp  and  caustic  pen,  got  the  paper 
involved  in  two  libel  suits  for  .$25,000  each,  and  the  two  editors  were 
arrested  until  released  on  bonds.  Having  been  involved  in  expensive 
law  suits  through  no  fault  of  his  own,  Johnson  decided  to  sever  his  con- 
nection with  "Nya  Yerlden"  and  transferred  his  interest  to  Andrew 
Chaiser. 

Tn  the  matter  of  policy  "Nya  Verlden"  steered  its  course  between 
two  extremes,  viz.,  "Gamla  och  Nya  Hemlandet, "  the  Lutheran  Church 
paper,  on  the  one  side,  and  "Svenska  Amerikanareu,"  which  was  any- 
thing but  friendly  to  the  church,  on  tlje  other.  With  the  exception  of 
"Siindebudet,"  the  organ  of  the  IMethodists.  these  papers  were  its 
only  competitors. 

After  the  great  fire  of  1871.  when  all  the  Swedish  newspaper 
offices  were  destroyed,  "Nya  Verlden''  was  removed  to  Galesburg 
where  it  was  issued  within  the  week.  It  was  moved  back  to  Chicago 
in  ^larcli,  1872.  Tlie  proprietors  remained  the  same,  Mr.  Chaiser  hav- 
ing charge  of  the  business  and  Jlr.  Peterson  of  the  editorial  office.  In 
the  spring  of  1873  Frank  A.  Anderson,  a  brother-in-law  of  ilr.  Chaiser, 
was  admitted  to  partnership,  and  Herman  Roos  (af  Hjelmsiiter), 
who  was  formerly  a.ssociated  with  Col.  Hans  ilattson  in  "Svenska 
Amerikanareu,"  became  associate  editor. 

In  the  early  spring  of  1876  "Nya  Verlden"  was  turned  over  to  a 
corporation  known  as  the  Swedish  Publishing  Company,  with  Frank 
Anderson  as  president  and  Chaiser  and  Peterson  as  the  other  main 
stockholders.  The  following  year  Col.  Mattson  became  a  member  of 
the  company.  He  was  the  first  editor  of  "Svenska  Amerikanareu," 
and  the  company  now  purchased  tliis  pajier  from  its  owner,  Mr.  Sten- 
quist,  and  consolidated  it  with  "Nya  Verlden"  under  the  new  name  of 
"Svenska  Tribunen."  In  1878  two  small  papers.  "Skaudia"  of  Moline 
and  "Nya  Folkets  Tidning."  were  absorbed.  The  fact  that  another 
newsi)aper  has  been  published  ever  since  under  tiie  name  of  "Svenska 
Amerikanareu"  is  explained  in  this  way.  that  the  company  neglected 
If)  subjoin  the  old  names  to  the  new  one  liy  way  of  protection  against 
infringement  of  theii-  j)roprietary  rights.  The  oi)portunity  was  (piickly 
grasped  by  Nils  Anderson  and  lb  riiiaii  U'oos,  wlio  had  started  a  new 
paper  tliat  same  year,  and  they  fortiiw  ith  changed  tin-  nanu'  of  their 
piiblicalioii   from  "Svenska   I'osten"  to  "Svenska    .\nicrikaiiMi-en. " 


SVENSKA   TRIBUNEN 


793 


In  1880  Col.  Mattson  sold  his  stock  in  "Svenska  Tribuncn"  to 
Carl  Giistaf  Liiidcrborg.  wlio  thus  acquired  i)ractical]y  a  half  iiitcrost 
in  the  paper,  Chaiser  retaining  the  other  half.  Without  breaking  with 
the  former  views  and  policies  of  the  paper,  Linderborg  made  dominant 
the  principles  of  liberalism,  religious  tolerance  and  political  indepen- 
dence with  Republican  tendencies.  Its  political  color  was  rather  vari- 
egated, for  while  Kepubliean  candidates  were  generally  supported,  most 
of  the  editorials  were  written  by  C.  F.  Peterson,  who  was  a  Greeley 
man  in   1872.   continuing  independent   after  that:   furthermore.   I'.   P. 


Clark    and    Kinzie   streets,  where  "Tribuuen,"   '•Fosterlandet,"   "Heuilandet"  and 
"Kuriren"  once  centered,  the  last  two  still  retaining  the  location 


Svenson,  a  good  writer  and  an  astute  Democrat,  defended  in  its  col- 
umns the  Democi'atic  doctrine  of  state  sovereignty. 

Linderborg  exercised  editorial  supervision  as  long  as  he  was  con- 
nected with  the  paper.  He  is  said  to  have  combined  diplomacy  and 
literary  judgment  with  good  business  sense,  with  the  result  that  the 
paper  gained  friends  and  prospered  in  a  higher  degree  than  ever  be- 
fore or  after.  Among  his  editorial  associates  from  time  to  time  were 
Magnus  Lunnow,  afterwards  for  many  years  editor  of  "Svenska  Fol- 
kets  Tidning, "  of  j\Iinneapolis ;  Ernst  Skarstedt.  now  well  known  as 
an  author,  poet  and  essayist ;  Carl  Anton  llellander.  who  afterward  be- 
came editor-in-chief;  Herman  Lennmahn,  who  later  turned  to  dental 
surgerj';  Valdemar  Torsell,  a  capable  local  news  writer,  and  Ernst 
Lindblom. 


794 


PRESS    AND   UTERATIRE 


Owing  to  ill  health,  Limk-rborg  sold  out  to  his  business  partuer  in 
September,  1890,  aucl  retired  to  private  life,  having  accumulated  in 
ten  years  of  journalisin  a  modest  fortune. 

In  January,  18'J1,  Anders  Leonard  Uylleuhaal.  for  seventeen  years 
a  member  of  the  editorial  staff  of  "Ilemlandet,"  took  the  place  made 
vacant  by  Ernst  Lindblom's  departure  for  Sweden.  The  staff  now 
consisted  of  ilellander.  chief  editor,  Mannow,  Lennmalm  and  Gyllen- 
haal,  associate  editors,  besides  special  correspondents  and  contributors, 
such  as  Jenny  Braun.  the  novelist,  and  Anderson-Edenberg.  in  Sweden. 
and.  in  this  country,  Konni  Zilliacus.  Johan  Person  and  Harald  Beck- 
striim.  Shortly  after  the  World's  Fair.  ^lellander  died  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Gyllenhaal. 

At  the  end  of  the  century  Chaiser  passed  away  and  ('.  F.  Peterson 
was  appointed  administrator  of  the  estate.  This  included  the  manage- 
ment of  the  newspaper  until  the  jilaiit  was  sold  in  August.  1900,  to 
John  E.  Norling.  P.  ().  Xoi-liiig  and  Sanniel  E.  Carlsson.  The  chief 
editorship,  temporarily  assumed  by  ^fr.  Peterson,  was  now  entrusted  to 
Ernst  W.  Olson,  former  stockholder  and  editor  of  "Fosterlaudet," 
with  .Messrs.  (Tyiicnhaal  and  P.  ('.  Pearson  as  his  associates.  Later.  An- 
ders Tofft  wa.s  added  to  the  stiiff.  Mi-.  Pearson  had  been  connected  with 
" Fosterlandet "  from  its  inci'iition.  most  of  the  time  as  editor-in-chief, 
and  Mr.  Tofft  had  [)i;eviously  worked  on  Swedish  newspajiers  in  Min- 
nesota. In  the  autiunn  of  1901  Mr.  Norling  became  sole  proprietor  of 
"Svenska  Tribunen,"  and  continued  as  its  publisher  until  May.  190;). 
when  the  i>ai)er  was  sold  to  (".  F.  Erikson,  late  ailvertising  manager  of 
"Svenska  Nyheter."  One  year  later  "Svenska  Tribunen"  was  consol- 
idated with  "Svenska  Nyheter,"  a  weekly  ]iultlished  by  Gus  Broberg. 
The  coml)ination  was  named  "Svenska  Trilmnen-Nyheter. "  After  a 
few  months  Mi'.  Brobprg  withdrew  from  the  )i;irtiiersliip.  havinsj:  sold 
his  half  interest  to  Mr.  Erikson, 

.M  f.  NorlinL;  liiid  kept  tlic  paper  liepubliean,  even  at  the  sacrifice 
of  his  jx-i-sonal  views,  which  for  ;i  number  of  years  had  been  in  sym- 
pathy with  the  democracy,  and  was  I'lilirely  in  accord  witli  the  editors 
in  lliis  niiiller.  His  successor,  who  held  radical  views,  attempted  to 
make  a  gradual  change  in  its  politics,  but  had  no  success,  so  long  as 
either  .Mr.  Olson  or  .Mr.  (lyilcnhaal  remained  as  editorial  writers. 
'i'licir  |)ositions  (in  the  slatV  were  revci'scd  shortly  after  the  change  in 
ownership.  .Mr.  (iyiicniiaai  being  again  made  edittu'-in-ehief.  His  pliys- 
ieal  powci's  had  been  iinilcrmincd  by  an  illness  of  several  years'  dura- 
tion. ,'inil  on  ((cliilicr  17.  liMi.'i.  he  snc<'nMilicd  to  licart  disease.  One 
month  later  Mr.  Olson  left  his  position.  With  temporary  assistants 
.Mr.  Tofft  edited  the  paper  until  the  following  spring,  when  Carl  G. 
Xoi-iiian,  I'ditoi'  of  "Svea,"  at   Worcester,  Mass.,  was  engaged. 


i:kIC    JOIINSOX  jg^ 

AlllOUfl    till'    IH'clllinin    l)(i(]ks    I'liiplciycd    In    sWrll    Ihr    cIi'i'IiImI  inn    nl' 

"Svcuska  Ti'ihuiicii "'  :irr  Idiiiid  the  riilluwiiii^  works,  of  which  the  piil)- 
lishcrs  ])iit  out  their  dwii  iMlitioiis:  '"  I  >il)li()t('l<  tor  iillniiiiiliildiiim; ;"' 
"Fi'iin  viir  Koiist\ci-hl  ;"  ■"Xiltdiiilr  Ai-hundradrl, "  l>y  0.  II.  I  )uiiii'at  li. 
three  \<iliiiii('s  in  two;  '"  KuiiskapiTiias  Sl<attkaiiiman'"  liy  Tniiiil)iill 
White.  Swedish  edition  revised  and  angiiiented.  and  a  l)ook  oi  vii'Ws 
of  Sweden. 

Eric   Johnson 

Of  Swedish-Aiiierican  newspaper  men.  few.  if  any.  have  had  so 
varii'd  a  career  as  ('ai)tai(i  Erie  Johnson.  Wilh  him  pnl)lishini,'  lias 
heen  a  sort  of  intermittent  fever,  lie  luninir  been  sole  or  .joint  projjrietor 
of  no  less  than  half  a  seore  of  n(>wspapei's  at  different  periods.  In  the 
intervals  he  has  been  en.si'aji'ed  in  various  piivatc  pursuits  or  in  piililic 
life. 

The  son  of  the  founder  of  the  reli.tjious  eomnumity  of  I>ishop  Hill. 
Erie  Johnson  was  born  in  \'estnianland.  Sweden.  July  1.").  1S:5S.  eit;lit 
years  before  the  beginnins  of  the  exodus  of  his  father's  adherents, 
the  Erik  Janssoui.sts.  to  the  United  States.  The  family  left  Sweden  in 
January.  1846,  going  via  Christiania,  Copenhagen.  Jviel.  Hamburg. 
Hull  and  Liverpool,  to  New  York,  where  they  arrived  in  the  early 
spring  and  remained  several  months  before  proceeding  to  Vietoria.  111. 
The  first  houses  in  Bishop  Hill  completed,  the  family  located  there  in 
September.  The  boy's  early  schooling  was  limited  to  the  instruction 
received  from  S.  B.  Randall,  who  taught  in  the  colony  in  lSo4. 

When  the  Bishop  Hill  colony  corporation  was  dissolved  in  1861. 
Eric  Johnson  began  to  cultivate  the  eleven  acres  of  land  allotted  to 
him.  together  with  some  rented  land.  On  Sept.  16th  of  the  same  year 
he  enlisted  in  the  volunteer  army,  and  was  chosen  lieutenant  at  the 
organization  of  Company  D.  37th  111.  Regiment.  After  the  battle  of 
Shiloh  he  was  promoted  captain  of  the  company,  which  was  composed 
entirely  of  Swedes.  During  the  siege  of  Corinth  in  the  summer  of 
1862  Captain  Johnson  was  taken  sick  with  typhoid  fever  and  at  the 
advice  of  the  arm.y  surgeon  he  resigned  and  returned  North.  In  1864 
he  was  induced  by  the  Republican  leaders  at  Galva  to  beconu^  editor 
and  publisher  of  the  Galva  "Union.""  The  venture  was  new  to  him  and 
a  year  of  that  work  was  enough,  but  in  1S68  he  was  again  attracted  to 
the  newspaper  field,  assuming  the  editorship  of  the  Altona  "^lirror. " 
After  the  election  he  became  owner  of  the  Galva  "Union."  which  name 
was  changed  to  "Republican."  His  connection  with  the  "■Illinois 
Swede"  and  "Nya  Verlden"  has  been  shown. 

In  JaiHiary,  1871.  Johnson  was  made  .journal  clerk  in  the  House  of 
Representatives  at  Springfield,  serving  during  the  regular  session  and 


796  PRESS    AND    LITERATI  "RE 

also  the  called  session  just  following  the  Chicago  fire  and  the  adjourned 
session  early  in  1872.  The  year  after,  he  engaged  in  mercantile  and 
land  business  at  White  City,  Kans.,  but  failed  after  three  years,  owing 
to  drought  and  grasvshoppers.  and  returned  to  Illinois,  starting  in  busi- 
ness anew  at  Nekoma,  as  a  hardware  and  luinlx'i-  dealer. 

Jii  isTli  lie  was  engaged  in  gathering  material  for  "Svenskarne  i 
Illinois" — a  book  published  by  liini  and  C.  F.  Peterson.  The  same 
year,  in  partnership  with  Joseph  E.  Osborn.  Johnson  began  publishing 
"The  Citizen,"  a  weekly  paper  at  Galva  and  later  at  Jloline,  but  sold 
his  interest  to  his  ]iartner  in  1^>82.  following  a  disagreement  as  to  the 
political  policy  of  the  paper.  Next  Captain  Johnson  held  a  position  in 
the  war  department  at  Washington,  resigning  which  he  became 
editor  of  "The  Republican"  at  Stromsburg.  Neb.,  for  one  year,  and 
subsequently  was  in  the  newspaper  business  at  Iloldrege,  Neb.,  until 
1891.  While  there  he  was  elected  to  the  General  Assembly  in  1888,  be- 
ing the  onlj-  Independent  in  that  legislature.  In  1891  he  was  made  chief 
clerk  of  the  House  of  Representatives  and  was  reelected  unanimously 
two  years  later. 

After  having  been  operating  in  Texas  lands  for  a  time.  Captain 
Johnson  in  1896  became  the  editor  of  the  "Saunders  County  New  Era." 
estal)lished  1890  at  Wahoo,  Neb.,  as  a  Populist  paper.  With  the  subsid- 
ence of  that  movement  the  paper  lost  prestige,  turned  Republican  and 
was  continued  by  Capt.  Johnson  until  the  spring  of  1900.  when  he 
suspended  i)ubIicatiou  of  the  pajier  and  sold  tlu'  plant.  His  next,  and 
last,  venture  in  journalism  M'as  "The  Viking,"  a  Swedish-American 
monthly  in  the  English  language.  ]iublislu'(l  at  Fremont.  Neb.,  from 
July,  190(),  to  August,  1907,  when  lack  of  supi>ort  lu-oinpted  its  dis- 
continuance. Capt.  Johnson  in  October.  19(l7.  rcniovcd  to  Ch^arwatcr. 
Cal.,  his  present  i)lace  of  residence. 

Mr.  Johnson  Avas  married  Jan.  -'{I.  ISCili.  to  -Mary  tJrtavia  Troll,  who 
died  in  1890.  Of  their  eight  childrcii  three  are  living,  viz.,  Axel  T.. 
of  St.  Louis,  Julia  C,  of  Omaha,  and  Ernest  G.,  publisher  of  the  "Ijiud- 
say  (Neb.)  Opinion."  A  son,  Sixtus  Erik,  died  in  tlie  Spanisii-Ameri- 
can  War.  On  July  15.  1902,  Mr.  Johnson  married  liis  second  wife. 
Georgia  A.  Tillinghast,  who  lias  aidcil  him  in  his  recent  editorial  work. 

Andrev^    Chaiser 

Andrew  Chaiser  had  a  pecuniary  interest  in  "The  Illinois  Swede 
— N.ya  Verlden — Svenska  Triliunen"  IVom  18(19  and  was  its  sole  owner 
from  1890  luitil  his  dcatli  in  1899.  Chaiser  was  born  in  Hiilinge 
parish.  Upland,  Sweden.  .\ug.  5,  1841.  His  latlier.  wlio  had  served  in 
the  Upland  Dragoons,  emigrated  in  IS,")!)  and  joiiu>d  the  Erik  Jansson 
colony  at   Hishoi)   Hill,      lie   worki'd    I'or  three  years,    1855-r)8,   in   tlie 


CHAISKR— PETERSON 


797 


colony's  newspaper  office  at  Galva.  and  in  18()!)  associated  himself  with 
Captain  Erie  Johnson  in  jjublishin^'  the  "Illinois  Swede"  at  that  place. 
After  the  paper  was  reniovcd  to  Chicatro  and  converted  into  tiir  all- 
Swedish  weekly-  "  Xya  Vcrldcn.""  ("haiscr  was  one  of  the  several  men 
who  took  the  jiapcr  thron'jh  tiic  financial  crisis  in  the  seventies.  In 
the  eighties  he  and  Lindcrlmri;'  as  joint  pi-oprictors  of  the  ]);i|)ei-.  now 
"Svenska  Tribuncn."  pnshed  it  ahead  until  it  outdistanced  all  its  com- 
petitors. After  Chaiser  had  bcconie  sole  owner  in  18i)()  he  soon  had 
to  [)ilot  the  enterprise  throuiili  the  financial  straits  of  1893  and  follow- 


.\iiilrL\v  Chai.';er 

iug  years.  In  this  he  succeeded.  Init  in  the  last  few  years  before  his 
death  the  enterprise  seems  to  have  suffered  through  lack  of  vigilance 
in  the  management.  IMr.  Chaiser  was  a  public-spirited  man  and  had  the 
interests  of  his  countrymen  at  heart.  The  credit  for  the  erection  of 
the  Linne  monument  in  Lincoln  Park,  Chicago,  is  due  in  a  large  meas- 
ure to  his  energetic  work  in  securing  the  needed  funds.  His  death 
occurred  March  31 ,  189!). 


Carl   FredriK   Peterson 

(/arl  Fredrik  Peterson  was  born  at  Fittja,  Sodcrmanland.  Sweden. 
April  16,  1843.  His  parents  were  poor  and  could  aiford  him  but  little 
schooling.  The  boy  was  sent  to  relatives  in  Falun  at  an  early  age.  and 
there  worked  as  a  dyer's  apprentice.  As  a  young  man  of  eighteen  he 
emigrated  to  the  XTnited  States.  Intending  to  fight  for  the  liberation 
of  the  slaves,  the  newcomer  enlisted,  but  was  re.jectcd  on  account  of 


798 


PRESS   AND    LITER ATIRK 


nearsightedness  after  liaving  had  hut  a  taste  of  eanip  life.  He  then 
joined  the  crew  on  a  Mississippi  steamer  plving  between  St.  Louis  and 
New  Orh»ans.  After  tliat  he  worked  successively  as  section  hand  on  the 
railroad,  wood-eutler.  farm  laliorer  and  factory  hand.  His  desire  for 
knowledge  causeil  him  1o  impi-ove  every  opportunity  to  repair  the 
defects  in  his  education. 

Ill  .January.  1S7<t.  he  became  editor  of  ""Minnesota  Tidning"  at  St. 
I'jiul.  -Minn.  With  that  he  entered  upon  the  journalistic  and  literary 
caieer  which  he  subse(iuently  followed  through  life.  He  left  this 
pajjer  in  .May  of  the  same  yeai-  anil  in  Augu.st  assumed  the  editorship 
of  "The  Illinois  Swede."  published  at  Galva.  111.  Peterson  remained 
with  I  he  p.-ijier  thrmijrh  various  changes  until  ISSO.  as  editor-in-chief. 


Carl   Krcdrik   I'clersoii 


ami  eiintiniied  inmlher  t'our  years  as  associate  editor.  Then  he  went 
over  to  "Svenska  .Viiierikanaren "'  and  was  until  1S88  editor  and  part 
owMci'  of  tliid  paper,  .\fter  that  he  edited  ""Svea.''  a  newspaper 
whieh  ceased  pulilieat  inn  in  ISSl).  For  a  short  period  in  1S!MI-!)1  a 
Swedisii  daily  ne\vs|ia|ier  was  piililislied  in  Cliieago.  with  .Mr.  Peterson 
at  the  head  of  the  eiiitorial  department.  Wlien  this  ventiu'e  failed 
he  devoted  himself  for  a  nundx-r  of  years  to  iudepeiulent  literary  work, 
producing  several  vohunes  on  historical,  political  and  kindred  topies. 
As  administrator  of  the  estate  of  his  old  Irietul  and  partner,  .Vndrew 
C'haisei-.  Peterson  was  in  IS!'!)  called  back  to  the  field  of  journalism  and 
for  a  liiMi'  iliree1e(l  liiitli  the  liusiness  and  the  eiiitorial  policy  of  the  pa- 
l)er.  In  the  early  i)art  of  tin-  year  PKll  he  edited  ""  N'at ional-Tididngeii.*' 
Its  existence  was  cut  short  in  A|U'il,  when  Mr.  Peterson  was  stricken 
with  an   illness  that  ended  his  life  June  11th  following. 

I'p  to  1S,S,")  Petcr.son  was  a  ixepublican,  with  independent  tenden- 
cies. TIml  year  he  endii-aced  the  tenets  of  the  Democratic  parly,  and 
later,   when   po|Milism   was  at    its   llood-tide,  accepted   its  political   doe- 


CARI,    I'RKIiRIK    rm'KRSON 


799 


triiies.  ami  lie  in  turn  chjuiipidiuHl  these  various  views  witli  a  vi'/or 
tiiat  seeiiicil  iiiiin  nl'  lonir  rstahlislied  conviction.  Never  a  stronf?  par- 
tisan, lie  could  do  tliis  without  much  readjustment  of  his  own  posi- 
tion. It  is  a(hiiittc<l  tlial  liis  jxilitical  articles  were  (diaracterized  by  a 
deptli  and  tliorouirhiiess  seldom  if  ever  found  in  the  work  of  other 
vSwedish-Auicrican  journalists. 

Hein^  of  a  siM'cuiative  hcud.  Peterson  frave  a  great  deal  of  thought 
to  tlie  higher  i)rolilenis  of  this  and  tiic  futiu'c  lif(\  and  his  views  were 
freely  expressed  in  the  pi-css  Mnd  on  tlir  |ilatrnrni.  .\  liiographi'r  has 
said  of  him  that  he  was  "by  far  a  greater  poet  than  thiuker.  and  a 
greater  oi-ator  than  [met" — an  estimate  pi-obably  based  on  the  fact 
tiiat  his  mind  was  not  free  from  bias  and  the  ti'ammcls  of  various  -isms. 
including  spiritualism,  with  all  its  accessories  of  slate-writing,  mater- 
ialization, etc.  Astrology  was  a  real  science  to  his  mind  and  he  faith- 
fully believed  in  it.  As  a  public  speaker  and  a  poet,  ou  the  other  hand,  he 
moved  in  a  freer  atmosphere,  bounded  only  by  the  limitations  of  his 
fertile  brain  and  a  vivid  imagination.  Peterson  handled  English 
with  almost  as  great  fluency  as  his  mother  tongue,  and  translated  a 
large  number  of  the  best  Swedish  poems  into  Engli.sh. 

The  published  works  of  C.  F.  Peterson  are:  "Svenskarne  i  Illi- 
nois." edited  iu  collaboration  with  Eric  Johnson;  "Porenta  Staternas 
Historia,"  which  has  been  translated  into  Norwegian  and  Finnish  antl 
used  as  a  text-book  in  schools;  ''Republiken  och  dess  Institutioner ;"' 
"Amerikanska  Valtalare:"'  "Kiirlek  och  Pligt."  a  novel;  "Liirobok  i 
Geografi;"  "Ett  Hundra  Ar."  a  i-ecaiiitulation  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury; "Politisk  ITandlKik;"  "Sverige  i  Amerika."  besides  conti'il)u- 
tious  to  Swedish  periodicals  and  magazines.  Among  his  unpublisiied 
works  ma\-  be  mentioned  a  "History  of  Sweden"  in  the  English  lan- 
guage; about  one  hundred  Swedish  poems  translated  into  Englisli;  a 
nundjer  of  original  essays  and  translations  on  philosophical,  political 
and  economic  questions;  a  work  on  the  various  doctrines  and  views 
on  the  future  life;  a  collection  of  Swedish-American  short  stories; 
lectures  on  religio-philosophical  subjects:  a  work  on  the  occult  phase 
of  science,  and  the  first  chapters  of  a  novel  dealing  with  Swedish- 
American  labor  conditions. 

Self-taught  as  he  was,  Peterson  attained  a  remarkably  high  intel- 
leettial  development  and  his  name  will  be  written  large  in  the  annals  of 
his  fellow  countrymen.  Yet,  with  a  l)etter  start,  and  under  more  favor- 
able conditions,  his  unusual  talents  ought  to  have  made  him  still  more 
noted  and  influential. 


8oo 


PRESS    AND    I.ITKRATrRE 


Carl  Gustaf  Lmderborg 

Carl  Gustaf  Linderborg,  who  directed  the  policy  of  "Tribunen" 
from  1880  to  1890,  wlien  he  sold  his  interest  and  retired,  was  a  news- 
paper man  of  extraordinary  ability.  True,  he  wrote  very  little,  if  any- 
thing, for  the  paper,  but  he  knew  so  well  wherewith  to  fill  its  columns, 
that  under  his  regime  "Tribunen"  attained  phenomenal  financial  suc- 
cess, purely  on  the  strength  of  its  high  standard,  lie  chose  to  rely  on 
the  merit  of  tlie  paper  alone,  scorning  to  increase  its  revenues  by  means 
of  the  questionable  and  dishonest  advertisements  only  too  common  to 
the  press.  If  his  paper  was  open  to  criticism  it  was  for  over-cautious- 
ness. Far  from  fearless  and  outspoken,  it  was  extremely  guarded 
in  tone,   lest  any  reader  should   take  offense.     Tliis  jiolicy.   however, 


Carl  Custaf  I.iinlcrborj; 

jirdved  lienevdlciil  in  the  iiiain.  and  liiiiderlinrjr  is  given  credit  for  great- 
er ability  than  any  other  Swotlish-Amerieaii  iniblisher  in  increasing 
the  circulation  and  profits  of  his  iviiier  without  sacrificing  its  repu- 
tation. 

Linderborg  was  born  March  2l).  1844.  in  Skelleftea.  Sweden.  Hav- 
ing gone  through  college,  he  tauglit  in  Sweden  publicly  and  privately 
for  three  years  and  spent  one  year  at  tlie  Tniversity  of  Ilelsinsrfors, 
Finland.  He  came  over  In  lliis  ((Muitiy  in  1S()7.  and  tauglit  at  Augusta- 
na  College,  in  Paxton.  ill.,  and  at  an  acaiieiiiy  in  Ilillsboro.  After  two 
years  he  engaged  in  business  and  in  1^71  liee.iiiu'  advertising  solicitor 
and  assistant  editor  of  ' '  liendandet . "  lb'  was  a  mendier  of  the  Illinois 
le-^islatin'e  in  1S74,  and  in  1S80  purchased  n  half  interest  in  "Svcnska 
Trilninen.''  .\fter  lSi)()  liinderlxirg  lived  in  retirement  in  Chicago,  un- 
tilhis  death  (111  .hil.v  10.  lIKil.  While  wit  h  ' '  lleiidandet."  he  translated 
William  .Matthew's  '•(■etting  On  in  the  World."'  the  Swedish  version 
of  which  has  been  puMisheil  in  several  editions,  entitled  "Pa  lifvets 
\;i(l,ioliaiia."  This  ami  oihn-  works  he  rendered  into  Swedish  showed 
him  to  III'  an  I'xcelleiil  translator. 


TORSia.I.  -  SWIvNSON 


So  I 


Jacob  Valdemar  Torsell 

Jacob  Valdemar  Torsell  was  added  In  tlie  editorial  force  of  "Sveu- 
ska  Tribunen"  shortly  after  his  I'eiiioval  to  Cliieafro  from  the  East  in 
1882  and  served  until  his  death,  which  occwri'ed  Jan,  2,  lIKid.  He  ranks 
with  the  foremost  journalists  employed  on  this  or  an\'  other  Swedish 
newspaper  in  this  country,  lie  was  a  wit  and  satirist,  capable  of  deal- 
ing the  most  stinging,'  blows  with  his  rhetoi'ical  hish.  As  a  critic  he  was 
keen,    lun'cleidins:    and    soiiiel  iincs    unjust,      A    skillful    translator,    lie 


Jacob  \'aldemar  Torsell 

turned  into  Swedish  a  niuiilier  of  English  novels,  published  serially  in 
his  paper. 

Torsell  was  born  in  Stockholm  Nov.  20.  1849,  In  addition  to  a 
general  education,  he  took  a  thorough  course  in  music,  but  engaged 
in  business  on  reaching  mature  years.  In  1870  he  emigrated  to  New 
England.  He  lived  principally  in  Boston  and  Worcester,  earning  his 
living  as  music  teacher,  bookkeeper  and  otherwise.  For  a  couple  of 
months  in  187.3  he  edited  an  ephemeral  Swedish  newspaper  lumied 
"Faderneslandet." 


Jolnan   Peter    Svvrenson 

Johan  Peter  Swenson  was  one  of  the  editors  of  "Sveuska  Trii)uu- 
«n"  for  two  years,  1885-87.  For  several  years  prior  he  had  been  a 
regular  contributor  to  "Svenska-Amerikanaren"  while  living  in  Bos- 


8o2 


PRESS   AND    LITKRATt  RK 


Ion.  Ill  187H — 77  lie  lived  for  a  time  in  Chicatro.  He  theu  wrote  over 
tilt'  iiainc  of  Carl  .Inh.-m  Sti'iii|uis1.  the  pulilislicr.  several  poleinifal  ar- 
ticles, reputed  to  have  been  iiiasterpieccs  of  journalist ie  insolence. 
Swensoii  made  a  fair  translation  of  Longfellow's  "Evangeline"  and 
was  the  author  of  a  published  treatise  on  the  .jury  system.  He  wrote 
verse  of  a  iiK'diocre  sort.  Swenson  was  born  in  1818  iuid  was  king's 
bailiff  (lansiuan)  in  Redvag  county  before  emigrating  to  Boston  in 
18fi.'). 

Carl    Anton    Mellander 

Carl  Anton  .McHmimIit  ln'iraii  his  .journalistic  career  in  Chicago  as 
editor  of  "Faderneslandct. "   pulilishcil    licic   in    1878-79.     He  joined 


Carl    .\iiloii    Mellaiulcr 

the  editorial  force  of  "'rrihuiieu "  in  ISSn.  reiiiaiiiiiig  with  the  paper 
until  his  (hall:  .hiii  II,  ]S!(it.  .Mellander  was  principally  a  news  editor 
and  did  much  t()  sustain  "Tribuiien  "s"  enviable  i'e|uitatioii  as  the 
newsiest  of  the  Swedish. Vmerican  papers.  .Mellander  was  born  in  Gti- 
teborg  on  Dec.  5,  ISp).  ami  educaled  at  a  college  in  Maliuo  and  at  the 
liUnd  l'tii\ersit  \'.     lie  came  to  .\merica   in   1>7;{. 


Anders   Leonard   Gyllenhaal 

Amlers  Leonaril  (JyllcMliaal  was  connected  \\\\h  tUr  Swi'dish- 
Anicrii'aii  press  of  Chicago  \'ov  about  thirty-one  yeai's.  in  .\pril.  1S74, 
he  was  engaged  on   the  stall'  of  "N'ya  Svenska    .\nierikauai-en."     The 


C.VI.I.I-NIIAAI,      ZII.I.IACrS 


803 


t'dlldwillir  Ortolicr.  wlU'll  tluil  pMprr  i-llllliucd  I'l'iiin  lirpllhlicjin  tn  Di-lll- 
ot'ratic,  (lyllciiliiUil.  wIki  \v;is  ;i  stiiuin-li  li'cpiililicaii,  rcsi^nicd  hikI  ;iI 
once  W!is  iiddrd  Id  tlir  cditdrial  I'drcc  ol'  " "  I  IciTdandct . "  '  >n  .Ian.  1. 
1891.  Ill'  jdini'd  tile  st;iff  ol'  "Svciiska  'rriliiinrii "  and  ivniaiiicd  witli 
tliat  pa|)cr  iinlil  his  death,  winch  di-cnrrcd  ()c1.  17.  ]'M)').  (iylicii- 
haal  pursued  no  indepeiuhMit  aut lidi>liip.  liiiiitiii^-  hiinself  entirely  to 
the  I'dutiiie  of  the  newspaper  olfiee.  editiiii>'  the  news,  writing  editorials 
aiul  cdiiipilini;  and  assortin;^  the  niiseellanenus  cdideiils  dt'  the  jiaper. 
lie  was  a  iiiddel  in  liis  way.  [)rdnipt.  metliddical  and  t'aithrul  in  his  wurk 


Anders  Leonard  (Vyllenliaal 

to  the  highest   degree.     Sinee  his  eiitrx'   into  .idui-nalisui.  his  life  was 
rather  uneventful. 

lie  was  born  July  1.  1842.  in  Vestmanland,  Sweden.  After  pre- 
liminary studies  at  the  elementarj'  school  in  Ostersuud  he  entered  Up- 
sala  University,  taking  the  bachelor's  degree  in  1860.  He  went  to  sea 
for  two  years,  then  returned  to  the  university  for  post-graduate  work, 
but  M'as  prevented  by  lack  of  funds  from  completing  the  course.  In 
1860  he  came  to  this  country  and  for  several  years  engaged  in  a  variety 
of  occupations.  He  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Western  News  ('omjiany 
in  Chicago  for  five  years  just  prior  to  going  into  journalism.  (Jyllen- 
iiaal  came  of  noble  Swedish  stock.  He  was  married  in  188(1  anil  with 
his  family  lived  in  a  New  Church  settlement  at  Glen  View,  he  himself 
being  a  firm  believer  in  the  teachings  of  Swedenboi'g. 


Konni    Zilliacus 

Konni  Zilliacus.  associate  editor  of  "Tribnnen"  in  1889 — 90  and 
of  "Kuriren"  in  1892.  while  in  Chicago  and  afterward,  wrote  a  good 


804  PRESS   AND    LITERATI  RE 

deal  of  fiction  and  several  liistorii-al  and  descriptive  works.  In  1891 
he  published  a  book  of  general  inforniatiou  for  immigrants,  entitled 
"Amerika,"  the  following  year  a  collection  of  emigrant  stories,  "Ut- 
vandrarehi.storier,"  which  was  published  in  Ilelsingfors.  while  an  illus- 
trated book,  descriptive  of  Chicago,  was  jiut  out  in  this  cit.v.  His  most 
important  work,  however,  was  a  book  of  a  thousand  pages  on  the 
I'uited  States,  historical,  descriptive  and  j)ictorial.  entitled  "Ameri- 
kas  Fiircnta  Stater."  This  was  iMiiilislicd  in  New  York  City.  Zillia- 
cus,  who  was  a  iiati\c  of  Kiiiland.  had  traveled  extensively  and  gave 
interesting  accounts  of  his  .joiu'iieys  in  nian.v  lands,  lie  returned  to 
Finland,  where  in  i-ecent  years  several  books  iiy  him  have  been  pub- 
lished, iiiiluding  ".Xya  iit  vandrarehistorier"  and  "Det  revolutionara 
Kyssland." 

SvensKa    AmeriKanaren,   II. 

"When  "Svenska  .\iiicrikanan-ir"  was  pnr<-haseil  by  Hans  ^lattson 
and  absorbed  by  "Svenska  Tribuncn,"  tiie  old  name  was  adopteil  in 
October,  1877,  by  Xels  Anderson  antl  Herman  Hoos  for  a  new  weekly 
started  by  them  xuider  the  name  of  "Svenska  Post  en."  Anderson  was 
at  the  time  Scandinavian  clerk  in  the  Inman  Liiu'  office.  It  may  be 
mentioned  in  i)assing  that  a  single  issue  of  a  Swedish  newspaper  named 
in  English  "The  Swedish-American,"  is  said  to  have  been  published 
Aug.  21,  1875,  linl  who  the  editors  and  pultlishers  were  has  not  been 
ascertained.  Ileniian  Hoos  was  at  first  sole  editor  of  Xels  Anderson's 
pa|)('i'.  lie  and  Elniblad  were  .joint  editors  from  Jniu'.  1878,  to  .Ian.  2. 
1880.  when  luKis  met  his  death  undci'  tlie  wheels  of  a  railway  train. 
Elniblad  coiitimied  as  cditoi'  until  June.  1884,  when  he  left  for  his 
native  coniiti'.\'.  llis  associates  were:  Ernst  Skarsfedt,  188(1-84.  (lustaf 
Wicklund,  1SS2-4.  .lakoli  I'.oii'.'iri'cii.  from  l.ss2.  and  O.  .\.  I,inder,  1888-4, 
On  Sept.  1.  ISSl,  .\tiderson  sold  out  to  I'.  .\.  Snndelius,  N.  V.  Nelson 
of  Salina,  Kansas,  and  (labriel  ll.jcrtipiist,  foi-eman  of  the  composing 
room  of  "Svcnsiia  Triliuncn."  The  firm  was  styled  the  Swedish- 
American  Printing  Compan.\-.  In  October.  1884,  C.  F.  Peterson,  one 
of  the  editoi-s  of  "Svenska  Trilnnu-n."  .joined  the  coniiiany.  From  that 
time  till  18,SS  tlie  editors  were  Snndelius.  Peterson  and  Honggren.  In 
April,  188().  Il.jerl(|uist  sold  his  stock  to  .\.  F.  (i.  Wing.ird.  then 
advertising  agent  of  the  paper,  and  on  May  '.\.  1888,  .Mr,  Suuib-lius, 
impelled  by  ill  iiealtli,  sold  out  to  Frans  .\.  Lindstrand,  a  walelunaker 
and  jeweler,  and  well  known  in  fraternal  society  circles,  who  sotni  after 
took  over  the  stock  owned  liy  C.  F.  Peti'rson  and  X.  P.  Nelson  and  thus 
becanuf  three-fourths  owner  of  tlic  paper. 


I-'RANS    AI.lilN    I.INDSTKANI) 


805 


Frans  Albin   Lindstrand 

Tn  assumina:  cnntrnl  .Mr.  Liiulstraiid  (li'tci'iiiiiifd  to  mako  "Svciiska 
Aiiicrikanareii "  a  popular  paper,  iiou-part  isaii.  libi'ral.  tolrrant.  Ft  then 
had  alioiit  •■{.OdO  jiayiiij^  sultsi-riluTs  and  a  dclil  of  $lti,r)(l(l.  It  was 
apparent  that  it  reipiired  strong;  pnshinir  to  juit  tlie  enterprise  on  its 
h'gs,  i'iiianeially,  but  this  the  new  |)ropiietor  did.  and  .soon  made  good 
his  determination  to  make  the  paper  a   linaiicial  success. 

lie  retained  ^Ir.  T^oni^tjren  as  editor,  and  soon  after  added  to  the 
staff  Xinian  Waerner.  formerly  associate  editor  of  "Kurre,"  a  comic 
paper,  which  was  the  forerunner  of  "Svenska  Kuriren."  Waerner, 
who  was  a  poet  and  humorist.  I'ather  than  a  journalist,  remained  luitil 


Frans   A.  Liiulstraml 


Oct.  1,  1889,  when  he  assumed  the  editorship  of  "Svenska  Korrespou- 
denten"  in  Denver,  Colo.  Mr.  Linder  was  re-engaged  on  the  paper  in 
1892.  Another  man  engaged  was  Edwin  Bjorkman,  a  capable  writer, 
who  subsequently  became  editor  of  "^Minnesota-Posten,"  at  Saint 
Paul,  and  then  in  turn  reporter  and  writer  on  daily  newspapers  in 
that  city  and  in  New  York. 

Mr.  Lindstrand  himself,  although  unschooled,  took  up  the  pen 
and  began  to  contribute  profusely  to  the  columns  of  his  paper.  Possess- 
ing a  goodly  fund  of  personal  experience,  an  inexhaustible  vein  of 
popular  luimor  and  a  firm  determination  to  "'make  good,"  his  writings 
struck  a  responsive  chord.  His  series  of  articles  under  the  caption, 
"Bref  fran  Onkel  Ola."  was  continued  for  almost  twenty  years, 
making  him  extremely  popular  with  the  readers  of  the  paper.  In  wide 
circles,  in  fact.  !Mr.  Lindstrand  is  hardly  known  by  any  other  than  his 


8o6  PRESS   AND    I.ITKRATIRK 

prii  name.  "Oukd  Ola."  Ai'tcr  twenty  years  Liiulstrand  withdrew 
from  journalism,  his  paper  being  purchased  in  February,  1908,  by  P.  A. 
Larson,  a  young  business  man. 

Tlie  first  "Sveuska  Anierikanaren"'  was  founded  as  a  non-sectariau 
paper  intended  as  the  mouthpiece  of  those  Swedish-Americans  who  did 
not  belong  to  the  churches  or.  if  they  did.  were  liberal-minded  and 
favored  free  discussion  of  all  (luestiuiis.  ineluding  religious  ones.  Not 
only  because  its  policy  was  condemned  by  the  clergy,  but  owing  .still 
more  to  the  fact  that  its  earliest  editors.  Roos  and  Elmhlad.  luul  l)een 
too  abusive  in  their  antagonism,  while  jiersoiuilly  they  were  not  as 
strict  and  sober  as  might  be  expected  of  men  intent  on.  improving  the 
teaehings  and  morals  of  the  ehureh.  a  certain  odium  thcologicum  liad 
clung  to  the  name  from  the  first.  Those  who  purchased  the  second 
paper  of  that  name  in  1884  did  what  they  could  to  eradicate  this 
antijjathy  by  moderating  the  tone  of  the  paper  and  adopting  a  policy 
of  fairness  and  tolerance  toward  all.  This  policy  was  strictly  adhered 
to  by  Jlr.  Lindstrand  and  his  staff  of  editors,  so  that  now  the  old 
prejudice  from  the  side  of  the  church  people  toward  " "Sveuska  Anieri- 
kanaren" is  i)raetically  a  thing  of  the  past. 

"Svenska  Anierikanaren"  has  been  most  |)rolifie  in  the  ])roduction 
of  books  for  iniiiiiiiin  imrjxises.  Wliili'  .Mr.  Lindstrand  was  at  the 
head  of  the  paper,  he  iniblished  rei)rints  and  original  works,  as  follows: 
" Verldshistoi'ia."  by  Ernst  Wailis.  vols.  I-llI;  Hosander's  "Den  Kun- 
skapsrike  Skolma.staren  ; "  "Piiltskiirns  Beriittelser, ""  by  Z.  Topelius. 
vols.  I-lf :  "I  (ister-  ocli  vesterlaiid."  li.\-  K.  A.  IJndstrand:  "I'ennteek- 
uingar  och  reseskildi-ingar  af  Onkei  Ola  ;'"  ""  Kunskap  fiir  alia."  vols.  I- 
IV;  O.  Sjogren's  "Karl  Xil  ocli  iians  miin:"  "Kriget  med  Spanicn. 
Fritliiofs  Saga.     Fiinrik  Stals  Siigner,"  and  "I'r  det  fiirdoldas  verld." 

In  1S!(()  Mr.  Lindstrand  started  a  eoniic  weekly  pajicr  named 
"Broder  Lustig."  In  Novemi)er  of  thai  year,  it  was  replaced  by  an 
illu.strated  literary  weekly.  "Idnna."  which  ran   inilil   Fi'liniary.  IS!)!). 

Ernst    SKarstedt 

Ernst  Skarsledt.  in  -luiie.  ISSO,  bceame  the  associate  of  .Magnus 
Ehnlilad  as  (Mlitor  of  "Sveuska  .\merikanaren. "  In  1SS4  he  was  cm- 
l)loyed  by  Engberg  and  llolniliei-g  as  editor  and  pi-oofi-cader :  shortly 
thereafter  he  took  a  jxisitiou  with  "Sveuska  Trii)unen"  and  early  in 
188")  left  for  the  Pacific  i-oast.  where  he  has  since  resided  in  various 
localities.  From  1S!I1  to  ISIIli  he  was  <Mlitor  and  jiarl  owner  of  "X'csl- 
kusten"  of  Saii  Krain-isco.  lie  then  went  to  farming,  but  did  not 
abandon  literary  work  on  thai  ai-count  Niinilierless  news|)apcr  articles 
b.\-  him  have  appearcij  .-ill  along.  an<l  he  has  published  a  nuiidier  of 
lai'ger  or  sniallcr  hooks  on  a  variety  of  subjects,  namel\  :  "Oregon  and 


KRNST    SKARSTICDT 


807 


■Washington."  liistorii-iil  ;inil  (lrscii|il  ivr  of  the  two  states;  "Svensk- 
Amorikaiiska  poeter;'"  a  collection  of  poems  by  Magnus  Elmhlad; 
"Enskilda  skrifter  of  A.  A.  Swiird:"  "  Kosor  ocli  tornen."  a  collection 
of  short  stories,  translated  and  revised;  "Fnin  vilda  vestern,"  ami 
"Den  gande  snieden."  stories;  "Vara  peinifiiktai-e."  a  biographical 
work  on  Swedish-American  wi'ilcrs.  and  most  I'cccntly  an  illnstratcd 
volume  entitled  "Washington  ocli  dcss  s\cnska  bcfolkning. "  Skarstedt 
is  a  poet  of  recognized  in(>ri1.  and  a  collection  of  verse  hv  him  a|)|)eared 
in  book  form  in  11)07.  lie  is  held  to  t)e  an  eminent  critic,  but  disclaims 
that  title.     P>e  this  as  it  may.   he  has   phiyed   an    impor'laiit    paiM    in   the 


EriLSt  Skarstedt 


matter  of  calling  attention  to  and  encotiraging  writers,  thereby  render- 
ing great  service  to  the  young  Swedish-American  literature. 

Ernst  Teofil  Skarstedt  was  born  in  Solberga,  Bohu.slan,  Sweden. 
April  14,  1857;  obtained  a  college  education  in  Lund  where  his  father 
became  professor  of  theology  in  lS(i5;  was  a  sailor  in  1875,  visiting 
England  and  the  arctic  regions,  and  studied  for  a  short  time  at  the 
Technical  High  School  of  Stockholm  before  emigrating  in  December, 
1878.  During  his  first  year  in  the  United  States  he  worked  at  farming, 
carpentry,  etc.,  and  then,  in  partnershii)  with  one  E.  Lundquist.  pub- 
lished "Kansas  Stats-Tidning"  at  Lindsborg  for  three  months,  in  1879- 
80.  From  his  childhood  Skarstedt  had  a  penchant  for  writing.  Iniving 
composed  little  sermons  at  seven  and  essays  and  sketches  on  nature 
at  nine. 

Skarstedt  is  a  man  of  pecidiar  views  and  habits.  lie  scorns  con- 
ventionality,  etirpiette  and  luxury  as  the   curses  of  civilization.     An 


8o8 


I-kHSS    AND    I.ITERATl'RE 


a]>ostle  (if  the  simple  life,  lie  livetl  for  years  the  life  of  a  hermit  in  a 
small  elearing  in  the  |)rimeval  forests  of  the  far  Northwest.  In  his 
voluntary  exile  he  kept  in  elose  tou<*h  with  events,  partienlarly  those 
among  his  own  eonutrymen.  An  enthusiastic  literary  eoUeetor.  he  has 
amassed  an  enormous  amount  of  material,  the  bulk  of  which  unfor- 
tunately was  lost  in  the  great  San  Franei.seo  fire. 

JaKob  Bong'g'ren 

Jakob  Bonggren  has  iiiiide  liimself  wi'il  known  as  a  journalist  in 
the  (luarter  eenturv  he  has  been  eomiected  with  "Svenska  Anierikana- 


J.ikiili   Hiuinn't" 

ren,"  bul  ;is  a  [loel  in-  is  still  ni(ii<'  t'iiiiiirMi'  In  Swedish  .\nierican 
readers.  By  many  he  is  accorded  lirst  place  among  Swedish  poets  in 
this  country,  and  there  is  no  one  to  dispute  the  fact  that  he  ranks 
ubrcast  with  our  best  imaginative  writi'rs.     His  fertile  mind  and  facile 


HUNGCRHN      l.INUICR 


809 


pen  have  iiroduced  a  f^'rcat  amoiiiit  of  xci'sc  on  a  limitless  raufie  of 
themes,  his  jjoenis  being  unit'oi'nily  readable,  ofttiines  tli(;  brilliant 
crystallization  of  some  fine  thonj^lit  or  sentiment,  and  not  infrequently 
precious  gems  from  the  diamond  fields  of  fancy.  Whether  from  neces- 
sity or  not,  Bonggren  has  stuck  to  the  prosaic  routine  of  journalism 
these  many  years,  despite  his  marked  predilection  for  belles  lettres  and 
research  and  for  speculation  in  the  field  of  the  occult.  Bonggren  has 
written  numerous  literary  reviews  and  critical  estimates,  in  which,  it 
has  been  charged,  his  opinion  is  unduly  influenced  by  his  likes  and  dis- 
likes. He  is  a  profound  student,  who  in  his  reading  has  invaded  almost 
every  field  of  human  culture.  The  services  rendered  by  him  to  the 
Swedish-American  literature  as  a  critic  and  compiler  are  of  permanent 
value,  even  aside  from  the  opinions  expressed  to  which  others  have 
taken  exception.  The  following  series  of  literary  critiques  and  notices 
in  "Svenska  Amerikanaren"  are  from  Bonggren 's  pen:  "Littcratur- 
hi.storiska  anteekningar, "  I — XXXVI;  the  same,  series  I — LII; 
"Svensk-amerikansk  litteratur.  I — XXXVIII;  "Svenska  litterara 
karaktiirsdrag,"  and  "Var  litteriira  viirld,"  two  series,  1898  and  1899. 
If  it  be  true  that  he  has  bitterly  denounced  certain  writers  whose  style 
and  subject  matter  have  been  odious  to  him.  it  is  also  true  that  he  is 
almost  the  patron  saint  of  the  lesser  knights  of  the  quill,  whose  efforts 
he  has  freely  and  charitably  encoiu'aged.  Besides  his  others  works, 
elsewhere  mentioned.  Bonggren  has  translated  "Caesar's  Column,"  by 
Ignatius  Donnelly,  and  contributed  a  number  of  articles  to  a  biograph- 
ical volume  entitled  "Framstaende  man  och  cjvinnor  i  var  tid."  His 
published  collections  of  verse,  "Ftirstlingar"  and  "Sanger  och  Sagor," 
contain  but  a  part  of  the  profusion  of  verse  that  has  flowed  from 
his  pen. 


Oliver    A.   Linder 

Oliver  A,  Linder  is  one  of  the  most  distinctive  of  Swedish-American 
writers.  Until  recent  .vears  these  were,  almost  without  exception, 
educated  in  Sweden,  and  their  prodixcts  varied  little  in  character,  style 
and  subject  matter  from  the  literary  products  of  the  old  country. 
Linder  early  began  to  depart  from  the  well-trodden  paths  and  has  been 
growing  more  thoroughly  Amei'ican  in  sentiment  with  the  passing  years. 
This  fact  is  reflected  in  his  verse,  which  is  American  in  tone  and 
atmosphere,  in  fact,  in  all  its  essentials,  exeept  the  vehicle  of  expression. 
He  is  one  of  a  handful  of  poets  of  force  and  originalit.v  among  a  motley 
mass  of  vapid  versifiers  or  mere  rhymesters.  Linder  is  a  keen  critic 
and  an  able  reviewer,  intimately  familiar  with  the  field  of  Swedish- 
American  literature  and  its  cultivators.  In  an  essay  on  pseudonyms 
he  has  given  apt  and  terse  characterizations  of  many  of  their  bearers. 


8io 


PRESS    AND    I.ITRRATIRK 


111  the  eighties  several  series  of  humorous  letters  and  sketches  by 
Liiuler  subjected  their  author  to  the  charge  of  imitatiou  or  plagiarism 
of  certain  noted  American  iuimorists.  the  accusation  being  preferred  by 
persons  ignorant  of,  or  unwilling  to  admit,  the  fact  that  Liiuler  was 
himself  a  humorist.  He  himself  owned  to  an  affinity  in  style  with  Bill 
Nye.  but  that  was  the  whole  extent  of  it.  In  taking  up  historic  research 
pertaining  to  the  Swedisli  Delaware  colony.  Linder  airain  displayed  his 
keenness  by  discovering  and    curri'ding  several   grave  errors   in   the 


Oliver    A.    I.iiulcr 

biography  of  John  ]\Iorton.  prevalent  in  works  of  reference.  Mr.  Linder 
has  lieen  entrusted  with  the  responsible  task  of  writing  the  biographies 
of  those  Swedish-Americans  deemed  W(irlh\  of  a  i)lace  in  the  new 
revised  edition  of  "NordisU    Kainiljeliok.""  tlie  Swedish   encyclopedia. 

a  new  edition  of  which  is  now  in  cdiirsc  of  pulilication. 

OtKer  Staff  Members  and  Contributors 
Ivlwiii  KJiirkiiian  had  had  sicctclics  piil>lislie(i  in  "l)ageiis 
Xylicler"  and  had  lici  ii  a  member  of  the  stall"  of  "  Aftoniiladct  "  in  his 
native  city  of  Stocklidliii  lid'orc  cuiiiiiig  lo  .\iiicrica  in  ISIU.  He 
(ihlained  a  situation  on  "Sveiiska  .\iiierikariarcn '"  as  local  news  editor 
ami  wrote  for  the  pajxT  a  scries  of  original  sketches  under  the  common 
lieail.  "TerkMingar  i  sandeii.'"  In  ease  and  elegance  of  style  Hjorkman 
had  few  ecpials.  The  failure  of  "•  .M  iiinesota- I'osten. "  «d' St .  Paul,  which 
lie  was  called  to  edit  in  1S!)L*.  I  ransferred  Hjiirkman  to  tin-  .\meriean 
press.  Me  bcf^'an  by  writiiiL'  Seaiidinavian  news  for  the  Minneapolis 
"Times,"  aiul  later  became  its  music  critic,  besides  writing  featun- 
articles    and    other    "stories"    for    that    paper,      Mefore    engaging    in 


missioxs-v.\nM';n  8ii 

.jdlirtialisni     Ivlwiii     I  Sj/irkniMii     s|)cnt      llir'cc     yi';irs     (iii     the     Swedish 
tlu'iitrical  slaj;-!'. 

V^nf  a  limi-  liiMiiil  A  krrluiiil  was  a  iricinliri'  cil'  "' Aiiicrikanarcn 's'" 
slafi'.  Jlc  (lied  as  cilildr  in  chirl'  oi'  "  Sicandina  via. "  piililisiii'd  al  Wnr- 
ccslcr.  M;tss.  .More  rctH'iitly  Kiiiil  Ainrliii  was  atlarlied  In  tlu'  paper 
for  a  miiiilx'i- III' years.  Tlie  latest  aeipiisitioii  was  Fi-itliiol'  Maliii(|iiist. 
I'di-  live  years  editur  in  eliief  of  "Svenska  Nyliele!-, "'  a  writer  <d'  sti-ong. 
trenelnmt  pr<ise  and  similai'  Nci'se,  and  an  allround  prai-ti<-al  newspaper 
man. 

Fi-iliiiol'  .MalnKpiist.  eonjiiintly  with  Kdward  Kjeilandei'.  I'lininled 
"  Korskaren. "'  an  (irean  of  socialism  ami  tree  thought,  and  a  i-aliid 
ant;ii;dnis1  of  ehui'eh  and  clergy,  in  ISII.S,  at  Hockford.  and  remained 
with  that  puiilication  for  several  years  after  its  I'emoval  to  Minneapolis 
in  1S!I4.  In  IIMKI  he  was  connected  with  "Svenska  Trihunen."  which 
he  left  to  take  the  position  of  editor  of  "Svenska  Xyhetei-'"  in  1!K)1. 
For  the  next  few  years  he  gave  this  pajier  wide  reputation  as  an  out- 
spoken and  ratlical  labor  organ.  When  "Xyheter"  was  consolidated 
with  "Svenska  Trihunen"  in  10(16.  ^Malnnpiist  resigned  and  soon  after 
joined  the  staff  of  "Svenska  Anierikanareii."  ^lalniquist  is  a  writer  of 
bristling  and  uid^emjit  verse  as  shown  in  a  volume  appropriately  en- 
titled "ToriuMi  och  Tistlar. "  The  author's  literary  ability  is  self- 
acquired,  he  having  left  the  public  school  in  Sweden  at  the  age  of 
foiU'teen  to  become  a  joiner's  apprentice  and  never  after  had  an 
opl)oi-tunity  for  systematic  study. 

Missions- Vannen 

In  July,  1874,  the  .Mission  Synod  founded  in  Cliicago  a  church 
paper,  called  "Missions- Vannen,"  which  was  at  first  published  once 
a  month.  The  first  editors  were  A.  W.  Hedenschoug  and  L.  J.  I'eter- 
son.  In  1880  Rev.  Andrew  Hallner  assumed  the  editorship  of  the  pa- 
per, which  was  then  made  a  weekly.  A  stock  company,  consisting  of 
niemhers  of  the  North  Side  Mission  Church  of  Chicago,  and  known  as 
the  I\Iission  Friends  Publishing  Co.,  purchased  the  paper  in  1882, 
doubled  its  size  and  added  political  and  general  news  departments. 
Prior  to  this  change.  Hallner  had  been  succeeded  by  Rev.  A.  E.  Wen- 
strand,  and  now  Oustaf  Theden  was  made  news  and  political  editor. 
Sonu^  time  after.  Hallner  again  edited  "Missions-Vannen,"  assisted  by 
Gustaf  Sjostriim.  In  1888  Rev.  0.  Ilogfeldt  took  charge  of  the  church 
department,  and  prior  thereto  A.  F.  Boring  had  been  engaged.  Hall- 
ner continued  as  political  editor,  and  for  several  years  made  the  paper 
a  champion  of  prohibition,  until  succeedi'd  by  Iv'v.  John  llagstriim. 
Iliigfeldt   and   I'xiring  remain   with   the   papei'   in    an   editorial   capacity. 


8l2 


PRESS   AND    I.ITKRATrRK 


while  till'  business  manau'i'iiH'iit  is  entrusted  to  C.  6.  Petterson.  Al- 
though private  projicily.  "'  .Missions-Vannen"'  is  the  recognized  organ  of 
the  ^lission  Covenant.  .Much  of  its  ])resti^e  is  due  to  the  contril)\itions 
of  P.  P.  AValdcnstroni.  tiie  leader  of  the  Mission  Covenant  of  Sweden, 
who  has  written  for  its  eoluiiiiis  tor  many  years  past. 

The  ^Mission  Friends  Piililishiu'r  Conipany  conduets  a  bookstore, 
and  has  published  the  followini;  books:  "Sionsharpan,"  text  and  music 
editions;  "Dagligt  Manna.  "  by  F.  Risberg;  "Lifvet,  doden  och  evighe- 
ten,"  by  A.  ^lellaiider:  "  Hibclbilder.'"  by  F.  Risberg,  and  '"  Vinterros." 
an  annual  for  eliiklren. 


Rev.   (.)Uu   lloi;tVMl 

Tn  18!)1  Otto  lloiifeldt  began  publishins  an  annual,  entitled 
"llein.il,"  ■which  is  still  being  issued.  .\.  F.  Boring  is  the  eilitor  of 
Iwi)  ju\'enile  aiuiuals,  "Baniens  Kaleiider""  and  "  X'interros." 

iVt  .North  Park  College  the  .Mission  Covenant  conducts  a  liook 
and  pu])lishing  business,  from  which  is  i.ssued  "  Missioniiren. '"  a  scnii- 
iiKiiillily  inissidii  paper.  Several  books  have  bi'cn  published  by  the 
same  con<'ern.  cliiel'  of  which  is  a  .")(l()-p;iife  book  on  Palestine,  ity  Prtd". 
Axel  .Mellander.  ".Xurora."  a  Chrislnias  arniual.  edilcil  by  liim.  also 
lias  lieen   issued   friini   this  otTice. 


Johan    Alfred    AlmKvJst 

•  lolijiii  .MlVcd  .\lijik\ist.  who  was  associate  I'dilor  of  ".Missions- 
N'iiniK'h"  I'or  Ihi'ee  nionllis  ami  ol'  "Kuriren"  I'or  eight  months,  devel- 
oped :iM  extensive  literary  activity  as  a  translator  while  in  Cliii'av'o. 
He   n'lidered    into  Swedish   several   I'cligious   wiM'ks  by   ,1.    I{     Mc|)nlV. 


AlOrSTANA    HOOK    CONCKRN 


8'3 


|)iil)lish(Hl  under  the  following  titles  :"  K.sk(ils(li-iit'v()r,""?]l(lsi)ri)feten," 
■'Klarare  iiii  solen";  also  '"['reiiiie  Faiiiil.jrr"  and  the  following  books 
by  Dwight  L.  ^Moody :  "Fiirborgail  Kial'l."  "Segcrvinnaiide  bon," 
"Vagen  till  Gud"  and  "Till  vcrksandiit,  till  verksandiet ! "  His  poetic 
ability  stood  him  in  irood  stead  in  i'<iidcrin';  into  Swedish  the  many 
i-eligioiis  sonjis  quoted  in  these  wotks.  Aindvvist  has  given  several 
proofs  of  Ills  talent  as  a  writer  of  very  readable  prose  fiction.  In 
Sweden  he  ])ulilished  in  sei'ial  form  a  nundier  of  stoi-ies.  ineluding  "  Vid 
kusten,"  "Kn  syndares  vliy;"'  and  "Svindlaren  i  Stollnas,"  the  latter 
attracting  considci'alilr  attentiim  at  the  linic 

Almkvist  was  Imi-n  at  Tannm.  Sweden,  in  1S47.  He  sttidied  in 
Uddevalla  and,  after  his  coming  to  the  United  States  in  1872,  took 
theological  courses  at  Decorah  College,  Deeorah,  Iowa,  and  Concordia 
College  in  St.  Louis.  He  returned  to  Sweden  in  1874,  continued  divinity 
studies  at  the  Ahlberg  school  and  served  as  a  pastor  for  one  year.  In 
1878  he  became  editor  of  "Gestrikland,"  a  paper  published  in  Gefie, 
and  later  published  "Folkets  Viin"  and  "Xorrlands  Annon.sblad, " 
two  radical  organs.  After  having  been  imprisoned  for  infringing  the 
libel  law  he  abandoned  journalism  in  Sweden  and  returned  to  this 
countrv. 


TKe  Aug'ustana    BooK    Concern 

The  beginning  of  this  publishing  house  may  be  traced  back  to 
December,  1877,  when  a  society  called  '"rngdomens  Viinner"  was 
founded  by  President  Hasselqnist,  Professors  O.  Olssou,  C.  0.  Granere, 
C.  P.  Rydholni  and  the  five  members  of  the  first  senior  class  of  Augus- 
tana  College.  Their  aim  was  to  foster  the  young  people's  societies 
which  began  to  form  at  that  time  in  many  of  the  churches.  Resides 
jirinting  several  tracts  and  pamphlets,  the  society  began  publishing  the 
monthly  "Ungdoms-Viinnen"  in  January.  1879.  Two  years  later, 
''Korsbaneret,"  a  Christmas  annual,  was  turned  over  to  the  society 
by  its  publishers.  0.  Olsson  and  C.  A.  Swensson,  who  had  started  it  in 
1880.  The  name  of  the  society  was  changed  in  February,  1883.  to  the 
Augustana  Tract  Society.  The  mendiership  fees  not  sufficing  to  meet 
expenses,  the  l)usiness  was  incorporated  under  the  name  of  Augustana 
Book  Concern  the  same  year  and  cajiitalized  at  .-fil.^.OOO.  divided  in 
300  shares.  One  of  the  provisions  was  that  twit-tliirds  of  any  net  profits 
should  go  to  Augustana  College  and  Theological  Seminary.  The  follow- 
ing year  the  new  firm  purchased  Thulin  and  Anderson's  printing  shop 
in  ^[oline.  and  also  secured  possession  of  the  old  society's  publications 
and  other  propert.v.  The  firm  started  a  bookstore  at  7th  avenue  and 
38th  street.  Rock  Island.  Prof.  C.  P.  Rydholm.  the  first  manager,  was 
succeeded  in  Sejitendier  of  the  same  year  by  Jonas  Westling.     He  re- 


8i4 


PRESS   AND    LITERATIRK 


iiiaiiiiMl  until  ISSti.  when  Kcw  I'.  .1.  Kiillstroiii  tJiuk  charge.  Tlu"  fol- 
low iiii,'  .Inly  the  iiiiiiitlily  ■  riifirdonisvannen."  was  changed  to  a  weekly 
and  nainiMl  •  lii-iiiviiniH-ii."  In  tin-  fail  of  1S87  C.  (;.  Timlin  sold  his 
hookstoi'f  to  the  Angustana  Hook  ConL-eni  aiul  assiiined  thi-  mauage- 
ment  of  affairs.  Tho  following  year  one  of  the  publications  of  the  Con- 
cordia Pub.  Co.,  Chicago,  was  boufrht  by  the  Augustana  Book  Con- 
cern and  united  with  its  own  perioilical.  "■  llcmviinncn." 

Tn  1889  the  board  of  directors  offered  to  turn    its  projicrty  over 


The  .•\u)'iistiina   Hook   Coiuirii   liuildiii;; 


lo  llir  .\uj:ns1.ina  S\iioil.  |ir(i\  kIciI  iIic  ImIIit  would  cslablisli  a  board 
of  publication  and  rcinilmrsc  those  stockholilers  who  iiii^rhl  be  uii- 
williuLT  to  donate  their  capital  stock  to  the  s\  nod.  .\  few  days  later 
the  syno<l  appointed  a  board  of  pid)lieation  and  instrneted  it.  if  pus- 
sible.  to  buy  oiil  the  .\utrustana  Kook  Concern  in  the  interest  of  the 
synod.  The  synod  recoi.'nized  that  its  duty  was  lo  compensate  Kn^dierg 
and  I  lolniberir.  who  had  liou<rht  out  the  synod's  book  Ixisiness  and 
had  assuMie<l  its  liabilities,  with  the  understanding  that  it  was  to  eon- 
linne  as  the  olVicial  snppl.\  house,  and  therefore  resolved  that  a  salis- 
I'aclory  agreement  siiouhl  be  maiie  with  Kn'.'bei'g  anil  llohnberg.     It  may 


AlGl  STANA     HOOK   CONCERN 


815 


be  observed,  iu  passing,  tliat  no  attcnii)!  luis  been  nunlc  mi  tin-  |iai-t  of 
the  synod  to  carry  out  its  resolution. 

The  board  of  publication  incorporated  in  August.  lS8it.  under  the 
luinie  of  the  Lutheran  Augustana  Kook  Concern,  and  took  possession 
of  the  property  of  its  predecessor,  promising  to  ]iay  to  the  stockhold- 
ers in  five  years  eighty  per  cent,  of  tiie  value  of  the  pMid  up  stock, 
with  interest.     This  was  accoiiipiish('<l  wilhin  llic  stjitrd  linie. 

Dr.  S.  P.  A.  Lindahl  became  president  of  the  puiiiisliing  house, 
anil  remained  in  this  capacity  until  his  death  in  1!)()8.  A.  (J,  .\nderson 
has  been  manager  from  the  first.  In  is;).')  tiie  Globe  Bindery  was  pur- 
chased  aiul   unite(l   witli    the    plant.     Two   years  later   a   commoilious 


Carl  G.  Thulin 


brick  building  was  erected,  sufficient  to  house  all  the  departnu'uts. 
Branches  have  been  established,  in  St.  Paul,  1891.  New  York.  1!)()4. 
and  Chicago,  1907.  In  1906  the  corporate  name  was  changed  hack 
to  Augustana  Book  Concern. 

The  periodicals  published  by  the  institution  are:  "Augustana,"  the 
weekly  church  organ,  "Tidskrift  for  teologi  och  kyrkliga  fragor," 
"Ungdomsvannen,"  "Barnens  tidning. "  "Textl)lad  for  sondagssko- 
lan,"  "Solstralen,"  "Solglimten."  "The  Olive  Leaf,"  and  "The 
Young  Lutheran's  Companion."  Of  their  book  publications,  approx- 
imately two  hundred  and  fifty-three  in  number,  about  fifteen  are 
school  books,  seven  are  historical  and  biographical  works,  fifty-two 
are  devotional  and  other  religious  works,  ninety  are  Sunday  school 
storybooks,  foiar  are  hymnals,  eight  are  collections  of  poetry,  ten 
are  music  books,  while  sixty-eight  are  of  a  miscellaneous  character. 
Their  mo.st  notable  original  jjublications  are  Norelius'  "De  sven.ska 


8i6 


PRESS    AND    I.rrKkATlRK 


luterska  forsainlingarnas  och  svenskanies  historia  i  Amerika"  and  the 
annuals  "Korsbanerct"  and  "Prai'ieblomman." 


Augustana 

"Augustana,"  the  official  paper  <>(  tlic  Augustana  Synod,  was 
founded  in  ]8.")()  as  a  small  monthly  ilevotidnal  paper  l)earing  the  name 
of  "Det  Kiitta  Ilenilandet."  In  187:^  it  was  made  a  weekly  and  tlie 
name  changed  to  "Augustana  ocii  Missioniiren."  In  1876  the  weekly 
was  divided  into  two  fortnightly  papers,  named,  respectively.  "Augus- 
tana" and  "]\Ii.ssioniiren."  This  experiment  was  abandoned  the  follow- 
ing year  and  the  paper  was  issued  weekly  a.s  before.  The  paper  was 
enlarged  in  1885.  and  named  sim|>ly  "  Augu.stana."    Another  enlarge- 


Klv.  Svi-ii   r.   A.   I.iiidalil 

ment  took  jilaee  in  ISDO.  sinee  which  time  the  paper  has  lieeii  issued  in 
4-eoiuiini.  Iti-page  form.  Dr.  llassehiuist.  the  funnder  and  first  editor, 
was  siiceeeded  in  18o8  by  Erie  .Xoi'eliiis.  who  was  followed  siiortly  l>y 
KrlaiKJ  Cai'lssdii.  iiominal  editor  until  1(^(>4,  witli  the  material  assistanee 
of  Jonas  Kiigberg.  Krom  tiic  last  iiametl  year  A.  K.  Cervin  was  in 
charge  uiilil  llie  eml  of  IStiS,  wiien  iiis  assistant,  J.  G.  Prineell.  did  all 
till'  editorial  work  for  six  months,  or  until  .Inly,  1S(>!1,  when  llassel- 
<|iiis)  again  took  up  the  work.  During  sulise(|uent  years  the  eilitorial 
work  was  divided  anions'  1  lassebpiist.  .Norelius,  O.  Olsson,  Cervin,  ('.  1*. 
Ry<lliolm,  ('.  M.  Esb.jorii  and  1..  (!.  .\l)rahamson.  From  18!1()  until  his 
death  in  liMW,  Di".  S.  1'.  .\.  Lindahl  was  edilor-inehief.  assisted  by 
.\brahamsoii,  < '.  O.  Lindell.  A.  IJodell.  O.  W  Ilolmgrain,  (".  .).  Meiigston 
.'iiiil  iplliers.  To  sueeeed  Lindahl,  the  synod  in  1!>()8  chose  Dr.  Abraham- 
s<in.  who  at   presml  dirn-ts  the  editorial  policy  of  the  synodieal  organ. 


CinCAOO-Iil.ADICT 


«'7 


Life  sketches  of  jilmost  cvci-y  one  of  tlu'si'  iiumi  iipixai-  in  vai-ioiis  |>;ii-ts 
of  this  work. 

Hesith's  "  Aiiirustaiiii. "  the  most  roiis('([u<"iil  i;il  prriodicals  issued 
from  tlie  synoilii'al  pulilishinu'  house  ai'e  "  l^ngdomsviiiuieii. "  an  illus- 
trated moiitldy.  much  of  tlie  contents  of  whicli  is  of  •general  interest 
and  has  more  tlian  transient  value,  and  "'Autrustana  Tlieolo/i<-al  (Quar- 
terly: Tidskrift  for  teoloiii  oeh  kyrkliga  frAgor,"  a  dignified  two- 
language  publication. 

Chicago-Bladet 

As  a  result  of  a  division  of  o])iiiion  airioiiL;'  the  .Mission  Friends  in 
the    middle    seventies    on    chui'ch     go\(^i'nment.    .lohn     .Martenson     in 


Joliii   Marten.son 

February.  1877.  .started  a  fortnightly  religious  paper  in  Chicago,  which 
was  named  "Chicago-Bladet."  In  1879  it  combined  with  it  "Zions 
Baner,"  and  was  thenceforth  issued  weekly.  Rev.  K.  Erixon.  the  pub- 
lisher of  the  latter  paper,  became  a  partner  in  the  business,  anil  later 
Victor  Rylander  joined  the  firm.  About  1882.  ilartenson  liought  out 
both  his  partners,  and  since  then  has  been  sole  pro|irietor  of  the  news- 
paper. Himself  managing  editor,  he  has  from  time  to  time  had  the 
assistance  of  Hjalmar  Anderson.  Rev.  J.  (.J.  Princell.  Gustaf  S.iiistrom. 
K.  Newqui.st,  Andrew  Anderson  and  C.  G.  Xilsson,  After  having 
worked  in  the  printing  office  for  nine  years,  Andrew  Anderson  was  en- 
gaged on  the  editorial  staff,  a  position  he  still  retains.  By  a  sort  of 
tacit  consent.  "Chicago-Bladet"  holds  an  official  position  in  the  de- 
nomination of  P^ree  ilission  Fi'iends. 


8i8  PRESS   AND   I.ITERATIRE 

A  book  and  publishing  eom-urn  is  maintained  in  connection  with 
the  newspaper.  A  monthly  Sunday  school  paper,  named  "Columba," 
is  ])ublished.  and  among  tin'  books  issued  from  this  uft'iee  may  be  men- 
tioned: "Blad  ur  Naturens  Ilistoria;"  "^liirkviirdigheter  iir  Natu- 
ren.  Historien  och  Lifvet;"  "Himla-Uret;"  "The  Reconciliation," 
and  "The  Blood  of  Jesus."  The  book  "Ilimla-Uret"  (Heaven's 
Clock)  is  remarkable  as  an  effort  by  its  author.  Rev.  F.  Franson,  to 
establish  the  time  of  the  Last  Judgment. 

Fosterlandet 

For  more  tJian  fifteen  years  a  i>aper  called  "Fosterlandet"  was 
published  in  Chicago  by  private  enterprise,  in  the  interest  of  the 
Swedish  Lutherans.  It  was  founded  by  Dr.  Carl  Swensson  at  Linds- 
borg,  Kansas,  under  the  name  of  "Framat."  and  removed  to  Chicago 
prior  to  1890.  Petrus  C.  Pearson  was  the  editor  and  Dr.  Swensson  the 
chief  contributor.  Tn  October.  1890.  Ernst  W.  Olson  was  added  to  the 
staff,  the  paper  was  doubled  in  size  to  eigiit  pages  of  seven  columns 
each,  and  the  name  changed  to  "Fosterlandet."  In  189()  "Nya  Pres- 
sen"  was  consolidated  with  "Fosterlandet."  and  Mr.  Olson  again 
joined  I\Ir.  Pearson  in  the  editorial  work,  after  an  absence  of  four 
years.  The  stock  company  owning  the  newspaper  transferred  the  prop- 
erty to  the  new  publishers  of  "Sveuska  Tribunen"  in  1900,  who  pub- 
lished both  papers  with  tlie  aid  of  the  same  editorial  staff  for  several 
years,  afterwards  putting  Rev.  .1.  W.  Xyvall  in  editorial  charge  of 
"Fosterlandet."  After  a  second  change  of  ownership,  wliieh  removed 
the  paper  entirely  from  churchly  influence,  it  died  by  slow  stages,  its 
nominal  successor  being  a  story  ]iai)er.  named  "Fylgia. "  Until  his 
death,  in  l!)ll4.  Dr.  Carl  Swensson  was  a  constant  contributor  to  the 
paper,  wliicli  ac(|uired  strength  and  influence  largely  through 
his  popular  w-eekly  letters.  Dr.  Carl  A.  Evald's  aide  i)en  was  also  en- 
listed in  the  service  of  "Fosterlandet"  for  a  number  of  years.  Two 
different  editions  of  "Fosterliindskt  Album,"  editeil  by  E.  "W.  Olson, 
were  published  in  1897  and  1898,  as  premiums. 

Carl    Aaron    Sv^ensson 

Tn  Rwe<lisli-.\niei-icaii  literature  Carl  Swensson  holds  a  lu-ominent 
place.  While  ,1  stiiileiit  at  .\ugustana  College,  Swensson  began  to  coii- 
triliute  to  "  lleiiil.indet "  and  one  or  two  periodicals,  and  he  wrote  for 
the  current  press  conliinially  almost  up  to  the  day  of  his  death.  Tie 
started  "Framat"  at  TJndshorg,  in  1884,  edited  the  paper  f(U'  a  lime 
and  niadi'  weekly  conl  riliuliiins  to  it  for  twenty  y(>ars.  His  articles 
under  the  caption  "\'id  Skrifbordet  "  in  "i-'ramiil,"  later  "Fosterlan- 
det," were   probalil\'  more  generally    read   than   anything   written   for 


CARI,    A.    SWIC.NSSON 


819 


Swcdisli-Anicrican  newspaixTs,  rcliirintis  (H-  secular,  Ix'forc  or  after. 
For  long  periods  he  also  eoiitriljuted  weekly  letters  and  articles 
to  "Ilemlandet,"  "Svenska  Tribiinen"  and  from  tiiree  to  six 
other  papers,  besides  furiiishiiig:  articles  for  the  Amerieaii  press  from 
time  to  time.  In  Lindsborg  he  was  tiie  principal  stockholder  in  a  book- 
store and  the  proprietor  of  two  weeklies,  "Lindsborgs-Posten"  and 
the  "Record,"  and  did  more  or  less  editorial  work  on  both. 

It  is  readily  understood  that  in  such  a  mass  of  copy  furnisiied, 
some  would  be  inferior  and  trivial.  To  judge  his  literary  ability  by 
wliat  he  wrote  on  board  trains  in  his  extensive  travels,  oi'  in  moments 


Rev.   Carl  A.  Sweiisson 


when  a  hundred  cares  stood  waiting  at  his  elbow,  or  in  the  weary 
hours  after  a  strenuous  day's  work,  would  not  be  fair.  But  take  him 
at  his  best,  in  his  books  "I  Sverige"  and  "Ater  i  Sverige,"  both  giv- 
ing his  impressions  of  Sw^eden,  and  he  Avill  be  found  an  alert  observer, 
a  skillful  word-painter,  a  brilliant  narrator,  and  altogether  a  charming 
writer.  The  last-named  book  by  him  was  published  also  in  an  English 
edition,  and  the  first  was  published  both  in  Chicago  and  in  Stockholm. 
Other  works  by  Swensson  are:  "Vid  hemmets  hard,"  an  illustrated 
volume  of  miscellany;  "I  Morgonstund."  brief  discourses  on 
Bible  texts;  "Forgat-mig-ej,"  with  contributions  by  others,  and  "Ju- 
bel-Album,"  an  illustrated  historical  account  of  the  Augustaua  Synod, 
compiled  in  collaboration  with  Dr.  L.  G.  Abrahamson  and  published 
by  the  National  Publishing  Company  of  Chicago.  Together  with 
others,  he  edited  "Korsbaneret,"  a  church  annual,  for  five  years,  and 
"Ungdomsvannen"  from  1880  to  1887. 


820  PRESS   AND    I.ITKKATrRK 

Carl  Aaron  Swcnsson  was  Imrii  at  Snj^ar  Grove.  I'a.,  June  2r>. 
IS.")?,  and  reared  at  Andovcr.  111.,  where  iiis  father.  Juiia.s  Sweus.soji, 
was  pastdr  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  eluireh.  He  was  edueated  at  An- 
gustana  Collesre.  graduating;  from  its  college  departiuent  in  1S77  and 
from  the  theological  .seminary  two  years  later.  Having  l>een  ordained 
minister  of  the  Augustana  Synod,  he  was  called  to  the  ehurch  in  Linds- 
t)org.  In  1881  he  foundetl  IJethany  Academy,  tlie  modest  forerunner 
of  Hethany  College,  an  in.stitution  which  grew  large  and  influential  un- 
<ler  liis  charge  and  stands  as  a  iiioiuniient  to  his  remarkable  energy.  At 
tile  time  of  Swcnsson's  death  the  institution  had  twelve  departments  of 
instruction.  \\;i[\'  a  hundicd  professors  and  instructors.  950  students 
and  i)roperty  valued  at  .^l-'l M l.dl K I. 

In  addition  to  his  work  as  a  prcaciier.  educator  and  writer.  Swcns- 
son accomplished  much  work  in  other  fields.  When  the  temperance 
agitation  stirred  Kansas,  he  was  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  and  did 
as  much  a.s  any  man  to  secure  the  adoption  of  the  prohibition  law  in 
that  state.  He  served  in  the  state  legislature  in  188!»-90.  In  jiolitics  a 
])rogressive  Republican.  Swensson  was  a  successful  campaign  speaker 
and  did  yeoman  sei'vice  in  behalf  of  i)residential  and  gubernatorial  can- 
didates. 

In  tile  ]iulpit.  on  the  Ici'tui'e  platform,  or  on  the  political  "stump."" 
Swcnsson  had  few  c(|uals  in  his  ability  to  sway  an  audience.  Whether 
ill  Knirlish  or  Swedish,  he  sjjoke  with  the  same  spontaneous  eloipience. 
His  great  ]iiil)lic  acti\ity  is  reth-ctcd  in  the  large  number  of  offices  and 
appoinliiicnls  filled  by  him  in  the  church  and  the  state,  .\ugiistana 
and  'i'liii'l  Colleges  con!'crrc(l  on  him  the  degree  of  I).  I)..  Cjisala  I'ni- 
versilv  that  ol'  I'h.  I).,  .ind  by  King  Oscar  II.  he  was  created  a  Knight 
of  the  Order  of  the  Polar  Star.  Swcnsson  passed  away  at  I<os  .\ngcles, 
Cal..  Feb.  l(i.  1904. 

SvensKa    Kuriren 

.\  Weekly  comic  paper  naiiied  '"Kurre"  was  starteil  in  Chicago  in 
.May.  ls,s4.  by  F.  \V.  .\nkailelt.  In  Decendier.  18S7.  it  was  changed 
to   a    news  sheet,      .\bout    this   time   Hredtschneidcr.   Ilie   illustrator  «>f 

"Kurre."  and  'Turk    ac(|uired  an  intei'cst  in  the  plant.     H.v  intrigue. 

it  is  claimed,  ihe  iwo  soon  after  mortgaged  the  properly  to  .lohn 
Marrler,  ol'  .Mai-der.  Luse  and  Co..  in  settlement  for  ]trinli'rs'  supplies 
furnished  by  liiin  on  aceonnl.  ami  lie  look  over  and  ran  the  paper  in  a 
fashion   for  a  nninber  of  niontlis. 

Ilaxing  li'ai'nt  that  the  paper  was  for  sab'.  .\lex  J.  •lohnson,  then 
an  employee  of  a  crockery  firm,  niadi'  inijuiries  looking  toward  a 
|)urchase.  The  price  askeil  was  far  above  his  own  means,  but  on  .\ug. 
8.    1888,  a   contract    was  entered   into  bv   which  Johnson   assumed   the 


AI.ICX    J.   JOHNSON 


,S2I 


iii;iii;i,ij;ciii('nl  'J  tlic  paper,  the  ii\\iiit  ati'i'i'iMiiji'  In  advaiicr  the  iiiniiry 
iiccdi'il  I'nf  tile  lialaiicc  iil  tlir  vrar.  'I'lic  paprr  ran  al  a  Idss.  anil  l)v 
.Ian.  1,  ISS!).  it  stood  Mr.  .lolinson  at  al)oiit  sfT.OOO.  |{y  giving  notes  for 
almost  the  whole  of  that  ainonnt.  .Jolmson  secnred  possession  and  soon 
put  tile  liusiness  on  a  pa.\  ing  basis.  During  liis  twenty  years  as  puii- 
lisiier  of  "Sveuska  Kui'ireu,"  .Mr.  .lolmson  lias  had  personal  charge  of 
the  editorial  work  as  well  as  the  business  nianaizcment  of  his  paper. 

Alex   J.   Johnson 

Tn  ])oint  of  ready  wit.  clearness  of  style  and  all-i'onnd  knowledge, 
Mr.  Johnson  has  no  su])er'ior  and  few  eipials  in  the  field  of  Swedish- 
American    .joiii'ualism.      His   concejition    of   eiliting   a    news[)ai)er   is   to 


Ale.x  J.  JohiLson 

talk  to  the  [)ublie  as  a  friend  to  another,  discussing  an.\'  tojiie  of  the 
day,  but  leaving  every  one  to  follow  his  own  opinion.  He  has  little 
respect  for  popular  opinion,  and.  as  a  sort  of  temperamental  opposi- 
tionist, seemingly  likes  to  go  against  it.  tlier<>l)y  often  stirring  up  a 
hornet's  nest.  He  can  give  and  take  with  the  same  evemiess  of  temper, 
and  has  the  rare  faculty  of  retaining  as  readers  even  those  whose 
views  differ  radically  from  his  own.  His  criticisms  would  be  nuire 
feared,  if  less  certain,  but  as  it  is.  an  approval  from  him  is  iievei-  ex- 
l)ected.  ITis  bristling  editorials  are  ver.\-  generally  I'ead  and  enjoyed, 
and  have  aided  greatly  in  the  making  of  -Mr.  .lohnson's  papei'. 

For  a  number  of  years  a  book  of  fiction  and  liumoi-.  nanu'd 
"Kui're-Kalender. ''  was  iniblished  by  ]\lr.  Johnson  and  given  free  to 
the  sul)scril)ers  of  "Svenska  Kurii'cn."' 


822 


I'RKSS    AND    I.ITKRATIRIC 


Gustaf  WicKlund 

Gustaf  "Wicklund.  l)oni  in  (Jcflc  S\vc(.li-ii.  Dec  j;.  ls52.  eiiriflicd 
our  i)oetieal  aud  humorous  literature  niea.siiral)ly  during  tlu'  tweuty 
odd  years  he  was  eugaged  in  newspaper  work.  lie  came  over  in  1878 
and  tried  diverse  occupations  for  four  years,  including  that  of  tailor, 
then  secured  emploj'mcnt  on  "Sveuska  Auierikauaren.'"  lie  was 
associated  with  Ninian  Waerner  in  editing  the  comic  weekly  "Kurre" 
from  JIay.  1SS4.  to  Deeend)er.  1887.  when  that  publication  was  nieta- 
mori)hosed  into  "Svenska  Kuriren."  After  working  on  papers  in 
Minneapolis  for  five  years,  he  returned  to  Chicago  and  edited  "Humor 


Gustaf  Wicklund 


isten"  for  a  niunber  of  years.   Having  l)een  connected  with  "Triliuiien 
for    some    time,    he    lost    his    jjosition    when    the    paper    was    sold    in 
1900.     He  then  went  back  to  Minneapolis,  wiiere  lie  was  connecteil 
with  "Svenska  Aiiierikaiiska  I'o.sten"  until  his  death.  Oct.  10.  inO.'i. 

Wicklund  was  a  facile  writer  of  witty  verse  and  humorous  jirose 
sketches.  He  wrote  clever  topical  songs  and  improvised  verses  for 
inunberless  occasions  with  the  same  ease  that  I'haracterizes  tlu'  flow 
of  language  from  a  fluent  public  speaker.  Wickhuul  was  a  i)laywrii:ht 
of  no  mean  order.  Five  comedies  were  written  by  him  in  Chicago  and 
produced  in  this  and  other  cities.  One  of  these,  entitled  "Kn  afton 
pi\  Trc  H.vttor,"  was  ])layed  at  the  reoi>lc's  Theatre  of  Stockholm, 
where  it  en.joyed  a  month's  rnn.  It  was  |)ui>lishcd  by  Albert  Honnier. 
of  Stockholm.  Wicklund 's  Swedish  rendition  of  "Pinnfore"  has  lieen 
given  pulilicly  l)otli  ill  Ciiieago  aud  in  Sweden.  After  his  death.  Wick- 
liuid's  verses  were  jjublished  in  a  collection  entilled  "tiuistor  fran  rini- 
smedjan." 


PAI.I.IN— AkKRBKRG 
Otto   Pallin 


823 


Otto  Piilliii  for  a  I'ow  months  in  18S4  was  editor  and  [)iihlisher 
of  "Rockfords  Allolianda"  and  subsequently  was  assistant  editor  of 
"Kurre,"  "Svenska  Kuriren"  and  "Svenska  Tribunen."  Pallin  pos- 
sessed rare  versatility.  He  was  a  good  singer,  a  talented  at-tor  in  the 
eomed\'  class  and  a  good  writer  of  short  stories  and  witty  verse.  He 
was  a  college  man  and  had  bcgvui  studying  medicine  when  in  1880 
he  suddenly  abandoned  his  studies  to  emigrate.  In  this  country  he 
tried  his  hand  at  many  things — he  was  druggist,  doctor,  concert  singer, 
grocery    salesman,    bartender,    actor    and    cook,    before    engaging    in 


Otto  Pallia 

journalism.     Pallin  passed  away  on  the  21st  of  ilay.  1904.  soon  after 
having  been  reengaged  on  the  staff  of  "Svenska  Kuriren." 


Wilhelm   AKerberg 

Wilhelm  Akerberg,  a  Stockhohnian  by  birth,  on  his  third  visit 
to  Chicago  about  1888  was  engaged  as  associate  editor  of  "Kuriren" 
and  in  1890  went  over  to  "Humorist en"  as  its  editor.  The  next  year 
he  left  for  Sweden  and  started  a  paper  in  Stockholm,  which  was 
shortlived;  came  back  to  Chicago  in  1892.  was  reengaged  on  "Humor- 
isten"  for  a  few  months,  then,  with  Higgins.  the  artist,  started  a 
comic  paper  called  "Skamt."  in  August.  1893.  and  when  its  short 
course   was   run.   another   called   "Den    svensk-amerikanska    Sondags- 


824 


PRHSS    AVI)    I.ITKRATIRE 


Nisse,"  whose  career  was  likewise  lirief.  lieiiitr  <-ut   short  after  five 
months  by  the  death  of  Aiveri)ervr  in  Jinie.  I.s!t4. 

Akerherg  was  a  talented  but  unprineipled  and  erratic  yoinin  man. 
Drink  was  the  bane  of  his  life,  and  in  a  spirit  of  bravado  he  owned 
to  having  "soaked"  a  large  part  of  his  inheritance  at  certain  Stock- 
holm inns.  He  wrote  a  mass  of  well-turned  rhymes,  mostly  of  the 
anacreontic  variety.  He  was  fond  of  stage  life,  often  took  part  in 
the  production  of  Swedish  theatricals  here,  and  himself  wmte  a  play, 
"En  folktalare."  iirodm-cd   in   Cliicajio   in   1S88. 

Otto    Craelius 

Otto  Craelius,  as.sociatc  iditor  of  "Svenska  Kuriren"  Fur  some 
twelve   years,   took    rank    as   a    very    capable  journalist    and    a    clever 


Otto  Cni'lius 


writer  111'  verse  anil  slmrl  slofies  ul'  Swedish. \nieriean  life,  mostly  in 
a  liuiiiorous  vein.  Craelius  was  iiorn  in  l''lisery<l  parish.  Smaland. 
Sept.  1(1.  18(j."{.  lie  stn<lie(i  at  the  eolle'fiate  school  in  Oskarsliamn. 
being  always  at  the  head  of  iiis  class  an<l  making  splendid  proirress. 
Ih;  aimed  to  graduate  ahiiiil  of  the  class,  but.  failing  in  Dial,  abandoned 
his  studies  and  accepted  a  prolVered  position  on  "Oskarshamiis- 
Tidningen"  in  January.  IHSo.  In  ISS"  he  leased  'llvad  nytt?"— a 
iibei-al  ne\vspa|>er  alio\it  to  fail  and  pui)lished  it  fur  three  years  in 
the  conservative  proviuci-  of  Smnland.  not  without  siicces.s.  After 
having  been  made  defendant  in  a  libel  suit,  he  gave  up  the  busine.s.s. 
Mltlmngh  aci|nitted  of  the  charge,  and  emigrateil.  lie  died  in  Chicago 
.Mareii    t.   1:m):!. 


i 


pRRSON— HIMOKISTICN     SVI'.NSKA  NVHHTKR  825 

Jotian    Person 

Johaii  Person's  poii  is  one  ol'  tlii'  most  ciipaJile  ciilistcil  in  llie 
service  of  the  Swedisli  |)ress  in  tliis  cduntry.  He  began  as  a  casnal 
(■()iiti'il)ut(ii'  to  "Sveiiskn  'rrihuiien."  writiii};  Iniinorous  eoiinnents, 
verses,  and  translating  serial  stoi'ies.  Afterwards  he  was  added  to 
the  regular  staff.  ITe  has  taken  tnrns  at  editinir  "Svea,"  of  Wor- 
eester.  and  "Svenska  Folkets  Tidning.""  of  Minneapolis,  and  is  at 
present  seeontl  to  ^Ii'.  .lohiison  as  editor  of  "Svenska  Kiu'iren."  While 
in  Worcester,  ]\Ir.  Person  iiad  ])nhlished  a  volume  of  short  stories 
entitled  "I  Sveusk-Amerika.""  dealing  with  Swedish-American  life,  and 
this  has  been  followed  by  many  well-written  stories,  sketches  and  essays 
on  kindred  topics.  His  style  is  forceful,  inclined  to  be  caustic,  but 
tempered  by  more  than  the  usual  modicum  of  wit  and  humor.  His 
depiction  of  the  Swedish  inmiigrant's  life  in  this  country  is  tinged 
with  a  sort  of  sentimental  pessimism  common  to  most  Swedish  writers 
on  American  conditions,  conveying  the  impressicni  that,  despite  pros- 
perity and  success,  the  Swedish-American  lacks  contentment  and 
real  happiness  in  the  land  of  his  choice. 

Humoristen— SvensKa    Nylieter 

The  first  issue  of  a  comir  weekly,  known  as  "■Humoristen."  was 
published  Jan.  13,  1890,  from  the  office  of  Gus  Broberg,  steamship 
and  immigration  agent.  Two  other  comic  papers,  "Friskytten."  of 
IMinneapolis.  and  "Frisk  Luft."  of  New  York,  were  absorbed  by  "Hu- 
moristen." which  ran  as  a  comic  sheet  for  half  a  score  of  years,  where- 
upon a  general  newspaper,  named  "Svenska  Nyheter. "  took  its  place. 
**  The  new  and  enlarged   paper  was   published  by  ]\Ir.   Broberg  under 

the  editorial  management  of  Frithiof  Malmquist  and  others,  imtil  con- 
solidated with  "Svenska  Tribnnen"  in  July.  1906.  The  following 
year  Mr.  Broberg  sold  his  interest  in  the  eondiination  and  retired  from 
the  newspaper  field. 

As  editor  of  "Humoristen"  in  1890-92,  Ernst  Lindblom  added 
much  to  our  humorous  literature.  A  published  collection  of  his  verse 
bears  the  title  "Pa  forsok."  A  comedy  in  three  acts  by  him,  entitled 
"Pelle  Pihlqvists  Amerika-resa,"  was  produced  in  Chicago.  His  humor 
is  often  grotesque  and  not  always  clean.  As  a  versifier  he  is  at  his 
best  in  the  serious  strain.  In  an  editorial  capacity  Lindblom  was 
connected  with  "Svenska  Folkets  Tidning"  of  ^Minneapolis,  "Tribnn- 
en," "Amerikanaren"  and  "Humoristen"  for  eleven  years  in  all. 
He  is  now  a  newspaper  writer  in  Stockholm,  his  native  city. 

Gns  Higgins  is  known  as  a  humorist,  a  writer  of  bacchanalian 
verse,  a  la  Bellman,  and  an  artist  and  illustrator,  excelling  in  por- 
traiture.    Being  a  cynic  and  a  sot.  he  produced  little  else  than  coarse. 


826  PRESS   AM)    I.ITKRATIRF, 

though  witty,  comic  stuff  in  verse  and  prose,  mostly  published  in 
"Ilunioristen"  and  sung  or  recited  at  low  class  eiitertainments.  The 
products  of  his  pen  are  so  uniformly  repulsive  to  good  taste  that  a 
biographer  of  Iliggins.  wishing  to  quote  him,  had  difficulty  in  finding 
an  inoffensive  specimen. 

Aftonbladet 

Scores  of  Swedish  periodical  publications,  in  this  state,  varying 
from  annuals  to  dailies,  which  it  were  tedious  to  make  note  of  in  these 
pages,  have  eacli  had  their  day.  The  greatest  number  were  born  and 
died  in  Chicago,  while  the  cities  of  Rockford,  Galesburg,  Moliuc  and 
Kock  Island  have  had  a  goodly  share.  One  of  the  most  pretentious 
enterprises  in  Swedish  newspaperdom  was  tiie  launciiing  of  a  daily, 
named  "Aftonbladet,"  in  1892,  by  Pehr  \V.  Xilsson.  Having  throAvu 
out  a  feeler  in  the  shape  of  a  weekly,  ealleil  "Skandia."  started  a 
month  prior,  Nilsson  and  his  associates,  C.  F.  Peterson  and  Axel  Bur- 
man,  turned  out  their  first  daily  on  Sept.  2nd.  It  was  a  7-column. 
4-page  .sheet.  Peterson  and  Burnian  were  the  editors  and  Carl  Anred 
and  C.  F.  Erikson  the  advertising  .solicitors.  "Aftonbladet"'  is  said  to 
have  reached  a  circulation  of  6.000.  The  weekly  "Skandia."  feeding 
on  the  same  material  used  in  the  daily,  attained  great  size,  ranging  from 
16  to  32  pages.  Like  the  men  in  charge,  the  papers  were  Democratic, 
and  it  is  not  denied  that  the  new  enterprise  was  n\u-tured  partly  with 
campaign  fiiiids.  Nilsson  ran  the  papers  for  eight  months,  after  which 
time  the  l)usiness  is  said  to  have  i)assed  into  the  hands  of  Burnian. 
i'ublieation  ceased  some  time  in  the  spring  or  siunnier  of  1893,  to  the 
best  recollection  of  Jlr.  Nilsson. 

Other   Journalists  and   AutHors    Theodore    Hessel 

Theodore  Ilessel  is  a  uiiiinic  cliai'actfr  in  the  Swedish  press  of  liic 
United  States.  Being  a  man  of  unconnnon  versatility,  he  has  been 
active  as  a  teacher,  preacher.  i)laywright,  poet,  critic,  jiolitical  speak- 
er, ediloi-  and  i)iil)lisiieiv  He  was  born  in  Skiinl)erga.  (islergiitland. 
Sweden,  ill  I  lie  fiirlies.  jrradiialeil  ri-niii  I  be  technical  school  of  Norr- 
kiipintr.  studied  I'or  tiiree  years  at  tiie  dramatic  school  of  the  Hoyal 
'i'hejiter    ill    Stockholm,    taught    i)rivalel.\-    in    (iolinnd.   then    i-niiiirated 

and    1 aiiie    a    Baptist    preacher    in    tin'    I'liited    Slates.      In    1870   he 

edited  " Skandinavisk  lliirold,"  a  religio-poiitieal  paper,  at  Omaha. 
Xcii.,  and  in  ISTil-SO  "Kvangeliskt  Magasin"  at  Council  BlulTs.  la. 
After  twelve  years  in  the  ministi-y  he  abandoned  that  profession,  de- 
claring it  a  "religions  hiiinlnig."  ami  from  that  time  on  he  has  been 
a  violent  pi'i'secnlor  of  the  ciergN',  In  ISS.'!  he  started  "Svenska 
\'eeko  Bhnlet "    ill    (biialia.    removed    with    the    |iaper   to    Kansas    City 


iii-;ssi;i.    Kji-'.r.i.BKRc. 


827 


after  four  years,  aucl  in  18!>2  to  Chicafrn,  hm  iiig  changed  the  name  to 
"Fai'klan"— The  Torch.  Its  litrht  went  out  in  1804  and  shortly  there- 
after IIcsscl  started  an  Knglish  publication,  named  "The  Swedish- 
American  Review."  It  was  a  t)xl9,  l(i-page  paper,  quoting:  frc('l\ 
from  Swedish-American  newspajyers  and  containing  articles  and  com- 
ments from  Ilessel's  caustic  pen.  Its  first  issue,  publislu'd  in  Nov.. 
1894,  was  soon  followed  by  the  last.  The  "Review"  was  publislicd 
from  Svea  iliisic  Hall.  45(3  :Ust  street,  ("hicago. 

The  features  of  Ilessel's  paper  were  for  many  years  a  series  of 
"Epistles"  signed  with  his  pen  name,  "Farbror  Slokum,"  and  "Let- 
ters from  Washington,"  supposedly  written  by  himself  over  the 
signature  "Swedish  Department  Clerk." 

Hessel  is  a  wit  and  a  satirist,  but,  lacking  in  lieai-t  qualities,  falls 
short  of  being  a  genuine  humorist.  While  in  Sweden,  Hessel  contributed 
to  "Svenska  Famil.je-Journalen"  and  wrote  several  plays. 

Isidor    Kjellberg' 

Isidor  Kjellberg  in  1871  published  in  Chicago  a  newspaper  named 
"Jiistitia."     Its   span    of   life   was   from   iTarch   to   October.      Talent 


Isidor  Kjellberg 

was  not  lacking,  for  Kjellberg,  as  the  publisher  and  editor  of  "Ost- 
goten, "  a  newspaper  founded  by  him  in  1872.  at  Linkoping.  Sweden, 
proved  himself  an  excellent  newspaper  man.     He  was  born  in  Stock- 


I 


828  PRESS   AND    UTERATIRE 

liiilni.  wlici-f  lif  ithtaiiicd  ii  tt'fhnk-al  edueatiim.  Ilf  caiiii'  over  in  lSti;i, 
worki'il  as  draufrlitsmaii  in  I'liiladclpliia.  traversed  the  Northwest  as 
eorrespondent  for  "(iotelior^s-Posteii."  and  for  a  few  mootlis  in  1?>70 
edited  "Svenska  Monitoren"  at  St.  Paul.  In  Sweden  lie  published 
books  of  verse  in  1878  and  18!)2.  the  latter  year  also  a  book  descriptive 
of  Ills  American  tour  in  18!)(l.  A  posthunioiLs  collection  of  verse  was 
)iiil)lish('(l  shortly  after  his  death,  which  occurrctl  in  ISK.'). 

Kji'llhci-fr  is  (Icscrilifd  as  a  wide  awake,  fearless  journalist.  He 
was  a  rcptildican  at  heart,  an  outsjuikcn  anti-royalist,  a  reformer  and 
humanitarian,  who  V(»iced  his  views  both  on  the  platform  and  in  the 
press. 

Ajcel  August  Sw^ard 

.\.\i'l  August  Swiird.  while  a  studeid  of  thcolojry  at  Hock  Island, 
produced  a  vuluinc  of  verse  entitled  "Vilda  Blomnior  fran  I'riirien." 
which,  when  published  in  1>^S7.  was  luiilcd  as  a  si<rnificant  contriliution 
to  Swcdish-Amci-jcan  literature.  It  was.  in  fact,  one  of  the  first  col- 
lections of  Swedish  verse  broufjht  out  in  this  country,  the  very  earliest 
poetical  voliuiic  ol'  any  conse(pience  haviii}:  been  a  book  of  poems  by 
-Maj^nus  Kliiii)ia(l.  published  in  1S7S.  A  second  volume  of  poems  by 
Swiird  was  |)ui)lislic(l  two  ycai's  later,  named  "Fran  Vestanskofi. " 
with  icIVrcni-c  1o  the  poet's  residence  in  Orcfion.  where,  after  his  or- 
dinal ion  to  the  ministry,  he  obtained  his  first  chartie  at  Marshfiebl. 
.\monf;  iiis  most  noteworthy  productions  are  the  t-pics  "Moses  betrraf- 
ning  eller  En  natt  pa  Nebo."  and  "(Juldormen."  and  such  lyric 
poems  as  "Vattnet."  "(Jatpo.jken. "  "Del  fiirlorade  paradiset"  and 
"Pocsicn.  "  Wirscn.  poet  and  critic,  and  secretary  of  the  Swedish 
Academy,  fouuil  Swiird 's  shoi'ter  poems  especially  characterized  by 
much  poetic  sincerity,  and  held  that  the  author  of  the  "Wihl  Flowers 
of  the  I'i'airics"  was  at  his  best  in  his  relifjious  songs.  .\nothi'r  liti-rary 
iMinnoisseur  of  Sweden.  .Mont  L'onier>-( 'i-derhjelm.  gives  him  his  full 
meed  of  praise  by  speaking  of  him  as  "a  noble,  poetic  genius,  a  singer 
Worthy  of  an  exalted   place  on  Sweden's   Parnassus." 

Folbiwiriy  are  the  o\itliiies  of  the  poet's  life:  born  at  Snatiunda. 
Neriki'.  SwcdiMi.  .Mai'ch  L'7.  lS."i4.  the  stui  of  an  old  soldier  in  limited 
eireunistances ;  enjoyed  oi'dinary  schooling  in  his  boyhood;  hired  out 
at  eighteen  as  a  I'.innhand  ;  I'htiTed  .Mdberg's  mission  school  at  (irebro 
in  ISSI  :  eiinie  to  the  I'nitcd  States  in  ISS:!;  studied  at  .Vuguslana 
('ollef.'c  and  Tlieologieal  Seminary  initil  1SS7.  when  he  was  (U'dained 
a  Ijulheran  minister;  as  sneh  In-  servecl  at  .Marshfield.  Ore.,  and  Tern- 
pleton.  Cal..  four  years  in  all:  in  the  latter  place  he  snccundicd  to  a 
pulmonary  disease  <d'  long  standing  on  .lidy  'JH.  1>i'il.  in  his  thirty- 
eighth  year. 


swAKi)    \v.i-;kni';r 


829 


I 


*i 


Altlioiifrli  iiMl)Ut'(l  with  the  Christiiiii  spirit.  Sward's  aiitiiiprsl)i|)  is 
li>-  11(1  means  limited  to  the  I'clifjious  siihcrc.  But  his  scctdar  verses, 
whellier  sentimental,  Innmirous,  or  satirii-al,  never  I'all  below  the  moi-al 
standaril,  never  otfentl  the  sense  of  heanty  and  iirojjriety,  and  ai'e  al- 
ways in  Efood  taste — whicli  cannot  triithrnll.v  he  said  of  all  poets  in 
elei'ieal  rolie.  Swiii'd  was  also  somewhat  of  a  philosophei-  and  pliilol- 
ogist.  Certain  of  his  speculative  views  have  been  puhlished  hy  Krnsl 
Skai'stedt  in  a  small  pamphlet,  under  the  title,  "Kiiskilda  skrifter.'" 
From  his  >outh  and  for  a  seoi'e  of  .years  Swiird  was  enj^aged  in  the  task 
of  perfeetinji'  a  universal  language.     The  mamiserijits  of  his  <i:rannnai'. 


Rev.  Axel  Au,s,'ust  Sward 

eomiirising  1,18(1  i)ages,  and  of  an  extensive  glossary,  he  left  to  one  E. 
Shift'elin,  of  New  York,  who  had  interested  himself  in  the  work,  even 
to  the  extent  of  lending  peeuniar.v  aid  in  a  small  way.  But  for  his 
untimely  death.  Sward  undoubtedl.v  would  have  added  mueh  to  the 
literarv  heritage  left  li\-  him  to  iiosteritv. 


Ninian  Waerner 

Xinian  Waerner,  hunun-ist  and  poet,  was  eouneeted  with  Swedish 
newspapers  in  tlie  United  States  from  ISS-l,  the  year  he  eame  over,  up 
to  1S95,  when  he  returned  to  Sweden.  There  he  edited  newsjiapers  in 
Motala  and  Stockholm  for  ten  years  and  died  Oet.  10,  1905,  as  editor 
of  "Fiiderneslandet."     As  second  man  to  Gustaf  Wicklund.  he  woi'ked 


830 


PRKSS   AND    IJTHRATl  RK 


on  "Kurre''  for  three  years  from  ]SS4.  then  on  "Svenska  Kiiriren"  in 
1888,  until  joining  the  staff  of  "Svenska  Amerikanaren"  the  same  year. 
In  1880  he  accepted  an  editorial  position  with  "Korrespondenten"'  of 
Denver.  Two  j'ears  later  he  and  Wicklund  started  "Friskytten."  a 
comic  paper,  in  Minneapolis.  When  it  was  absorbed  by  "Humoristen" 
in  1894.  Waeruer  worked  for  short  periods  on  "Svenska  Folkets  Tid- 
ning"  and  "Svenska  Amerikanska  Posten,"  both  of  ilinneapolis,  until 
his  return  to  Sweden,  in  November.  1895. 

Waerner's  original  contributions  to  the  newspapex's  on  which  he 
was  employed  were  numberless.    A  small  |)ait  of  them  is  included  in  his 


Xiiiian    Wierner 


published  books:  "I  iKist-  di-ii  vinterkviill."  verses  and  sketches; 
"Pennstreck,"  stories,  and  "('.  A.  Tolleens  jul-  oeh  uyarskalender," 
a  collection  of  humor  in  prose  and  verse.  A  iioem  by  him  received 
mention  honorabli'  by  Die  Swc.lisb  .VcatlriMV. 

As  a  poet  Waerner  oscillated  between  the  twt)  extremes  of  bur- 
lesque himior  and  lachrymose  pathos.  As  a  humorist  he  is  best 
known  tlii-ough  the  linlicroiis  and  liijrbly  grotesque  sketches  purporting 
to  l)e  "letters  from  ('.  A.  Tollecii."  In  these  the  author  afTeels  illiteracy 
and  arouses  one's  i-isibilitics  by  the  old  trick  of  i>ad  spelling.  I'liiployed 
by  Arteiims  Ward  and  .lush  Killings,  oidy  to  a  more  preposterous 
deu'ree  than  any  of  these  writers.  Except  for  his  poems.  \Va(>rnor 
seemeil  incai)ali]e  of  serious  writing,  lie  was  reckless  with  truth  at 
all  times  and  nevci-  liesilaled  in  disloi't  l'a<'ts  to  serve  his  jiurpose,  as 
witness  his  sketches  of  .\merican  life  and  conditions,  given  with  ii 
pretense  of  truth,  to  the  reading  piiblii-  of  Sweden.  Waerner's  humor- 
ous writings  abound   in   e<|uivoeations  and   phraseology  suggestive  of 


MCONARI)   STROM liliKC, 


831 


an  impure  uiiiul.  and  his  [X'l-soiuil  morals  were  not  tlic  best.  1>ut  to  deny 
liis  ('xc('i)lional  literary  talent  on  si'i'ii'i'l^!  "''  njorality  would  be  like 
denying;  the  genius  of  a  Hyron.  a  Bellman  or  a  i'oe.  Swedish-American 
critics  differ  widely  in  their  estimate  of  Waeriier,  Skarstedt  touching 
one  extreme  in  unreserved  laudation,  Honggren  the  other  by  begrudg- 
ing him  even  the  scantest  credit. 

Ili.s  serious  verses,  albeit  smooth-flowing  and  pleasing  in  style,  lack 
the  originality  of  his  humorous  sketches,  and  these  who  knew  him  per- 
sonally say  his  poems  of  feeling  were  affectation  pure  and  simple, 
the  grossne.ss  of  his  nature  precluding  all  the  finer  sensibilities. 

Ninian  Waeruer  was  born  in  Norrkoping  Dec.  12,  1856,  and 
educated  at  a  collegiate  school  in  Nykoping  and  at  Upsala  University. 
He  had  a  musical  training  and  was  an  accomplished  cellist. 


Leonard  Stromberg' 

Leonard  Stromberg,  who  was  for  three  years  associate  editor  of 
"Sandebndet, "  the  organ  of  the  Swedish  Methodist  Church,  besides 
editing  "Sondagsskolbaneret,"  is  the  mo.st  prolific  Swedish-American 
writer  of  prose  fiction.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  began  sending  modest 
contributions  of  prose  and  verse  to  the  papers  and  soon  foimd  a  demand 
for  the  products  of  his  pen.  Short  stories  and  verses  by  him  were 
published  in  half  a  score  of  newspapers  in  Sweden,  and  since  his 
coming  to  this  country  in  1895  Stromberg  has  been  a  frequent  con- 
tributor to  the  Swedish-American  press. 

The  list  of  published  works  by  Leonard  Stromberg  comprises  a 
dozen  novels  and  novelettes,  several  collections  of  short  stories,  two 
books  of  juvenile  stories,  one  of  .juvenile  verse,  two  collections  of  poems 
and  two  of  verses  and  prose  sketches.  Several  of  the  novels  are  rather 
voluminous,  one  running  through  1,450  pages,  while  others  reach  700  to 
900  pages.  Mr.  Stromberg  has  found  publishers  for  his  books  in  Skofde 
and  Ostersimd,  Sweden,  and  in  Chicago  and  Minneapolis. 

The  titles  of  Stromberg 's  principal  works  are:  novels  and  novel- 
ettes—"Olycksbarnet,"  "Ett  dystert  arf."  "I  tmiga  fjattrar."  "En- 
kans  son,"  I  brytningstid,"  "Ljus  och  skuggor, "  "Pa  tornestig." 
"Viktor  Boring,"  "Tiggardrottningen."  "Ilederus  vagar,"  "Genom 
strider,"  "Dygd  och  brott,"  "Porsamlingen  i  Grand  View,"  "I  Masta- 
rens  tjiinst, "  "Erik  Vedhuggare, "  "Efter  striderna."  "Satans  spel," 
"Feg;"  collections  of  verse— "Ett  klofverblad"  and  "Unga  Eijster;" 
collections  of  prose  and  verse — "Sma  blommor"  and  "Festtalaren." 
He  has  compiled  several  other  books,  including  "Sangbok  for  sondags- 
skolor. "  The  book  entitled.  "Erik  Vedhuggare,"  has  been  published 
in  three  editions  in  Sweden  and  two  in  this  country,  and  has  been 
translated  into  English, 


832 


I'RKSS    AND    I.ITKRATIRE 


Strcimberg  has  a  light  and  flowing  style.    His  stories  are  generally 

fouiuled  on  actual  t'xpcricnci's  and  events,  make  untertaining  read- 
ing, are  serious  in  tone  and  iiave  an  cnnoliling  tendeui-\'.  Kri>ni  his 
poetie  vein  luivc  lluwcd  ni;uiy  jxienis  to  warm  the  soul  and  awakeu 
the  I'cader  to  soi)er  tlmu^rlit . 

Stroini)erH:    was    Imrn    in    .Vi-lioga.    Sweden.    July    ]1.    1S71.      lie 
studied  theology  at  thi'  .Methodist  Episcopal  Seminary  at  Ujisala  and 


Leonard    Str<iiiil)c"r)i 

fiitiTcd  tlir  service  iif  tile  eliufeli  as  Miiiiisteiv  In  this  country  he  has 
served  S\v<Hlish  .M.  Iv  clim^-lies  in  ChieavT''  and  at  points  in  Iowa  and 
Nebraska. 


David   Nyvall 

David  Nyvall  iani<s  well  In  the  I  rout  aniotiir  Swedish  writei-s  in 
he  I'nited  Slati's.  iib'ntil'ied  with  tile  denoniinat  ion  of  .Mission  Krienils. 
le  is  prominent  as  a  eiianipion  of  lii<;lier  edneation.  and  liis  main  work 
las  lieeii  anil  is  lo  proinole  seliools  and  dissi'iiiiiiat i'  kiiowli'd^e  amoiiy: 
hat  elini'<-h  element.  This  cause  he  has  sought  to  further  partly  by 
lis  writings  ami  populai"  leetni'es.  .Nyvall  is  a  deep  thiid\er.  an  exeel- 
ent  stylist  ami  a  man  ol'  practical  views.  The  foilo\ving  works  by  him 
lave  been  published:  "\'ers  och  saga"  (ISIKM;  "  Mimiesblad.  .sex 
ungdomstal"  (iSifJ^:  "  iJcl'ornudionen  i  Sverige.  Hel'orinationens  bak- 
grniid.      Sviiiskliet    i    Amerika.      Tre    nppsalser"    (1S!):1) ;    "Metlsols. 


DAVID    NVVAI,I< 


«33 


Tre  fostorliiiulsku  lal  i'iir  uiifidom"  (1,S!)8)  ;  "Sokcii  (fiids  rikc.  Tjiigu- 
fyra  tal  tor  iingdom"  (1901)  ;  "Skogsdrilhir.  Lyriska  dikter"  (1901)  , 
"My  Business.  Talks  to  Young  People"  (1906);  "Roosevelt  och  ko- 
luing  Oscar  sasoni  iVcdsviiniiPr  ocli  dcras  I'clativa  aiisprak  pa,  Nobol- 
prisct"  (190G). 

David  Nyvall  is  llie  son  ol'  the  laic  f"ar-l  .lohan    Xyvall,  a  noted 
lay  preac'lier  who  lived  at  \'all,  l\arlsko;j:a  parisii,  N'eriidaiid.  Sweden, 


Dr.  David  Xvvall 


where  the  son  was  born  Jan.  19,  1863.  He  studietl  at  Vesteras  and 
Gefle,  graduating  from  college  in  the  latter  city  in  1882,  with  the 
highest  mark  for  scholarship,  and  subsequently  pursued  medical  studies 
for  four  years  at  Upsala  University  and  the  Carolinian  Institute  of 
Stockholm.  His  professional  studies  were  interrupted  in  1886,  when, 
discoiu-aged  by  failing  health,  he  emigrated.  In  this  coimtry  he  be- 
gan by  teaching  at  a  mission  school  in  Minneapolis,  but  detecting  in 
this  position  no  promise  for  the  future,  entered  the  ministry.  Shortly 
thereafter  he  was  elected  bv  the  Blission  Covenant  as  associate  teacher 


834 


PRESS    AM)    IJTKRATIRK 


of  its  department  of  the  Congregatioiialist  theologieal  seminary  in  Chi- 
cago. After  two  years  he  joined  in  a  movement  to  found  a  school  ex- 
clusivelj'  for  the  Covenant,  and,  with  Kev.  E.  A.  Skogsbergh,  estab- 
lished a  school  on  these  lines  at  Minneapolis.  When  this  was  turned 
over  to  the  Covenant,  in  1891,  Nyvall  was  made  president  and  con- 
tinued in  that  position  after  the  school  was  removed  to  Chicago  and 
named  North  Park  College,  until  1905,  whereupon  he  served  several 
years  at  the  head  of  Walden  College,  at  McPherson.  Kansas.  Prof. 
Nyvall  has  edited  chunh  and  educational  papers  from  time  to  time, 
including  "Mi.ssionaren"  and  "The  \Valden  Volunteer,"  and  is  the 
author  of  a  luiinlicr  of  articles  scattered  through  annuals  and  other 
Swedish  publications.  For  nine  years  he  was  secretary  of  the  Mission 
Covenant,  and  has  been  active  in  other  capacities  as  a  churchman. 

Anna    Olsson 

Jliss  Anna  Olsson  of  Rock  Island  is  the  author  of  a  goodly  number 
of  short  stories  and  sketches  tliat  are  as  pleasant  rcadinir  as  anything 


Mis.s  .-Viiiia  Ol.ssoii 


tliiit  lias  flowed  from  a  Swcdisli- American  pen.  .\  volume  pulilislu-d 
ill  I'M'A,  containing  some  of  her  best  work,  was  well  named  "Fran  Sol- 
sidan,"  for  there  i.s  a  wealth  of  sunshine  in  everything  she  writes.  Her 
serious  sketches  are  toothsome  mental  dishes  daintily  served,  while  her 
Swedish-American  dialect  stories,  the  most  genuine  of  their  kind,  dis- 
prove the  old  tradition  that  there  are  no  feminine  humorists.  Uidike 
many  wlm  Imvc  put   to  lilcrarv  use  the  mixed  and  grotes(|\ie  lingo  of 


OLSSON— HOI.MHS 


835 


the  immiirraiit,  ]Miss  Olssoii  tells  a  story  that  has  a  valiu;  aside  from  the 
dialeet.  Contributions  by  her  are  of  fre(|ueiit  occurrence  in  the  Swedish 
periodicals  "Ungdomsvannen"  ami  "  I'riirielilnniniMu."'  Sketches  by 
her  in  Enjsjlish  are  no  less  enjoyalile  than  thnsi'  in  her  luotlier  tongue. 

Ludvig'    Holmes 

By  some.  Ludvig  Holmes  has  been   i-anked  superior  to  all  other 
Swedish-American  poets,  while  the  average  critic  is  satisfied  to  raise 


-».*»fer'*^ 

9-- 

Mi 

it    , 

1^  >^»' 

"1 

!|  j^.-'> 

r.'S 

d 

r 

•7? 

9 

« 

'^WF      'W 

p 

Dr.  Ludvig    Holmes 

him  to  the  peerage,  without  making  him  king  in  this  particular  realm 
of  the  Muses.  As  a  singer  he  is  melodious,  dignified,  solemn,  pure. 
His  Pegasus  is  carefully  groomed  and  seldom  cuts  capers  in  the  way  of 
wit,  satire  or  epigram,  but  paces  in  measured  tread  as  if  hitched  to  a 
carriage  of  state.  ]Many  of  his  i^oems  on  festive  occasions  are  fine 
examples  of  poetic  oratory  and  almost  all  of  his  verse  is  characterized 
by  nobility  of  thought  and  tenderness  of  sentiment.  He  has  had  two 
collections  of  verse  published  by  the  Augustana  Book  Concern,  one  in 
1896,   entitled   "Dikter   af  Ludvig,"  another   in   1905.   entitled   "Nva 


836  PRESS    AND    I.ITERATIRK 

Dikter  af  Ludvig."    A  poetic  tribute  to  King  Oscar  II.  on  the  occasion 

of  the  twenty-fifth  anniversary  of  liis  reign  was  issued  privately. 
Holmes  has  contributed  generously  to  various  publications,  including 
"Augustana,"  "Ungdom.svannen,"  " Korsbaneret "  and  "Valkyrian." 
In  recognition  of  his  work  as  an  author  and  a  i-hiirchman,  Hcthany 
College  has  awarded  him  the  degrees  of  A.  ^I.  and  L.  II.  D.,  Wittenberg 
College  that  of  D.  D.,  and  "Augustana  College  that  of  L.  H.  D.  By 
the  King  of  Sweden  he  has  been  repeatedly  honored,  having  received  tin' 
following  marks  of  distinction  :  the  silver  jubilee  medal,  the  gold  medal 
"Litteris  et  Artibus"  and  the  insignia  of  the  Order  of  Vasa. 

Dr.  Holmes  is  a  native  of  Strofvelstorp,  Skane,  Sweden,  where  he 
was  born  Sept.  7,  1858.  He  came  to  this  country  in  1879  and  pursued 
studies  at  Augustana  College  and  Theological  Seminary  for  five  years, 
vmtil  ordained  to  the  ministry  in  1886.  After  having  had  pastoral 
charges  at  Burlington,  la.,  Jamestown,  N.  Y..  and  North  Grosvenordale 
and  Portland,  Conn.,  he  is  now  pastor  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Cluireh 
of  Evanston,  HI. 

Miscellaneous    Writers 

1'.  E.  .Moliii,  while  professor  at  Augustana  College,  in  January.  1877. 
started  the  weekly  "Skandia"  in  Moline,  which  he  himself  edited  for 
the  first  few  months,  then  entrusted  that  task  to  Magnus  Elmblad  and 
Herman  Stoekenstrom.  His  partner  in  the  enteri)rise  was  (Justaf 
Swenson,  to  whom  Melin  sold  his  interest  the  following  July,  making 
him  sole  proprietor.  Melin  was  an  excellent  teacher,  particularly  siu-- 
eessful  in  inspiring  the  students  with  a  love  for  the  Swedish  language 
and  patriotic  enthusiasm  for  Sweden's  history  and  literature.  While 
a  student  at  Upsala,  Melin  had  a  book  of  poems  published  and  while 
assistant  dean  of  Hernosand  College  made  a  translation  of  the  Book 
of  Proverbs  frojn  the  original  text.  He  left  Sweden  in  187")  on  a  call 
to  Augustana  Coljege  and  returned  in  1878,  entering  the  ministry  of 
the  state  church. 

Carl  Ehheseii.  horn  in  Stiu-khdlni  in  IS.'io.  emigrated  to  the  United 
States  ill  18S().  and  wmked  as  typographer  in  a  number  of  newspaper 
offices.  In  Chicago  he  t'oniied  the  acqiiainlauce  of  Herman  liiiulskng. 
then  pastor  of  the  Swedish  M.  Iv  Church  in  Kockford.  and  accompanied 
liiiii  to  tlial  i-ity.  wiiere  Eiiidsiiog  started  "Hoekfords  .MIehanila. "  When 
this  venture  failed,  Elibeseii  for  a  time  was  a  reporti-r  on  the  city  dailies. 
"Gazette"  and  "Star."  then  established  "■  Hoekfords  rosleii."  which 
he  condih  till  for  more  tlmn  ti'ii  years.  Al'terwards  he  sold  his  interest 
and  went  east,  engaging  in  a  similar  enterprise  in  New  England. 

Bruno  E.  Hiickert  has  been  a  conslani  contributor  to  "Erihets- 
klockan"   and   has  developed   gn-al    activity   as  a   correspondent  ami 


MISCELLANEOIS    WRITICKS 


837 


general  cniilrihiildr  to  iicwspjiiM'rs  (in  Imtli  sides  of  tin-  Allanlir.  lie 
came  to  tliis  connlry  in  188!)  as  a  (U'li'^alc  IVoni  Ihc  L;r:in(l  lodge  of 
Sweden  to  the  world's  grand  lodge  of  Good  Templars,  and  has  since 
been  a  very  i>roii)inent  temperance  worker  here.  lie  is  the  author  of 
a  score  of  short  theatrical  sketches  written  for  production  at  society 
and  lodge  entertainments,  but  the  i)rincipal  work  of  his  pen  consists 
of  newspaper  articles  on  political,  sociological  and  temperance  topics. 
Hiickert  is  a  graduate  of  the  I'harmaccutical  Institute  in  Stockholm. 
lie  has  lectured  on  a  wide  range  of  subjects,  such  as  hypnolism.  faith 
cui'c,  cremation,  sutfrage,  and  on  various  phases  of  religion,  hygiene, 
tem])erauce  and  sociology.  He  spoke  at  the  jieace  congress,  the  i)arlia- 
ment  of  religions  and  the  agricultural  congress  of  the  World's  Colum- 
bian Exposition. 

A  most  promising  poet  and  writer  was  Oscar  j\I.  Benzon.  He  was 
born  in  Moline,  111.,  Dec.  10,  1870,  the  son  of  a  Swedish  Lutheran  clergy- 
man ;  was  graduated  from  Augustana  College  in  1891 ;  continued  his 
studies  at  Leland  Stanford  University,  where  he  received  the  master's 
degree  two  years  later.  His  extreme  ambition  led  to  overwork  at  college, 
causing  a  physical  and  mental  collapse  in  the  spring  of  1891.  He  i"allied 
sufficiently  to  pursue  the  university  course,  but  had  a  relapse  and  in 
a  moment  of  mental  aberration  put  a  tragic  end  to  his  yoiuig  life  on 
Oct.  13,  1893,  by  leaping  from  a  rowboat  into  the  waters  of  San 
Francisco  Bay. 

As  an  upper  classman  at  A\igustana  he  began  literary  pursuits, 
one  of  his  first  published  efforts  being  a  translation  from  "Martyrerna" 
by  the  Swedish  poet  Stagnelius,  appearing  in  "Balder,"  the  students' 
literary  anni;al.  While  in  California  he  indited  a  number  of  poems 
of  exquisite  diction  and  profound  depth  of  thought  and  feeling.  One 
of  these,  entitled  "Illusions,"  is  pronounced  by  Ernst  Skarstedt,  "the 
finest  English  poem  ever  written  by  a  Swede."  Other  highly  meritori- 
ous poems  by  Benzon  are  entitled  "Karlek"  and  "Till  den  fortviflade. " 
While  at  Leland  Stanford  University,  where  he  made  a  specialty  of 
German,  Benzon  Avrote  verse  in  that  language  too.  evincing  skill  in 
the  art  of  versification  in  three  different  languages.  As  a  student  Benzon 
showed  remarkable  lirillianey,  and  had  he  livetl  to  fulfill  his  promise, 
great  gain  would  doubtless  have  accrued  to  Swedish-American 
literature. 

Charles  Edward  Tiioi'nniark  did  siilendid  serxiee  td  the  press  for 
some  five  years,  1889-1894.  After  working  in  the  lumber  cami)s  and 
sawmills  of  I\Iichigan  and  writing  some  excellent  sketches  of  life  in  the 
frontier  settlements,  he  became  editor  of  "Nordens  Medborgare, "  pub- 
lished at  Manistee,  llich.,  and  three  months  later  foimded  a  newspaper 
of  his  own.  named  "  .\rbetaren,""  at  Cadillar.  Mich.     It  was  one  of  the 


838  PRKSS   AND    I.ITKRATI  RE 

very  few  minor  Swedish- Am<;rican  papers  edited  with  talent.  The 
enterprise,  however,  did  not  prove  a  financial  sueeess.  In  1894  Thorn- 
mark  threw  down  his  pen.  diseontiinied  the  paper  and  became  sub- 
scription agent  for  "Svenska  Amerikanaren"  of  Chicago.  Since  then 
he  has  occasionally  resumed  the  discarded  implement  to  write  an 
article,  storv  or  poem  for  that  paper.  Heccntly  he  has  contributed 
articles  to  "The  Public,"  a  weekly  political  journal  of  Chicago. 

Thougli  self-taus^ht.  Tliornmark  lia!idles  the  Iangua<re  with  admir- 
able mastery,  whether  he  writes  jirosc  or  verse.  Among  his  poems, 
which  are  not  many,  one  entitled  "Ar  du  med?""  must  be  classed  with 
the  gems  of  the  Swedish-American  Muse.  Tliornmark  is  a  humorist 
whose  sweet  good-nature  is  spiced  with  a  dash  of  satire. 

William  Larson  is  a  combination  of  author  and  artist.  Poems  and 
short  stories  by  him  which  have  appeared  in  <lifferent  publications  are 
characterized  by  objective  truth,  trenchant  diction  and  a  vivid  sense 
of  humor.  A  notable  poem  by  him  is  entitled  "Svarta  Ridan."  I'n- 
der  the  caption  "Fran  torngluggen"  he  has  written  current  comment 
in  the  lighter  vein  for  "Prihetsklockan,"  a  temperance  i)aper.  Holi- 
day numbers  of  "Svenska  Amerikanaren."  in  wliose  business  office  he 
has  been  employed,  have  contained  a  number  of  drawings  and  sketches 
by  him. 

Carl  Gustaf  Norman  while  studying  at  Augustana  College  began 
to  court  the  IMuse.  As  early  as  1883,  while  teaching  at  Bethany  College, 
he  contributed  verses  to  Swedish  periodicals,  and  for  the  next  few  years 
"Uugdomsviinnen,"  "Augustana"  and  "Korsbaneret "  i)ublished 
poems  by  him.  These  are  uniformly  well  modeled  and  often  sentimental 
in  tone.  Norman  edited  "Franiat"  at  Lind.sborg,  Kans.,  in  1SS6-S,  and 
another  paper  of  the  same  name  at  Providence,  K.  I.,  1892-5.  After 
editing  "Svea,"  of  Worcester,  JIass.,  for  a  number  of  years,  he  took 
an  editorial  position  on  "Svenska  Tribunen"  in  lOOfi  and  remains  with 
"Tribunen-Nyheter"  as  its  chief  writer. 

Literary  WorK   in    English 

In  concluding  this  chapter,  sumc  of  tlie  evidences  of  English 
literary  activity  among  the  Swcilish-Americans  of  the  state  nuiy  be 
pointed  out.  Reference  has  been  made  to  newspapers  in  English  with 
Swe(lisli-.\ni('i-icans  at  the  head.  A  noteworthy  enterprise  of  this  kind 
was  tiie  daily  "Press"  of  Chicago,  tiic  chief,  if  not  the  sole,  backer  of 
which  was  Robert  Lindblom.  It  was  publislied  for  a  brief  period  in 
the  early  nineties.  In  the  eighties  tiu-rc  was  published  in  Chicago  llie 
monthly  "Scandinavia,"  directed  ju-incipally  by  Norwegians,  and 
devoted  to  tlie  pnlilishing  in  English  of  the  current  events  and  chief 
fcatiu'cs  of  Scandinavian   litiTaturc.  history,  religion,  science  and  art. 


I 


LITERARY    WORK    IN    l^NCIJSH  839 

It  had  Swedish  contribulors  and  pulilislicd  not  a  few  articles  specifically 
Swedish- American. 

The  translation  of  selections  from  Swedish  standard  poets  and 
prose  writers  has  been  pursued  here  for  upwards  of  forty  years,  both 
by  Swedes  and  others.  Among  translations  published  in  ('hieago  in 
book  form  are:  Tegner's  "Axel,"  translated  bj'  Major  J.  Swainson, 
published  together  with  the  original  text  of  the  poem,  by  the  Lakeside 
Pub.  Co.  in  1870;  Tegner's  "Frithiofs  Saga"  by  Thomas  and  Martha 
Holcomb,  in  1876;  "The  Surgeon's  Stories,"  vols.  I-VI,  by  Zaeharias 
Topelius,  translated  by  Marie  A.  Brown  and  Selma  Borg,  and  published 
by  Jansen  &  McClurg  in  1882;  "The  Father,"  a  tragedy  by  August 
Strindberg,  translated  by  N.  Ericksen  and  published  in  London  and 
Chicago,  1899;  "Swedish  Fairy  Tales,"  by  Hofberg,  translated  by 
Willard  H.  Myers,  second  edition  published  here  in  1890;  "The  Play  of 
Pate,"  a  novel  by  Herman  Bjursten,  by  the  same  translator,  1892; 
"Swedish  Fairy  Tales,"  by  Anna  Wahlenberg,  translated  by  Axel 
Wahlenberg,  published  in  1901 ;  a  prose  translation  of  Tegner's 
"Frithiofs  Saga,"  done  by  John  B.  Jliller  and  printed  privately  in 
1905 ;  a  metrical  translation  of  the  same,  about  to  be  published  in  a  pro- 
fusely illustrated  edition  by  Clement  B.  Shaw,  the  translator.  Albert 
Alberg  during  his  fifteen  years  in  Chieago  translated  a  number  of 
Swedish,  Norwegian  and  Danish  works  into  English,  besides  writing 
several  books  in  English  published  here.  His  original  writings,  while 
here,  were:  "Imaginary  Travels,"  "Vacation  Days,"  "Sophos,  or.  Kid- 
napping the  Kings,"  "How  I  Twice  Eloped"  and  "The  Future  Emperor 
of  the  United  States,"  a  satirical  romance.  His  translations  are:  "The 
Pilgrimage  of  Truth,"  from  the  Danish  of  Erik  Bogh,  "High  Aims  and 
Other  Tales,"  and  "Marriage,"  by  August  Strindberg,  "Antichrist,"  a 
drama  by  Victor  Hugo  Wickstrom,  "George  Stephenson,"  a  drama, 
from  the  Norwegian  of  L.  Dietrichson,  and  Holberg's  comedy,  "Jeppe 
paa  Bjerget,"  from  the  Danish.  Altogether  Alberg  has  translated 
thirty  or  more  books  from  Scandinavian  languages  into  English,  most 
of  them  published  in  London  during  the  fourteen  years  he  spent  in 
England.  His  original  writings,  published  in  book  form,  are  twelve  in 
number. 

Hundreds  of  Swedish  poems  in  English  garb  have  appeared  in  the 
Swedish  papers,  as  well  as  numberless  translations  from  the  English. 
The  translators  of  this  class  of  literature  are  very  man.y,  and  out  of  the 
whole  number  not  a  few  have  evinced  ability  to  produce  well-turned 
and  musical  lyrics  in  English.  A  volume  of  "Poems  and  Swedish 
Translations"  by  Frederick  Peterson,  M.  D.,  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  was 
published  in  1883  by  S.  A.  Maxwell  &  Co.,  of  Chicago.  It  contains  a 
number  of  original  poems  of  merit. 


840 


PRESS   AND    MTERATl  RK 


"The  \Varil  of  King  Canute, "  "The  Thrall  of  Leif  the  Lucky" 
and  "Randvar,  the  Songsmith,"  well-known  romances  of  old  Norse  life, 
are  the  work  of  a  young  Chicago  woman,  Ottilie  Liljencrantz,  whose 
Swedish  father  furnished  her  with  the  subject  matter,  while  her  Amer- 
ican mother  sui)plicd  the  vehicle  of  expression,  for  her  charming  stories. 

Turning  from  belles  lettres  to  other  fields  of  literary  endeavor,  we 
find  several  notable  examples  of  works  in  English  by  Illinois  Swedes. 
Dr.  Oscar  Oldberg  of  Northwestern  University  is  the  author  of  several 
textbooks  on  clicniislry.  ]>liariiiii(  y.  mclrology  and  related  subjects  and 


Ottilie  A.   Liljencrantz 

has  served  I'lu-  almost  tliirty  years  011  the  committee  of  revision  and 
publication  of  the  "Pharmacopu-a  of  the  United  States."  Dr.  Carl 
S.  N.  Ifallbcrg  of  the  Chicago  College  of  Pharnmey,  another  authority 
on  iiharmaceutieal  science,  was  for  eight  years  editor  of  the  "Western 
Druggist,"  and  has  done  a  great  deal  of  work  in  various  sections  of  the 
American  Medical  Association,  anil  contributed  numerous  papers  to 
scientific  journals.  Dr.  Josiui  Linilahl  and  Dr.  John  A.  I'lKleu  are  two 
other  Swedish- American  scientists  whose  names  are  familiar  to  readers 
of  scientific  Journals.  The  latter  has  written  tjuite  extensively  on 
geological  subjects  and  also  dipped  into  the  arclneolosry  of  America, 
as  witness  a  i)id)lieation  by  him  entitled  ".\n  Old  Indian  X'illage."  Tn 
the  field  of  geology  he  has  had  a  number  of  treatises  published,  four 
III"  wliieli  Mi'e  the  results  iil  his  in  Vest  igiil  ions  tiearing  on  the  wind  as  n 


I 


i,iti':r.\kv  work  in  icncfMSH 


841 


geological  agent,  namely,  "Dust  ami  Sandstorms  in  the  West,"  "Loess 
as  a  Land  Deposit,"  "Erosion,  Transportation  and  Sedimentation  Per- 
formed by  the  Atmosphere"  and  "Tiic  Meeiianical  Composition  of 
Wind  Deposits."  Among  other  .scientific  papers  by  Dr.  Udden  pub- 
lished separately  is  one  entitled,  "On  tlir  Cyclonic  Di.stribution  of 
Kainfall."  A  hi.story  of  Sweden,  in  two  volumes,  publisiied 
some  years  ago  in  English,  is  liy  N.  N.  Cronholm,  a  Chicago  lawyer 
of  Swedish  birth,  and  the  ]Ml)orious  task  of  compiling  the  genealogy  of 
all  the  ruling  houses  of  Europe  has  been  performed  in  this  same  city  by 
Carl  Magnus  Allstrom,  wlio  h;is  h;id  liis  compendious  "Dictionary  of 
Genealogy"  published  in  two  volumes.  Herman  Lennmalm,  who 
abandoned  journalism  for  dental  surgery,  in  the  early  nineties  compiled 
a  work  on  dentistry  which  was  published  at  Chicago  under  the  title 
of  "World's  History  and  Review  of  Dentistry,"  in  1894.  Dr.  Olof 
ToflPteen,  of  Westei-n  Theological  Seminary,  is  the  author  of  a  book 
on  "IMyths  of  the  Bible."  The  results  of  his  researches  in  the  past  few 
years  are  foimd  in  three  recent  volumes  from  the  University  of  Chicago 
Press,  namely,  "Ancient  Chronology"  and  vol.  V.  of  "Ancient  Records 
of  Egypt. "  The  first  volume  of  a  third  orientalist  work  by  him,  entitled 
"Researches  in  Assyrian  and  Babylonian  Geography,"  appeared  in 
1908.  To  bibliographical  literature  Aksel  G.  S.  Josephson  has  made 
several  contributions,  including  "Li.st  of  Bibliographies  of  Bibliog- 
raphies," published  by  the  Bibliographical  Society  of  Chicago,  and 
"Bibliography  of  Union  Lists  of  Serials,"  published  by  the  John  Crerar 
Library.  Josephson  has  edited  four  volumes  of  the  yearbook  of  the 
Bibliographical  Society  of  America  and  to  the  "Nation"  he  has  con- 
tributed notes  and  reviews  of  bibliographical  works  and  of  notable 
books  from  Sweden. 

Recent  years  have  shown  an  increased  demand  for  English  reading 
matter  that  is  no  less  characteristically  Swedish-American  for  being  in 
the  language  of  the  land.  This  is  especially  true  of  the  church  field, 
and  the  various  publishing  houses  are  meeting  these  requirements.  The 
Augustana  Book  Concern  has  published  for  years  an  English  Sunday 
School  paper,  "The  Olive  Leaf,"  to  wdiich  was  added  a  few  years  back 
a  second  EnglLsh  paper,  "The  Augu.stana  Journal,"  now  named  "The 
Young  Lutheran's  Companion."  A  collection  of  Swedish  songs  aiul 
hymns  in  English,  entitled  "Hymnal,"  is  from  the  same  house,  also  a 
collection  of  "ilasterpieces  from  Swedish  Literature,"  six  small 
vohnnes  of  "Stories  for  Children."  being  translations  made  by  C,  W. 
Poss,  from  "Lasning  for  barn,"  by  Z.  Topelius,  an  English  edition  of 
Nils  Lovgren's  "Kyrkohistoria  till  skolornas  t.jenst,"  translated  liy 
M.  Wahlstrom  and  C.  W.  Foss.  and  "The  Law  of  the  Westgoths,"  done 
into   English   bv   Alfred   Bergin.      The   Engberg-Holmberg    Publishing 


842 


PRESS   AND    LITERATURE 


Company  has  been  going  gradually  into  English  work  bj'  adding 
English  text  to  its  later  editions  of  Swedish  sheet  music  and  song  collec- 
tions, and  in  publishing  Woods-Baker's  "Stories  of  Swedish  Life."  an 
edition  of  ''Frithiofs  saga"  for  colleges  and  universities,  annotated  by 
George  T.  Flom,  and  several  juvenile  books,  while  its  largest  under- 
taking in  the  English  language  is  represented  by  the  work  in  hand, 
"History  of  the  Swedes  of  Illinois." 


CHAPTER     XIV 

Art  and  Artists 


The    First    American.  Artist   a   S'wede 


M 

A 

S  early  as  the  beginning  of  the  eighteenth  century- 
Swedish  artists  have  lived  and  flourished  in  the  United 
States.  According  to  researches  in  the  history  of  Amer- 
ican art,  there  lived  at  that  early  period  one  Gustaf  Hes- 
selius.  a  Swedish  painter,  whose  works  are  admitted  to 
be  the  first  artistically  executed  paintings  produced  in  America.  The 
father  of  American  art,  therefore,  was  a  Swedish-American. 

A  sketch  of  this  pioneer  artist  may  serve  as  a  fitting  preface  to 
the  following  account  of  Swedish-American  artists  and  their  works  in 
more  recent  times,  the  greater  number  of  whom  have  centered  about 
the  city  of  Chicago. 

Gustaf  Hesselius  was  a  native  of  the  province  of  Dalarne,  where 
he  was  born  in  1682.  His  father,  who  was  a  clergyman,  gave  his  five 
sons  a  thorough  education.  The  other  four  all  entered  the  ministry, 
while  Gustaf  pursued  art  studies  under  the  direction  of  masters  both 
in  Sweden  and  other  countries  of  Europe.  In  May,  1711,  he  came  over 
to  America  together  with  his  eldest  brother,  Andreas  Hesselius,  whom 
King  Charles  the  Twelfth  had  appointed  pastor  of  the  Swedish  Holy 
Trinity  Church  in  present  Wilmington,  Delaware.  Shortly  after  his 
arrival  Gustaf  Hesselius  removed  to  Philadelphia,  where  he  established 
himself  as  an  artist  and  was  married  a  few  years  later.  About  1723  he 
removed  to  Maryland.  Among  the  works  executed  there  was  an  altar- 
piece  representing  the  Lord's  Supper,  painted  for  the  Queen  Ann 
Episcopal  Church,  which  was  torn  down  in  1773.  In  1735  we  find 
Hesselius  back  in  Philadelphia,  where  he  now  remained  for  a  score 
of  years.  The  demand  for  portraits  and  other  works  of  art  being 
limited,  he  was  compelled  to  wield  his  brush  as  a  common  artisan,  doing 
house  and  sign  painting,  decorating,  gilding,  and  occasionally  repairing 
and   illuminating   an   old   painting.     He   was   in   partnership   with   an 


844 


ART    AND    ARTISTS 


Englishman.  John  iliuter,  from  London,  the  firm's  advertisements 
nppearing  in  the  primitive  newspapers  of  the  time. 

Ilesselius  was  a  man  of  many-sided  talent.  He  possessed  musical 
ability  and  was  i)r()bal)ly  the  first  organ  liuildcr  in  the  colonies.  It  is 
known  that  an  instrument  was  ImiH  by  liiin  for  the  church  of  the 
Brethren  in  Bethlehem,  Pa. 

From  paintings  by  Ilesselius.  still  extant,  it  appears  that  he  was 
the  equal,  if  not  the  superior,  of  contemporary  artists  in  Europe. 
Among  the  collections  of  the  Pennsylvania  Historical  Society  are  found 
two  of  his  paintings,  one  a  portrait  of  himself,  the  other  one  of  his  wife, 
Lydia  Ilesselius.  "The  works  of  Ilesselius  are  characterized  by  clear 
colors  and  strong  light  etTects."  says  Charles  Henry  Hart,  to  whom 
we  are  indebted  for  researches  that  have  saved  the  name  of  Ilesselius 
from  oblivion.  A  few  other  portraits  from  his  hand  arc  still  in  existence. 
This  pioneer  artist  died  in  Philadelphia  May  25.  1755,  and  lies  buried 
in  the  ch^irehyard  of  the  old  Gloria  Dei  Church,  of  which  he  was  a 
iiieinlx'i'.  His  son,  John  Ilesselius,  followed  in  the  footsteps  of  iiis 
father  and  was,  according  to  Hart,  the  first  native  American  artist. 

John  Hesselius  doubtless  obtained  his  artistic  education  from  liis 
lather,  and  did  not  go  to  Europe  until  late  in  life.  He  was  engaged  at 
l'hilad('li>hia  and  Annapolis  as  a  portrait  and  miniature  painter,  and 
his  name  occurs  frequently  in  the  history  of  the  colonial  period.  In  ITfi-'i 
lie  was  married  to  one  'Sirs.  Woodward,  a  lady  of  beauty  and  refine- 
ment. 

The  two  Ilessclii  were  the  only  Swedish  artists  in  Amerit-a  in 
colonial  times,  of  whom  there  is  any  record. 

Another  early  American  painter  of  Swedish  bii-th  was  Adolf  I'lrik 
Wertmuller,  who  flourished  in  tin'  latter  jiart  of  the  eighteenth  and 
the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century.  He  was  born  in  Stockholm 
in  17.")],  came  to  Philadeljihia  in  1794  and  died  in  1811. 

ELarly    Swedish    Artists    in    Illinois 

From  this  time  down  In  the  middlf  of  the  nineteenth  century,  we 
linil  no  Swedisli  luunes  in  llir  annals  of  American  art.  When  in  the 
'5()s  and  'fJOs  Swedes  in  larL'i'  nund)ers  settled  in  tiie  Missi.ssippi  Valley, 
1lic.\  wi'i-c  mostly  sons  ol'  loii.  yet  there  was  a  spriidvling  of  ])rofessional 
Mien,  among  whom  were  a  few  ai'lists,  l-'or  these  the  field  was  far  from 
liroiiiising.  Ill  llir  sodlioiisc  and  llir  jog  cabin  ihcrc  was  no  deiiunid 
I'or  art  works,  not  even  in  tiu'  little  frame  churches  witli  whicii  these 
godfearing  peo]ile  soon  stud<leil  the  praii'ies.  Daily  bn'ad,  for  body 
and  spirit,  that  was  tlieir  lirst  need.  It  was  not  until  the  second  |)criod 
of  development  had  set  ill,  when  the  primitive  huts  gave  way  to  more 
eomforliible  hollies,  and   hieises  of  worship  assiniicd   a   more  chiirchly 


pktb;r  m.  a  I.. mini 


845 


aspect,  tliiit  ii  craving  for  the  hcautit'iil  awoke  in  the  niiiiils  of  the 
settlers.  About  this  time  the  first  frescoes  and  altar-pieces  ai)peared 
in  their  churches  iuid  liic  (leeoration  of  the  [)ri\atc  homes  hcjran  to 
betray  the  artistic  instinct. 

The  artists  of  this  periotl  were  Peter  .M.  Almini.  IIcnr\'  K.  ('.  Peter- 
son. Axel  William  Torgerson  and  Fredriiv  H.  lihiiidici'i,'siin.  all  of  Chi- 
cago, and  Lars  Axel  Blonibei-trson.  of  M<iiine. 

Peter    M.   Almini 

Alniini  was  born  in  Linderas,  Snialand,  Sweden,  ifarcli  21.  1825, 
and  learned  tlie  jiainter's  trade  in  Eksjii.  He  worked  at  liis  trade 
in  Russia  and  Finland,  in  the  meantime  ac(|uiring  great  skill  witli  the 


-^ 

f,:   ^  ^ 

^     -^ 

\  JJ 

^& 

^  1 

K 

■T       m  H 

■1 

Peter  M.  AliiKiii 


brush.  For  six  years  he  lived  in  Stockholm,  during  two  of  which  he 
was  assistant  superintendent  in  the  decorating  of  the  royal  palace. 
In  1852  he  came  over  to  the  United  States,  settled  in  Chicago  and 
there  opened  in  business  tlie  following  year.  He  soon  made  him- 
self known  as  a  skillful  fresco  painter,  aud  was  engaged  to  do  the  in- 
terior decorating  aud  mural  painting  of  numerous  church  edifices, 
assembly  halls  and  public  buildings  in  this  and  other  American  cities. 
A  work  in  twenty-four  small  parts,  entitled  "Chicago  Illustrated", 


846 


ART    AND    ARTISTS 


was  published  in  the  years  1868-71  by  Alniiui  ami  Jevne.  This  series 
was  almost  e{)iiii)leted.  when  the  Chicagro  fire  put  an  end  to  the 
publication.  Kaeh  part  of  the  series  eontained  four  illustrations  litiio- 
graphed  in  colors,  and  deseriptive"*text.  The  grandfather  of  Almiui 
was  an  Italian  artist,  who  was  oalled  to  Stockbolm  by  Kinsr  Tarl 
XIV.  Johau  to  decorate  the  interior  of  the  royal  p.ilace  and  who  liked 
the  country  so  well  that  he  remained  in  Sweden. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  Swedes  in  Chicago.  Alniini  was  a  prom- 
inent figure  among  them.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Academy  of  De- 
sign and  one  of  the  charter  members  of  the  Svea  Society,  organized 
in  1857.  and  in  1866  aided  in  founding  the  liberal  Swedish  weekly 
"Svenska  Amerikanaren."  The  business  established  by  him  in  185:} 
is  still  continued  in  Chicago  under  the  name  of  the  Almini  Company. 
Almini  was  chiefly  a  commercial  artist,  who  painted  pictures  and 
sketches  merely  for  study  or  pa.stime.  He  had  made  a  profound  study 
of  both  ancient  and  modern  art.  and  stood  at  the  head  of  his  profession 
in  ('hicago.  He  was  the  vice-president  of  the  Master  Painters  and 
Decorators'  Association  of  Chicago  and  the  treasurer  of  the  National 
Association  of  Painters  and  Decorators  when  they  were  founded. 
Peter  :\I.  Almini  died  in  October.  1890. 

Henry   E.   C.    Peterson 

The  Acadi'iny  of  Design  was  made  up  of  members  of  several 
nationalities.  Aiiotiicr  Swedish  member,  besides  Almini.  was  Hein-y 
E.  C.  Petci'soii.  the  jiortrait  painter,  who  for  a  time  taught  the  life 
class  of  the  academy,  resigning  afterwards  to  go  abroad  for  further 
study.  The  Academy  of  Design  flourished  remarkably  and  was  in  the 
sixties  a  noted  social  organization  of  Ciiicago.  It  held  its  meetings  in 
Crosby's  Ojx'ra  House  before  the  great  fire,  and  later  in  the  Academy 
of  Design  building  on  Jlichigan  avenue  Tiic  artists'  ball  was  the 
great  society  event  of  the  season  in  those  days,  tickets  selling  as  high 
as  twenty  dollars.  After  the  fire,  nuiny  of  the  artists  left  Ciiicago. 
some  locating  in  New  York,  ot iters  going  to  Eurojie. 

Henry  E.  C.  Peterson  was  born  May  20,  1841,  on  Skeppsholmen 
in  Stockholm.  His  father  was  a  shiji  builder.  The  son  was  educated 
at  the  Sloyd  School  at  Hruidicbersrstorg  and  the  Koyal  Academy  of 
Arts.  After  having  lost  both  pari'nts  in  a  I'liob-ra  epidcmii'.  he  went 
for  a  tour  arotind  the  world  wilii  his  brother,  who  was  a  sea  captain. 
He  came  to  New  York  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  Wnv  and  at  once  en- 
listed in  tile  I'liidn  nn\.\-.  lie  served  on  the  frigate  Koaiioke  ann  was 
ju'esi'nt  at  tile  great  na\al  duel  between  the  Monitor  and  thi'  Merrimac. 
.After  serving  tile  I'liion  for  three  years  and  one  iiiontli.  reterson  lo- 
cated in  Chicago  .-iikI  Imik  up  painting  as  a  prdt'ession.     lie  made  two 


PETERSON     HI,()MHHRG.SON 


847 


trips  to  Paris  and  tlicre  .studied  at  the  Jidicn  sfhool,  with  artists  of 
fame.  In  the  i)ursuit  of  his  specialty  of  portraiture,  Mr.  Peterson 
has  painted  many  people  prominent  in  Chicago  and  elsewhere.  Among 
those  in  Chicago  were  the  McCorinicks,  the  Parwells,  and  John  and 
Moses  Wentworth.  Among  other  Americans,  who  liave  sat  for  him, 
are  Brigham  Young,  president  of  the  Mormons,  and  many  bishops  and 
leading  men  of  the  Catholic  and  Protestant  churches.  For  libraries, 
universities,  colleges  and  banks  he  has  executed  a  large  number  of 
portraits  of  men  of  fame.  In  recent  years  Mr.  Peterson  has  had  the 
bulk  of  his  work  in  New  York,  where,  with  his  family,  he  spends  the 


Henrv  E.  C.  Peterson 


greater  part  of  bis  time.     His  wife  Emma,  nee  Larson,  made  a  name 
for  herself  as  a  singer  in  the  seventies  and  early  eighties. 


FredriH.   B.    Blomberg'son 

About  the  years  1868-73  there  lived  in  Chicago  a  landscape  painter 
named  Fredrik  B.  Blombergson.  Finding  here  little  demand  for  his 
work,  he  returned  to  Sweden.  In  the  possession  of  his  old  friends 
are  found  a  small  number  of  canvases  from  which  we  are  enabled  to 
judge  of  his  skill  as  an  artist.    He  was  painstaking  to  a  high  degree 


BLOMBERGSON- TORGERSON 


849 


.111(1  there  is  about  his  latulseapes  an  almost  i)hot()t;rai)hie  exactness. 
His  tints  are  modest  and  natural,  and  he  lei't  iiothiii}!;  to  he  guessed 
at  in  his  pictures.  The  canvas  here  reproduced  is  a  view  of  Berg.s.jii, 
Ilelsingland,  the  artist's  home  parish.  Another  painting,  also  executed 
by  Blombergsou  for  Jonas  Eiigberg,  is  "A  Norwegian  Fiord."  a 
splendid  reproduction  of  a  most  majestic  scene.  In  the  possession  oF 
John  G.  Malmgren  of  Chicago  is  a  view  of  IJpsala,  also  a  replica  of  tlic 
scene  from  Bergsjo,  while  another  copy  of  the  latter  is  owned  by  John 
J.  Engberg  and  a  different  scene  from  the  same  locality  by  Eos  Heg- 
strom.  Blombergsou  was  born  in  the  city  of  Soderhamn  and  located 
there  after  his  return  from  this  country. 

Axel  William   Torgerson 

Still  another  of  the  early  Swedish   artists  of  Chicago  was  Axel 
William  Torgerson,  who  was  born  in  Stockholm  in  the  year  1833.     He 


Axel  ^\'illiam  Torcjerson 


was  educated  at  Upsala  University,  and  at  the  age  of  twenty-three 
came  to  the  United  States,  locating  in  Chicago.  At  first  he  was 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  cigars,  but,  possessing  talent  and  ambi- 
tion, he  took  up  painting  in  1870.  and  soon  developed  into  a  marine 


o 
i. 


BI,OMKKRGSON— ROOS 


851 


artist  of  I'croiiiiizrd  aliilily.     He  cxi'ciitrd  a  urcat  many  coimiiissions  and 
liis  wiifk  was  ^Tcatly  admired.     'rorii'ci'Sdii  dird  in  .laniiai'y.  ISIII), 

Lars  Axel  Blomberg'son 
Hl()mbor<;soii  was  born  Aug.  17,  1841,  in  the  Swedish  city  of  Ho- 
derhainii,  wlierc  lie  learned  the  painter's  trade  from  hi.s  father.  He 
emigrated  in  1868,  coming  to  Moline,  111.,  where  he  lived  for  eleven 
year.s.  During  that  time  he  worked  at  interior  decorating,  and  spec- 
imens of  his  skill  could  be  .seen  in  a  number  of  the  Swedish  cinirches  in 
that  section.  He  died  in  Jloline  Nov.  18,  187!).  According  to  our  best 
information,   the  two  Blondjergsons  wci-c   cousins. 

Artists   of  a    Later    Period 

In  the  '80s  and  '90s  Swedish  artists  of  repnte  came  to  this  country 
in  considerable  number,  many  of  whom  made  their  homes  here  and 
successfully  engaged  each  in  his  special  line  of  work,  some  as  illustra- 
tors, others  as  plastic  artists  and  sculptors,  still  others  as  painters. 
Besides,  quite  a  number  of  native  Swedish-Americans  have  entered  the 
field  of  art  in  late  years,  and  almost  every  art  exhibition  catalogue 
will  show  a  goodly  number  of  Swedish  names.  As  a  rule,  their  con- . 
tributions  to  art  possess  that  merit  and  dignity  which  characterizes 
modern  art  productions  in  Sweden. 

Swedish-American  artists,  however,  in  many  cases  are  unknown  to 
their  own  countrymen,  both  in  this  country  and  in  Sweden.  Most  of 
them  left  the  old  country  in  early  life,  and  here  they  have  met  with 
greater  appreciation  and  found  readier  sale  for  their  works  among 
the  general  American  public,  few  Swedish-Americans  heretofore  hav- 
ing attained  that  point  of  fiiaancial  independence  and  love  of  art,  at 
which  people  usually  begin  to  patronize  the  studios  and  exhibitions. 
Progress  in  this  direction  has  been  made  in  the  last  few  years,  and  the 
art  schools  established  at  various  institutions  of  learning  supported 
by  the  Swedish  people  bespeak  a  growing  appreciation  as  well  as  a 
more  general  cultivation  of  art  among  them.  Such  art  schools  were 
opened  in  1890  and  1895.  respectively,  at  Bethany  College.  Lindsborg, 
Kansas,  and  Augustana  College,  Rock  Island,  Illinois. 

Peter   Roos 

The  cliair  of  industrial  art  and  design  at  the  University  of  Illinois 
during  the  decade  of  1880-90  was  occupied  by  a  Swedish  artist,  Peter 
Roos.  who  prior  to  his  election  to  the  professorship  was  instructor  at 
the  university  in  1876-77  and  in  the  winter  and  spring  terms  of  1S80. 

Peter  Roos  is  a  native  of  Skane,  Sweden,  born  at  Lyngby.  Feb. 
22,  1850.  He  was  educated  in  his  native  jilace  and  at  Kristianstad,  and 
came  to  America  in   1872,   establishing   himself  in   Boston   as  fresco- 


852 


ART    AND    ARTISTS 


paiuter  and  designer.  The  following  year  he  was  instructor  in  the 
evening  drawing  schools  of  the  city,  and  in  1874  he  established  an  art 
school,  the  Boston  Art  Academy. 

jVfter  leaving  the  T'niversity  of  Illinois  Roos  studied  and  prac- 
ticed landscape  art  for  the  next  six  years,  or  until  1896,  when  he  took 
the  position  of  director  of  art  study  in  the  public  schools  of  Cam- 
bridge, Mass..  the  position  he  now  holds.  Roos  became  a  member  of 
the  Boston  Art  Club  in  1874;  N.  E.  A.,  1903;  the  Cambridge  Municipal 
Art  Society  and  the  Illinois  University  Club,  1903. 

C.    F.   von   Saltza 

C.  F.  von  Saltza,  deceased,  was  a  noted  ixirtrait  painter.  His  work 
is  eharacteri/.cil  by  that  toiu-h  of  trenius  whii-li    makes  his  pictures  not 


C.    1'.   Mill    S;ill/^« 


merely  lil<enesses  ol'  pcrsoiis.  bnl  works  of  arl.  \'on  Saltza  took  great 
liri(l<'  in  nuinlM'ring  liiiiiseil'  iiiiiong  "tln'  rank  and  tile  of  those  that 
ili;iiiipi(iii  till'  caiisi'  of  Swi'dcii  jind  strive  to  liring  honor  and  respect 
Id   Imm-   ILIUM'   ill   mII    p.iiis  of  liic   world,"'      .\iid    in   bis  position   as   in- 


vSAI/rZA— CRAI'STROM 


853 


structor  in  tliree  different  art  scliools  in  tlio  United  States  at  various 
periods,  lie  doubtless  had  a  greater  opportunity  tlian  most  of  his  Swed- 
ish-American colleagues  to  make  his  influence  felt. 

C.  F.  von  Saltza  was  born  at  Sorby,  Ostergotland,  Sweden,  in  1858, 
the  son  of  Count  K.  A.  F.  von  Saltza  and  his  wife,  nee  De  la  Gardie. 
After  pursuing  general  studies  at  Upsala  and  Stockholm,  he  entered 
the  Royal  Academy  of  Fine  Arts,  studying  for  six  years  under  the 
instruction  of  Bokluud,  von  Rosen,  Wallander,  Kjellberg  and  Winge. 
Among  his  contemporaries  at  the  academy  were  Zorn,  Liljefors,  Nord- 
strom and  Eriksson,  names  later  known  to  fame.  The  years  1880  and 
1881  von  Saltza  spent  at  the  art  academy  of  Brussels,  going  from  there 
to  Paris,  -where  during  the  next  three  years  he  developed  his  talent 
as  a  portrait  painter.  Returning  to  Sweden,  he  was  engaged  in  his 
chosen  line  for  a  few  years  before  coming  to  the  United  States  in  1891. 
After  a  short  stay  in  New  York,  he  came  west  to  Chicago  and  soon 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  Halsey  C.  Ives,  commissioner  of  art  at  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition,  who  induced  von  Saltza  to  assume 
charge  of  the  department  of  painting  at  the  IMuseum  of  Fine  Arts  in 
St.  Louis.  For  six  years  he  held  that  position,  in  the  meantime  paint- 
ing portraits  of  a  number  of  persons  of  prominence  in  that  city. 

In  the  Swedish  department  of  the  Chicago  exposition  in  1893  von 
Saltza  had  on  view  an  excellent  portrait  of  his  wife.  He  took  part 
also  in  the  successive  art  exhibitions  at  Berlin  in  1896  and  at  Stockholm 
the  following  year. 

In  1898  von  Saltza  accepted  a  call  to  become  the  head  of  the 
department  of  painting  at  the  Art  Institute  of  Chicago.  After  one 
year,  however,  he  left  to  accept  a  like  position  with  the  Columbia  Uni- 
versity and  Teachers'  College  of  New  York.  This  he  retained  up  to 
the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  Dec.  10,  1905. 

Olof  Grafstrom 


Olof  Grafstrom  was  a  contemporary  of  Anders  Zorn,  Bruno  Lilje- 
fors and  Richard  Bergh  at  the  Aeadem.y  of  Arts  in  Stockholm.  At 
an  early  stage  of  his  career  he  made  himself  knowu  as  a  deft  wielder 
of  the  brush,  and  his  fine  landscapes  from  nortlieru  Sweden  exhibited 
at  the  Artists'  Club  foimd  a  ready  sale.  One  of  these  found  its  way  to 
the  private  art  collection  of  king  Oscar  himself.  Grafstrom  is  keenly 
sensible  of  the  beaut\'  of  nature  in  the  far  North,  which  he  reproduces 
with  painstaking  accuracy,  down  to  the  smallest  fleck  of  cloud  in  its 
glorious  sky  and  the  minutest  detail  of  the  sunlit  crags  in  the  magnif- 
icent distance.  The  w'cird  twilight  of  the  northern  summer  night  has 
had  few  better  interpreters  than  he. 

During  the  score  of  years  spent  in  this  country,  Grafstrom  has  been 


854 


ART  AND    ARTISTS 


an  ardent  student  of  all  that  is  grand  in  our  wuatem  forests,  moun- 
tains, lakes  and  jirairies.  He  spent  a  number  of  years  in  the  Paeific 
states,  and  many  of  his  pictures  fjrace  the  homes  of  wealthy  westerners. 
In  Portland,  Oregon,  where  he  first  located.  Grafstrom  soon  became 
noted  for  liis  splendid  depiction  of  the  sceneries  in  that  section,  and 
his  pictures  were  much  sought  after  both  for  private  homes  and  public 
buildings.     Three  years  later  he  removed  to  Spokane,  where  he  dupli- 


Olcif   ('.nil'^lroiM 


cated  his  success.  He  was  well  i-cin-cscnted  at  tlie  expositions  in  lioth 
cities  the  next  few  years,  and  a  landscape  of  liis.  a  scene  from  Lapland, 
won  tlie  grand  silver  medal  in  Portland. 

In  18!)3  Grafstrom  iiece|)li(l  a  call  to  become  the  head  of  the  art 
school  in  connection  willi  Petliany  College,  at  Lindsliorg.  Kans.,  and 
after  i'our  years  took  a  similar  position  at  .\ugustana  College.  In 
these  two  positions  he  has  exerted  a  marked  intluence  in  behalf  of  art 
among  the  Swcdisli-.X rieans.  This  has  not  been  limited  to  the  class- 
room and  the  studio,   lor  as  a  skillliil   painter  of  altar-pieces  he  ha.s 


70 

13 


o 


^4 

^^  ^Tj^^P^M 

^^^^^^■:,Jh| 

^^^^^^rTTtT^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 

856 


ART    AND    ARTISTS 


been  instniiiu'iital  in  disseminating  art  far  and  wide  among  the  Swed- 
ish people  in  this  country. 

Grafstroin  is  a  most  versatile  artist,  cajiable  of  makinp:  a  pastelle, 
water  color,  pencil  or  pen  and  ink  sketeii,  as  well  as  producing  a  fine 


O 

O 

5 

>^ 

IS 


O 

■£3 

c 


"5 

X 


portrait  or  laM(lsca|)t'  in  oil.  'I'Ih  last,  however,  is  his  forte.  Ho  do- 
lights  particularly  in  reproducing  iho  majesty  of  nature,  as  exemplified 
in  mountains  with  caps  of  snow  or  bathing  in  opalosoent  sunlight, 
])iacid  o.\|)anses  of  water,  the  gloom  of  the  primeval   forest,  skies  of 


I 


AXKI,    KI.IAS    OI.SSON 


857 


delicate  tints  and  atmosphere  of  remarkable  translucenee.  Many  of 
his  canvases  are  very  large,  and  justly  so.  in  conformity  to  the  magni- 
tude of  the  artist's  motifs. 

Axel   Elias   Olsson 

Axel  Elias  Olsson  is  one  of  the  very  few  Swedisli-Ameriean  artists 
who  have  adopted  the  chisel  in  preference  to  the  brush.  A  farmer 
boy,  boi-n  in  Blekinge,  Sweden,  in  1857,  he  went  to  Stockholm  in  1870 


Axel  E.  Olsson 

and  soon  found  employment  in  the  studio  of  a  sculptor.  Not  satisfied 
with  what  he  was  able  to  learn  from  his  employer,  he  entered  the  sloyd 
school  and  from  there  went  to  the  Academy  of  Arts.  His  education 
finished  as  to  theoretical  schooling,  he  went  to  work  as  a  modeler  and 
architectural  sculptor,  and  in  1881  decided  to  go  to  France  for  further 
study.     Changing   his   plan,   he   came   to   the   United    States    and  re- 


858 


ART    AND    ARTISTS 


mained  here.  During  the  (luarter  century  Olsson  has  spent  in  this 
country  he  has  developed  from  artisan  to  artist. 

We  give  here  a  partial  list  of  his  productions,  all  of  whit-li  possess 
merit,  some  taking  high  rank  as  works  of  art : 

Two  reliefs,  representing  Spring  and  Autumn ;  the  plastic  groups 
that  adorned  the  Hall  of  Animal  Industry  and  Machinery  Ilall  at  the 
Columbian  Exposition  in  Chicago ;  models  for  ornamental  sculptures 
and  wood  carvings  for  the  new  building  of  the  Chicago  Athletic  Club, 
inchiding  a  large  group  in  relief,  representing  a  Football  Scrimmage; 
two  decorative  groups  for  a  circus  building  in  Chicago;  the  model  for 


.\rt  :mi|   ."Music.     Kiliel   bv   .\xel   h.   tilsson 


an  art  fountain  in  bronze  for  tlic  Chicago  Pul)lic  Litjrary ;  exterior  and 
interior  ornaments  for  the  new  Normal  school  in  DeKall),  111.,  and  a 
marble  bust  of  one  of  the  donors  to  the  building  fund  for  said  school ; 
over  one  hundred  allegorical  and  portrait  figures  for  the  new  court 
house  at  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.,  iiu-luding  1(5  large  gable  friezes,  each  40  feet 
in  length;  models  for  granite  sculptures  in  tiie  Edison  Huilding  in 
Chicago,  also  for  the  Carnegie  Library  at  Muneie,  Ind.,  besides  a  large 
number  of  low  reliefs,  sciilptiu'cd  fifrurcs  for  graveyard  monuments, 
church  ornaments,  etc. 

In  ]!)03  Olsson  <-oniplrtc(l  ;i  niarhlf  group  in  high  i-clief,  represent- 
ing Psyche  and  the  /cpliNi's,  also  a  stahK'ttc.  entitled  "Tlie  Wiiis- 
]iei'."  Hotli  were  exliiliited  at  tlie  Chicago  .\rl  Institute,  where  they 
mil  with  gciiiral  appi  rci.it  ion.  Tlie  I'syclie  grouj)  had  a  place  in  tlu' 
Art  Ilall  of  the  Ijoiii.si.-ina  I'urciiase  Exposition  at  SI.  Louis  in  the 
same  year,  while  "The  Whisper"  adorned  the  art  room  of  tiie  Swedish 


AXICI-    lU.IAS    ()I,S.S()N 


859 


Building.  To  the  forogoiiii;  list  should  bo  added  the  sculpture  decora- 
tions ill  the  splendid  N'anderhilt  summer  home  at  Newport,  "The 
Breakers",  and  one  of  his  latest  groups,  "Friends",  a  plaster  has 
relief,  shown  at  the  nineteenth  exhibition  of  American  paintings  and 
sculptures,  at  the  Chicago  Art  Institute  in  1906. 

An  art  critic  has  told  the  story  of  I\Ir.  Olsson's  Psyche  and  char- 
acterized the  work  of  the  sculptor  in  words  worthy  of  quotation  : 

"Ilis  Psyche  bas  relief  is  proof  of  the  capabilities  of  an  artist  in 
tiie  plastic,  if  he  possesses  the  'divine  spark'.  This  bit  of  sculptural 
decoration  is  so  cluiriiiiii<;ly  well  lialauced  in  composition  and  so  truly 
tender  in  treatment,  that  one  lingers  in  its  presence,  if  but  to  admire 
the  delicacy  and  retinement  suggested.  For  all  the  nude  figures  by 
]Mr.  Olsson  are  characterized  by  this  purity  of  expression.  He  believes 
in  the  beauty  of  form,  but  it  is  a  divine  beauty,  chaste  and  pure.  There 
is  quite  an  interesting  story  of  mishaps  related  by  the  sculptor  in  con- 
nection with  the  creation  of  this  delightful  mythical  creature,  that  has 
for  generations  suggested  to  seidptor,  painter  and  poet  alike  a  theme 
whereby  to  express  his  art.  When  the  idea  of  executing  such  a  work 
first  suggested  itself  to  Mr.  Olsson,  he  can  scarcely  recall,  it  was  so 
long  ago — a  sort  of  cherished  dream  that  the  time  might  come  when  he 
could  set  aside  so  much  of  the  commercial  sculptural  effects,  by  which 
he  had  been  kept  busy  and  by  which  he  existed,  and  create  something 
for  the  very  love  of  it.  In  1893  he  made  his  first  elaborate  sketch  of 
the  work  in  wax,  but  alas,  while  it  was  resting  on  a  chair,  some  one 
sat  down  on  it  and  destroyed  it.  Then  a  year  passed  away,  and  he 
began  the  modeling  in  full  size,  taking  it  to  a  place  for  final  treatment 
and  casting.  Jlr.  Olsson  in  the  meanwhile  had  to  go  to  a  terra  cotta 
factory  to  model  a  mantel.  When  he  returned,  he  found,  contrary  to 
promises  made,  the  clay  model  of  his  Psyche  relief  dry  and  almost 
ruined  by  falling  apart.  Almost  discouraged,  he  again  set  to  work  and 
restored  it  and  cast  it  in  plaster,  but  the  witticisms  indulged  in  by  the 
men  about  the  misfortunes  to  which  the  work  had  been  subjected 
made  him  abandon  it  in  disgust,  and  Psyche  was  hung  on  the  wall  of 
the  shop,  there  to  await — not  the  coming  of  Cupid — but  Fate.  Two 
fires  visited  the  building,  and  although  the  structure  was  almost  de- 
stroyed. Psyche  still  clung  to  the  wall,  but  with  her  beautiful  arms  and 
shapely  feet  amputated,  and  her  attending  Zephyrs  wafted  afar.  Dur- 
ing the  spring  of  1903  the  sculptor  was  taken  ill  and,  after  recovering, 
had  decided  to  go  upon  a  vacation  to  last  the  whole  summer  through. 
He  made  a  better  recovery  than  expected  and  the  thought  occurred  to 
him  that  he  would  spend  his  vacation  time  in  the  restoration  and 
completion  of  his  Psyche.  In  the  sculptor's  own  words:  'Now  or 
never — and  I  finished  it.     The  poor  girl  masqueraded  at  the  Art  Insti- 


AiiHiimi.     Has  Relief  l)y  Axol  H.  Olsson 


OLSSON— LINDIN 


86 1 


tute  in  a  domino  of  bronze — a  iiiiul  spot  on  the  wall,  practically  unseen 
and  unknown.  But  after  due  wliitewasliinf^c  slie  was  sent  to  St.  fjouis 
and  considered  a  ^ood  enough  girl  to  he  seen  there'." 

'I'he  writer  affirmed  that  "Psyche  and  the  Zephyrs"  woulil  l)e  one 
of  the  sculptural  attractions  of  the  Exposition,  continuing: 

"How  could  it  he  otherwise?  Note  the  wonderful  beauty  of  form 
and  the  energy  displayed  l>y  the  Zephyrs,  or  (,'upids,  as  others  might 
term  tlieni,  while  the  figure  of  Psyche  herself  and  the  suggestion  of  air 
amid  the  bit  of  drapery  is  super)).  JTr.  Olsson  has  the  true  art  temper- 
ament, creating  liis  own  art  atniosiihei'c,  i-itlier  than  seeking  for  it  else- 
where. ' ' 

"The  Whisper"  is  a  delicately  modeled  creation,  extremely  re- 
fined, showing  the  little  love  god  whispering  his  message  in  the  ear 
of  a  young  maiden  whose  figure,  slightly  draped  and  exquisitely  posed, 
presents  a  fine  conception  of  virgin  beauty  and  modesty. 


Carl   Olof   EriK   Lindin 

Carl  Olof  Erik  Lindin  is  a  landscape  painter  whose  works  have 
gained  recognition  not  only  in  the  United  States,  but  in  Sweden  and 
Prance  as  well.  A  native  of  Fellingsbro,  Sweden,  he  came  to  Chicago  in 
the  fall  of  1888,  at  the  age  of  nineteen.  In  the  following  spring  he  got  a 
situation  with  a  Swedish  painter  and  decorator,  but  such  work  was  far 
from  a  realization  of  his  early  ambition  to  become  an  artist.  Shortly 
afterward  he  secured  a  place  as  coachman  to  a  physician  in  Wisconsin. 
Both  the  doctor  and  his  wife,  learning  of  the  young  man's  ambition, 
assisted  him  as  best  they  could,  the  former  by  giving  him  instruction 
in  the  English  language,  the  latter  by  defraying  his  expenses  at  the 
local  art  school.  After  a  year  he  was  advised  to  go  back  to  Chicago  to 
continue  art  studies.  He  entered  the  evening  school  at  the  Art  Institute 
and  besides  took  private  lessons  in  jiainting.  In  the  meantime  he 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  a  business  man  and  art  lover,  who  not 
(uily  encouraged  him.  but  aided  him  in  a  material  way.  making  it  pos- 
sible for  him  to  go  to  Paris  in  189.3  for  further  study.  From  there  he 
visited  his  native  land  before  returning  to  the  United  States.  In 
Sweden  he  now  formed  the  ac(iuaintance  of  influential  persons,  who 
became  interested  in  his  future,  ordered  pictiu'es  and  assured  him  of 
their  support  in  the  further  prosecution  of  his  studies.  Postponing  his 
retvu'u  to  America,  Lindin  now  went  back  to  Paris  and  spent  the  next 
four  years  studying  with  Jean  Paul  Laurens.  Benjamin  Constant  and 
Aman-Jean  in  the  winter  and  spring,  passing  the  summer  and  fall 
in  Sweden.  By  now.  Lindin 's  name  was  known  and  his  ai't  recognized 
in  artist  circles  there,  and  many  of  his  hmdseape  paintings  were  left 


862 


ART    AND    ARTISTS 


behind,  in  the  possession  nf  ait   colleetors.  when  he  returned  to  the 
United  States  in  1897. 

In  Chicago,  his  home  city,  Lindin  liolds  a  prominent  place  in  art 
circles  and  his  pictures  grace  almost  every  exposition  at  the  Art  Insti- 
tute. His  works  have  heen  shown  in  Philadeliiliia.  Detroit,  at  the  St. 
Louis  Exposition,  in  JIunich.  at  the  Stoekholm  Exposition  of  1897, 
and  his  pictures  were  among  those  hiuig  in  the  Paris  Salon  of  1900. 


Call    (  )l"l    l.nk    1. 111. ill 


111  liis  landscaix's  Lindin  dcliirlits  in  sol't.  siiluhifd  ei>lor  elTects 
and,  although  an  athlete  in  huild.  he  paints  witli  alirmst  I'eniinine 
delicacy. 


Carl  Johan   Nilsson 

('arl  .liilian  XilsMiii.  wlm  sliidii-d  in  Ilic  jirivate  studio  t>i"  O.sear 
Herg.  the  Stiiikliiiliii  snilptof.  ami  later  at  the  .Keademy  of  Liberal 
Arts,  iMider  tiie  direction  of  Jdlni  lior.jeson.  eame  to  the  I'nited  States 
in  XiivernliiT.  ISD!).  His  purpose  was  to  exhiliil  in  .\iiu'rieaii  cities 
a    liililiral   ^;allriy,  i-miiprising  sixteen   groups  ol'  statuary,   illustrating 


V. 


n 

o 


V. 


r. 


864 


ART    AM)    ARTISTS 


incidents  in  the  life  of  Christ,  the  gallery  having  been  originally  pro- 
duced for  the  Stoekholin  Exposition  of  1897.  The  gallery  was  first 
exhibited  in  Boston,  then  at  the  successive  expositions  in  Buffalo  and 
St.  Louis.  In  January,  1905,  Nilsson  removed  to  Chicago,  taking  a 
permanent  position  as  modeler  for  a  large  terra  cotta  plant.  Since 
then  he  has  executed  a  large  number  of  decorative  groups  and  reliefs 
for  architectural  purposes.  One  of  these  is  a  statuary  group  represent- 
ing "Justice,  r..;nv  and   lioiidiipre".  designed  for  a  new  county  court- 


Carl  Julian  Nilsson 

lioiisi'  al  ( Ji'i'disliurij:.  I'a.  .\ihilln'r  lv|iii-al  wurU  of  iiis  is  a  life  size 
busi  III'  King  Oscar,  lirst  .■xliibitcd  in  CliicaiTd  in  llUC).  at  tlie  Swedish- 
American  art  cxliiliition.  This  included  also  a  design  for  a  proposed 
John  Ericsson  nmnuMient,  executed  b.v  Nilsson. 

Wliile  in  Sweden,  Nilsson  priKluced  a  lai-ge  numl)cr  of  portrait 
busts  and  groui)s  for  the  Swedish  Tanopticon  of  Stockholm,  executed 
plastic  and  sculptural  work  for  the  N'orlliern  Museum,  the  Koyal  .\r- 
mory.  the  Hoyal  Artillery  Museum,  the  (iothcid)urg  .Musciun  and  other 
institutions.  I'\ir  two  year's  he  was  assistant  to  I'rof.  Biirjeson.  Swe- 
den's forcniosi    nionniiiriilal  sculptor,  in  modeling  the  slatiies  of  Carl 


NII.SSUN— RVDICN 


865 


X.  Gustaf  and  ^lafjims  Stt'iibock.  for  the  cities  of  .Maliiio  and  IFclsiiis;- 
borg,  respectively.  For  tlie  Kussiaii  ministry  of  war  Xilsson  desif^ned 
a  collection  of  plastic  figures  to  be  part  of  the  Russian  exhibit  at  Paris 
in  1!)00.  The  aforesaid  l)iidical  gallery,  which  was  executed  by  Xilsson 
and  his  instructor,  I'rof.  Berg,  was  taken  abroad  after  the  close  of  the 
Stockholm  Exposition  and  exhibited  for  a  season  in  Ilelsingfors.    There, 


v?.'^ 


> 
^ 


\,^'r>r-J^'  \IJ ■- 


t^-- 
/_^^"i» 


Justice,  Law  and  Bondage.     Decorative  Group  by  Carl  J.  Nilsson 

as  iu  the  Swedish  capital,  it  attracted  great  interest,  while  in  American 
cities  it  met  with  a  rather  indifferent  reception. 

Henning'    Ryden 

Henning  Ryden,  born  in  Blekinge,  Sweden,  in  1869,  the  son  of  a 
schoolmaster,  was  thrown  on  his  own  resources  early  in  life  and 
learned  the  engraver's  art.     At  this  he  worked  in  Stockholm  and  Co- 


866 


ART    AND   ARTISTS 


penhageii,  devoting  his  leisure  moments  to  art  studies.  In  1891  he 
crossed  the  ocean,  and  at  the  World's  Fair  in  Chicago  he  had  an  ex- 
hibition of  artistically  engraved  medals  of  the  presidents  of  the  United 
States.  Finding  little  demand  for  this  kind  of  work  in  this  country, 
Ryden  gradually  turned  his  attention  to  sculpture,  and  later  turned 
from  sculpture  to  painting.  Following  the  pursuit  of  art  studies  iu 
Paris,  Berlin  and  London,  he  located  in  Cliicago  and  made  a  reputation 


IK-nninij    R\)K''ii 


as  one  of  llic  most  skillliil  iiifdal  ciigravi-rs  in  the  West.  For  a  time 
he  devoted  liiiiisclf  to  relief  portraiture  in  phi<|ues  and  lironzes, 
I)ro(liieiiig  a  laiiiiher  of  excellent  specimens  of  such  work. 

In  late  years  liardjy  an  exliihition  lias  taken  place  in  Chicago  at 
wiiicli  Kydeii  lias  iu)t  bee!i  represented  witli  one  or  more  luiinliiigs. 
Al  the  e.xliiliition  of  Amcrieiui  i)aiiiters  at  the  Art  Institute  in  \W\ 
three  of  Hyden's  pictures,  "'i'he  JMlire  of  the  Woods",  ".\utunui 
Tones",  and  "Tlie  Close  of  l)ji\  "'.  wert'  the  objects  of  much  favornl)ie 
cimimeiit.  'IMie  siuriiiier  seasons  tlie  artist  spends  in  Wisconsin.  nud<ing 
slvclehes  for  canvases,  which  are  later  finished  in  time  for  tiie  winter's 
exiiiliil  ions. 


ARVID    I'.    NYIIOI.M 


867 


Arvid   F.  Nyholm 

Arvid  Nyholm  is  a  pupil  of  Anders  Zoi-ii.  whose  scliool  in  Rtock- 
holm  he  entered  aftei'  studying  for  more  than  two  years  at  the  Royal 
Academy  of  Fine  Ai'ts,  In  the  fall  of  1891  Nyholm  eame  to  the  United 
States  and  located  in  New  York  City.  For  twelve  years  he  maintained 
a  studio  there,  devoting  himself  both  to  portrait  and  landscape  paint- 
ing.   His  canvases  were  frequently  seen  at  the  exhibitions  of  the  New 


Arviil  F.   Nvholin 


York  Water  Color  Society  and  the  National  Academy  of  Design. 

In  October,  lf)03,  ^Ir.  Nyholm  removed  to  Chicago,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  Here  he  has  taken  part  in  all  the  ditferent  exhibitions 
of  water  colors  and  oil  paintings  at  the  Art  Institute.  He  is  a  popular 
member  of  the  Palette  and  Chisel  Club  of  Chicago. 

In  his  personality  Mr.  Nyholm  is  a  combination  of  northern  rigor 
and  strength  and  the  sanguine  fire  of  the  south.  The  same  traits  are 
reflected  in  liis  art.     Before  leaving  Sweden,   Nvholm  was  a  skillful 


868 


ART   AM)    ARTISTS 


watiT  color  artist,  ami  tu-day  lie  is  a  ri'i'oj<iiizt'd  inastt-r  in  this  liiu'  of 
work.  His  portraits  and  landscapes  in  oil  display  the  genuine  art  in- 
.stinet.  coupletl  witii  technic  of  a  high  order. 

Ar\  id  F.  Nyholni  is  a  native  of  the  Swedish  capital,  wiiere  he  was 
born  in  186fi.  the  son  of  the  manager  of  the  Central  printing  establish- 


2 


< 


f 


incnt.  ll.iving  linislicd  collc'/c.  he  entered  tlie  Ixoyal  Technical  High 
School  in  188t),  hi.s  father  intending  to  make  an  architect  of  him. 
Draftsmanship  did  not  ap|)eal  to  the  young  man's  taste,  however,  and 
in  a  year  lie  left  to  enter  the  employ  of  Urolin,  a  scene  painter.  In  the 
meantime  Nyholm  took  |ii'iv;itc  lessons  in  drawing  l"i-oni  (Icisia  tJrelil. 
])reparatory  to  entering  the  .\caclemy  of  Fine  .\rts. 


HUGO    VON    HOl-STKN 


869 


Hugo   von    Hofsten 

In  1885.  at  the  age  of  twenty,  IIuko  vmi  llofsti'ii  caiiu'  to  the 
United  States,  equipped  with  an  art  education  aiMiuired  in  the  studios 
and  art  schools  of  Stockholm.  In  18!t()  we  find  him  on  the  staff  of 
illu.strators  of  the  New  York  Graphic.  After  three  years  lie  came  to 
Chicago   and    was   successively    emi)loye(l    on    the    Evening;    Tost,    the 


Hugo  von  Hofsten  and  Cliild 

Journal  and  the  Tribune,  until  1895.  when  he  took  a  position  as  head 
of  the  illustrating  department  of  the  Times-Herald.  "When,  after  six 
years,  there  was  a  change  in  the  ownership  and  name  of  the  paper,  Hof- 
sten was  supplanted  by  another  man.  but  contiinied  as  a  member  of  the 
illustrators"  staff,  remaining  until  IBOti. 

Mr.  Hofsten  excels  in  the  line  of  portraiture,  of  which  he  has  made 
a  specialty.  Aside  from  the  routine  work  in  tlie  illustrating  depart- 
ment of  a  great  newspaper,  he  has  devotetl  liimself  to  legitimate  art. 
The  result  has  appeared  in  the  form  of  wash  drawings  and  oil  paint- 


870  -\KT    ANO    ARTISTS 

ings,  sliciwii  at  various  local  art  exhibitions.  Ilofsten  has  tried  his 
hand  successfully  at  illustrating  juvenile  books.  His  pictures  for  the 
"^lother  Goose  Jungle  Hook",  published  some  years  back,  betrayed  a 
sense  of  humor  as  keen  in  the  artist  as  in  the  author. 

Hugo  von  Ilofsten  comes  from  a  family  ennobled  in  1726.  He  was 
born  in  Verniland.  in  186").  his  father  being  a  large  manufacturer  in 
Karlskoga.  Many  of  the  family  have  attained  positions  of  high  honor 
in  the  state,  others  have  made  a  name  for  themselves  in  commerce  and 
the  industries.  Still  others  have  devoted  themselves  to  literary  pur- 
suits. Among  the  latter  is  J.  C.  von  Hofsten.  an  authoress  who  has  en- 
riched the  literature  of  Sweden  with  many  delightful  sketches  and 
stories  of  life  in  the  province  of  Verniland. 

Charles    Edward   Hallberg 

Charles  E.  Hallljcrg  has  acipiired  considerable  fame  as  a  marine 
I)ainter  under  the  name  of  "the  janitor-artist".  In  1!)00  he  had  his 
first  picture  accepted  by  the  Chicago  Art  Institute,  and  since  that  time 
his  marines  have  graced  every  art  exhibition  in  Chicago. 

The  encouragement  given  him  by  two  great  artists,  Alexander  II. 
Harrison  and  Anders  Zorii.  furnished  Hallberg  the  impetus  to  take  \ip 
jiaiiitiiig  as  a  profession — alongside  of  his  work  as  janitor  in  a  bank 
and  apartment  Imildini,'  in  llic  suluirl)  of  Austin. 

T)al)l)lintr  with  colors  since  a  boy.  Hallberg  sought  to  fasten  his 
nicniorics  of  the  sea  on  canvas.  Seventeen  years  of  service  before  the 
mast  iijiil  tau!,dit  him  all  the  moods  and  foibles  of  the  ocean.  Andiitious 
to  earn  a  little  extra  money,  he  began  to  copy  a  little  marine  sketch 
by  the  late  Edward  .Moran,  of  Philadelphia.  Hut  when  it  was  tinished. 
the  self-taught  aitist  was  sadly  disappointed  with  his  work  and,  throw- 
ing down  the  canvas,  vowed  never  to  touch  ]>aints  again. 

Yel  the  next  day  a  newspaper  item  changed  his  purpose.  It  stated 
that  Anders  Zorn  was  visiting  the  family  of  Charles  Deering  in  Evans- 
ton.  IIalll)erg  at  once  determined  to  sul)mit  his  ca.sc  to  the  great 
Swedish  master.  Putting  the  Moran  copy  under  his  arm,  with  another 
little  attempt  at  painting,  he  set  out  for  the  Dei-ring  mansion.  There 
the  liveried  servants  informed  him  that  Zorn  was  away  for  the  day. 
While  the  two  were  talking,  a  guest  rode  up  i>n  a  bicycle.  "There's 
Alexander  Harrison.  He's  a  i)ainter.  Why  <lon't  you  ask  him.  as  Mr. 
Zorn  is  not  here?"  urged  the  servant.  Hallberg  looked  first  at  his 
skelehes.  then  at  his  mean  apparel,  and  shook  his  head  in  hesitation. 
I'"iiially  he  consented  to  send  word  in  to  Mi'.  Harrison,  and  in  a  few 
miiiiiti-s  the  Mi'tisl  came  (Iowm.  .\sked  to  look  at  the  sketches,  he  .said 
he  had  not  time,  llalllierg  iiisistctl.  only  to  srel  no  foi-  an  answer.  When 
the  lilllc  janitor  lui'ned  away  in  disappointment,  the  artist   finally  re- 


CHARI.KS    IC.    HAI.I.HICRC. 


871 


k 


Icnfed.  calling  him  back  with  the  words,  "Come  on,  then,  I'll  look  at 
your  sketches."  He  looked,  not  a  second,  but  for  several  minutes,  and 
said,  "There's  good  in  this  stuff.    Oo  on,  paint." 

Encouraged  by  the  commendation  of  Alexander  Harrison,  Mr. 
Hallberg  still  craved  the  approval  of  his  fellow  countryman,  the  famous 
Zorn.  Again  he  sought  the  Deering  home.  This  time  lie  found  a  house 
party  in  possession.  Leaving  his  sketches  at  the  carriage  house,  Hall- 
berg timidly  went  up  to  the  house  and  sent  in  for  Mr.  Zorn.  The  re- 
nowned artist  came  out  to  meet  the  unknown,  and  the  two  greeted 
each  other  in  the  mother  tongue. 


Charles  Edward  Hallberg 

"Would  the  great  Zorn  see  the  sketches  of  the  humble  janitor?" 
The  great  Zorn  would.  But  the  sketches  were  at  the  carriage  house. 
No  matter — the  two  went  there  together,  and  Hallberg  displayed  his 
treasured  pictures.  Zorn  looked  at  them  a  long  time,  then  said,  "There 
is  good  stuff  in  you.  Keep  on — paint."  It  was  the  advice  of  IMr.  Har- 
rison over  again. 

Hallberg  told  of  his  rare  fortune.  It  reached  the  ears  of  a  Chicago 
editor  with  artistic  tendencies  and  human  sympathy,  and,  he  brought 
Hallberg  to  the  notice  of  the  public.  Some  of  his  pictures  were  sold 
for  small  sums,  and  finall.v  the  attention  of  the  Art  Institute  oft'icials 
•was  directed  to  the  artistic  janitor. 

Mr.  French,  the  director,  was  induced  to  ask  Hallberg  to  bring  in 
some  of  his  work.  He  at  once  recognized  the  merit  and  strength  of  the 
untutored  artist.    This  was  in  Februarv,  1901.     It  was  then  too  late  to 


872 


ART    AND    ARTISTS 


iiK'huli'  Ilalllierg's  pii-ture  in  the  annual  exhibition  of  the  Chicago 
artists,  yet  so  impressed  was  Mr.  French  with  his  canvas.  "The  Open 
Sea",  that  a  special  arranpement  was  made,  whereby  this  picture  was 
hung  in  the  room  of  old  masters.  There  it  attracted  great  attention 
and  was  finally  sold  for  $150. 


o 
a 


Willi  iIlls  iini»iii.s.  lliilllicr^'  \wiil»tii  iit  lii.s  <ii.s.  I  (\.i\  .sjiare  mo- 
ment. ,iiul  the  next  spring  sent  nine  pictures  to  tile  institute  for  com- 
petitiiin.  'I'lii'ee  (if  these  were  admitted  to  the  exiiiiiitioii.  They  are 
entitled,  "|)a\vii  at  Sea  0\\  the  Coast  of  France",  painted  from 
memory,  with  the  aid  td'  n  sketch  made  on  shipboard  while  .Mr.  Hall- 


CHARi.KS  i:.  iiAi,i,in-:Ra 


873 


berg  was  a  sailor;  "A  Summer  Day  on  Lake  Michigan",  showing  the 
plai'id  beauty  and  vivid  cohiriug  of  the  groat  fresh  water  sea,  basking 
in  tiie  suinnuT  sun;  and  "Sunrise  on  Lake  Micliigau",  a  eanvas  of  del- 
icate coloring  and  deft  handling. 

"Summer  Day  on  Lake  Michigan"  was  exhibited  at  the  St.  Tiouis 


o 
3 


n 


Exposition  in  1904.  It  was  sold  to  a  private  eolleetor  to  be  presented 
to  the  Art  Gallery  of  Oakland,  ("al.  In  the  spring  of  1906  Mr.  Hallberg 
liad  a  .separate  exhibition  of  forty-one  pictures  in  one  of  the  rooms  at 
the  Art  Institute.  They  were  all  marines — Hallberg  can  paint  water 
and,   except  for  an   occasional   fishing  smack   or  schooner,   he   paints 


874  ■^'^''"    ■^^''*   ARTISTS 

nothiiiK  else.  Here  was  a  splendiil  opportunity  to  judge  of  the  artist's 
work.  The  variety  of  canvases  was  unusual,  showing  coloring  and 
light  eft'ects  under  the  varying  aspects  of  the  day.  the  clime  and  the 
seasons.  Having  painted  entirely  according  to  his  own  art  instinct  for 
several  years,  Hallberg,  after  having  had  his  work  accepted  by  the  Art 
Institute,  set  to  work  to  gain  an  understanding  of  the  craft  of  other 
painters — Woodbury,  Ilonter  Richards,  Harrison  and  Whistler — as 
shown  in  their  canvases.  This  study  has  helped  him  to  a  better  defini- 
tion of  his  talent,  and  so  positive  has  been  his  own  personality,  that  in 
no  instance  may  a  picture  be  said  to  reflect  the  style  of  another 
limn.  Thus,  in  a  little  over  five  years  this  artist  has  made  such 
progress  as  to  acquire  a  national  reputation.  Among  his  later  pictures, 
which  tend  to  illustrate  the  advance  made  by  him,  may  be  mentioned, 
"Summer  Morning",  a  study  in  opalescent  water  and  morning  mists, 
"Morning  After  the  Storm",  with  ragged  clouds  and  angry  breakers 
giving  way  to  approaching  calm;  "Ocean  Wave",  imparting  a  sense 
of  the  vasty  deep;  "Tlic  Coming  Storm".  "In  the  Teeth  of  the  Gale", 
"Off  the  Lsle  of  Wight",  "Returning  Fishermen",  now  owned  by  the 
Clio  Association  of  Chicago;  "Evening  at  Sea".  "Moonlight  S]jin", 
"Storm  on  the  Sea  of  Galilee".  "Summer  Evening  on  the  Atlantic", 
and  "A  Northeaster  on  Lake  Michigan." 

In  1008  Mr.  Ilallherg's  paintings  were  exhibited  for  two  weeks  in 
the  art  rooms  of  JMarsiiall  Field  &  Co.  in  Chicago.  Among  iiurclm-sers 
was  Mr.  A.  E.  Johnson,  of  New  York,  who  added  three  of  Hallberg's 
marines  to  his  extensive  private  collection.  Another  was  purchased 
for  the  Field  art  departnuMit. 

At  the  outset,  Hallberg,  in  a  stufl'y  little  basement  den.  far  from 
the  pounding  breakers  aiul  the  rolling  surf,  painted  the  ocean  of  his 
youth,  as  memory  brought  again  the  salt  breeze  to  his  nostrils  and  the 
dashing  spray  and  tumbling  brine  to  his  sight.  Of  late,  however,  he 
has  worked  mostly  in  the  open  air.  with  his  easel  planted  on  some 
coiiiiiiiiiKling  ixiiiit  •■ilong  the  sliorcs  of  Ijuke  Michigan. 

FranK   A.   Lundahl 

In  point  of  prior-ity  among  Swedish-American  artists  of  Illinois, 
Frank  A.  Ijundahl,  of  Moliiie.  111.,  has  a  place  next  to  the  early  artists, 
the  two  Hlombergsons  and  Almini.  He  is  best  known  as  a  i)ainter  of 
altai'  i)ic(cs  being  one  of  the  earliest  in  that  class  of  artists  in  the  West. 
In  treatment  ■•uid  coloring  these  works  betray  a  generous  measure  of  tal- 
ent, but  his  figures  frciiuently  are  disproportionate,  showing  a  lack  of 
that  training  which  might  have  placed  him  in  the  first  rank  of  llliiuiis 
artists  of  the  Swedish  Mat  ioti.ilit\\ 


John  Paul  Jones.     Statuette  by  Jean   I,e\'eau 


Tlu 


\ikiiin.     'IVrni  Colla  SlalmlU-  l.y  Jia.i   I.fVcau 


JANSSON     STROM  877 

Luiidiihrs  \V()rl\  in  crayon  and  oil  li.ii  hvcw  seen  at  innncrons  oc- 
casions both  ill  Jlolinc  anil  ('lnca'j:ii.  I'>y  li-atlc  a  decorator.  .Mr.  Ijnn- 
dalil  displays  great  skill  in  tliat  line,  combininj;  ci'altsnianslii|i  with 
frcnins. 

Alfred  Jansson 

xVlfrcd  .lansson  canir  to  the  I'niti'd  States  ami  to  ('hicago  in  Ihu 
yoar  1S8!),  equipped  with  an  art  education  ac(|uired  in  the  schools  of 
Stockholm,  ("lu'istiaiiia  and  Paris.  Het'ore  Ions;,  he  became  recojjnized 
in  local  art  cirele.s  for  his  fine  landscape  work,  his  sul).iect  bein<4'  usually 


Frank  A.   Lundalil 


.\lfreil  Jaii.sson 


chosen  from  around  Chicago.  Jansson 's  canvases  have  hung  in  many 
annual  art  exhibitions  not  only  in  Chicago  but  in  Philadelphia,  St. 
Louis,  Denver  and  elsewhere.  One  of  the  striking  pictures  in  the  local 
exhibition  in  Chicago  in  1902  was  Jansson 's  "Winter  Approaching," 
which  was  purchased  by  the  Clio  .Association.  Mr.  Jansson  is  a  member 
of  several  organizations  of  artists,  including  the  Palette  and  Chisel 
Club. 

Gustaf  Adolf  Strom 

A  struggling  young  artist  of  Chicago  who  paints  wagons  for  bread 
and  pictures  to  satisfy  his  ideal  cravings  is  Gustaf  Adolf  Strom.  In 
1897  he  had  the  good  fortune  to  see  his  first  paintings  hung  in  the 
exhibition  of  American  artists  at  the  Art  Institute.  The  subjects  were, 
"The  Fisherman's  Hut"  and  "The  Suburb."  Since  then  he  has  been 
successful  in  having  his  work  accepted  for  almost  every  local  exhibition. 


878 


ART    AND    ARTISTS 


The  foUowinpr  iiaiiuHl  canvases,  most  of  which  have  heen  exhibited,  are 
some  of  his  liest :  "Early  Jloonrise."  "The  Old  Mansion  Gate," 
"Twilight  Tones."  "Autumn,  the  Sad  and  the  Gay,"  "The  Home- 
stead." "The  Dreamer's  Retreat"  and  "The  Golden  Hillside."  This 
lahorer-artist  has  qualities  whieh  have  gained  for  him  favorable  com- 
ment  in  various  newspapers  and  art  journals.     Strom  is  a  native  of 


C.ustaf  .\il<ilt   Sliiiii 

Swedrii.  Imni  III  Skilliiigiiiyd,  SmiiiIjukI.  .March  '2.  IST'J.  Not  until  he 
canic  to  Cliica'To  in  1S1I2  ilid  lie  lu'i,nn  to  devote  himself  to  art.  and  then 
only  ill  spare  niiimeiils.  .\s  the  lireadwiiiiiei'  lor  a  family  of  ten.  he  is 
ciiiiipclled  111  liirii  Ills  lalriil  111  practical  use.  wliile  following  ai'l  merely 

fill'  I  III'  liiNc  he  liears  it. 


()tlici-  artists  and  designers  whose  skill  may  well  lie  reeogni/ed  hut 
of  wlioni  there  is  little  to  lie  said  here,  are  (!ns  lliggins;  Mror  Julius 
Olson  .Nordfclt.  now  oti  the  stall'  of  illiistraturs  of  "Harper's  .Maga- 
zine;" August  Swensoii.  who  was  in  Chicago  in  the  nineties  and  died 


3- 


B 

o' 

P 
> 

c 

d 


n 
o 


88o 


ART   AND    ARTISTS 


here  alxuit  IS'M  -.  Jean  LeVeau,  a  seiilptor.  wlio  spent  a  year  or  two  in 
Chiea^o;  JohaniK's  Anderson,  Ricliard  Swauson  and  Elmer  C.  Blonigreu, 
all  architi'i'tural  desifrners.  anil  one  DeMare,  of  whose  art  no  data  are 
available.  One  or  two  ehurehes  have  altar-pieces  painted  by  Ilifrgius, 
but  his  brush  was  employed  niueh  more  frequently  in  rendering 
attractive  the  interiors  of  Chicago's  ilrani  sho])s  and  cheap  musie  halls. 
In  the  years  just  prior  to  the  univei"sal  rei^n  of  the  halftone.  Iliggius 
held  lucrative  ]>i)sit ions  on  Chicago  dailies  as  an  illustrator.     He  had 


Tlie  Moniestcad.     Hv  tiustaf  \.  Strom 


marked  talent  as  a  skctchcr  of  jyoi-t raits  and  iias  drawn  many  cartoons 
and  comic  i)ictures  of  a  pi'culiariy  bizarre  type.  Tiie  picture  here 
shown,  entitled  "War  News."  is  pnil)ably  a  specimen  of  his  most  credit- 
able Work',  outside  of  jiortrail urc. 

Were  one  to  make  note  of  all  commercial  artists  and  of  tiiose 
persons  who  as  aiiialeur  painters  have  attained  a  fair  degree  of  skill 
in  handling  the  artist's  brusii  and  palette,  the  list  of  Swedish  artists  in 
Chicago  and  Illinois  would  bi'  materially  extended.  From  the  mural 
decorator  and  architectural  sculptor  it  is  n<it  a  far  cry  to  the  architect, 
and  in  the  fii'ld  of  archite<'ture  the  Swedish-.\Mierii'ans  iioast  ipiite  an 
arrav  oj'  masters  of  the  craft. 


War  News.     Wash   Drawing  bv  Gus  Higgins 


i 


882  ART    AND    ARTISTS 

Tbie  STvedish-AmerJcan    Art  Association 

Of  a  score  or  more  of  the  most  iiotat>le  Swedish  artists  in  the 
United  States,  the  majority  have  been  located  in  Chicago  for  a  greater 
or  lesser  period  of  time.    A  desire  on  their  part  to  conserve  their  com- 


s. 


I 


mon  interests  prompted  tlie  orjiaiii/.ation  of  the  Swedisli-Ameriean  Art 
Asso<'iii1i(in  of  Cliicajjo.  At  tlic  initiative  of  Carl  .lohan  Nilsson,  a 
sculi)tiir.  tile  ;issi)ci;il  idii  was  i'oriiifd  Fi'liriiary  17.  lIHIo,  and  Nilsson 
was  clioscii  its  lirst  president,  in  tiic  fall  of  the  same  year  liie  as.socia- 
tion  felt  strong  and  eontitleiit  enoiigii  to  arrange  an  art  exhibition  of 
its  own.  So  great  was  the  interest  in  tlicir  enterprise,  that  the  exhibi- 
tion was  kept  open  nne  week  over  the  allotted  time,  or  from  October 
23rd  to  November  lltli.  it  was  a  small  bnt  choice  collection  that  was 
placed  on  view.  cdMiprising  ciirhty  nnndicrs  in  all.  seventy-two  of  which 
were  bj'  Swedisii  .\nierieiin  and  eight  i)y  Sw»'dish  artists. 


THIv    I.INXR    MOXfMKNT 


883 


Tlie  siu'coss  iitti'iKliiij^  the  ('.\liil)itiiiii.  led  Mr.  Nilsscm  iiiid  his  col- 
leagues to  plan  their  next  exhihitioii  on  a  larger  scale.  An  invitation 
was  accordingly  extended  to  the  Swedish  Society  of  Artists  at  Stock- 
holm to  participate  in  such  an  exhibition,  at  the  Chicago  Art  Institute, 
in  the  fall  of  lOOU,  hut  circumstances  placed  obstacles  in  the  way. 

The    Linne    Monument 

In  the  middle  eighties,  after  the  Linci>ln  statue  IukI  lieen  erected 
in  Lincoln  Park,  and  the  Chicago  Germans  had  given  like  tribute  to 


'J 


./ 


Group  of  Chililreii.     Portrait  Plaque  by  Henniut;   Ryden 


the  memory  of  Schiller,  while  the  Danes  were  planning  a  statue  of 
Hans  Christian  Andersen,  the  idea  of  rearing  a  monument  to  Carl  von 
Linne  was  brought  up  for  serious  consideration  by  the  Swedish- 
Americans  of  Chicago.  Discussion  matured  into  action,  and  on  the  7th 
of  June,  1887,  a  meeting  was  held,  when  the  first  step  toward  the  organ- 
ization of  the  Linne  ^lonument  Association  was  taken.     On  this  occa- 


884 


ART    AND    ARTISTS 


sion  C.  J.  Sumlell  iircsided  and  ('.  F.  Peterson  aeted  as  secretary.  At 
a  subsc(|ut'nt  nieetiu";  to  conipk'te  the  organization.  45  directors  were 
elected  and  a  constitution  and  by-laws  adojjted.  According  to  a  rule 
subsof(Ui'iitly  adopted,  any  nieiiiber  became  a  diri't-tor  upon  donating 
a  mininiuiii  sum  of  twent.x-fivc  (billars  to  the  cause.  At  the  first  meet- 
ing of  thi'  directors,  hcbl  -Inly  2(jth,  these  officers  were  elected:  Job. 


I.iiiii^'.      riasU-r  from   .Mail>li'  l)y  Chrislian   Mrikssim   in    Nalioiial    Miisi-iiin  of 
Stoi-klii)liii.      I'lvsi-iiUil   Id  till'  .\rl   Insliliite  of  ClliniKo  liy   1'.  S,    IVtiTMin 


A.  Knander.  presiilml  ;  ('.  .1.  Siindcll.  luilierl  Lindbloni.  I'.  S.  IVterson, 
O.  G.  Ijanfje.  1'.  .M .  .Miiiiiii.  .Vudrew  Ciiaiser  and  !'.  \V.  N'ilsson,  vice 
presidi'iils ;  liuwreiiee  llesselroth,  i-eeording  secretary;  \'ietor  Ten>t- 
wald.  euri-espoiidinjr  secretary;  11.  I'.  Hrusewilz,  ('.  Kkiuiul,  assistant 
secretaries;  ('.  Wideslrand.  financial  secretary;  John  !{.  Lindjiren. 
treasurer.  Dr.  .losua  Lindidil  was  eb^cled  tlu'  lirsl  iionorary  mendier 
of  the  assDcial  ion. 


Kiiiji  Oscar  H.     liu^t  in   Plaster  by  Carl  J.   Xilsson 


886  ART    AND    ARTISTS 

A  call  for  public  contributions  was  issued  in  August,  and  Kl.OOO 
membership  diplomas  were  printed,  to  l)e  awarded  to  all  persons  sub- 
sfriljin^  at  least  one  dollar  to  the  monument  fund.  The  same  year 
four  of  Chicago's  Swedish  writers,  viz.,  Joh.  A.  Enander,  C.  F.  Peter- 
son, Jakob  Bonggren  and  Ernst  Lindblom,  published  a  volume  of  their 
verse,  entitled  "Linnea",  which  was  sold  for  the  benefit  of  the  fund. 

The  enterprise  was  of  national  scope,  and  no  less  than  five 
liiiudred  solicitors  were  appointed  tiiroughout  the  United  States.  The 
Swedish-Americans  in  the  East  wanted  the  monument  erected  in  New 
York,  those  in  the  Northwest,  in  Minneapolis,  and  other  locations  were 
suggested,  and  when  the  Swedes  of  Chicago,  wlio  originated  the  plan, 
and  took  the  first  active  measures  towards  its  realization,  refused  to 
yield,  it  was  left  largely  to  themselves  to  carry  the  imdertaking  through 
to  success. 

The  work  of  raising  the  money  was  vigorously  pashed  in  1888. 
Three  public  entertainments,  given  in  Chicago,  each  netted  over  one 
thousand  dollars,  and  others  yielded  sums  running  into  the  hundreds. 

The  proposed  monument  was  to  be  a  replica  of  the  statue  of  Linne. 
modeled  by  C.  J.  Dyfverman  and  erected  in  Tlumlegarden,  in  Stock- 
holm. In  November,  1888,  the  association  let  the  contract  to  Otto 
Meyer  &  Co.,  of  Stockholm,  for  the  easting  of  the  main  figure  of  the 
monument.  Prom  the  sculptor  a  new  model,  with  such  improvements 
as  art  critics  had  suggested,  was  ordered  for  the  sum  of  it.OOO  crowns. 
The  bronze  figure  was  to  cost  28,000  crowns.  The  jilan  was  to  sub- 
stitute jardinieres  for  the  four  allegorical  female  figures  of  the  Stock- 
holm monument,  but  this  was  abandoned,  and  the  directors  decided 
to  make  the  replica  complete.  Tlierehy  they  incurred  an  additional 
outlay  of  4,000  crowns  for  models  of  the  allegorical  figures  and  relief 
panels,  and  30,000  crowns  for  the  easts,  making  a  total  of  fi2,000 
crowns  for  the  statue  and  accessories,  not  including  the  cost  of  the 
ornate  granite  pedestal. 

In  Marcli,  1880,  Dr.  Enander  resigned  the  pn>sidency  and  was 
succeeded  by  Koljert  Lindl)h)in,  wlio  retired  one  year  later  to  go  abroad. 
Much  work  still  remained  to  be  done,  before  the  monument  could  be 
completed,  and  this  was  done  under  tlie  direetion  of  .\ndrew  Chaiser 
as  acting  president. 

Finally,  sufficienf  fniids  were  at  liand  to  liave  llie  main  statue 
erected,  leaving  the  auxiliary  tigures  and  decorative  details  to  be 
added  at  a  later  dale.  Tlie  heroic  bronze  figure  arrived,  was  mounted 
on  its  gray  granite  pedestal,  and  on  May  2H,  18!ll,  the  184th  anniver- 
sary of  the  birth  of  the  Swedish  "Flower  King",  the  monument  was 
unveiled  with  appropriate  ceremonies  in  the  ]iresenee  of  a  great  eon- 
course  of  Sw<Mlish-Anierieans. 


MNXK    MO.NTMKNT 


887 


The  association  continued  to  raise  funds  up  to  July,  IS'Xi,  when 
the  subscriptions  had  readied  a  total  of  $18,i)7(),  or  a  little  more  than 
70,000  crowns.  It  appears  that  l>y  ciiniinatiu^'  the  bronze  reliid's  and 
reducing  the  estimates,  the  total  cost  of  the  nioniiinciit  was  brought 
within  that  limit. 

The  monument  to  Carl  von  Linne,  located  near  the  conservatories 
iind  tlower  gardens  in  Lincoln  Park,  is,  next  to  the  (J rant  mdiiuiiient, 
the  most  imjjosing  one  in  Chicago.  A  photograi)hic  reproduction  of 
this  fine  example  of  Swedish  pla-stic  art  fittingly  serves  as  the  frontis- 
piece of  this  volume. 


.V 

■1 


CHAPTER    XV 


Organizations 


The    Svea    Society 

HE  pii)ii((i-  of  Swedish- Ameriuan  social,  fraternal  and 
bc'iiefii-iary  or;raiiizatioiis  is  tlie  Svea  Soeiety,  of  Chicago, 
wliich  ill  January,  1907.  celeliratcd  its  fiftieth  auniver- 
sary.  In  response  to  a  growing  demand  among  the  uon- 
cliiirchl.v  clement  for  a  society  of  Swedish  ("hicagoans, 
organized  on  a  fraternal  basis  alone,  C.  J.  Sundell.  the  Swedish  vice 
consid.  issued  a  geiu^ral  call  for  a  preliminary  meeting  to  he  held 
Jan.  22,  IS.")?,  in  Hoffman  Hall  on  North  Clark  street,  to  discuss  the 
project.  The  1ciiij)orary  officers  of  the  meeting  were,  C.  J.  Stolhrand. 
cliairniaii.  C.  J.  Sundell,  secretary,  and  C.  F.  Hillings,  treasurer.  Jfr. 
Sundell  called  attention  to  the  need  of  an  organization  sucii  as  liad 
been  privately  talked  of.  the  purpose  of  which,  he  said,  shcuild  be  to 
strive  for  the  education  and  cnnohlcnient  of  its  mendicrs  by  means  of 
good  ciili'i'lainniciils  and  Ihc  collection  and  maintenance  of  a  library, 
and  to  render  every  assistance  to  the  Swcilish  ])eoplc  in  the  city.  Their 
plan  met  with  general  favor  and  a  society  was  immediately  organized, 
to  he  known  as  Svea.  The  temporary  officers  were  made  jiernjanent. 
A  constitution  and  by-laws  ado]>led  at  a  sidisc(|ucnt  mcetinsi  embodied 
the  jilans  and  pin'|ioses  of  the  society  mainly  as  outlined  at  the  organ- 
ization  meeting. 

In  Deecmlicr  of  tiic  same  year  the  society  arranged  its  first  public 
entertainment,  a  fair,  when  tiic  smn  (d"  $1.S()  was  realized  for  the 
purchase  of  l)ooks.  Shortly  before.  Rev.  l^nonius  of  the  St.  Ansgarius 
Church  had  doiuiti'd  a  small  collection  of  hooks,  to  which  later  wjus 
ailded  a  collection  (U-igiiuiily  nn'aiil  for  the  churcii.  Thus,  a  library  of 
four  hinulred  vohuncs  was  secured.     The  leading  Swedish  daily  news- 


SVKA    SOCIKTY 


889 


paper,  "Aftoiihlailct"  of  Stocklioliii,  was  kept  at  a  cost  of  no  loss  than 
$56.00  per  year,  until  the  price  to  the  society  was  reduced  by  one-half 
through  the  kind  offices  of  Mr.  Ilellberg,  Swedish  director  of  posts 
at  Hamburg.    Other  i)apers  from  Sweden  were  secured  at  less  cost. 

The  meetings  during  the  first  year  were  held  in  P.  M.  Almini's 
building  on  Kiuzie  street,  then  for  several  years  in  the  Newberry  build- 


Charles  J.  Sundell 


ing,  at  Wells  and  Kinzie  streets,  subsequently  in  the  German  Hall  on 
"Wells  street  and  in  1868  the  society'  removed  to  45  N.  Clark  street, 
where  it  was  located  at  the  time  of  the  great  fire. 

During  the  first  seven  years  Stolbrand  and  Sundell  alternated 
as  presiding  officers,  while  F.  E.  af  Jocknick  served  as  librarian.  .V 
beneficiary  provision  was  early  added  to  the  by-laws,  granting  mem- 
bers a  sick  benefit  of  $5  per  week  during  illness.  In  1859  Svea  procured 
its  first  banner,  costing  $130. 


890  ORGANIZATIONS 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  a  number  of  the  members  of 
the  Svea  Society  enlisted,  joining  the  Swedish  corps  under  Captain 
Silfversparre.  known  as  the  Silfversparre  Rattcry.  While  encamped 
at  Savannah  after  the  victorious  battle  of  Atlanta,  the  battery  was 
given  a  furlough  and  the  Swedish  boys  went  home  for  a  brief  visit. 
They  were  given  an  enthusiastic  reception  in  Chicago,  and  a  festival 
arranged  in  their  honor  l)y  Swedish  ladies  was  held  at  German  Hall. 
On  this  occasion  a  flag  of  blue  satin,  on  which  was  embroidered  the 
American  eagle  and  the  names,  Shiloh.  Vicksburg  and  Atlanta,  was 
presented  to  the  battery,  the  presentation  speech  being  made  by  Miss 
Lena  Larson.    This  highly  cherished  trophy  was  burned  in  1871. 

In  1866  0.  G.  Lange  during  a  visit  to  Sweden  procured  an  addi- 
tion to  the  library,  comprising  500  volumes  and  sundry  art  portfolios, 
a  large  part  of  these  being  donations  from,  the  royal  family.  The 
society  now  owned  a  library  of  one  thousand  volumes.  In  consideration 
of  his  valuable  services.  Captain  Lange  was  elected  an  honorary  member 
and  presented  with  a  jewel-studded  gold  medal.  The  greatest  loss 
sustained  by  the  Svea  Society  in  the  Chicago  fire  was  the  total  destruc- 
tion of  this  valuable  library. 

During  the  famine  year  of  1867  in  Northern  Sweden  the  society 
sent  7,000  crowns  to  the  sufferers,  that  being  the  net  proceeds  of  a  fair 
arranged  by  Svea  in  the  face  of  considerable  opposition  from  the 
Swedisli  churches  who,  while  favoring  the  cause,  disapproved  of  the 
method. 

~.  The  same  year  Svea.  with  commendable  enterprise,  undertook  the 
foiuiding  of  an  emigrant  hotel  or  honu'  for  the  care  and  protection  of 
Swedish  newcomers.  After  the  close  of  the  war  Swedish  immigration 
to  this  country  greatly  increased,  reaching  the  floodtide  mark  in  the 
years  1866  to  1870.  There  was  a  large  and  steady  influx  to  Chicago, 
which  served  as  a  distributing  point  for  the  entire  west  and  northwest. 
These  people  were  an  easy  prey  to  a  class  of  swindlers  ternu'd  emigrant 
runners,  self-appointed  "agents,"  who  met  the  unsuspecting  newcomers 
at  the  trains  and,  representing  themselves  as  guides,  advisers  and 
friends,  sought  to  fleece  them  at  every  turn.  Some  were  the  paid 
emissaries  of  steamship  companies,  others  were  in  league  with  hotel 
and  boarding  house  keepers,  while  still  others  operated  on  their  own 
accounl.  Iliiiiilrcds  upon  hundreds  of  innocents  were  tiuis  swindled 
in  the  most  lirazcn  fashion,  these  sharks  and  vultures  attacking  their 
victims  opcidy  and  fearlessly,  midcr  the  guise  of  olTicialdom  or  pliilan- 
thi-iipy. 

After  flourishing  for  several  years  the  system  grew  intolerable  and 
public  opinion  was  ai-onsed.  The  rascals  were  denoiniced  at  mass 
meetings  and  in  lln'  press.  Isidor  KjellliiTg  leading  the  attack  through 


SVKA    S()CI1-;TY 


891 


his  paper,  "Justitia,"  wliilc  "IIciiilaiKlct "  ami  "Xya  \'it1(1i-m"  iiiaiii- 
taiiu'd  a  steatly  firi'.  This  imhlii-  aiiti-i-umicr  raiii|iai^ii.  Imwcvcr.  was 
not  started  until  alidut  ISTI.  it  di-vdUcd  ii[iiin  tlio  various  church 
organizations  and  the  Svea  Soi-icty  to  aid  and  |)roteet  the  Swedish 
iiiiinigi'ants  long  before  that. 

The  pastors  had  taken  the  iiutiative  in  this  work.  Erland  Carlsson, 
Unonius  and  others  having  labored  arduously  for  the  welfare  of  the 
newcomers  ever  since  the  early  fifties.  The  Swedish  churches,  aided 
by  other  Scandinavians  and  several  Americans,  in  1867  built  an 
emigrant  home  where  newcomers  in  distress  were  lodged  and  fed  free 
of  charge.  They  also  maintained  an  agent,  invested  with  police 
authority,  to  keep  an  eye  on  the  runners  and  warn  immigrants  against 
them. 

Not  long  after,  the  Svea  Society  took  similar  measures.  The  prime 
mover  was  Charles  Eklund,  and  his  proposition  that  the  Svea  Society 
erect  and  maintain  an  emigrant  home  was  warmly  seconded.  A  cooper 
shop  at  Franklin  and  Ohio  streets  was  leased  and  remodeled  into  a 
lodging  for  Swedish  newcomers'and  S.  Triigardh  was  engaged  as  the 
society's  representative.  These  arrangements  were  merely  provisional. 
To  procure  funds  for  a  suitable  building  of  its  own  the  society  started 
a  general  subscription  which  netted  $2,500.  A  lot  was  purchased  at 
120  Illinois  street,  for  a  sum  of  $4,000  and  a  Iniilding  was  put  up  at 
an  equal  cost.  In  1869  thousands  of  immigrants  found  shelter  there. 
A  ladies'  auxiliary  was  organized  to  assist  in  raising  the  funds  needed 
to  house  and  feed  such  numbers.  During  the  same  year  seven  immi- 
grants were  provided  burial  and  87  were  sent  to  the  county  po(n-house. 

At  length  dissensions  over  this  laudable  but  expensive  enterprise 
arose  among  the  members  themselves  and  the  upshot  of  the  feud  was 
that  the  home  was  sold  for  the  benefit  of  the  creditors  on  Sept.  6,  1871, 
for  the  sum  of  $6,000,  only  to  be  reduced  to  ashes  one  month  later. 
About  this  time  the  society  numbered  300  members. 

The  gala  event  in  the  history  of  Svea  was  the  reception  tendered 
Christina  Nilsson,  the  renowned  Swedish  singer,  on  her  first  visit  to 
Chicago  in  December,  1870.  In  the  evening  of  the  22nd  a  great  national 
celebration  took  place  in  the  German  Theater  at  Wells  and  Indiana 
streets,  imder  the  auspices  of  Svea,  with  whose  committee  of  arrange- 
ments other  representative  persons  co-operated.  The  hall  was  crowded 
to  the  doors  by  men  and  women  who  had  cheerfully  paid  five  dollars 
for  admission.  The  great  singer  was  feted  in  splendid  style,  crowned 
with  a  golden  wreath,  given  homage  in  speech,  verse  and  song  and 
finally  toasted  at  a  banquet  board  spread  in  her  honor.  The  banquet 
was  followed  by  a  grand  ball.  Some  time  after,  the  arrangers  were 
chagrined  to  learn  that  the  wreath,  for  which  a  prominent  jewelry 
house  was  paid  $1,000.  was  not  genuine.    Nevertheless,  the  Svea  Society 


892 


ORGANIZATIONS 


liiid  cause  for  satisfaction  ami  pride  in  tlic  fai-t  that  the  affair  proved 
a  iiiiist  lirilliaiit  success.  This  was  tli<'  first  great  celebration  by  the 
Swedisli  ii(i])nlati((ii  in  Cliicairn. 

The  following  suniaier  Christina  Xilssou  gave  a  benefit  concert 
in  Chicago,  the  proceeds  of  which  were  to  be  divided  among  the  varioiis 
Swedish  fhurches  and  ttic  Svea  Society.    The  latter,  being  allotted  onlv 


h 


in 


<, 


/T 


Cliristiiia    Nilsson 


a  twelfth  part  of  the  iii'f  receipts,  the  directors  in  protest  against  what 
they  deemed  niggardly  and  ungrateful  treatment  refuset.1  to  accept 
their  share. 

In  1S72  Svea  rallied  from  the  stroke  dealt  it  by  the  great  fire. 
Its  meetings  were  held  in  various  halls  for  the  next  five  years,  ami 
thereafter  it  secured  ])ermaiu'nt  (piarters  at  Chicago  avenue  and  Larra- 
bee  street,  liy  1880  it  hMd  collected  a  new  library,  numberinur  over 
500  volumes,  in  charge  nl'  .\iich'rs  Larson,  who  had  served  as  librarian 


s\1':a  suciivTv 


893 


since  18G7.  The  iircsidciits  (hiriiii;  tlif  t'irsf  <ni;ii't('r  ci'iitury  of 
Svea's  existciii'c.  were:  Stiilln'aTid.  Suiidcll,  .1.  1*.  Iliissamlcr,  J.  A. 
Nilsoii,  Oseai'  .Malinlxir^.  ('.  lilaiixiiis.  Tli.  Kiigstrom,  C.  Stromberg. 
C.  F.  BilliiiiTs,  (Jcrluird  liarsoii,  ().  (J.  Laiiirc.  X.  Toi-gcrsoii,  Konrad 
Gothe,  Bergliiiid.  V.  M.  Aliiiiiii.  .1.  JI.  SclKliihi'ck.  Cylfr  Wol.vn.  ('.  (i. 
Linderborg,  A.  Aspmaii.  Svcn  Olin.  A.  J.  Woslniaii  and  Kiiiit  Xilsmi. 
The  Svea  Society  in  ISSl   |ii-o\i(l('d  f(ir  dcatli  lii'iicl'its  fdi-  its  iiieiii- 


Ar.ders     I, arson 


f~ 


bers.  The  twenty-fifth  aniiiver.sary  of  its  organization  was  eelebrated 
with  an  imposing  festival  Jan.  22,  1882.  Other  notable  data  of  its 
history  are.  the  sending  of  a  eongratnlatory  cablegram  to  A.  E.  Xorden- 
skiold,  the  Swedish  explorer  and  discoverer  of  the  northeast  passage, 
upon  his  reaching  Yokohama  in  1880,  and  the  election  of  Paul  B.  Dii 
Chaillu  an  honorary  member  upon  the  publication  in  1882  of  his  work 
entitled,  "The  Land  of  the  ilidnight  Sun."'  Xordenskiolil  sent  a  letter 
to  the  Svea  Society,  which  is  preserved  as  a  memento.  Since  1901  the 
societv  has  met  at  Schott's  ITall  on  Relmoiit  avenue,  where  its  librarv 


894  ORGANIZATIONS 

of  some  2.000  volumes  is  installed.  In  reeeiit  years  the  membership 
has  dwindled  tlowii  to  about  fifty. 

AmoufT  Svea's  earliest  inenil)ers  was  Anders  Larson,  one  of  the 
pioneer  Swedish  Chieagoaus.  He  came  to  the  United  States  in  1846 
and  then  located  in  Chicago  in.stead  of  going  to  Bi.shop  Hill  with  Erik 
Jan.sson's  party  with  which  he  crossed  the  ocean.  He  was  a  soda  water 
manufacturer  in  the  city  for  ten  years,  sub.sequently  locating  at  Jeffer- 
son as  a  farmer.  Larson  served  as  librarian  of  the  Svea  Society  from 
1867  until  about  1882.  He  was  born  June  11.  1801.  at  Torstuna.  We.st- 
manland.  Sweden,  and  died  in  Chicago  Sept.  1.  1884.  His  union  with 
Sarah  Brita  Martensdotter.  dating  from  182!).  was  blessed  with  eight 
children,  one  of  whom  is  ]\Irs.  Emma  L.  Peterson,  a  singer  who  won 
repute  in  the  '70s  and  '8()s.  When  Jenny  Lind  visited  America.  Mrs. 
Larson  and  Jlrs.  Uiionius  elicited  her  promise  to  give  a  benefit  concert 
for  the  St.  Ansgarius  Cluircli.  Illness  prevented  the  singer  from  keep- 
ing her  word,  but  the  action  of  the  two  ladies  i)aved  the  way  f<ir  Jenny 
Lind's  sulisequent  generous  gifts  to  this  church,  ilrs.  Larson  |)asseil 
away  Juno  18,  1898. 

The  latter  half  of  Svea's  existence  has  been  less  eventful  than  the 
first.  In  the  seventies  and  especially  in  the  eighties  quite  a  numlicr 
of  Swedish  organizations  of  similar  character  sprung  up,  dividing  the 
field  and  thereby  decreasing  Svea's  former  sphere  of  influence. 

Knox   Svea  Bildning'sforening 

Knox  Svea  Bildningsforening  was  the  name  of  a  literary  society 
that  was  formed  in  April.  1858,  and  existed  about  one  year.  Its  presi- 
dent and  secretary  were.  Sven  Peterson  and  Dan  J.  Ockcrson.  The 
undertaking  was  revived  in  December,  18H."),  by  the  organization  of 
Svea  Bildnings-  och  Liisefiirening,  whose  aim  was  identical,  namely,  to 
afford  opportmiity  for  self-develoi»ment  tiirougii  reading  ami  intel- 
lectual exercises,  lis  work  was  largely  along  popular  science  lines, 
and,  although  ojiposed  by  the  most  intolerant  church  mendiers  on  this 
account,  tiie  society  i)ersevered  until  1872.  when  it  succumbed.  It 
api)ears  that  Pehr  ]Mattson  was  jiresidcnt  and  Torkcl  Nilson  secretary 
duriii!,'  the  grcaler  part   of  its  existence. 

The    Freja    Society 

The  Freja  SoeiiMy  was  orgaiii/.ed  in  .Moline  in  Si'plciiibcr,  1S(>!I,  as  a 
social  and  bcncfiiiary  organization.  It  Hourislied  for  eight  years  and 
reaelied  a  riieinbersliip  of  about  one  hundred.  In  1S74,  witii  :f2,(>00  in 
the  treasury,  it  erected  its  own  liuilding,  at  a  cost  of  $,S.(l(l(t.  Tiie  debt 
thus  iiicuiTiil  proved  liKi  great  a  Imi'den.  and  in  1S77  thi'  hall  was 
sold  .'ind  III!'  Niii-ictv   dissiilvi'd.     Those  (if  the  most  ai'tixc  nn'nibers  who 


HARIA'   SOCIKTIKS  895 

served  as  president  were:  Joliii  A.  Samuels,  (lustaf  Swcnson,  C.  A. 
Westerdahl,  Andrew  Swanson,  F.  O.  Ekliind,  and  Kric  Asp.  Under 
the  auspices  of  Freja  was  organized  the  Moline  Swedish  Band,  which 
in  its  day  was  a  popular  musical  organizatimi  in  this  ])art  of  tlie  state. 

The    First   SwedisK    Lodg'e   of   Odd    Fello-ws,  No.  4  79 

The  First  Swedish  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  No.  479,  was  organized 
in  Chicago,  Feb.  22,  1872.  At  the  time  only  three  of  its  ten  original 
members  were  of  Swedish  birth,  but  when  the  lodge  liad  got  well  under 
way  the  others  withdrew.  The  lodge  grew  rapidly  to  an  average 
membership  of  150,  including  many  well-known  Swedish-American 
citizens  of  Chicago.  In  the  list  of  its  early  leaders  we  find  the  names 
of  P.  A.  Felt,  Henry  Allen,  J.  T.  Appleberg,  D.  W.  Modeen,  A.  L. 
Gyllenhaal,  John  Mountain,  P.  M.  Nelson,  P.  G.  Bowman,  Aug.  Nieman, 
E.  0.  Forsberg.  W.  T.  Eklund  and  Charles  J.  Strombeek. 

The  Scandinavian  Benevolent  Society 

A  beneficiary  fraternal  organization  known  as  the  Seandinavian 
Benevolent  Society,  antedating  the  Freja  Society,  was  formed  in 
Moline  in  1866  and  outlived  the  latter.  It  did  not  enjoy  so  vigorous 
a  growth,  having  attained  a  membership  of  but  70  during  the  first 
twelve  years  of  its  existence.  Its  finances  were  more  conservatively 
managed,  however,  the  funds  being  devoted  exclusively  to  the  original 
purpose  of  sick  benefits  and  funeral  aid. 

The  Independent  Order  of  Svithiod 

Organizations  similar  to  the  Svea  Society  were  formed  from  time 
to  time  among  the  Swedish  population  of  Chicago  and  other  com- 
munities in  Illinois,  but  not  imtil  the  '80s  did  the  idea  of  forming  a 
federated  body  of  Swedish  societies  or  lodges  patterned  after  the 
American  beneficiary  orders,  reach  the  point  of  realization. 

The  first  step  in  this  move  was  taken  by  one  Simon  Hallberg,  who 
took  the  initiative  in  the  organization  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Svithiod.  On  Dec.  3,  1880,  he  called  together  a  few  friends,  eight  in 
number,  who  took  favorably  to  the  plan  he  laid  before  them.  They 
then  and  there  constituted  themselves  into  a  society,  or  the  nucleus  of 
a  society,  which  adopted  the  name  of  Svithiod.  The  name  had  been 
borne  by  a  prior  Scandinavian  society,  then  on  the  point  of  dissolution. 
The  new  society  increased  and  prospered  and  soon  felt  the  need  of  a 
charter.  Articles  of  incorporation  were  submitted,  and  on  Sept.  2.  1881, 
the  secretary  of  state  issued  incorporation  papers  for  The  Independent 
Order  of  Svithiod.     The  charter,  granted  under  the  Revised  Statutes 


896  ORGANIZATIONS 

of  187-1,  is  a  liberal  one  and  all  the  more  valuable  as  later  legislation 
has  narrowed  the  rights  and  privileges  of  similar  orders. 

The  constitution  adopted  laid  down  these  fundamental  provisions: 
^he  purpose  of  the  order  shall  be  to  unite  in  brotherly  love  and  co- 
operation .Swedish  men  of  sound  health  and  good  character,  to  exercise 
anion"  its  members  an  influence  for  moral  betterment  and  to  render 
materiiil  benefits,  to  give  assistance  to  members  in  need  and  alTliction 
and  to  pay.  upon  the  death  of  members,  certain  beneficiary  sums  to 
their  nearest  kin. 

The  aforementioned  Simon  Ilallberg  was  the  first  president,  or 
Grand  Master,  of  the  order,  serving  up  to  Jan.  1,  1882,  when  he  retired 
from  office,  but  not  from  active  work  in  behalf  of  the  order.  His 
career,  however,  was  unexpectedly  cut  short  by  his  death  on  the 
following  7th  of  July,  at  the  age  of  thirty-two  years. 

In  spite  of  the  loss  of  its  organizer  and  energetic  jiromoter,  the 
order  continued  its  wholesome  growth  by  the  aid  of  other  leaders. 
Among  the  men  who  have  since  carried  forward  the  work  no  one  has 
earned  more  credit  than  Axel  Blomfeldt.  who  succeeded  to  the  post 
of  Grand  blaster.  By  New  Year's.  1885,  the  Order  of  Svithiod  num- 
bered 200  members  and  its  funds  amcnuited  to  .$4.(100.  That  year  John 
P.  Johnson  was  elected  Grand  blaster,  succeeded  later  by  Bernard 
Peterson,  both  of  whom  are  still  active  members  of  the  brotherhood. 

During  succeeding  years  the  members  by  removals  became  scat- 
tered far  and  wide  tliroiiirliout  tiio  city,  making  it  less  convenient  for 
them  to  meet  in  a  common  hall.  I'p  to  188!)  they  had  met  in  the 
.\ofth  Side  Turner  Hall,  but  at  this  time  mend)ers  living  in  Lake  View 
and  on  flic  west  side,  jicl  it  ioiii'd  for  jiiithority  to  organize  brancli  lodges 
in  tlicir  respective  iieighborlioods.  Extension  work  was  then  taken  up 
witli  the  result  tliat  ^laidiciii  Lodge  No.  '2.  I.  O.  S..  was  organized  Oct. 
lltli.  and  Vci-d.iMdi  Lodge  No.  3,  Oct.  25,  1890.  Within  the  next  three 
years  as  many  other  new  lodges  were  added,  the  first  lodge  during  that 
time  acting  as  grand  loilge,  uiuler  which  were  subordinateil  the  other 
five.  These  additions  were,  Mimer  No.  4,  Oct.  3.  1891.  Frithiof  No.  5, 
Dec.  25.  IStn.  and  (iylfe  No.  (i.  March  25.  1893. 

At  this  stage  of  development  the  nu'nd)ers  bi-gan  to  realize  the  need 
of  a  rejjresentative  central  organization  or  grand  lodge,  to  transact 
the  common  affairs  of  the  order.  This  agreed,  a  connnittee  was  set  to 
work  revising  the  constitution  with  the  desired  end  in  view.  After 
three  months  the  work  was  completed,  ami  on  June  25.  1893,  the  Grand 
fjodge  of  the  L  O.  S.  was  organized  with  apiiropriale  eeremonies.  Its 
first  set  of  oiVieers  were  the  following:  High  (Jrand  Master.  Axel 
Blondeldt.  N'erdandi  Ijodge.  High  Grand  Secretary,  Bernard  Peterson, 
Svithiod  Lodge,  High  Grand  Treasurer,  John  Peterson.  Verdandi  Lodge. 
The  following  luimcd  gentlemen  constituted  the  first  executive  board: 


ORDHR  oi-"  svniiiui)  897 

(iiist.  Oman.  II.  H.  Hanson,  8.  Franson.  Fraii1<  Liiiricinist  atnl.  John  I*. 
Johnson.  The  Grand  Lodge  met  in  annual  convention  in  Ki-hniary,  1SI)4, 
for  the  fir.st  time. 

The  organization  of  the  grand  lodge  marks  the  heginidng  of  a 
period  of  greater  progres.s  for  the  order.  Up  to  thi.s  time  the  member- 
ship had  readied  only  750,  although  the  organization  dated  its  existence 
back  a  dozen  years.  Its  growth  during  the  subsequent  period  of  almost 
fifteen  years  is  far  beyond  comparison,  as  shown  by  the  records  up  to 
November,  1908,  when  the  total  membership  exceeded  six  thousand 
and  the  number  of  lodges  had  reached  thirty-nine. 

On  July  22,  1894,  the  order  was  extended  beyond  the  limits  of 
Chicago  and  the  boundaries  of  the  state  of  Illinois,  by  the  organization 
of  the  Bjorn  Lodge  No.  7,  in  East  Chicago.  Ind.  While  the  member- 
ship grew  constantly,  no  new  lodge  was  formed  for  neai'ly  three  years 
from  tiiat  time,  the  Ring  Lodge  No.  8  being  organized  ^May  29,  1897. 
This  was  followed  by  the  Hilding  Lodge  No.  9.  of  Roseland,  March  20, 
1898.  From  now  on  new  lodges  were  started  in  more  rapid  succession, 
namely,  four  in  1899,  two  during  each  of  the  following  two  years,  three 
in  1902,  five  in  1903,  two  in  1904,  one  in  1905.  six  in  the  banner  year 
of  1906,  three  in  1907,  and  two  in  the  present  year.  The  order  has  not 
adhered  to  the  original  practice  of  designating  its  lodges  by  names  from 
the  Norse  mythology,  but  genuinely  Swedish  names  are  commonly 
adopted,  a  few  local  names  forming  exceptions  to  this  rule. 

The  subsequent  lodges,  with  location  and  date  of  organization  of 
each,  are  as  follows : 

Odin  Lodge  No.  10,  Joliet,  III,  Sept.  16,  1899;  Thor  Lodge  No.  11. 
Chicago  Heights,  111.,  Oct.  22,  1899 ;  Balder  Lodge  No.  12,  Cragiu,  111., 
Nov.  11,  1899;  Stockholm  Lodge  No.  13,  Chicago.  Dec.  30,"1899;"  Svea 
Lodge  No.  14,  West  Pullman,  111.,  May  19,  1900;  Linden  Park  Lodge 
No.  15,  Moreland,  111.,  Oct.  6,  1900;  Fre.j  Lodge  No.  16,  Moline,  111.. 
March  16,  1901;  Vasa  Lodge  No.  17.  Galesburg.  111..  :\Iay  25.  1901; 
Nore  Lodge  No.  18,  Chicago,  March  9,  1902;  Andree  Lodge  No.  19, 
South  Chicago,  III.,  Aug.  17,  1902;  Irving  Park  Lodge  No.  20.  Irving 
Park,  Oct.  19,  1902;  Linne  Lodge  No.  21,  liegewisch.  111.,  Jan.  27.  1903; 
Tegner  Lodge  No.  22,  Harvey,  111.,  Feb.  7.  1903;  John  Ericsson  Lodge 
No.  23,  Rockford.  111..  June  28,  1903 ;  Gotha  Lodge  No.  24.  Kansas  City, 
Mo.,  Sept.  12,  1903;  Norden  Lodge  No.  25.  Kewanee.  111.,  Oct.  3,  1903; 
Gustaf  Adolf  Lodge  No.  26.  Rock  Island.  111..  April  16.  1904;  Skandia 
Lodge  No.  27,  Evanston,  111..  Oct.  28,  1904;  Jlonitor  Lodge  No.  28. 
Elburn,  111.,  April  1,  1905;  Brage  Lodge  No.  29,  Peoria,  111.,  Jan.  14, 
1906;  Thule  Lodge  No.  30,  Chicago,  May  12,  1906;  Valhalla  Lodge  No. 
31,  Galva,  111.,  May  30.  1906;  Steu  Sture  Lodge  No.  32.  :Maywood.  111.. 
June  9,  1906;  Ymer  Lodge  No.  33,  Minneapolis.  :\Iinii..  Sept.  17.  1906; 
Engelbrekt  Lodge  No.  34,  La  Grange,  111.,  Dec.  31.  190(i ;  St.  Paul  Lodge 


ORDKR  oi'  svrniK)n 


899 


No.  35,  St.  Paul.  Minn..  .liiii.  21,  1907;  Spiraii  Lodge,  No.  36,  Danville, 
111..  April  30,  1907;  Veira  Lod^'e  Xo.  37.  Kansas  City.  Mo..  Dee.  28.  1907; 
Oscar  II.  Ijodfre  Xo.  38.  Minneapolis.  .Minn..  April  2{),  1908;  Knjjlewood 
Lodge  No.  39.  ('lnca','(i.  Oct.  23.  1908. 

Under  the  orii;inaI  ciiarter  the  order  had  no  authority  to  levy 
assessments  tor  the  creation  of  a  reserve  fund.  Many  inenihers  saw  in 
the  absence  of  such  a  guaranty  fund  a  danger,  which  ought  to  be 
removed.  This  was  done  when  on  Ajjril  17,  1901,  tlu;  order  agreed  to 
eomply  with  the  new  insurance  law  of  18!)3  and  thcreu[)on  obtained 
a  license  to  do  business  under  its  jirovisions,  including  legal  reserve 
regulations. 

On  June  2,  1901,  the  constitution  was  so  amended  as  to  provide 
for  the  creation  of  a  reserve  fund  by  setting  aside  for  that  {)urpose  five 
per  cent  of  the  proceeds  of  each  and  every  assessment.  At  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Grand  Lodge  in  February,  1903,  this  amoimt  was 
changed  to  ten  per  cent. 

Up  to  December,  1898,  each  member  of  the  order  was  insured  for 
$500.  At  this  time  the  amount  of  insurance  per  capita  was  raised  to 
$1,000.  In  1902  Class  B.  was  added,  for  those  desiring  to  have  .$500 
insurance  policies.  Four  years  later,  in  1906,  Class  C.  was  instituted 
for  those  desiring  a  $100  policy. 

The  Svithiod  order  pursues  the  plan  of  furnishing  insurance  at 
actual  cost.  The  average  cost  per  $1,000  is  about  85  cents  per  month. 
The  current  expenses  of  the  grand  and  subordinate  lodges  are  defrayed 
by  income  from  other  sources.  The  quarterly  dues  to  lodges  average 
$1.50,  making  $6  per  year.  From  these  funds  sick  and  funeral  benefits 
and  lodge  expenses  are  i)aid.  The  sick  and  funeral  benefits  are  the 
same  to  all  members,  regardless  of  the  insurance  class  to  which  they 
belong.  The  amount  of  the  assessments  is  not  permanently  fixed,  but 
may  be  varied  according  to  necessity,  whereby  ample  funds  are  always 
assured.  The  privilege  of  determining  the  amount  of  sick  benefits  and 
other  aid  to  be  paid  to  members  is  vested  in  the  individual  lodges,  which 
likewise  have  full  charge  of  their  own  treasuries  and  property. 

The  most  recent  reports  show  the  following  status  of  the  order: 
Total  membership,  6,015;  insurance  in  force,  .$4,746,000;  reserve  fimd, 
,$23,677.93;  other  funds,  .$9,857.09;  cash  assets  of  subordinate  lodges, 
about  $68,000;  insurance  paid  out  during  the  existence  of  the  order,  in 
308  death  benefits.  $293,455;  sick  benefits,  about  $144,000;  funeral 
benefits,  about  $32,000;  charitable  donations,  about  $14,000. 

The  chief  officers  of  the  oi"der  have  been  :  High  Grand  blaster — 
Axel  Blomfeldt,  John  Wolgren,  John  P.  Johnson,  Olof  Pearson.  Fred 
Franson,  H.  E.  Hanson,  Joseph  G.  Sheldon,  C.  A.  Carlson;  High  Grand 
Secretary — Bernard  Peterson.  John  Wolgren,  Hjalmar  Hedin,  John 
A.  Sandgren ;  High  Grand  Treasurer — John  Peterson,  Gust  Johnson, 
Linus  Olson.  Axel  Blomfeldt,  H.  E.  Hanson. 


goo  ORGANIZATIONS 

The  Swedish-American  Press  Club 

III  the  year  1890  a  plan  long  talked  of  among  the  Swedish  news- 
paper men  of  Chicago  was  realized  by  the  organizing  of  a  press  club 
for  their  mutual  pleasure  and  profit.  At  a  preliminary  meeting  held  on 
]May  29th,  and  attended  by  a  dozen  men,  A.  L.  Gylleuhaal  presiding 
and  Herman  Lennmalm  acting  as  secretary,  the  feasibility  of  bringing 
the  Swedish  writers  and  publishers  into  closer  social  intercourse,  was 
discussed.  The  result  of  the  deliberation  was  that  the  proposed  club 
should  ])e  organized,  and  at  a  meeting  held  at  the  Shernum  House  on 
tlie  12th  day  of  July,  1890,  Svensk-amerikanska  Publicistklubben  was 
called  into  existence.  The  members  for  a  time  fraternized  cordially 
and  ior  a  period  of  three  years  or  thereabout,  the  club  held  fairly 
regular  weekly  meetings,  whereupon  meetings  grew  less  frequent  and 
ultimately  ceased  altogether.  AVaiiing  interest  in  general  and  personal 
friction  in  particular  cases  seem  to  have  been  the  disintegrating  factors. 
Alex.  J.  Johnson,  publisher  of  "Svenska  Kuriren,"  as  said  to  have  been 
the  last  pi'csident,  and  the  last  official  act  of  the  club  on  record  was 
the  sending  of  representatives  to  attend  the  funeral  of  a  colleague  in 
Minneapolis.  The  obsequies  of  the  clul)  itself,  however,  were  never 
held  and  it  might  be  revived  at  any  time,  without  prejudice  to  its 
constitution  niid  liy-laws. 

The  Independent  Order  of  ViKings 

__-  Second  in  size  among  the  purely  fraternal  Swedish  orders  of 
Cliieago  and  the  state  of  Illinois  stands  the  Independent  Order  of 
Vikings.  It  dates  its  origin  from  the  year  1890,  when  on  June  2nd  the 
Viking  Society  was  organized  with  an  original  membership  of  eleven 
I)ersons,  as  follows:  Charles  Carlson.  G.  A.  Carlson,  Cluirles  Henry, 
N.  Ilallerts,  Aug.  .folnison.  (iust.  .lohn.sou.  V.  JIuerling.  Ed.  Muerling. 
C.  11.  N'ictoiiii,  Iv.  Walden  and  Aug.  Walden.  Their  purpose  was  no 
other  than  social  intercourse  on  the  basis  of  universal  brotherliood.  In 
a  short  time  they  added  the  sick  benefit  and  funeral  aiil  features, 
realizing  the  n-.iIuc  of  mulual  ,issis1;ince  as  a  faetor  in  knitting  a  close 

fellowshil). 

For  the  first  lew  nmnlhs  the  society  met  at  the  homes  of  members, 
but  liv  ()rtob('r  (if  the  saiiii'  ye;ii-.  liaviiig  outgrown  the  capacity  of  the 
homes,  it  ciit;airc(l  ii  h;ill  at  Si'dgwiclc  and  Sigel  streets  for  the  monthl.v 
meetings. 

Tlie  niiifiinns  .iiid  legalia  adoplnl  liy  the  X'iking  Society  were 
])attei'iied  after  tin-  c<islumes  of  the  N'iking  age,  and  at  their  first  ]niblic 
ai)|)eai'ance.  in  the  parade  that  took  pla<'e  on  tile  day  the  Linnc  monu- 
ment was  uiiveih'd,  llic  N'ikings  mustered  a  large  force  and  made  a 
sph'iHlid  sliowing  for  a  socii'ty  but   a  year  old. 


()1<I)I';R    ()!•■    NIKINC.S 


901 


WliPii  the  iii('iii})('rslii|)  had  reached  four  liimdred  tlie  society  set 
al)out  cliaiigiiig  its  (irgaiiizatioii  for  the  |)iir|iosc  ol  ciilaririii^  its  scope. 
The  revised  constitution  and  l)y-laws  wn-c  ad(i|it((l  in  Si|iliinlier,  1892, 
and  on  the  third  of  October  the  (Irand  Lod^e  of  the  liKh'pendent  ()r<lcr 
of  Vikings  was  organized  to  become  the  central  organization  of  sul)- 
ordinate  lodges.  Among  its  ])rineipal  purposes  were  also  the  establish- 
ment of  a  readingroom.  promoting  tlie  i-ircuhitioii  of  wholesome 
literature  among  the  members  and  the  founding  of  a  connnon  death 
benefit  fund,  amounting  to  life  insurance. 

Two  months  after  the  reorganization  a  second  lodge  was  started, 
known  as  Brage  Lodge  No.  2.  During  the  course  of  the  winter  three 
other  lodges  were  organized,  namely.  Drake  Lodge  No.  3,  Angantyr 
Lodge  No.  4  and  Frej  Lodge  No.  a.  The  names  selected  were  Norse, 
and  this  system  of  nonipiiclaturo  has  been  consistently  adhered  to 
ever  since. 

"When  the  time  was  ripe  for  the  establishment  of  the  insurance 
plan  it  was  fomid  advisable  to  secure  a  new  charter,  the  old  one  being 
deemed  inadequate  to  safeguard  the  rights  and  i)rivileges  of  members. 
In  the  spring  of  1895  a  new  charter  was  applied  for.  under  the  insur- 
ance law  of  1893,  the  requirements  of  which  were  full  met  on  the  30th 
day  of  November  following,  when  the  Independent  Order  of  Vikings 
was  given  a  certificate  of  incorporation  as  a  legally  organized  fraternal 
beneficiary  society.  The  incorporators  under  the  new  plan  were: 
Andrew  A.  Carlson,  Otto  Anderson,  Alexander  Holm,  Nels  L.  Anderson, 
Gustavus  J.  Bird,  Gustavus  Myhrman,  Peter  G.  Almberg.  Andrew 
Soderlin.  John  Anderson  and  Bengt  A.  "Wester.  The  new  insurance 
plan  of  the  order  was  put  in  force  Jan.  1,  1896. 

The  first  roster  of  officers  of  the  grand  lodge  was  as  follows : 
Grand  Chief.  A.  Holm ;  Vice  Grand  Chief,  C,  Victorin ;  Grand  Secretary, 
Alfred  Carlson ;  Grand  Treasurer.  P.  A.  Noren :  Grand  Organizer,  G. 
Carlson. 

In  1901  the  order  extended  its  activities  beyond  the  confines  of 
Chicago  and  Cook  county  by  organizing  the  Thor  Lodge  in  iloline. 
Later  it  went  outside  the  state  and  now  extends  west  as  far  as  Omaha, 
Neb.  On  July  29, 1908,  the  thirty-first  lodge  was  organized,  completing 
the  following  list : 

Vikingarne  No.  1,  1890,  Brage  No.  2.  1892.  Drake  No.  3.  Angantyr 
No.  4,  Frej  No.  5,  1893,  Frithiof  No.  6,  Runan  No.  7.  1899,  Odin  No.  8, 
1900,  all  in  Chicago.  Thor  No.  9.  Moline.  Svea  No.  10.  Chicago.  Norden 
No.  11,  "Waukegan.  all  in  1901.  Balder  No.  12.  DeKalb.  Harald  No.  13. 
Chicago,  Gotha  No.  14,  Roseland,  Ragnar  No.  1.5,  Chicago,  Hilding  No. 
16,  Aurora,  in  1903,  Bele  No.  17.  Chicago  Heights.  Ring  No.  18,  Batavia. 
in  1904,  Thorsten  No,  19,  Joliet,  Bjorn  No.  20,  South  Omaha,  Valhalla 


viKiNcs    oi.i)  iM';()i>i,i;'s  homk  903 

No.  21,  Chicago.  Nioid  .ND.  '22,  Kewanei',  Il.jalniar  No.  2.'},  Evanston, 
Orvar  Odd  No.  24.  Omaha,  in  100.').  Kllida  No.  2o,  Koi'kfonl.  Yiis,'v.' 
No.  2().  C'iiicago.  Ivar  Xo.  27.  ("hie-ago,  Vasa  No.  28,  IlaiiiiiioiKl.  lud., 
in  inO(),  Thyr  No.  21).  Galcsburg,  Sigurd  No.  :iO,  Kenosha,  in  1907, 
]ire,jdal)lik  No.  :]1.  Milwaukfc.  Wis.,  in  ]!)(),S. 

The  men  who  have  lield  tlie  chief  offices  in  the  order  are:  (Jraiid 
Chief— Alex.  Holm,  Alfred  Carlson,  Eric  Forsell,  Axel  Borg.  A.  W. 
Johnson,  Herman  Carlson,  Frithiof  Malm(|uist;  Grand  Secretary — 
Alfred  Carlson,  Otto  Anderson,  Nils  J.  Lindskoog,  Eric  For.sell,  Anders 
Hessel;  Grand  Treasurer — P.  A.  Noren,  Gust  Bird,  N.  L.  Anderson, 
A.  W.  John.son,  0.  F.  Sandstedt,  P]rie  Forsell,  Herman  Carlson,  John 
Anderson;  Grand  Organizer — Gustaf  A.  Carlson,  Otto  Anderson.  Alex. 
Holm,  P.  A.  Anderson,  Nils  J.  Lindskoog,  Fred  L.  Pearson,  Anders 
Hemwall. 

The  order  i)ublishes  a  monthl.v  paper,  "Vikingen,"  as  the  common 
organ  of  the  lodges.    Its  first  number  was  issued  'Slay  15,  1899. 

There  exists  a  woman's  auxiliary  known  as  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Ladies  of  Vikings  having  nine  lodges  under 
its  .jurisdiction. 

The  reports  for  Oct.  1,  1908,  show  a  total  membership  of  4,538,  a 
reserve  fund  of  ii*fi.l98.06.  an  assessment  fund  of  .i«14.835.94  and  a  total 
balance  in  the  lodge  treasuries  of  .$40,045.12. 

TKe  Swedish  Societies'  Old  People's  Home  Association 

The  initiative  to  the  formation  of  a  federation  of  Swedish  societies 
in  Chicago  for  charitable  purposes  was  taken  in  1893  by  Dr.  C.  W. 
Johnson,  a  physician,  and  Hans  Anderson,  a  jeweler.  This  was  in  the 
time  of  great  need  among  the  laboring  population,  and  after  the  definite 
organization  in  April,  1894,  of  the  federation,  which  was  named  The 
Swedish  Societies'  Central  Association,  its  first  care  was  to  provide  for 
Swedish  workingmen  who  were  suffering  want  as  a  result  of  the 
prevailing  hard  times.  On  May  19tli  the  association  gave  an  entertain- 
ment at  Svea  Hall,  netting  about  .$28 — the  first  money  realized  by  it 
for  benevolent  purposes.  In  August  a  state  charter  was  secured  and 
that  fall,  with  the  proceeds  of  an  excursion  to  Milwaukee  and  a  popular 
concert  at  the  Auditorium,  the  association  entered  upon  the  aforesaid 
charity  work. 

With  improved  conditions  in  1896,  the  association  began  to  map 
out  another  field  of  work,  that  of  caring  for  indigent  Swedish  people 
in  their  old  age.  For  the  purpose  of  founding  a  home  for  the  aged,  a 
fund  was  established  May  17,  1S96,  starting  with  the  sum  of  .$700. 
With  the  net  proceeds  of  picnics,  excursions,  concerts  and  other  enter- 
tainments, as  also  by  individual  donations,  this  fund  was  kept  growing 


OI.I)    I'KOri.H'S    HOMK 


905 


for  the  next  few  years.  In  1898  a  committee  was  appointed  to  look 
up  a  suitable  site  for  an  old  peojjlc's  home,  and  on  Jlarch  1!),  1800, 
they  were  instructed  to  inu'cliase  a  liuiidiii^'  and  fjrounds  at  Park 
Ridge,  which  have  since  hccn  occuiiicil  by  tlir  institution  known  as  the 
Swedish  Old  Podjilc's  Ilonic  at  Park  Pidirc     The  deal  was  closed  April 


o 


> 

y; 

O 


26th.  and  on  (Jit.  7.  IIKKI.  the  home  was  dedicated  and  in  readiness 
for  the  reception  of  occupants.  Jliss  Anna  Anderson,  a  trained  nurse, 
was  engaged  as  superintendent  and  housekeeper.  The  first  inmate  was 
admitted  the  following  December,  others  being  received  from  time 
to  time  until  the  institution,  which  has  accommodations  for  a  score  of 


9o6  ORGANIZATIONS 

persous.  was  taxril  tu  its  lull  capacity.  The  last  payiiu-nt  on  the 
property  was  iiiadc  in  April.  IDOo.  and  an  inventory  of  the  institu- 
tion, as  it  stands  totlay.  shows  a  property  value  of  about  $12.00(1. 

The  property  purchased  in  1900  comprised  a  two  story  brick  build- 
ing of  nineteen  rooms  and  a  block  of  ground  150  feet  square.  The 
purchase  price  was  .+4.000.  Considerable  sinns  of  money  were  expended 
in  renovating  and  furnishing  the  buildin<r  for  occupation  and  a  number 
of  societies  and  individuals  undertook  to  furnish  certain  room.s  at  their 
own  expense.  A  new  heating  plant  was  installed,  cement  walk.s  have 
l)pen  laid  and  other  costly  improvements  maile.  In  1908  about  $9,000 
for  the  lioine  was  realized  through  a  bazaar,  making  a  total  of  over 
.$10,000  in  the  treasury  of  the  home  at  the  present  time.  Plans  are 
under  way  looking  to  the  extension  of  the  institution  either  by  building 
an  additiiiii  on  the  present  site  or  erecting  a  structure  on  acre  pro]ierty 
in  some  otlier  localit.v  near  Chicago. 

In  1908.  to  specify  the  ob.ject  for  which  tlie  organization  exi.sts  and 
works,  its  name  was  changed  to  the  Swedish  Societies'  ()ld  I'eojile's 
Home  Association,  while  a  change  was  made  in  the  constitution  so  as 
to  admit  to  membership  not  only  societies  and  lodgi's  but  individuals 
of  a  charitable  bent,  lieyond  raising  funds  for  the  pur|)ose  above 
named,  the  association  has  made  several  contributions  to  other  charities. 
including  the  sum  of  $!()().  in  1894.  to  the  Pullman  Fuml.  and  at  a 
subsecpient  occasion  $oOO  to  the  Swedish  Home  of  ilercy  in  Bowman- 
ville,  Chicago. 

A  Ladies'  Guild  was  organized  in  1899.  which  has  ably  seconded 
tile  efforts  of  the  main  organization. 

The  S\Aredish  National  Association 

The  organization  whirh  has  existed  t'ur  fifteen  years  under  the 
name  of  the  Swedish  National  Association  of  Chicago  was  called  into 
existence  by  a  tragedy.  On  Christmas  eve.  189.'!.  Swan  Nelson,  a 
Swedish-Airieiiran.  was  nmi'dered  in  mid  blood  by  .Moran  and  Ilealy. 
two  I'uft'ianly  members  of  tlie  Chicago  yolice  force.  The  crime  stirred 
the  fellow  countrymen  of  the  victim,  and  a  movement  was  set  on  foot 
to  raise  funds  foi-  the  prosecution  of  the  culjirits.  Heading  the  move- 
ment and  most  active  in  the  cause  wei-e  F.  A.  Ijindstrand.  the  publislier, 
and  l''fe(lci'icli  Lundin.  Tliese  two  men  a|)i)eared  in  a  large  ninnber  of 
Swedish  (Inin  Ill's  and  io(l>,'e  hails  in  all  parts  of  Chicago  for  the  purpose 
of  eidislinir  general  interest.  By  this  method  (piite  a  smu  was  rai.sed, 
but  it  pi-oved  inade(|nate  and  other  means  had  to  he  resorted  to.  It  was 
then  that  llie  plan  I'oi-  an  association  to  fight  the  battle  of  justice  took 
shape,  and  on  .M,i\  'J."),  1894.  the  Swedisli  National  Associalioti  was 
organized,    willi    I-".    .\.    liindsli-and    as   chairman    and    Krik    Tlielin    as 


NATIONAL    ASSOCIATION 


907 


secrotiiry.  In  tlie  sjiiiic  innntli  a  iiiusic-il  I'l'sfival  was  lu^ld  which  filled 
the  Aiiilitoriuiii  to  ovcrtlnwiiij;  and  yifidc<l  a  siil)staiitiiil  addition  to 
the  fund.  After  a  lotif;  and  costly  ti'ial,  in  wliicii  the  proseeution  was 
eondni'tc(l  liy  Lutlici-  Latlin  ;\Iills  and  Harry  Olson,  the  association 
triiunpluHl  by  .seeui'in^'  the  eonvietion  of  the  eriniinals. 

As  a  jiernianent  reason  for  its  existence,  the  assoc-iation  jatei'  in 
the  year  1894  esiai)lished  a  free  employment  hnrean.  which  it  has  main- 
tiiined  ever  since.  From  the  outset  this  lias  heen  manaj;ed  hy  ifrs.Otlielia 
i\l.\hrinan.  The  organization  is  composed  of  an  active  and  executive 
membership,  together  with  deleijates  from  local  organizations  in  Chi- 
cago and  Cook  county.  After  some  time  Mv.  Lundin's  interest  in  the 
association  flagged,  but  Mr.  Lindstraud  remained  its  chief  backer. 
Time  and  again  he  has  gone  down  into  his  own  pocket  to  cover  deficits 
in  its  treasury,  and  it  is  more  than  likely  that  but  for  him  the  associa- 
tion would  not  now  be  in  existence. 

Mr.  Lindstrand  served  as  president  until  January,  1897,  when, 
contingent  on  his  foreign  travels,  he  resigned  the  place  and  was  suc- 
ceeded by  0.  C.  Peterson.  In  1900  he  was  again  elected  to  the  place 
and  served  until  1906.  Upon  his  resignation,  George  E.  Q.  Johnson 
served  as  acting  president  that  year  and  was  elected  for  the  following 
year.    In  1908.  G.  Bernhard  Anderson  succeeded  to  the  presidency. 

The  association  has  had  no  fixed  income,  depending  on  public 
festivals  for  means  to  carry  on  its  M'ork.  A  midwinter  and  a  mid- 
summer festival  have  lieen  held  regularly  every  year.  The  first  winter 
festival  was  an  international  tournament  of  song,  male  choruses  of 
seven  nationalities  i)articipating  and  the  Swedish  Svithiod  Singing 
CInb  winning  the  championship.  Subsequent  winter  festivals  have 
been  of  the  following  character:  189(x  historical  tableaux;  1897,  com- 
memoration of  the  silver  wedding  anniversar.v  of  the  King  and  Queen 
of  Sweden;  1898-9.  historical  tableaux;  1900.  "Prithiof  och  Ingeborg," 
an  opera  presented  three  successive  evenings;  1901.  "Vermltindingar- 
ne,"  a  popular  drama,  with  Ragna  Linne  and  John  R.  Ortengren  in  the 
leading  parts;  1902,  "Engelbrekt  och  bans  dalkarlar. "  an  historical 
drama;  1903,  concert  by  the  Diiring  Ladies'  Quintette;  190-4,  dramatic 
production  of  Jules  Verne's  "Around  the  World  in  Eighty  Days;" 
1905,  concert  by  the  Swedish  Singers'  Union  of  Chicago  and  historical 
tableaux;  1906,  lecture  by  Dr.  Otto  Nordensk.iold  on  his  antarctic 
explorations;  1907,  exhibition  of  Swedish  national  dances  by  a  troupe 
of  dancers  from  Skansen  in  Stockholm;  1908.  historical  drama,  "Gustaf 
Adolf  och  Regina  von  Emmeritz."  with  John  R.  Ortengren  and  Ida 
Ostergren  in  the  title  roles.  The  midsummer  festivals  have  been  in 
the  nature  of  picnic  excursions  to  out-of-town  parks.  That  of  1907  was 
made  especiall.y  notable  by  the  presence  of  Herman  Lagercrantz.  the 
Swedish  envoy  at  Washington.     The  foregoing  two  were  held  jointly 


9o8 


ORC.AXIZATIONS 


with  the  Swedish  Singers"  I'liioii.  P^xtra  entertainments  and  concerts 
have  been  arransed  by  the  association  as  follows:  1902.  benefit  concert 
to  provide  funds  for  the  defense  of  Anton  Xelson.  arrested  for  shooting 
one  Prendergast.  indicted  for  manslaughter  and  accniitted  on  the  ground 
of  self-defense,  through  the  efforts  of  the  association;  ]!)()5.  concerts 
by  students'  chorus  from  the  Lund  University;  1906.  concerts  by  the 
chorus  of  the  Young  Glen's  Christian  Association  of  Sweden;  1908, 
concerts  by  the  military  band  of  the  Kronoix-rg  Heginient  of  tiie 
Swedish  army. 

The  third  fight  for  justiiM'  wherein  the  association  has  been  engaged 
was  in  the  case  of  .lolin  Nordgrcii.  who.  after  having  been  sentenced  to 
thirty  years  in  the  i)enitentiary  for  tlie  alleged  crime  of  poisoning  his 
wife,  was  given  a  new  trial  and  aci|uitti'd  of  the  charge  after  having 
i-i'iii;iiii('d  in  .jail  two  years.  In  connection  with  the  free  employment 
liurciiii  tlie  association  extends  charity  in  various  forms  to  unfortunate 
and  needy  Chicagoans  of  Swedish  extraction. 

The  S\Aredish-American  Republican  League 

The  Swedish-Aiiicricaii  Hci>ulilican  League  of  Illinois  was  organ- 
ized in  December,  ]Sil4.  and  iMcor|)orated  on  the  ^Ust  day  of  the  same 
mouth.  Its  has  for  its  general  ])ur|)ose  the  propagation  of  the  principles 
of  the  Republican  party,  while  its  specific  object  is  the  political  educa- 
lioii  and  advancement  of  the  Swedish-Americans. 

For  years  the  Swedish-Americans,  generally  loyal  Republicans, 
performed  the  duties  of  citizenship  without  belonging  to  any  specific 
organizations  of  tlieii-  nwn.  In  time,  they  found  it  expedient  to  organize 
themselves  into  local  chilis  wherever  the  munber  of  Swedish  voters 
wanaiited  such  a  step.  In  Rockford.  .Muline,  (iaiesburg.  and  at  other 
]iiiints  such  clubs  spi'ang  up  and  in  Cliicagi)  a  innnber  of  ward  clubs 
wei-e  combined  into  a  I'cutral  Hepulilican  club  of  ("ook  county.  The 
suggestion  was  next  made  that  a  stale  organization  be  formed,  with 
rainirical  inns  in  the  \ai-ious  cminties.  this  to  be  a  representative  body 
that  Miiglif  s|)ealv  for  the  great  bulk  of  the  Swedish  voters  of  the  state. 
In  the  fall  of  1S!)4  this  idea,  at  first  broachcil  tentatively,  ripened  into 
action.  .\  meeting  was  calb-d  for  \)<'v.  tili.  and  that  ilay  saw  the  birth 
of  a  Swedish  state  league,  .\mong  those  who  were  present  and  took 
active  part  in  the  prnceedings  of  the  organizatiiui  meeting  wi-re : 
Edward  ('.  Westnian.  Will  S.  I  hiss.-imlcr.  Charles  11.  Iloglund.  C.  .\. 
Kdwardts,  and  (iustaf  L.  Nelson,  of  C'ook  county;  M.  (>.  Williamson  ami 
.\.  W.  Truedson  of  Knox  county;  A.  L.  Audei-son  and  .It>hn  S.  Smith  of 
lleiiiy  county;  Rev.  C.  ().  (iustafson  of  Will  coiuily;  (icorge  \V.  .Toini- 
son,  Frank  A.  Laiulce.  .Mfred  .Viulersoii,  Frank  \.  .lohusou,  C.  fl. 
Cai-lson  and  (!.  L.  I'elci-soii,  of  Kock  Island  ciuuity,  and  .\.  .1.  .\uderson. 


STATI-:  Muvc.nc 


909 


L.  JI.  Noliiifi  and  Carl  lOlilii'sni.  ol'  \\'iiinrlia;4(i  cnuiil y.  An  iiriranizal  inn 
was  pcrlVcfcd  hy  tlic  election  of  ofVicers.  as  follows:  presiilcnt,  Edward 
C.  Westnian,  ('hiea<;o;  vice  president,  Il.jalniar  Koliler,  Moline;  secre- 
tary, Will  S.  Ilussander,  (!hicago;  treasurer,  A.  L.  Anderson.  Andover. 
Tiie  league  was  first  planned  hy  the  leading  men  of  the  central  elnt)  of 
Cook  county,  the  most  active  and  energetic  of  whom  was  Jlr.  West  man. 
and  his  election  as  the  first  president  of  the  new  organization  was 
merely  just  recognition  of  his  activity  in  lii-inging  it  al)o\it. 

The  league  is  a  hod.v  nuule  up  of  delegates  from  local  clubs  iind 
from  communities  where  a  eonsiderahle  number  of  Swedish-American 


Edward  C.   Westman 


citizens  reside.  The  basis  of  representation  is  one  delegate  for  the 
first  one  hundred  voters  of  Swedish  descent  and  one  additional  delegate 
for  every  three  hundred  such  voters.  The  reju-esentation  is  by  counties, 
and  wherever  an  organization  exists  among  them,  it  govei'ns  the  selec- 
tion of  delegates. 

In  determining  the  time  for  holding  the  ainnial  convention  the 
organizers  hit  upon  the  happy  idea  of  combining  with  it  the  celebi'ation 
of  some  memorable  event,  and  in  selecting  March  0th.  the  day  on  which 
was  fought  in  1862  the  historic  battle  between  the  ilerrimac  and  the 
JMouitor,  they  found  in  the  greatest  single  achievement  of  a  Swedish- 
American,  an  excellent  cause  for  celebration.     Thus  was  instituted  the 


9IO 


ORGANIZATIONS 


coninipmoration  of  John  Ericsson  Day  amontr  the  Swedes  of  Illinois. 
Tlic  se<|iicl  to  every  convention  of  the  leaffue.  and  the  feature  of  the 
occasion,  has  been  a  banquet  at  which  the  name  of  the  great  engineer 
and  inventor  is  invariably  toasted.  These  bancjuets.  i)lanned  on  a 
{rrand  scale,  are  always  largely  attended,  and  many  of  them  have  i)een 
brilliant  affairs,  at  which  governors,  senators,  members  of  the  Presi- 
dent's cabinet,  the  famous  orators  and  wits  of  the  nation,  and  even  rival 
candidates  for  high  otfices,  have  fraternized  under  tiie  intertwining 
flags  of  Sweden  and  the  United  States.  Moreover,  many  favorable 
opportunities  have  been  offered  for  re])resentative  Swedish-Americans 
to  appear,  as  it  were,  iu  an  open  forum,  to  plead  their  cause  and  air 
their  grievances,  if  any,  before  men  of  large  calibre,  open  minds,  high 
station  and  a  wide  sphere  of  influence.  Generally  speaking,  the  social 
and  intellectual  intercourse  at  these  political  feasts  have  proved  profit- 
able to  both  the  hosts  and  the  guests. 

The  league  convened  for  the  first  time  on  JIarch  9,  1895.  at  Chi- 
cago. The  business  sessions  were  held  in  an  a.ssembly  hall  in  the 
Masonic  Temple.  One  hundred  and  nineteen  delegates  were  seated 
and  an  equal  number  of  alternates  were  accredited,  representing  the 
Swedish  voters  of  eighteen  counties  of  the  state.  The  first  officers  of 
the  league  were  all  re-elected  for  the  succeeding  year.  The  convention 
was  followed  by  the  John  Ericsson  memorial  banquet,  given  at  the 
Grand  Pacific  Hotel  under  the  auspices  of  the  Swedish-American 
Central  Kei)ulilicaii  Club  of  Cook  Comity.  Subsequently  conventions 
have  been  held  in  llie  following  cities  in  the  order  named:  1896,  Rock- 
ford;  1897.  Chicago;  1898,  Paxton ;  1899.  Aurora;  190(1.  Joliet;  1901, 
(ialesburg;  1902.  Uloomington  ;  l!»0;i,  I'rinceton;  1904.  Moline;  19(t,"). 
Peoria:  1906,  Chicago;  1907,  Rockford;  1908,  Aurora. 

A  list  of  the  )iresidents  of  the  league  from  its  inceiition  follows: 
Edward  (.'.  Westman ;  I\I.  O.  Williamson,  Galesbiirg;  Frank  G.  Stibb, 
Rockford;  Frank  A.  Landee,  ifoline;  C.  A.  Xordgren,  Paxton;  Edwin 
A.  Olson,  Chicago;  A.  W,  Truedson.  Galesluu'g:  Carl  H.  Chindltlem. 
Chicago;  M.  A.  L.  Olson,  DcKalb;  Julius  Johnson,  hynn;  P.  A.  Petei-son. 
Rockford;  Justus  L.  Johnson,  Aurora;  Oscar  I).  Olson,  Chicago. 

In  the  great  campaign  of  1896  a  committee  from  the  league  was 
in  charge  of  a  Swedish  bureau  at  the  headquarters  of  tiie  Hepul>lican 
ii.l1  idiial  committee  in  Chicago.  An  iilea  of  the  work  accomplished  by 
this  liureau  is  gained  lioin  the  fact  that  from  it  were  sent  out  7,:lt)0 
letters.  789.!(7r)  books  and  documents  and  700,000  copies  of  newspapers. 
Hut  for  I  his  coiiiMiitlee  tiie  Swedish  l\epiibli<-aii  vote  in  Illinois  and 
other  slates  in  that  elcclioii  douiitless  wouM  have  lieen  materially 
lessened.  In  IllOli  I  h<'  Icagui'  aidi'd  in  the  election  of  .M.  O.  Williamson, 
one  of  its  ex-presideiils,  to  the  office  of  stale  treasurer,  and  il  lias  ma<le 
its  iiilhiciiee  I'elt   ill  a  iiiiiiiber  of  instances. 


a 


c 


c 


o 


<jI2  ORGANIZATIONS 

At  the  outset  the  league  undertook  to  pulilish  a  paper  to  promote 
its  interests.  G.  Bernhanl  Anderson  was  ehosen  editor,  and  one  issue 
of  the  paper,  whieh  was  named  the  "Monitor  News,"  was  published  in 
1895.  l)ut  a  second  number  never  appeared.  A  few  years  ago  the  league 
began  to  plan  for  the  erection  of  a  monument  to  John  Ericsson,  and 
an  organization  was  formed  to  solicit  funds.  Some  progress  has  been 
made,  but  file  ])ro,iect  is  yet  far  from  a  realization. 

l*r()l)ably  the  most  brilliant  event  in  the  life  of  the  league  was  the 
great  Ericsson  memorial  bancpiet  in  1906,  at  the  Auditorium  Hotel, 
Chicago,  when  about  800  persons  sat  at  table  and  Charles  J.  Bonaparte. 
secretary  of  the  navy,  graced  the  occasion  with  his  presence. 

The   Swedish   Historical   Society  of  America 

Cultured  Swedish-Aiiiericans  years  ago  realized  the  desirability 
of  having  the  records  of  their  nationality  written  and  preserved  for 
posteritj'^  and  the  need  of  an  organized  !)otly  to  make  systematic  efforts 
to  that  end.  In  the  year  1889  a  number  of  re|)resentative  men  in 
('liicago  sought  to  fill  this  want  by  associating  themselves  into  an 
organization  which  was  named  The  Swedish-American  Historical 
Society.  Several  of  its  members  are  known  to  have  engaged  in  histor- 
ical writing  both  before  and  after  that  time,  but  the  society  as  such 
never  went  on  record  except  in  the  list  of  Illinois  corporations. 

In  1905  other  persons,  sensible  of  the  need  of  immediate  and  active 
work  for  the  preservation  of  all  things  historical  pertaining  to  the 
Swedes  of  America,  took  up  an  identical  project.  One  or  two  of  the 
founders  of  the  first  society  joined  in  the  movement  for  a  second, 
manifestly  acting  on  the  assumption  that  the  prior  organization  had 
passed  out  of  existence.  A  ])rcliniinary  meeting  was  held  in  the  early 
smrinief  of  1905,  at  which  the  ])lan  was  outlined.  Among  the  par- 
lii-ipaiils  in  the  action  then  taken  were:  Aksel  (1.  S.  Josephson,  L.  (J. 
Alii-alianison,  J.  A.  Enandcr,  Ijouis  (1.  Northland.  Anders  Sehon  antl 
Ernst  \V.  Olson.  An  organization  committee  headed  by  l>r.  .Miraham- 
son  was  appointed,  and  it  was  resolved  to  meet  again  during  the 
Swedish  singers'  convention  in  .luly  to  jjcrfcct  the  organization.  This 
was  done  at  a  meeting  held  on  July  22,  1905,  in  the  rooms  of  the 
Chicago  Historical  Society.  Dr.  Abrahamson  jiresiding  and  Mr.  .losepli- 
son  acting  as  secretary.  At  that  time  a  constitution  was  adopted, 
setting  forth  the  objects  for  whieli  the  soeiety  was  formed  and  the 
mode  of  operation.  The  mime  atlopted  was.  The  Swedish-American 
Historical  Society.     The  objects,  as  briclly  defined  are: 

To  promote  the  study  of  the  history  of  the  Swedes  in  .\nieriea  and 
Ihrir  (lesci'tldants; 

To   I'olleel    a   library   and    inusi'inn    illustrating   their  di'\  elci|iMient  ; 


HISTORICAL    S()CMI;TY 


913 


To  iss\if  piililicMt  inns  rcliitiii'T  ti(  tlu'  history  of  the  Swedish  people 
in   Sweden  and   Anierica  : 

To  encourage  the  study  of  Swedish  histoi-y  anil  literature  in  ,\nier- 
ican  universities. 

Membership  is  eonditioiu^d  on  ti:e  payiiieiit  of  ;iii  ainiiial  fee  id' 
two  dollars,  and  life  inemhei'ship  is  iiranled   npun  the  payiiient.   in   one 


Dr.  Jusua  Liiulahl 


sum,  of  fifty  dollars.  The  affairs  of  the  soeiety  are  in  the  hands  of  a 
council  of  fifteen  members,  empowered  to  eleet  among'  their  mnnber 
the  customary  officers. 

The  council  selected  on  this  occasion  first  met  on  Au<^ust  2!)th. 
when  as  the  first  set  of  officers  of  the  society,  the  followine;  o'cntlemeii 
were  elected:  President.  Dr.  Johan  A.  Enander.  Chicaj^o:  vice  piH'si- 
deut.  Dr.  Gustav  Andreen.  Rock  Island;  secretary.  Anders  Sehon. 
Chicago;  treasurer,  Aksel  G.  S.  Josephson.  Clii<'airo. 

In  January.  1906.  the  council  took  action  looking  to  the  innnediate 
establishment  of  a  library  in  Chicago  and  inviting  donations  of  l)ooks. 
newspapers,    manuscripts,    engravings    and    jihotographs    of   value    as 


9J4  ORGANIZATIONS 

iiKitfiial  ptrtiiR'ut  to  Swedish-American  history  or  of  interest  for  their 
associations  with  Swedish  and  American  culture. 

Tlic  first  annual  meeting  was  held  in  the  Chicago  Historical  Society 
l)uilding  on  ilarch  28,  1906.  On  that  occasion  Eric  Norelius  and  Johan 
A.  Enandcr,  were  elected  honorary  members  in  recognition  of  their 
achievements  in  the  field  of  historical  writing.  As  a  guide  for  those 
willing  to  aid  in  building  up  the  proposed  library,  a  schedule  designat- 
ing what  it  should  contain  was  made  up  and  approved,  as  follows: 
1)  books  dealing  with  Swedish  colonization  on  and  immigration  to  the 
American  continent  and  its  adjacent  islands;  2)  books  by  Swedish- 
Americans;  3)  i)ul)lications  of  Swedish-American  publishing  houses: 
4)  pul)lications  of  Swedish- American  institutions,  churches,  schools. 
societies,  lodges,  etc.;  5)  Swedish  books  dealing  with  America; 
6)  American  books  dealing  with  Sweden;  7)  translations  of  works  of 
Swedish  authors  into  English,  and  of  works  of  American  authors  into 
Swedish;  8)  original  records,  or  manuscript  copies  of  such  records,  if 
not  already  printed,  of  Swedish-American  chiu'ches.  societies,  lodges, 
labor  unions,  etc.;  9)  photographs  of  Swedish-Americans  who  have 
made  their  mark  in  this  country,  as  well  as  of  l)uildings  of  interest 
on  account  of  their  associations  with  the  Swedish  people  in  America. 
such  as  churches,  school  and  college  buildings,  hospitals,  homes  of  old 
settlers,  etc. ;  10)  a  selection  of  the  most  important  works  on  Swedish 
history  and  literature,  so  that  this  library  might  in  time  become  the 
i-ccDursc  for  all  who  desire  to  make  a  study  of  the  history,  literature 
mikI  civili/.atioii  of  Sweden. 

A  total  of  118  nii-nibcrs  for  tlie  first  year  was  ri^ported.  ?^Jimina- 
tions  for  failure  to  fulfill  the  iM'cuniary  obligation,  however,  reduced 
tliis  inniilpcr  to  a  iid  total  of  about  80.  The  present  membership  is 
about  140. 

At  the  annual  meeting  in  1!)08  it  was  resolveil  to  change  the  form 
of  the  name  and  to  incorporate  as  The  Swedish  Historical  Society  of 
America,  which  was  done.  There  was  then  a  nucleus  for  a  library 
whicli  lias  since  grown  to  over  one  thou.sand  numi>ers,  inclusive  of 
sniallci'  pamphlets  and  periodicals.  The  first  yearbook  had  l)een  issued, 
embracing  the  first  two  years  of  the  society's  existence,  and  the  yoiuig 
society  was  shown  to  have  nmde  at  least  a  fair  start.  Hamiiercd  by  a 
dearth  of  funds,  its  progress  heretofore  has  been  slow,  yet  there  is 
eviclniic  thai  both  men  and  means  ma.v  be  counted  on  for  the  further- 
ance of  a  cause  so  vital  to  the  interests  of  the  Swedish  people  every- 
where on  the  Anierii-an  continent. 

.\s  president  ol'  the  society  each  of  the  following  named  pei-sons 
have  served  iti  turn:  .lolian  .\.  Enaiidi'r.  (".  (!.  Tiagergren,  C  Q.  Wal- 
/enius,  Josua  Ijindahl ;  as  vice  jiresident.  (lUslav  .\.  .\ndreen.  J.  S.  Carl- 


HISTORICAL  SOCIETY 


915 


son,  ('.  <t.  Walli'iiiiis.  Ki-nst  \V.  Olson;  as  secretary,  Anders  Selion, 
A.  (r.  S.  .losephson,  .losepli  (i.  Sliclildn  ;  as  treasurer,  .\.  (I.  S.  Jiisephson, 
Jolui  H.  Ijiii(li;r-en. 

The  Swedish  Historical  Society  of  AiiiericM  has  taken  up  a  field 
of  activity  as  wide  as  the  continent  and  reaching  hack  almost  to  the 
beginning;  of  civilized  order  in  America.  It  is  planned  on  the  broadest 
line.s  and  to  it  no  political,  social  or  sectarian  boundaries  exist.  It  looks 
to  all  Swedish-American  men  and  women  of  intelligent  interest  in  the 
history  and  achievements  of  their  race  and  nationality  to  aid  in  the 
attainment  of  its  high  aims. 


9i6  BIBUOGRAI'IIICAL    REPERENCES 


BIBLIOGRAPHICAL     REFERENCES 

Alvord,  C.  \V..  Collections  of  the  Illinois  Stale  Historical  Library.     Vol.  II.     1907. 

Alumni  Record  of  the  I'niversity  of  Illinois.     1906. 

Annual  catalojjues  of  the  Swedish-.Vinerican  coUejjes. 

Archives  of  the  Veiides  Artillery  Regiment  of  Sweden. 

Arsl>ok  for  Sveiiska  Haptislforsamlinjjarna  inoni  .\mcrika. 

Bateman,  \V.,  ami  Selby,  I'.,  Historical  Hncycloj>edia  of  Illinois.     1901. 

Berg,  P.  O.,  Svenska  Minnen  pa  utlan<i.ska  orter.     1S74. 

BioKrafiskt  I.e.vikon  ofver  nainnkunnige  svenske  man.     Vol.  V.,   1861. 

Bishop  Hill  Colony  Case.     .Vnswer  of  the  Defendants  to  the  Bill  of  Complaint. 

Blanchard,  Rufus,  Discovery  and  Conquest  of  the  Northwest.     I-II,    i9ot>. 

Blue  Book  of  the  SUile  of  Illinois,  1903,    1905. 

Bowman.  C.  V.,  Jlissionsvannerna  i  .Xmerika.      lui   iterhlick    pi   deras    uppkomst 

och  forsta  verksanihetstid.     1907. 
Breniet,  Fredrika,  Henimen  i  Nya  Verlden.     III.     1S66 
Charleston  News  and  Courier,    I'ehruary  4,    1894. 
Chicago-Bladet. 

Chicago  Inter  Ocean,  May  28,   1880. 
Chicago  Tribune,   1861;  Nov.   15,  Dec.  9,   10,   1862. 

Cornelius,  C.  .\.,  Svenska  Kyrkans  Historia  efter  Reforniationen.     1S87. 
Crooker,  I,.   I!.,  Nourse,  H.  S..  Brown,  J.  (i.,  and  Haney,    M.    I,.,    The    Story   of 

the  l'"ifty-I-iflli  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  in  the  Civil  War.   1SS7. 
Edgren,  J.  A.,  Minnen  frAn  Ilafvet,   Kriget  och  Mi.ssion.sfaltet.     1.S7S. 
Enaniler,  Joh.  \.,  I'orenla  Slalernas  Historia.     1S74   iS,St). 
Erik  Jansonisternas  Historia.     (.\nonyinous  defensorv  pamphlet.)     1903. 
Gamla  och  Nya  Hemlandet. 

Gerberding,  G.  H.,  Life  and  Letters  of  \V.  .\.  Passavant.     1906. 
Hall,  A.  G.,  Svenska  Baplisternas  Historia  under  en  tid  affemtioAr,  iS48-iS9,s.     iijixi- 
Hemborg,  C.  A.,  Jubelalbum  nied  en  kort  historik  till  minne  af  sv.  ev.   lutherska 

Moline-forsanilingens  50  Arsfest  ar   1900. 
Herlenius    K.,    ICrik-Jansismens    historia.      1900. 
Historik    ofver    I'orsla   Svenska    Baptist-l'orsamlingens   i    Chicago,    Illinois,    l-"ym- 

tioAriga   Verksamhel.     1S66  1906. 
History  of  De  Kalb  County.  111.,   1S6.S. 

History  of  Monroe,  Randolph  an<l  Perry  Counties,  Illinois,   1S.S3. 
Iduna. 

Illinois  Konfereusen,    i>\S3   '9"3- 
Johnson,  I'^ric,  The  Viking.     1906-07. 
John.son,  ICric,  :uicl  Peterson,  C.  1".,  Svenskarne  i  Illinois.     Historiska  niiteckningnr. 

iSSo. 
Jubelalbum  till  minne  af  I'cirsta  sv.  lutherska  forsanilingens  i   Gnlcsburg,    III.    50- 

Arsfe.st,  .'ir   u/ii. 
Kaeding,  George,  Rockfords  svenskar,  hisloriska  anteckningnr,   1S.S5. 
Koch,  Col.  Charles  R.  E.,   Illinois  at  Vicksburg.     i<;o7. 
Korsbaneret. 
Kurre  Kalender. 

I.indh,  O.,   Minnen  oih   iakllagelser  fiAn  en  fiirlluUii    It-fnad.      1907. 
I.innslroui,   Hjalmar,   Svinskt   Itoklexikon.      iSdS. 
I,und()vist,   P.   N.,   l-jik-Jansismeu   i   Ilelsingland.      llistorisk  och   Dogniatisk     fiam- 

sliillning  jemle   Wi-ilerlnggning  af   I.iiran.      Published  iinonyiiuiusly.      l-'v4.S. 


luiu.iocRAi'HicAi,  ki;i'I':ri-;ncks 


917 


Luiidstedt,  Bernhanl,  Sveiiska  lidiiin^iar  ocli  lid-;kriflcr  utj^ifna  iiioiii  Nonl-Aiiii-ri- 

kas  Korenta  Stater.     18S6. 
Maltsoii,  Col.   Hans.     The  Story  of  an   Ivmij^ranl.      iSgu. 
Mcllaniler,  .\xel,   I)e  .sveiiska   Mi.ssionsvaniienia  i  .\inerika.     Maiiiiscript. 
Mikkelson,   A,.   The  Hisho|)   Hill  Colony.      1S92. 

Minne  af  Princeton  sv.   huh.   forsaniHni,'s  50-irsfesl  ilen    17    [9  jnni,    iyi>4. 
Minneskrift,   ilUistreracU  .ilhinn  ut,i;ifvcl  af  Sv.    I'.v.    I.ntherska    Innnanuels  fcirsani- 

linjien  i  Chicago,   nicil  anlcilninj,'  af  iless  fcnitioAr.sjnt)ileuni  ar   190.V 
Missions-Wannen. 
Moutasue,   H.  J.,    Directory,   Business  Mirror  and   IIistoric.il   Sketches  of  Randolph 

Comity.      iJisg. 
Nelson,   .\.    1'..   Svenska  Missiousviinnernas  Ilistoria  i   .\nierika.     Forsta  delen:     I)e 

Svenska  Kon<ire<;ationa!isterna.      1906. 
Nelson,  O.  N.,  History  of  the  Scandinavians,  ami  Successful  Scandinavians  in  the 

I'nitetl  States.     1S93. 
Newman,  S.   B.     .Autobiography. 
Norelius,   Kric,   De    Svenska    Luterska    KOrsandingarnas  och  Svenskarnes    Historia 

i  Amerika.     1S90. 

Hasselquist,  T.   N.     Lefnad.steckniiig.      1900. 
Nya  Wecko-Posten. 

Officers  of  the  Army  and  Navy,   who  serveil  in  the  Civil   War.     Philadelphia. 
Orebro  Tidning.     November,   1894. 
Peterson,  C.  P.,  Ktt  Hundra  Ar,   1S92. 

Sverige  i  Amerika.     1S9S. 
Pierre  Menard  Papers. 

Portrait  and  Biographical  Album  of  Henry  County.      1S.S5. 
Prarieblommau,   1900,   1902-1908. 
Proceedings  of  the  Conventions  of    the    Sweiiish-.\nierican    Republican    League    of 

Illinois,  I,   1S96,  n,   1897,  in,   1901. 
ProtokoU  ofver  Methodist-Episcopalkyrkans  Svenska    Central-Konferens. 
ProtokoU  ofver  Svenska  Evangeliska  Fria  Missiouens  arsmiiten. 

Reed,   Major  D.   W.,  The  B.attle  of  Shiloh  and    the    organizations    engaged.      1902. 
Referat  ofver  .\ngustana.synudens  arsnioten. 
Referat  ofver  lUinois-konferensens  arsmoten. 

Referat  ofver  svenska  nietodistkonferensernas  i  .\nierika  arsmoten. 
Reports  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  Illinois,  Vol.    121. 

Report  of  the  Adjutant  General  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  Vol.    1  9.     1900-02. 
Rockford  i  ord  och  bild. 

Schaack,  M.  J.,  Anarchy  and  anarchists.     1SS9. 
Schon,  .\.,  Svenska  iaroverk    och    barmhertighetsinrattningar  i   .\merika.     Printed 

as  a  serial  in   Hendandet,    1S94. 
Schroeder,  Gustavus  W..  History  of  the  Swedish   Baptists  in  Sweden  anil  .\nierica. 
Skarstedt,   Ernst,   Svensk-.\merikanska  Poeter  i  ord  och  bild.      i8go. 

Vara  Pennfaktare.     Lefnads-  och  karaktar.steckningar.     1S97. 
Skogsblommor. 
Svenska  Amerikanaren. 

Svenska  Evangeliska  Missionsforbundets  rapport  till  forsamlingarna. 
Svenska  Nyheter. 
Svenska  Tribunen. 

Swensson,  C.  A.,  and  .\brahamson,   L.   G.,  Jubelalbuni.   1S93. 
Transactions  of  the  Illinois  State  Historical  Society,   N'os.  3,   7,  9.    II. 
Ungdomsvannen. 
Unonius,  Gustaf,   Minneu   fran  en  sjuttonarig  vistelse  i  iiordvestra  .\merika.     1S61. 


91 8  ACKNOWI.HDGMKNTS 

Bilian>;  till  •'Minnen  frAii  en  sjutlon4rig  vislelse  i  nonlvestra  Amerika."     1896. 
Valkyriaii. 
Viiitersol. 
Walleiiius,  C.  O.,  Liljegreii.  N.  M.,  and  WesterRreen ,  X.  O.,  Svenska  Metodismen 

i  Anicrika.      '^5- 
War  of  the  Rebellion.     A  Compilation  of  the  Ofiicial    Reconls   of   the   I'nioii    and 

Confederate  Annies. 
Witting,  Victor,  Minnen  frin  mitt  lif  soni  Sjoman,  Innnijjrant  och  Predikant.     1902. 
Year-Book  of  the  Swedish  Historical  Society  of  .\inerika,  1907. 

ACKNOWLEIDGMEINTS 

The  publishers  beg  to  acknowledge  contribution  of  valuable  data  from  Mr. 
Andrew  L.  Anderson,  Rev.  C.  A.  Bjork,  Mr.  Samuel  E.  Carls.son,  Mrs.  Elizabeth 
Engberg,  Mr.  Olof  Forsse.  Capt.  Eric  Johnson,  Mr.  Eniil  I^rson.  Mr.  Oliver 
A.  I.inder,  I'rof.  .Xxel  Mcllander,  Mr.  Nels  Nelson,  ex-Iieulenant  of  Co.  C,  43d 
'Inf.  111.,  Mr.  Gustaf  Norbcrg.Dr.  Eric  Norelius,  Mr.  lunil  Olund,  Mrs.  Sarah  Coniing 
Paoli,  Mrs.  Henry  !■..  C.  I'elerson,  Rev.  J.  G.  I'rincell,  Mrs.  Lottie  Rudnian,  Mr. 
Ernst  Skarstedt,  Mr.  Philip  J.  Stoneberg,  Mr.  John  I,.  Swenson,  Dr.  Maurit/ 
Stolpe  and  Rev.  C.  G.  Wallenius. 

Eor  the  luse  of  a  number  of  engravings  the  publishers  are  indebteil  to  the 
following:  Augustana  Book  Concern,  Illinois  State  Historical  Society,  Immanuel 
Swedi.sh  Lutheran  Church,  Col.  Charles  R.  P..  Koch,  .\.  L.  I.ofstriini,  Hon.  James 
A.  Rose,  Swedish  M.  E.  Book  Concern,  Rev.  E.  Wingren  and  Tnistees  of  Chicago 
Sanitary  District. 

ERRATA 

Page 

163.     For  "Lundquist"   read   "Lundqvisl." 

190.     For  "odius,"  read  "odious." 

192.     For  "eighteenth  century,"  read  "nineteenth  century." 

207,  209,  235.     Footnotes  are  quoted  from  Lundqvi.st,    P.    N..    and    not,    as   statc<l. 

from  LandgreTi. 
274,  276.     For  "Kassel,"  read  "Cassel." 
413.     For  "Epicopalian,"  read  "Episcopalian." 
437.     For  "captain,"  read  "second   lieutenant." 
601.     F"or  "Missions  Friends,"  read  "Mission  l"riends." 
729.     For  "Gustaf  Stolape."  read  "Gustaf  Stolpe." 


I 


INDEX 


INDEX 


921 


INDEX 


Al)rali:iiiison,   Dr.   I,.   G.,  912. 

Afloiihladet,  .S26. 

Agrelius,  Rev,  Carl  P.,  biography  359-61. 

Akerberg,  Wilheliii,  823-24. 

Akerbloiii,  John,   545. 

AUierg,   .-Mburt,  839. 

.Vllouez,  Claiule,   1 1 . 

.Miniiii,   Peter  M.,   S45-46. 

.A.lmkvist,  Johaii  A.,  1812-13. 

Altona,  82 1 -24;  churches  at,  323-24;  set- 
tlement, 322. 

American  Union  of  Swedish  Singers, 
163,  741-48- 

An(ler.sen,   Rev.   Paul,  414,  466,  4S0. 

Anderson,  Rev.  .\nders  Johan,  biog. 
396-98. 

Anderson,  Rev.  Carl,  594-95,  599. 

Anderson,  Hans,  903. 

Andersson,  Anders,  314. 

Andersson,  Jonas,  277. 

Andreen,    Rev.    .\ndreas,    484-S5,    biog. 

491-93- 
Andren,  Rev.  O.  C.  T.,  460,  biog.  463- 

465- 

Ansgarius  Synod,  599-603. 

Andover,  272-79;  cholera  at,  277-7S; 
churches  in,  279;  economic  conditions 
in.  278;  Esbjorn  party,  277;  first  set- 
tlers, 272-75;  Lundquist,  Johanna  S., 
272-74;  Lutheran  church,  428-35,  441 
-45;  M.  E.  church,  381-83;  New  Swe- 
den parties,  274-76;  Wirstroni  partv, 
276. 

Arosenius,  Capt.  Carl.  637,  biog.  696- 
97.  780. 

Art  and  Artists,  843-87;  first  American 
arti.st,  S43;  Almini,  P.  M.,  845-46;  Art 
Association,  882-83;  Blombergsc-n,  Kr. 
B.,  847-49;  Blonibergson,  L.  A.,  851; 
Grafstrom,  O.,  853-57;  Hallberg,  C. 
E  ,  870-74;  Hesselius.  Gustaf  and  John, 
843-44;  Hofsten,  H.  von,  S6g  70;  Jans- 
son,  Alfred,  S77;  Lindin,  C.  O.  E., 
861-62;  Linn^  Monument,  8.S3-S7;  Lun- 
dahl,  F.  A  ,  874-77;  Nilsson,  C.  J., 
862-65;  Nyholni,  .A.  F.,  867-68;  Olsson, 
A  E.,  857-61;  Peterson,  H.  E.  C, 
846-47;  Roos,  Peter,  S51;  Ryden,  Ken- 
ning, 865-66;  Saltza,  C.  F.  von,  S52- 
53;  Strom,  G.  .A.,  877-78;'  Torgersun, 
A.  \V.,  849-5  r. 


Artillery,  Battery  II,  I'irst  Light,  686- 
96;  Battery  G,  Second  Light,  678-80; 
Battery  H,  Second  Light,  684. 

Asplund,  John,  544, 

Association,  Linnd  Monument,  8.S3-87; 
Swedish  National,  906-08;  Swedish- 
.■Vmerican  .\rt,  882  83. 

Astrom,  pioneer  Chicagoan,  305. 

.\ugustana   Hook  Concern.  S13-17. 

.Augnslana,  Band,  721;  Chapel  Choir, 
727;  Music  at.  College,  721-27;  Orato- 
rio Societ\-,  723-26;  Orchestra,  706, 
721-23. 

.\ugustana  College  and  Theological  Sem- 
inary, founding  of,  436;  at  Chicago, 
469.  473-  510-13;  at  Paxton.  SLS-'S; 
at  Rock  Island,  515-21;  introductory, 
508-10. 

Augustana  Hospital,  531-37. 

Augustana  Synod,  541-43,  founding  of. 
469,  510,  541. 


Biicknian,   Rev.   C.   .A.,  457-57. 

Bankson,   .\ndrew,    174. 

Baptist  Choirs,  735-736. 

Baptist  Church,  Swedish,  544-82;  Chi- 
cago, First  Church,  569-75;  Conference, 
General,  582;  earliest  known  Swedish 
Baptists,  544;  early  churches,  551;  Ed- 
gren.  Rev.  J.  .A.,  biog.,  563-67;  found- 
er of,  in  .America,  545;  Gale.sburg. 
550-51;  Home  of  Rest,  581;  Lindh, 
Rev.  Olof,  549,  biog.,  576-78;  Xilson, 
Rev.  Fr.  O.,  546-48,  biog.,  559-63; 
Palmquist,  Rev.  Gustaf,  foiuider,  545- 
48,  biog.,  552-54;  pioneer  work  in 
Sweden,  546-47;  Ring,  Rev.  John, 
biog.,  576;  Rock  Island,  547-50;  Schroe- 
der,  Gustavus,  544-  46,  biog.,  56S-69; 
statistics,  5S1-S2;  Theological  Semin- 
ary, 578-80;  Wiberg,  Rev.  .Anders,  554- 

59- 
Batavia,  341-42. 
Beaver  M.  E.  Church.  393. 
Bengtsson,  Olaus,  286. 
Benson,  Christian,   176. 
Benzon,  Oscar  M.,   837. 
Bergenlund,   Rev.   B.  G.   P.,  434-35. 
Bergenskcild,  Rev.,  593-94. 
Bergland,   Maj.   Eric,  biog.,  670-72. 


922 


INDEX 


Bergluiul,  Andrew,  becomes  head  of 
Bishop  Hill  colony,  243-44;  biog.,  268; 
deposed,  244;  M.  E.  preacher,  266. 

Bethany  Home,  M.  E.,  406-08. 

Bethel  Ship,    179. 

Bishop  Hill  Colony,  223-70;  accounts 
involved,  263;  adniinstration  of  trust- 
ees, 24S-66:  celibacy  edict,  235, 
250,  conspiracy  of  malcontents,  251, 
expulsion  of  Norberg  and  others,  253, 
financial  condition,  256,  heavy  debts 
incurred,  256,  legislators  "fixed,"  254, 
material  prosperity,  24<S,  million  dollar 
railway  contract,  255,  new  grafts  on 
Janssorrrst  faith,  250,  Olof  Johnson's 
speculations,  255,  open  revolt,  253, 
petition  for  revocation  of  charter,  253, 
religious  waning,  249,  social  conditions 
investigated,  251,  s])eculative  enter- 
prises, 250;  Andrew  Berglund  succeeds 
Eric  Jansson,  243;  answer  to  bill  of 
comiilainl,  260-63;  assessments  for 
debt,  259-62;  banking,  262;  Bishop 
Hill  Colony  case,  259  66;  charter,  247; 
colony  debt,  260-62;  daily  life,  22K-39; 
agriculture,  232-33,  ban  on  marriage, 
235,  cholera  scourge,  236,  defection  to 
Methodism,  234,  fisheries,  233,  grow- 
ing discontent,  237,  instruction,  230, 
250,  linen  industry,  233,  marriage  epi- 
demic, 235,  milling,  230  32,  ravages 
of  disease,  234,  snbsistence,  230,  wor- 
ship, 22S-29;  decree:  rendered,  263, 
reversed,  264;  democracy  in  name  es- 
tablished, 245;  division  of  properly, 
257;  end  of  colony  corporation,  264; 
fiftieth  annivsrsary,  266;  final  fate  of 
Janssonism,  266;  fire  losses,  229,  261; 
founded,  225-26;  goldscekers'  exjXfdi- 
tion,  241;  incorporation,  247;  in<lividu- 
ali/ation,  25S;  Johnson  ])arty,  257; 
leadersliip  assumed  by  Jonas  Olson, 
245;  monument  to  pioneers,  266;  nu- 
merous lawsuits,  261;  Olson  party,  257; 
Olson,  Jonas,  last  days  of,  26<S;  jiartics 
to  the  suit,  260;  retrogression,  255  59; 
Su])reme  Court  decision,  264;  trustees  of 
the  co'.ony,  247;  viihie  of  the  connnon 
estate,  257. 
Bishoj)  Hill,  Co.   1).,   57th    Inf.,  655  33; 

prize  drill  flag,  666  67. 
Bishop  Hill  M.  K.  Church,  395-96. 
Hjorkmaii.    Ivlwin,  Sio   it. 


Black  Hawk  War,  46. 

Bloinljergson,  Fre<lerick  B.,  847-49. 

Blomliergson,  I-ars  A..  851. 

Bockman,  Rev.  P.  W.,   192. 

Bohman.  (lUstaf  A.,  776. 

Bond.  Shadrach,   36-40. 

Bonggren,  Jakob,   S08-09. 

Book  pyres  in  Helsingland,   211   14. 

Bredbcrg,  Rev.  Jacob,  biog.,  390,  421. 

Bremer,  Eredrika,    \nsit   to   Pine    I.,ake, 

190-92. 
British  conquest  and  occupation.    27-29, 
Brown,  Rev.  John,  biog.  35S-59. 

Cal)et.  Etienne.  50-52. 

Cahokia,  24,  41. 

Canal:  Illinois  and  Michigan,  43,  Drain- 
age, 168-70,  Hennepin,  170-71. 

Capitol  buildings,  41-42. 

Carlson,  .\inanda,  716-17,  753. 

Carlsson,  Rev.  Erland,  biog.,  474-79; 
editor,  816;  organizer  of  churches: 
Geneva.  480.  Rockford.  4S4;  pastorate 
in  Chicago,  466-71;  publisher,  763,  772; 
mention,  308,  444,  496. 

Carlsson,  Samuel  E.,  708,  721-23,  755-56, 

794- 

Carlsson  Trio,  755-56. 

Cartier,  John,   10. 

Cassel,  Rev.  Peter,  274,  biog.,  363. 

Cedergren.  .\nna,  717. 

Cederstam,  Rev.  P.  \..  453,  4''<>- 

Central  Conference  statistics,  411. 

Cer\in,  Dr.  A.  R.,  453,  Tii-12,  816. 

Chaiser,  Andrew,    791-94.   biog.,  796-97. 

Chalhnan,  Rev.  Peter,  363-66,  leads  j)arty 
of  gold-seekers,  364-65. 

Champlain.  Saniuel,   10. 

Charles  XV.,  donation  of  library,  465.  512. 

Chiistenson,  Rev.  C  4S3. 

Cliiciigo-Bladel,  S17-18. 

Chicago,  City  of,  86-171;  anarchistic 
propaganila  in,  114-121;  .\rt  Institute. 
125;  charter  granteil,  100;  early  devel- 
opment of,  99;  early  history  of,  86- 
100;  early  .shipping  at,  100;  facts  and 
figures  of,  121  2S;  iMeld  Columbian 
Museum,  125;  fire,  story  of  the  great, 
lo.)  1 1 ;  first  railroails,  101  02;  Port 
|)i-iirl>i>rii,  founding  of,  S.S;  I'ort  Dear- 
l>orn  masMicre,  94  97;  growth  of  grain 
trade  at,  loi;  Historical  Stn-iety,  125; 
iiicoriHiration      of,      loo:      intellectURl 


INDEX 


923 


proj^ress  of,  H12;  John  Crcrar  I,il)rary, 
124;  later  (levelopmeiil  of,  113-14; 
inainifactures,  126-27;  name,  orifjin  of, 
86;  Newberry  Library,  124;  Nortli- 
vvestern  liiiversity,  129  36;  packing 
inilustry,  102;  park  system  of,  121; 
population  of,  12S-29;  public  and  pri- 
vate schools  of.  123;  public  libr.iry  of, 
123;  Pullman  strike  at,  121;  shipjiing 
and  comtnerce,  127-2S;  town  and  city, 
100-04;  transportation  system,  122; 
University  of  Chicago,  137-47;  water 
works  system,  122;  World's  Fair  in, 
147-64. 

Chicago,  Swedes  of,  301-12;  arrival  of 
emigrant  party,  306;  as  fire  victims, 
311-12;  charitable  institutions  of,  304; 
church  affiliations  of,  303;  First  Bap- 
tist Church,  569-75;  fraternal  organ- 
izations of,  304;  Immanuel  Lutheran 
Church,  466-74;  institutions  of,  302-04; 
M.  K.  Church,  386-93;  Mission  move- 
ment begun,  584-88;  musical  organ- 
izations of,  304-05;  ne\v,spapers  of,  305; 
Oak  Street  Swedish  Mission,  615-17; 
occupations  of,  301;  pioneers,  305-06; 
political  status  of,  302;  population  of, 
301;  publication  houses  of,  305;  relief 
work  done  by  Schneidau,  Unonius, 
Carlsson  atid  Newman,  307-08;  schools 
of,  304;  stricken  by  cholera,  306-09; 
"Swedish  Town"  and  environs,  309-10, 

Chicago   Theological   Seminary,   621-23; 

Churches,  Swedish:  Baptist,  544-82;  Con- 
gregational, 617-23;  Episcopal,  412-22; 
Free,  613;  Lutheran,  423-543;  Method- 
ist-Episcopal, 356-411;  Mission,  583- 
624. 

Civil  War,  Swedes  in,  625-702;  Arosen- 
ius,  Capt.  Carl,  637,  biog.  696-97; 
Bergland,  Maj.  Eric,  670-72;  Eckdall; 
Lieut.  Jonas,  701-02;  Eckstrom,  Capt. 
Axel  F.,  699;  Edvall,  Capt.  Olof  S., 
632,  637;  Ekstrand,  Lieut.  John  H., 
biog.  697-99;  Engberg,  Private  John  J., 
700-01;  enlistments  from  Illinois  dur- 
ing Civil  War,  626-31;  Erickson,  Lieut. 
Oliver,  701;  Fifty-fifth  111.  Infantry, 
643-55;  Fifty-seventh  111.  Infantry, 
Co.  D.,  655-63;  First  Light  Artillery, 
Battery  H.,  6S6-96;  F'orsse,  Maj.  Eric, 
biog.,  663-65;  Forty-third  III.  Infantrv, 
Co.  C,  632-43;  Illinois  State  Jlemorial 


Temple  at  Vicksburg,  655;  Johnson, 
Capt.  Eric,  665  6;  Larson,  Corj).  Peter 
B.,  692;  Lempke,  Capt.  Jonas  !•'.,  699; 
Lindroth,  Lieut.  John,  699;  Lund, 
Capt.  Herman,  699;  Malmborg,  Col. 
Oscar,  643  55;  Names,  Distortion  of 
Swe<Iish,  627-28;  Nul.son,  Lieut.  Nels, 
jixj;  Officers  and  men,  various,  699- 
702;  O.sborn,  Lieut.  Jt>.seph  Iv.,  biog., 
682,84;  prize  drill  flag,  666  67;  roster 
of:  Battery  H,  First  artillery,  694-96, 
Co.  C,  Forty-third  111.  Inf.  640-43; 
Co.  D.,  Fifty-seventh  111.  Inf.,  660-63; 
Swedish  men  in  Stolbrand's  battery, 
678;  Second  Light  .\rtillery.  Battery 
O.,  678-80;  Shiloh,  battle  of:  Co.  C, 
43d  Inf.,  63337,  Co.  D.,  57th  Inf., 
656-57,  Fifty-fifth  Inf.,  645-46;  Silfver- 
sparre,  Capt.  Axel,  biog.,  685-90,  693- 
94;  Sparrestrom,  Capt.  Frederick,  678- 
80;  statistics  of  enlistments,  628-29; 
Stenbeck,  Capt.  -Andrew,  biog.,  684-85; 
Stillhammer,  Lieut.  Charles,  700;  Stol- 
brand.  Brig.  Gen.  C.  J.,  672-78;  Warner, 
Capt.  Andrew  G.,  biog.,  669  70;  Wick- 
strum,  Capt.  Peter  M.,  667-68;  Wyman, 
Sergt.  Peter  S.,  690-93;  Youngberg, 
Adj.  John   E.,  699. 

Clark,  Gen.  George  Rogers,  32,  36. 

Cole,  Gov.  Edward,  56. 

College  and  Theological  Seminary,  Au- 
gustana,  508-21. 

College,  North  Park,  607-10. 

Communion  service  donated  by  Jenny 
Lind,  416,  421. 

Conference  of  Baptist  Church,  582. 

Conferences,  M.  E.  Church,  408-11. 

Conferences,  Lutheran    Church,    524-31. 

Congregationalists,  Swedish,  606-07,  617 

-23- 
Constitutional  history  of  state,   53-55. 
Conventicle  Placard,   198. 
Council  of  Revi.sion,  53. 
Covenant  Hospital  and  Home  of  Mercy, 

610-13. 
Covenant,  Swedish  F'v.  Jlission,  603-07. 
Cnelius,  Otto,  824. 
Crogan,  George,  29. 
Cronholm,  N.  N.,  841. 
Cronsioe,  S.,  779-80. 

D'Ailly,   715. 
Dablon,  Claude,   1 1. 


924 


INDEX 


IJahlsten,  Rev.  A.  \V.,  454-55-  4*^- 
DeKalb,  336-37;  settlers,  336. 
Douglas  Tniversity,   137. 
Draiiiane  Canal.   16S-70. 

Ebbesen.  Carl,  S36. 

Eckstrom.  Capt.  Axel  1'..  699. 

Eckiiiaii.  Daviil.   175. 

Eckdall.  I.ieiU.  Jonas.  701-02. 

Eilgren,  Rev.  Joban  A.,  bioj;.,  563-67. 

Edstroni,  Aron,  77S. 

Educational  system  of  Illinois,  68-85. 

Edvall,  Capt.  Olof  S.,  632-637. 

HfUvards,  Ciov.  Ninian,  39. 

Eklund,  Charles,  S91. 

Ekstrand,  I.ieut.  John  H.,  biog.,  697-99. 

Ekstroni.  Inga,    716   iS. 

Elniblad.   Magnus,   7.S.),  Iiiog.,  7S9-91. 

Emigrant  hotel,  .S90  91. 

Emigration  of:  Esbjorn  and  his  party, 
427;  Erik  Jansson  and  his  parly,  222- 
23;  Hasselquist  and  his  party,  447;  Lin- 
jo  O.  Larsson  and  his  jiarty,  224-25; 
Jonas  Olsson  and  his  party,  225;  fno- 
nius  and  his  parly,    1.S6-S7. 

ICnander  and  Hohnian.  773  74. 

luiander,  Joban  .\.,  772  73,  biog..  774- 
76.  912   14. 

Engberg,  Private  John  J..  700-01. 

Engberg,  Jonas,  early  choir  leader,  705 
-06;  publisher,  763-64;  biog.,  766-68; 
editor.   771    72;    mention.  505,  Si 6. 

luiglierg-Holmberg  Publishing  Company, 
764  66.  ,Si4. 

English,  literary   work  in,  .S38. 

luigslrom.  ("lustaf,   755. 

I'jilislnients  from  111.  in  Civil  War, 
Swedish,  626  31. 

Episcopal  Church,  Swedish,  412  22; 
Bredberg,  Rev.  Jacob,  421;  Commun- 
ion service,  416;  first  Scamliiuiviaii 
church  in  Chicago,  413;  Iludnian,  Rev. 
John,  422;  I.indskog,  Rev.  Herman, 
.122;  St.  .\nsgarius  Chuich,  415  22;  St. 
Harnabe's  Mission,  421 ;  Inouius,  Rev. 
(iustaf,  first  Ei>iscopal  clergyman, 
412-20. 

Ericsson  (John)   Day,  909  12. 

Ivricksoii,  Eieut.  Oliver,  701. 

I'Ticksson,  (1.  .\.,  322  23. 

Ijiison,  Rev.  .Mberl,  404. 

Ericson,  Rev.  .\ndrcw,  biog.,  361  62. 

luikssoM,  I'^rik,  344. 


Erixon,  Bertha,  716-17. 

Ersson,  Karin,  209. 

Ersson,  Malts,  277. 

Esbjoni.  Rev.  I^rs  Paul,  biog.,  424-2S 
436-38;  career  at:  .\ugustana  Seminary, 
510-13,  Illinois  Stale  Iniversity,  510. 
512;  early  writer,  761  62;  founder  and 
pioneer.  423;  mention.  454,  467  6.S; 
pastoral  work  at:  .\ndover,  42S-36, 
Cialesburg,  452.  Moline,  45S,  Prince- 
ton, 496  97. 

Evald,  Rev.  C.  A.,  471-72. 

Evangelisten,  780. 


Falstroni.  Jacob.   175-76. 

l-'ifty  fifth  111.  Infantry,  643  55. 

Eiftv-seventh    111.   Infantrv.  Co.  D.,  655- 

63- 

First,  ia  stale,  American  settlement.  56; 
courts  of  law,  29-30;  known  Swe<lish 
pioneer,  172;  railroad,  44;  Swedes,  172, 
Swedish  clergyman.  176;  Swedish  Epis- 
copal clergyman.  412:  Swedish  farmer, 
176;  Swedish  printery.   761   63. 

First  in  Chicago:  Scamlinavian  church. 
413;  Swe<lc,   1.S2. 

First  Light  .\rtillery.  Battery  H,6S6  96. 

Fjellstedl.  Dr.  I'eler.  439,  46566,  475. 
512.  526. 

Flack,  Guslaf,   1S5. 

Florine,  J.  \V.,  274. 

Forsse,  Maj.  Eric,  biog.,  663  65;  com- 
mands 57th  Inf..  659;  fights  at  Shiloh. 
656  57;  organizes  Bishop  Mill  com- 
l)auy,  655  56. 

I'orl:  Charlres.  25,  29  30;  Crevecin-ur,  18; 
Dearborn,  88  91;  I)earlx>rn  mnssncre. 
94-97;  .secon<l,  Dearlwrii,  99;  Massac. 
36;  Miami,  iS:  Sackville,  34;  Si.  I.ouis. 
20. 

Forty-third  111.  Infantry,  Co.  C,  632  43. 

Fo.sterlandet.  SiS. 

I'ox    Indian  massacre.  26. 

I'reilrick.son,   Prof.   .\.   \V.,  610. 

I'ree  Church,  Sw.  V.v.,  or  Free  Mission 
Friends,  613-17. 

I'reja    Society.    Chicago,     714;     Moline, 

894-45- 
French  and   Imlian  war,   27. 
I'reucli,  explorations,  9  23;  forts  in  111., 

18  25;  missions  and  colonies,  23  26. 
Frihel.sviinnen,  780. 


I 


INDKX 


92s 


Galesburg,  281-85,  church  at:  Baptist, 
550-51,  Lulheraii,  ,447  49,  452  57.  M- 
E.I  383-85,  Mission,  593-95;  cradle  of 
Swedish-American  press,  2S4,  451;  first 
settler  at,  2H3  S4. 

Galva,  337-40;  Risliop  Hill  pc'()])lc  in, 
338;   newspapers,  339. 

Ganila  och    N'va    Ilenilamlet,    451,    473, 

771-74- 
(Jarret  Hiblical   Inslitnte,   131. 
Genesee,  335-36- 
Geneva,  333-35;  churches,  334-35;  I.ntli- 

tran  church,  480-83. 
Gibault,  Fatlrer,  34. 
Grafslroni,   Olof,  853-57. 
Grant,  llvsses  S.,  66-68,  646. 
Granville,   Trued  Persson,   317. 
Green   Hay  settlement,    1 1 . 
Gunnar  Wennerberg  Memorial  Choruses, 

735- 
Gyllenhaal,  A.  Leonard,  774,  7S4,  biog., 
802-03,  900. 


Hennepin,   I.ouis,    15,    18. 

Henschen,  Dr.  Wni.,  782. 

Hes.sel,  Theo.,  826-27. 

Hesselius,  Gustaf  and  John,  843  44. 

Heyne,   Alfred,   777   7.S. 

Higgins,  Gus,  825,  26. 

Historical  Society  of  .Vmerica,  Swedish, 

912-15- 
Hockert,   Bruno,  836-37. 
Hokanson,  Rev.  M.  V.,  453. 
Hofsten,  Hugo  von.  869-70. 
Hogfeldt,   Otto,   811-12. 
Holniberg,  Charles    P.,    764,    biog.,   769. 
Holmberg.   Major,  343,  632. 
Holmes,   Rev.   I,udvig,  835-36. 
HoIuHpiist,  Gustaf,  752. 
Home  of  Rest,  581. 
House  of  Representatives,  53. 
Humoristen,  825. 
Hussander,  Will  S.,  908-09. 
Hvass,   Andrew  G.,   736-37. 
Hvassman,  Axel  L.,   736. 


Hallberg,  Charles  E.,  870-74. 

Hallberg.  Simon,  895. 

Hallin.  John  and  Andrew,    175. 

Handel  Oratorio  Society,   726. 

Haralson,  Paul,   174. 

Hasselquist,  Rev.  Tuve  N.,  biog.,  44^- 
51;  career  at  Augustana  College,  511- 
14,  519;  founded  churches  at:  Chicago, 
466,  Geneva,  480;  fomider  of  Swedish- 
American  press,  2S4,  451,  761-63,  771; 
editor,  S16;  mentioned,  496,  725,  727; 
pastoral  work  at  Galesburg,  452-54. 

Haterius,  Rev.  C.  J.  E.,  457. 

Haymarket  traged}-,    1 17-18. 

Hedenskog,  Sven,  346. 

Hedin,  Nils,  apostle,  243,  250. 

Hedman,  Rev.  John,  422. 

Hedslrom,  Rev.  Jonas,  biog.,  179-S2; 
mention,  234,  428,  430,  452;  pastoral 
work  at  Victoria,    356-58. 

Hedstrom,  Rev.  Olof  G.,  biog.,  176-80; 
converts  Olof  Olsson,  221. 

Hellstrom,  Jonas,  280. 

Helm,  Capt.,  34. 

Hemborg,  Rev.  C.  A.,  463. 

Hemdahl,    Rev.  G.  E.,  50T. 

Hemlandet,  Det  Ratta,  771-72,  S16. 

Hendandet,    Gamla    och    Nya,   284,  451, 

473.  771-4- 
Hennepin  Canal,    170-71. 


Icarian  community,   .SO-52. 

mini,    13. 

Illinois,  American  occupation  of,  30-37; 
ceded  to  England,  29;  a  county  of 
Virginia,  36;  discovery  of,  11;  first 
higher  institution  of  learning,  72;  a 
territory,  39;  normal  schools  of,  84; 
population  of,  68;  public  schools  of, 
72;  statehood  granted,  39;  early  .state 
period,  40-47;  under  English  rule, 
26-30. 

Illinois  Conference,  524-31. 

Illinois  State  Memorial  Temple  at  Vicks- 
burg,   655. 

Illinois  State  T'niversity,  Springfiehl,  435, 
509-K),   512. 

Illinois  Swede,  the,  791. 

Immanuel  Church  Choir,   706-08. 

Immanuel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church, 
Chicago.  466-74. 

Indiana  Territory  organized.  38. 

Infantry,  111.,  Fifty-fifth,  643-55;  Fifty- 
seventh,  Co.  D,  655-63;  Forty-third, 
Co.  C,  632-43. 

Ingemanson,  Anders,  352. 


James,   E.  J.,   83-,S4. 
Jansson.  .\lfred,  877. 


f 


926 


INDEX 


Jansson,  l\rik,  accused  by  Kariu  Krssoii, 
2og;  acquittal,  213;  apostolic  pilgrim- 
ages, 207;  arreste<l  for  burning  lx)oks, 
212;  arrival  in  Illinois,  224;  assassin- 
ated by  Ruth,  242;  assumes  title  of 
prophet,  20.S;  attempt  at  miracles,  206 
-07;  audience  before  king,  213;  burns 
Lutheran  books,  211-14;  choice  of  new 
"mother  in  Israel,"  236;  conflict  with 
authorities,  206;  dealings  with  "Dr." 
Foster,  235.  death  of  Mrs.  Jansson, 
236;  delivered  from  jail,  216;  despotic 
rule,  237.  dissent  from  sUite  church, 
203;  early  life,  20001;  excer])ts  from 
catechism,  21S-19;  forms  church  sect, 
2o!S;  flees  country,  222;  flight  to:  Da- 
lanie,  216,  St.  I^ouis,  242;  in  Xew  York 
city,  223-24;  journey  to  Helsinglaud, 
203;  martyrdom,  213;  meeting  with: 
Jonas  Olsson,  203,  Olof  Olsson,  224; 
perfectionism,  207;  portrayed,  211;  re- 
lations with  women,  209-10;  sanity 
test.  213;  style  of  preaching,  211-12; 
trial  for  heresy,  215;  writings,  217-18. 

Jansson,  Jan,  225,  306. 

Jansson,  Nils,  314. 

Janssonism,  Krik,  196-220;  communism 
adopted,  221-22;  modification  of  doc- 
trines, 249;  rise  of,   197. 

Janssonists,  Eric,  emigrant  parties:  be- 
ginning, 220,  Amlersson  and  Ilammar- 
back,  226-27,  Johnson-Stoneberg's,  227 
-2S,  I.arsson's,  224,  Nylund's,  227, 
Olsson's,  225,  that  of  1S45,  223;  per- 
secution of,  210,  215;  tilt  with  rnonius, 
414-15;  total  emigration,  228. 

Jewett,  Anna  Fr.  Magnusson,  711-12. 

Jochnick,  Bvt.  Maj.  Axel  af,  702-3. 

Johansson,  Carl,  287. 

Johnson,  Alex.  J.,  S21. 

Johnson,  Dr.  C.  W.,  903. 

Johnson,  Capt.  Eric,  as    publisher,  791 
92;     biog.,     795-96;     military     record, 
665-66;   ])art   taken  in  colony,  243  45, 
259  6u. 

Johnson,  Rev.  John,  biog.,  501-04. 

Johnson,  Olof,  becomes  colony  trustee, 
247;  biog.,  268;  business  head  of  colo- 
".V,  255  56;  conducts  party  of  emi- 
grants, 227  28;  death,  266;  deposed 
anil  reinstated,  257;  faction  diviiles 
holiliiigs,  25S  59;  meiiliou,  244,  250 
51,  261  63,  265. 


Johnston,  Rev.  L.  A.,  463,  489-^. 
Joliet,  Louis,   11-15. 
Josephson,  .\ksel  G.  S.,  84 1,  912-15. 
Jubilee  Chorus  of  Chicago,  Sw.  Baptist, 
736. 

Kaskaskia,  24,  32,  39,  40. 

Kewanee,  344-45- 

Kihlberg,  N.  M.,  276,  320. 

Kinzie,  John,  91-92,  98. 

Kjelll)erg,  Isidor,  827-28. 

Knoxville,  317-19;  Ansgarius  College  at, 

318-19;     early    settlers     at.,      317-18; 

Lutheran  church  at,  4.S3-84. 

Labor  troubles  in  Chicago,   114  21. 
Ladies"  Octette,  Swedish,  753. 
Ladies'  yuartette.  Original,    720-21. 
Ladies"  Quartette,  Swedish,  754. 
Lady  Quartette,  Swedish,    715-19. 
Lafayette,  visit  of.  45. 
Lagergren,  .-Vlfreil,  714-15. 
Lanca.ster,  Rosalie  Magnu.sson,   713. 
Lange,  Olof  (i.,  biog.,   182  84;  mention, 

7.S3,  788,  890. 
Larson,    Andeis,    biog.,    S94;     mention. 

415.  892- 
Larson,  Eniil,  726-27,  733-34,  735.    737- 
Larson,  Emma,  717,  719-20. 
Larson,  John  A..  274-75. 
Larson,  Corp.   I'eter  B.,  692. 
Larson,  Oliver,  709-10. 
Larson,  William,  838. 
Larsson,  Jonas,  329. 
La  Salle.  Robert  de,   15  23. 
"Lasare,"   198-99. 
Laurin,  Sigfrid,  756. 
I.«gi.slature,  first  territorial,  38. 
Legislative  council,  53. 
Lem])ke,  Capt.  Jonas  F.,  699. 
I.ennmalm,   Merman,  ,S4i,  900. 
Liljeiicrant/.   Ottilie  .\.,  .S40. 
l.iljenstolpe,   Hvt.   Lieut.  Col.  C.  A.   \V., 

702  04. 
Lincoln,  .-Xbrahani,  60-65. 
Lind,  Jenny,    894,    donations,    416,    431, 

.SI-'- 
I.indahl,   Rev.  C.  J.,  58.(  S5,  600. 
Lindahl,   Rev.  S.   I'.  A.,  456,  S15  16. 
I.indlilom,   ICriist,  825. 
Lindeblad.   Rev.  Henry  O.,  463  64. 
I.indell,    Rev.    Carl    O.,    biog.,    "69-71; 

mention,  4S1,  764,  816. 


INDEX 


927 


Linder,  Oliver  A.,   809-10. 

UnderborR,  Carl  G.,  biog.  800;  mention, 

793-94- 
I.indKren,  Capt.  Charles M.,  biog..  Sf'T-Sg. 
Liiidh,  Rev.  Olof,  biog.  576-78;  mention, 

549-50. 

Lindin,  Carl  O.  }■'..,  861-62. 

I.indrotb,  I.ieut.  John,  699. 

Lindskog,  Rev.  Herman,  422. 

I.indstrand,  Frans  A.,  S05-06,  906-07. 

Linn^  Monument,  883-87. 

Lofgren,  Ingeborg,  716-17. 

Logan,  Gen.  John  A.,  66,  653,  674,  677. 

Lovejoy,  Elijah  P.,  57-59- 

Lovejoy,  Owen,  60. 

Lund,  Capt.  Herman,  699. 

Lund  Students'  Chorus,  748-49. 

Lundahl,  Frank  A.,  874-77. 

Lundin,  Frederick,  906. 

Lundquist,  J.  E.,  272-73. 

Luther  Readers,  425,  552,  583.     See  also 
"Lasare,"   198-99. 

Lutheran  choirs,  737. 

Lutheran   Church,    Swedish;   Augustana 
Synod:  foundation,  510,  541,    progress 
of,   541-43;    early    churches:    Andover, 
42S-35,    441-45,     Chicago,     Immanuel 
Church,     466-74,      Galesburg,  447-49. 
452-57,  Geneva,  480-83,  Knox\-ille,  483- 
84,  Moline,  45S-63,  Princeton,  495-501, 
Rockford,  First  Church,  4S4-91;  early 
clerg},-men:     .\ndreen.     Rev.  .-Andreas, 
491-93,  Andr^n,  Rev.  O.  C.  T.,  biog., 
463-65,   mention,    460,    511;    Carlsson, 
Rev.  E.,  444,  466-71,  Esbjorn,  Rev.  L. 
P.,  biog.,  422-38,  452,  454,  Hasselquist, 
Rev.    T.    N.,    biog.,   445-52,  Johnson, 
Rev.    John,    biog.,    501-04,    Norelius, 
Rev.    E.,    504-07,    Olsson,    Dr.    Olof, 
biog.,  521-24,  Peters,  Rev.    G.,   biog., 
493-95.  Swensson,  Rev.  J.,  435,  biog., 
438-44;    historic    bodies    of:     Chicago 
Conference,  Mississippi  Conference  and 
Synod    of    Northern    Illinois,    524-26, 
Illinois  Conference  524-31;  institutions 
in  state:  Augustana  College  and  Theo- 
logical Seminary,  descriptive,    50S-10, 
at  Chicago,  510-13,   at  Paxton,  513-15, 
at    Rock    Island,    515-21,     Augustana 
Hospital     531-37,      Orphans'      Home, 
Andover,     537-38,     Orphans'      Home, 
Joliet,    539-40,    Salem    Home   for    the 
Aged,  Joliet,  540-41. 


Lutheran  Publication  Society,  473,  763-64- 

Mack,  Stephen.  325. 
Malniborg,  Col.  Oscar,  acts  as  engineer 
officer,    646,    648  49,    654;    commands 
55th  Inf.  at:  Arkansas  Post,  648,  Chat- 
tanooga,    650,     Chickamauga     Creek, 
650,    Mission    Riflge,     650,    siege    of 
Vicksburg,    649-50;    commands    55th 
Inf.  at  Shiloh,  virtually,  645-46;  com- 
missioned:    colonel,     651,    colonel    in 
\'eteran     Anny     Corps,    654;    compli- 
mented, 646,  648,  650,  651;  death,  655; 
fails  of  reelection,  653;  military  educa- 
tion, 643;  retires,  655;  ser\-es  in  Mexi- 
can War,  644;  trains  55th  Inf.  644-45. 
Malniquist,  Frithiof,   811. 
Marquette,  Father  Jacques,   11-15,  23. 
Martenson,  John,  817. 
Mattson,   Hans,  782,  biog.  7S4-86. 
Mattson,  Bvt.  Maj.  M.  Theo.,  703. 
Melin,  P.  E.,  836. 
Mellander,  Carl  A.,  802. 
Mellgren,  Rev.  C.  P.,  595-96- 
Methodist-Episcopal     Church,    Swedish, 
356-411;  Agrelius,  Rev.  C.  P.,  359-6i; 
Anderson,  Rev.  A.  J.,  396-98;  Brown, 
Rev.    John,    35.8-59;    Bethany    Home, 
406-08;    Ca.ssel,    Rev.  P.,    363;    Chall- 
man.  Rev.  P.,  363-66;  churches,  early, 
379-96:     Andover,  3S1-S3,  Beaver,  393, 
Bishop    Hill,  395-96,  Chicago,  386-93, 
Galesburg,  3.S3-85,  Moline-Rock  Isl'd, 
385-S6,     Rockford,   393-95,     Swedona, 
395,  Victoria,   3S0-81;  conferences,  40S 
-11;     eminent    workers     of,     396-404; 
Ericson,    Rev.    Albert,    404;    Ericson, 
Rev.  Andrew,  361-62;    first  church  in 
West,   iSi,  356;  growth,  408-11;    Hed- 
strom.    Rev.   Jonas,    biog.,   179-82,  co- 
workers of,  35S-79;  fundamental  work, 
356-58;     Newberg,    Rev.    P.,     371-73: 
Newman,  Rev.  S.  B.,  369-7';  Shogren, 
Rev.     Erik,     366-69;     statistics,     411; 
Swedberg,  Rev.  A.  G.,    362-63;    theo- 
logical seminary,  404-06;  Westergreen, 
Rev.  N.  O.,  400-403;  Wigren,  Rev.  J., 
398-400;  Witting,  Rev.  V.,  373-79- 
Minnesota-Posten,  763,  767,  771. 
Mission  choirs,   736-37. 
Mission    Church,    or    Mission     Friends, 
583-624;    .\nsgarius    College,    599-600; 
beginning   of   movement,  5S3:  in  Chi- 


928 


I.VDEX 


cago,  584-S8;  early  iliurches:  Gales- 
'>""■«.  593-95.  Princeton,  595-96.  Rock- 
ford,  596  97;  prominent  preachers: 
Anderson,  Rev.  Carl,  594-95.  599. 
BerKenskold,  Rev.,  593^94.  Bjork, 
Rev.  Carl  A.,  587.  597.  603,  611,  Lin- 
dahl.  Rev.  C.  J.,  5S4-S5.  600,  Mell- 
gren.  Rev.  C.  P.,  595-9^.  Peterson, 
Rev.  J.  A.,  biog.,  590-91.  Princell, 
Rev.  J.  ("..,  603,  616-17,  Sanngren,  Rev. 
J.  M.,  l)iog.,  589-90,  Skogsljergh,  Rev. 
E.  A.,  591-92,  Sundberg,  Rev.  S.  \V., 
593.  597.  I'ndeen,  Rev.  P.,  596-97, 
Wedin,  Rev.  P.,  596;  Mission  Cove- 
nant, 603-13:  Freilrickson,  Prof,  .A. 
W.,  610,  Hospital  and  Home  of  Mercy, 
610-13,  North  Park  College,  607-10. 
Nyvall,  Prof.  I)..  609-10,  requirements 
for  membership  in,  605;  Synod:  Ans- 
garius,  599-603,  Swedish  Lutheran 
Mission,  597-99,  605,  differences  be- 
tween Ansgarius  and  Mission,  599-602; 
Sw.  Ev.  I-ree  Church  or  Free  Mission, 
613-17;  Sw.  Congregational,  606-07, 
6I7-23;  Scandinavian  .\lliance  Mission, 
620;  statistics  of  all  three  church 
groups,  623-24. 
Mission  Synod,  Swedish  I.iith.,    597-99. 

605. 
Mi.ssiuns-Wannen,  811-12. 
Mississipjii  River,  di.scovery,    12. 
Mix's  place.  Captain,  382,  428,  431. 
Moline,  2S5  91 ;  churches,  289-90;  church: 
Lutheran,  45«  63.  M.  K.,  3''>5  6;  early 
settlers,  286-89;  "Old  man  of  Stenbo," 
287-89;  Swedish  ])ublicalii.ns  in,    290 
291. 
Monmouth,    342  44. 
Mormons,  47  48. 
Muiiler,  Magnus,  334,  485. 
Music  and  Musicians,  705  759;  American 
I'nion     of     Swe<lisli    Singers,    741  48; 
Augustana   College,  music   at,  721   27; 
Augustann:    Band,  721,  Orchestra,  706, 
721   23,  Oratorio  Society,  723-26,  Chajiel 
Choir,    727;    Wennerbcrg  Chorus,  727; 
Baptist  choirs,  73s  36;  Jubilee  Chorus, 
736;    Carls.«on,    S.     K.,    721,     755  56; 
Carlsson   Trio,  755-56;    I'jig.stroin,  C, 
755;    Sniilli,    A.    I).,    755  56;    D'Ailly, 
71s;  early  days,  music  in,  704  05;  luig- 
berg,  Jonas,  705  6;  l"reJH  Society,  71.1; 
<".iinniir  Wennerbcrg  Memorial  Chorus, 


735;  Holmquist,  Gustaf,  752;  Imuianuel 
Church  Choir,  706-08;  Jewett,  Anna 
Fre<lrika  M..  711-12;  Ladies'  Quartette, 
the  Original,  720-21;  Ladies'  Quartette, 
Swedish,  754;  Ladies'  Octette,  Swedi.sh, 
753;  Lady  Quartette,  Swedish,  715  19; 
Lagergren,  Alfred,  714  15;  I^ncaster, 
Ro.salie  AL,  713;  I^rson,  Emil,  726- 
27i  733-34;  Larson,  Emma,  717,  719-20; 
Larson,  Oliver,  709-10;  I^urin.  Sigfrid, 
756;  Lund  Students'  Chorus,  74S-49; 
Lutheran  choirs,  706-08,  737;  Mission 
choirs,  736-7;  Hvass,  A.  G.,  736-37; 
Hvassnian.  A.  L  ,  736;  Olsson.  Olof, 
723;  Orion  Quartette,  752-53:  cirten- 
gren,  John  R.,  740,  744,  746-48,  758; 
Oslxjrn,  Joseph  E.,  706,  710-11,  725; 
Owen,  Benj.,  713;  quartettes,  715-20, 
752  54;  Stolpe,  Gustaf,  721,  723,  7.^5- 
26,  biog.,  729-33;  Svea  Male  Chorus, 
Moline,  751 -5^;  Svenska  Sftngforen- 
ingen,  714-15;  Svithio<l  Singing  Club, 
738-40;  Swedi  .h  Festival  Chorus,  734 
-35;  Swedish  C.lee  Club,  740  41;  Swen- 
son,  John  L..  714.  738-40,  744;  Swe<l- 
ish  Y.  M.  C.  .\.  Chorus,  749-50;  Wim- 
merstedt,  FaIw.  A.,  70.S-09;  World's 
F'air  concerts,  744  46. 
Jlyhrman.  Othelia,  907. 

NAd  ocli  Sanniiig,  766. 

National    .\s.sociation.    Swe<lish,    906-o.S. 

Nelson.  John.   Rockford,  328. 

Nelson,   Litut.  Nels.   700. 

Nelson,  Sveii,   185. 

Newberg,  Rev.  Peter,  biog.,  371-73. 

Newman,  Rev.  Sven  B.,  biog.  369-71. 

Newspapeis  (see  Press) 

New  Sweclen  colony,  9. 

Nilson,  Rev.  F.  O.,  546- 48;  biog.,  559-63. 

Nilsson,  Carl  J.,  862  65. 

Nilsson,  Christina,  at  Chicago,  719  20, 
.89 1  92;  at  Sycamore,  352  53. 

Norlierg,  F^ric  l'.,  attempts  to  have 
charter  revokc<l,  253-4;  ami  five  others 
bring  suit  against  trustees,  259  60; 
biography,  269  711;  defies  trustees  and 
is  banished,  253:  is  i>fFere<l  brilie.  254; 
joins  Lutheran  church  at  .\nilover, 
43"  31;  I'pIKises  trustees,  2.16  4S,  251; 
protests  against  Junvsoiis  extravagance, 
237.   239. 

Nordiii.  UkIhiI.   544. 


IN'DKX 


929 


Norelius,  Rev.  Anders,  504,  507,  551. 
Norelius,    Rev.    Eric,    biog.,    504-07;    as 

editor,  763,  767,  771,  776-77,  S16. 
Norman,  Carl  G.,  838. 
North  I'ark  College,  607-10. 
Northwest  Territory  37-.V8. 
Northwestern  Iniversit)',   129-36. 
Nya  Svenska  Anierikanaren,   784. 
Nya  Verlden,   791  92. 
Nya  Wecko-I'osten,  781. 
Nyhohii,  Arvid  F.,  867-68. 
Nyvall,  Dr.  David,  609-10;  biog.,  832-34. 

Oak  Street  Swedish  Mission,  615-17. 

Odd   Fellows,   l-'irst  Sweilish  Lo<lge,  895. 

Ohio  Company  chartered,    27. 

Old  People's  Home  Association,  903-06. 

Old  People's  Home;  Baptist,  581;  Luth- 
eran, 540-41;  M.  E.,  406-08;  Mission 
Friends,   610-13. 

Olson,  Rev.  Hakan,  484. 

O  son,  Ernst  W.,  794,  818,  912-15. 

Olson,  Jonas,  becomes  Jansson's  active 
adherent,  204;  death,  26S;  deposes 
Eerglunil  and  assmnes  leadership  of 
colony,  244-45;  drafts  charter  appoint- 
ing trustees,  246-47;  faction,  25S;  heads 
gold  seekers'  party,  241;  hides  Jansson, 
215,  meets  Erik  Jansson,  203;  men- 
oued,  237,  248,  250-51,  255,  263; 
modifies  religious  teachings,  249;  turns 
Adventist,  266. 

Olsson,  Anna,  834-35. 

Olsson,  Axel  E.,  857-61. 

Olsson,  Jon,  of  Stenbo,  241,  2S7-S9. 

Olsson,  Olof,  converted  to  Methodism  by 
O.  G.  Hedstrom,  221;  emissary  of 
Janssonists,  220-21;  mention,  2S0;  pur- 
chases first  parcel  of  land  for  Jansson- 
ists, 225;  shelters  Jansson  and  is  re- 
converted by  him;  224;  urges  Jansson- 
sts  to  settle  in  111.,  221. 

Olsson,  Dr.  Olof,  biog.,  521-24;  mention, 
723;  musical  pioneer,  723. 

Oneida,  340-41. 

Organizations,  888-915;  Freja  Society, 
Moline,  894-95;  Odd  Fellows,  Swed- 
ish, S95;  Old  People's  Home  Associa- 
tion, 903-06;  Scandinavian  Benevolent 
Societ)',  895;  Svea  Bildningsforen- 
ing,  Knox,  894;  Svea  Society,  88S-94: 
emigrant  hotel,  S90-91;  Larson,  A., 
892,     894;     Svithiod,    Ind.    Order    of. 


895-99;  Swedish  Historical  Society  o' 
America,  912-15;  Swedish  National 
As.sociation,  906-08;  Swedish-American 
Press  Club,  900;  Swedish-American 
Republican  League,  908-12;  Vikings, 
Ind.  Order  of,  900  03. 

Orion,  312-13;  Janswonists  in,  312;  Pike's 
Peak  party  from,  313. 

Orion  Quartette,  752-53. 

Or])hans'  Home;  Andover,  537  38,  Joliet, 
539  40. 

Ortengren,  John  K.,  163.  740,  744,  746- 
48,   758,  907. 

O.sborn,  Lieut.  Joseph  E.,  biog.,  682-84; 
musical  career,  706,  710-11,  725. 

Owen,   Benj.,   715. 

Pallin,  Otto,  823. 

Palmquist,  Gustaf,  biog.,  552-54;  mention, 

293.  434.  452,  545-48. 
Paxton,  346-48,  Augustana  Seminary  at, 

346,  513- 

Peck,  Rev.  John  M.,   72-74. 

Perrot,  Nicholas,   1 1 . 

Person.  Johan,    825. 

Peters,  Rev.  G.  biog.,  493-95;  mention, 
486,  489. 

Peterson,  Carl  Fr.,  biog.,  797-99.  mention, 
791-94,  826. 

Peterson,  Emma  L.,   717,  719-20. 

Peterson,   Henry  E.   C,  846-47. 

Peterson,   Rev.  J.   A.,   biog.,    590-91. 

Petrelli,  Mme.  E.,  757- 

Petterson,  P.,  322-23. 

Petterson,  Sven,  317. 

Pietists,  425,  552. 

Pine  Lake  Settlement,  1S5-92,  413. 

Pollock,  Sophia,  237,  243-44,  251. 

Polygamy  at  Nauvoo,  48. 

Pontiac,  Chief,  28. 

Press  Club,  Swedish  American,  900. 

Press  and  literature,  760-842;  Aftonbla- 
det.  S26;  Akerberg,  AV.,  S23-24;  Alni- 
kvist,  J.  A.,  S12-13;  Augustana  Book 
Concern,  813-17;  Bjorkman,  Edwin, 
810-11;  Bohman,  G.  A.,  776;  Benzon, 
Oscar  M.,  837;  Bonggren,  Jakob,  808- 
09;  Carlsson,  Erland,  763,  772,  S16; 
Chaiser,  Andrew,  791-94,  796-97;  Chi- 
cago-Bladet,  817-18;  Crjelius,  Otto, 
824;  Cronsioe,  S.,  779-80;  early  publi- 
cations, 761-62;  Ebbesen,  Carl,  836; 
Ivlstrom,  Aron,778;  Elmblad,  Magnus, 


930 


INDEX 


784,  789-91;  Enander  and  Bohniaii, 
773-74;  Enander,  Johan  A.,  772-73, 
774-76;  Enxberg-Holmberg  Publishing 
Company,  The,  764-66,  814;  Engberg, 
Jonas,  763-64,  766-68,  771-72,  816; 
English  literary  work,  838;  Evange- 
listen,  7S0;  first  printing  office,  761- 
63;  Fosterlandet,  HiS;  I'rilietsvannen, 
7S0;  Gyllenhaal,  A.  I..,  774,  7S4,  S02 
-03;  Hassekjuisl,  T.  N.,  761-63,  771, 
813;  Henilandel,  Det  Ratta,  771-72, 
S16;  Henilandet,  Cianila  och  Nya,  451, 
473.  771-774:  Henschen,  Dr.  William, 
782;  Hessel,  Theodore,  826-27;  Heyne 
Alfred,  777-7S;  Higgins,  Gus,  S25-26; 
Hockert,  Bnnio,  836-37;  Hogfeldt, 
Otto,  811  12;  Holniberg,  Charles  P., 
764,  769;  Holmes,  Dr.  I.udvig,  835-36; 
Humorislen,  S25;  Illinois  Swede,  791; 
Johnson,  Alex  J.,  821;  Johnson,  Eric, 
791-92,  795-96;  Kjellberg,  Isidor,  827 
-28;  Lanson,  \Villiani,  838;  Liljen- 
crantz,  Ottilie  A.,  S40;  Lindahl,  S.  P. 
A..  815-16;  IJndbloni,  Erii.st,  825;  Lin- 
dell,  Carl  O.,  764,  769-71,816;  Under, 
Oliver  A.,  809-10;  I.inderborg,  Carl 
G..  793-94,  800;  Lind.stranil,  Frans  A., 
805-06;  Malmquist,  Frithiof,  811;  Jlar- 
ten.son,  John,  S17;  JIalt.son,  Hans,  784 
-86;  Melin,  P.  E.,  836;  Jlellander,  Carl 
A.,  802;  Minnesota-Posten,  763,  767, 
771;  Missions-Wannen,  811-12;  Nid 
och  Sanning,  766;  Norelius,  F'ric,  763, 
767,  771.  776-77.  -"iiS;  Norman,  Carl 
G.,  83S;  Nya  Svenska  Amerikanaren, 
784;  Nya  Verlden,  791-92;  Nya  Wecko- 
Posten,  781;  Nyvall,  David,  S32-34; 
01s.son,  Anna,  834-35;  Pallin,  Otto, 
823;  Person,  Johan,  825;  Peterson,  C. 
F-.  791-94.  797-99.  826;  producing 
center,  literary,  760-61;  Publication 
Society,  Swedish  Lutheran,  763  64; 
Roos,  licrnian,  782,  7S6  88;  Sande- 
budet,  7S1  82;  Schon,  Anders,  778-79; 
Sjostrom,  Guslaf,  778;  Skandia,  826; 
Skar.stedt,  Ivrnst,  S06  08;  Stenquist, 
Charles  J.,  784;  Stromberg,  Rev.  Leo- 
nard, 831-32;  Sundelius,  Peter  A.,  772, 
784,  788-89,  792,  804;  Svenska  Ameri- 
kanaren, I.,  783-84;  Svenska  Ameri- 
kanaien,  II.,  805  u6;  Sven.ska  Kuriren, 
820  21;  Svenska  Nyheter,  825  26; 
Svenska  Kejiublikaneii,  779  .80;   Sven- 


ska Tribunen,  791-95;  Sward.  Axel  A., 
82S-29;  Swenson,  Johan  P..  801-02; 
Swensson,  Rev.  Carl  A.,  818-19; 
Thornmark,  Charles  E.,  837-3S;  Tor- 
sell,  J.  Valdemar,  Soi;  Vftrt  I^ndoch 
Folk,  766;  Wa;rner.  Ninian,  829-31; 
Wickhind,  Gustaf,  822;  Wingren,  Rev. 
F'ric,  7S1;  Zilliacus.  Konni.  803-04. 

Princeton,  295-301;  churches,  300;  early 
settlers,  295-98;  Lutheran  church, 
495-50' '•  Mission  church,  595-96. 

Prize  drill  flag,    66667. 

Publication  Society,  Sw.  Lulli.,  473, 
763-64. 

Quartettes,  715-20,  752-54. 

Randolph  county  organized,  38. 

Readers,  46S,  552,  5S3,  585;  see  "Lasare" 
and  Luther  readers. 

Republican  League  of  111.,  Sw.-Auierican, 
90S-12. 

Revolution,  Swedes  in  American  War 
of,  625. 

Ring,  Rev.  John,   biog.   576. 

Risberg,  Prof.  Fridolf,  606,   620-21. 

Rocheblave,   last  British  governor,  30. 

Rockforil,  324  33;  cholera  victims.  331; 
churches,  ii$;  First  Lutheran  Church, 
484-91;  JI.  E.  church,  393-95;  Mission 
church,  596-97;  numerous  Swe<lish 
element  in,  328;  pioneers,  32S-30; 
status  of  colony  in,   327-28. 

Rook  I.sland,  291-94;  churches,  293  94; 
educational  center.  294,  515;  pioneer 
Haplist  church,  293,  547  50. 

Rock  Spring  Seminary,    72. 

Roos,  Herman,  7S2;  biog.,  786-8S. 

Roos,  Peter,    S51. 

Root,  John,  264,   339. 

Ri«|ue,  F'r.  de  la,   10, 

Roster  of:  Battery  H,  First  Light  Ar- 
tillery, 694  96;  Co.  C,  Forty-third 
111.  Inf..  640-43;  Co.  D,  57lh  111. 
Inf.,  660  63;  Sweilish  men  in  Stol- 
hrand's  battery,  678. 

Ruth,  John,  23943;  "abducts"  his  wife; 
240;  slays  Erik  Jansson,  242;  threatens 
violence,  241. 

Rydi'U,   Ilenning,   865  66. 

Salem  Home  for  the  Aged,  Jolicl,  540-41. 
Saltza,  C.  F.  vim.  S52  53. 


INDEX 


931 


Samlahl,  Rev.  S.  A.,  500. 

Saimielsson,  Carl  Johaii,  276. 

Saimielsson,  Johannes,  276. 

SiiiMuelsson,  John,  313. 

S;in(lel)U(let,   7S1-H2. 

S;'ini;f6reniiii;tMi,   Sveiiska,    714-15. 

Saiini,'rfn,   Rtv.  J.   M.,   biog.,  5X9-90. 

Scaniliiiavian  Alliance  Mis.sion,   620. 

Scandinavian   lienevolent  Society,  S95. 

Schneidau,  P.  von,  biog.,  193-95,  a 
founder  of  St.  Ansgarins  Church, 
414-16,  419. 

Schon,  Anders,   778-79,  912-15. 

Schroeder,  Gustavus,  biog.,  56S-69; 
mention.   544-46. 

Second  Light  Artillery;  Battery  G,  67H- 
So;  Battery  H,  6S4. 

Seedoff,  Rev.  J.  F.,  490. 

Setterdahl,  Rev.  A.  G.,  461. 

Setterdahl,  Rev.  Victor,  444. 

Settlements,  early  Swedish,  193-355;  Al- 
tona,  321-24;  Andover,  272-79;  Bata- 
via,  341-42;  Chicago  (Swedish  colony), 
301-12;  DeKalb,  336-37;  Galesbnrg, 
281-S5;  Galva,  337-40;  Geneseo,  335- 
36;  Geneva,  333-35;  Kewanee,  344-45; 
Knoxville,  317-19;  Moline,  2S5-91; 
Monmouth,  34Z-44;  Oneida,  340-41; 
Orion,  312-13;  Paxton,  346-4S;  Prince- 
ton, 295-301;  Rockford,  324-33;  Rock 
Island,  291-94;  St.  Charles,  313-17; 
Swedona,  320-21;  Sycamore,  348-53; 
Victoria,  279-Si;  Wataga,  319-20;  mis- 
cellaneous, 353-55- 

Settlers,  character  and  con<lition  of, 
271-72. 

Shenlund,  A.  A.,  299,  7S3. 

Sherman,  Gen.  W.  T.,.654,  674. 

Shiloh,  battle  of:  Co.  C,  53d  Inf.,  633 
-37;  Co.  D,  57th  Inf.,  656-57;  Malm- 
borg  and  the  55th  Inf.,  645-46. 

Shogren,  Rev.  Erik,  biog.,  366-69. 

Silfversparre's  battery,  S90. 

Silfversparre,  Capt.  Axel,  685-90,  693- 
94;  captured  by  the  enemy,  690;  career 
in  Sweden,  685-86;  checks  enemy's 
advance  at  Shiloh,  687;  civil  career, 
693-94;  drillmaster  at  Ft.  Pickering, 
6S7-88;  drills  and  equips  battery  H, 
686-87;  recruits  company  and  is  elected 
captain,  686. 
Sjcin,  Sophia,  210. 
Sjostrom,  Gustaf,  77S. 


Skandia,  826. 

Skarstedt,  F.rnst,  806-0S. 

Skogsbergh,    Rev.  E.  A.,  biog.,    591  92. 

Slavery,  55-60;  introduced  by  I'rcnch,  26. 

Sniitli,  .'\.\el  I).,  755  56. 

Smith,  (iustaf,  413  14. 

Smith,  Joseph,  47;  numlcr  of,  50. 

Snygg,  Anders,  322. 

Siidergren,  Rev.  C.   H.,  481-H2. 

Spanish-American  War,  Swedes  in,  702 
-04. 

Sparre.strom,  Capt.   Frederick,  678-80. 

Starved  Rock,   20  22. 

Stenbeck,  Capt.  Andrew,    biog.,  684-85. 

Stenc|uist,   Charles  J.,   7S4. 

Stillhaniuier,   Lieut.  Charles,   700. 

Stirling,  Capt.,  29. 

Stolbrand,  Gen.  Charles  John,  biog.,  672 
-78;  captured,  677;  career  in  Sweden, 
672-74;  estimate  by  Sherman,  674; 
final  career  in  So.  Carolina,  676;  men- 
tion, 350,  88S-89;  military  career,  de- 
tails, 677-78;  promoted:  major  and 
chief  of  artillery,  674,  brigadier-gene- 
ral, 674-76,  67S;  raises  two  comimnies, 
674. 

Stolpe,  Dr.  Gustaf,  biug.,  729-33;  career 
in  Sweden,  729-30;   founds  Augustana 
Conser\-atory    of    Music,    730;    list    of 
compositions,     732-33;     mention,    721, 
725- 
Stoneberg,    Olof,    becomes    trustee,    247; 
biog.,    268;     conducts    party    of    emi- 
grants, 227-2S;  faction,  25S;   mention, 
244;  preacher:  colon)',  249,  M.  E.,  266; 
search  party  at  home  of,  210. 
Strom,  Gustaf  A.,  877-7S. 
Stromberg,  Rev.  Leonard,  S31-32. 
Stuart,  Col.    David,    643-46;    defense   of 

Malmborg,  650-51. 
St.  An.sgarius  Church,  415-22. 
St.  Barnabe's  Mission,  421. 
St.  Charles,  313-17;    cholera  victims    at, 
316;  churches  in,  316-17;  first  settlers, 

314- 

St.  Clair,  Gov.  Arthur,  37. 

St.  Clair  county  organized,  37. 

St.  Francis  Xavier  Mission,  ii. 

Sundberg,  Rev.   S.   \V.,   593. 

Sundelius,  Peter  A.,  biog.,  788-89;  men- 
tion, 772,  7S4,  792,  804. 

Sundell,  Chas.  J,,  717,  7S3.  888-S9. 

Svea  Bildningsforeniug,  Knox,    894. 


932 


INDEX 


Svea  Male  Chorus,  Moline,  751. 

Svea  Society,  SS8-94. 

Svedberg,  pioneer  Chicaj;oan,  305. 

Svenska  Aiiierikanaren,  I.    783-84. 

Svenska  Aiiierikanaren,  II.,  804-05. 

Svenska  Kuriren,  820-21. 

Svenska  Nyheter,  825-26. 

Svenska  RepuMikanen,  779-.S0. 

Svenska  Sinj;f6reningen,  714-15. 

Svenska  Tribiinen,  791-95. 

Svensson.  Pehr,  277. 

Svitliiod,  Ind.  Order  of,  ,895-99. 

Svithiod  Singing  Club,  73S-40. 

Swanson,  Swan,  biog.,  26S. 

Sward,  Axel  A.,  828-29. 

Swedberg,  Rev.  A.  G.,  biog.,  362-63. 

Sweden's  exhibit  at  World's  Fair,   1893, 

160. 
Swedish  American  Art  Association,  882 

83. 
Swedish-.A.inerican  I.innc  Monument  As 

sociation,  883-87. 
Swedish-American  Press  Club,  900. 
Swedish-.\inericaii    Repul)licaii    League, 

908  10. 
Swedish  Baptist:  Church,  544  82,    theo- 
logical seininarv,   57S  80. 
Swedish     day     at    World's    Fair.     1S93, 

161-63. 
Swedish  Episcopal  Church,  412-22. 
Swedish  Festival  Chorus,  734  35. 
Swedish  Glee  Club,  74041. 
Swedish  Historical  Society  of    .America, 

912-15. 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  423  543. 
Swedish    Lutheran    Publication   Society, 

473.  763-64. 

Swedish  M.  !•'..:  Church,  356  411,  theo- 
logical .seminary,  404-06. 

Sweilish  Methodism,  craiUe  of,   182. 

Swedish  Mission  Church,  5.S3  624. 

Swedish  names  in  early  records,   174  75. 

Swedish  National  .\ssociation,  906  o>S. 

Swedish  Y.  M.  C.  .\.  Chorus,  749  50. 

Swedona,  first  Swede  in,  320  21;  M.  }'.. 
Church,  395. 

Sweiison,  Johan  P.,  .Soi-02: 

Swensoii,  John   I...  708,  714,  738-40. 

Swensson,  Dr.  Carl  .X.,  biog.,  S18-19. 

Swensson,  Rev.  Joiins,  435,  biog.,  438  44. 

Sycamore,  348  53;  Christinu  Nils.son's 
vi.sil  to,  352;  first  .settlers,  350. 

Synod,  Ansgnrius,  599  603. 


Syno<l,    .\iigustana.    founding    of,     469, 

510,  541;  statistics.  541-43. 
Syno<l.  General,  600,  602. 
S}-nod  of  Northern  Illinois,  524,  595,  599. 
Synod,  Sw.  Luth.  Mission,  597-99. 

Thelin,  Erik,  906-07. 
Thoriimark,  Chas.  E.,  837-38. 
Todd,  John,  36. 
Toffteen.  Dr.  Olof,  841. 
Tonti,   Henri,  15,   18. 
Torgerson,  .-Vxel  W.,  849-51. 
Torsell,  J.  Valdeinar,  801. 
Turner  education  bill,  74-76. 

I'dden,   Dr.  John  A.,  840-41. 

I'ndeen,  Rev.  P.,   596-97. 

Tniversity  of  Chicago,  137-47;  educa- 
tional plan,  143-44;  Harper,  W.  R., 
141,  143.  147;  Judson.  H.  P.,  147;  new 
university  planned,  141  42;  old  univer- 
sity,   137-40. 

1  "niversity  of  Illinois,  74-85;  Agricultural 
Experiment  Station,  79;  Ct>llege  of 
Dentistry,  78;  College  of  Medicine,  78; 
College  of  Pharmacy.  78;  Engineering 
Experiment  Station.  80;  James,  E.  J., 
83,  84;  Lalxaratory  of  Natural  History, 
81;  Library,  78;  presidents,  .S3;  School 
of  Law,  78;  State  Chemical  and  Bio- 
logical Survej',  81 ;  State  I\nloniologists' 
office.  81;  Slate  Geological  Survey,  82. 

Unonius,  Rev.  (iustaf,  builds  church, 
417;  career  in  Sweden:  early:  i.S5-,S6, 
later.  420;  emigrates,  186-S7;  encount- 
ers Janssonists,  414;  founds  St.  .\ns- 
garius  Church,  415;  relieves  cholera 
victims,  307,  417;  removes  to  Chicago, 
192;  secures  donations  from  Jenny 
Liiul,  416:  settles  at  Pine  Lake.  iSS- 
90;  studies  for  ministry,  413. 

\aknliii.  C.  J.,  433-  459  6t),  495-96- 

X'andalia,  40. 

\■.^rt   Land  ocli   I-'olk,   766. 

\'errazani,  John,   10. 

Victoria,  279  Si;   M.  E.  church,  3S0  81. 

Vikings,  Ind.  Order  of,  900  03. 

X'iiueniies,  34,  38. 

Vossner,   Rev.  C.  J.,  498  99. 

\\;iriifr,  Ninian,  S29  31. 
WidiU-nslroin,   P.   P.,   512   13,  601. 


INDKX 


933 


W'ariR-r,  Capt.  Aiidruw  (',.,  bioj^.,  669-70. 

W'alaj^a,  .V9  20. 

Weilin,  Rev.  P..  596. 

Weniierbcij;  Chorus,  727. 

Wester,    Krik,    190,   295  97,  496,  .(gS-gg. 

\Vesler>;reen,  Rev.  N.  ().,  biojf.,  400  03. 

WesterliiiKl,   I'eler,  313. 

Westman,  Edward  C,  908-10. 

Williamson,  M.  O.,  320,  908-10, 

Wiberg,  Rev.  Anders,  biog.,  554-59. 

Wicklund.'Gustaf,  S22. 

Wickstrum,  Capt.    Peter   M.,  250,  bioj'., 

667-68. 
Widen,    Raphael,   jiLstice    of    the    peace, 

172;    legislator    and    president    of    the 

senate,   173-74. 
Wigren,  Rev.  John,  biog.,  398-400. 
Wikstrand,  Rev.  J.,  499-500. 


Wilkins,  Col.,  29. 

Wininiersledt,   Ivdward  C,   707-09. 

Wingren,   Rev.    Mric,   781. 

W'inciiiist,   Rev.   N.   Th.,  456. 

Wirslrrini,  Caj)!.    P.   W.,  273-74,    427-28, 

Wistrand,  J.   H,,   291,  346. 
Witting,  Rev.  Victor,  biog.,  373-79. 
World's   Fair,    147-64;   concerts,  744-46; 

Sweden's  exhibit  at,  160;  Swedish  day 

at,   161-63. 
Wynian,  Sergt.  Peter  S.,  690  93. 

Yates,   Richard,  65. 
Youngberg,  Adj.  John  K.,  699. 

Zilliacus,   Konni,  S03-4. 
Zion  Swedish   I^utheran  Church,    Rock- 
ford,  48S. 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


Swedes  of  Illinois 


PART    II 


Biographical   SKetches 

WITH    PORTRAITS 


CHICAGO  ] 


I 

Edited  by  I 

ERNST  W.  OLSON  and  MAIITIN  J.  ENdBERG 
-^ 


CHICAGO 

The  Engberg=Holmberg  Publishing  Company 

1908 


Copyright  1908 
bv   The  Knyberj»-Holmbcrg  Puhlisliing  Coiniuiny 


INTRODUCTION 


IN  order  to  bring  the  foregoing  History  of  the  Swedes  of  Illinois 
down  to  date  it  has  been  supplemented  by  a  collection  of  bio- 
graphical sketches  of  representative  Swedish- Americans  "in  the 
living  present."  In  the  preceding  pages  we  have  endeavored  to  record 
the  achievements  of  the  Swedish  people  of  the  state  in  the  past.  In 
the  following  is  preserved  a  record  of  those  Swedish-Americans  who 
are  now  keeping  up  the  march  of  progress,  constantly  adding  new 
material  to  our  annals.  The.se  biographies  are  of  men  and  women 
prominent  or  fairly  representative  in  church  and  state,  in  art,  science 
and  literature,  in  educational  and  benevolent  work,  in  the  learned 
professions,  in  commerce  and  industry,  in  agriculture  and  the  trades, 
in  short,  people  of  every  creditable  walk  in   life. 

More  than  a  quarter  century  has  elapsed  since  the  first  consistent 
attempt  was  made  to  collect  and  preserve  in  book  form  the  past 
records  of  the  Illinois  Swedes.  That  volume  is  now  rare  and,  though 
obsolete  as  to  the  biographical  part,  is  a  valuable  .source  of  information 
in  personal  history.  The  aim  of  the  present  work  is  still  greater 
completeness  in  this  respect,  and  much  that  may  seem  inessential  and 
trivial  in  these  sketches  today  will  be  appreciated  in  years  to  come. 

Not  every  man  has  a  taste  for  history  nor  every  Swedish-American 
a  care  whether  the  records  of  his  nationality  are  preserved.  In  rare 
instances  persons  worthy  of  a  mention  in  the  following  pages  may  have 
been  inadvertently  omitted,  but  in  the  majority  of  cases  omissions  are 
owing  to  a  lack  of  interest  on  the  part  of  the  individuals  thenuselves. 
To  those  who  have  responded  favorably  to  the  request  for  personal 
data  and  other  information  incorporated  in  this  work  the  editors  and 
publishers  are  deeply  indebted  for  the  successful  performance  of  their 
task. 


COOK  COUNTY 


CHICAGO 


JOHN  RICHARD  LINDGREN 
was  born  in  Chicago,  Illinois,  Feb. 
20,   1855.     His  father  was  Charles 


JOHN   RICHARIl   LINDGREN 

Magnus  Lindgren,  the  well-known 
sea  captain  and  shipowner,  who 
for  many  years  was  a  prominent 
figure  in  the  Swedish  colon}^  of 
Chicago.  Captain  Lindgren  died 
in  Evanston  Sept  i,  1879.  His 
mother,  nee  Johanna  Anderson, 
passed  away  in  that  city  March 
23,   1887. 

John  Richard  Lindgren,  their 
only  son,  was  educated  in  the  gram- 
mar and  high  schools  of  Chicago, 
and  entered  business  life  as  an 
insurance  and  vessel  agent.  In 
company  witli  Helge  A.  Haugan, 
by  descent  a  Norwegian,  he  found- 
ed   the    private  banking    firm    of 


Haugan  &  Lindgren,  December  8, 
1879.  The  bank,  which  was  lo- 
cated at  59  La  Salle  st.,  cor.  Ran- 
dolph, during  the  first  few  years 
transacted  business  almost  exclu- 
sively with  Scandinavian  custom- 
ers. The  bank's  business  was  con- 
ducted conservatively  and  grew 
from  3'ear  to  year.  In  18S3  its 
savings  department  had  deposits 
amounting  to  $89,000.  In  1890 
the  same  department  had  deposits 
of  more  than  $1,000,000.  The  firm 
in  1 89 1  incorporated  its  business 
as  the  State  Bank  of  Chicago.  By 
1897  the  resources  of  the  bank 
were  upwards  of  $2,500,000.  Four 
years  later  they  were  more  than 
$7,000,000.  At  the  present  lime 
the  capital  and  surplus  and  undi- 
vided profits  amount  to  $2,068,512 
and  the  deposits  are  upwards  of 
$18,000,000. 

The  State  Bank  of  Chicago  now 
has  its  offices  in  the  Chamber  of 
Commerce  Building,  occupying  the 
entire  first  floor.  Its  customers 
are  of  all  nationalities  represented 
in  the  metropolis.  Mr.  Haugan 
is  president  and  Mr.  Lindgren  is 
cashier  of  the  institution. 

In  1892  Mr.  Lindgren  was  ap- 
pointed Vice  Consul  of  Sweden 
and  Norway  at  Chicago,  and  still 
.serves  as  Vice  Consul  of  Sweden. 
B}-  King  Oscar  II  he  has  been  dec- 
orated with  the  Order  of  Vasa. 
His     residence     is     in     Evanston, 


(7) 


8 


Cook  County 


where  he  has  been  city  trustee  and 
city  treasurer.  The  Northwestern 
University  has  long  had  the  bene- 
fit of  his  ser\nces  as  trustee.  Mr. 
Lindgren  is  of  pronounced  musical 
tastes.  He  has  been  president  of 
the  Evanston  Musical  Club  and  the 
Apollo  Musical  Club  of  Chicago, 
and  is  a  trustee  of  the  Theodore 
Thomas  Orchestra.  Mr.  Lindgren 
is  a  member  of  the  council  of  the 
Swedish-American  Historical  So- 
ciety. He  belongs  to  the  Union 
League  Club  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Methodist  Church. 
He  was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Swedish  Meth.  Old  People's  Home, 
endowing  it  with  a  considerable 
sum  of  monej\  Mr.  Lindgren  was 
married  June  25,  1S98,  to  Ethel 
May  Roe  of  Chicago  who  was 
born  May  6,  1870.  A  daughter, 
Ethel,  was  born  Jan.  i,  1905.  The 
family  residence  is  at  1224  Sheri- 
dan Road.  Mr.  Lindgren  is  a 
modest  and  unassuming  man,  fully 
worthy  of  the  confidence  reposed 
in  him. 


When  smiling,  Mr.  Ackerburg's 
face  bears  a  striking  resemblance 
to    that     of    President     Roosevelt. 


HENRY  E.  ACKERBURG 
was  born  in  Goteborg,  Sweden, 
March  26,  1S59.  A  few  years  later 
he  came  to  America  with  his  par- 
ents and  located  in  Chicago. 
After  attending  public  school,  he 
drifted  into  the  cigar  business, 
first  as  errand  boy,  later  as  sales- 
man. At  the  age  of  twent\-one 
he  started  in  business  for  himself, 
wliicli  he  has  carried  on  success- 
fully until  he  has  built  uji  a  fine 
wholesale  and  retail  cigar  and  to- 
bacco trade.  His  place  of  business 
is  at   1S6  Madison  Street. 


HENRY  E.  ACKERBURG 

During  the  political  campaign  of 
1900  Mr.  Ackerburg  was  called 
upon  by  the  Marquette  Club  to 
impersonate  Roosevelt  in  the  grand 
Rejmblican  Sound  Money    parade. 

Mr.  Ackerburg  in  18SS  married 
Miss  Mary  Van  de  Ven,  who  was 
born  in  Holland.  They  have 
three  children,  two  bo>-s  and  one 
girl. 

Mr.  Ackerburg  is  a  thirty-sec- 
ond degree  Mason,  a  Knight  Temp- 
lar, and  a  member  of  the  Royal 
League  and   the    Roj'al    Arcaiuim. 


riniR  S.  PETERSON, 
the  most  witlely  known  Swedish 
hoiticulturist  and  nur.seryman  in 
America,  was  boni  near  Kristian- 
stad,  Sweden,  June  15,  1S30. 
Until  thirteen  years  of  age  he  re- 
mained at  home,  attending  the 
schools  of  his  native  town .   He  earlv 


Chicago 


manifested  a  love  of  nature  and 
his  youth  was  given  to  accjuirini; 
a  practical  kno\vled<^e  of  horticul- 


PEHR  S.   PETERSON 

ture.  After  five  years  in  the  gar- 
dens of  his  native  land,  such  as 
Ofveds  Kloster,  Maltesholm,  he 
spent  three  years  on  the  continent, 
in  leading  horticultural  institutions 
at  Hamburg,  Erfurt  and  Ghent, 
studying  at  the  latter  place  under 
the  renowned  horticulturist  Van 
Houtte. 

Coming  to  Toronto  in  1S51,  he 
saw  that  the  greatest  chances  for 
success  lay  in  the  United  States 
and  soon  went  to  Rochester,  then, 
as  now,  the  center  of  the  nursery 
interests  of  the  country.  There 
he  obtained  employment  with  Frost 
&  Co.,  beginning  at  S8  a  month 
and  board.  Within  three  j-ears 
he  had  not  only  acquired  the  Eng- 
lish language  but  was  working  for 
Ellwanger  &  Barrj'  at  the  large 
salary,  for  those  days,  of  Sioo  a 
month.     Thinking  to  obtain  riches 


faster  by  digging  for  gold  than 
delving  in  nurserj-  rows,  in  1S54 
he  went  to  California  via  Panama, 
but  aside  from  budding  a  lot  of 
fruit  trees  which  still  grow  in 
\'ancouver,  the  venture  was  pro- 
ductive   of  little   save   experience. 

In  1856  Mr.  Peter.son  established 
the  present  business,  the  Peterson 
Nursery,  on  a  .small  piece  of  rented 
land  some  miles  outside  of  the  city 
limits.  In  the  next  year  a  ten- 
acre  tract  of  woodland  was  pur- 
chased. The  property  has  since 
been  added  to  until  it  amounts  to 
496  acres,  now  the  largest  piece  of 
acre  propertj-  in  Chicago,  for  in 
1889  the  entire  holding  was  an- 
nexed to  the  city.  It  lies  seven 
miles  northwest  of  the  Cit}-  Hall 
and  on  it  is  one  of  the  finest  col- 
lections of  ornamental  stock  in  A- 
nierica.  Here,  in  the  course  of 
years,  Mr.  Peterson  found  the  gold 
he  failed  to  find  in  California. 

His  attainments  in  horticulture 
found  appreciation  at  home  and 
abroad  and  have  been  recognized 
by  many  scientific  societies.  He 
was  the  second  in  over  half  a 
century  to  be  elected  an  honorary 
member  of  the  Horticultural  So- 
ciety of  Stockholm,  and  the  King 
of  Sweden  showed  him  signal 
honor  in  decorating  him  with  the 
Order  of  \'asa.  In  1865  Mr. 
Peterson  was  married  to  Mary  A. 
Gage,  of  Boston.  Their  only  child 
is  \Vm.  A.,  who  has  been  manager 
of  the  nursery  since  1S95.  Since 
retiring  from  active  business  Mr. 
Peterson  spent  most  of  his  time 
abroad.  He  died  January  19,  1903, 
when     the     entire     business     was 


lO 


Cook  County 


handed  down  to  Mr.  Wni.  A.  Peter- 
son, who  conducts  it  on  tlie  lines 
laid  down  by  his  father. 

The  nursery  office  is  at  Lincohi 
and  Peterson  Avenues,  and  the 
city  oiTice  at   loS  La  Salle  st. 

AROX  EDSTROM, 

associate  editor  of  Heinlandet,  was 
born  in  Edstorp,    Or  parish,    Dals- 


.\KO.\  IvDSTRO.M 

land,  Sweden,  January  6,  1S47. 
His  early  develoi^ed  taste  for  books 
impelled  him,  aside  from  his  reg- 
ular studies,  to  read  with  avidity 
all  the  books  he  could  borrow  or 
find  in  the  parish  librarx'.  He 
Studied  P^nglish,  German,  algebra, 
and  geometry  without  the  help  of 
a  teacher.  Hefore  entering  the 
confirmation  class  he  sur])rised  the 
grammar  school  teacher  bv  exhib- 
iting a  knowledge  eciual  to,  and 
in  some  subjects  exceeding,  that  of 
his  master.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
he  obtained  emjilox  nient  in  a  saw- 
mill   and    within    two    years    was 


master  of  his  trade.  In  iM6y  he 
was  seized  with  the  eniigation  fever 
and  in  company  with  his  l)rolher 
and  other  friends  came  over  to 
this  country.  The  party  settled 
in  the  vicinity  of  Marine,  Minn., 
joining  friends  previously  located 
there.  For  three  years  he  led  a 
hard  and  laborious  existence  in 
lumber  camps,  saw-mills,  on  rail- 
roads, etc.  Intending  at  this  time 
to  become  a  farmer  in  one  of  the 
rapidly  developing  communities  of 
the  Northwest,  he  took  a  home- 
stead in  Polk  county.  Wis.  In 
August,  1S72,  he  unfortunately 
lost  his  left  hand  in  a  saw-mill. 
This  accident  at  once  changed  his 
plans  for  the  future.  His  old 
desire  for  learning  was  revived. 
In  December  of  the  same  year  he 
entered  St.  An.sgar's  Academy  in 
Carver,  now  Gustavus  Adolphus 
College,  at  St.  Peter,  Minn.  In 
1.S75  he  entered  the  Ereslnnan 
class  at  Augustana  College,  Rock 
Island,  111.,  from  whence  he  grail- 
uated  with  the  class  of  '79.  The 
following  year  he  was  chosen  as- 
sistant editor  of  Skaffatrii.  now 
Miniiisola  Slats  Tiiiiiiiii^.  jniblished 
at  St.  Paul,  afterwards  acting  as 
its  editor  in  chief  for  one  year, 
i,S.S2-i.s.S3.  In  May  of  the  latter 
year  he  accepted  a  position  as  asso- 
ciate editor  of  llfiiilaiidtt,  of  whose 
staff  he  has  since  been  a  member 
with  the  exception  of  eight  months 
in  iSyo,  when  he  edited  Xonitiis 
Medboij^ait-,  a  paper  published  in 
Manistee,  Mich. 

In  1SS2,  Mr.  Edstriim  was  mar- 
ried to  \\\WA  C.  Greek,  of  Trade 
Lake,   Wis.,  daughter  of  Lars  and 


Chicagfo 


1 1 


Christina  M.  Greek.  She  died  in 
189S,  leaving  seven  children,  FA- 
ward,  Ksther,  Thekla,  Signe,  Dag- 
mar,  Hilmer  and  Gustaf.  The 
eldest  daughter,  Ivsther,  is  married 
to  Dan  J.  McConnell. 

In  politics  Mr.  Edstrom  is  a 
rock-ribbed  Repiil)lican.  Since  his 
arrival  in  this  country  he  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Augustana  sj'nod, 
and  has  .served  as  deacon  of  his 
church  for  twelve  years.  In  the 
course  of  his  twenty-seven  years' 
service  as  a  member  of  the  press 
Mr.  Edstrom,  while  devoting  him- 
self chiefly  to  routine  work,  has 
written  occasional  literary  sketches 
which  have  appeared  in  various 
periodicals.  Among  these  are, 
"Sketches  from  Swedish- American 
Pioneer  Life,"  which  have  appeared, 
partly  in  Hemlandcf  and  partly  in 
the  annual,    "Prarie-blomman." 


out  to  his  jjartner  in  iSyy.  Sub- 
sequently for  ten  months  he  held 
the  position  of  foreman  in  a  tailor- 


NELS  J.  OLSON 
was  born  in  Egby,  Oland,  Sweden, 
June  18,  1844,  being  the  son  of 
Olof  Abrahamson,  a  sailor.  He 
lost  his  mother  in  1849  and  his 
father  three  years  later.  He  dis- 
continued school  at  twelve  to  learn 
the  tailor's  trade.  At  seventeen 
he  opened  his  own  shop  at  Egby 
and  continued  in  the  business 
there  until  1872,  when  he  came 
to  America  and,  after  working 
a  few  weeks  in  a  brick  yard  at 
Haverstraw,  N.  Y.,  to  Chicago. 
Having  been  emploj-ed  by  tailor- 
ing firms  for  about  ten  j-ears  he 
opened  his  own  shop  as  merchant 
tailor  1883,  in  partnership  with 
C.  J.  Olson.  After  conducting  the 
business  for  sixteen  vears  he  .sold 


XELS  J.   OLSO.\ 

ing  house  in  Boston.  After  hold- 
ing a  foremanship  in  Chicago  for 
another  j-ear,  he  retired  from 
business. 

Mr.  Olson  is  a  member  of  the 
Immanuel  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  since  1873  and  has  always 
been  an  active  church  worker. 
He  is  at  present  treasurer  of  the 
church  and  has  served  as  deacon 
ten  years  and  trustee  seven  years. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  church 
choir  for  twelve  years,  of  the  male 
chorus  Lyran  four  years,  and  taught 
in  the  Sunday  school  for  a  long 
period. 

April  II,  1S74,  he  was  married 
to  Nellie  Johnson,  born  Feb.  19, 
1845,  at  Mjellby,  Blekinge.  The 
fatnih-  numbers  ten  chiklren,  se\-en 
of  whom  are  dead,  those  li\ing 
are:  Minnie  Elizabeth,  born  May 
4,     187S,     married     to    Albert     C. 


12 


Cook  County 


Walilgren;  Esther  Bethulia,  born 
Feb.  19,  1S80;  and  Carl  Fridolph 
Nathanael,  born  Jan.  31,    1887. 

The  family  residence  is  at   1451 
King  Place. 

J.  ALBERT  ACKERBURG 

wa.s  born  in  Goteborg,  Sweden, 
Dec.  10,  1863,  and  came  to  Chi- 
cago   immediately'    after    the    civil 


eral  years.  Part  of  his  many  du- 
ties consists  in  going  to  the  Bos- 
ton and  New  York  markets  about 
six  times  a  year  to  supply  his 
department,  which  is  rated  as  one 
of  the  most  popular  in  Chicago. 

Mr.  Ackerburg  resides  at  947 
Hood  ave.,  Edgewater.  He  is  mar- 
ried, has  a  son  and  daughter.  He 
and  his  family  are  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  His 
political  beliefs  are  tho.se  of  the 
Republican  party. 


CHARLES  J.  STONE 

was  born  in  Nya  Kopparberget, 
Orebro,  Sweden,  Sept.  11,  1S51. 
He  learned  the  tailor's  trade  under 
the  direction  of  C.  J.  Hallin,  in 
Orebro,  and  at  the  age  of  iS  years 
left  his  native  country  to  seek  his 
fortune  in  other  lands.  He  went 
first  to  London,  but  findiuc;  ojijior- 


I     A  I. HURT   ACKERIURO 

war.  He  attended  public  school 
and  also  the  Swedi.sh  parochial 
.school  at  the  Innnanuel  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church.  In  1S77  he  en- 
tered the  employ  of  luiander  i\: 
Bohnian,  then  publishers  of  the 
weekly  I  h  inlandil,  intending  to 
learn  the  ])rinters'  trade.  In  1879 
he  engaged  in  the  boot  and  shoe 
business.  For  several  years  he  has 
held  the  jjosition  of  bu\er  and 
manager  of  shoe  (lej)arlments  in 
in  various  large  concerns.  At  jires- 
ent  he  represents  Roth.schild  and  tunities  there  too  limited,  he  soon 
Company  in  this  capacity,  ha\'ing  soon  left  for  America  locating  in 
been    in    their    employ    for     sev-      Chicago.     Here   he    secured  a   j>o- 


cii.\Ki.i;s  .1.  sTi>xi-: 


Chicago 


sition  as  coal  maker  with  tht  firm 
of  Edw.  Kly  iS:  Co.  In  the  mean- 
time he  learned  the  art  of  cutting, 
and  in  the  spring  of  1873  obtained 
a  place  as  cutter  with  the  firm  of 
Roche  &  Co.,  where  he  remained 
for  two  years.  Thereafter  he 
served  for  two  \ears  with  \\'ilde, 
Bluett  &  Co.  During  the  years 
1878- 1  SSo  he  was  foreman  and  de- 
signer for  the  wholesale  firm  of 
L.  C.  Wachsmuth  &  Co.,  and  the 
following  year  for  \\'illoiighb\-.  Hill 
&  Co.  From  1880-1S85  he  was 
the  manager  of  the  London  Tailors, 
and  in  1885-1890  was  cutter  for 
John  O'Coiniell,  and  for  the  next 
two  years  manager  and  cutter  for 
Stieglitz  &  Co. 

In  1879  Mr.  Stone  started  an 
evening  school  for  cutters,  which 
he  expanded  into  a  day  school  in 
1888,  which  he  entered  into  ])art- 
nership  with  John  and  Harr\-  Mil- 
ner  for  this  purpose.  Four  years 
later  he  bought  out  the  interests 
of  his  partners,  and  has  since 
managed  the  school  alone.  Its 
graduates  are  now  to  be  found  all 
over  the  world,  its  fame  having 
reached  to  the  Orient  as  well  as 
Europe. 

Mr.  Stone  has  been  deeply  in- 
terested in  every  movement  for 
the  elevation  and  improvement  of 
his  profession.  In  1893  he  started 
a  monthly  known  as  The  Practical 
Cutter  and  Tailor,"  which  has  ac- 
quired a  wide  trade  circulation. 
He  has  also  published  a  number 
of  standard  textbooks  on  design- 
ing, cutting,  and  manufacture  of 
all  sorts  of  clothing  for  men,  wom- 
en    and     children.      These     books 


have  been  translated  into  many 
languages,  including  the  Japanese. 
As  a  lecturer  on  the  art  of  cutting 
and  tailoring,  he  has  been  particu- 
larly successful. 

Mr.  Stone  is  an  honorar\-  mem- 
ber of  more  than  a  score  of  tailors' 
and  cutters'  associations.  Mr. 
Stone  has  been  married  twice,  the 
first  time  with  Miss  Tillie  Fer- 
gu.son,  with  whom  he  had  four 
sons,  Charles  J.  Stone,  Jr.,  F,d- 
ward  M.,  George  H.  and  Stanley 
S.  Stone,  who  now  are  interested 
in  the  cutting  school  with  their 
father. 


ANDREW  PETER  FORS, 

Pastor  of  the  Bethel  Swedish  Luth- 
eran Church,  was  born  Dec.  18, 
1S60,  at  Fonsb}-,  Vestra  Tollstad 
parish,  Ostergotland,  Sweden.    His 


ANIiREW   PETER   FORS 

parents  are  Andreas  Petters.son,  now 
a  retired  farmer,  and  Hilda  Maria, 
nee  Xilsson,  both  still  living  in  Swe- 
den.     He  came  to  this  countr\-  in 


14 


Cook  County 


the  spring  of  1880.  After  a  j-ears' 
residence  and  study  at  XIankato, 
Minn.,  he  entered  Gustaviis  Adol- 
phus  College  at  St.  Peter,  Minn. 
After  a  period  of  study  at  this  in- 
stitution he  went  in  188410  Augus- 
tana  College,  at  Rock  Island,  111. 
During  the  years  1885-1S87,  he  as- 
sisted Dr.  T.  N.  Hasselquist  in 
his  church  at  Rock  Island.  Hav- 
ing graduated  from  Augustana 
College  in  1S87,  he  was  chosen 
principal  of  the  Augustana  Academy 
at  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah,  retaining 
that  position  until  iSS.s,  when  he 
entered  Augustana  Theological 
Seminary.  Graduating  from  the 
seminary  he  was  ordained  to  the 
ministry  June  16,  1889,  at  Moline, 
111.  His  first  charge  was  at  W'ahoo, 
Neb.,  where  he  was  also  professor 
at  Luther  Academy  during  1889- 
1890  and  editor  of  Walioo-  DIadct. 
During  1891  he  was  pastor  of  the 
ICmanuel  Church  at  Rockford,  111. 

I'^om  1S92  to  1899  Mr.  Fors 
was  in  charge  of  the  Swedi.sh  Ev. 
Lutheran  church  at  Geneseo,  111. 
He  earned  the  degree  of  A.  M. 
at  Augustana  College  in  1894. 
Since  1899  the  Rev.  Mr.  Fors  has 
been  pastor  of  the  Bethel  Swedish 
I>;\-.  Lutheran  Church  in  Chicago 
and  during  his  pastorate  a  new 
church  and  parsonage  have  been 
erected  at  the  cost  of  $50,000. 
He  pursued  post-graduate  studies 
at  the  University  of  Chicago  from 
1899  to  1902.  The  thesis  for  final 
promotion  to  the  degree  of  Ph.  D. 
was  presented  in  April,  1904,  tlie 
subject  being,  "The  Ivthical  W'orld- 
Conce])tion  of  the  Norse  People." 

Dr.    Fors    has     written    articles 


for  the  "Lutheran  Cyclopedia," 
the  American  Journal  of  Theology, 
Augustana  and  Augustana  Journal. 
He  is  the  editor  of  Bethel- Bladet. 
a  monthly  paper  for  the  menil>ers 
of  Bethel  Church.  In  1894  he 
published  "Rational  Grounds  of 
Christian  Truth"  and  in  1904  his 
Doctor's  thesis.  He  has  written 
an  extensive  review  of  La  Sau- 
saye's  "Teutonic  Mythology'." 

Dr.  Fors  has  served  as  chair- 
man of  the  Southern  Chicago  Dis- 
trict of  the  Illinois  Conference  of 
the  Augustana  Synod  and  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Ministerial  As- 
sociation of  Chicago.  He  was  for 
six  years  a  member  of  the  Augus- 
tana Church  Kxtension  Society 
and  was  its  secretary  from  1893 
to  1899.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  Augustana 
College  from  1896  until  1900  and 
was  elected  secretary'  of  the  Board. 
Dr.  Fors  was  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  Augustana 
Hospital  for  the  term  1902  to  1905. 
In  1904,  he  became  interested  in 
a  movement  resulting  in  founding 
a  similar  institution,  the  Kngle- 
wood  Hospital,  organized  on  the 
south  side.  He  is  chairman  of 
the  board  of  directors  and  presi- 
dent of  the  Swedish-American 
Hospital  Association  that  owns 
and  controls  the  institution.  Dr. 
Fors  was  al.so  one  of  the  prime 
movers  in  establishing  the  t)ak 
Hill  Cemetery  in  1902,  and  is 
member  of  the  Chicago  Cemetery 
A.ssociation,  which  owns  that 
propert\-. 

In  1889,  Aug.  24,  Dr.  Fors  was 
married    to    Mi.ss  Ada   lunilia  To- 


Chicago 


15 


line  of  Moline,  111.,  born  Dec.  13, 
1S60,  dau^liter  of  Ulrik  and  Kva 
Toline,  holli  of  whom  are  deceased. 
Of  three  cliildren  horn  to  Dr.  and 
Mrs.  Fors  only  one  survives,  a 
son,  Adolph  PVedrick,  now  a  stu- 
dent of  electrical  engineering  at 
the  Armour  Institute.  The  par- 
sonage is  at  6206  Peoria  St. 


GUSTAF    ERNEST    GORDON, 

pastor  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,   was  horn  in    Karlskrona, 


GUSTAF  ERNEST  GORDON 

Sweden,  April  27,  1S57.  His 
parents  were  Gustaf  Carlson  and 
Marie  Charlolta,  nee  Malmberg; 
the  father  died  in  1893.  In  his 
early  boyhood,  his  parents  decided 
that  he  should  enter  the  clerical 
profession,  and  accordingly  at  the 
age  of  nine  he  entered  the  colle- 
giate school  of  his  native  town,  first, 
having  received  his  preparation 
in  a  private  school.  While  at 
this  institution  he  also  took  sup- 
plementarj'    studies    in     Prof.    A. 


Halk's  evening  .school.  After 
spending  some  years  in  the  class- 
ical l)ranches,  his  own  desires  did 
not  accord  with  the  i)lan  mapped 
out  bj-  his  parents,  and  thus  it 
happens  that  we  subsequentlj-  find 
him  in  the  service  of  a  large  mer- 
chant, bent  upon  a  business  career. 
Soon  after,  he  left  Sweden,  going 
to  Germany  in  order  to  perfect 
himself  in  the  language  and  learn 
the  business  conditions  and  meth- 
ods of  the  countrj-.  Although  ex- 
ceptionally succe.ssful  in  the  busi- 
ness sphere,  it  would  seem  that 
his  mission  lay  in  a  different  direc- 
tion. After  having  had  charge  of 
a  large  wholesale  and  importing 
establishment  for  three  years,  he 
decided,  and  now  on  more  mature 
thought,  to  enter  the  ministry.  He 
joined  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  1877.  After  having 
.served  the  churches  in  Eoftaham- 
mar-Wraka,  Nykoping,  Emma- 
boda,  Vexio  and  Stockholm  as 
pastor,  he  came  to  this  countrj-  in 
July,  1893.  By  the  Northwestern 
Swedish  Conference  he  was  sta- 
tioned at  McKeesport,  Pa.,  where 
he  remained  two  years.  His  next 
charge  was  at  Galva,  111.  After 
staying  three  years  he  was  sent 
to  Jamestown,  where  he  labored 
for  four  years,  and  then  was  ap- 
pointed to  his  pre.sent  pastorate, 
the  Elim  M.  E.  Church,  Lake 
View,  Chicago,  in  the  fall  of  1902. 
Feb.  12,  1881,  Mr.  Gordon  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Sigrid  Ce- 
cilia Carleson,  daughter  of  Lars 
Carleson  and  his  wife,  Lovisa  Al- 
bertina  Grell.  They  have  been 
blessed  with  six    children,   five    of 


i6 


Cook  County 


wliom  are  livinj;.  One  son,  Na- 
thaniel I.  Gordon,  is  general  sec- 
retary of  the  Young  Men's  Christ- 
ian Association,  and  is  now  fitting 
himself  for  the  medical  profession; 
the  other,  Seth  K.  Gordon,  is  a 
singer,  now  completing  a  vocal 
course  at  the  Chicago  Musical 
College.  The  other  children  living 
are  Ruth  Sigrid,  Angeli  Naomi, 
and  Sigrid  Elizabeth. 

CARL    ROBERT    HVITFELDT 

was  born  Oct.  5,  1.S73,  in  Gote- 
borg,  Sweden.     At  the  age  of  six 


engraver  bj-  G.  H.  Benedict  &  Co., 
where  he  later  advanced  to  foreman 
of  the  wood  engraving  dei)artnient. 
In  January,  1906,  Mr.  Hvilfeldt 
and  Mr.  Joseph  Herman  organized 
the  Calumet  fvngraving  Co.  Mr. 
Hvitfeldt  now  has  his  own  office 
at  334  Dearborn  St.,  where  he 
makes  a  specialty  of  wood  en- 
graving. 


CARL    GUSTAF    HERMAN 
LINDSKOG, 

pastor  of  the  St.  Ansgarius  Swedish 
Episcopal  Ciiurch,  was  born  in  the 
historic  city  of  Stningnas,  May 
24,  I. '^53.  His  preliminary  educa- 
tion he  received  in  the  Katarina 
elementary  school,  and  thereafter 
he  atteutlcd  the  Stockholm  Gym- 
nasium, his  parents  having  removed 
to'the  capital  the  same  year  the 
son  was    born.     There  the    father 


CAKI,     UOBKKT     II  VlT|-i;UI)T 

he    moved    with     his    parents    to 

Carlshamn,     where    he    took     the 

course    of    instruction    ofTered    al 

the  collegiate  school.     He  came  lo 

this  country    in    1.S.H8,  landing  on 

July     iH,    with     Chicago     as     his 

final  destination.       After  a  couple 

of   weeks    he    started    in    to    karn 

wood   engraving  in   the   eslablish- 

ment  of  J.   Manz  and  Co.     Three      look  a  position  as    teacher  in    the 

years    later    he    was   employed    as      city's   institute  for  waifs,   retiring 


C.    li.    lIliK.MA.N    l.l.MiSKtii. 


Chicago 


17 


with  a  pension  after  forty  years 
service. 

When  but  seventeen  years  old 
young  Lindskog  began  preaching. 
He  early  became  associated  with 
the  Methodists  and  was  especially 
prominent  in  church  work  in  Up- 
sala  and  Jonkoping.  Mr.  Lind- 
skog was  ordained  as  a  pastor  in 
1875.  Four  years  later  he  departed 
with  his  family  for  America  where 
he  located  in  Rockford,  111.,  labor- 
ing there  for  eight  years.  In  the 
spring  of  1887  he  accepted  a  call 
from  the  St.  Ansgarius  Swedish 
Episcopal  Church  of  Chicago  and 
the  following  year  was  installed 
as  rector  of  that  congregation.  It 
may  be  stated  that  the  St.  Ans- 
garius Church,  next  to  the  "Old 
Swedes'  Church,"  in  Wilmington, 
Delaware,  and  the  "Gloria  Dei" 
Church  in  Philadelphia,  is  the 
oldest  Swedish  church  in  America. 
This  church  has  sometimes  been 
called  "The  Jenny  Lind  Church" 
because  of  the  fact  that  the  fa- 
mous Swedish  singer,  when  on 
her  American  tour,  donated  a 
considerable  sum  of  money  toward 
its  support.  In  1875,  the  year  of 
his  ordination  to  the  ministry,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Lindskog  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Adolphine  Sheldon, 
of  Karlskrona.  They  have  three 
children  living.  The  daughter, 
Karin  Lindskog,  is  the  organist 
of  the  church  and  is  a  talented 
violiniste. 

Rector  Lindskog  dwells  happily 
at  97  Sedgwick  St.,  where,  to- 
gether with  his  ever  faithful  wife 
and  genial  children,  he  always 
meets  his  friends  and  parishioners 


with  a  hospitality  which  is  char- 
acteristic of  the  cultured  gentle- 
man. 

On  May  24,  1907,  the  twentieth 
aimiversarj'  of  Rev.  Lindskog' s 
assumption  of  his  charge,  the  St. 
Ansgarius  Church  had  a  general 
celebration   in   his    honor. 

JOHN  AMANDUS  CARLSON 

was  born  in  Svennevad  parish, 
Nerike,    Sweden,    Feb.    14,    1861. 


JOHN  AM.\NDUS  CARLSON 

Having  joined  the  Baptist  church 
in  1880,  he  went  to  London  in 
1S83,  where  he  organized  a  Swed- 
ish Baptist  mission.  After  return- 
ing to  Sweden  in  1886,  he  emi- 
grated to  America  in  1889  and 
settled  in  New  York.  He  remained 
there  until  1892,  when  he  came  to 
Chicago  and  entered  the  Swedish 
Baptist  Theological  Seminar}-  at 
Morgan  Park,  graduating  in  1895. 
While  a  student,  he  had  charge 
of  the  Swedish  Baptist  Church  at 
Sjxamore,   111.     In    the    spring    of 


i8 


Cook  County 


1895,  Mr.  Carlson  accepted  a  call 
to  the  Swedish  Baptist  Church  of 
Austin,  which  he  has  faithfully 
and  successfully  served  ever  since. 
Mr.  Carlson  has  been  called  to 
various  positions  of  trust,  such  as 
member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees 
of  the  Swedish  Baptist  General 
Conference  and  of  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Mutual  Benefit  Society. 


AUGUST  WILHELM   WELAN- 
DER 

was  born  at  Nasby,  Skane,  Sweden, 
July  20,     1 868.     At    an    early    age 


McrsT  wii.iiHi.M  wi:i.ani)i:k 

he  moved  with  his  jiarcnts  to 
Fjelkcstad  parish,  where  he  was 
educated  in  the  connnon  school. 
When  but  six  years  old  he  lost 
his  father.  From  early  childhood 
he  had  decided  to  become  a  tailor 
and  his  mother  taught  him  the 
rudiments  of  the  trade.  His  jour- 
neyman course  was  taken  at 
Kristianstatl. 


In  KSS7  he  emigrated  and  lo- 
cated at  Xorthfield,  Minn.,  but 
the  next  year  he  went  to  Chicago, 
working  with  different  tailoring 
concerns  until  1891,  when  he  es- 
tablished a  merchant  tailoring 
business.  In  1893  he  moved  to 
Red  Wing,  Minn.,  and  subsequent- 
ly traveled  through  Sweden,  Den- 
mark, England  and  Canada  teach- 
ing a  new  method  of  garment 
cutting.  In  the  spring  of  1S97 
he  founded  a  cutting  school  in  St. 
Paul  and  in  1898  established  the 
"Western  Tailor",  a  trade  paper, 
now  published  as  the  "Western 
Tailor  and  Fashion  Journal",  twice 
a  year.  The  next  year  Mr.  We- 
lander  moved  to  Minneapolis, 
where  he  established  a  cutting  and 
tailoring  .school  for  lx)y  apprentices 
and  his  present  Merchant  Tailors' 
Pattern  Service.  In  1901  he  pub- 
lished the  "Merchant  Tailor's  Cy- 
clopedia of  Garment  Cutting." 
The  ne.xt  year  he  removed  his 
bu.siness  to  Chicago  and  since  1903 
he  has  made  headquarters  in  New 
York.  The  Chicago  office  is  at 
108  Washington  st.,  and  the  New 
York  establishment  at  10  East 
14  St.  Mr.  Welander  married  in 
iSyo  and  has  two  children. 

ALEXANDER  F.  CARLSON 
was  born  in  Sni.iland,  Sweden, 
July  17,  1850.  He  reniovinl  to 
the  city  of  Halmstad,  in  Halland, 
in  1867,  and  from  there  emigrated 
to  America  in  1872,  settling  in 
Wilcox  Pa.  Having  traveled  in 
a  number  of  different  states  imtil 
1875,  he  then  settled  in  Kalamazoo, 
Mich.     There  he  lived  until  1SS2, 


Chicago 


19 


when  lie  went  to  CliicaKO.  He 
made  a  trip  to  Sweden  in  1.SS3-4. 
In  I S90  he  engaged  in  the  retail 
furniture  business,  his  firm  being 
known  as  Carlson  &  Gardlund. 
Later  the  name  was  changed  to 
A.  F.  Carlson  &  Son.  The  store 
is  at   1129-1131   Belmont  ave. 

Mr.  Carlson  was  married  in  1893 
to  Hanna  Keiding.  In  religion  he 
is  a  Lutheran;  in  politics,  a  Re- 
publican. 

LAWRENCE  NELSON 

was  born  in  Skepparslof,  Skane, 
Sweden,   on   April    25,    1862.      In 


l..\WRENCE    NELSON 

company  with  his  parents  he  emi- 
grated to  America  in  1 869  and 
soon  was  in  Chicago.  After  attend- 
ing public  school  and  business  col- 
lege, he  worked  for  three  >ears 
in  the  jewelry  business.  Mr.  Nel- 
son then  obtained  a  position  with 
Peterson  &  Bay,  bankers.  When 
they  organized  the  Western  State 
Bank,     Mr.   Nelson  was    chosen 


ca.shier.  This  office  was  held  by 
him  until  the  bank  reorganized 
as  the  Western  Trust  and  Savings 
Hank.  Mr.  Nelson  is  now  vice- 
president  of  this  well-known  La 
Salle  St.  institution.  The  bank 
has  a  capital  stock  of  $i,ochd,ooo, 
and  deposits  of  over  $7,000  000. 


JOHN  SAMUEL  AHLGREN 

was  born  in  Sweden  July  19,  1865. 
He  came  to  this  country  at  the 
age  of  six,  his  parents  emigrating 
from  Sweden  in  1 87 1  and  .settling 
in  Chicago.  Here  he  attended 
granmiar  school.  After  working 
for  several  years  in  the  retail  gro- 
cery bu.sine.ss,  he  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  Sprague,  Warner  &  Co., 
wholesale  grocers,  as  city  salesman. 
He  has  been  with  this  firm  for 
the  past  sixteen  years. 

Mr.    Ahlgren    is    a    member    of 
the    Iinnianuel  Swedish    Lutheran 


joH.N  s.\mui;l  .vhlc.rex 

Church.     He  is  a  charter  member 
of    Monitor  Council  of    Roval  Ar- 


20 


Cook  Coumv 


canum,  and  also  belongs  to  King 
Oscar  Lodge  Xo.  855,  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity.  Mr.  Ahlgren  re- 
sides at  123  76th  place,  \\'iiidsor 
Park. 

CHARLES  THEODORE  ALLEN 

was  born  in  Winback,  Tanuni 
parish,   Bohus   Ian,  Sweden,    Feb. 


Two    sons    have    lieen    Iwrn    to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Allen. 


CII.\KHiS  THEODORE    AI.LEN 

13.  '875.  His  father  held  for  over 
fiftj'  years  the  position  of  under- 
bailiff  to  the  crown.  In  1890  he 
emigrated  and  engaged  in  the  gro- 
cery l)iisiness  at  Pulhnaji,  111.  Xow 
he  is  manager  of  the  Roseland 
branch  of  Schlitz  Brewing  Co., 
with  offices  at  11439  Perry  ave. 

Mr.  Allen  holds  membership  in 
the  Fellow.ship  Club,  Royal  League, 
No.  39,  also  the  Ro_\al  Arch 
Chai)ter,  and  the  Masonic  Order. 
He  was  married  Oct.  30,  1901,  to 
Lillian  Peterson,  daughter  of  \'ic- 
tor  Peterson,  member'  and  deacon 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
fo  Pullman  since  its  organization. 


ANDERS    FREDR.   PIHLGARD 

was    lx)rn    in    Warljerg,    Halland, 
Sweden,    Oct.    6.     1852.     He    at- 


ANHEKS   TKEIiKIK    PI  H  l.0..\  K  H 

tended  college  at  Karlskrona,  and 
later  was  an  assistant  in  a  phar- 
macy at  Gefle.  In  1875  he  grad- 
uated from  the  Royal  Pharmaceu- 
tical Institute  at  Stockholm,  sub- 
sequently being  engageii  as  phar- 
macist in  Osthammar,  Eslbf,  Fal- 
koping  and  Goteborg. 

Since  his  coming  to  this  country 
in  1 881,  Mr.  Pihlgard  has  been 
engaged  in  the  drug  business  in 
Chicago. 

In  1881,  Mr.  Pihlgard  married 
Miss  Hilma  Wikman,  with  whom 
he  has  had  five  children,  three 
sur\-iving. 


ALFRED  SELLSTROM 

was   born    in    Sweden,    Aug.     10, 
1862.      His   childhood    anil    voulh 


I 


Chicago 


21 


were    spent    in    his    native    land, 
where  he  received    his   earlv   edu- 


ALFRED  SELLSTROM 

cation  and  training.  At  the  age 
of  eighteen  he  emigrated,  arriving 
in  Chicago  in  March,  1 88 1,  where 
he  has  since  resided. 

Mr.  Sellstrom  is  a  tailor  by- 
trade  and  is  the  sole  owner  of 
the  merchant  tailoring  firm  of 
Sellstrom  &  Kilby.  The  place 
of  business  is  at  45  North  Clark  st. 

Mr.  Sellstrom  is  a  member  of 
the  Oak  Street  Swedish  Mission 
Church  and  is  one  of  its  trustees. 


P.  FOGELBERG 

was  born  July  3,  1859,  in  Kjells- 
torp,  in  the  province  of  Skane. 
At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  was  ap- 
prenticed to  a  brass  molder  and 
finisher.  For  twelve  j'ears  he  was 
engaged  in  this  trade.  He  emi- 
grated to  the  United  States  in 
June,  1887,  and  settled  in  Chicago 
the  same  year.  From  1889  until 
1 90 1     he    was    employed    in     the 


Amos  Pattern  and  Model  Works. 
In  July,  1901,  he  and  \Vm.  Roett- 
cher  went  into  business  under  the 
firm  name  of  P.  Fogelberg  &  Co. 
At  their  works,  1 23  South  Clinton 
St.,  are  made  metal  patterns  and 
models.  A  specialty  is  made  of 
brass  and  white  metal  patterns. 


p.    FOGELBERG 

Mr.  Fogelberg  was  married  in 
18S2,  to  Hanna  Folin,  with  whom 
he  has  had  six  children,  of  whom 
three  boy-s  and  two  girls  are  now 
living. 

OSCAR  OLDBERG 

was  born  in  Alfta  parish,  Helsing- 
land,  Sweden,  Jan.  22,  1846.  His 
father  was  the  Rev.  Anders 
Oldberg,  author  of  "Hemskolan," 
and  other  educational  books,  and 
the  Rev.  Gustaf  Unonius,  who 
officiated  for  many  years  as  pastor 
of  St.  Ansgarius  Church  in  Chicago 
prior  to  i860,  was  his  uncle.  Hav- 
ing received  his  early  education 
at   the    Gefle    Gymnasium    he    en- 


22 


Cook  County 


tered    the    pharniacj-    of    tlie   cele- 
brated iiiiiiinp:   town    of    Falun    in 


OSCAR  nl.UBERG 

1861,  his  employer  and  preceptor 
being  the  well-known  Fredrik  W. 
Helledaj-,  a  pupil  of  the  great 
Berzelius.  Mr.  Oldberg  enjoyed 
the  advantage  of  individual  in- 
struction from  his  emplojer  in 
both  theory  and  practice  of  phar- 
niac)'  and  chemistry  for  four  years, 
being  licensed  as  regular  pharma- 
cist in  1865,  just  before  emigrating 
to  the  ITnited  States.  Here  he 
has  been  activelj-  identified  with 
pharmaceutical  education  and  liter- 
ature for  nearly  forty  \ears  as  a 
teacher,  editor  and  author. 

In  1 869  he  was  ajipoinled  a 
memi)er  of  tlic  faculty  of  the  School 
of  I'liarmacy  of  (k-orgetown  Col- 
lege, District  of  Columbia,  and 
later  became  Dean  and  Professor 
of  I'liarmacy  at  llie  National  Col- 
lege of  Pharmacy  in  Washington, 
D.  C.  When  he  severed  his  con- 
nection   with    that    institution    in 


iSSi,  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Pharmacy  was  conferred  upon  him, 
honoris  causa. 

In  1S74  he  became  connected 
with  the  Marine  Hospital  Service 
of  the  United  States.  He  was 
chief  clerk  and  acting  medical 
])urve\or  of  that  service  until  iSSi, 
when  he  resigned.  In  1880  he 
was  elected  a  member  of  the  Com- 
mittee of  Revision  and  Publication 
of  the  Pharmacopoeia  of  the 
United  States.  On  the  expiration 
of  his  term  in  1890,  he  was  re- 
elected for  another  decade,  and 
again  re-elected  in  1900  to  serve 
until    1910. 

Dr.  Oldberg  was  appointed  to 
his  present  position  as  Dean  of 
the  School  of  Pharmacy  of  North- 
western University  in  1886  when 
the  school  was  established.  He  has 
written,  several  well  known  text- 
books on  chemistry,  pharmacy, 
metrology  and  related  subjects. 


CHARLKS  Iv  JOHNSON, 

doctor  of  dental  surgery,  was  boni 
in  Stockholm,  Pepin  county,  Wis.. 
Marcli  7,  1875.  His  parents  hailed 
from  the  provinceof  X'estergotland, 
Sweden.  They  were  married  in 
Chicago  and  lived  there  until  the 
great  tire,  in  which  lliey  lost  every- 
thing they  had.  Shortly  after- 
wards the\  moved  to  Wisconsin 
and  were  among  the  first  Swedes 
to  settle  in  that  locality.  Ciiarles. 
their  only  son,  attended  the  ]>ub- 
lic  schools  and  the  Lake  Cil.v  Higii 
Sciiool,  and  afterwards  .si>eiit  two 
years  at  Augustana  College,  pur- 
suing the  classical  course  of  >tudies. 


Chicago 


23 


In  1898  he  went  to  Duluth,  Minn., 
where  he  formed  the  acquaintance 


CHARLES  E.  JOHN-SDN 

of  Dr.  H.  C.  Spengler.  A  warm 
friendship  sprung  up  between  them, 
and  the  doctor  offered  him  a  po- 
sition in  his  office  until  the  time 
he  resumed  his  studies.  In  the 
fall  of  1S99  Mr.  John.son  entered 
the  Northwestern  University  School 
of  Dental  Surgery  in  Chicago, 
from  which  institution  he  gradua- 
ted with  high  standing  in  1902. 
He  had  already  passed  a  satis- 
factorj'  examination  before  the 
State  Board  of  Dental  Examiners 
of  Illinois,  and  has  since  that  time 
practiced  dentistry  on  the  north 
side. 

Dr.  Johnson  was  married  in 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  December  23, 
1901,  to  Miss  Emma  M.  Olson, 
an  accomplished  and  talented  wom- 
an, who  for  several  j'cars  pre- 
vious to  her  marriage  was  asso- 
ciate editor  of  Svcnska  Amcrikau- 
ska   Posten  in    that    city.       She    is 


the  daughter  of  Jonas  Olson  and 
his   wife    Maria,    nee  Person. 

Dr.  John.son's  church  and  so- 
cial affiliations  are  as  follows:  mem- 
ber of  the  Imnianuel  Swedish  Luth- 
eran Church,  the  Swedish  Glee 
Club,  the  Dental  Odontographic 
Societ},-  of  Chicago,  the  Scandi- 
navian Dental  Association  of 
Chicago.  In  1906  he  was  presi- 
dent of  the  latter  society-. 

He  enlisted  with  the  National 
Guards  of  Minnesota  at  Duluth 
in  1896,  continuing  in  the  service 
for  two   years. 


ERIC  FORSELL 

was   born   at    Nora,   Sweden,  June 
2,    1859.     His  father   was  superin- 


EKIC    FDRSELL 

tendent  of  the  Striberg  mine  s, 
where  the  son  grew  into  manhood. 
1883  he  emigrated  to  America  and 
came  to  Hudson,  Wisconsin,  where 
he  worked  for  the  Chicago,  Min- 
nesota &  Omaha  Railroad  Co.. 
and    later    in    Kellev's    stonevard 


24 


Cook  Countv 


in  St.  Paul,  Minn.  Thereupon 
he  went  to  Canada,  in  the  latter 
part  of  May.  1883,  and  worked 
on  the  Canadian  Pacific  Railroad 
until  April,  1884,  when  he  secured 
employment  with  the  Vert  Island 
Stone  Quarry  Company,  at  Neppigon 
Bay,  Lake  Superior,  where  he 
remained  until  the  fall  of  1.S.S9. 
While  here,  he  had  occasion,  on 
a  cold  wintry  night  in  1885,  to 
save  the  lives  of  a  number  of  soldiers 
who  on  their  way  to  fight  the 
Reil  Rebellion  in  Northwest  Ter- 
ritory were  on  the  point  of  freez- 
ing to  death  on  Lake  Superior. 

In  1 889  Mr.  Forsell  made  a 
visit  to  Sweden.  Returning  the 
following  year  he  secured  employ- 
ment with  the  Chicago  Blue  Print 
Company,  where  he  is  now  fore- 
man. He  is  also  president  and 
director  of  the  Wright  &  Lawrence 
Mining  Co.,  of  Phoenix,  Arizona, 
owning  copper  mines  at  Riverside 
Mountain  in  California. 

Mr.  Forsell  has  taken  great  in- 
terest in  fraternal  organizations. 
He  belongs  to  the  order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  in  which  he  has  held  im- 
portant offices.  He  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Vikings,  in  which  he  has  been 
honored  with  the  office  of  C.rand 
Chief,  and  furthermore  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Royal  Arcanum  and 
the  King  Oscar  Lodge,  A.  F.  and 
A.   M.      He  is  married  since  Aug. 

r>,    iSy.S. 

SWAXTK    WM.    OHLSSON 

was  born  June  ;,,  1S45,  at  Klar- 
rod,  Skanc,  Sweden.  His  father, 
Olof  Nilsson,   was  "namndeman", 


one  of  the  twelve  a.s.sistants    in    a 
Swedish  law  court. 

Mr.     Ohlsson      attended    public 
school  from  his  fifth  year  until  he 


S\V.\NTi;  \V.\1.  UHl.SSU.N 

was  confirmed.  Afterwards  he 
spent  a  year  in  high  school  and 
then  remained  in  the  home  of  his 
parents  until  twenty-two  years  of 
age.  At  this  period  he  was  given 
charge  of  his  father's  estate,  Skogs- 
holm.  Shortly  afterwards,  big  los- 
ses incurred  by  securing  notes  for 
friends,  forced  a  sale  of  the  estate. 
Mr.  Ohl.sson  next  tried  all  sorts 
of  occupations,  but  none  suiting 
him  he  concluded  to  try  his 
fortune  in   .Vmerica. 

In  the  fall  of  1SS4  he  came 
over  and,  meeting  nothing  but 
discouragement,  he  had  already 
decided  to  return  to  Sweden,  when 
SOUK-  friends  i)ersuaded  him  to 
stay.  He  then  settled  in  (lales- 
burg.  111.,  and  worked  at  tlie 
j)ainter's  trade.  liitil  i.'^gi  he 
continued    to    follow    this    line    of 


Chicago 


25 


I 


work  in  Galeshurg  and  Chicago. 
The  great  boom  in  real  estate, 
prior  to  the  World's  Fair,  opened 
his  eyes  to  great  possibilities,  and 
with  his  practical  experience  from 
Sweden  to  guide  him  he  began 
to  deal  in  citj-  property,  and  has 
since  continued  in  the  business 
of  real  estate  broker. 

He  has  held  many  positions  of 
trust,  as  administrator  and  trustee. 
Mr.  OhLsson  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Methodist  Church,  In 
1869  he  was  married  to  Miss  Betty 
Akeson.  Their  residence  is  at 
5723  South  May  St. 


MARTIN  R.  ONEUUS 

was  born  July   16,    1S67,  in  Hoor, 
Sweden.     He  came  to  this  country 


M.\RT1.N  K.  (I.NELIUS 

in  1S87,  since  which  time  he  has 
been  engaged  as  watclimaker. 
His  place  of  business  is  at  4749 
Evans  ave.  Mr.  Onelius  is  a 
member  of  the  Swedish  Watch- 
makers'   Society. 


C.\RI.  JKAN  MAURITZ 

SCHYCKER 

was  born    in    Stockholm,   Sweden, 

March  6,  iSss.     He  studied  dent- 


C.\KL  JEAN   MAURITZ  SCHYCKER 

istry  in  his  native  countrj',  and 
thereafter  came  to  America  in 
1 88 1,  settling  in  Philadelphia  and 
studying  for  some  time  at  the  Phil- 
adelphia Dental  College,  grad- 
uating in  1882.  That  .same  year 
he  came  to  Chicago,  where  he 
was  one  of  the  first  of  his  national- 
ity to  practice  the  dental  profes- 
sion. He  has  his  office  at 
2459  Wentworth  avenue,  and  re- 
sides at  4625  Evans  ave.,  where 
he  owns  a  fine  residence.  In  1886 
he  was  married  to  Miss  Marit  Nor- 
man, with  whom  he  has  one  son, 
Richard,   born   in   1887. 


JOHN  THEODORE  LINDHOLM 

was  born  in  Nor  parish,  province 
of  Vermland,  Sweden,  March  28, 
185S.  He  came  to  Chicago  in 
April,     iSSo,    and     carries    on      a 


26 


Cook  Coiintv 


merchant  tailoring  business  at  216 
Oak  St.     He  is  a  nieniher   of    tlie 


JOHN   THUOIIORE   I.INhHc  )LM. 

Royal  Arcanum.  Mr.  Lindhohn 
was  married  Nov.  iS,  1882,  to 
Mathilda  Christina  Peterson,  who 
was  born  April  16,  1856,  in  Mar- 
back  parisli,  Sinaland.  She  came 
to  America  in  June,  i.sjo.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Lindhohn  belong  lo  the 
Swedish  Ev.  Luth.  Mission  Church. 

CHARLES    CARLSON 

was  born  on  a  farm  in  Heda  par- 
ish, 0.-itergotland,  Sweden,  Feb. 
29,  1848.  He  emigrated  to  America 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one,  and  has 
since  lived  in  Chicago  and  vicinity, 
except  a  year  and  a  half  spL-ut  on 
a  farm.  He  worked  as  a  carpen- 
ter at  Riverside  until  after  the 
great  fire,  when  he  moved  into  the 
city  and  secured  employment  as 
shipping  clerk  at  the  branch  es 
tablishment  of  Pitt's  Agricultural 
Works.  In  the  meantime  he  st.irt- 
ed    in    the    business    of     tciminv;. 


which  grew  rapidly,  com])elling 
him  to  resign  his  clerkship,  in 
order  to  devote  his  whole  time  to  it. 
The  business  has  continued  to  grow. 
He  is  now  exclusively  engaged  in 
heavy  teaming,  such  as  moving 
machinery,  etc.  His  office  is  at 
;,6  South  Canal  st. 

Mr.  Carlson  was  married  in 
1 873  to  Miss  Augusta  Atiderson, 
with  whom  he  has  five  children, 
one  boy  and  four  girls.  The  son. 
Edwin  Howard,  is  engaged  in  the 
teaming  business  with  his   father. 


CH.VRLUS  CARLSON 

One  (laughter  is  married  to  Hjal- 
mar  Westerdahl,  bookkeeper  with 
the   Aetna  Powder   Co. 

Mr.  Carl.son  and  his  family  lie- 
long  to  the  Second  Swedish  M.  !•*. 
Church,  North  May  Street.  Mr. 
Carlson  has  lieen  collector,  trustee, 
and  cashier  for  the  congregation. 
In  i>olitics  he  is  a  Republican. 
He  is  (jnile  extensively  intercsie<l 
in  real  estate,  being  the  owner  of 
:i  number  of  houses  and    lots,   be- 


Chicago 


27 


sides  lands    in    Alabama.     He    re- 
sides at  757  Washington  Blvd. 


AXEL  O.  PILO 

was  born  in  Norra  Roruni,  Skane, 
Sweden,     April     20,      1S59.       His 


AXEL  O.    PILO 

mother  died  when  he  was  six 
years  of  age.  The  father  was  a 
stone  mason  by  trade.  At  the  age 
of  fonrteen  young  Pilo  left  home 
and  ever  since  has  made  his  own 
way.  He  learned  the  shoemakers' 
trade,  serving  as  an  apjarentice  for 
three  years.  He  later  worked  in 
Helsingborg  and  in  Copenhagen, 
Denmark,  initil  the  spring  of  1881, 
when  he  emigrated  to  the  United 
States.  Arriving  in  Chicago  in 
April  of  the  same  year,  he  secured 
employment  at  his  trade,  but  soon 
began  to  look  around  for  a  more 
healthful  occupation.  In  May, 
18S2,  he  was  engaged  b}-  the  well- 
known  surveying  firm  of  Greely, 
Carlson  &  Co.,  now  Greelv,  How- 


ard (.\:  Co.,  which  poNJlion  he  is 
still  holding. 

He  is  a  charter  member  of  Three 
Links  Lodge,  No.  812,  L  O.  O.  F. 
of  Garden  City  luicampment,  and 
of  Three  Links  Rebekah  Lodge, 
No.  434.  He  is  an  enthusiastic 
Odd  Fellow.  Mr.  Pilo  is  married 
to  Annie  ().   Pilo. 

PETER  EDWARD   URELH'S 

was  born  in  Sweden,  April  23, 
1866.  He  emigrated  to  the  Uni- 
ted States  in  April,  1885,  and 
settled  in  Rockford.  After  living 
in  that  citj-  for  nine  years,  plying 
the  trade  of  shoemaker,  Mr.  Ure- 
lius  moved  to  Chicago  in  1894. 
Here  he  entered  the  employ  of 
the  shoe  manufacturing  firm  of 
Selz,  Schwab  and  Co.,  in  the 
capacity  of  foreman  in  that  estab- 


pi;ter  ed\v.\kii  urelius 

lishment.       This    position    he    has 
held  up  to  the  present  time. 

Mr.  Urelius  belongs  to  the  Elim 
M.     E.    church     in     Lake     View. 


28 

With  his  wife,  Hulda  Eugenia, 
he  has  a  son,  Roland  E.  G.  Ure- 
lius. 

JOHN  HEXXIXG  ENGWALL 

was  horn  in  Chicago  in  the  '70s, 
and  has  lived  in  this  state  all   his 


Cook  County 


JOHN    HKNNIXG    HNGWALL 

life.  His  early  years  were  devoted 
to  study,  and  he  graduated  from 
both  the  grammar  school  and  high 
.school.  Later  he  accepted  a  posi- 
tion as  bookkeeper  with  the  Na- 
tional Publishing  Company,  steadily 
advancing  with  the  concern  until 
in  1899  he  was  elected  its  presi- 
dent, a  position  he  has  since  cred- 
itably filled.  The  National  Pub- 
lishing Company  is  the  oldest 
subscription  jjublishing  house  in  the 
United  States,  having  been  estab- 
lished in  1H57.  Besides  its  Ivng- 
lisli  publications,  it  has  ]uiblishcd 
many  Swedish  books,  such  as  "He 
rcinida  Scener,"  "Jord,  Haf  och 
Himniel,"     "Kristi    och  Ajwstlar- 


nes  Lif."  "Jubel  Album."  Kri- 
get  med  Spanien,"  etc. 

Mr.  Engwall  during  his  spare 
time  took  up  the  study  of  law, 
and  in  September,  1S97.  entered 
the  Law  Department  of  Lake  For- 
est University,  graduating  with  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Laws.  After 
passing  the  examination  liefore  the 
State  Board  of  Law  Examiners, 
he  was  admitted  to  practice  in  all 
courts.  His  office  is  in  the  Lake- 
side Building. 

Mr.  Engwall  visited  his  mother 
country  (Sweden)  in  1S94,  spend- 
ing more  than  eight  mouths  in 
the  principal  towns  and  cities. 

He  has  been  received  in  the 
highest  ranks  of  Free  Masonry. 
and  is  a  Noble  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine. 


GUSTAF    SEAQUIST 

was  born  in    Skon  parish,   Medel- 
pad,   Sweden,   Nov.    15,    1S74.     At 


tUSTAl-  si:.\ut''ST 
1 2  years  of  age  he  secured  employ- 


Chicago 


29 


ineiil  as  bookkeeper  at  I  he  Tuiiadal 
steam  saw-mill,  where  he  served 
for  about  two  j'ears,  filling  the 
position  to  tlie  satisfaction  of  his 
employer. 

In  the  spring  of  1890  he  emi- 
grated and  joined  his  father,  who 
had  a  tailor  shop  in  Chicago.  He 
here  learned  the  tailoring  trade 
and  was  associated  with  his  father 
for  a  number  of  3'ears. 

In  1S9S  the  younger  Seaquist 
opened  a  tailoring  establishment 
of  his  own,  which  is  .still  pros- 
pering under  his  management. 

In  1899  Mr.  Seaquist  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Ida  Nilsoii,  with 
whom  he  has  three  children,  two 
sons  and  one  daughter. 


CHARLES  H.  BOM  AX, 

secretary  of   the  Scandia  Life  In- 
surance   CompanJ^     was    born     in 


burg.  111.  He  removed  in  1871  to 
Moline.  where  he  .soon  engaged  in 
the  stove  and  liardware  business. 
In  that  occupation  he  continued 
until  1882,  when  he  became  a  can- 
didate for  tax  collector  on  the  Re- 
publican ticket  and  was  elected 
with  a  large  majority.  After  hav- 
ing sen-ed  his  term  as  collector, 
he  conducted  a  crockery  store  for 
a  number  of  years.  Being  elected 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Edu- 
cation in  1891,  that  body  cho.se 
him  secretar)"  and  general  overseer 
of  all  the  .school  property  in  the 
Moline  district.  This  office  he  held 
for  eleven  j-ears,  resigning  to  ac- 
cept the  secretaryship  of  the  Scan- 
dia Life  Insurance  Co.  of  Chicago, 
the  largest  Swedish-American  in- 
surance compan3^ 

Mr.  Boman  and  his  famih-  be- 
long to  tne  Messiah  English  Luth- 
eran Church  in  Lake  View.  He 
was  elected  trustee  of  the  church 
in  1904  and  became  chairman  of 
the  Board  of  Trustees  in  the  fol- 
lowing year. 

May  10,  1S78,  Mr.  Boman  was 
wedded  to  Miss  Margaret  Hage- 
man,  adopted  daughter  of  the  late 
Dr.  A.  R.  Cervin  of  Rock  Island. 
They  have  a  familj-  of  four  boys 
and  two  girls:  Ella  Caroline,  Carl 
Rudolph,  Anton  Leroy,  Anna  .A.ga- 
tha,   Berndt  and  Herbert. 


FRED  NORLIX 
was  born  in  Vagnharad  parish,  in 
the     pro\-ince     of     Sodermanland, 
CHARLES  H.  BOMAN  Sweden,  March 4,  1865.    His  father 

Hogsby,  Sweden,  in  184S.  He  was  an  officer  of  Hussars  and  ad- 
emigrated  to  America  at  the  age  jutant  to  King  Charles  XV.  The 
of    twenty-one,   locating    in  Gales-      family  removed  to  Upland,   where 


30 


Cook  County 


the  son  was  educated  at  the  uni- 
versity of  Upsala,  acquiring,  in 
addition  to  the  regular  courses,  a 


I-KUll    NllRLIN 


thorough  knowledge  of  the  English 
language  and  of  drawing.  In  1881 
he  came  to  America,  proceeding 
at  once  to  Chicago.  Here  he  en- 
tered the  employ  of  the  Pullman 
Co.,  securing  a  situation  in  the 
woodwork  department.  By  de- 
grees he  worked  himself  up, 
until  he  was  at  the  head  of  the 
molding  machine  ckparlment,  in 
which  position  he  remained  until 
the  spring  of  1S86.  Ik- t lien  went 
to  Minnesota  on  a  vacation  trip, 
and,  having  done  some  surveying 
for  drainage  on  his  father's  estate 
in  Sweden,  he  was  induced  to 
accei)t  a  ]K)sition  with  the  county 
surveyor  of  Martin  Counlv,  Minn., 
who  was  then  ])latliug  an  addition 
to  the  little  town  of  SlKrhurne. 
That  work  finished,  Mr.  Xorlin 
returned  to  Chicago  and  entered 
the  employ  of  llie  GreeleyCarlson 


Company.  He  remained  with  that 
firm  for  eight  years,  during  which 
time,  by  private  study  and  hard 
work,  he  prepared  himself  for  the 
profession  of  surveying,  and  in  the 
spring  of  1894  opened  an  office 
for  the  general  practice  of  survey- 
ing, to  which  he  has  since  succes- 
fully  devoted  himself.  He  is  con- 
sidered an  exf)ert  in  his  line,  and 
has  clients  among  the  most  prom- 
inent attorneys  and  real  estate  men 
in  Chicago.  He  recently  planned 
and  surveyed  the  town  of  Indiana 
Harbor,  Ind.,  one  of  the  largest 
manufacturing  centers  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Chicago,  and  did  the  sur- 
veying for  a  new  railroad  in  Indi- 
ana. 

Mr.  Xorlin  is  a  meml>er  of  the 
Western  Society  of  Civil  Engi- 
neers, the  Illinois  Society  of  Civil 
Engineers  and  Surveyors,  and 
treasurer  of  the  Chicago  Club  of 
Surveyors  and  likewise  treasurer 
of  the  Scandinavian  Club  of  Civil 
Engineers.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Swedish  Glee  Club  anil  the 
S\ithiod  Singing  Club. 

In  1889  Mr.  Norlin  was  married 
to  Mi.ss  Dorothea  Knost,  from 
Westphalia,  Germany.  They  have 
three  children — one  girl  and  two 
hoys. 

P.  A.  LIXDUERG 
was  born  Jinie  5,  iSd;,  in  Honders- 
l>yn,  Xeder  Kalix,  Sweden.  His 
father  held  a  position  with  a  large 
linnber  firm,  as  a  biner  of  limber 
and  superinlen<liiig  its  transporta- 
tion on  some  of  the  tributaries  to 
the  Kalix  kiver.  I.iiulberg  was 
brought    up  on  (he  farm    and    re- 


Chicago 


31 


ceived  his  education  at  tlie  village 
school.  In  1SS2  he  enii>crated  to 
the  United  States,  and  the  follow- 


P.    A.    LINDBERG. 

ing  six  years  lived  alternately  at 
Clinton,  Iowa,  and  in  Whiteside 
County,  111.,  working  in  lumber 
3^ards  and  on  the  farm.  While  at 
Clinton,  he  acquired  a  business 
education,  and  in  18S8  moved  to 
Chicago,  where  he  was  employed 
as  an  office  clerk  for  some  time. 
He  traveled  nearly  four  years  for 
a  Chicago  picture  house,  and  in 
July,  1S95,  engaged  in  the  pub- 
lishing business.  Mr.  Lindberg  is 
the  autlior  of  a  Swedi.sh-American 
story,  entitled  "Adam,"  depicting 
life  and  superstitions  in  his  native 
country  and  an  immigrant's  trials 
and  experiences  in  the  New  World. 

Mr.  Lindberg  is  a  member  of 
the  X.  S.  B.  A.  and  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Religious  Society. 

The  firm  of  P.  A.  Lindberg  & 
Co.,  Publishers,  has  its  place  of 
business  at  52   Dearborn  st. 


Xl'LS  15.  JOHNSON 

was  born  on  the  Husahy  estate, 
in  the  province  of  Blekinge,  Swe- 
den, June  3,  1.S61.  Some  time  later 
his  parents  removed  to  Mjellby, 
where  most  of  the  years  of  his 
youth  were  spent.  The  family 
being  in  poor  circumstances,  he 
had  to  apply  him.self  early  to  hard 
labor,  and  enjoyed  no  schooling 
after  his  twelfth  year.  At  the 
age  of  twenty  years  he  emigrated 
to  America,  securing  work  on  a 
farm  near  Sycamore,  De  Kalb  Co., 
Illinois,  where  he  spent  two  years. 
The  third  year  he  spent  in  the 
West,  working  on  the  railroads. 
In  1884  he  went  to  Chicago.  After 
having  been  sick  in  Alexian   Bro- 


NELS   B    JOHNSO.X 

tliers  Hospital  for  three  months 
he  became  penniless.  He  secured 
emplo>-nient  piling  lumber  a  n  d 
shoveling  coal  along  the  docks  at 
Cliicago  ave.  Then  after  having 
a  place  as  porter  in  a  wholesale 
clothing  house    he    was    advanced 


i 


32 


Cook  County 


to  be  shipping  clerk,  which  posi- 
tion was  retained  for  five  years. 
He  established  a  milk  depot  in 
1889  and  later  a  grocery  store, 
finally  acquiring  four  stores,  which 
he  conducted  with  considerable 
success  for  over  ten  j'ears.  He  is 
at  present  a  building  contractor 
and  operates  extensively  in  build- 
ings, purchasing  properties  and 
erecting  btiildings  on  them.  His 
latest  venture  is  a  875,000  apart- 
ment building  on  Sheridan  Road. 
Mr.  Johnson  is  married  to  Miss 
Nellie  Mun.son,  daughter  of  Nels 
Munson  and  his  wife,  Hanna  Nel- 
son, the  date  of  their  wedding  be- 
ing Feb.  25,  1S87.  Their  child- 
ren are  Arthur,  born  March  25, 
1888,  Richard,  born  Dec.  9,  1889, 
Florence,  born  March  20,  1893. 
The  family  is  connected  with  the 
Swedish  Mi.ssion  Church. 


CHARLES   PALM 

was  born  in  the  province  of  \'est- 


manland.  Sweden,  June  28,  1859, 
and  arrived  in  America  in  1880. 
Having  graduated  from  the  Swed- 
ish Baptist  Theological  Seminary, 
he  became  a  pastor  in  Evanston. 
111.,  and  .served  there  with  marked 
success  for  over  seven  years,  a  large 
number  of  members  being  added 
to  the  church.  He  thereupon  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  San  Francisco, 
where  he  remained  four  years  and 
a  half,  and  was  equally  successful 
there.  A  lot  was  secured  and  a 
spacious  church  erected  with  but 
little  debt,  and  the  menibershij>  of 
the  congregation  increased  rapidly. 
The  Sunday  school  work  was  es- 
pecially successful.  New  mission 
stations  were  established. and  finallv 
the  California  Conference  was  or- 
ganized with  the  results  of  Rev. 
Mr.  Palm's  labors  as  a  nucleus. 
Mr.  Palm  has  been  ser\-ing  as  a 
Sunday  school  missionary,  having 
charge  of  the  Sunday  .school  work 
in  Illinois  and  Indiana.  He  is  a 
member  and  vice-president  of  the 
board  of  trustees  of  the  Swedish 
Baptist  General  Conference:  a 
member  of  the  board  of  the 
"Fridhem"  Old  Peojile's  Home; 
also  president  of  "Fridhem"  Chil- 
dren's Home  Society.  He  has 
lectured  on  history,  Egyptology, 
Christian  citizenship,  and  the  his- 
torical development  of  hynuiology. 
Mr.  Palm  is  married  to  Anna 
W'assell.  a  daughter  of  Rev.  C. 
Wassell, 

JOHN   LIXKKRHOL.M 
was  l)orn  in  Sandsjo  jKirish,  SmA- 
land,  Sweden,  July  22.   1S41.    He 
came    to    this   countr\-   at    thtf  age 


Chicago 


33 


of  ten  years,  the  family  settling 
at  Andover,  111.  During  the  suc- 
ceeding years  he  attended  the  jjub- 


.lOHN  LINDERHOLM 

lie  school  in  winter  and  worked 
on  the  farm  in  summer.  He  was 
married  to  Christine  Hedberg  in 
1 86 1.  In  the  early  sixties  he 
went  west  with  a  gold  mining  ex- 
pedition, prospecting  through  Ida- 
ho and  other  western  states,  but 
after  the  Civil  War  broke  out  he 
returned  home,  having  had  many 
narrow  escapes  from  falling  into 
the  hands  of  the  Indians,  who  at 
that  time  were  on  the  war  path. 
In  1869  he  removed  with  his  fam- 
ily to  Webster  co.,  Iowa,  becom- 
ing one  of  the  pioneers  in  that 
part  of  the  state,  and  engaged  ex- 
tensively in  farming  and  stock 
raising.  Later  he  also  engaged  in 
a  general  retail  mercantile  busi- 
ness in  Daj'ton,  Iowa,  where  he 
remained  for  several  years,  later 
removing  to  Gowrie,  Iowa,  where 
he    conducted    a    similar    business 


for  some  years.  In  1876  he  moved 
to  Hsse.x,  Iowa,  where  he  con- 
ducted a  general  merchandise  bus- 
iness and  engaged  extensiveh'  in 
the  stock  and  grain  business,  own- 
ing .several  grain  elevators  in  the 
state.  He  also  extended  his  bus- 
iness to  diflferent  points  in  Nebras- 
ka, conducting  general  stores  and 
banks  in  Ogalalla,  Grant,  Genoa 
and  Central  City,  Weeping  Water 
and  Omaha,  in  the  latter  place  also 
engaging  extensively  in  the  ice 
business,  wholesale  and  retail.  In 
1 886  he  removed  with  his  family 
to  Omaha,  in  order  to  facilitate  a 
closer  attention  to  his  busines  in- 
terests. Five  j-ears  later  he  moved 
to  Chicago,  and  in  1892  engaged 
in  the  general  commission  busine.ss 
on  the  Board  of  Trade,  where  he 
is  well  and  favorably  known,  hav- 
ing been  connected  with  some  \-ery 
extensive  operations  on  the  Board. 
In  the  fall  of  1S93  ^Ir.  Linder- 
holm  took  a  trip  to  Texas  and 
made  a  thorough  investigation  of 
the  condition  and  resources  of  the 
Lone  Star  State,  and  in  the  spring 
of  1894  purchased  a  tract  of  land, 
embracing  in  all  60,000  acres, 
which  he  proceeded  to  colonize, 
especially  interesting  a  large  num- 
ber of  northern  people  from  Iowa, 
Illinois,  Minnesota,  Kansas,  Neb- 
raska and  Missouri  in  the  venture. 
The  lands  he  acquired  are  located 
in  the  counties  of  Colorado  and 
Wharton  in  the  southern  portion 
of  the  state,  commonly  called  the 
Gulf  Coast  country.  He  platted 
and  developed  the  town  of  Ches- 
terville,  now  a  flourishing  village, 
inhabited    b}-  northern  people  and 


34 


Cook  County 


one  of  the  centers  of  the  rice  rais- 
ing regions  of  southern  Texas. 
His  work  in  tlie  development  of 
the  fertile  prairies  of  Texas  lias 
brought  him  into  prominence  as 
one  of  the  most  enterprising  busi- 
ness men  of  the  southern  section. 
When  in  Chicago,  Mr.  Linder- 
liolm  resides  at  loS  Hammond  st. 
He  divides  his  time  between  his 
home  and  Chesterville,  Texas.  He 
has  a  famil\-  of  one  .son,  Oscar  E. 
Linderholm,  an  attorney  of  Chi- 
cago, and  four  daughters,  two  of 
whom  also  reside  in   this  cit\-. 

G.  BKRNHARD  ANDERSON, 

the  eldest  son    of    Svante   Ander- 
.son     ami     his     wife    Johanna,    nee 


1'..    l!i;KNHAk|i    .\.\lii;USiiN 

Mons.sou,  was  born  April  19,  1867, 
in  Sweden.  In  the  following  year 
his  parents  emigrated  and  came 
to  Cliicago  where  the  family  has 
since  resided.  He  attended  the 
public,  schools  and,  after  leav- 
ing   school,     workeil     for     .several 


j-ears.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he 
entered  the  preparatory  department 
of  Augustana  College,  graduating 
from  the  collegiate  department 
with  the  class  of  1S8S.  The  two 
following  years  he  spent  in  Salt 
Lake  City,  Utah,  teaching  in  an 
acadeni}-.  In  1890  he  entered  the 
senior  class  at  Harvard  University 
and  graduated  with  the  class  of 
1 89 1.  The  degree  of  Ma.sterof  Arts 
was  conferred  upon  him  in  1892 
bj-  Harvard  I'niversity.  He  then 
went  to  Europe  and  sjxrnt  one 
year  studying  the  Scandinavian 
languages  and  literatures  in  the 
University  of  Upsala,  the  oldest 
and  most  noted  institution  of  learn- 
ing in  Sweden.  After  si)ending 
some  months  in  Germany  and 
France,  he  returned  to  Chicago 
and  began  the  study  of  law.  He 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1S95 
and  has  now  a  large  and  lucrative 
practice.  Mr.  .Anderson  takes  an 
interest  in  public  and  political  mat- 
ters, but  does  not  j>ermit  these  to 
interfere  with  his  professional 
work.  He  is  a  fluent  .speaker  in 
both  Swedish  and  English  and  has 
appeared  as  orator  on  many  jnililic 
occasions.  He  has  been  president 
of  the  Swedish  Glee  Club  of  Chi- 
cago and  of  the  Alumni  As.socia- 
tion  of  Augustana  College  and  is 
a  member  of  the  Harvard  Clul)  of 
Chicago  and  of  the  Chicago 
Har  .Association.  Since  1903  Mr. 
Anderson  has  l)een  instructor  of 
the  Chicago  Law  School.  He  is 
the  .senior  member  of  the  law 
firm  of  .Anderson  &  Anderson,  with 
offices  at  509,  100  Washington  St. 
.Mr.  Anderson  is  married  to  Miss 


Chicago 


35 


Alma  C.  Pettersoii,  tlaughter  of 
Anders  Gustaf  and  Christine  Pet- 
tersoii. 


GUSTAVE  ADOI.PH  MATHIAS 
LILJKNCRAXTZ, 

of  the   U.  S.  Engineer  Office,    was 


GUSTAVE  ADOLPH    MATHIAS 
LIlflEXCKANTZ 

born  in  the  province  of  Upland, 
Sweden,  April  ii,  1842.  His  par- 
ents were  Baron  Johan  Carl  Liljen- 
crantz.  Custom  House  Inspector, 
and  Henriette  von  S  c  h  o  u  1  t  z. 
Thej-  are  both  dead.  Baron  Liljen- 
crantz  having  passed  away  at  Dal- 
aro,  in  1862.  The  son  attended 
first  the  New  Collegiate  School,  and 
thereafter  the  Roj-al  Technological 
Institute,  both  in  Stockholm,  where 
he  was  graduated  as  a  civil  en- 
gineer in  June,  1866.  Later  he 
became  gentleman  of  the  chambers 
at  the  Swedish  Court. 

Liljencrantz    was    assistant    en- 
gineer at  the  construction    of    the 


Dalsland  Canal  1.S66  to  1869.  In 
the  last  named  year  he  emigrated, 
locating  in  Milwaukee.  There  he 
took  a  position  as  draughtsman  in 
the    U.   S.     Engineer    Office    until 

1870,  when  he  entered  the  employ 
of  theC.  M.&St.  P.  Ry.  in  the  .same 
capacity.     Coming  to    Chicago    in 

1 87 1,  he  was  draughtsman  at  the 
government  engineering  office  until 
the  following  year,  when  he  ad- 
vanced to  Assistant  Engineer,  the 
position  he  has  occupied  to  the 
present  time.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Western  Society  of  Engineers 
in  Chicago,  of  the  Technological 
Societj'  of  Stockholm,  and  an 
honorarj-  member  of  the  Scandi- 
navian Technical  Society-  of 
Chicago.  In  the  former  he  has 
served  as  trustee  and  first  vice 
president,  etc.  He  has  held  im- 
portant offices  in  the  Masonic  order, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
\'eteran  Association  of  Illinois. 
In   religion  he  is  a  Lutheran. 

Mr.  Liljencrantz  was  married 
April  27,  1875  to  Mi.ss  Adaline 
Charlotte  Hall  of  N.  Pownal, 
\'ermont,  a  lady  of  old  colonial 
stock.  They  have  one  daughter, 
Ottilie  A.  Liljencrantz,  w^ell  known 
for  her  successful  historical  ro- 
mances, "The  Thrall  of  Leif  the 
Luck}-,"  "The  Ward  of  K  i  n  g 
Canute"  and  "Randvar  the  Song- 
smith." 

ERICK  EDGREN 

was  born  August  17,  1859,  at 
Storfors,  Kroppa  parish,  Vermland, 
Sweden.  His  education  was  ob- 
tained in  the  public  schools  in  his 
native  land.      In  the  fall    of    1881 


36 


Cook  County 


he  emigrated  to  the  United  States. 
By  Decemlier  he  was  in  Chicago. 
For  a   time  he  worked  in  a  foun- 


ERICK    EDGREX 

dry,  then  conducted  a  grocery 
store  on  the  North  Side  for  four 
years.  During  more  than  fifteen 
years  he  has  been  a  salesman 
with  Steele-Wedeles  Co.,  whole- 
sale grocers,  still  continuing  in 
the  employ  of  that  house. 

Mr.  Edgrt-n  was  married  in 
Sweden,  Nov.  i,  1881.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Edgren  have  four  sons  and 
four  daughters  and  reside  at  loSo 
Kimball  Ave.  They  belong  to 
the  Humboldt  Park  Swedish  M. 
E.  church  in  which  Mr.  lulgren 
has  been  trustee,  steward,  Sunday 
school  teacher  and  president  of 
the  Epworth  League.  Mr.  I'Mgren 
is  a  stanch   Republican. 


he  learned  the  watchmaker's  trade. 
In  1 886  he  emigrated  to  the  United 
States.  For  ten  years  he  worked 
for  various  firms,  and  then  estab- 
lished himself  in  business  as  a 
watchmaker  and  optician  at  11340 
Michigan  ave.,  Roseland,  in  1898. 
Mr.  Pearson  has  been  high  grand 
master  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Svithiod,  and  president  of  the 
Swedish  Watchmakers'  Society. 
He  belongs  to  several  other  socie- 
ties and  fraternities,  including  the 
X.  A.  U.,  the  X.  U.  and  the  K. 
of  P      He  is  a  member  and  direc- 


1 

BB 

1 

\ 

B^,*.  wM 

H 

1 

1 

i 

1 

()l,OK    I'liAKSllN 

tor  of  the  South   End  Merchants' 
Association. 

Mr.  Pearson  is  married  to  Hilda 
L.  Johnson,  from  Ostergiitland, 
and  has  with  her  a  daughter, 
Emma  Maria  Charlotta. 


OLOF  PEARSON 


OTHELIA    MVIIRM.XN 


was  born  .Ma\-  13,  1869,  in  Malmi),  was  born  Jul>-  y,  1851),  at  l-'in- 
Sweden.  After  completing  his  sjiong,  Sweden,  her  father,  Peter 
early  education  in  the  iniblic  school      Miirk,    being    a    foreman     in     the 


Chicago 


37 


great  cannon  foundr>-  of  that  name. 
She  eniig;rated  to  America  in  1S75 
and,  coming  to  Chicaijo  as  a  young 


OTHELIA    MVHRMAN 

girl,  Studied  the  servant  girl  quest- 
ion from  tlie  ground  up,  by  being 
herself  employed  as  a  domestic  for 
several  years. 

Mrs.  Myhrmaii  early  took  an 
interest  in  the  temperance  move- 
ment and  has  lectured  with  enthu- 
siasm on  the  subject  in  the  city 
of  Chicago  and  in  numerous  minor 
cities  in  the  Northwest.  She  re- 
presented the  Illinois  Grand  Tem- 
perance Lodge  at  Edinburgh,  Scot- 
and,  in  iSSi,  at  Zurich,  Switzer- 
land,in  1897,  and  ^'  Boston,  Mass., 
in   1895. 

Mrs.  Myhrman  is  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  Swedish  National 
Association,  which  was  organized 
in  1894  by  Swedish-Americans  of 
Chicago,  primarily  for  the  purpose 
of  procuring  the  conviction  of  the 
murderers  of  a  fellow  countrj'man. 
Subsequently  the    association    has 


been  maintained  as  a  charitable 
organization.  In  the  first  year  of 
its  existence  the  association,  which 
is  composed  of  a  large  number  of 
Swedish  societies,  founded  the 
Swedish  Free  Employment  Bureau 
and  engaged  Mrs.  Myhrman  as  a 
manager,  a  position  for  which  she 
is  well  adapted  and  where  her 
executive  ability  has  ever  i)roved 
a  valuable  asset  to  the  association. 

Mrs.  Myhrman  takes  the  lead 
in  any  endeavor  which  may  en- 
gage her  interest.  She  is  especially 
active  in  charities  and  in  work  for 
woman's  advancement.  She  has 
served  as  president  of  the  Swedish- 
American  Woman's  Club  of  Chi- 
cago, and  when  in  1905  the  Sophia 
Aid  Society,  a  charity  organiza- 
tion, was  founded,  the  chairman- 
ship naturally  went  to  Mrs.  M)-hr- 
man  as  the  principal  promoter  of 
the  society.  Some  j'ears  back, 
when  the  woman's  aid  and  benefit 
society  Ingeborg  was  instituted, 
she  was  also  among  its  organizers. 

Mrs.  Myhrman' s  genius  for 
management  has  been  frequentlj^ 
exemplified  at  the  large  midsum- 
mer and  midwinter  festivals  regu- 
larly arranged  by  the  Swedish 
National  Association. 


JOHN  ALBERT  LINDSTEDT 
was  born  in  Chicago  July  29,  1869. 
He  was  three  years  old  when  his 
parents  removed  to  Indiana,  where 
he  was  reared  and  obtained  a 
country  school  education.  In  1889 
he  returned  to  Chicago  and  was 
soon  apprenticed  to  a  plumber, 
working  at  this  occupation  for 
eight    years.      During    this   period 


38 


Cook  County 


he  attended  evening  classes  at  the 
Columbia  Business  College  for  two 
years.  In  1900  he  set  up  his  own 
business  at  1697  North  Clark  St., 
contracting  for  everything  in  the 
line  of  plumbing  and  gas-fitting. 
Mr.  Lindstedt  has  served  as 
president  of  the  Chicago  Plumbers' 
Association,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  Adelphi  Xo.  8. 


shop.     The    firm  is    pro  m  i  n  e  11 1 
among    like     institutions    for    the 


joll.N    AI.BIiKT    LINIJSTEDT 

He  is  married  to  Miss  Laura 
Swanson  of  Chicago,  and  their 
home  is  in  Lake  Mew. 


JOHN  G.  GUSTAFSON 

was  born  in  the  year  1846,  in  Karl- 
stad, Sweden,  and  has  been  a  res- 
ident of  the  United  Stales  since 
1868.  In  1892  the  Butler  Street 
Foundry  and  Iron  Co.  was  organ- 
ized with  Mr.  Gustafson  as  vice- 
president  and  secretary  of  the 
firm.  The  works  are  at  3422  — 
3432  Hutk-r  St.,  Chicago,  and  con- 
sist of  a  large  and  complete  iron 
foundry,   pattern  sho])  and    fitting 


( 


I 


JOH.\    G.    (.■.l'ST.\FSON 

manufacture  of  structural  iron 
and  steel  work  for  buildings,  cast- 
ings for  boiler  fronts,  machinerj- 
and  general  iron  work. 

Mr.   Guslaf.son    is  a    member   of 
Svithiod  Lodge  Xo.  1,   I.  O.  S. 


THEODORE  JOHNSON 

was  born  in  Iowa  Dec.  28,  1S72, 
and  lived  with  his  parents  on  a 
farm  near  Stanton,  Iowa,  until  he 
was  seventeen  years  of  age.  He 
attended  the  jniblic  schools  and 
the  MamreUnid  Normal  School 
during  the  winter  months  and 
worked  hard  on  a  farm  during 
the  sununer  months.  He  then  took 
a  course  of  studies  at  the  Western 
Normal  College  at  Shenandoah, 
Iowa.  In  1S90  he  .secured  em- 
ployment as  a  .stenographer  and 
clerk  in  the  law  office  of  Bradley 
&  De  Lamatre,  of  Omaha,  Neli., 
where  he  remaineil   until    the    fol- 


Chicago 


39 


lowing  sumnitr,  when  he  went  to  lice,  representing  many  of  the  lar- 
Chicago.  Imniediatel\-  he  secured  gest  mercantile  houses  and  real 
employment  with  the  law  firm  of  estate  firms  in  Chicago,  in  addi- 
tion to  an  extensive  clientage  among 
American,  Swedish  and  German 
people.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a  Mason 
and  an  Odd  Fellow.  He  was 
married  to  Miss  Anna  Sandell  of 
Omaha  in  1S98  and  resides  at 
2337  Wayne  ave.,   Edgewater. 


THEODORE  JOHNSON 

Cratty  Brothers,  with  whom  he 
remained  four  years  as  stenographer 
and  and  assistant  manager  of  their 
collection  department.  At  the  .same 
time  Mr.  Johnson  attended  the 
evening  sessions  of  the  Chicago 
College  of  Law,  from  which  he 
graduated  with  honors  in  1895, 
when  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar. 
He  then  became  chief  clerk  for 
the  firm  of  E.schenburg  &  Whit- 
field, a  law  firm  in  Chicago,  mak- 
ing a  specialty  of  the  real  estate 
and  probate  law  practice,  with 
whom  he  continued  until  January 
ist,  1899,  when  he  opened  a  law 
office  of  his  own.  He  was  suc- 
cessful from  the  start.  In  1901, 
he  entered  into  partnership  with 
Harry  G.  Colson,  a  successful  trial 
lawyer,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Colson  &  Johnson.  The  firm  has 
built  up  a  large  and  lucrati\-e  prac- 


PETER  S.  RONBERG 

was  born  Sept.  7,  1S65,  in  Gra- 
num,  Blekinge,  Sweden.  From 
thence  he  emigrated  to  this  coun- 
try in  1887,  coming  to  Chicago, 
where  he  made  his  home  perma- 
nentlj'.  Shortly  after  his  arrival 
he    secured    employment  as  a  car- 


PETER    S.   RONBERG 

penter  with  the  contracting  firm 
of  Clark  &  Findlay,  remaining 
with  them  for  several  \-ears.  In 
the  year  1S95  he  started  in  busi- 
ness as  a  contractor  and  builder. 
Mr.  Ronberg  has  been  very  ac- 
tive in  religious  work.      The  oflice 


40 


Cook  County 


of  president  of  the  Swedish  Mission 
Church  of  Englewood  was  held 
b>-  him  for  a  number  of  years. 

In  1S90  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Mathilda  Soderberg,  with  whom 
he  has  seven  children,  four  girls 
and  three  boj's. 


Zion    Ev.    Luth.    Church    and    to 
the   Enighet  Society. 


JOHN  JOHNSON 

was  born  in  Hallaryd  parish  .'Sma- 
land,   Sweden,  Sept.  16.  186S.    His 


JOHN  JOHNSON 

earl\-  education  was  obtained  in 
the  common  schools  of  the  old 
country.  A  victim  of  the  emi- 
gration fever,  he  left  his  native 
land  in  iSSS,  landing  Aug.  8  and 
proceeding  to  Chicago.  In  1S92 
he  was  engaged  as  a  bellows  maker 
by  the  Cable  Piiuio  and  Organ 
Co.,  and  is  now  organ  ins])ector 
for  this  well-known  firm. 

Mr.  Johnson,  with  his  family, 
visited  his  native  home  in  1901. 
After  a  sojourn  of  three  months 
in  Sweden,  he  returned  to  Chi- 
cago.     Mr.  Johnson  belongs  to  the 


ESPERANCE  F.    ALMGREN 

was   born  in    Stockholm,  Sweden. 
After  graduating   from    the    Poly- 


i;si"i;k.\nch  i".  .\i,.mi;kk.\ 

t'.chnic  Institute,  he  became  a 
pupil  of  \V.  A.  Barkluud,  engraver 
to  the  Royal  Postal  Department  of 
Sweden.  With  five  years'  expe- 
rience he  left  his  native  land  to 
seek  his  fortune  in  America.  He 
came  to  Chicago  in  iSSi  and  for 
several  years  worked  as  engraver 
with  S.  I).  Childs.  In  1SS4  he 
went  to  Paris  for  further  develop- 
ment in  the  engraver's  art.  Re- 
turning in  1S85  to  Chicago,  he 
acce])ted  a  jxisition  with  C.  H. 
Hanson,  the  engraver  and  die- 
maker,  In  tl\e  iwenlvtwo  years  that 
Mr.  Almgren  has  continued  in  tlie 
same  position,  he  has  won  the 
confidence  of  his  emploxer  and 
ac(juired  comi)lete  mastery  of  his 
art. 


Chicago 


41 


ADOLPH  A.  CARLSON 

was    horn    in   Sigislaryd,   Madesjo 
pari-;h,   Snialand,  Sweden.  Jan.  28. 


ADDI.I'H   A.   C.\RLSON 

1858,  and  arrived  in  America  in 
April,  1882,  from  that  time  resid- 
ing in  Chicago.  On  arriving  here, 
he  first  went  to  work  in  a  stone 
quarry,  and  thereafter  on  the  rail- 
road. In  the  fall  of  18S3  he  en- 
tered the  employ  of  C.  J.  Land- 
quist,  a  wood  tank  manufacturer. 
During  ten  years  he  worked  in 
this  line  for  different  firms.  In 
September,  1893,  when  the  firm 
with  which  he  was  then  employed 
retired  from  business  owing  to 
the  hard  times,  Mr.  Carlson  em- 
barked in  the  business,  forming  a 
co-partnership  with  John  A.  John- 
son and  Andrew  Johnson,  under 
the  firm  name  of  Johnson,  Carlson 
&  Co.  They  continued  as  partners 
until  April,  1895,  when  Andrew 
John.son  retired,  and  the  firm  name 
was  changed  to  Johnson  &  Carl- 
son.    Tliev    have  uniformlv    been 


successful,  and  now  occupy  their 
own  factory  at  139-155  Eastman 
St.  cor.  of  Judson  st. 

Mr.  Carlson  was  in  1884  married 
to  Miss  Augusta  Carlson.  They 
have  seven  children,  three  boys 
and  four  girls. 

In  religion,  Mr.  Carlson  has  al- 
ways been  a  Lutheran  and  is  now 
a  member  of  the  Saron  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church. 


ALFRED  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  the  city  of  Jonkoping, 
Sweden,    March   ^,    1851,   and  emi- 


ALFREU    .WDKRSON 

grated  to  America  in  1S66.  For 
the  next  three  years  he  worked 
on  a  farm  and  in  1870,  when  the 
M.  E.  theological  school  opened 
in  Galesburg,  he  became  one  of 
its  first  students.  He  was  ordained 
a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Church 
in  the  fall  of  1871,  by  Bi.shop 
Ames.  Thereafter  he  served  as 
pastor  in  Iowa  two  years;  then  in 
Galesburg,    III.,    three    years;     in 


42 


Cook  County 


Jamestown,  X.  V.,  three  years; 
in  Aiidover,  III.,  two  years:  in 
the  First  Sw.  M.  E.  Churcli  of  Chi- 
cago, five  years,  and  in  P'vanston 
one  year.  For  nine  years  he  hekl 
the  office  of  presiding  elder,  and 
was  thereafter  selected  pastor  of 
the  Elini  Church  of  Chicago,  a 
post  which  he  held  four  years. 
He  was  subsequently  manager  of 
the  Swedi.sh  M.  E.  Book  Concern, 
Chicago,  until  1906.  He  is  at 
present  Presiding  Elder  of  Chi- 
cago District. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Ander.son  was  the 
first  financial  agent  of  the  Bethany 
Home,  and  has  been  president  of 
the  boartl  of  trustees  of  the  Metho- 
dist Theological  Seminary  in  Ev- 
anston  for  many    >ears. 

In  the  year  1S74  Mr.  Anderson 
was  married  to  Miss  Augusta  Bor- 
jeson,  who  was  born  in  Goteborg. 


ciety:  from  1903-1905  he  was  pres- 
ident of  Western  Oregon  Orchard 


PETER  C.  PEARSON 
was  born  in  Gefie,  Sweden,  March 
14,  1S63,  and  emigrated  with  his 
parents  to  this  country  in  1S6S. 
After  two  >ears  in  Andover,  111., 
the  family  removed  to  Lindsborg, 
Kans.,  where  his  father  is  still 
li\'ing.  Mr.  Pearson  was  educated 
at  Bethan\-  College,  Lind.shorg. 
In  1890  he  became  editor  of  Fram- 
At,  a  weekly  newspaper,  which 
was  then  removed  from  Lindsborg 
to  Chicago,  and  has  been  pub- 
lished under  the  name  of  Fostrr- 
laudct  since  the  fall  of  1S91,  Mr, 
Pearson  l)eiiig  connected  with  it 
in  an  editorial  capacity  uj)  to  u>o2. 
During;  1902-1905,  Mr.  Pearson 
was  president  of  North  Star  Ben- 
efit   Association,   an    insurance  so- 


P.  C.   PE.\RSOX 

Co.,  and  is  now  secretary  of  Tel- 
nia  Gold  Mining  Co.  For  a  num- 
ber of  years  he  has  been  adver- 
tising solicitor  ior  Fostcrlandet  and 
Svettska   Trihu  ncn . 

Mr.  Pearson  is  'a  member  of 
American  Academy  of  Political  and 
Social  Science. 

Having  lost  his  first  wife  and 
a  child,  Mr.  Pearson  on  Nov.  25, 
1900,  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Marie  W.  W'ennerstrom,  of  Toj'k;- 
ka,  Kans.,  born  March  28,  187S. 
They  have  two  daughters,  Lillian, 
born  1902,  and  Margaret,  born 
1 905 . 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Pearson  belong  to 
Concordia  Swedish  Luth.  Church, 
at  Cuyler. 

GUSTAF  L.  JOHNSON 

was  l)orn  Ma\-  10,  18(13,  in  Kungs- 
lena,  Skaraborg  liin,  Sweilen.  In 
1882  he  came    over   from    the   old 


I 


Chicago 


country,  with  Chicago  as  his  oh 
jective  jwiiit.  He  atteiicled  the 
Metro]iolitaii   Business     College   in 


GUSTAF  L.  JOHNSON 

order  to  acquire  a  theoretical  train- 
ing for  his  subsequent  business 
career.  Mr.  Johnson  is  now  presi- 
dent and  general  manager  of  Eliz 
abeth  Street  Foundry.  The  works 
are  at  5833-5843  Elizabetli  St.,  and 
employ  100  men.  Mr.  Johnson 
was  married  nineteen  j^ears  ago  to 
Mathilda  Wiberg  from  Virestad, 
Smaland.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson, 
with  their  two  daughters,  reside 
at  5704  Green  st. 


CHARLES  O.  ELLSTROM 

was  born  in  Lonneberga,  in  the 
province  of  Smaland,  Sweden,  Feb- 
ruary 5,  1S65.  He  emigrated  to 
America  at  the  age  of  seventeen, 
arriving  here  in  the  year  1882.  He 
first  went  to  Leavenworth,  Kans., 
where  he  stopped  for  onlj-  six 
months.  From  there  \-oung  Ell- 
strom  moved  to  Kansas  City,  where 


43 

he  secured  employment  with  the 
Fort  Scott  &  Gulf  R.  R.  Co.  In 
the  fall  of  1 886  he  gave  up  his 
position  and  left  Kansas  City  to 
take  a  place  with  the  Ciiicago, 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Ry.,  in  Chi- 
cago. He  remained  in  the  employ 
of  this  company  for  fifteen  years. 
At  the  present  time  he  is  the 
secretary  of  the  Scandia  Mining 
Syndicate  of  Nome,  Alaska,  with 
main  offices  at  1237  Stock  E.xchange 


CH.^RLES  O.   ELLSIROM 

Building.   In  1895  Mr.  Ellstromwas 

married  to  Miss  Emma  Karlborg. 


CLAES  VICTOR  PETERSON 

was  born  in  Elmhullsbro,  Smaland, 
Sweden,  March  6,  1862.  His  father, 
J.  A.  Peterson,  is  a  prominent  land- 
owner and  lumber  manufacturer  in 
that  part  of  Sweden.  After  fin- 
ishing school  the  son  was  employed 
at  the  sawmill  and  on  the  farm  at 
Elmhultsbro.  He  emigrated  in 
18S4,   going  to  live  with  an  uncle 


44 


Cook  County 


in   Svea,  Iowa,  attended  school  and 
worked  on  his  uncle's  farm  till  the 


CI.Ai:S   VICTOR  PKTEKSON 

next  year  when  lie  went  to  Ohio, 
where  another  uncle  of  his  was 
living  near  Columbus.  Here  he 
was  employed  in  various  lines  of 
work  luitil  the  preparations  for 
the  World's  Fair  attracted  him 
to  Ciiicago.  For  several  years 
he  worked  as  agent  for  various 
businesshouses  and  in  iSg6  became 
salesman  for  the  Kimball  Company, 
and  continues  with  that  house  to 
the  present  time.  Mr.  Peterson, 
who  is  unmarried,  spent  his  vaca- 
tions in  1904  and  1906  in  liis  old 
home  in  Sweden  and  other  parts 
of  country.  He  is  a  member  of 
the   Masonic  order. 


In  1SS3  he  removed  to  Rockford 
and  in  1X85  to  Chicago  where  he 
has  since  remained.  Mr.  Johnson 
learned  the  trade  of  garment  cut- 
ter at  C.  J.  Stone's  Cutting  School. 
He  was  cutter  with  various  tailor- 
ing houses  until  1S95  when  he 
engaged  in  business  for  himself  at 
145  North  State  st.,  and  has  en- 
jiyed  [irosperity  in  the  business. 
Mr.  Johnson  was  married  June  20, 
1S9.S,  to  Miss  Carolina  Johnson,  of 
Sjiring  Garden.  Goodhue co..  Minn. 
Mr.  Johnson  is  active  in  frater- 
nal circles,  holding  membership  in 


GUSTAl-   WlI.llliLM  JUH.NSDX 

several    societies.       He    resides    in 
his  own  house,  S71   Osgood  st. 

.Mr.  Johnson  l>elongs  to  the 
Lutheran  Church  and  is  a  good 
and   true   Republican. 


GUSTAF  WIMIKLM  JOHNSON  w,,.,.,aM    K.  SANDHHRG 


was  born  l''eb.    20,     iSA^,    in    Kyihi 
holm     ])arish,    Smaland,    Sweden. 
Coming    to    the    United    States    in 
iSSi,  he    first  .settleil    in    Lemont. 


was  burn  in  Stockholm,  Sweden, 
August  17,  1S73.  He  attended  the 
])nblic  schools,  and  tlicreafler 
studied  at  the  Technological  School 


Chicago 

at  Sundsvall.     Securiiis;  a  position 
with  a  jeweler  in  his  native   city, 

he  worked    for    liiin     until     April, 


WILLI.\M    K.    SAN'IlBERG 

1S91,  when  he  left  for  America. 
Arriving  in  Chicago,  he  received 
employment  in  the  watch  depart- 
ment of  Montgomer}-,  Ward  &  Co., 
remaining  there  five  years.  He 
was  afterwards  employed  as  fore- 
man for  the  watch  department  of 
A.  C.  Backen's  wholesale  jewelry- 
business,  for  two  years. 

After  that  Mr.  Sandberg  started 
in  business  for  himself  as  watch- 
maker and  jeweler.  He  now  man- 
ufactures watches  and  jewelry  to 
the  trade  and  has  an  extensive 
mail  order  business. 

Mr.  Sandberg  was  married  in 
1888,  to  Miss  Anna  Johnson  from 
Soderkoping ,    Sweden . 


ERIC  SANDELL, 

president  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
General  Conference  of  America, 
was    born    at    Helsingtuna,     near 


45 

Hudiksvall,  Sweden,  Jan.  26, 
1856,  and  came  to  America  in  June 
1S80.  He  graduated  from  the 
Baptist  Union  Theological  Semin- 
ary at  Morgan  Park,  111.,  in  1SS4, 
and  was  pastor  of  the  Second 
Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  Chicago 
from  1884  to  1887.  Thereafter  he 
was  professor  in  the  Central  Bil)le 
Seminary  at  Stromsburg,  Neb., 
1 887- 1 888.  and  professor  in  the 
Swedish  Department  of  the  Baptist 
Union  Theological  Seminar}-  from 
1888  to  1892.  The  latter  year  he 
became  assistant  professor  in  the 
Swedish  Theological  Seminary,  a 
department  of  the  University  of 
Chicago  Divinity  School,  from 
which  position  he  resigned  in  1895 
to  accept  the  pastorate  of  the   Elim 


ERIC  s.\Nm;i,i, 

Swedish  Baptist  Church  in  Minne- 
apolis. Serving  there  until  1899, 
he  became  pastor  of  the  Fourth 
Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  Chicago, 
which  position  he  held  until  1905. 
That  the    Rev.    Mr.    Sandell    is 


46 


Cook  County 


highly  esteemed  even  outside  of 
his  own  church  deiioinination  is 
shown  l)j-  the  fact  tliat  in  1902  he 
received  the  honorarj-  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Divinity  from  a  Luth- 
eran institution,  Bethany  College, 
at  Lindsborg,   Kansas. 

CHARLES  G.   PETTERSON, 

the  business  manager  of  .Vissio)/s- 
IVatnicii,  was  born    in   Marback 


CHAKLliS  G.   I'ETTliKSON 

parish,  Smaland,  Sweden,  August 
8,  1.S51.  I'p  to  the  age  of  eight- 
een he  remained  under  the  par- 
ental roof.  Thereupon  he  joined 
a  comj)any  of  emigrants  from  his 
native  parish  and  vicinity  and  set 
out  for  America,  in  1869,  coming 
direct  to  Chicago,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  In  the  great  fire 
of  1 87 1  his  home  shared  the  gen- 
eral fate,  being  gutted  by  tlie 
flames.  Up  to  the  year  1882  Mr. 
Petter.son  was  engaged  in  various 
occupations.  Tliat  year  a  jiriut- 
ing  .society  was  formetl  to  pulilish 


the  Missiotts-Wdiineii,  a  religious 
weekly,  representing  the  Swedish 
Mi.ssion  churches.  Mr.  Petter.son 
became  the  manager  of  the  busi- 
ness and  still  continues  in  that 
capacity.  He  is  the  tyjie  of  a 
true,  conservative  Swedish  business 
man,  who  believes  in  running  a 
business  on  a  firm,  honest  conserv- 
ative basis.  Under  his  manage- 
ment the  paper  has  prospered  and 
is  one  of  the  best  financed  Swedish 
newspapers  in  America.  His  capa- 
city as  a  man  of  affairs  has  been 
recognized  in  many  ways.  As  a 
member  of  various  committees  he 
has  had  much  to  do  with  the  ad- 
minstration  of  the  Mi.ssion  Cove- 
nant. For  a  long  term  of  years, 
and  up  to  the  present  time,  he 
has  served  as  a  member  of  the 
executive  committee  of  the  Cove- 
nant, and  is  one  of  the  most  in- 
fluential men  on  that  board.  The 
busine.ss  of  the  Mission  Church 
on  the  north  side  he  has  managed, 
as  its  treasurer,  for  many  years. 
I"or  the  past  twenty-eight  years 
he  has  been  united  in  marriage  to 
Josephina  Johnson  who  is  also  a 
native  of  Marback  parish.  There 
are  three  children  in  the  family, 
a  son  and  two  daughters. 


JOEL  MOSSBERO, 

a  baritone  of  prominence  in  Chi- 
cago, was  born  in  Kumla,  Nerike, 
Sweden,  Jan.  30,  1S70.  He  emi- 
grated to  America  twenty  years 
later,  having  worked  over  four 
years  as  decorator  in  Visby,  Got- 
land. Coming  to  Chicago  in  iSgs 
he  worked  at  his  trade  for  a  time. 
He  had  earlv  evinoetl  musical  tnl- 


Chicago 


47 


enl  as  lliilist.  violinist  ami  (liiL-ct- 
or  of  a  siii5j;ers'  club  in  Vislix', 
and  now  devoted    his    spare    lime 


J 

PI 

i^f"- 

i 

1 

J  ^«^ 

^^B 

1 

m 

k 

^^1 

■ 

in 

M 

fl 

"ii-J 

1 

■ 

V 

JOEL  MOSSBERG 

to  musical  studies,  first  with  W. 
W.  Hinshaw  and  subsequenth' 
with  John  R.  Ortengreii  of  the 
Chicago  Musical  College.  His  fine 
voice  and  masterful  handling  soon 
won  for  him  a  scholarship  in  the 
operatic  department  of  the  college. 

He  has  been  baritone  soloist  of 
the  Xorth  Shore  Jewish  Synagogue 
for  the  last  five  years,  and  is  also 
soloist  of  the  Sixth  Presbyterian 
Church.  For  many  years  he  was 
one  of  the  niaitistays  of  the  Swedish 
Glee  Club  male  chorus. 

Mr.  Mossberg  is  now  devoting 
himself  to  teaching,  directing 
choruses  and  to  church  and  con- 
cert work.  Among  the  choruses 
directed  by  him  are,  the  Orpheus, 
Iduna  and  Harmoni  Swedish  male 
choruses  and  the  Jenny  Lind  Ladies 
Chorus. 

He  was  married  Dec.  lo,  1906, 
to  Mrs.  Olga  Meine. 


FR.\NK  ALHIvRT  JOHNSON 
was  born  Sept.  4,  1.S70,  in  Chicago. 
He  attended  grammar  scliools  and 
business  college,  afterwards  lidd- 
ing successiveh"  responsible  posi- 
tions in  the  offices  of  the  Wabash 
R.  R.  Co.,  Pullman  Palace  Car  Co., 
antl  Alston  Mfg.  Co.  For  six 
years  Mr.  Johnson  was  in  the 
custom  tailoring  business  with  his 
father.  Mr.  Johnson  belongs  to 
the  F'lim  Swedish  M.  E.  church 
in  which  he  is  serving  as  cla.ss 
leader  and  has  held  other  offices. 
He  is  now  .secretary  of  the  Swedish 
Methodist  Aid  As.sociation  of  Chi- 
cago, an  insurance  society  doing 
business  exclusively  with  church 
people  of  the  different  denomina- 
tions. He  has  filled  thi.s  position 
creditabl)-  for  the  past  seven  years. 


FR.\NK   ALBERT  .11  UlNStl.X 

Mr.  Johnson  is  director  and  sec- 
retary of  the  Swedish  M.  E.  Book 
Concern  of  Chicago.  He  was  mar- 
ried in  1892  to  Miss  Hilda  A. 
Anderson  and  has  two  children, 
a  son    and  a  daughter. 


48 


Cook  County 


While  a  native  of  this  country 
and  a  steadfast  American  citizen, 
Mr.  Johnson  takes  great  pride  in 
his  descent  and  esteems  the  Swed- 
ish blood  and  language  a  most 
valuable  heritage. 


OSCAR  RAPP 

was  born  Oct.  15,  1863,  in  Odes- 
hog,  bstergotland,  Sweden.  He 
came  to  this  country  June  2,  1S79, 


OSCAK    KAI'r 

and  settled  in  Chicago.  At  the 
age  of  sixteen  j-ears,  he  obtained 
emploj'nient  at  the  Vaughn  & 
Buslmell  Mfg.  Co.,  where  he  learned 
his  trade  as  die  sinker  and  machin- 
ist. After  twelve  years  with  the 
same  firm,  he  left  in  order  to 
better  himself.  For  about  four 
years  he  worked  in  different  ma- 
chine shoi)S  of  Chicago.  In  1S96, 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Axel 
Blomfeldt,  establishing  the  firm 
of  Ulomfeldl  and  Rap]),  for  the 
purpose  of  manufacturing  s[>ecial 
machinery,    dies    and  tools.       Tiie 


machine  shop  is  at  39-45  W.  Ran- 
dolph St.  The  firm  has  been  highly 
successful  and  its  business  is 
constantlv   on  tlie  increase. 


JOSEPH  MAGNUS  HKDKX- 
VALL 

was  lx)ru  in  St.  Clara  parish, 
Stockholm,  Sweden.  July  22,  1864. 
He  first  attended  the  Beskow 
Academy  and  later  the  St.  Clara 
collegiate  school.  Then  he  de- 
voted himself  to  agriculture  for 
some  time,  and  took  a  course  at 
Lidsta  Agricultural  College.  Be- 
ing smitten  with  the  so-called 
"America  craze."  he  emigrated 
in  the  spring  of  1883,  in  company 
with  the  present  Rev.  Joseph 
Danielson  and  his  brother.  Thej- 
settled  at  St.  Mary's,  Kansas, 
whence  Mr.  Hedenvall  in  18S5 
proceeded  westward  to   California. 


josiiPii  .M.\<;Nrs  m:i>KNV.vi.i, 

.\fter  a  short  sla>-  here,  he  cou- 
linueil  ihc  journey  to  Alaska  and 
the  Bering    Sea.    where    he     took 


Chicago 


49 


up  the  occupation  of  otter  and 
seal  fishing.  In  iSS6  he  returned 
to  Sweden,  but  the  followinji;  year 
again  set  out  for  America,  now- 
locating  in  Brooklyn.  After  hav- 
ing made  another  visit  to  Sweden, 
he  came  to  Chicago  in  the  spring 
of  1S91.  Here  he  has  l)een  em- 
ployed by  several  of  the  leading 
clothing  hou.ses,  amongst  others 
as  manager  of  the  clothing  de- 
])artment  in  the  well-known  de- 
partment store  of  Sidne}-  Mandl 
on  East  Division  Street. 


HUGO  J.  LIEDBERG 

was  born  in    the    cit\'     of    \'exio, 
Sweden,    in    the    vear     iSv2.      He 


HUGO  J.   LIEDBERG 

came  to  this  country  with  his 
parents  when  he  was  six  years  old. 
Hugo  Liedberg  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  in  Chicago.  Subse- 
quently he  took  a  course  of  stud- 
ies at  the  Art  Institute  of  Chicago 
in  order  to  prepare  himself  for  his 
chosen  work.  He  also  studied  at 
a  technical    school    in    Penn.svlva- 


nia.  After  having  worked  as  a 
draughtsman  for  ten  years,  he 
opened  his  own  offices  in  1896.  He 
is  now  at  17^^  Randolph  St.,  where 
lie  continues  as  an  active  and  pro- 
gressive architect. 


ERIC  A.  DAVIDSON 

was  born    at    Xya    Kopparberget, 
Orebro  Ian,  Sweden,  Oct.  23,  1858. 


ERIC   A.    DAVIDSO.V 

When  nine  years  old  he  emigrated 
with  the  family  to  America.  Thej- 
settled  at  Trade  Lake,  Wis.,  where 
his  father  pre-empted  a  homestead 
and  Eric  worked  on  a  farm.  In 
1879  Mr.  Davidson  entered  the 
Swedish  M.  E.  Theological  Sem- 
inary from  which  he  graduated 
in  1882.  He  continued  his  stud- 
ies at  Northwestern  University, 
obtaining  the  degree  of  A.  B.  in 
1 888.  Mr.  Davidson  was  called  to 
the  pastorate  of  a  church  in  Bos- 
ton. His  stay  of  two  j-ears  en- 
abled him  to  pursue  studies  at 
Boston  University.  In  1891  he 
became  pastor   of    the    church    in 


50 


Cook  County 


Kingsburg,  Cal.  The  next  year 
he  was  appointed  presiding  elder 
of  the  Swedish  Methodist  district 
of  California.  Three  years  later 
he  became  instructor  in  Elnglish 
at  the  Swedish  M.  E.  Seminary 
in  Evanston,  111.,  and  pastor  of 
the  church  in  \\'aukegan.  During 
that  year  he  entered  Bennett  Med- 
ical College,  Chicago,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  1.S98.  He  is  also 
a  graduate  of  Rush  Medical  Col- 
lege, the  medical  department  of 
the  University  of  Chicago. 

Since    then    Dr.     Davidson 
devoted  all  his  time    to    his 
fe.ssional  practice. 

In  religion     Dr.     Davidson    still 
retains    his    connection    with    the 


has 
pro- 


Methodist  Church, 
is  an  independent. 


In   politics  he 


G.  ARVID  HAGSTRUM 

was  born  in  Sundsvall,  Sweden, 
Sept.  8,  1867,  and  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  186S  with  his  parents,  who 
located  in  Red  Wing,  Minn.  He 
thence  moved  to  Minneapolis, 
where  he  received  his  early  edu- 
cation in  the  public  .schools  and  at 
a  business  college.  At  fifteen  years 
of  age  he  joined  the  First  Swed- 
ish Baptist  Church  of  that  city, 
and  was  known  as  an  active  and 
earnest  worker.  In  1SS9  he  entered 
the  Theological  Seminary  at  Mor- 
gan Park,  111.  Graduating  in  1892, 
he  became  pastor  of  the  luiglish 
Baptist  Church  of  Newark,  111. 
The  following  year  he  accepted  a 
])"sitioii  as  Swedish  Baptist  Sunday 
School  Missionary  for  the  Stale  of 
Illinois,  which  position  he  filled 
in    a    verv    creditable    manner    for 


three  years,  laying  the  foundation 
for  an  excellent  system  of  Sunday 
School  work.  In  1896  he  accepted 
a  call  to  the  First  Swedish  Baptist 
Church  of  Chicago,  where  he  faith- 
fully and  zealously  labored  for  ten 


1-..   .\KVlli   HAl.STRD.M 

years.  He  has  served  as  vice  pres- 
iiltnt  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of 
the  General  Conference  of  Swedish 
Baptists  of  America,  president  for 
several  years  of  the  Swedish  Bap- 
tist Young  Peo]>le's  I'niou,  vice- 
president  of  the  S  w  e  d  i  s  h  Bap- 
tist Sunday  School  Society  of  Illi- 
nois, treasurer  of  the  Swedish  Bap- 
tist Conference  of  Illinois,  editor 
of  /■7>isitni/i»i;f)i  oi/i  llnninct,  a 
religious  monthI\',  and  one  of  the 
eilitors  of  the  liynui  books, "\'alda 
Sanger"  and  "Triumf-SAuger." 
lie  was  for  a  time  associate  editor 
of  the  Swedish  Baptist  young  i>eo- 
ple's  paper  and  of  Heiunuti  l'd». 
Mr.  Hagstrom,  in  181)2,  married 
Miss  Caroline  W.  Anderson,  from 
W'aconia,  Minn.,  born  Jan,  21, 
iSds,   who    has    proveil    herself  to 


' 


Chicago 


be  ail  accomplished,  tactful  and 
lovable  woman  and  an  ideal  min- 
ister's wife.  There  is  a  daughter, 
Marion   Abigail   Edith,  born  Oct. 

31.   1903- 

Mr.  Hagstrom  takes  an  active 
part  in  promoting  every  interest 
of  his  denomination.  He  is  pres- 
ident of  the  Swedish  Baptist  Home 
for  the  Aged,  known  as  Fridhem, 
at  Morgan  Park;  president  of  the 
Scandinavian- American  J  e  w  i  s  h 
Mission,  also  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  Bethany  Beach  Assembly 
Summer  School  for  Christian 
Workers,  at  Sawyer,   Mich. 

Rev.  Mr.  Hagstrom  resigned  his 
charge  of  the  First  Swedish  Bap- 
ti.st  Church  in  Chicago  in  October 
1906,  to  become  mi.ssionary  and 
corresponding  secretary  o  f  the 
Swedish  Baptist  General  Confer- 
ence of  America,  and  took  up  his 
new  work  Jan.   i,    1907. 


OSCAR    CALEB    NYLUND, 

Doctor  of  Dental  Surgery,  was 
born  in  Askersund,  Sweden,  March 
23,  1874.  His  father,  being  a 
railroad  man,  was  often  transfer- 
red from  place  to  place,  and  the 
son  spent  his  youth  in  Ervalla, 
Vesteras,  Lindesberg,  Nora,  and 
Bofors.  He  studied  first  at  Nora, 
and  later  attended  the  Manual 
Training  School  of  Karlskoga. 
Next  he  secured  a  position  on  the 
Nora  and  Karlskoga  railroad,  at 
Otterbacken,  but  as  he  had  little 
liking  for  that  kind  of  work,  he 
soon  left  it,  and  accepted  a  posi- 
tion with  an  implement  firm  in 
Stockholm,  in  the  spring  of  1890. 
Two  vears  later  he  left  for  Amer- 


51 


ica,  and  arrived  in   Chicago    Apr. 
26,  1S92.     Here  he  secured  a  place 


OSCAR   C.\LEB   NVI.U.NIi 

with  Marshall  Field  and  Co., 
where  he  remained  three  years,  in 
the  meantime  attending  evening 
school  at  the  Chicago  Athengeum. 
Later  he  was  employed  by  the 
banking  firm  of  Edward  H. 
Ericson  &  Co.  He  afterwards 
studied  dentistry,  graduating  at 
the  Northwestern  L'niversity  Den- 
tal School  April  6,  1899,  having 
since  practiced  his  profession  in 
Chicago.  His  office  is  located  in 
the  Bush  Temple  of  Music,  at 
Clark  St.,  and  Chicago  Ave.     ' 

Dr.  Nylund  is  a  member  of  the 
Illinois  State  Dental  Society,  the 
Chicago  Odontographic  Society 
and  the  Scandinavian-American 
Dental  Societj-  of  Chicago.  He 
holds  membership  in  the  following 
fraternal  orders  and  clubs:  the  St. 
Cecilia  Chapter,  R.  A.  yi.,  Lincoln 
Park  Lodge  No.  61 1 ,  A.  F.  &  A.  M. 
Monitor  Council   Xo.    1414,   Royal 


52 


Cook  Countv 


Arcanum,  and  the  Swedish  Glee 
Club.  Ill  the  Monitor  Council  he 
has  been  collector  tor  ten  years 
and  in  the  Glee  Club  he  has  served 
as  secretary,  vice  president  and 
ineinber  of  the  board  of  trustees. 
Dr.  Nylund  was  married  Dec. 
5.  1900,  to  Miss  Anna  Hvitfeldt, 
of  Chicago,  born  Au^'.  23,  1^79. 
Their  children  are,  Ruth  Maria 
Elizabeth,  born  Sept.  20,  1901, 
and  Berenice,  Ijorii   Oct.   2S,  1905. 

CHARLES  J.    DAHLGRICX 

was    born    in    Smalaiid,    Sweden, 
March    15,  1858.     He  emigrated  to 


CII.\l<l.i;S  J.    IiAMLGRH.N 

America  in  1872  and  settled  in 
Chicago,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
grocery  busine.ss  for  seven  years, 
subsecjneiitly  changing  to  that  of 
undertaker.  He  has  continued  in 
that  line  of  business  for  over  fifteen 
years  at  5820  Wentworth  ave.  Mr. 
Dahlgren  was  county  commissioner 
n    1898-iyoi    and    has    served    as 


trustee  of  the  Swedi>li  Lutheran 
Church  in  Englewood  for  .several 
years.  Nov.  22,  1879  he  was  married 
to  Amelia  Carlson.  There  are  five 
children  in  the  family,  Oscar  \V., 
Albert  J.,   Anna  and  Walter. 

PETER  JOHN  PLANT  IN 

was  born  in  Norra  Stro,  Skane, 
Sweden,  July  7.    1854,   the  son  of 


I'ETKR  J.   1>L.\XTIS 

John  IVrsoii  and  his  wife  Johanna 
Plantiii.  Both  parents  have  died 
in  recent  years  at  the  old  liome- 
stead.  He  attended  grammar 
.school  in  his  youth,  and  later  was 
apprenticed  to  a  carpenter  contrac- 
tor, reinaiiiing  ti\-e  years  in  his 
eniploN .  In  the  fall  of  18S1.  short- 
1\  after  coming  to  America,  he 
obtaincil  work  in  Chicago  as  car- 
]>enter  and  worked  for  others  until 
1891,  when  he  engaged  in  l)us- 
iness  for  hiiii.self  as  huildiiig 
contractor.  His  residence  is  at 
ifSi/i  Buckingham   place. 

Mr.    I'laiiliii    was    married    Apr. 


Chicago 


5,  1884,  to  Miss  Matilda  Nelson. 
Tlieir  cliildren  with  ytar  of  hirtli 
are  Ktliel,  K.  iSMs,  Minnie  J.  \V. 
1887,  Mildred,  E.  iSSg,  and  Frida 
M.,    180,2. 

Mr.  Plantin  is  a  member  of  the 
I.  O.  S.  being  at  present  treasur- 
er of  the  Svithiod  Lodge,  also  of 
the  King  Oscar  Lodge,  A.  F.  and 
A.  \L,  Oriental  Consistory  and 
Medina  Temple,   Mystic   Shrine. 


C.   PHILIP  EKBLOM 

was  born   Feb.  6,    1859,  in    Soder- 
telje,    Sweden.     He    emigrated    to 


C.    PHILIP    EKBLOM 

America  in  1880.  For  thirteen 
years  he  worked  at  his  trade  of 
harnessmaking,  in  Woburn,  Mass., 
Keene,  N.  H.,  and  in  Hartford, 
Conn.  In  the  spring  of  1.S93  he 
accepted  an  offer  of  L.  Kiper  & 
Sons  to  go  to  Chicago  and  take 
charge  of  one  of  the  departments 
in  their  .saddlery  manufactory, 
which  is  now  claimed  to  be  the 
largest  of  its  kind  in  this  country. 


This  position  has  ever  since  been 
filled  by  Mr.  F:kblom.  He  is 
I)rominent  in  the  Masonic  fraternity 
and  has  served  as  Master  of 
King  Oscar  Lodge.  Mr.  Ivkblom 
is  also  a  well-known  member  of 
the  Maccabees. 

XELS  J.  JOHNSON 

was  born  at  Huarikl,  Skane, 
Sweden,    November    i,     1870,   and 


.NELS.  J.   JclHNSo.S 

emigrated  to  America  in  1891. 
He  performed  coniuion  labor  dur- 
ing the  first  two  years  after  his 
arrival.  When  he  had  obtained  a 
sufficient  knowledge  of  English  he 
took  a  six  months'  course  in  the 
Metropolitan  Business  College,  then 
served  the  city  in  the  capacity  of  a 
jiolice  operator  for  two  years.  In 
the  meantime  he  acquired  a  taste 
for  studying  law  and  consequently 
entered  the  Kent  College  of  Law, 
from  which  he  graduated  after 
two  years.  He  was  admitted  to 
the    bar    in    June,     1S97.      He    ini- 


54 


Cook  County 


mediateh-  opened  a  law  office  at 
1144-114CS  Unity  Kuilding,  where 
he  is  still  located. 

Mr.  Johnson  joined  the  South 
Park  Lodge  Masons  in  Chicago  in 
1896,  was  one  of  the  charter  mem- 
bers of  King  Oscar  Lodge,  of  which 
he  has  Ijeen  secretary  from  its  in- 
stitution, and  is  a  ^ad  degree  ^L^- 
son  and  Shriner.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  L   O.   O.   F. 


EMIL  J.   HOLT 

was  born  May  iS,  1862,  in  Holt- 
Ijunga  Parish,  Vestergotland, 
Sweden.  He  went  with  his  par- 
ents to  Halmstad  when  a  small 
child.  After  attending  private 
.schools  there  about  four  j-ears,  he 
continued  his  studies  in  the  Latin 
school,  for  five  j^ears.  He  early 
showed  a  talent  for  drawing,  some 
of    his     work    wiiniing    honorable 


i-;.\i  1 1.  I    1  h  >i  I 


mention  and  a  prize.  In  1S71)  Ik- 
emigrated  to  America,  and,  after 
about   one  \ear's  sta\'   in   Chicago, 


he  went  to  New  Orleans,  where  he 
studied  art  and  designing  for  three 
years.  Then  after  attending  the 
art  school  at  Washington  Universi- 
ty in  St.  Louis,  Mr.  Holt,  in  1S89, 
settled  in  Chicago  as  a  piortrail  and 
landscape  painter.  Since  studying 
at  the  Art  Academx-,  he  has  ojiened 
an  art  store  and  studio  in  Lake 
\'iew. 


FRANK    H.    HKXDRICKSOX 
was  born  in    Chicago,  January    2, 
1S72.     He  was  one  year  old  when 


FRANK   H.   HK.\:iKICKS(iX 

his  parents  moved  to  Webster  co. , 
Iowa.  His  father  bought  a  farm 
in  the  vicinity  of  Ft.  Dodge  where 
young  Hendrickson  spent  his  child- 
hood. He  attended  the  connnon 
schools  and  then  took  a  course  at 
Luther  Academy,  but  ilid  not  grad- 
uate. In  June,  1S97,  he  movetl  to 
North  Dakota  where  he  filed  on  a 
homestead.  After  farming  until 
Aug.  1901,  he  sold  his  farm  and 
moved  to  Chicago.  He  is  a  grad- 
uate   of    I  he    Chicago    School     of 


Chicago 


55 


Psychology,  and  the  lulison  School       JOHAX   FRIiDRIK  JOHXSON 

of      Electro-therapy.       He     is     at 

present    engaged    'in     the    realty      was  horn  March  20.  1859,  in  Lund, 

business,    \yith   office    at  Chappell,       '^""'^^'  P"'"'''!''  Klfs'^org  Ian,  Swed- 

Neh. 


ALBERT  RUXDBLAD 

was  horn  Sept.  17,  1S65,  in  Snnds- 
yall,    Sweden.      He  coni]ileted     the 


.\LBERT   Rr.\DBL.\D 

courses  offered  at  the  local  man- 
ual training  school  and  the  Vester- 
norrland  collegiate  school.  Emig- 
rating to  the  United  States  in  1886, 
he  worked  as  a  woodcaryer  for 
four  years  and  then  became  a 
real  estate  broker  in  Chicago. 
His  office  is  at  88  Washington  st. 
He  is  a  director  in  several  mining 
corporations  and  takes  an  active 
■part  in  the  business  and  .social  life 
of  the  city.  He  is  a  member  of 
Knights  of  Pythias,  King  O.scar 
Lodge  of  Free  Masons  and  of  the 
Mystic  Shrine.  He  was  married 
in    1902   to  Miss  EHa  Wallin. 


JOH.W   FREIIKIK  JOHXSO.V 

en.  After  a  course  of  instruction 
in  the  Goteborg  Commercial  In- 
stitute, he  was  employed  by  C.  J. 
Kronker  &  Co.,  one  of  the  fash- 
ionable tailoring  firms  of  Goteborg. 
At  the  age  of  seventeen  years  he 
went  to  London,  England.  Thence 
he  made  a  trip  to  India  and  China. 
Going  in  1880  to  Chicago,  he  be- 
gan to  work  at  his  trade  and  is 
at  the  present  time  a  vest  man- 
ufacturer at  157  Gault  Court.  Mr. 
Johu.son  was  married  in  1887  to 
Ma3'  Elizabeth  Smith  of  Chicago. 
They  have  been  blessed  with  four 
sons  and  one  daughter.  Mr.  and 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  are  mem- 
bers of  the  English  ^L  E.  Church 
and  reside  at  1274  Wilton  ave. 
Mr.  Johnson  is  in  the  ranks  of  the 
Columbian  Knights. 


56 


Cook  Countv 


NEWMAN   BROTHERS. 

Gustave    R.     Newman     was    born 
Dec.    14,     1851.    at     Stensnas,    in 


GUSTAVE    K.   Ni;\V.\l.\.N 

Ukna  parish,  Smalaiul,  Sweden. 
Here  also  were  born  his  brothers, 
Charles  \V.  Newman,  on  August 
15,  1853,  and  John  A.  Newman. 
Tlie  three  brothers  emigrated  to- 
gether in  1865.  After  gaining 
fifteen  >ears'  connnercial  experience 
they  formed  a  partner.-^hii)  on  May 
I,  1880,  and  started  the  manufac- 
ture of  parlor  and  chajicl  organs 
at  63  West  Washington  si.  Their 
business  increased  so  tlial  the 
factory  gradualh'  came  to  occu])y 
63,  65  aiul  67  Washington  st.  In 
Aug.  1887,  a  fire  occured  in  the 
factory  and  they  then  moved  into 
a  larger  factory  at  38-40  S.  Canal 
St.  A  second  tire  in  Apr.  KS.Sy, 
again  compelled  tlieni  to  move. 
Their  factory  was  temporarilv  es- 
tablished at  Wells  St.  and  Institute 
Place  (then  Pearson  st.)  The>- 
later    moved    to    the    new     factor\- 


built  for  them  at  5-17  Dix  st 
and  W.  Chicago  ave.  The  bus- 
iness was  in  1S92  incorporated  as 
Newman  Brothers  Co.  The  firm 
lost,  at  this  juncture,  one  of  its 
members,  John  A.  Newman,  who 
died  Sept.  30,  1894.  By  1895  the 
demand  for  their  organs  had  so 
increased  as  to  make  Newman 
Brothers  Co.  among  the  foremost 
organ  manufacturers  in  the  coun- 
try. Perceiving  that  they  had  a 
market  for  a  high-grade  piai-.o 
they  equipi^d  themselves  during 
this  year  for  a  new  venture.  From 
several  scales  they  selected  one 
drawn  by  E.  Becker,  an  old  and 
experienced  craftsman  who  had 
thirty-five  years  practice  in  build- 
ing pianos.  Guided  bj"  his  skill 
and  inuler  the  personal  supervision 


Cll.\Kl.i:S  W.    NHW.M.W 

of  Gustave  R.  Newman,  the  firm 
has  built  a  high  grade  pi.mo  which 
is  tver  increasing  its  reputation. 
The  demand  for  this  piano  lias 
compelled    the    erection,    in     1900, 


Chicago 


57 


of  a  six  story  hiiiKliiig,  50x100 
ft.,  adjacent  to  the  older  five-story 
factory.  The  majority  of  men 
eniplo>eil  h>-  Newman  Hrothers 
Co.  are  Swedes.  Newman  Brothers 
Co.'s  factory  is  one  of  the  largest 
enterprises  conducted  by  Swedes 
in  the  United  States.  Gustave  R. 
Newman  is  now  president  and 
Charles  \V.  Newman  is  secretar>' 
and  treasurer.  They  reside  at 
52,^  and  527  Orchard  St. 


ANDERS  L.  LOFSTROM 

was  horn  in     the   citj-    of    Malmo, 
in     Skane,     Sweden,     October    30, 


AMiHKS  I,.   I.OFSTRO.M 

1S64.  His  childhood  days  were 
spent  on  the  shores  of  the  sea  and 
there  was  early  kindled  in  his 
mind  a  desire  to  become  a  sailor. 
At  the  ao;e  of  ten  he  went  to  sea, 
as  cabin-boy.  For  several  years 
he  worked  on  shipboard  on  vessels 
plying  between  the  ports  of  he 
North  Sea  and  the  Baltic,  and 
thereafter    took     hire    on    a    larare 


sailing  vessel  in  which  lie  for  the 
first  time  crossed  the  ocean.  He 
thereafter  sailed  for  many  years 
to  various  parts  of  the  world,  mak- 
ing .several  visits  to  America.  Here 

it  was  that  he  was  first  placed 
in  command  of  a  vessel,  after  pa.ss- 
ing  a  satisfactory  shipmaster's  ex- 
amination before  the  Na\igation 
Hoard  at  Salem,  Ma.ssachusetts.   In 

1S80  he  came  to  Chicago  and  for 
a  few  years  was  in  command  of 
several  ves.sels  plying  on  the  Great 
Lakes. 

In  1896  Captain  Lofstrom  was 
married  to  Miss  Matilda  Maria 
Larson,  of  Ulricehamn,  Sweden. 
The  \-ear  before  he  had  quit  tlie 
life  of  a  seaman  and  settled  down 
in  Chicago  as  a  tobacconist,  on 
Oak  St.,  in  the  center  of  a  pop- 
ulous Swedish  district.  To  this 
business  he  has  since  added  a  sta- 
tionery and  book  store,  and  a 
]irinting  shop. 

In  1906  Ca])tain  Lofstrom  moved 
his  business  to  1719  N.  Clark  St., 
where  he  contlucts  a  well  equipped 
store. 

Though  his  early  education  was 
limited,  pcetry  and  prose  sketches 
which  have  appeared  in  his  Dal- 
kullaii  Kahndci  show  that  he 
po>sesses  a  talent  of  no  mean 
order. 

Captain  Lofstrom  is  one  of  the 
organizers  and  charter  members 
of  King  Oscar  Lodge  of  Masons, 
and  also  belongs  to  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows, the  Independent  Order  of 
Vikings,  the  Svithiod  and  Orpheus 
Singing  Clubs,  and  several  other 
organizations. 


58 


Cook  County 


ALFRED  HAKANSOX. 

Physician  and  Surgeon,  was  horn 
Maj-  12,  1866,  at  Geneseo,  111. 
His     parents,    John     and     Hanna 


AI.FRED   HAKANSOX 

Hakanson,  were  natives  of  Kris- 
tianstad,  Sweden,  and  immigrated 
1859  to  this  country,  locating  in 
Moline,  being  among  the  earliest 
Swedish  settlers  in  that  vicinity. 
They  had  five  children  of  whom 
Alfred  was  the  youngest. 

After  some  years  the  faniih- 
moved  out  to  Neliraska,  where  the 
doctor  received  his  public  .school 
education,  which  he  finished  at  the 
high  school  at  Oakland.  There- 
upon he  entered  Luther  Academy 
at  Walioo,  same  state,  graduating 
in  1886.  From  there  he  went  lo 
Angnstana  College,  Rock  Islaiul. 
])nrsuiiig  studies  for  some  time, 
and  then  began  a  medical  course 
at  the  Omaha  Medical  College  of 
the  I'niversity  of  Nebraska,  from 
which  institution  lie  graduated  in 
I  Syo. 


During  his  medical  studies  he  had 
the   advantage  of    having    as    pre- 
ceptor Dr.  D.    G.  Bryant,  Profes- 
sor of  diseases  of  the  Hye  and  Ear 
at  the  medical  department  of  Creigh- 
ton  University,  Omaha,  and  J.    B. 
Ralph,  City   Physician  of  Omaha. 
After  graduating    in    medicine   he 
first  located  in  Rockford,   111.,  but 
removed  the  following  year,  1891, 
to    Chicago,    where    since    he    has 
very  successfully  pursued  his  chos- 
en profession.        During   his    resi- 
dence   in    South    Chicago    he    was 
for  two  years  county  physician  for 
that    territory.       He     was    also    a 
member    of    the    medical    staff    of 
South    Chicago  Hospital    for    two 
years,  1899  and  1900.     In  1S95  Dr. 
Hakanson  took  a  .special  post-grad- 
uate course  at  the  New  York  Post 
Graduate  Hospital,  and  at  the  prin- 
cipal hospitals  of  Philadelphia  and 
Baltimore.     During   the  year   1901 
he  made  an  extensive  trip  through 
Europe,  visiting  the  principal  cities 
of    Great  Britain,   Germany.    Den- 
mark and  Sweden.     While  staying 
in      London     pursuing     opthalmic 
studies,  he  received  an  appointment 
as   clinical     assistant     to     Dr.     A. 
Stanford    Morton,  Opthalmic   Sur- 
geon to  the  Royal  London  Opthal- 
mic    Hospital     in      London,     and 
served     in    this     capacity     iluring 
six  months. 

Dr.  Hakanson  is  now  making 
a  specialty  of  e>e,  car,  no.se  and 
throat  diseases,  and  has  his  oflice 
in  the  Reliance  Building,  100 
State  Street,   Chicago. 

Dr.  Hakanson  is  a  member  of 
the  American  Meilical  Association, 
the   Illinois   State   Medical   Societv 


Chicago 


59 


and  the  Chicago  Medical  Societ>-, 
and  has  attended  several  of  the 
American  Med.  Assocation's  an- 
nual conventions  as  a  delegate.  He 
is  attending  plij-sician  at  Chicago 
Eye,  Kar,  Nose  and  Throat  Hospi- 
tal,Chief  Laryngologist  and  Rhinol- 
ogist  of  the  Aiignstatia  Hospital, 
also  .senior  attending  surgeon  to 
the  department  of  the  eye,  ear, 
nose  and  throat  at  Washington  Park 
Ho.spital.  The  doctor  is  a  mem- 
ber of  several  beneficial  and  fra- 
ternal associations. 

Dr.  Hakanson  was  married  in 
1892  to  Miss  Bertha  W.  Lindberg, 
whose  parents  were  among  the 
first  Swedish  settlers  in  Chicago, 
having  emigrated  from  Lnnd, 
Sweden,  in  1864.  A  daughter, 
Ethel  Evelyn,  was  born  Septem- 
ber 13,  1905.  They  reside  at 
6010  So.  Park  ave.,  near  Wash- 
ington Park. 


which     jiosilion     he    held     for    32 
years.      During    the    period    of  the 


SAMUEL  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  Eanda  parish,  in  the 
province  of  Halland,  Sweden,  Aug. 
14,  1840,  and  came  to  this  country 
in  the  spring  of  1870,  locating  in 
Chicago,  which  has  since  been  his 
home.  For  some  time  after  his 
arrival,  he  worked  at  the  carpen- 
ter's trade,  afterwards  engaging  in 
the  manufacture  of  what  has  been 
called  "the  poor  man's  butter," 
otherwise  known  in  the  market 
as  oleomargarine,  or  butterine, 
which  proved  a  phenomenal  suc- 
cess as  a  business  venture.  Mr. 
Ander.son  never  carried  on  the 
business  in  his  own  name,  how- 
ever, but  acted  as  superintendent 
for    the    firm    of    Braun    &    Fitts, 


S.\.\1UHL  .\NUEkS(J.N 

greatest  demand  for  their  product 
this  firm  manufactured^as  much  as 
2,000,000  lbs.  a  month.  It'should 
be  stated  that  they  always  sold 
their  product  under  its  real  name 
and  never  tried  to  pass  it  off  as 
genuine  butter,  with  which,  how- 
ever, it  soon  came  in  competition 
both  in  taste  and  nutritive  quali- 
ties. 

During  the  last  few  years  he 
has  superintended  the  butterine 
plant  of  George  P.  Braun,  former 
business  partner  in  the  firm  of 
Braun  &  Fitts. 

Immediately  after  arriving  at 
Chicago,  Mr.  Anderson  joined  the 
Immanuel  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church,  of  which  he  has  ever  since 
been  an  active,  zealous  and  highly 
respected  member.  For  more  than 
thirty  \-ears  he  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  church  council,  and  in 
1872    he    was  a    member    of    the 


6o 


Cook  County 


building  committee  which  had  in 
charge  the  erection  of  the  present 
church  on  Sedgwick  st.  He  has  also 
taken  great  interest  in  missions, 
educational  and  charitable  work. 
He  is  at  present  member  of  the 
Board  of  Directors  of  Augustana 
College,  the  principal  Swedish- 
American  institution  of  learning, 
and  is  likewise  one  of  the  direc- 
tors of  Augustana  Hospital  in 
Chicago. 

Mr.  Anderson  has  been  married 
twice.  His  first  wife,  Maria 
Gustafva  Anderson,  died  in  iSjS. 
Of  five  children  born  to  them  all 
died  >-oung.  Oct.  15,  i>'^79,  he 
married  Miss  Ida  Louisa  Ander.son 
from  Sodra  Ljunga,  Smaland. 
This  marriage  has  been  ble.ssed 
with  seven  children  of  whom  five 
are  still  living.  Selmn  Malinda 
Kmanuela,  the  eldest  daughter,  is 
the  wife  of  Anton  Jvmil  Peter- 
son; another  daughter,  Anna  Ma- 
ria, married  I^dward  Linn, 
and  the  third  daughter,  Mabel 
Wilhelmina,  is  Mrs.  J.  L.  Oak- 
leaf  of  Moline,  111.  The  sons  are, 
Hjalmar  ICmamiel  and  Arthur 
luiiil   Natlianael. 

The  inventor  and  manufacturer 
of  "the  poor  man's  butter"  has 
ever  endeavored  to  alleviate  the 
sufferings  of  the  poor,  in  innum- 
erable wa\s,  by  an  e.xtensive  i)liil- 
anthropy,  and  has  also  given  mu- 
nificent sums  tDchnrches,  charitable 
and  educational  institutions.  To 
Mr.  Anderson's  credit  it  should  be 
added,  that  in  all  this  he  has 
never  sought  recognition  or  praise, 
acting  solely  on  the  promptings  of 
a  large  and  lienevoleiil   heart. 


The  residence  of  Mr.  Anderson 
and  family  is  at  694  North  Park 
ave. 

KRIK  WINGREX, 

editor  of    Xva     ll'ecko-Posttii,    was 
born  in    Mardsjo,    Stugun    parish. 


V.U\K    WI.NilKKN 

Jamtlaud,  Sweden,  Dec.  17,  iS4.>. 
.\t  the  age  of  sixteen  years  he 
was  converted  and  a  few  years 
afterward  ba])ti/.ed  in  the  Baptist 
faith  by  A.  Hjiilm,  pastor  at  Ra- 
gunda.  Being  the  first  in  the 
neighborliood  to  l)reak  with  the 
state  church  and  cleave  to  a  com- 
paratively unknown  faith,  against 
which  there  existed  much  prejudice, 
liis  act  attracted  much  attention. 
He  was  long  the  onlj'  Baptist  in 
the  liistrict.  Having  received  pri- 
vate instruction,  he  attended  an 
academy  in  Sundsvall.  He  was 
the  first  student  of  the  Bethel 
Seminary  in  Stockholm  when  it 
ojKMied.  After  the  completion  of 
Ins  studies  lie  became  pnst<»r  i>f   a 


Chicago 


6i 


congregation  in  Suiuls\all  wliicli 
he  had  served  at  times  while  a 
student.  He  also  conducted  a 
school  for  female  teachers  for  a 
short  time. 

In  the  summer  of  1S69  Mr. 
VV'ingren  removed  to  Kristianstad 
and  served  the  congregation  there 
over  a  year,  at  the  same  time 
preaching  in  various  parts  of  the 
district. 

Meanwhile  he  especially  endeav- 
ored to  awaken  and  strengthen 
the  missionary  instinct  in  these 
congregations  and  met  with  en- 
couragement, encountering,  how- 
ever, many  difficulties  on  account 
of  peculiar  ideas  and  views  which 
had  crept  into  the  congregation 
from  lack  of  education.  This  caused 
him  to  seek  a  new  field.  Malmo 
appeared  to  be  a  more  promising 
one.  He  moved  there  and  began 
his  work  in  the  fall  of  1870.  A 
congregation  was  formed,  whose 
pastor  lie  became.  He  remained 
there  ten  years  and  saw  the  con- 
gregation grow  from  five  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty  members.  Dur- 
ing this  period  he  took  up  mis- 
sionary work  in  Lund,  Trelleborg 
and  several  other  places  with  en- 
couraging results.  A  congregation 
was  formed  in  Trelleborg  with 
thirty  members.  Another  was  later 
formed  in  Lund.  During  these 
years  he  had,  in  part,  the  charge 
of  the  missionarj-  work  in  Skane 
and  the  western  part  of  Smaland. 
He  al.so  visited  Halland  in  the 
same  interests.  In  order  to  ob- 
tain co-workers  he  conducted  a 
summer  school  for  the  education 
of    preachers    and    female     school 


teachers.  The  last  two  years  he 
published  a  monthly  tract  called 
Hcmmissionarcn . 

In  resjionse  to  a  joint  call  issued 
by  the  Second  Swedish  Ba]nist 
Church  in  Chicago  and  the  Ameri- 
can Baptist  Home  Mission  Society, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  W'ingren  came  to 
Chicago  in  March,  iSSo  and  as- 
sumed pastoral  charge  of  that 
church,  also  editing  a  newspaper 
founded  by  Dr.  Edgren  as  the 
organ  of  the  Swedish  Baptist  Church 
in  America.  Besides,  he  assisted 
Dr.  Edgren  as  instructor  in  the 
theological  seminary  at  Morgan 
Park.  With  three  .so  important 
branches  of  activity  he  soon  found 
it  impossible  to  do  them  all  jus- 
tice. In  the  two  years  that  Mr. 
Wingren  had  charge,  the  member- 
ship of  the  church  increased  from 
33  to  150  and  the  Sunday  school 
and  Young  People's  Societj-  be- 
came important  factors  in  its  de- 
velopment. Mr.  Wingren  founded 
two  missions,  one  of  which  became 
a  congregation. 

In  the  summer  of  1882  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Wingren,  after  a  renewed  call, 
accepted  the  pastorate  of  the  First 
Swedish  Baptist  Church  in  Chicago. 
He  remained  in  this  charge  until 
the  autumn  of  18.S4.  During  this 
time  the  congregation  increased 
from  335  to  410  members,  although 
a  daughter  congregation  had  been 
formed  from  it. 

The  newspaper,  Nya  Wccko- 
Pcstoi,  had  now  developed  so  as 
to  require  Mr.  \A'ingren's  whole 
attention.  It  was  changed  from  a 
semi-monthly  to  a  weekly  and  has 
been  increased  in    size    from    time 


62 


Cook  County 


to  time  being  now  a  7-column, 
8-page  paper.  The  public  has 
valued  Mr.  Wingren's  work  on 
this  paper  and  has  given  him  con- 
stant encouragement,  so  that  it 
has  now  a  greater  circulation  than 
an}-  other  Swedish  Baptist  news- 
paper. 

Pastor  Wingren  was  married 
Nov.  14,  1870,  to  Miss  Bianca 
Henrietta  Christina  Ohman,  who 
has  alwaj-s  taken  a  warm  interest 
in  his  activities.  Their  union  has 
been  blessed  with  ten  children, 
eight  of  whom  are  living. 

ERICK  GUSTAF    PETTERSON 

was  born  in  Espenas,  in  the  Karl- 
skoga  mining  district  of  X'ermland, 


icKiCK  c.rsT.M'  im:tti:ks()N 
Sweden,  Oct.  28,  1X46.  Having 
finished  school,  he  left  the  shelter 
of  the  parental  roof  at  the  age  of 
18  years,  and  set  mit  to  learn  a 
trade.  During  the  summer  months 
he  worked  as  a  carjjenter,  and  in 
the   winter   he    fouixl    iinnlov  nielit 


at  blacksniithing.  In  the  summer 
of  1868  he  emigrated  to  America 
and  settled  in  Moline,  111.  Thence 
he  went  to  Sagetown,  and  later 
secured  employement  at  the  great 
inland  arsenal,  maintained  by  the 
U.  S.  Government  at  Rock  Island. 
From  there  he  went  to  Chicago 
in  1 85 1 .  Here  he  worked  as  car- 
penter for  three  years,  and  then 
engaged  in  business  as  building 
contractor.  This  was  no  easy  mat- 
ter in  such  times  of  depression  as  the 
years  following  the  great  panic  of 
1873,  but  with  matchless  energy  and 
an  iron  will  he  overcame  all  ob- 
stacles, and  by  integrity,  skill  and 
care  achieved  success. 

While  supervising  work  in  day- 
time, Mr.  Petterson  .spent  his 
evenings  studying  architecture.  He 
has  superintended  the  erection  of 
a  number  of  important  buildings, 
antl  lias  drawn  the  plans  for  a 
mimtier  of  Swedish  churches  and 
parsonages  in  Illinois.  From  1887 
to  1 89 1  Mr.  Petterson  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  School  Board  of  South 
Chicago  (Englewood)  district.  He 
has  also  been  an  active  member  of 
(he  Bethlehem  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  Englewood  since  its 
organization  in  1875.  For  fifteen 
>ears  he  served  as  treasurer,  and 
f(ir  twenty-three  years  as  trustee. 
He  has  also  been  vice  president 
of  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
.Aiigustana  Hospital,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  directors  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Orphans 
Home  in  Joliel  since  its  foundation. 
The  buildings  for  this  home  have 
been  erected  under  Mr.  I'etterson's 
direction. 


Chicago 


63 


Mr.  Petterson  is  now  chairman 
and  superintendent  of  the  Swedish 
Home  Building  and  Loan  Associa- 
tion. He  has  served  as  chairman 
of  the  building  committee  of  Au- 
gustana  Hospital  and  as  superin- 
tendent of  building  operations.  As 
a  member  of  the  first  board  of 
the  Salem  Home  for  the  Aged  at 
Joliet,  he  superintended  the  erection 
of  its  building  in    1906. 

In  1877,  Mr.  Petterson  married 
Miss  Carolina  \V.  Johnson,  and 
their  union  has  been  blessed  with 
three  daughters.  The  home  is  at 
5762  W'entworth  ave. 


JOHN  E.  NORLING 

was  born  Jan.   13,  1859,  at  Bishop 
Hill,  111.     His  parents  were  Anders 


JOH.M   E.   NORLING. 

and  Elizabeth  Norling,  from  Stalbo 
in  Nora  parish,  Sweden.  They 
emigrated  from  Sweden  in  October 
1854,  crossing  the  Atlantic  in  a 
sailing  vessel,  requiring  thirteen 
weeks  for  the  voyage. 


Reaching  New  York  the>-  pro- 
ceeded directly  to  Bishop  Hill, 
joining  the  Swedish  colony  founded 
there  by  Erik  Jans.son,  and  re- 
maining until  it  was  dissolved  in 
1863,  when  they  removed  to  a 
farm  in   the  vicinity. 

John  E.  Norling  had  more 
taste  for  business  than  agriculture. 
Equipped  with  a  high  school 
education,  he  became  a  drug  clerk, 
and  at  the  age  of  twent}-  he  was 
manager  of  L.  P.  Ek's  drug  store 
in  Galva,  111.  Later,  he  and  his 
brothers,  P.  O.  and  A.  D.  Norling 
bought  this  store,  and  opened  drug 
stores  at  Nekoma  and  Bishop  Hill. 

In  the  fall  of  1881,  Mr.  Norling 
engaged  in  the  land  and  coloniza- 
tion business,  operating  west  of  the 
Missouri.  Together  with  his  bro- 
ther A.  D.  Norling  he  also  es- 
tablished in  Nebraska  a  ranch  of 
.several  thousand  acres  stocked  with 
cattle,   horses  and  swine. 

In  18S9  the  stores  were  disposed 
of  and  Mr.  Norling  devoted  himself 
to  industrial  enterprises.  He  was 
one  of  the  organizers  of  the  Mulford 
Steam  Heating  Company  at  Strea- 
tor,  111.,  being  chosen  secretary 
and  treasurer.  After  two  years  he 
left  this  position  to  engage  in  the 
real  estate  and  land  busine.ss  in 
Chicago.  He  was  one  of  the  pro- 
moters of  the  settlements  of  Las 
Animas,  Colo., and  El  Campo,  Tex- 
as. His  diversified  interests  soon 
embraced  gold  mining,  and  he  has 
been  prominentlj-  connected  with 
the  Magnolia  and  the  Wood  Mount- 
ain mining  enterprises.  When 
in  August,  1900,  SzriisA-a  Trib- 
uncn,  a  Swedish  weekly  newspaper 


64 


Cook  Count\' 


printed  in  Chicago,  was  offered  for 
sale.  Mr.  Norling.  together  with 
his  brother,  P.  O.  Xorhng.  and 
S.  E.  Carlssoii,  bought  the  paper 
and  soon  after  acquired  Fostcr- 
landct.  a  religious  weekl>-,  and  a 
year  later  became  .sole  owner  of 
both  papers. 

As  earlj'  as  1892  Mr.  Xorling's 
attention  was  called  to  the  possi- 
bilities of  an  automatic  telephone 
\>\  its  inventor,    F.   A.  Lundquist. 

The  practicability  of  the  inven- 
tion having  been  proven  by  the 
installation  of  .several  exchanges, 
the  Globe  Automatic  Telephone 
Co.  was  organized  in  1901,  with 
Mr.  Xorling  as  president,  for  the 
purpose  of  manufacturing  instru- 
ments on  a  large  scale.  Simul- 
taneously Mr.  Xorling  was  heavily 
interested  al.so  in  the  Monarch 
Telephone  Manufacturing  Co.,  and 
was  president  of  the  concern.  In 
1905  he  sold  his  newspapers,  and 
ill  health  more  recently  has  com- 
pelled him  to  dispose  of  part  of 
his  other  bu.siness  interests. 

Dec.  30,  1S90,  Mr.  X'orling  was 
married  to  Christine  Erickson,  born 
March  9,  1859,  in  Nora  parish. 
Vestmanland,  Sweden.  They  have 
two  daughters  —  Lillian  May, 
born  Ma>-  i,  1894,  and  Ruth  I{liz- 
abeth,   born  June   11,    1897. 

Mr.  Xorling  is  a  Mason,  and  a 
member  of  the  Marquette  Club,  the 
New  Illinois  Athletic  Association, 
the  Swedish  Glee  Club,  and  the 
Svithiod  Singing  Club.  The  fam- 
ily residence  is  at  801  Burling  st.. 
Lake  View. 


ROBERT  HJALMAR  PALM 

was  born  Aug.    13,    1866,   in  Dom- 
narfvet,   province  of  Dalarne.  Swe- 


ROBEKT   H.I.\LM.\R  PALM 

den.  His  father,  William  Palm, 
was  a  sawyer.  Robert  attended 
the  public  school  until  he  was 
fourteen  years  old  and  had  been 
confirmed  in  the  state  church.  For 
two  years  he  worked  in  the  saw 
mills.  At  the  age  of  seventeen 
years  he  secured  employment  in 
the  machine  shop  of  the  iron  mills 
at  Domnarfvet  remaining  for  about 
two  years.  In  1886  lie  went  to  Amer- 
ica and  came  on  to  Chicago,  where 
he  .soon  secured  work  in  a  machine 
shop.  Realizing  the  need  of  theo- 
retical training,  he  began  taking 
evening  courses  in  the  tree  gram- 
mar school  for  Several  years,  after 
whicli  he  studied  meciianical  draw- 
ing in  the  evening  Nortli  Di- 
vision High  School.  Subsequently 
he  studied  business  at  the  Metro- 
politan Business  College,  architec- 
tural training  at  the  .\rl  lii>titule 


Chicagfo 


65 


ami  j^raphical  statics  at  the  Atlit- 
naeiim.  A  final  conrst-  was  taken 
at  Columbia  Business  College  in 
the  construction  of  gearins^s  and 
in  mechanical  ilrawinij.  In  the 
meantime  Mr.  Palm  had  worked 
for  twelve  >-ears  in  the  pattern 
shop  of  S.  H.  Sinclair  Co.  In 
1S9S  he  started  his  own  business 
on  the  north  side.  For  five  3'ears 
he  has  hail  his  machine  shop  at 
43-45  So.  Canal  St.,  where  he 
makes  a  specialty  of  laundry  ma- 
chinery-, the  plant  being;  known  as 
the  Chicago  Rival  Machine  Co. 
Twelve  different  styles  of  machines 
for  hand  and  steam  power  are  de- 
signed and  constructed  b>'  him. 
Mr.  Palm  belongs  to  the  I.  O.  \'. 
Aug.  31,  1905,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Clara  Florence  Lord,  born 
at  Chaffe,   N.  Y.,   Feb.   S,    1S5S. 


F,urope  to  give  a  course  of  dem- 
onstration.s  in  American  dentistry 
to   the    dental    jirofessjon     in     the 


JOHN  N.  SANDBLOM 

was  born  July  6,  1871,  in  Falko- 
ping,Vestergotland,  Sweden.  At  the 
age  of  seven  years  he  wa.s  brought 
to  Stockholm,  the  family  locating 
there.  His  early  education  was 
obtained  in  private  schools  and  in 
the  high  school.  He  left  Sweden 
in  1S93  bound  for  Chicago,  and 
began  the  study  of  dentistry  at 
the  Northwestern  Dental  School 
in  1897.  After  three  j-ears  of  hard 
work  he  was  graduated  with  the 
highest  honors,  and  was  then  made 
demonstrator  at  the  school  in  token 
of  his  high  scholarship.  After 
serving  a  year  in  this  capacity  his 
private  practice  had  grown  to  such 
proportions  that  he  resigned  the 
position. 

In  1905   Dr.   Sandblom  went    to 


JOH.X   X.   S.\.\DBLl)M 

Scandinavian  countries.  Begin- 
ning in  Christiania,  his  course 
proved  so  popular  that  a  .second 
one  had  to  be  given,  and  the 
proposed  cour.ses  in  Stockholm  and 
Copenhagen  were  abandoned.  In 
July  of  that  j^ear  Dr.  Sandblom 
read  a  paper  before  the  Scandi- 
navian Dental  Congress  held  in 
the  Danish  capital. 

Dr.  Sandblom' s  visit  to  Christi- 
ania resulted  in  his  being  called 
as  dean  of  the  Dental  School  of 
the  New  Institute  of  Technology- 
in  that  cit)-,  a  government  insti- 
tution connected  with  the  Christi- 
ania University.  Dr.  Sandblom 
returned  to  Chicago  to  await  the 
result  of  the  pending  negotiations 
between  Sweden  and  Norway  anent 
the  dis.solution  of  the  Union,  be- 
fore definitely  accepting  the  ap- 
pointment, and   departed    for     his 


66 

new  post  late  in  the  j-ear.  He 
still  maintains  his  dental  office  in 
the  Masonic  Temple. 

Dr.  Sandblom  is  an  accomplished 
skater,  having  won  many  trophies, 
medals  and  cups  in  Europe  and 
America  for  skill  and  speed.  In 
1896  he  won  the  championship  for 
this  country  and  defended  it  twice. 
He  belongs  to  the  Delta  Sigma 
Delta  Fraternitj-  and  served  while 
in  Chicago  as  president  of  the 
Scandinavian  Dental  Society.  Dr. 
Sandblom  was  married  in  1900  to 
Ellen  F.  Chinhind. 


Cook  County 


JOHN  NEESON 

was  born  at  Ousby,   Skane,     Swe- 
den,   June    20,    1 85 1.      His    youth 


America  and  made  his  home  in 
in  Chicago.  Thence  he  went  out 
west,  and  found  employment  at 
his  trade  in  California.  In  1883 
he  returned  to  Chicago.  From 
1897  he  has  been  engaged  in  the 
business  of  cut  stone  contractor 
until  1904.  when  he  sold  out  to 
the  firm  of  Anderson  &  Lundgren. 

For  many  years  he  has  been  an 
active  worker  in  the  indep)endent 
Mission  Church  in  Englewood, 
having  served  fourteen  years  in 
the  church  council. 

Mr.  Xelson  is  married  since 
1887  to  Miss  Johaiuia  Matilda 
Johnson  from  Skofde,  Sweden. 

JII.IUS  SODERSTAM 

was  born  in  Jemshog,  Blekinge, 
Sweden,  on     Februar\-     25,      1859. 


.Ifi.ifs  soi>i:kst.\.m 


JoliX   .NICI.SON 

and  early  manhood  were  spent    in 

the  old  c<)Unlr>',    where  he  learned 

the  trade    of    stone    cutting,      h'or  His  father  was  a  gentleman  farui- 

niiie   years  he     was    em])l()\ed    by  er,  who  .sent  his  son  to  high  scliool 

the    governniL-nt   in    the    coiistriK--  and  then   to   the    n-nowneil  .\hiari) 

tion  of  railroad  briilges  and  station  Royal        .Agricuitmal         Institute. 

houses.      In    i.SSi    hv  emigrated    to  N'onng  Sodei stain  gr;ulnat(.-d  in  1  S81 


Chicago 


67 


as  agricultural  engineer.  He  was 
a  ci\'il  engineer's  instrument  man  at 
the  survey  for  the  State  Trunk  R.  R. 
in  Northern  Sweden.  Subsequent- 
ly he  took  a  course  at  Skepps- 
holmen  Theoretical  School  of  Agri- 
culture. Now  he  became  superin- 
tendent on  a  large  estate  and  there 
remained  until  1884,  when  he  vis- 
ited Germany,  England  and  Scot- 
land to  further  his  knowledge  of 
scientific  agriculture.  Mr.  Soder- 
stam  went  from  Scotland  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  found  it  so  con- 
genial that  he  concluded  to  settle 
there.  He  worked  first  at  sur- 
veying and  later  at  railroad  and 
canal  building.  He  was  one  of 
the  first  engineers  engaged  with 
the  construction  of  the  Drainage 
Canal,  and  is  still  working  in  the 
construction  office  of  this  water- 
way. Mr.  Soderstam  was  married 
in  1888  to  Miss  Sophie  Jansson, 
with  whom  he  has  had  three  child- 
ren, of  whom  two  daughters, 
Elsie  and  Vivian,  are  still  living. 
Mr.  Soderstam  has  taken  an  act- 
ive interest  in  Republican  politics. 


June  23,    1897,   he  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  b>-  the  Supreme  Court 


NILS  OLSON 
was  born  Sept.  28,  1870,  in  Rock 
Island,  111.,  where  he  attended  the 
public  schools  for  thirteen  years 
and  graduated  with  highest  honors 
from  the  city  high  school  in  1888. 
He  came  to  Chicago  in  1891  and 
soon  after  was  employed  by  the 
Dime  Savings  Bank  as  note  teller, 
continuing  there  until  1897.  In 
June  of  that  year  he  graduated 
from  the  Chicago  College  of  Law 
and  took  the  post-graduate  course 
under  Ex-Judge  Moran. 


NILS  OLSON 

of  Illinois  and  has  been  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  law  from  that 
time  on.  Mr.  Olson  is  a  resident 
of  Englewood.  His  office  is  at 
161   E.   Randolph  st. 

Oct.  ID,  1901,  Mr.  Olson  was 
married  to  Miss  Matilda  Backman, 
daughter  of  W.  W.  and  Mary 
Backman  of  Chicago.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Olson  are  members  of  the 
Englewood  Baptist  Church,  and 
Mr.  Olson  belongs  to  the  Fraternity 
Club  and  the  Royal  League.  In 
1905  he  was  elected  Secretary  of 
the  Scandia  Loan  and  Investment 
Association  of  Chicago. 


CARL  JOHN  BJORK, 
minister  of  the  Swedish  Mission 
Church,  was  born  in  Monsteras 
parish,  Smaland,  April  24,  1864. 
He  emigrated  to  the  I'nited  States 
in  18S7  and  settled  in  New  Britain, 
Conn.     After  completing  his  theo- 


68 


Cook  County 


logical  studies  at  North  Park  Col- 
lege,   Chicago,  he  was  ordained  as 


CARI.  JdllN    H.IORK 

a  minister  in  the  Swedish  Ev.  Mis- 
sion Covenant  of  America.  He 
has  had  charges  at  Irving  Park 
and  Maplewood,  Chicago,  and  at 
Nunda,  111.  Recently  he  accepted 
a  call  to  Salemsburg,  Kansas,  where 
he  is  pastor  of  the  Swedish  Mis- 
.sion  Church. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Bjiirk  was  mar- 
ried to  Julia  Carl.son,  Feb  2,  1889. 
They  have  two  daughters,  Gert- 
rude and   Helen. 

MONS  S.  NORD 
was  born  April  28,  i860,  at  Fjel- 
kestad,  Skane,  Sweden,  where  his 
father  was  a  farmer.  After  fin- 
ishing the  course  in  the  high  school 
at  Onnestad,  he  entered  the  Swed- 
ish postal  service,  retaining  his 
position  until  Jan.  i,  iSS.S,  when 
he  left  the  service  intending  to 
leave  tlie  countrw  The  following 
spring  he  emigrated.  Coming  to 
the  United  States,    he  settled   first 


at  O.sage  City,  Kansas,  and  then 
at  Topeka.  where  he  made  his 
first  venture  in  business  as  pro- 
prietor of  a  barber  shop.  Oct. 
8,  1 89 1,  Mr.  Xord  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Hanna  Nelson 
from  Holmby,  Skane,  Sweden.  In 
1897  Mr.  Nord  removed  to  Chicago. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  First  Swed- 
ish Baptist  Church  of  this  city. 
In     189S-99    he    served    as    secre- 


MOXS   S.   XdKli 

tary  of  the  executive  conunittee 
of  the  Swedish  Baptist  Sunday 
School  Union  of  Illinois.  He  was 
collector  of  the  jubilee  fur.d  designed 
to  perpetuate  the  memory  of  the 
founding  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Church  in  this  countrv. 

He  has  further  shown  much 
interest  in  political,  temjierance 
and  philanthropic  matters.  Mr. 
Nord  was  for  \'ears  special  repre- 
sentative for  the  New  York  Life 
Insurance  Co.  and  has  in  later 
years  been  dealing  in  land,  slocks 
and  bonds. 


Chicago 


69 


KRIC  SCIIKRSTROM 

was  born  in  Bergsjii,  Helsinglaiul, 
Sweden,  on  the  25th  of  June, 
1874.      He  emigrated  from  Sweden 


ERIC   SCHERSTROM 

at  the  age  of  nineteen,  and  arrived 
in  America  in  June,  1893.  He 
first  resided  in  Minnesota,  staying 
for  some  time  in  Isanti  county, 
and  from  there  moved  to  Minne- 
apolis. After  having  lived  in  Min- 
neapolis for  a  period,  he  went  to 
Lake  Nebogemain,  Wis.,  and  from 
this  place  he  came  to  Chicago  to 
take  up  studies  at  the  Swedish 
Baptist  Theological  Seminary  of 
the  Universitj'  of  Chicago.  On 
Maj^  14,  1902,  Mr.  Scherstrom  was 
graduated  from  the  seminarj-  and 
then  a.ssumed  pastoral  charge  of 
the  Swedish  Baptist  Tabernacle 
Church  of  South  Chicago.  Recent- 
Ij'  Mr.  Scherstrom  removed  to 
Portland,  Ore.  having  been  called 
to  the  Swedish  Baptist  Church  in 
that  citv. 


JOHN   HHNRV   LINDAHL 

was  born  in  Skath'if  parish,  in  the 
province  of  Smaland,  Sweden,  Jan. 
27,  1859.  At  tlie  age  of  eleven 
years  he  emigrated  to  America, 
the  place  of  his  destination  being 
Sycamore,  111.  When  fourteen  years 
old  he  commenced  to  work  for  the 
Marsh  Harvester  Co.,  where  he 
learned  the  machinist's  trade.  In 
1 88 1  he  came  to  Chicago  where 
he  worked  in  the  same  trade,  for 
several  companies.  In  the  fall  of 
1S97  he  started  in  lousiness  for 
him.self  on  a  small  scale.  This 
has  grown  at    a    rapid    jiace,    and 


JCIIIN    HENRY   l.IND.MII, 

he  now  occupies  his  own  building 
at  276-8  W.  Lake  st.,  where  he 
makes  a  specially  of  pulleys  and 
sheaves. 

Aug.  13,  18S1,  Mr.  Lindahl  was 
married  to  Mi.ss  Bet.sey  Nelson, 
of  Sycamore,  111.,  and  to  them  have 
been  born  eight  children,  of  whom 
six  are  still  living. 


70 


Cook  County 


JOHN  p.  KDSTRAND 

was    born    in     the    year    1865,  at 
Kjellstorp,   in  the  parish  of  Lous- 


JOHN   V.   liDSTKANIl 

hult,  Skane,  Sweden.  When  a 
mere  boy,  thirteen  years  of  age, 
he  went  to  work  in  a  general 
store  in  his  native  place.  Here 
he  continued  until  the  j-ear  of 
1886,  when  the  desire  to  improve 
his  fortunes  took  possession  of  him 
and  imijelled  him  to  emigrate. 

Coming  directly  to  Chicago,  and 
having  a  strong  desire  to  engage 
in  a  mechanical  business  of  some 
kind,  he  at  once  found  such  an 
ojiportuuity  and  started  to  learn 
the  trade  of  electroplating.  ]?e- 
ginning  as  a  metal  j^olisher,  he 
went  through  all  the  various  de- 
partments, mastering  the  trade  in 
a  short  time. 

In  iSys  Mr.  Kdstrand,  together 
with  Mr.  Olof  Olson,  fountled  a 
new  firm  under  the  name  of  Ivd- 
strand  &  Olson,  to  carry  on  the 
business    of    electroplating.       The 


start  was  a  small  one,  but  by  their 
able  management,  the  facility  with 
which  they  dispatched  work  and 
the  exceptional  quality  of  their 
nickelplating.  the  busine.ss  had  a 
remarkably  rapid  growth.  To-day 
it  equals,  if  it  does  not  exceed  in 
magnitude,  any  similar  t)usine.ss 
in  Chicago. 

Mr.  Edstrand  is  thoroughly  en- 
grossed with  his  business,  which 
fact  has  assured  his  success. 

PETER  O.  HOLMQUIST 

was  born  in  Hofva  parish,  in  the 
province  of  \'estergbtland,  Swe- 
den, Dec.  24,  1S64.  He  spent 
his  early  days  in  the  place  of  his 
birth,  where  he  received  the  ordi- 
nary ])ublic  school  training.    When 


i'HTi;k  (I.  iiui.MyiisT 

he  became  t)f  age,  he  emigrated 
to  America,  locating  in  Cliicago 
in  1SS6.  The  following  year  he 
l)egan  the  manufacture  of  ladders 
and  other  specialties  of  wood. 
Eater,  cur  lain  stretchers  Were  among 


Chicago 


71 


the  products  turned  out,  and  the 
sale  of  these  has  been  highly 
gratifying.  The  firm  of  Holni- 
quist  iS:  Co.  now  employs  some 
seventy-five  workmen. 

Mr.  Holmquist  with  his  family, 
composed  of  his  wife,  Josephine, 
nee  Soderberg,  and  two  sons,  reside 
at   1389  N.  Washtenaw  ave. 


GUSTAV  SUXDBERG 

was  born  at  Scirfors,   Attmar   par- 
ish, Vesternorrland,  Sweden,  Sept. 


GUST.W    SUNliBERG 

23,  1869.  Having  attended  the 
parish  school  up  to  the  age  of 
fifteen,  he  secured  employment 
in  the  Sorfors  Iron  Works,  serv- 
ing in  the  office  three  years,  be- 
fore starting  in  the  foundry.  In 
1890  he  left  Sorfors  to  go  to  the 
United  States.  He  settled  in  Chi- 
cago and  secured  a  position  with 
Joseph  Charboneau.  Later  he  was 
employed  by  his  brother,  J.  A. 
Sundberg,  with  whom,  in  1899, 
he  went  into  partnership  under  the 


firm  name  <>t  J.  A.  Sundberg  & 
Co.  Guslav  Sundberg  was  made 
superintendent  of  the  concern, 
which  manufactures  iron  and  steel 
forgings. 

Mr.  Sundberg  has,  bj-  his  skill 
and  application  to  business,  met 
with  success  in  his  line.  That  his 
abilities  are  coming  to  be  recog- 
nized is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
during  the  winter  semesters  of 
1 901- 1 902  and  1 906- 1 907  he  was 
engaged  as  instructor  in  the  arts 
of  his  trade  at  the  Lewis  Insti- 
tute, in  Chicago. 

SWAX     SWAXLl'XD 

came  to  Chicago  in  May,  1867, 
from  Sweden,  where  he  was  born 
July   12,    1S46,   at  Sblvesborg. 


Swnii    SW.VNUNlJ 

The  first  few  years  in  America 
he  worked  at  cabinet-making.  After 
the  great  fire  he  worked  in  va- 
rious musical  instrument  factories 
and  later  was  engaged  in  Estey  & 
Camp's  store.      He  has,  for  a  num- 


72 


Cook  County 


ber  of  years,  been  employed  as 
a  piano  salesman  by  the  Cliicker- 
ing-Chase  Brothers  Co. 

Mr.  Swanhind  was  married  Sept. 
30,  1870,  to  Miss  Augusta  Carlson, 
from  Ostergotland,  Sweden,  and 
has  a  famil}^  of  one  son  and  three 
daughters.  He  has  taken  great 
interest  in  church  affairs  since 
1875,  and  is  now  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Mi.ssion  Church  of 
Lake  View.  The  family  residence 
is  at   1 152  Newport  ave. 


STEPHAN  CREUTZ 

was  born    in    Stockholni,   Sweden, 
May    22,     i8s6.      He    came     from 


sTi;riiAN  'NierTz 

one  of  tile  ohlc-t  families  of  the 
Swedish  nobilil\-,  his  father  being 
Baron  Sti])li:ni  Cunt/..  Captain 
of  the  CiruiKulier  Cor])-;,  Roxal 
Life  (iiianls,  and  Knij^hl  of  the 
Order  of  the  Sword.  (  R.  S.  O.) 
The  mother's  name  was  llillevi 
I'Vedrika,   nee  Xorlin. 


The  son  attended  the  Arboga 
Academy,  Arboga  Technical  School 
and  Ultuna  Agricultural  Institute. 
As  a  field  for  his  energy  he  de- 
cided that  the  I'nited  States  was 
the  most  promising,  and  came 
over  June  23,  1879.  From  July, 
1879,  until  the  spring  of  1 8,So  he 
labored  as  a  farm  hand  in  New 
Jersey  and  Rhode  Island.  Early 
in  1880  he  became  foreman  on  a 
farm  at  Cowisett  Station,  near  East 
Greenwich,  R.  I.  After  holding 
this  position  for  about  three 
years  he  left  for  Chicago  in  the 
fall  of  18S3.  For  four  months  he 
was  a  carpenter  and  for  three  years 
a  street  car  conductor.  In  1S89 
he  jiassed  the  civil  service  exam- 
ination for  an  appointment  in  the 
light  house  service.  On  May  i, 
1889,  he  received  an  appointment 
as  assistant  lighthouse  keejier. 
The  following  August,  he  was 
appointed  in.spector  at  the  V.  S. 
luigineer  Office  at  Chicago.  He 
has  been  engaged  from  that  time  to 
this  as  I'.  S.  Inspector  of  River 
and  Harbor  Improvements.  At 
present  he  is  inspector  of  the  Cal- 
umet  River  improvements. 

At  different  times,  when  work 
has  been  slack  in  the  Engineer 
( Jfllce,  Mr.  Creiitz  has  filled  ]xisi- 
tions  with  private  firms,  principally 
the  Illinois  Steel  Co.  and  the 
Illinois  Central  Railway  Co., 
superintending  construction  work. 
He  was  also  for  five  or  six  months 
assistant  insjiector  of  road  con- 
struction for  the  Columbian  I\x- 
position. 

Mr.  Creut/  belongs  to  the  Scan- 
dinavian Technical  StK'ietv  of  Chi- 


Chicago 


73 


cago  and   llic  Windsor  Park  IvOd^e 
of  the   Masonic  Order. 

September  ii,  1.S82,  Mr.  Creutz 
was  married  to  Selma  Fredrika 
Lee,  in  Kast  Cireenwich,  R.  I. 
Their  children  are  Stephan,  a  stu- 
dent at  the  Armour  Institute  of 
Technology,  and  Hillevi  Fredrika, 
a  student  at  South  Chicago  High 
School.  The  family  residence  is 
at  7737  Bond  ave.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Creutz  belong  to  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  in  South  Chicago. 


OSCAR  CHARLES  PETERSON 

was  born    Dec.    15,     1857,    in    the 
province  of  Smaland,  Sweden.     He 


OSC.^R   CH.\RLES  PETERSON 

accompanied  his  parents  to  Amer- 
ica in  1868.  They  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Iowa.  He  was  eager  for 
knowledge  and  mapped  out  a 
course  of  studies  for  himself.  At 
the  age  of  24  j-ears  he  graduated 
from  the  Iowa  State  College  at 
Ames,  with  the  highest  standing 
in    several    subjects,    and    a    year 


later  the  degree  M.  Ph.  was  con- 
ferred upon  him.  During  the 
following  year  lie  matriculated  at 
the  Iowa  College  of  Law  at  Des 
Moines,  and  was  graduated  from 
this  institution  in  1884  as  attor- 
ney- at  law.  He  practiced  law  at 
Des  Moines,  Iowa,  until  1895, 
when  he  removed  to  Chicago, 
where  he  has  an  extensive  prac- 
tice. He  was  for  several  terms 
president  of  the  Swedish  National 
As.sociation. 

Mr.  Peterson  is  a  good  public 
speaker  and  has  been  frequently 
heard  on  the  lecture  platform. 
He  speaks  Swedi.sh  and  English 
with  equal  facilitj-. 

He  is  married  to  Miss  Florence 
E.  Felts,  a  lady  of  American  birth. 
Two  daughters  are  the  issue  of 
this  union. 


ANDREW  W.   FREDRICKSON, 

President  of  North  Park  College, 
was  born  in  Chicago,  Feb.  13. 
1S71.  His  parents  emigrated  from 
Mjellby,  Sweden,  and  located  in 
Chicago  in  186S.  Their  home 
having  been  destroj'ed  hj-  the  fire 
of  Oct.  9,  1 87 1,  they  moved  to 
Saline  co.,  Kansas,  locating  on 
an  80-acre  government  homestead. 
Here  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
grew  up  and  learned  to  work 
hard,  spending  the  winters  in 
.school  and  the  summers  in  the 
field.  At  the  age  of  seventeen, 
he  was  engaged  to  teach  school  in 
his  home  district.  Here  he  taught 
for  five  consecutive  winters,  and 
spent  a  part  of  each  summer  at 
the  Salina  Normal  University. 


74 


Cook  County 


In  1893  he  entered  Bethany 
College,  Lindsborg,  Kansas,  from 
which  he  graduated  in   1896,  with 


AXIlKinV   W.    I-kliMUlCKSOX 

the  Bachelor's  degree.  In  1900 
the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts  was 
conferred  upon  him  by  his  Alma 
Mater,  and  an  instructor's  certifi- 
cate to  teach  in  the  Normal  In- 
stitute was  given  him  by  the  Board 
of  Education  of  the  State  of 
Kansas. 

After  his  graduation  he  accepted 
a  call  to  become  the  principal  of 
the  academic  department  of  North 
Park  College,  Chicago,  and  entered 
upon  his  work  with  the  zeal  and 
enthusiasm  of  one  who  had  found 
his  life's  work.  His  efforts  in 
behalf  of  this  institution  have  not 
been  limited  to  the  class  room, 
but  have  reached  out  into  wide 
circles,  he  having  traveled  and 
lectured  in  the  interests  of  the 
college. 

Born  a  Mission  Friend,  I'rof. 
Fredrickson  has    taken    an    active 


interest  in  the  Swedish  Evangeli- 
cal Mission  Covenant  and  is  a 
member  of  the  church  at  North 
Park,  Chicago. 

Prof.  Fredrickson  is  a  public 
speaker,  and  devotes  a  considerable 
part  of  his  time  to  the  pulpit  and 
to  the  platform. 

When  in  1905  Prof.  David  Ny- 
\-aIl  resigned  the  presidency  of 
North  Park  College,  Prof.  Fred- 
rick.son  assumed  the  office  as  ac- 
ting president,  serving  as  such 
until  regularly  elected  to  the  pres- 
idency in  1906  by  the  Mission 
Covenant,  at  its  annual  meeting 
in  Minneapolis. 

Prof.  Fredrickson  resides  with 
his  family  in  the  president's  resi- 
dence on  the  college  campus,  cor- 
ner of  Foster  and  Spaulding  aves. 


OSCAR  A.  ROSS 
was  born  in  Stockholm,  Sweden. 
Feb.  9,  1846.  After  acquiring  a 
common  school  education  he,  at 
the  age  of  18  years,  emigrated  to 
America,  locating  at  Ottawa,  Can- 
ada. While  there  he  changed  his 
jiarental  name  Sal/.enstein  for  his 
present  one.  In  1S6S  he  canie  to 
Chicago  and  established  a  labor 
agency,  in  which  he  has  been 
engaged,  with  .some  interruptions, 
ever  since.  For  two  years  he  trav- 
eleil  for  the  Cunard  Line  and  vis- 
ited practically  every  western  town 
and  city  east  of  Denver,  Colo.  In 
i.S.s^  he  made  a  trip  to  Stockholm 
and  other  Swedish  cities,  besides 
Paris,  Berlin,  liremen,  Liverpool, 
yueenstown,   and   London. 

Mr.   Ross  was  for  25  or  30  years 
a  member  of  the  Svea  Societv,  and 


Chicago 


75 


for  some    years 
Swedish     Club. 


belonged     to    the 
At      present    lie 


OSCAR   A.    R(1SS 

prides  himself  of  not  being  a 
member  of  anything  but  his  fam- 
ily. He  has  a  wife  and  three 
children,  a  son  and  two  daughters. 
The  latter  are  married  and  live 
respectively  in  Los  Angeles,  Cal., 
and  Kansas  City,  Mo. 


CHARLES  J.  STROMBERG 

was  born  in  Karlshamn,  Sweden, 
Feb.  12,  1838,  and  accompanied 
his  parents  to  America  in  1854,  at 
the  age  of  sixteen  years.  After  a 
short  stay  in  Westchester,  Pa., 
and  Lisletown,  Mo.,  he  went  to 
Chicago  in  August,  1856.  Here 
he  was  employed  for  seven  years 
by  the  firm  of  \V.  B.  Keen  &  Co., 
quitting  his  position  in  1S64  to  join 
the  Union  army.  Returning  home 
the  following  year,  he  secured  em- 
ployment with  the  stationery  firm 
of  J.  M.  W.  Jones  &  Co.,  and  re- 
mained   as    clerk,     manager,     and 


member  of  the  firm,  successively, 
until  iss.s,  when  he  left  to  form 
the  present  firm  of  Stromberg, 
Allen  &  Co.,  which  has  grown  to 
be  one  of  the  largest  printers  in 
Chicago. 

Mr.  Stromberg  was  married  in 
1863,  his  wife's  maiden  name  be- 
ing Augusta  J.  Anderson.  They 
have  had  one  son,  Charles  J.  Strom- 


CHARLES  J.  STROMBERG 

berg,  Jr.,  who  is  engaged  with  the 
firm. 

Mr.  Stromberg' s  home  was  in 
Lake  View,  where  he  also  served 
as  trustee  of  the  Lake  View  High 
School.  His  winter  home  since 
1898  was  at  Fairhope,  Ala.  He 
died  there  March  12,  1904,  after 
a  lingering  illness.  The  remains 
were  buried  at  Graceland  Ceme- 
tery,   Chicago. 


ANTON  FREDRICK  LIND- 

QUIST 

was  born  Sept.  20,  1858,  in  Stock- 
holm, Sweden.     Having  secured  a 


76 

common  school    education    he    he- 
came  a  locomotive  fireman  on  the 


Cook  County 


ANION    FKIiliKICK    I.INIIQUIST 

Dannemora  and  Harg  railway  line. 
Later  he  was  employed  as  machin- 
ist with  the  Harg  Iron  \\'orks, 
a  position  retained  until  he  left 
for  America  in  iSSo.  Having  lo- 
cated at  Chicago,  he  at  once  took 
up  the  study  of  architecture  and 
engineering  in  the  office  of  Hugh 
Copeland.  Mr.  Lindqnist  later 
struck  out  for  himself,  estab- 
lishing an  architect's  office  of  his 
own.  He  affiliates  with  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church  and  belongs 
to  the  Architects'  Business  A.sso- 
ciatioti.  Mr.  Lind(|Mist  was  mar- 
ried in  1SS5  to  Ivmily  M.  Ander- 
son from  Odesluig,  Ostergiitland. 
They  have  three  sons  and  three 
daughters. 

AXI'I,  C..    IvXC.W.M.I,, 

engineer  in  the  Cliicago  tire  de- 
partment, was  born  on  the  island 
of  X'isingsi),  in  l.nki-   Wttiin,  Swe- 


den, Sept.  24,  1S65.  At  the  age  of 
five  years  he  was  sent  to  llie  public 
school.  After  conipleting  tlie course, 
he  studied  at  the  collegiate  school 
in  Jonkoping  for  two  years.  After 
another  two  years  spent  at  home, 
he  left  for  America  March  14, 
1S79.  After  drifting  around  in 
this  country  and  working  in  va- 
rious parts  for  two  years,  he  final- 
ly went  to  Chicago  in  the  fall  of 
iSSi.  Here  he  took  up  the  study 
of  engineering,  taking  a  three 
years'  course  in  that  subject.  A 
few  years  later  he  was  appointed 
assistant  engineer  in    Kngine    Co. 


.\.\i:i,  1'..    liNCW.M.I. 

66.  In  1S92  he  was  promoted  to 
First  Engineer  in  luigitie  Ci>.  74, 
where  he  remained  three  years. 
He  was  llieii  transferred  to  ICngine 
Co.  12,  wiiere  he  is  still  stationed. 
Mr.  Ivngwall  is  tlic  inventor  of 
the  Combination  Water  Tower,  at 
wliicli  lie  worked  for  about  eight 
months,  and  on  which  he  finally 
received   his    letters    patent,     Feb. 

22,     U)02. 


Chicag;o 


77 


In  1SS7  Miss  JosupliiiR-  I.iiul- 
qiiist,  from  (irciuui,  Sweden,  l)e- 
caine  the  wife  of  Mr.  luiowall. 
They  hava  two  boys,  both  living. 

OLOF  H.  AHLGREN 

was  born  in  Mellby  parish,  Skane, 
Sweden,  Jan.  ,^  1 ,  1S51.      Hisfalher, 


OLOF   II.   AHLGREN 

Olof  p.  Ahlgren,  a  farmer,  was 
also  parish  .school  master  and  legal 
counsellor  of  the  village.  In  this 
conntry  he  engaged  in  carpentr}'. 
He  died  in  Chicago  March  5,  1906. 

After  obtaining  a  coninion  school 
education  tlie  son  emigrated  in 
1 87 1.  Chicago  was  his  destination 
and  there  he  worked  for  several 
years  in  the  packing  business. 
In  1875  Mr.  Ahlgren  became  a 
grocer  and  tea  merchant,  contin- 
uing for  about  ten  years.  For  the 
last  twent)-one  \ears  he  has  been 
the  proprietor  of  Hotel  Stockholm, 
'52-56  E.   Chicago  ave. 

Mr.  Ahlgren  belongs  to  the 
Knights  of  Pythias.      He  has  been 


twice  niarrie  1.  His  first  wife  was 
Mi.ss  Mathilda  S.  Gronvall  of  Eng- 
elholni.  Sweden,  who  became  his 
wife  March  4,  1^77.  and  died  in 
Chicago  March  25,  18S0.  Jan. 
29,  1SS5,  Mr.  Ahlgren  was  wedded 
to  Miss  Hilda  M.  Bond,  danglUer 
of  And.  R.  an<l  Sophia  P.  Hond. 
He  has  had  one  child,  a  daugliter, 
who  died  in  infancy. 


ERIK  PETER  STRAXDBERG 

was  born  March  10,  1S60,  in  Striinis- 
njis,  Stugun  parish,  Jamtland, 
Sweden.  His  mother  Anna  Xils- 
dotter  was  of  Finnish  descent.  His 
father  was  Erick  Martenson,  a 
wealthy  peasant  who,  however,  by 
the    time    his    son    had    grown     to 


HKIK    I'ET1:N    STK.\.\IHii;KG 

manhood,     had     lost    his    projierty 
through  evil  fortune. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen  Strand- 
berg  went  to  Sundsvall,  where  he 
learned  the  joiner's  trade.  After 
two  years  he  returned  to  Stugun 
where  he  and  a  partner  made  fur- 


78 


Cook  County 


iiiture  for  the  parish.  In  1882  he 
left  for  America  and  became  a 
foreman  in  a  lumber  yard  at  Oak 
Park,  Minn.  During  1884-1885 
he  was  in  St.  Cloud,  removing 
thence  to  Joliet,  111.,  where  he 
became  a  building  contractor.  The 
following  year  Mr.  Strandberg  was 
attracted  to  the  great  metropolis 
of  the  West,  where  he  worked  for 
several  contractors.  At  Christmas 
he  visited  his  old  home,  where 
he  was  married  to  Ingrid  Isakson, 
his  heart's  choice.  With  her  he 
returned  to  Chicago  in  the  spring 
of  1887.  Mrs.  Strandberg  died 
within  the  year.  After  two  years 
Mr.  Strandberg  was  remarried,  his 
second  wife  being  Hilma  Ander- 
son. They  have  had  six  children, 
of  whom  two  boys  and  a  girl  .still 
live. 

Mr.  Strandberg's  building  oper- 
ations are  conducted  on  a  very 
large  scale.  A  few  of  the  build- 
ings he  has  erected  are  the  Chicago 
Orphans'  Asylum;  Reed  Memorial 
Library  and  Chapel;  Smith  Ilall 
at  Lake  Forest  University;  a 
numljer  of  railway  stations,  and 
splendid  residences  for  Messrs. 
Born  and  Knrzberger,  Simon  Man- 
del,  iMcd  T.  Haskell.  Noble  U. 
Judah,  Wm.  Dickinson,  and  Mrs. 
Wni.  Hoyt.  Mr.  Strandberg's 
business  was  incorporated  in  1902 
under  the  name  and  style  of  R. 
P.  Strandberg  Co.,  he  l)eing  pres- 
ident and  treasurer.  He  has  the 
controlling  interest  of  Anderson 
and  Lundgren  Cut  Stone  Co.  and 
is  a  director  of  the  concern.  .Mr. 
Strandberg  has  been  vice  ]>resident 

of     Si':iiuli;i      Life      Illsni:UUc     Co.. 


director  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Mutual  Aid  As.sociation  and  presi- 
dent of  the  Chicago  Cemetery  Asso- 
ciation which  owns  the  new  Swed- 
ish Oak   Hill   Cemetery. 

The    family  residence  is  at  .^330 
Indiana   Avenue. 


CHARLES  WARREN  NELSON, 

florist,  was  born    at    Stro,  Skane, 
Sweden,   Feb.  26,  1S71,  his  parents 


CIIAKI.ICS  \V.\RRI5X  NKI.SON 

being  Nils  Nilson  and  Karin  Ohl- 
son.  His  father  died  in  the  old 
countr>-   Dec.    ly,    1905. 

Coming  to  the  I'nitetl  States 
in  1S87,  he  settled  in  Chicago, 
where  his  first  years  where  sjkmU 
in  learning  the  difTerenl  branches 
of  the  floral  business  and  also,  at 
the  same  lime,  pursuing  the  busi- 
ne.ss  college  course  ofTere<l  by  tlie 
Young  Men's  Christian  As.socialion. 
Ill  iSi)4  Mr.  Nelson  engaginl  in 
the  tloral  business  at  1217  .Mil- 
waukee avenue,  where  he  has 
built    lip  a    larije   li.uK' 


I K 


Chicaofo 

Mr.  Nelson  is  a  divtctor  of  tlic 
Wicker  Park  Safe  Deposit  and 
Trust  Company.  He  holds  nieni- 
l)ershi])in  the  following  fraternities, 
lodges  and  clubs:  Cleveland  Lodge 
No.  211,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.;  Wick- 
er Park  Lodge  No.  281,  and 
Victory  Pjicanipnient,  L  O.  O.  F.; 
Orion  Council  No.  11,  Royal 
League;  Austin  Council  No.  50, 
North  American  Union; 
Lodge  No.  I,  L  O.  S., 
Svithiod  Singing  Club. 


Svithiod 
and    the 


ANDREW    SANDEGREN 

was    born   in    Halnistad,   Halland, 
Sweden,     June     25,      1867.        His 


.\NLIRE\V   S.\NllKGKlv.\ 

father  was  a  school  teacher  who 
remained  in  active  .service  until 
he  died  at  the  age  of  83  years. 
Andrew  attended  the  Carolinian 
Cathedral  School  at  Lund.  After 
leaving  this  institution  he  took 
private  le.ssons  in  technology.  In 
1885  he  became  assistant  in  the 
cit\-  architect's  office  in  Halmstad. 


79 


.\t  times  he  was  assistant  to  Chief 
Engineer  Carl  Slendahl  of  the 
Halmstad — Niissjii  Railwaj'  and  to 
Captain  Tengman,  surveyor  for  the 
Central  Halland  Railway.  In  1887 
he  received  a  connni.ssion  to  make 
a  complete  map  of  the  Central  Hal- 
land Railwa\-  for  the  government. 
After  the  completion  of  this  work 
he  went  to  the  United  States  in 
the  spring  of  1888.  He  had  .several 
years'  experience  in  some  of  the 
most  prominent  architects'  offices 
in  New  York,  Boston  and  Chicago. 
In  1S93,  the  World's  Fair  year,  he 
opened  his  own  office  in  Chicago. 
He  is  now  at  1731  First  National 
Bank  Building.  Mr.  Sandegren 
makes  a  specialty  of  high  grade 
work  and  has  erected  churches, 
hospitals,  hotels  and  many  of  the 
handsomest  apartment  buildings  in 
Chicago.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Chicago  Architectural  Club,  Chi- 
cago Architects'  Business  A.ssocia- 
tion,  the  New  Illinois  Athletic  Club, 
the  Swedish  CtIcc  Club,  the  Svith- 
iod Singing  Club  and  the  Scan- 
dinavian Engineers'  Society.  Mr. 
Sandegren  resides  at  Lexington 
Hotel,  2135  Michigan  ave.,  Chi- 
icago. 


AUGUST  H.  SKOGLUND 

was  born  in  the  city  of  Orebro, 
Sweden,  March  3,  1871.  After 
having  finished  his  common  school 
education,  he  left  for  America  in 
the  summer  of  1889.  Coming 
to  Chicago  he  began  working  in 
the  building  trades  and  after  a  few 
years  established  him.self  as  a 
building  contractor.  Now  he  is  at 
the    head  of    A.    H.    Skoglund    & 


So 


Cook  County 


Co.,  cut  stone   contractors   in  Ar- 
gyle. 

Mr.  Sko<;lund  is  a  member 
of  the  Swedish  Methodist  de- 
nomination and  was  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the   Hiiniholdt    Park 


.\ri-.rsT  11.  SK(  Kii.r.Nip 

M.  ]•;.  Church,  which  lie  has  served 
as  trustee  for  a  period  of  ten  years. 
Mr.  SkogUuid  has  been  married 
eleven  years  and  has  five  children. 
He  resides  at  2917   North  Paulina 

St. 


CARL  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  W'arberg,  Sweden, 
Aug.  8,  1 85 1.  He  came  to  this 
country  in  i Sdy  and  was  engaged 
for  some  time  in  railroad  work. 
He  learned  his  trade,  that  of  ma- 
chinist, in  Chicago  and  lias  con- 
tinued ill  this  line  of  work  for 
thirlyfoiii  years,  Mr.  Ander- 
son is  presideiil  of  the  Carl  .Vti- 
dersoii  Co.,  which  conducts  a  gen- 
eral machine  shop  at  uj  Huron  si,, 
Chicago.     The    linn    mamifacluies 


and  repairs  all  kinds  of  machinery. 
It  is  the  sole  manufacturer  of  the 
"Gus"  gas  and  gasoline  engines. 
Mr.  Anderson  married  Miss  An- 
na Dahlgren  of  Gotland,  Sweden, 
Oct,  I,  1S72.  They  had  five  child- 
ren born  to  them,  three  sons  and 
one  daughter  living.  Two  of  the 
sons  are  in  their  father's  employ 
and  one  is  a  clerk  in  the  First 
National  Hank  of  Chicago.  Mr. 
.\nderson's  residence  is  a  two  storv 


C.\KL   .\m>i;ksi«.\ 

brick  building,  situated  at  Hamil- 
ton and  Wilson   aves. 

ALKXANDKR  ANDIvRSON 

was  born  in  Asheda,  Smaland, 
Sweden,  Dec,  11,  1S6,;,  and  came 
to  America  in  1881.  He  has  since 
resided  almost  contiiiuoush  in 
Chicago,  Soon  after  his  arrival  to 
the  city  he  secured  elliplov  nieiit  in 
a  shoe  factory.  From  this  jHJsi- 
lioii  he  has  steadily  risen  until 
he  is  now  foreman  for  Sel/., 
Schwab  &  Co.,  slux-  manufacturers. 


Chicago 


8i 


having  charge  of  iht  l)ottoming 
and  finishing  room  with  ahont  250 
employes    under    his    supervision. 


ALEXANDER  ANDERSON 

Previously  he  held  a  position  as 
foreman  with  the  Schwab  Bros. 
Shoe  Mfg.   Co. 

Mr.  Anderson  has  long  been 
prominent  in  political  and  frater- 
nal organizations.  He  has  been  a 
delegate  to  several  political  con- 
ventions, president  of  the  Third 
Ward  Democratic  Club,  and  held 
several  offices  in  the  Swedish 
Democratic  National  As.sociation. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  orders 
of  Odd  Fellows,  Foresters,  Vik- 
ings, and  Columbian    Knights. 


WILHELM  C.  BLOOMQUIST. 

Rev.  Wilhelm  Claudius  Bloom- 
quist,  minister  of  the  Swedish 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  was 
born  in  Ethelhem,  on  the  island 
of  Gotland,  Sweden,  Nov.  2,  1865. 
His  father  was  a  contractor  and 
builder  who  moved  from  Smaland 


to  Gotland  and  built  the  Visby 
High  School.  In  the  family  were 
eight  boys  and  three  girls.  To 
better  his  condition  the  father 
emigrated  with  his  family  to  the 
United  States  and  arrived  Sept. 
29,  1880,  settling  in  Jamestown, 
N.  Y.  For  a  numl)er  of  years 
Mr.  Bloomquist  was  employed  as 
a  clerk  in  Jamestown.  He  was 
Sunday  school  superintendent  and 
president  of  the  Young  People's 
Society  of  the  Swedish  M.  E. 
Church.      Later  he  became  a  com- 


WILHEL.M    C.    BLOO.MoriST 

mercial  traveler.  In  1893  he  entered 
the  Theological  Seminary  of  North- 
western University,  was  graduated 
with  honors  in  1896  and  was  or- 
dained as  clergyman  of  the  Swed- 
ish Methodist  Episcopal  Church. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Bloomquist  has  .served 
a  congregation  in  Jefferson  Park 
two  years  and  the  congregation 
in  Highland  Park  one  j^ear,  was 
pastor  of  the  church  in  Wauke- 
gaii.   111.,  for  two  3-ears  and  of  the 


82 


Cook  County 


Fourth  Swedish  M.  E.  Church 
eight  years.  In  1S96  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Bloonujuist  was  married  to 
Miss  Judith  M.  Anderson,  a  daugh- 
ter of  the  Rev.  Alfred  Anderson 
of  Chicago. 

AXEL  E.  OLSSON 

was  born  April  17,  1S57,  in  Blek- 
inge,  Sweden.  In  1S70  he  went 
to  Stockholm  where    he   was     ap- 


AXKL    1;.   (II.SSO.N 

prenticed  to  a  woodcarver.  In  the 
meantime  he  attended  the  manual 
training  school  for  several  seasons 
and  then  the  Academy  of  Liberal 
Arts,  where  he  was  awarded  sev- 
eral prizes.  After  working  as  carver 
and  modeler,  he  finally  opened  his 
own  shop.  Although  succeeding 
fairly  well,  he  ilecided  to  go  abroad. 
Ill  1 881  he  settled  in  Boston,  doing 
considerable  decorative  art  work 
in  the  Ivast,  among  which  mav 
be  mentioned  the  iiUerior  plastic 
decorations  for  Tlie  ISreakers, 
Cornelii:s  X'andcrbilt's  villa  at  New- 


port. One  of  these  was  a  large 
relief,  entitled  the  "Triumph  of 
Bacchus." 

Two  of  Mr.  Olsson's  reliefs, 
"Spring"  and  "Autumn,"  were 
exhibited  and  sold  in  Boston.  The 
\ear  1S83  he  s])ent  in  New  York 
and  in  1SS9  he  traveled  in  Euroi)e. 
Mr.  Olsson  returned  to  Boston 
where  he  won  jirizes  for  sev- 
eral competitive  designs.  He 
labored  for  months  on  models  for 
the  Machinery  Hall,  the  Live  Stock 
Building  entrance  and  the  Oljelisk 
at  the  Columbian  Exposition.  The 
year  i  S92  he  spent  on  the  expo- 
sition grounds,  executing  these 
models  full  size.  Among  other 
.sculptural  decorations  in  Chicago 
done  by  Mr.  01s.son  are,  the  plas- 
tic representation  of  a  football 
scrimmage,  in  the  Chicago  .Ath- 
letic Association  clubhouse  and  the 
bronze  fountain  in  the  Public 
Library. 

Mr.  Olsson  modeled  the  silver 
cover  of  an  address  to  King  Oscar 
of  Sweden,  from  Swedish- Ameri- 
cans in  Chicago,  on  the  occasion 
of  the  25th  anniversary  of  his  ac- 
ces.sion  to  the  throne,  and  also 
carved  the  cover  of  an  address 
to  the  Queen  from  Swedish-Amer- 
ican wonien.  A  number  of  pub- 
lic and  private  buiUlings  in  all 
parts  of  the  country  have  l>een 
decorateil  with  sculpture  and  reliefs 
designed  by  him.  Among  the 
places  where  Mr.  01s,son's  work 
ma\-  be  seen  are:  V .  S.  jnist  office 
buiUling,  Del  I'uento,  Colo.;  Nor- 
mal School.  De  Kalb,  111.,  Court 
house,  h"orl  Wax  lie.  Intl.;  I-Misou 
I'lleclrical  BuiUling,  Chicago;  Slate 


Chicago 


83 


Historical  Society  Librar_\ ,  Madi- 
son, Wis.;  Carnegie  Library,  Mun- 
cie,  Ind.  Of  late  years  Mr.  Ols- 
son  has  also  paid  some  attention 
to  art  furniture  designinjj,  jioster 
work   and  cartooning. 


public  school,  he  was  apprenticed 
to  a  country  tailor   at    the  age  of 


ERNEST  OSCAR  WATTMAN 
was  born  in  Upsala,  Sweden, 
March    2,    1847.     In    June,     1S69, 


ERNEST    OSCAR   W.\TTMAN 

he  came  to  Chicago,  and  worked 
here  at  different  trades  until  1894, 
when  he  established  a  grill  work 
and  general  wood  working  shop. 
Mr.  Wattman  is  a  member  of 
Society  Vega,  treasurer  of  the 
First  Swedish  Lodge  I.  O.  O.  F., 
and  is  a  trustee  and  member  of 
the  Board  of  Directors  of  the 
Swedish  Old  People's  Home  at 
Park    Ridge,   111. 

JOHN  LORENTZ 

was  born  in  the  parish  of  Mjolby, 
province  of  Ostergotland,  Sweden, 
April    4,    1845.      Having    finished 


JOH.N   LljRE.XTZ 

fourteen.  At  eighteen  he  left  home 
for  the  city  of  Linkoping,  where 
he  learned  the  trade  [thoroughly 
and  became  a  journeyman  tailor. 
Thereafter  he  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica, in  1868,  and  came  to  Chica- 
go, where  he  worked  at  his  trade. 
In  1870  he  left  Chicago  and  went 
to  New  York  City,  where  he  was 
connected  with  some  of  the  best 
tailoring  establishments.  Return- 
ing to  Chicago  in  1871,  he  mar- 
ried Mi.ss  Sophia  Carolina  Ander- 
son, of  Tyllinge,  Kalmar  Ian, 
Sweden,  the  issue  being  seven 
children,  of  whom  three  girls  and 
three  boys  are  still  living. 

In  his  earlier  days  Mr.  Lorentz 
was  identified  with  the  Tailors' 
L^nion  of  Chicago,  which  he  has 
served  as  financial  secretarj-  and 
as  president. 

In  1879  he  left  Chicago  and 
accepted    a    position    as    cutter  at 


84 


Cook  County 


Mazomanie,  Dane^co.,  Wis.,  where 
he  remained  for  eight  years,  re- 
turning to  Chicago  in  the  spring 
of  1887,  where  he  worked  as  cutter 
for  another  ten  years.  In  1897 
he  started  in  business  for  himself, 
locating  at  175  Dearborn  st.  He 
has  had  good  success,  having, 
while  working  as  a  cutter,  made 
the  acquaintance  of  a  number  of 
Chicago's  best  business  men. 

Mr.  Lorentz  was  instrumental 
in  organizing  the  Cutters'  Society 
of  Chicago  and  was  elected  first 
vice-president  and  later  on  presi- 
dent of  the  society,  resigning  that 
office  in  1890.  He  is  also  identi- 
fied with  the  I.  O.  O.  F.,  in  which 
order  he  has  held  prominent  po- 
sitions, including  the  office  of 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Odd 
Fellows  Board  of  Relief  of  Chi- 
cago. 

ALFRED  JANSSON 
was  born  in  the  province  of  Verm- 
land,  Sweden,  in  1863.  He  first 
studied  arts  and  crafts  in  the  tech- 
nological institutes  of  Stockholm 
and  Chrisliania.  Later  on,  he  at- 
tended the  art  academies  of  Stock- 
holm and  Paris,  remaining  two 
years  in  the   latter  place. 

In  1889,  Mr.  Jansson  left  Paris, 
and  the  same  year  came  over  to 
America,  making  Chicago  his  place 
of  residence  from  that  time.  After 
the  usual  struggle  for  recognition 
common  to  artists,  he  has  finally 
become  known  as  a  painter  of  good 
landscapes,  choosing  his  subjects 
from  the  surroundings  of  Chicago 
and  painting  them  with  a  gentle 
and  true  hand. 


His  pictures  have  been  seen 
annually  at  exhibitions  in  Chicago, 
Philadelphia,    St.    Louis,    Denver, 


.\I,FKE1>  J.\NSS(.).N 

and  other  places.  His  picture. 
"Winter  Approaching,"  in  the 
Chicago  local  exhibition,  1902, 
was  bought  by  the  Klio  Associa- 
tion. 

Mr.  Jansson  is  a  member  of  the 
Arts  Club  of  Chicago,  the  Palette 
and  Chisel  Clul>,  and  the  Industrial 
Art  League. 


CHARLKS  E.  HALLSTROM. 

who  was  born  in  Jonkoping,  Swe- 
den, Jan.  22,  1864,  came  to  Chi- 
cago as  a  boy  of  four,  in  186S. 
He  became  a  professional  base-ball 
])layer  in  1S82,  and  was  well 
known  in  sjxirting  circles  all  over 
the  country  as  llie  Swedish  Won- 
der. Two  years  later  he  slarte<l 
in  the  tailoring  l)nsine.ss  with  his 
brother,  in  which  traiie  he  is  still 
engageil. 


Chicago 


85 


A  few  years  ago,  he  was  nom- 
inated on  the  Republican  ticket 
for  West  town  collector,   and   ran 


Central  Conference  from  that  time 
on.     At    present    he    is    pastor   of 


CHARLES    E.  HALLSTROM 

12,000  votes  ahead  of  his  ticket. 
In  1899,  Mr.  Hallstrom  was  elected 
to  the  city  council  of  Chicago, 
from  the  Fifteenth  Ward.  He  is 
a  director  of  a  large  oil  company 
in  Indiana. 

Mr.  Hallstrom  was  married  in 
1888  to  Miss  Margaret  Burns,  and 
one  son  has  been  born  to  the 
couple. 

ERIC  PHILIP  SWAN 
was  born  in  Chariton,  Iowa,  Feb. 
27,  1874.  He  is  a  son  of  O.  J. 
Swan,  who  is  a  Methodist  minister. 
Mr.  Swan  graduated  in  1896  from 
the  Swedish  M.  E.  Theological 
Seminar}-  of  Evanston,  111.,  and 
in  1892  from  the  Garrett  Biblical 
Institute  of  the  same  city.  He  is 
a  minister  of  the  gospel  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church,  labor- 
ing in  the  Western  Swedish  Con- 
ference   until     1900,     and    in    the 


ERIC   PHILIP    SWAN 

the  Bethany  Swedish  M.  E.  Church 
of  Chicago. 

JOHN  SUNDQUIST 

was  born  Nov.  20,  1866,  at  Loka, 
Vestmanland,  Sweden.  The  first 
twenty  j-ears  of  his  life  were  spent 
in  the  land  of  his  nativity,  but  in 
November,  18S6,  he  emigrated 
and  came  to  Stambough,  Mich., 
where  he  stayed  until  August  the 
following  3-ear,  when  he  removed 
to  Chicago.  There  he  commenced 
to  work  at  the  tailor's  trade,  and 
established  himself  in  business. 

In  1 89 1  Mr.  Sundquist  married 
Miss  Christina  Hakanson,  from 
Rada  parish,  A'ermland,  Sweden. 
They  have  had  three  children,  one 
of  whom  survives. 

In  1 90 1  Mr.  Sundquist  sold  out 
his  business  and  in  companj-  with 
his  family  made  a  visit  to  the 
old  countrv.     In    the    fall    of    the 


86 


Cook  County 


same  year  he  returned  to  Chicago, 
however,  and  opened  a  tailoring 
establishment    at     796     Sonthport 


been    born    to     them.       Mr.     and 
Mrs.  Peterson  belong  to  the  Swed- 


J(JH.\   SINIIOUIST 

ave.,  where  he  employed  from  25 
to  30  persons.  More  recently  he 
located  at  Waveland  ave.  and  N. 
Halsted  st.,  which  is  his  present 
business  address. 


AXKL    PETERSON 

was  born  in  the  city  of  Orebro, 
Sweden,  March,  12,  1869.  A  public 
school  education  was  obtained  in 
his  native  city.  He  emigrated  in 
1888  and  came  at  once  to  Chicago. 
During  the  day  he  worked  at  his 
trade,  that  of  carpenter,  and  in  the 
evening  attended  the  Manual 
Training  livening  School.  Since 
1 89 1  he  has  been  in  business  as 
carpenter  and  builder,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Carpenters'  and 
Builders'  Association.  Mr.  Peter- 
son was  married  in  1804,  to  Hulda 
Gustafson.      Three   children    have 


AXEL  PETERSON 


ish  Mission  Church  in  Lake  \'iew 
and  reside  at    1617  Addison  st. 


CHARLES  A.  STRANDEL 

was  born  in  the  Swedish  province 
of  \'ermland.  Dec.  31,  1866.  At 
the  age  of  twenty  he  emigratetl 
to  America,  arriving  in  March, 
1887.  For  about  a  year  he  resided 
in  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  and  from 
there  came  to  Chicago. 

Mr.  Straudel  is  one  of  the  well 
known  architects  of  Chicago  and, 
during  the  last  few  years,  has 
erected  a  number  of  the  finest 
apartment  buildings  in  the  city, 
also  a  number  of  jirivate  residences 
and  l>usiucss  blocks. 

He  is  a  member  of  Svithiod 
Lodge  No.  I,  L  O.  S.,  and  of 
Svithiod  Singing  Club  of  Chicago. 
The  tx)ncert  hall,  which  has  Ijeen 
added  to  its  clubhou.se,  was  erect- 
ed   by    him    and    is  one  of    many 


Chicago 


87 


examples   of    Mr.    Strandel's   skill 
as  an  architect.      He    is   an  active 


CH.\RLi;s    A.   STR.\NDEL 

and    well    known    member  of    the 
Chicago  Architects'  Association. 


CARL  FERDINAND  KLAUS 

was  born  in  Stockholm,  Sweden, 
May  23,  1866.  He  was  reared  in 
his  native  city,  attending  common 
school  until  ten  3-ears  of  age  and 
subsequently  for  five  years  pursuing 
higher  studies  in  the  so-called 
"German  School."  At  fifteen  he 
was  apprenticed  to  a  merchant  but 
finding  the  occupation  uncongenial 
after  two  j-ears  he  went  to  sea. 
After  a  year  of  seafaring  life  he 
came  to  America,  settling  in  New 
York  state.  He  studied  at  Elmira 
Academy,  graduating  in  1887. 
Thereupon  he  entered  the  College 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons  of 
Columbia  College,  New  York 
Citj-,  from  which  institution  he 
received  the  degree  of  M.  D.  in 
i8go.     For  some  time  he  acted  as 


interne  at  St  Marj's  Hospital  in 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  thereafter 
served  as  assistant  physician  at 
the  County  Hospital  of  Milwaukee, 
Wis.  In  1891  he  came  to  Chicago, 
where  he  has  since  resided. 

Dr.   Klaus  was  married  to   Miss 
Agda  Roberg  of  Stockholm,  Aug. 


CARL   FERDINAND   KL.AUS 

They  have  a   son,    Rolf 
1902. 


7,    1 90 1 

Ferdinand,  born  Julj'  21 


CHARLES  G.  SETTERGREN 

was  born  in  Ammeberg,  Nerike, 
Sweden,  Jan.  8,  i860.  He  came 
to  America  in  1869  with  his  par- 
ents, who  first  went  to  Minne- 
apolis. Three  years  later,  in  1872, 
young  Settergren  removed  to  Chi- 
cago. x\fter  graduating  trom  the 
Chicago  public  schools  in  1S77, 
he  entered  the  employ  of  the  large 
wholesale  grocery  house  of  Reid, 
Murdoch  &  Co.,  occupying  vari- 
ous positions.  For  the  last  17 
years  he  has  been  a  traveling  sales- 
man   for    this    house,  and    at    the 


88 


Cook  County 


present    time    holds    a    pKjsition  in      ska  Nylichr  as  its  advertising  man- 
the    very    front    rank    among    the      ager,    a    position    he    still    retains 


CHARLES    G.   SETTERGREN 

salesmen  of  this  immense  concern. 
Mr.  Settergren  can  boast  of  an 
unbroken  record  of  twenty-nine 
years  of  faithful  service  with  the 
same   establishment. 


NELS  GUNNAR  EDWARD 
BOBERG 

was  born  in  the  city  of  Karlskrona, 
Sweden,  Sept.  15,  1878.  After 
completing  the  course  in  the  public 
schools,  he  studied  at  the  Karls- 
krona collegiate  school.  Thereafter 
he  emigrated  in  the  spring  of  1892, 
destined  for  Chicago,  where  he 
has  since  lived. 

Mr.  Boberg  has  been  connected 
in  various  capacities  with  the 
Swedish  newspapers  of  Chicago. 
From  errand  boy  on  Svtnska  Ku- 
lireii,  he  advanced  by  successive 
steps  to  bookkeeper,  clerk  and  ad- 
vertising man  on  I Itmlamict.  From 
that  paper  he   went  over  to  Svcn- 


XELS  GV.SX.\K    HDWARO  BOBERG 

after  the  consolidation  of   Svenska 
Tribuncn  with  that  paper. 

Mr.   Boberg  is  a  member  of  the 
order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

GUSTA\IS  ANDERSON 

was  born  Nov.  3,  1847,  in  Lang- 
sjogle,  Bellb  parish,  Snuiland,  Swe- 
den. At  the  age  of  twelve  years, 
he  became  an  apprentice  in  the 
bindery  of  F.  Beck,  of  Stockholm, 
official  bookbinder  to  the  Royal 
Court  of  Sweden.  In  1867,  his 
apprenticeship  completed,  he  re- 
ceived from  the  Trades'  Associa- 
tion of  Stockholm  a  silver  medal 
for  skill  and  comix'tence  in  his 
craft.  The  following  year  he  left 
for  America,  and  came  to  Chicago. 
Mr.  Anderson  early  afhliatetl  with 
the  old  Swedish  M.  V..  Church  in 
Illinois  St.  and  iiromoted  the  gen- 
eral interests  of  the  cluirch  in  Chi- 
cago.     He  was  ccnKvrned  with  the 


Chicago 


89 


welfare  of  liis  countrymen  and 
assisted  many  to  secure  situations. 
He  worked  in  some  of  the  largest 


<.;rSTAVl'S   ANIIERSOX 

binderies  in  this  city  and  New 
York  perfecting  himself  in  his 
trade.  In  1S80  he  started  a  bind- 
er j-  of  his  own,  which  he  operated 
until  1883,  when  he  sold  it  and 
went  out  west  for  a  few  months. 
Returning  to  Chicago,  he  engaged 
in  the  real  estate  business,  and  has 
dealt  successfull}'  in  realty'  ever 
since.  His  business  office  is  in 
the  Stock  Exchange  Building. 

Mr.  Anderson  is  largely  inter- 
ested in  the  Chicago  Brazilian 
Diamond  Co.  which  owns  gold  and 
diamond  fields  in  Diamantina, 
Brazil. 

He  was  a  director  of  the  Linne 
Monument  Association  and  one  of 
its  most  energetic  members. 

He  early  allied  himself  with  the 
Republican  party,  and  for  the  last 
1 7  years  has  been  an  active  worker 
in  the   26th  ward  Republican  club. 


Mr.  Anderson  is  a  bachelor,  and 
lives  with  his  widowed  .sister  at 
3140  North  Lincoln  street,  Sum- 
merdale. 


ERIC  GUSTAF  STROM 

was  born  Feb.  10,  1847,  at  Of- 
verums  Bruk,  Smaland,  Sweden. 
After  his  elementary  studies  were 
finished,  he  attended  the  Vester- 
vik  high  school  for  five  years. 
He  emigrated  from  Sweden  in 
1869  and  came  at  once  to  Chicago, 
where  he  obtained  employment  as 
machinist.  Since  1877  he  has  been 
emploj'ed   by     Greenlee    Bros.    & 


ERIC  GUSTAF  STR6M 

Co.,  manufacturers  of  special  wood- 
working machines. 

Mr.  Strom  was  married  in  1874, 
to  Miss  M.  C.  Nylander,  with 
whom  he  has  three  daughters. 
The  famil}-  lives  at  10130  Butler  st. 
Mr.  Strom  belongs  to  the  United 
Workmen. 


90 


Cook  County 


JOHN  GOSTA  BHRGyUIST 

was  born    in    \'erniland,    Sweden, 
on  the    iStli    day    of    May,    1S69, 


JOHN   (lOSTA    BHKGoriST 

came  to  the  United  States  in  i8S!S 
and  has  since  lived  in  Chicago. 
He  has  a  good  education  obtained 
at  various  schools,  but  is  not  a 
graduate  of  any  institution.  Mr. 
Bergquist  is  superintendent  of  tlie 
cement  department  of  the  Illinois 
Steel  Co.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Union  Club,  Western  Society  of  En- 
gineers, and  Scandinavian  Tech- 
nical Society. 


CARL  F.  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  Snialand,  Sweden,  Jan. 
17,  1866.  When  he  was  3  years  old 
his  parents  moved  to  the  city  of 
llahnstad,  where  he  actiuircil  a 
fair  education  and  learned  the  ma- 
chinist's trade.  At  the  age  of 
twenty  he  emigrated  to  the  United 
Slates.  He  was  without  friends  or 
money  but  soon  secured  work  with 
a  railroad  com])any  in  whose    em- 


ploy he  advanced  to  the  jxisition 
of  locomotive  engineer.  This, 
however,  was  not  the  goal  of  his 
ambition.  Seeing  a  greater  oppor- 
tunity in  his  former  occupation, 
he  .secured  employment  with  the 
Dexter  Folder  Co.,  of  New  York, 
as  machinist.  Here  he  advanced 
to  foreman  and  finally  superintend- 
ent and  a  member  of  the  firm. 
The  Dexter  Folder  Co.  maiuifac- 
tures  paper  folders  and  paper  feed- 
ers. This  position  determined  Mr. 
Anderson's  future  field.  In  1896 
he  started  a  machine  shop  in  Chi- 
cago and  is  now  sole  owner  of  C. 
F.  Anderson  &  Co's  Machine 
Works,  at  394-39S  S.  Clark  st. 
He  has  invented  several  machines 


t'AKI.  i\  .\mii;rs<in 

for  printers'  and  bookbinders'  u.se 
which  are  manufactured  at  this 
jilant.  Among  them  are  the  well 
known  Anderson  bundling  pre.s.ses 
for  l>undling  and  smashing  folded 
sheets,  collated  books,  ]>;unphlets, 
etc.,  anil  the  Andersi>n  highsi)eed 


I 


I 


Chicago 


91 


folding  machine  which  is  capable 
of  folding  6,000  sheets  an  hour, 
nearl)-  double  the  capacity  of  any 
other  folding  machine  on  the 
market. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  married  in 
1890  to  Miss  Carrie  Erickson,  of 
Madrid,  Iowa,  with  whom  he  has 
three  children. 


JOHN  H.  HOLMGREN 

was  born   in   Mariestad,     Sweden, 
in   1 85  8.      He    learned    the    shoe- 


JOHX  H.    HOLMGREN 

maker's  trade  in  his  native  coun- 
tr}-  and  became  master  shoemaker. 
He  left  Sweden  in  1881,  coming 
to  Chicago.  Ten  years  later  he 
started  a  boot  and  shoe  store  at 
1738  N.  Clark  st.,  which  he  has 
been  operating  successfully  ever 
since. 

Mr.  Holmgren  in  1885  married 
Miss  Minnie  Svensson.  They  have 
had  ten  children,  of  whom  six 
have  died,  two  boys  and  two  girls 
still  surviving. 


Mr.  Holmgren  is  a  member  of 
the  Three  Links  Lodge  of  the  or- 
der of  the  Odd  Fellows,  the  Royal 
League,  and  the  Select  Knights 
of  America. 


ALFRED  HUGHMARK 
was    born    in    Frandefors    parish, 
Dal-sland,  in  Aug.   1867.     He  was 


ALFRED  HUGHMARK 

orphaned  at  the  age  of  two.  For 
a  year  no  permanent  home  could  be 
found  for  the  young  boy  until  an 
old  childless  couple  took  pity  on 
the  waif  and  cared  for  him.  At 
the  age  of  ten  he  put  a  few  ar- 
ticles of  clothing  and  some  school 
books  in  a  pillow  case  and  with 
this  and  25  ore  in  money  left  the 
foster-parents  to  battle  for  existence. 
Passage  was  obtained  on  a  steamer 
from  Vanersborg  to  Goteborg, 
where  employment  was  secured  as 
errand  boy  in  several  places  before 
an  opportunity  was  offered  for 
something  more  promising.  All 
this  time  a  small,  dark,  un- 
furnished room    was    rented    back 


92 


Cook  County 


of  a  grocery  in  exchange  for  ser- 
vices at  night  and  material  for 
one  meal  a  day  cooked  over  an 
oil  lamp  stove.  Later  he  was  ap- 
prenticed in  the  bookbinding  trade 
where  he  was  given  the  opportun- 
ity to  attend  night-school.  Three 
nights  a  week  were  devoted  to 
night-school  and  three  to  private 
language  courses.  Siuidays  he 
taught  a  club  of  six  apprentices 
English,  grammar  and  arithmetic, 
thus  earning  enough  to  pay  for  his 
own  tuition.  At  the  age  of  eighteen 
he  became  a  journeyman,  and,  de- 
termined to  better  equip  himself 
bj'  an  extended  tour  to  foreign 
countries,  he  vi.sited  in  turn  Ber- 
gen, Hel.singfors,  Copenhagen, 
Hamburg  and  London,  obtaining 
work  with  more  or  less  difficulty 
in  each  place.  From  London  he 
shipped  for  three  years  as  a  sailor 
and,  although  the  full  term  was 
not  served  out,  enough  hard.sliip 
was  experienced  to  last  him  for  a 
long  time.  He  came  to  the  Unit- 
ed States  through  Mexico  with 
the  following  assets:  a  pair  of 
oilskins,  an  English  shilling  and 
abundance  of  courage.  He  went 
from  the  South  to  the  West,  thence 
to  the  East.  In  1896  he  was 
given  a  branch  plant  to  manage 
in  Frankfort,  Ky.,  for  the  Louis- 
ville Coitiiri-'}o/n>/iil,  then  made 
foreman  of  the  l)indery  in  Louis- 
ville, at  their  home  plant.  After 
a  year  he  was  engaged  by  the 
Weed-Parsons  Co.  in  All)any,  N. 
Y.  Since  1899  he  has  been  with 
the  Henry  O.  Shepard  Co.,  at 
first  as  foreman  of  the  binding 
depart iiK  11 1  and   now    as    superin- 


tendent of  the  printing  and  bind- 
ing departments.  Mr.  Hughmark 
contributes  articles  to  the  Ameri- 
can Paper  'Journal,  Sou/hern  Maga- 
zine and  the  Inland  P)  inter,  and 
is  editor  of  the  American  section 
of  "Deutsches  Ingenieurs  Gesell- 
schafts  Lexicon."  Hehasbeenin 
the  Illinois  Corps  of  Engineers,  I. 
X.  G.,  and  in  the  U.  S.  Revenue 
Service  and  is  a  member  of  the  Ham- 
ilton Club,  St.  Bernard  Command- 
ery.  Knights  Templars  (32  degree) 
Scottish  Rite  Masons,  Medinah 
Temple,  Mystic  Shrine,  and  Ro3'aI 
League.  Mr.  Hughmark  was  mar- 
ried Oct.  30,  1897,  to  Miss  Helen  M. 
Albaugh,  born  June  14,  1870,  a 
daughter  of  Capt.  Geo.  C.  and  Ella 
McKay  Albaugh  of  Louisville, 
Kentuckv. 


ALBERT  SCHONBECK 
was  born  Feb.  27,  1S57.     His  par- 
ents were  John    M.    and    Johanna 


ai.iii;k  r  scmumuxk 
15.   Schonhick.     He  early    became 
intiii>tc(l   in   the  real  t>late    busi- 


I 


Chicag"o 


93 


I 


p 


uess.  It  was  in  1873,  when  he 
was  only  16  years  of  age  that  he 
first  came  in  contact  with  the  vo- 
cation that  was  to  become  his  life 
work.  Since  then  he  has  steadily 
continued  in  that  line  with  vary- 
ing experiences  and  a  great  measure 
of  success.  The  knowledge  and 
experience  thus  acquired  later  came 
to  be  of  great  value  to  him  when 
he  was  chosen  member,  and  then 
president,  of  the  Board  of  Local 
Improvements  of  the  city  of  Chi- 
cago. 

Mr.  Schonbeck  is  married  since 
Aug.  27,  1877,  to  Miss  Mollie 
Thieleman  Fitz-Patrick,  who  is  a 
grandchild  of  Col.  Christian  Thiele- 
man of  the  1 6th  Illinois  Cavalry. 
They  have  two  children,  Lloyd 
and  Florence  Olivia. 


ANDREW  LANDGREN 
was  born  Jan.   7,    1S64,  in  Landa, 
Sweden.     After  having  been   edu- 


ANDREVV   L.\.\UGKEN 

cated  in  his  native  district  he  left 
the  old  country  at  the  age  of  six- 


teen, coming  to  the  United  States 
in  1880.  Chicago  was  his  desti- 
nation and  here  he  was  variou.sly 
occupied  up  to  1886  when  he  se- 
cured employment  in  the  Braun 
and  Fitts  butterine  factory.  For 
the  last  thirteen  years  he  has  been 
a.ssistant  superintendent  in  the  fac- 
tor}-. He  is  now  secretary  of  the 
Geo.   P.   Braun  Co. 

Mr.  Landgren  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  trustees  of 
the  Immanuel  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  and  later  was  elected  to  a 
similar  office  in  the  Messiah  Eng- 
lish Lutheran  Church. 

Mr.  Landgren  was  married  on 
Jan.  24,  18S4,  to  Clara  A.  Larson 
of  Chicago.  They  are  blessed  with 
three  sons    and    three    daughters. 


CHARLES  AXELL 

was    born    in    Kyrkefalla    parish, 
Kakind,    Vestergbtland,    Sweden, 


CH.\RLES    .\XELL 


Nov.   27,    1850. 
this  countrv  in 


He  emigrated    to 
1S70.     Since  that 


94 

lime  he  has  followed  the  painter's 
trade.  Mr.  Axell  contracts  for 
work  in  Chicago  and  its  northern 
suburbs.  His  shop  is  in  Chicago. 
He  resides  in  Winnetka,  Illinois. 
Mrs.  Axell,  nee  Mathilda  Jonson, 
was  born  in  Bexheda  parish,  Snia- 
land,  Sweden.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Axell  have  had  eight  children,  of 
whom  four  .sons  are  still  living. 
They  are  Charles  O.,  John  Erik, 
Alexander  H.  and  Harry  B.  Axell. 


Cook  County 


ALBERT  OLIVER 

was     born    June     lo,     1875,    near 
Goteborg.     His  parents  moved   to 


ALHKRT  Ol.IVKK 

the  metropolis  when  he  was  five 
jears  old  and  he  recei\ed  his  early 
education  in  the  public  .schools. 
After  having  studied  drawing  in 
the  Chalmers  Technical  School,  he 
emij;rated  in  i.Syo.  He  first  .sellled 
in  Rockfonl  and  later  in  Chicago. 
The  young  man  comiileted  a  gen- 
eral cour.se  in  the  evening  high 
schools    and    also    took     a   special 


course  in  drawing  with  the  Inter- 
national Correspondence  Schools  of 
Scranton,  Pa.  Mr.  Oliver  learned 
the  cabinetmaker's  trade  and  be- 
came foreman  in  Aug.  Jahn's  es- 
tablishment. In  1901  he  went  in 
business  with  Ernst  Lindstrom. 
They  make  store  and  office  fixtures 
and  special  cabinet  work.  Their 
shops  are  at  192-200  N.  Union  st. 
Mr.  Oliver  is  a  Lutheran  and  is 
a  member  of  the  Odd  Fellows  and 
the  I.  O.  T. 

NILS  REIHMER 

was  born  in  Efverod,  Skane,  Swe- 
den, Nov.  23,  1 86 1.  He  emigra- 
ted to  America  at  the  age  of  nine- 
teen years,  and  afterwards  traveled 
extensively  as  a  journeyman  tai- 
lor, visiting  the  principal  cities  of 
the  United  States.  About  twenty 
years  ago  he  began  work  as  cutter 
and  has  been  engaged  in  that  line 


Mi.s  Ki:iii  mi:k 


by     leading     merchant    tailors     of 
Chicago. 


Chicago 


95 


Mr.  Rcihmer  was  married  in 
1891  to  Miss  Matilda  Johnson, 
with  whom  he  has  two  sons. 

The  family  lives  at  11 84  W. 
North  ave. 


Mi.ss  Axeline  Ackernian,  and  their 
union    has    been   blessed  with  one 

riauirhter. 


Gl'STAF  RUDELIUS 

was  born  in  Lund,  Skane,  Sweden, 
in    1S61.      He    early    learned    the 


GUSTAF     RUDELIUS 

trade  of  cutler  and  grinder  under 
the  guidance  of  his  father,  who  is 
a  manufacturer  of  cutlery  and 
surgical  instruments  in  Lund.  In 
1881  3'oung  Rudelius  went  to 
America  and  settled  in  Chicago, 
where  he  worked  as  grinder  for 
about  three  years.  In  1883  he 
established  himself  in  the  retail 
cutlery  and  grinding  business  at 
172-174  South  Clark  st.  Meeting 
with  business  success,  he  has  ac- 
cumulated considerable  property, 
and  owns  a  cozy  residence  at  935 
Perrj-  ave..  Lake  \'iew,  where  he 
lives. 

Mr.   Rudelius    in    1S87    married 


SAMUEL  OLOF  OLIN 
was  born  in  Chicago  Aug.  24,  1867. 
He  was  educated  in  the  public 
schools,  and  after  graduating  from 
the  Franklin  School  in  1883,  he 
entered  the  employ  of  Petenson 
&  Bay,  bankers.  In  1895,  when 
the  banking  business  of  Peterson  & 
Bay  was  incorporated  as  the  West- 
ern State  Bank,  he  became  assist- 
ant cashier.  Mr.  Olin  held  this 
position  until  Feb.  15,  1901,  when 
he  severed  his  connection  with  the 
bank  and  engaged  in  the  real  es- 
tate and  mortgage  loan  business. 
On  Sept.  15,  1905,  Mr.  Charles 
H.  Brattstrom  became  associated 
with  him  in  the  real  estate  and 
loan  business  under  the  firm  name 
of  Brattstrom  &  Olin,  which  is  the 
present  name  af  the  firm. 


S.\MUEL  ULOF    (ILI.\ 

Mr.  Olin  was  united  in  marriage 
Jan.    28,    1891,  to    May  I.   Irwin, 


96 


Cook  County 


of  Chicago.  To  them  were  born 
Irene  Balfour  in  1892,  Irwin 
Blaine  in  1895,  and  Gertrude  May 
in   1902. 

The  family  resides  at  1473  X. 
Francisco  ave..  and  attends  the 
Episcopal  Church  of  the  Advent. 
Mr.  Olin  is  treasurer  of  the  church. 

Mr.  Olin  is  the  son  of  Sven  O. 
Olin,  who  is  one  of  Chicago's  old- 
est Swedish  settlers,  having  come 
here  in  1857.  Mr.  Olin,  senior, 
was  a  tailor,  and  for  many  years 
took  an  active  part  in  public  affairs 
in  the  Swedish  colon}-  on  the  north 
side.  He  retired  from  business 
several  years  ago.  His  wife,  Anne 
S.,  nee  Jacobsen,  died  Feb.  23, 
1906. 

CHARLES  T.  A.  ANDERSON 

was  born  near  Kalmar,  Sweden, 
Jan.    4,    1872.     His    father,    Carl 


<.'IIAKI.i;s    1 . 


ANKIvKSnN 


Olof  Anderson,  who  was  a  tailor 
by  trade,  embarked  for  America, 
with    his    wife    and  five   children, 


in  1875,  and  .settled  in  Chicago, 
where  he  died  April  30,  1877. 
His  mother,  Matilda  Sophia,  nee 
Sven.son,  is  still  living.  Like  the 
other  children,  Charles  was  early 
obliged  to  earn  his  own  bread, 
but  his  education  was  not  neg- 
lected. He  attended  the  public 
schools,  and  also  the  Swedish 
parochial  school.  He  attended  the 
the  Y.  ^L  C.  A.  evening  .school 
and  the  Soper  School  of  Oratory 
and  Elocution.  In  1S84  he  en- 
tered the  employ  of  Marshall 
Field  &  Co.  In  1SS9  he  was  en- 
gaged by  Ounlap  Smith  &  Co., 
real  estate,  and  in  1898  branched 
out  for  himself  in  the  same  busi- 
ness, in  which  he  has  Ijeen  success- 
fully engaged  ever  since.  His 
office    is  at   167  Dearlwrn  st. 

Mr.  Anderson  has  always  been 
very  active  in  religious,  social  and 
political  movements.  For  eight 
3'ears  he  has  been  deacon  and 
financial  secretary  of  the  Holy 
Trinity  English  Lutheran  Church. 
He  is  treasurer  of  the  Home  Mis- 
sion Board  of  the  Lutheran  Chi- 
cago Synod,  and  has  l)een  a  dele- 
gate to  the  annual  conventions  of 
the  General  Council  of  the  Luth- 
eran Cluirch  and  of  the  Luther 
League  of  America  and  of  Illinois, 
in  which  he  has  held  imjiorlant 
offices  and  is  at  present  president 
of  the  Luther  League  of  Illinois. 
He  is  also  one  of  the  trustees  of 
the  Chicago  Synod. 

Mr.  Anderson  is  a  memlKT  of 
llic  Columbian  Knights,  and  the 
Fraternal  Trilmnes,  in  which  or- 
ganizations he  has  lieen  lionoretl 
witii  responsible  oflices.     He  is  now 


Chicap^o 


chairman  of  the  finance  committee 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  Order 
of  Columbian  Knights  and  Past 
President  of  Pinzon  Lodge  No.  i 
of  that  order,  and  secretary  of 
the    Fraternal    Tribunes    No.     i8. 

Some  years  ago  he  organized  the 
Northwestern  Improvement  Club 
of  the  27th  and  28th  wards,  and 
served  as  its  secretarj-  for  three 
years.  He  is  now  secretary  of 
the  Republican  club  of  the  21st 
precinct,     26th     ward. 

In  1897  Mr.  Anderson  married 
Miss  Clara  Kaehler,  daughter  of 
the  Rev.  F.  C.  Kaehler,  formerh- 
pastor  of  the  Wicker  Park  Luth- 
eran Church,  and  their  union 
has  been  blessed  with  one  daugh- 
ter and  two  sons. 


ADOLF  F.  ANDERSON 

was  born  in    Skaraborg  Ian,   Swe- 
den, Nov.  5,  1867.      He  was  reared 


.\DOLF   F.   AXIIERSON 


97 

of  twentx',  he  emigrated  to  this 
country  and  settled  in  Chicago 
where  he  has  resided  continuously. 
Mr.  Anderson  is  a  manufacturer 
of  builders'  iron  material,  at  5844 
Loomis  St.  His  home  is  at  5946 
Carpenter  st. 

He  belongs  to  the  Baptist  Church 
and  is  a  trustee  and  Sunday  school 
superintendent. 


ANTON  WILHELM 
JOHANSON, 

jeweler  and  watchmaker,  was  born 
at    Tumba,    in    Grodinge     parish. 


in  his  native 
he  attended. 


place  whose  schools 
In    1887,  at  the  age 


ANTON  WILHELM  JOHANSON 

near  Stockholm,  March  5,  1861. 
After  having  attended  the  public 
school  he  learned  the  watchmak- 
er's trade  from  F.  W.  Tornberg, 
in  Stockholm.  During  this  period 
he  also  studied  at  the  Sloyd  School 
in  the  Swedish  capital.  On  be- 
coming a  journe3-man  in  his  trade 
he  emigrated  to  America  in  May, 
1S82,     and     worked     for     several 


98 


Cook  County 


months  at  his  trade  in  Jersey 
City.  Leaving  for  Chicago,  he 
obtained  a  place  witli  C.  D.  Pea- 
cock, where  he  remained  for  one 
and  a  half  years.  His  reputation 
as  a  fine  mechanic  being  well 
established  bj'  this  time,  he  was 
offered  a  position  as  foreman  in 
a  watch  factory  at  Baraboo, 
Wis.  This  position  he  retained 
until  1886,  when  he  returned  to 
Chicago,  where  he  was  for  five  years 
head  watchmaker  for  C.  H. 
Knights  and  Co.  We  next  find 
him  affiliated  with  the  wholesale 
firm  of  M.  S.  Fleishman  and  Co. 
In  1895  Mr.  Johanson  opened  a 
retail  jewelry  store  at  270  Wells 
St.  where  he  has,  by  intelligence 
and  fair  dealing,  Iniilt  up  a  splen- 
did business. 

Mr.  Johanson  is  a  member  of 
the  American  Horological  Society 
and  has  been  its  vice  president. 
He  was  in  1892  appointed  a  judge 
of  awards,  being  the  onlj-  Swedish- 
American  called  to  this  position. 
The  presidency  of  the  Swedish 
Watchmaker's  Society  of  Chicago 
has  twice  been  conferred  on  Mr. 
Johan.son.  He  belongs  to  Lodge 
No.  I,  LO.  S.,  Knights  of  the  Mac- 
cabees, and  has  been  president  of 
the  Linn6  Club,  a  Swedish  social  or- 
ganization. Mr.  Johan.son  in  1889 
was  married  to  Miss  Ebba  Wedin, 
from    Motala,  Sweden. 


Eva  Toll,  died  in  1884.  Having 
attended  the  Skara  collegiate 
school,   he  took  a  course  in  medi- 


JOHN  AUGUST  CARLSTKIN, 
physician  and  surgeon,  was  born 
in  Vestergotland,  Sweden,  Dec.  26, 
1842.  His  father  was  Anders 
Carlstein,  a  landed  proprietor,  who 
died    in     1X62.      His    mollii-r,    nee 


JOHN   AUGUST  CAKLSTEIN 

cine  and  another  in  military  sci- 
ence. Mr.  Carlstein  enlisted  in 
the  Danish  war  of  1864,  as  a  non- 
commissioned officer,  and  earned 
honorable  promotion,  but  left  for 
America  shortly  after,  enlisting 
at  once  in  the  I'uion  army.  Under 
General  Phil.  Sheridan  he  fought 
through  the  Shenandoah  campaign. 
Wounded  in  the  leg,  he  was  hon- 
orably discharged  from  the  service 
Sept.  4,  18(15,  and  pensioned  by 
the  government.  In  a  casual  meet- 
ing with  Gen.  Sheridan,  while  he 
was  stationed  in  Chicago  in  1878, 
the  general  said  to  him:  "I  know 
your  voice.  Vour  name  is  John- 
nie. Vou  delivered  dispatches  to 
me  in  the  battle  of  Five  Forks." 
This  was  the  beginning  of  a  jier- 
sonal  acquaintance  and  associations 
which  laste<l  as  long  as  the  fam- 
ous cavalry  general  remained  in 
Chicago.     In    1867  and  sul)seijuent 


Chicago 


99 


years  Mr.  Carlstein  traveled  ex- 
tensivel}-  in  the  South  and  the 
middle  West.  In  18S2  he  gradu- 
ated from  the  Chicago  Homeopathic 
Medical  College.  From  then  until 
1889  he  served  as  surgeon  for  the 
Pine  Lake  Iron  Co.  and  also  govern- 
ment surgeon  at  Port  Charlevoix, 
Mich.  Dr.  Carlstein  then  removed 
to  Chicago,  engaging  in  the  gen- 
eral practice  [of  medicine.  When 
the  German-American  Medical 
College  of  Chicago  was  organized 
in  1893,  Dr.  Carlstein  was  elected 
professor  of  surgery  and  president 
of  the  college.  This  position  he 
retained  for  four  years.  Smitten 
with  the  Alaska  fever,  he  resigned 
in  1897  and  left  for  Alaska  as  surg- 
eon of  the  Yukon  Vallej-  Prospect- 
ing and  Mining  Co.  He  traveled 
overland  by  way  of  Edmonton 
through  the  Northwest  Territory 
— an  adventurous  trip  of  about 
3,000  miles.  Dr.  Carlstein  returned 
to  Chicago  in  Sept.,  1900,  and 
resumed  his  medical  practice  here. 
His  office  and  residence  is  at  1248 
E.  Ravenswood  Park,  Ravenswood. 

Dr.  Carlstein  was  married  in 
Chicago  Dec.  9,  1871,  to  Olivia 
Bergstrom.  She  is  a  daughter  of 
J.  Bergstrom  of  Sundsvall,  Sweden, 
and  was  born  Sept.  2,   1850. 

Dr.  Carlstein  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  order.  National  Union, 
Geo.  H.  Thomas  Post,  G.  A.  R., 
the  Chicago  Medical  Society  and 
the  American  Medical  Society. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Congrega- 
tional Church. 


NELS  NELSON 
was  born  in  Villands  Vanga,  Ska- 
ne,   Sweden,    Aug.    8,    1862,    and 
came    to    America    in    the    fall    of 


NELS    NELSON 

1S82.  He  secured  a  position  as 
watchmaker  with  S.  A.  Dale,  86 
N.  Clark  St.,  Chicago,  and  was 
later  connected  with  the  firm  of 
Dale  Bros.,  until  March,  1S94, 
when  he  started  in  business  for 
himself,  and  is  now  located  at  137 
Oak  St.  A  branch  store  has  been 
establi.shed  at  532  Wilson  ave., 
Ravenswood. 

Mr.  Nelson  takes  considerable 
interest  in  fraternal  organizations. 
He  is  a  member  of  King  Oscar 
Lodge,  855,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
also  of  the  First  Swedish  Lodge, 
479,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  No.  i  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Svithiod. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Swed- 
ish Watchmakers'  Society  of  Chi- 
cago, which  he  helped  to  organize 
in   1892. 

Mr.  Nelson  in  1884  married  Miss 


lOO 


Cook  County 


Amanda  C.  Peterson,  and  they 
have  one  daughter,  Alice,  horn 
Sept.   20,    1885. 

N.  HJALMAR  HULTIX 

was  born  Sept.  4,  1869,  in  Onsa- 
la,  Halland,  Sweden,  the  son  of 
Peter  Anton  Hiiltin.  a  sailor,  and 


lican  ticket.  June  28,  1899,  he 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Ella, 
daughter  of  Enoch  and  Mina 
Nelson. 


JOHN  EMANUEL  SPANN 
was  born  in  \'ingaker,  Soderman- 
land,  Sweden.  March  26,  1869. 
He  emigratetl  to  America  in  1888, 
locating  in  Kansas  City.  In  1S93 
he  moved  to  Chicago  where  he 
engaged  in  the  tailoring  business 
as  a  member  of  the  firm  of  Mac- 
Donald  iS:  Spaini .  He  subsequently 
established  the  firm  of  John  E. 
Spann.  Mr.  Spann,  has  devoted 
much  of  his  time  to  music  and 
has  been  leader  of  the  choir  in 
First  Swedish  Baptist  Church  for 
many  years.  He  is  the  director 
of     the    Swedish     Haplisl    Jubilee 


N.   HJAL.\I.\K   Hl'I.TI.N 

Anna     Carolina     Ander.son.       He 

emigrated  with  his  parents  in  1872 

to  the  United  States  and  received 

a    common     school    education     in 

Chicago.       In    this    city    he    was 

engaged    in     the     clothing     trade 

as  cutter    for    a  number    of  years 

and    then    went    into    partnership 

with  G.  Segersten  in    the    uniler- 

taking  business,    conducting  it  for 

eight     years.       Having     dissolved 

the  partnership,  he  engaged  in  the  john  i;M.\Nri:i.  si-an.n 

undertaking     and     liver\-  business      Chorus  and  has  on  many  occasions 

at     1663     N.    Clark  st.   wlicre  his      been    the    leader    of    large  mixed 

establishment  is  still  located.    Mr.      choruses. 

Hultiii    served    as    sujiervisor     of  Mr.  Sjiaini  was  married  to  Miss 

Lake  View  for  two  terms.  1897-48,      Sigrid  R.  Anderson  in  ll■)o^^.     They 

having  lieen elected  on    the  Rtpui)-      have  a    daughter,    Laura    Evelvii. 


Chicago 


JOHN    LUNDSTROM 

was  born  April  1 1 ,  1 860,  in  Ryss- 
nio,  Oland,  Kalniar  Ian,  Sweden. 
He    served    in    the    Swedish  navy 


JOHN    LUNDSTROM 

from  the  time  he  was  sixteen  till 
he  reached  maturity.  He  landed 
in  the  United  States  May  2,  1882, 
and  located  in  Chicago,  where  he 
now  carries  on  tlie  merchant  tail- 
oring business,  with  shop  at  24-30 
Hein  place. 

Mr.  Lundstrom  is  a  member  of 
the  Royal  Arcanum. 

In  1884  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Mary  Johanna  Peterson, 
who  was  born  Feb.  28,  1865,  in 
Boda,  Oggestorp  parish,  Smaland, 
Sweden.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lund- 
strom have  one  son  and  two 
daughters.  They  live  in  their  own 
home  at  1309  X.  Mozart  st.  and 
are  members  of  the  Immanuel 
Swedi.sh  Lutheran  Church. 


JOHN  NELSON 

was  born  Nov.  11,  1864,  in  Hall- 
aryd,  province  of  Smaland,  Swe- 
den. He  attended  the  "Fridhem" 
public  high  .school  in  his  native 
city  in  1885-1886.  Subsequently 
for  two  years  he  was  a  bookkeep- 
er. He  then  was  superintendent 
of  a  saw-mill  until  1890  when  he 
left  Sweden.  He  came  to  Chicago 
where  he  has  since  resided  except 
for  a  few  months  spent  in  Rock- 
ford,  111.  Mr.  Nelson  engaged  in 
the  metal  plating  business  and  in 
company  with  J.  Roper  he  organ- 
ized, in  1899,  the  Lake  City  Plat- 
ing Works,  located  at  249  Wells 
St.     Mr.  Nel.son  belongs  to  Lodge 


JOHN  NELSON 

No.  I.,  Independent  Order  of  Vi- 
kings, in  which  he  was  recording 
secretar}-  for  three  terms. 


CHARLES  E.  TUNELIUS 
was  born  in  the  city  of  Eskilstuna, 
Sweden,   March   11,  1845.    In  1851 
he  moved  with  his  parents  to  the 


I02 


Cook  County 


province  of  Smaland,  and  in  1856 
to  that  of  OstergStland.  He 
learned  the  rudiments  of    the  nia- 


CHARI.ES    E.  TUXELIUS 

chinist  and  steam  engineering 
trades  from  his  father,  while  the 
latter  was  chief  engineer  of  the 
Atvidaberg  Copper  Works.  At 
the  age  of  fifteen  he  left  the  pa- 
rental roof  to  make  his  own  liv- 
ing. He  began  by  tending  a  steam 
engine,  used  to  run  ore  crush- 
ing machinery.  In  the  summer 
he  traveled  about  the  countrj-  run- 
ning threshing  machines.  This 
continued  for  three  years,  except 
one  summer,  when  he  was  sent  to 
erect  some  mining  machinery  in 
Sodermanland. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  ob- 
tained employment  at  Forsbacka 
Iron  Works,  in  Ge.strikland.  Tlun 
he  went  to  the  Sandviken  Steel 
Works  and  to  Hofors  and  Kungs- 
giirdcn  in  the  same  province.  He 
was  there  em])loyed  in  various  ca- 
pacities, such    as    general  machin- 


ist, roll  turner  and  in  erecting 
and  running  steamboat  engines  at 
Ljusne.  In  1867  his  father  went  to 
Chicago,  where  he  was  rejoined  by 
the  remainder  of  the  family  the 
\ear  after. 

With  the  exception  of  a  year 
and  a  half  spent  in  Canton,  Ohio, 
Mr.  Tunelius  has  since  lived  in 
Chicago.  He  was  first  employed 
as  machinist  in  various  shops. 
From  1877  until  1892  he  was 
master  mechanic  with  the  National 
Malleable  Casting  Co.  In  1892 
he,  in  companj-  with  Mr.  C.  M. 
Hanson,  started  a  machine  shop 
in  Chicago,  which  has  since  been 
in  successful  operation.  He  is 
also  interested  in  other  enterprises, 
such  as  the  Chicago  Machinery 
Manufacturing  Co.  and  the  I'nion 
Bank  of  Chicago.  Mr.  Tunelius' 
specialtj-  is  designing  and  building 
special  and  experimental  machin- 
ery of  every  description.  He  has, 
during  his  busy  career,  invented 
several  machines  and  ai)pliances, 
some  of  which  have  been  patented. 
Among  these  is  the  Tunelius  au- 
tomatic bottle  washing  machine, 
of  which  hundreds  are  in  opera- 
tion in  breweries  and  bottling  de- 
partments in  the  United  States, 
Canada  and  several  Kuropenn  and 
South  American  countries. 

On  Oct.  23,  1 87 1,  he  married 
Miss  E.  M.  Peterson,  who  is  .still 
his  loving  helpmate.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Tinielius  are  tiie  happy  parents  of 
two  .sons  and  a  daughter,  all  grown. 

Mr.  Tunelius  is  a  charter  meml>er 
of  the  Sweilish  Society  Xordstjer- 
nan,  an  old  meml)er  of  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  also    a    member    of    tiie 


Chicago 


•03 


Scaiulinaviaii  Technical  Societj', 
and  the  Swedisli  Glee  Club.  He 
is  a  32d  degree  F'reemason. 

JOHN  WILHELM  HJERT- 
STROM, 

the  pastor  of  the  Second  Swedish 
Baptist    Church    of    Chicago,    was 


JOHX  WILHELM   HJERTSTROM 

born  in  Stockholm,  Sweden,  Sept. 
6,  1854.  After  gradnating  from 
the  Bethel  Seminary  at  Stockholm 
in  1 88 1,  he  became  pastor  of  a 
church  at  Westervik.  Later  he 
had  charges  in  Nj-koping  and  in 
Falun.  In  1891  he  emigrated  to 
Worcester,  Mass.,  and  held  the 
pastorate  there  for  six  3-ears. 
Thereupon  he  accepted  a  call  to 
the  Fourth  Swedish  Church  of 
Chicago,  which  he  served  for  two 
3^ears  and  a  half.  He  then  moved 
to  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  and  took 
charge  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Church  in  that  place  until  1901, 
when  he  returned  to  Chicago, 
having  been  called  to  the  Second 


Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  that 
city,  with  which  he  is  still  con- 
nected. 

Mr.  Hjertstriini  has  been  mar- 
ried since  1882,  his  wife's  maiden 
name  being  Cecilia  Olivia  Sjostedt. 
The}-  have  nine  children,  Therese, 
Theodore,  Amy,  Krnest,  Lizzie, 
Martin,  Carrie,  Lawrence  and  Roy. 


F.  OSCAR  WEYDELL 

was  born  in  the  city  of  Kalmar, 
Sweden,  Nov.  5,  1863.  When  he 
was  four  years  old,  his  parents 
moved  to  Ottenby,  in  the  south- 
ern part  of  Oland,  where  his  father 
was  superintendent  of  a  large  farm. 
After  graduating  from  the  public 
.school,  the  fourteen-5-ear-old  bo}- 
became  interested  in  mechanical 
operations.  He  was  especially  en- 
couraged by  one  of  his  father's 
friends,  a  young  veterinary  surgeon, 


F.   OSCAR   WEYDELL 

in  whose  laboratory  and  work- 
shop he  received  a  knowledge  of 
the  use  of  tools  which  later  proved 


104 


Cook   County 


of  inestimable  value.  The  oppor- 
tunities for  mechanical  develop- 
ment, were,  however,  very  limited 
in  Ottenby,  and  since  agricultural 
pursuits  did  not  appeal  to  him, 
it  became  necessary  to  make  plans 
for  leaving  the  homestead.  When 
he  was  sixteen  years  old  he  was 
seized  with  a  desire  to  go  to 
America.  His  father,  who  had 
intended  to  send  him  to  a  sloyd 
or  technical  school,  reluctantly 
j-ielded,  and  in  April,  iSSo.  young 
Weydell  started  on  his  journey. 
A  month  later  he  came  to  Chicago 
and  was  employed  as  apprentice 
in  a  I  attern  shop.  In  the  mean- 
lime  he  went  to  evening  school 
and  studied  mechanical  drawing. 
In  his  trade  he  made  rapid  prog- 
ress, and  within  five  years  he  was 
appointed  foreman  in  one  of  the 
largest  pattern  shops  in  Chicago. 
This  position  was  retained  until 
1897,  when  lie  established  his  own 
pattern  shop  at  Clinton  and  Adams 
sis.  He  is  conducting  a  success- 
ful business  in  foundry  patterns, 
models,  and  in  designing  machin- 
ery. 

At  the  age  of  21  years  Mr.  Wey- 
dell was  married  to  Anna  John- 
son of  Chicago.  The  family  res- 
idence is  in  Woodlawn,  a  pretty 
suburb  of  Chicago. 

Mr.  Weydell  is  a  member  of  the 
Ma.sonic  fraternity  and  several 
other  clubs  and  societies. 

CHARM'S   C.    Hl'kST 

was  born  in  ihe  cily  of  I,ink(">i)- 
ing,  province  of  (istergcilland,  Swe- 
den,  Oct.    22,    l.Sf)V      He    received 


the  education  offered  by  the  com- 
mon   school    in    his    native    place. 


L  H.\K1,1-;S  C.    HEKST 

He  came  to  Chicago  March  22, 
1879,  as  a  tailor.  In  1S86  he  be- 
gan his  own  business  as  manu- 
facturing tailor  at  144  Vedder  st., 
and  has  since  enjoyed  a  constantly 
growing  trade.  He  belongs  to  the 
King  O.scar  Masonic  Lodge,  Odd 
Fellows  Lodge  No.  479,  and  to 
the  Svea  Society.  He  is  an 
adherent  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church.  In  1S87  Mr.  Herst  was 
married  to  Olivia  Newman,  of 
Chicago.  To  them  have  l)ten  born 
two  children,  Theodore  and  Arthur. 


CLKMENS  EHNHORX 

was  born  Aj)ril  i,  1870,  in  llie 
city  of  Kristianstad,  Sweden.  In 
1.S82  his  ])arents  emigrated  with 
their  famil\-  to  America.  At  the 
age  of  fifteen,  young  l^luiborn 
began  to  learn  the  general  wood- 
worker's trade.  In  1S97  he,  to- 
gether with  Jiilin  Skow,  establislied 


Chicago 


105 


the  concern  of  C.  Ehnborn  &  Co., 
now  styled  Ehnborn  Wood  Turn- 
ing and  Manufacturing  Co.     Their 


CLEMENS   EHNBORN 

plant  is  situated  at  19-21  N.  Jef- 
erson  st...  where  wood  turning, 
bandsawing  and  cabinet  work  is 
done.  A  specialty  is  made  of 
automatic  lathe  work,  such  as 
rope  and  spiral  turning. 

Mr.  Ehnborn  is  a  student  of 
social  and  economic  problems  and 
has  embraced  the  doctrines  of  so- 
cialism. He  is  a  member  of  the 
order  of  Odd  Fellows. 


WILLIAM    A.  BLOMGREN 

was  born  in  Chicago  June  23,  1858. 
After  finishing  the  public  schools, 
he  took  a  course  at  Br3-ant  & 
Stratton's  Business  College.  Short- 
h-  after  the  Chicago  fire  he  entered 
the  employ  of  the  Western  Union 
Telegraph  Co.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Second  Regiment,  Illinois 
National  Guards,  from  1874  to 
1S76.      Thereafter    he    joined     the 


reorganized  company  ot  the  Ell.s- 
worth  Zouaves,  and  often  traveled 
with  this  company,  taking  part  in 
their  prize  and  exhibition  drills. 
The  name  of  this  company  was 
afterwards  changed  to  the  Lackey 
Zouaves  of  Chicago,  in  honor  of 
Captain  Lackey.  Mr.  Blomgren 
remained  with  the  company  until 
1880.  In  1 887  he  entered  the  serv- 
ice of  the  Lake  Shore  and  Michi- 
gan Southern  Railroad  Co.,  as  a 
fireman,  in  which  occupation  he 
remained  for  a  number  of  years, 
serving  part  of  the  time  as  engin- 
eer. During  this  period  he  lived 
chiefly  in  Elkhart,  Ind.,  and  To- 
ledo,  Ohio.     In    1 89 1    he  returned 


W1LLI.\.M    A.   BLOMGREN 

to  Chicago  and  engaged  in  the 
photo-engraving  business,  forming 
a  partnership  with  M.  Lindblom 
for  this  purpose.  Their  place  of 
business  was  then  at  the  corner 
of  Harrison  and  Dearborn  sts.  At 
present,  Mr.  Blomgren  is  at  726 
Winona  ave.,  engaged  in  the  prep- 


io6 


Cook  County 


aration  of  stereopticon  slides  for 
illustrated  lectures,  and  has  among 
his  customers  some  of  the  leading 
lecturers  of  the  country. 

Mr.  Blomgren  has  held  the  office 
of  Orator  of  Liberty  Council  of 
the  Royal  League.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Royal  Arcanum. 


JOHN    A.  JOHNSON 

was    born    Jan.   26,    1857,   at  Bru- 
nabo,   Karl  Gustaf  parish,  \'ester- 


|.  .Il.\    A.   JullNSc  >N 

gotland,  Sweden.  In  May,  iSSi, 
he  emigrated  to  America  and  lived 
for  some  tinii.'  in  Hraddock.  Pa. 
Later  he  came  to  Chicago,  where 
he  has  since  resided.  Mr.  John- 
son here  secured  emi)lo\incnt  with 
a  manufacturer  of  wooden  tanks, 
and  continued  in  this  trade  with 
various  firms  until  October,  1H93. 
In  compauN-  with  Adolph  A.  Carl- 
son and  Andrew  John.son,  he  em- 
barked in  the  manufacture  of 
tanks  under  the  firm  name  of 
Johnson,  Carlson  6t   Co 


later  Andrew  Johnson  retired  from 
business.  The  remaining  associates 
continued  under  the  name  of  John- 
son &  Carlson.  By  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  their  specialty  they 
have  attained  success  in  their  bus- 
iness. The  firm  makes  cisterns, 
vats,  and  troughs  of  every  de.scrip- 
tion.  They  occupy  their  own 
factory  at  139-155  Eastman  st. 


CARL  S.  N.  HALLBERG, 

an  authority  on  pharmaceutical 
science  in  the  United  States,  was 
born  Oct.  13,  1S56,  in  Helsing- 
borg  Sweden,  on  the  Sound,  di- 
rectly opposite  the  Danish  city  of 
Helsingor,  with  its  ancient  fort, 
in  which  was  laid  the  scene  of  the 
story  of  Hamlet.  Accompanying 
his  older  sister  to  school  one  day 
to  defend  her  against  "some  bad 
boys,"  he  liked  the  experience  so 
well  as  to  begin  school  when  four 


C.\K1.   S.    N.    MAI.I.Iti:Ki; 


years    of    age.      Continuing    in    a 
A    year     private  school  until  nine  years  old, 


Chicago 


107 


he  was  admitted  to  the  Gyninasie, 
where  he  continued  his  studies  un- 
til removing  with  his  parents  to 
America  in  the  spring  of  1.S69. 
Settling  at  Altoona,  Pa.,  his  fa- 
ther was  employed  in  the  locomo- 
tive works  of  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad.  On  his  mother's  side 
the  family  had  long  been  reputed 
for  skill  in  setting  broken  limbs, 
one  member  of  each  generation 
handing  down  the  art  to  a  mem- 
ber of  each  succeeding  generation. 
In  the  old  mansion  a  great  silver 
urn  occupied  the  post  of  honor  on 
festive  occasions,  a  tribute  from 
King  Carl  XIV  Johan,  for  serv- 
ices performed.  The  grandfather 
was  the  prototA-pe  of  "the  concen- 
trated inhabitant,"  comprising 
within  himself  all  the  important 
offices  in  the  village,  fifteen  miles 
from  the  city,  including  village 
schoolmaster,  watchmaker,  gun- 
smith, and  healer,  preparing  all 
his  own  remedies,  the  chief  of 
which  were  salves  of  everj-  pos- 
sible hue  and  composition. 

It  was  during  his  boj-hood  da3"s 
in  Sweden,  while  visiting  in  the 
village  during  the  summer  vaca- 
tion, that  young  Hallberg  was 
fully  initiated  into  the  healing  art 
by  assisting  his  grandfather  at  the 
operation  of  blood-letting,  it  being 
his  duty  to  stand  beside  the  victim 
and  catch  the  stream  of  "claret" 
in  a  tinned  bowl,  as  it  issued  from 
the  [lancet's  wound.  The  young 
men  and  lassies  paid  regular  annual 
visits  to  "the  master,"  to  be  re- 
lieved from  the  effete  blood  that 
had  accumulated  during  the  win- 
ter months,  the  only  medical  treat- 


ment they  indulged  in.  The  old 
gentleman  used  the  ointments 
mostly  on  his  own  wounds,  re- 
ceived in  the  war  with  Napoleon. 

During  the  vacations,  young 
Hallberg  would  also  assist  in  his 
father's  factory. 

These  experiences,  as  well  as 
the  fact  that  his  father  was  a  tech- 
nical chemist,  determined  him  to 
engage  in  pharmacy,  and  he  was 
apprenticed  to  Dr.  S.  M.  Sellers, 
of  Altoona,  early  in  FebruarA-, 
1870.  After  four  years'  service, 
and  his  family  having  returned  to 
Sweden,  he  decided  to  attend  a 
college  of  pharniacj'.  A  traveling 
salesman  was  finally  discovered, 
who  knew  there  was  a  college  of 
pharmacy  in  Philadelphia,  had 
actually  seen  the  building,  and 
who  furnished  the  address.  Ar- 
riving in  Philadelphia  earlj'  in 
October,  in  1874,  Hallberg  obtained 
a  situation  with  the  wholesale 
drug  house  of  M.  K.  Smith  &  Co., 
and  soon  after  with  E.  B.  Gar- 
rigues  &  Co.,  where,  under  the 
direction  of  Edwin  M.  Boring,  a 
most  thorough  training  and  valu- 
able experience  was   afforded. 

Mr.  Hallberg  left  Philadelphia 
for  Chicago  in  the  .spring  of  1877, 
having  remained  in  the  city  after 
graduating  in  March,  1S76,  from 
the  Philadelphia  College  of  Phar- 
macj-. 

After  two  years  of  practice  as 
clerk  with  C.  F.  Hartwig,  of  Chi- 
cago, he  engaged  in  manufactur- 
ing pharmacy,  associated  with  C. 
G.  Wheeler.  Retiring  in  18S5, 
he  became  associated  with  G.  P. 
Engelhard  in  a  postal  sj-stem  of  in- 


io8 


Cook  County 


struction    in    pharmacy,  of    which 
institution  he  is  the  director. 

During  iS88  and  1889,  Mr.  Hall- 
berg  was  associated  with  C.  L. 
Feldkamp,  in  the  practice  of  phar- 
macy in  Chicago,  the  firm  engag- 
ing in  manufacturing  pharmaceut- 
icals, for  which  it  was  awarded 
the  gold  medal  by  the  American 
Pharmaceutical  Association  in  1888. 

First  contributing  to  pharma- 
ceutical journals  in  1878,  he  be- 
came the  editor  of  The  Druggist, 
afterward  T/ic  Uesicni  Druggist, 
in  1882,  relinquishing  editorial 
duties  in  1890  to  accept  the  posi- 
tion of  professor  of  pharmacy  in 
the  Chicago  College  of  Pharmacy, 
which  he  still  retains.  Active  in 
pharmaceutical  as.sociation  work, 
he  joined  the  American  Pharma- 
ceutical Association  in  1879,  the 
Illinois  Pharmaceutical  Association 
in  1 88 1,  serving  as  .secretary  in 
1890-91,  and  he  has  been  elected 
honorary  member  of  a  number  of 
western  State  pharmaceutical  a.s.so- 
ciations. 

A  member  of  the  committee  on 
"National  Formulary"  since  its 
formation  in  1886,  Mr.  Hallberg 
contributed  considerably  to  the  first 
edition.  A  delegate  to  the  meet- 
ing of  the  Pharmacopccial  Con- 
vention, held  in  Washington  in 
1 890,  he  was  elected  a  member  of 
the  Connnittee  on  Revision,  and 
worked  on  the  sub-Committee  on 
Pharmaceutical  Preparations. 

Mr.  Mallberg  has  contril)Uted  a 
number  of  papers  to  the  American 
Pharmaceutical  Association,  and 
has  been  secretary  and  chairman 
in  1892  of  the  Section  <if  Scientific 


Papers.  During  the  past  few  years 
he  has  been  most  active  in  the 
Section  on  Education  and  Legis- 
lation. 

Prof.  Hallberg  is  secretary  of 
the  Section  of  Materia  Medica, 
Pharmacy  and  Therapeutics  in  the 
American  Medical  Association. 

June  27,  1903,  the  honorary  de- 
gree of  M.  D.  was  conferred  upon 
Prof.  Hallberg  in  recognition  of 
his  invaluable  services  to  medicine 
and  pharmacy. 

Prof.  Hallberg  was  married  in 
1893  to  Therese  Bergstrom,  form- 
erly a  resident  of  Stockholm,  a 
son  being  born  in   1897. 

EDWARD  J.  THELIN 

was  born  in  Chicago,  June  24, 
1873.     His  father,  Louis  E.  The- 


lUiWAKIi    |.     I  11  1.1. IN 

lin,  a  mechanic,  was  among  tlie 
first  of  the  Swedish  Itaptists  to 
come  to  Cliicago.  His  niollier's 
maiden  name  was  .Mathilda  Tho- 
ren.       Tile     i.l<lcr     Tln-lin     j>asvcil 


Chicago 


109 


away  in  Chicago  Dec.  24,  1902. 
The  soil,  Edward,  attended  tlie 
public  schools,  and  subsequently 
graduated  from  the  Midland  Uni- 
versity and  the  Chicago  Law 
School. 

Fifteen  years  ago  he  was  made 
assistant  cashier  at  Mandel  Bros., 
and  in  recent  years  has  attained 
to  the  position  of  chief  cashier. 

Mr.  Thelin  is  a  member  of  the 
A-shland,  Sheridan,  Illinois  and 
Waupau.sch  Clubs,  and  of  the  Phi 
Alpha  Delta  fraternity .  He  has 
for  several  years  been  an  active 
member  of  the  Y.  M.  C.  A.  of 
Chicago. 


WILLIAM  F.  ANDERSON 

was  born  at  Grand  ave.  and  Eliza- 
beth St.,  ChicaoQ,  May  6,  1S59.   He 


WILLIAM    F.    ANDERSON 

attended  school  until  1875,  when 
he  secured  employment  in  a  tea 
store.  In  1883  he  became  man- 
ager of  King's  Tea  Store  on  Grand 
avenue.       Mr.    Anderson     learned 


his  business  so  well,  that  in  1886 
he  was  able  to  start  in  business 
for  himself  under  the  name  of 
"The  Anderson   Tea  Store." 

In  1900  the  business  was  incor- 
porated as  "The  Anderson  Tea 
Co."  Since  then  it  has  expanded 
so  as  to  comprise  thirteen  stores 
on  the  west  side  and  three  on  the 
north  side.  The  office  and  ware- 
hou.se  is  located  at  1020  West 
Madison  st. 

Mr.  Anderson  belongs  to  the 
Royal  League,  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur, 
Modern  Woodmen  and  the  Fort 
Dearborn  Club.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Union  Park  Congregational 
Church.  His  home  is  at  209 
Warren  ave. 

Mr.  Andersons  family  includes 
Mrs.  Anderson  and  two  daugh- 
ters. 


JOHN  AXEL  AXBERG 
was  born  Jan.    25,    1862,    in    En- 
aker  parish,  province  of  Vestman- 


JOHN   A.XEL   A.KBERG 

land,  Sweden.     During  his  younger 


I  lO 


Cook  County 


years  he  worked  at  tlie  bench 
with  his  father,  Anders  G.  John- 
son, who  was  a  shoemaker.  His 
mother  died  in  1905  at  the  age 
of  seventy-six.  After  working  as 
journeyman  in  some  of  the  largest 
shops  iu  Sweden,  the  son  started 
in  business  for  himself,  at  the  age 
of  twenty-one.  He  thought  there 
were  greater  opportunities  to  be 
found  in  America  and  in  1SS8 
emigrated  to  this  couutrj',  settling 
in  Chicago.  After  a  struggle  of 
two  years  he  was  the  proud  pos- 
sessor of  a  finely  appointed  shoe 
store.  Later  on,  another  store 
was  establi.shed.  He  subsequently 
disposed  of  the  first,  and  so  owned 
one  of  the  finest  shoe  stores  on 
the  south  side,  at  121 7  E.  75th 
St.  His  last  place  of  business  was 
at  6956  Jackson  Park  ave. 

Mr.  Axberg  belongs  to  the 
Court  of  Hercules,  Independent 
Order  of  Foresters,  the  Baltic 
Lodge  and  the  Odd  Fellows.  He 
was  married  Feb.  21,  1.S85  to 
Emma  C.  Hanson,  born  Sept.  17, 
1862  in  Wiksniis,  Dalarne.  Five 
children  have  been  born  to  them, 
viz.,  Elsa,  Catherine,  now  dead, 
Edith  Axelia,  born  Dec.  i,  1887, 
John  Edwin,  born  April  9,  1892, 
lilfvera  J.  C,  born  June  22,  1898, 
and  Milton  G.  A.  born  Feb.  13, 
1906.  Mr.  .Kxbcrg  has  been 
treasurer  of  the  Swedi.sh  Republican 
Club  in  the  34th  ward. 


den,  April  16,  184S.  At  the  age 
of  twelve  he  went  to  Germany, 
where  he  began   to   learn   survey- 


GUSTAF  H.  C.\RLSON, 

perli;ips  (lie  most  prominent  sur- 
veyor in  America  of  Swedish  de- 
scent,  was  born    in    Malmo,    Swe- 


i;iST.\F  H.   CAKLSOS 

ing.  Having  returned  to  Sweden 
in  1869,  he  departed  the  following 
year  for  America  where  he  settled 
in  Kansas,  remaining  there  luitil 
1873,  when  he  went  to  Chicago. 
From  1874  to  1877  he  was  en- 
gaged in  Hyde  Park,  surveying 
the  village  and  compiling  an 
official  atlas.  The  thoroughness 
and  exactness  of  this  work  brought 
him  at  once  into  such  prominence 
that  the  following  year  the  Demo- 
cratic nomination  was  tendered 
him  unsoliciteil.  Later  Mr,  Carl- 
son compiled  atlases  of  the  city 
of  Chicago,  the  city  of  Lake  View, 
and  tlie  town  of  Lake.  He  had 
previously  formed  a  partnership 
with  Samuel  S.  Greeley,  for 
the  ])ul)lii.-ation  of  these  atlases, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Greeley, 
Carlson  iS:  Comi>any.,  which  in 
1887     was     niaile     a    a)r|K)ralion, 


Chicago 


III 


under  the  firm  name  of  the  Greeley- 
Carlson  Company.  For  ten  years 
more  Mr.  Carlson  continued  as 
manager  of  the  company,  and  all 
the  work,  inchuling  the  planning 
of  town  sites,  subdivisions  and 
cemeteries,  was  done  under  his 
personal  supervision.  These  at- 
lases are  regarded  as  authorities, 
and  are  used  by  the  various  de- 
partments of  the  city  government 
of  Chicago,  and  in  the  offices  of 
attorneys  and  real  estate  men. 
The  towns  of  Hegewisch,  Pull- 
man, Normal  Park,  Auburn  Park, 
Chicago  Heights  and  Edgewater 
are  among  those  laid  out  bj'  Mr. 
Carlson.  He  is  frequently  con- 
sulted as  an  eminent  authority  in 
cases  of  disputed  boundaries  in 
the  city  of  Chicago,  or  where  a 
high  degree  of  accuracj'  is  re- 
quired, as  in  the  location  of  the 
Leiter  Building,  the  Auditorium, 
and  other  down-town  buildings. 

In  1S98  Mr.  Carlson  sold  his 
interest  in  the  Greeley-Carlson  Co., 
and  opened  an  office  of  his  own 
at  115  Dearborn  St.,  where  he  is 
still  located. 

Nov.  8,  1878,  Mr.  Carlson  was 
married  to  Miss  Julie  Vodoz,  from 
Vevey,  Switzerland,  and  they  have 
two  children,  one  son  and  one 
daughter. 

In  religion  Mr.  Carlson  is  a 
Christian  Scientist.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Democrat  of  the  old  school, 
having,  however,  voted  for  McKin- 
ley  in    i8g6. 


He  attended  the  city's  public 
schools  and  later  graduated  from 
the  Evergreen  City  Business  Coll- 


CARL  A.  JOHNSON, 
a    native    of     Illinois,    was     born 
in    Bloomington,     Sept.     3,     1875. 


C.\KI,   A.  JOHNSON 

ege.  For  .several  j-ears  he  was 
employed  in  the  offices  of  the 
Chicago  and  Alton  R.  R.  Co.,  in 
the  car  service  department.  He 
next  was  engaged  for  several  years 
with  various  electric  appliance 
firms  in  Chicago.  In  1893  he  was 
employed  at  the  World's  Fair. 
During  the  lull  in  business  which 
followed,  he  entered  the  Illinois 
Wesleyan  University'  at  Blooming- 
ton,  where  he  completed  a  three 
years'  course.  During  the  sum- 
mer months  he  was  emplo\-ed  in 
the  New  York  Dental  Parlors. 

In  the  fall  of  1896  he  matricu- 
lated in  the  Dental  College  of  the 
University  of  Michigan  at  Ann 
Arbor  and  graduated  with  honors 
in  June,  1899,  recei\-ing  the  de- 
gree of  Doctor  of  Dental   Surgery. 

He  at  once  embarked  into  prac- 
tical   dentistrj'    at   59th  and   Mor- 


112 


Cook  County 


gan  St.,  Cliicago,  where  he  soon 
built  up  a  lucrative  practice. 

In  June,  1901,  Dr.  Johnson  went 
to  Europe,  where  he  .spent  four 
months  in  study  and  travel.  He 
also  made  a  visit  to  his  ancestral 
land,   Sweden. 

Dr.  Johnson  now  has  his  offices 
at  59th  and  Halsted  sts. 

ANDERS  G.  LUND 

was  horn  on  the  20th  of  Juh-,  1857. 
in  Vermland  province,  Sweden. 
He  obtained  a  technical  education 
from  a  private  tutor  and  in  the 
Tekniska    skolaii     of    Stockholm. 


anih;ks  <;.  i.uNn 

He  came  to  Chicago  in  April,  1882. 
Since  1892  he  has  conducted  his 
own  architect's  office  at  602  W.  6;,d 
St.,  Chicago.  He  has  been  success- 
ful in  his  profession  and  owns  an 
aiiartnient  buikling  at  6T,2'-('<T,2i.) 
Parnell  ave.  He  recently  re- 
moved to  Palos  Park,  some  twenty 
miles  southwest  of  Chicago,  where 
he  has  a   comfortable    home.      He 


was  married  Sept.  16,  1890.  to  Ida 
Charlotte  Lundgren  from  Helsing- 
borg,  Sweden,  and  is  the  father  of 
three  children  —  two  girls  and  one 
bo  v. 


CARL  JOHAN  NELSON, 

Methodist  clergyman,  was  born  in 
Nattraby    parish,    Blekinge,    Swe- 


C.\RI.  Jnll.VN    NHl.SiiN 

den,  Jul\-  24.  1866,  and  came  to 
America  in  188 1.  He  was  educat- 
ed at  the  Swedish  M.  E.  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Evanston,  and 
after  fini.shing  his  studies  there, 
he  became  a  minister  of  the  Gos- 
pel in  the  Swedish  M.  V..  Church. 
He  has  been  pastor  of  the  Swetl- 
ish  Methodist  Church  at  I'ullnian, 
Chicago,  since  September,  1900. 
Hefore  coming  to  Chicago  he  re- 
sided in  Worcester,  Mass.,  and 
Racine,   Wis. 

Mr.  Nelson  was  married  Sept. 
3,  1S91,  to  Miss  Susie  A.  Johnson 
of  I'A'anston,  ami  has  thn-i-  i-liild- 
ren. 


Chicago 


113 


AUGUST  CHRISTENSON, 

who  is  perhaps  the  only  Swedish 
wholesale  clothing  dealer  in  the 
United  States,   was  born  in  Ousby, 


AUGUST   CHKISTENSON 

Skane,  Sweden,  April  5,  1864. 
He  attended  school  in  Lund  for 
four  years.  At  the  age  of  fifteen 
years  he  came  to  America,  having 
made  the  long  journey  alone. 
Settling  in  Chicago,  he  learned 
the  cigarmaker's  trade,  but  left 
that  and  tried  the  occupation  of 
selling  books.  Being  successful, 
he  continued  in  that  line  for  three 
years.  Then  he  went  to  Denver 
and  established  a  book  store,  but 
the  climate  did  not  agree  with 
him  so  he  returned  to  Chicago 
and  engaged  in  the  manufacture 
of  clothing,  having  formed  a  part- 
nership with  J.  B.  Whitney  and 
M.  S.  Bullock,  under  the  firm 
name  of  Whitney,  Christenson  & 
Bullock.  The}'  are  doing  business 
throughout    the      western     states. 


employing  ten  salesmen   and    over 
150  people    in    their  factory. 

Mr.   Christenson,  who  was  mar- 
ried in    1S93,  lias  au  only  son. 


CHARLES  ENGDAHL 

was  born  Oct.  23,  1874,  in  the 
city  of  Oskarshamn,  Sweden.  Af- 
ter completing  the  grades  of  the 
grammar  school  at  home  he  at- 
tended the  Oskarshamn  elementary, 
or  collegiate  school,  for  four  years. 
In  1893  he  came  to  the  United 
States  and  lived  the  first  year  in 
Geneva,  111.  Mr.  Engdahl  then 
removed  to  Chicago,  and  became 
a  bookbinder.  In  Oct.,  189S,  he 
formed  together  with  Ernst  Holm- 
gren the  firm  of  Holmgren  and 
Engdahl,  their  bindery  being  at 
305  Orleans  st.  After  two  years 
they    moved    to    254-256    Orleans 


CHARLES   ENGDAHL 

St.  In  1907  the  growth  of  their 
business  compelled  them  to  move 
to  their  present  extensive  quarters 
at     14-28    Michigan    st.      At    the 


114 


Cook  County 


same  time  the  firm  was  incor- 
porated as  the  Hohngren,  Engdahl 
and  Johnson  Co.  ,Mr.  Engdahl  Ijeing 
chosen  secretary  and  treasurer. 

Mr.  Engdahl  is  a  steward  in 
the  First  Swedish  M.  E.  Church 
and  was  president  of  the  Epworth 
League  Society  of  this  church  for 
a  number  of  years.  He  is  a  di- 
rector of  the  Swedish  Methodist 
Aid  Association   of  Chicago. 


JOHN   P.  SAXDBERG 

one  of  the  leading  Swedish-Amer- 
ican   manufacturers    of     Chicago, 


JOHN   p.  S.\NlilUiUr. 

was  born  in  Vsane,  Blekinge, 
Sweden,  Nov.  15,  1.S42,  and  emi- 
grated to  America  in  1S67.  Com- 
ing directly  to  Chicago,  he  worked 
in  different  lines  uiilil  he  joined 
his  brother  in  business,  Incoming 
a  member  of  the  firm,  Sandberg 
&  Co.,  which  is  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  engravers'  woods, 
lie  was  married  in  1S7S,  lo  .Miss 
Nellie    Johnson,     witli     wliom    he 


has  three  children,  one  son  and 
two  daughters.  In  local  jx>litics 
Mr.  Sandberg  is  independent,  but 
in  national  matters  he  is  a  strong 
adherent  of  the  Grand  Old  Party. 


LUDWIG  WAHLQUIST 

was  born   Nov.    19,    1865,  in   Son- 
drum,   Halland,  Sweden.     He   ob- 


Ll'llWlG   W.\HLUV1ST 

tained  his  education  in  the  Swed- 
ish public  schools  and  later  he 
worked  as  a  miller  until  he  went 
to  the  United  Slates  in  iSSS.  His 
destination  was  Chicago,  where  he 
did  miscellaneous  work  for  several 
\-ears.  In  iSy_^  Mr.  WahUjuisl  ob- 
tained a  situation  in  a  grill  factory 
where  he  continued  for  a  year. 
In  company  with  Iv.  Larson  he 
sulwequently  established  the  Grand 
I'nion  Grill  Works.  The  business, 
at  first  small,  has  increa.setl  stead- 
ily and  reaclu-tl  respectable  dimen- 
sions, 

Mr.     \Vahl<iuist    is    married    to 
Alma     Christina      Johnson,      who 


Chicago 


was  born  in  Asige,  Halland.  They 
belong  to  the  Gethsemane  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church.  Mr.  Wahlqui.st 
is  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Svithiod. 


ANDREW  M.  LUNDEEN 

was    born    December    13,    1862,  in 
Lek.sand,    Dalarne,    Sweden.     His 


ANDREW   il.  LUNDEEN 

parents,  E.  P.  and  Anna  Lundeen, 
are  both  natives  of  the  parish  of 
Leksand.  The  familj'  left  the  old 
homestead  and  arrived  in  this 
country  Sept.  15,  1871,  .settling  in 
Lockport,  111.,  where  they  still  live. 
Andrew  is  the  second  oldest  of 
seven  children,  three  of  whom  are 
still  living.  He  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Lockport  and  later 
was  employed  by  the  Chicago  and 
Alton  R.  R.  Co.  Since  1889,  Mr. 
Luiideen  has  been  operating  in 
Chicago  in  real  estate  and  lands. 
At  present  he  is  engaged  in  the 
sale  of  farm  lands  in  Alberta, 
Saskatchewan  and  Manitoba,  Can- 


"5 

ada,  and  in  the  western  states, 
doing  a  general  farm  land  busi- 
ne.ss.  His  office  is  at  the  Union 
Stock  Yards. 

Mr.  Lundeen  is  a  Republican 
and  belongs  to  the  Lutheran 
Church. 


CHARLES  F.  SWANSON 

was  born  in  Gallaryd,  Smaland, 
Sweden,  July  12,  1864.  After 
attending  the  public  school  in  his 
native  village  he  emigrated  in  1881 
to  the  United  States.  For  the  last 
sixteen  years  Mr.  Swanson  has 
conducted  a  grocery  and  a  meat 
market,  located  at  352-354  E.  Di- 
vision St. 

Mr.  Swanson  is  married  to  Annie 
Peterson  from  Motala,  Sweden. 
They  have  two    children,    Charles 


CH.\KLES   F.   SW.\NSON 

Raymond  and  Laura  Amelia.  The 
members  of  the  family  belong  to 
Moodv's   Church. 


ii6 


Cook  County 


CHARLES  W.   LUNDBLAD 

was  born  in  the  island  of  Got- 
land, Sweden,  July  27,  1844.  He 
was  brought  to    this  country  as  a 


CHARLES  W.   LUNDBLAD 

child  by  his  parents  who  came  over 
in  1S48,  being  among  the  very  ear- 
liest Swedish  settlers.  The  faniih- 
first  settled  in  Quincy,  111.,  living 
there  for  two  years.  His  fathei 
succumbing  to  the  cholera,  his 
mother  with  the  two  sons,  removed 
to  Chicago  in  1S50.  Here  Charles 
obtained  a  common  school  educa- 
tion, attending  the  Franklin 
School. 

For  more  than  forty  years  he  has 
been  employed  by  the  Chicago  and 
Northwestern  R.  R.,  the  greater 
part  of  the  time  in  the  capacity  of 
locomotive  engineer.  In  1S93  Mr. 
Lundblad  lowered  the  time  record 
on  the  Chicago- Milwaukee  run  from 
two  and  a  quarter  hours  to  two 
hours.  Mr.  Lundblad  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Brotherhood  of  Loco- 
motive Engineers. 


ERNEST  \V.  LINDEEN 

was  born  July  5,  1S61,  in  Jenis- 
hbg  parish,  Blekinge,  Sweden.  His 
parents  were  Swan  P.  and  Johanna 
Lindeen.  Mr.  Lindeen.Sr.,  was  a 
tailor,  who  in  1868  emigrated  with 
his  family  to  America  and  died  in 
Chicago  in  1S82.  Ernest  obtained 
his  early  education  in  the  Chicago 
public  schools.  He  subsequently 
worked  in  meat  markets,  learning 
the  ins  and  outs  of  the  business, 
and  in  1877  opened  his  own  store. 
By  Mayor  Swift  Mr.  Lindeen  was 
appointed  meat  inspector  in  the 
city  of  Chicago  and  served  for 
two  and  a  half  years.  He  is  now 
a  member  of  the  firm  of  Leengran  & 
Lindeen,  who  conduct  meat  mar- 
kets at  195  Sedgwick  st.  and  152 
Townsend  st. 


liK.NMST   W  .    I.INMCKN 

In  1886  Mr.  Lindeen  was  mar- 
ried to  Hannah  C.  Nelson,  in  Chi- 
cago. Mrs.  Lindeen  was  born 
June  13,  iSdo,  at  Hijgsby.  Sma- 
land,  Sweden,   her    parents    iK'ing 


Chicago 


117 


John  and  Gustava  Nelson.  Three 
children  have  been  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Lindeen,  namely,  Arthur 
\V.,  born  July  S,  1888,  died  Oct. 
7,  1903;  Raymond  E.,  born  March 
6,  1890;  Evelyn  M.,  born  Jan.  27, 
1892.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lindeen  be- 
long to  the  Immanuel  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church.  They  have  both 
taught  classes  in  the  Sunday  school 
for  many  years. 


JOHN   BRUNNER 

was   born  near  Warberg,  Sweden. 
He    gradtiated    from    the  civil  en- 


JOHN  BRU.XNER 

gineering  course  of  the  Royal  In- 
stitute of  Technology  at  Stockholm 
in  18S7.  In  Sweden  he  served 
in  the  engineering  corps  of  the 
state  railway  construction  depart- 
ment 1887-88,  and  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  the  latter  year.  Here  he 
was  engaged  as  assistant  engineer 
in  the  bridge  department  of 
the  Boston  and  Maine  Railway 
1888-90;  chief  engineer  of  the  Mt. 


Vernon  Bridge  Co.  of  Mt.  Vernon, 
Ohio,  1890-95;  assistant  chief  en- 
gineer of  the  structural  depart- 
ment of  the  Carnegie  Steel  Co., 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  1895-96;  city  bridge 
engineer  in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  1S96- 
99;  city  engineer  of  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
1 899-1902.  He  has  held  the  posi- 
tion of  assistant  general  superin- 
tendent of  the  North  Works  of  the 
Illinois  Steel  Co.  since  1902. 

Mr.  Brunner  is  a  member  of  the 
following  societies  and  clubs:  the 
American  Societj-  of  Civil  Engin- 
eers, New  York;  the  American 
Society  for  Testing  Materials, 
Philadelphia;  the  International  As- 
sociation for  Testing  Materials; 
the  American  Railway  Engineer- 
ing and  Maintenance  of  Way  As- 
-sociation,  Chicago;  the  Western 
Society  of  Engineers,  Chicago;  the 
Scandinavian  Technical  Society, 
Chicago;  the  Union  League  Club, 
Chicago;  the  Chicago  Engineers' 
Club,  Chicago;  the  Evanston  Club, 
Evanston.  He  is  also  a  Free  Ma- 
son and  Knight  Templar. 

In  1S92  he  married  Miss  Cora 
A.  I.  Mitchell  of  Mt.  Vernon, 
Ohio,  who  is  American  born  of 
English-Scotch  descent.  They 
have  no  children.  They  live  at 
Evanston,   III. 


WALDEMAR  WERNER 
WICHE 

was  born  May  20,  1875,  in  Stock- 
holm, where  his  father,  Fredrick 
Wiche,  was  a  merchant.  His 
mother,  who  died  in  1887,  was 
Fredrique  Ebert.  The  .son  was 
educated  at  the  academic  .school 
of    Ladugardslandet  and    the    col- 


iiS 


Cook  County 


legiate  school  of  Ostermalm,  in 
his  native  cit3-.  ■In  the  three  suc- 
cessive years  spent    at    the    latter 


Unitv    Council    No. 


Roval 


WALDEMAR  WERNER  WICHE 

institution  he  took  the  highest 
standing,  also  capturing  several 
prizes  for  scholarship. 

In  1889  Mr.  Wiche  with  his 
son  left  for  the  United  States, 
locating  in  Chicago.  Here  the 
latter  immediateh'  secured  employ- 
ment in  the  printing  trade,  work- 
ing for  Magnus  A.  He.ss,  as  ap- 
prentice, for  the  Schubel  Printing 
Co.  and  the  Regan  Printing  Co., 
until  1896,  for  Donahue  and  Hen- 
neberry,  as  a  job  printer,  and  for 
Baker- Vawter  Co.,  as  job  compos- 
itor, a  year  at  each  place. '  In  1898 
he  started  a  printing  .shoj)  at  392 
E.  North  ave.,  under  the  firm  name 
of  Behrend  &  Wiche.  Two  years 
later  the  partnership  was  tiissolved 
and  Mr.  Wiche  became  sole  owner 
of  the  lousiness,  which  he  continues 
at  the  same  address. 

Mr.   Wiche   is  a  member  of   I  lie 


League,  also  of  Lessing  Lodge 
No.  174,  Order  of  Mutual  Pro- 
tection. He  was  confirmed  at  the 
Trinity  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  Lake  View. 


EMANUEL  SCHMIDT 

was  born  in  Hudiksvall,  Sweden, 
April  28,  1 868.  He  was  educated 
at  the  Hudiksvall  Gymnasium, 
where  he  studied  from  1879  to  18S6. 
He  came  to  America  in  the  latter 
year  and  in  iSSS  entered  Colgate 
Academy,  from  which  he  graduated 
in  1890.  He  then  entered  Colgate 
University,  where  he  graduated 
with  honors  in  1894,  receiving  the 
degree    of   Bachelor  of   Arts.     He 


i:m.\nii:i.  schmiht 

next  took  a  divinity  course  at  the 
Hamilton  Theological  Seminary. 
In  1S96  he  entered  the  Universitv 
of  Chicago,  where  he  took  the 
degree  of  Bachelor  of  Divinity  in 
in  1S98,  and  that  of  Doctor  of 
Pliiloso])h\-  in    1902. 


Chicago 


119 


As  a  student  Schmidt  took  high 
rank.  At  the  Colgate  University 
he  was  awarded  the  second  Dodge 
Entrance  Prize,  the  Sojihomore 
Latin  Prize,  the  Junior  Greek 
Prize  and  the  Oshorn  Mathematics 
Prize.  At  the  University  of  Chi- 
cago he  held  the  fellowship  in 
Semitic  languages  for  two  years. 
His  scholarl}-  attainments  are 
further  exemplified  in  the  following 
published  works:  "The  Temple  of 
Solomon  in  the  Light  of  Other 
Oriental  Temples"  (his  doctor's 
thesis);  "Svenska  Baptister  pa 
1700-talet",  and  "Guds  och  mijn- 
niskans  andel  i  varldens  evangel - 
isering." 

Dr.  Schmidt  belongs  to  the  Greek 
fraternities,  Alpha  Phi,  Beta  Theta 
Pi,  and   Phi  Beta  Kappa. 

Dr.  Schmidt  was  for  a  time 
editor  of  Hanmcts  I'd/i,  a  literary 
monthly.  In  1905  he  accepted  the 
presidenc}-  of  Adelphia  College,  a 
Baptist  institution  just  founded 
in  Seattle,  Wash.,  which  office  he 
still  holds. 


partment  of  the  Baltimore  and 
Ohio  railway.  In  1.S.S2  he  became 
a    compositor  and    started    in    the 


JOHN  WILLIAM  BELMONT 

was  born  Dec.  14,  1863,  in  Jon- 
koping,  Sweden.  His  parents  are 
Fredrick  Gustav  and  Hedvig  Bel- 
mont. The  family  emigrated  in 
1867,  coming  to  Chicago  and 
locating  on  the  north  side,  Lake 
View  being  their  home  since  1S82. 
John  attended  the  public  schools, 
also  a  Swedish  and  a  German  school, 
ending  by  taking  a  course  at  the 
Chicago  Athenaeum.  He  then 
obtained  a  situation  with  the 
Western  L'nion  Telegraph  Co.  and 
later  worked    in    the    freight  de- 


JOHX  WILLI.\M  BELMONT 

printing  business  as  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Belmont,  Waddell  & 
Co.,  at  Clark  and  Monroe  sts.  In 
the  latter  part  of  that  year  he  sold 
his  interest  and  began  work  in  the 
Chicago  Times  office.  Sub.sequent- 
\y  he  worked  for  some  time  in 
the  Union  Tj'pe  Foundry- .  In 
1885  he  accepted  a  situation  with 
the  abstract  firm  of  Haddock, 
Vallette  and  Rickcords,  remaining 
with  them  for  several  years.  In 
1893  he  was  appointed  bailiff  by 
Sheriff  Gilbert  and  two  years  later 
Sheriff  Pease  appointed  him  grand 
jury  clerk.  This  post  was  filled 
by  Mr.  Belmont  for  three  years 
whereupon  he  was  appointed  dep- 
uty circuit  court  clerk.  He  retained 
this  position  until  November, 
1902,  when  he  was  elected  county 
commissioner.  On  Jan.  11,  1905, 
he    was    appointed    Cook    County 


I20 


Cook  County- 


Agent.  He  was  a  delegate  to  the 
memorable  state  convention  at 
Springfield  in  1904  which  was 
in  session  for  two  weeks. 

Mr.  Belmont  was  married  May 
17,  1899,  to  Miss  Katherine  Aiken 
of  Chicago.  She  is  the  daughter 
of  William  and  Margaret  Roden 
Aiken,  and  was  born  April  20, 
1873.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Belmont  have 
a  daughter,  Ruth  Wilhelmina, 
born  March  9,  1900.  The  family 
resides  at  811  Clifton  ave.  Mr. 
Helniont  is  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  Pvlhias. 


XELS  M.  LOREXTZ 

was  born  April   29,    1S59,  in  Gull- 
arp,  Ousby    parish,    Skane,    Swe- 


NHLS  .\l.    l.DKHNTZ 

den.  He  enjoyed  no  schooling  in 
childhood.  On  Aug.  9,  1S75,  he 
.set  out  for  Segeberg,  Schleswig- 
Holstein,  Germany,  and  became  a 
journe>nian  in  the  art  of  carving 
ornaments  from  marble  and  ala- 
baster.     After  three  and     one-half 


years  he  moved  with  his  employer 
to  Copenhagen.  There  he  worked 
two  and  one-half  years  more  with 
the  same  employer  and  then  en- 
gaged in  the  business  for  himself. 
The  raw  alabaster  was  difficult 
to  obtain.  He  therefore  made 
trips  to  Hamburg,  Germany,  and 
to  the  island  of  Gotland,  Swe- 
den, looking  up  new  .sources  of 
supply  of  alabaster  and  marble. 
He  fashioned  clock  cases,  jewel 
cases,  vases,  and  many  other  kinds 
of  ornamental  goods  and  bric-a- 
brac.  After  six  months  the  busi- 
ness had  increased  so  as  to  require 
.several  workmen.  But  Mr.  Lor- 
entz,  not  being  a  Danish  citizen, 
was  restricted  by  the  Danish  labor 
laws  from  employing  workmen. 
If  he  became  a  Danish  citizen  he 
would  have  to  join  the  army. 
He  therefore  sold  his  busine.ss  in 
1882  and  went  to  Chicago.  He 
soon  after  obtained  work  in  a 
lumber  yard.  His  knowledge  of 
German  and  Swedish  was  of  great 
advantage  and  helped  him  to  se- 
cure his  next  situation,  one  in  a 
jelly  and  preserve  manufactory. 
His  next  step  was  to  work  in  a 
manufacturing  tailor's  shop  where 
lie  remained  four  years  and  four 
months.  For  a  ])eriod  he  worked 
for  Butler  Bros.,  on  Adams  St. 
On  June  19,  1888,  he  purchased 
an  interest  in  a  general  merchan- 
dise store  at  67  E.  Chicago  Ave., 
the  firm  being  styled  Johnson  and 
Lorentz.  Two  years  thereafter  he 
bought  his  partner's  interest  and 
conducted  the  store  until  the  spring 
of   1 907 . 

In    Jiuie,     1907,     .Mr      I.orentz, 


Chicago 


121 


together  witli  Mr.  Davis,  purcliased 
the  tiKuuifactiiring  tailor's  business 
ill  which  they  both  had  formerly 
been  employed.  This  enterprise 
was  carried  on  at  kS  Wendell  st. 
under  the  name  of  Davis  &  Lorentz 
until  1907,  when  Mr.  Lorentz  re- 
tired from  business. 

Mr.  Lorentz  was  married  in 
Nov.,  1S95,  to  Hulda  Olson,  born 
April  28,  1875,  in  Karlstad,  Verm- 
land,  Sweden.  They  have  a  son 
ten  years  old  and  a  daughter 
seven  years  old.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lorentz  reside  at  2468  Wayne  ave., 
Edgewater. 


ERIK  ANDERSON 

was  born  at  Granby,    Kumla   par- 
ish,  Orebro  Ian,   Sweden,   May    3, 


ERIK    .\.\'IiEKSO.N 

1864.  When  he  was  four  years 
old  his  mother  died,  and  his 
father  moved  to  another  province, 
leaving  his  son  to  be  brought  up 
by  his  uncle  on  the  Vesta  estate, 
where    he    remained     until      18S2 


when,  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years, 
he  emigrated  to  America.  Loca- 
ting in  Chicago,  he  learned  the 
tailor's  trade,  and  after  seven 
years  started  in  his  own  business. 
He  has  specialized  in  the  manu- 
facture of  custom  trou.sers,  doing 
an  extensive  business  in  that  line 
at    137  Gault  court. 

Mr.  Anderson  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  'SI.  E.  Church,  and 
has  served  as  trustee  of  his  con- 
gregation for  over  twelve  years. 
He  has  also  been  Sunday  school 
superintendent  for  a  number  of 
years. 

In  1889  Mr.  Ander.son  married 
Miss  Matilda  Svenson.  The  couple 
have  had  three  children,  two  of 
whom,  Esther  Elvira  and  Paul 
Leonard,  are  still  living. 


FRED  MALCOLM  JOHNSON 

pastor  of  the  Swedish  Ev.  Luth. 
Mission  Church  at  Orleans  and 
Whiting  sts.,  was  born  July  27, 
1S57,  at  Nyebro,  Eksjo,  Smaland. 
His  parents  were  John  G.  John- 
son and  Martha  C.  Stark. 

His  early  training  was  obtained 
in  the  public  school  in  Eksjo.  He 
came  to  this  country  July  i,  1875, 
and  lived  at  North  Warren, 
Chandlers  Valley,  Sheffield  and 
Tidioute,  Pa.,  until  1877,  when  he 
became  a  divinity  student  at  Ans- 
garius  College,  Knoxville,  111., 
continuing  his  studies  for  the 
ministry  until  1879.  Mr.  Johnson 
was  ordained  Oct.  7,  1884,  at 
Jamestown,  N.Y.,  and  was  installed 
as  pastor  of  the  Tabernacle  Swed- 
ish Mission  Church  in  Chicago 
the   15th  of  the  same  month.     He 


122 


Cook  County 


held  this  pastorale^until  April  15, 
1887,  when  he  left  to  assume 
charge    of    the    Swedish    Mission 


FKE!)   MALCOLM  JOHNSON 

Church  in  Rockford,  111.  Here 
he  labored  for  over  ten  years.  On 
Dec.  17,  1S97,  he  became  pastor 
of  Bethany  Mission  Church,  Gar- 
field boulevard  and  Fifth  ave., 
Chicago.  This  charge  he  resigned 
Oct.  17,  1902.  Rev.  John.son  was 
received  as  pastor  of  the  Swedish 
Ev.  IvUth.  Mission  Church  on  Or- 
leans and  Whiting  sts.  January  i , 
1904.  This  is  the  mother  church 
of  the  Mission  Friends  in  Chicago 
and  the  United  States  and  is  pop- 
ularly called  the  North  church, 
being  located  on  the  norih  side. 
It  had  525  members  in  1903  and 
the  building  and  its  projierty  is 
valued  at  $30,000.  The  parson- 
age, worth  $5,000,  is  at  10  Whiting 

.St. 

Rev.  Johnson  has  traveled  as 
itinerant  i)reacher  and  evangelist 
not    onlv    in    this    countrv    but   in 


Sweden,  where  he  labored  in  1882 
and  in  the  summer  of  1886. 
He  is  the  author  of  a  devotional 
work  on  the  23d  Psalm  of  David 
and  has  written  numerous  articles 
for  Swedish  religious  papers. 

On  Jan.  10,  1SS7,  Rev.  Mr. 
Johnson  was  married  to  Enielia 
Maria  Nelson  of  Chicago.  She  is 
a  daughter  of  Per  Adolf  and  Gus- 
tava  Nelson  and  was  born  May 
16,  1858.  They  have  four  child- 
ren: Hildur  Paulina,  born  June 
8,  1S8S;  Emelia  Natalia,  born  June 
16,  1S90:  Fred  Malcolm,  born  May 
23.  1S92,  and  Martha  Elvira,  born 
Sept.  24,  1S93.  Mr.  Johnson,  Sr., 
died  in  Rockford,  April  13,  1S97. 
Mrs.  Johnson,  Sr.,  died  in  Chicago 
Oct.  18,  1903.  Rev.  Johnson's  two 
brothers,  A.  W.  and  G.  K.  Stark, 
are  ministers  in  the  Augustana 
Synod. 

ERNEST  BIHL 

was  born  in  \'ermland,  Sweden, 
near  the  city  of  Karlstad,  at  a  place 
named  Gunnerud,  March  i,  i860. 
By  unavoidable  circumstances  and 
the  financial  reverses  of  his  father, 
he  was  compelled  to  earn  his  own 
living  at  a  very  early  age.  After 
completing  his  course  in  the  com- 
mon school  he  entered  as  an 
apprentice  in  the  Karlstad  Mechan- 
ical Works,  where  he  worked  un- 
til emigrating  in  the  spring  of  iS-(.). 
He  came  to  this  country  without 
a  single  acquaintance  or  relative, 
and  stopjK'd  in  northern  Michiijan, 
where  he  worked  for  a  few  months 
in  the  lumlier  cam]>s.  Realizing 
what  a  disadvanta>;e  it  was  lo  be 
inifamiliar  with  the  English  tongue. 


Chicago 


123 


he  quit  his  work  and  went  to 
school  to  acquire  the  language. 
After  a  year's    stav  in    Michisjan, 


ERNEST    BIHL 

he  went  to  Chicago,  securing  em- 
ployment in  the  South  Chicago 
Steel  Works,  where  he  continued 
until  18S3.  \\'ith  the  few  savings 
of  those  years  of  hard  labor,  he 
went  to  western  Nebraska,  then  a 
wilderness,  bought  land,  and  start- 
ed in  as  a  farmer  and  stockman, 
meeting  with  a  fair  success.  He 
lived  in  Nebraska  until  1890,  the 
latter  part  of  that  year  acting  as 
land  agent  for  the  Union  Pacific 
Railroad  Company.  Thereupon 
he  returned  to  Chicago,  continuing 
his  agenc}-  for  the  railroad  company 
and  at  the  same  time  engaging  in 
a  general  real  estate  business  in 
this  city.  He  still  makes  this  his 
business,  and  has  his  office  in  the 
prettj^  suburb  of  West  Pullman. 
In  1898  he  was  elected  township 
tax  collector  for  the  town  of 
Calumet     and    was      reelected     in 


1S99.  In  the  spring  of  1902  he 
was  elected  to  represent  the  33d 
ward  in  the  Chicago  city  council. 
He  was  in  1904  and  again  in  1906 
reelected  to  the  same  office.  Mr. 
Hihl  is  married  and  has  five  child- 
ren. 


ANDRKW  G.  JOHNSON 
was  born  in  1849,  at  Orebro,  Swe- 
den. He  came  to  this  countrj^  and 
to  Chicago  in  187 1.  Having  a 
taste  for  business,  he  entered  the 
Bryant  and  Stratton  Business  Coll- 
ege. His  cour.se  completed,  he 
embarked  in  the  coal  business, 
meeting  with  a  degree  of  success 
that  years  ago  enabled  him  to  re- 
tire from  active  business. 

Mr.  Johnson's  interests  seem  re- 
stricted   to     his    own    home    and 


ANDREW    G. JDHNSDN 

immediate  surroundings,  he  having 
affiliated  with  no  church,  no  frater- 
nal societies  nor  other  organiza- 
tions. He  was  united  in  marriage 
to  Miss  Carrie  Arend  on  March 
25,    1891. 


'=4 

WILLIAM  A.  PETERSON 

was  horn  in  Smaland,  Sweden, 
Feb.  23,  1.S67.  The  following  year 
the  family  emiirrated  to  the  I'nited 


Cook  County 


wii.i.iA.M  AicrsT  i'i;ti;ksiin 

States  and  settled  first  at  Swede 
Bend,  shortly  afterward  locating 
in  Lost  Grove  township,  Webster 
CO.,  la.  After  one  year's  .stud\- 
at  the  Ames  High  School,  yoinit; 
Peterson  entered  Iowa  State  Coll- 
ege at  Ames,  graduating  in  iS.Sj 
with  the  degree  of  B.S.  He  also 
attended  Aiigiistana  and  Bethany 
colleges,  for  brief  periods.  For  five 
years  Mr.  Peterson  was  principal 
of  scliools  in  various  towns. 

In  iSi;4  Ik-  entered  the  medical 
department  of  Iowa  State  I'niver- 
sity.  After  two  years  of  study 
he  matricidated  at  the  College  of 
Physicians  and  Surgeons,  of  lla- 
ITniversity  nf  Illinois,  where  the 
degree  of  M.  li.  was  conferred 
upon  him  in  1X97.  Since  llien  Dr. 
Peterson  has  practiced  his  profes- 
sion with  ofllces  at  31  si  street  and 


Wentworth  ave.,  and  in  the  Reli- 
ance Building,  100  State  st.  He 
specializes  in  diseases  of  the  eye, 
ear,  nose  and  throat.  Dr.  Peterson 
is  Medical  Director  of  the  Scandia 
Life  Insurance  Co.  and  a  member 
of  the  medical  staff  of  the  Engle- 
wood  Hospital  and  of  the  People's 
Hospital.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
American  Medical  Association,  the 
Illinois  State  Medical  Society  and 
the  Cook  County  Medical  Society. 
He  is  on  the  rolls  of  the  Iduna 
Lodge,  I.  O.  G.  T.,  I.  O.  O.  F., 
Modern  Woodmen,  I.  O.  V.  and 
the  Wa.sa  Society.  Dr.  Peterson 
was  married  June  20,  1899,  and  is 
the  father  of  two  children.  He  is 
a  member  of  Salem  Swedish  Luth- 
eran Church. 


JOHN  A.    NYE 
was  born  at   Rosa,    Skede    parish, 
Smaland,  Sweden,   Sept.   27,  i>>55. 


Jnll.N    .\.    .NVB 

He  came  to  the  I'nited  Slates 
with  his  parents  in  1867.  The 
party    landed    on    July     16,    1S67, 


Chica,c;o 


125 


and  pushed  on  to  their  destination, 
the  pioneer  Swedish  settlement 
at  Andover,  Illinois.  His  father 
is  John  Nye,  a  retired  farmer  at 
Cambridge,  111.,  and  his  mother  is 
Eva  Danielson  Nye.  Mr.  Nye 
lived  for  a  time  in  Sherman 
county,  Kansas,  where  he  served 
as  county  treasurer.  He  is  now 
general  agent  of  the  Union  Pacific 
R.  R.  land  department,  with  office 
in  the  Marquette  Building.  Mr. 
Nye  has  been  with  the  Union  Pa- 
cific R.  R.  for  twenty-one  years. 
He  has  been  president  of  the 
largest  Republican  precinct  club  in 
Chicago  and  belongs  to  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

Mr.  Nye  is  married  to  Orpah 
Morley,  daughter  of  William  and 
Emelia  Morley.  Their  children 
are  John  W.,  Edith  E.  and  Har- 
old O.  Nye.  The  famih-  are 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church. 

HERMAN  G.  NORDBERG, 

president  of  the  Swedish  Singers' 
Union  of  Chicago,  was  born  in 
Ystad,  Sweden,  Jan.  31,  1866. 
His  father,  Wilhelni  Nordberg,  a 
restaurateur,  died  at  Ystad  in  18S3. 
His  mother,  Maria  Christina  Sven- 
son,  is  still  living. 

Herman  attended  the  public 
school,  high  school  and  business 
college.  After  leaving  school  he 
was  a  blacksmith  for  five  3'ears. 
In  1886  he  left  Sweden  for  this 
country,  settling  in  Grand  Rapids, 
Mich.,  where  he  secured  work  in 
a  furniture  factory.  After  two 
j'ears  he  went  to  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
and  shortlv  afterwards    to  Kansas 


City,  Mo.  Since  Sept.,  1889,  Mr. 
Nordberg  has  been  a  resident  of 
Chicago     with     the    excepticn    of 


HERMAN   G.   NORDBERG 

six  months  spent    in    Rockford. 

Mr.  Nordberg  worked  for  six 
3'ears  in  furniture  factories  and 
was  for  three  years  foreman  in 
H.  Z.  Mallen's  furniture  factory 
in  Chicago.  Mr.  Nordberg  then 
obtained  a  position  in  dry  goods 
department  of  Marshall  Field  & 
Co's  wholesale  house  and  remained 
there  four  years.  During  the  sub- 
sequent ten  years  he  has  been 
bookkeeper  for  Nilsson  Brothers, 
plumbers,    1463  Belmont  ave. 

Mr.  Nordberg  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Glee  Club;  King  Oscar 
Masonic  Lodge:  First  Swedish 
Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.;  Monitor  Coun- 
cil, Royal  Arcanum,  being  secre- 
tary for  three  years.  Since  the 
organization  of  the  American  Un- 
ion of  Swedish  Singers  in  Nov., 
1892,  he  has  been  a  prominent 
member  of  that  bodv.     As  a  dele- 


1 


126 


Cook   County 


gate  of  the  Lyran  male  chorus  he 
has  attended  all  the  conventions 
and  singing  festivals  of  the  West- 
ern division  and  of  the  united 
choruses  of  America.  Mr.  Xord- 
berg  was  chosen  festival  secretary 
at  the  Jamestown  convention  in 
1 901  and  .served  until  the  Chicago 
festival  in  1905.  He  was  elected 
secretary  of  the  Chicago  contin- 
gent of  the  choruses  in  1901  and  re- 
tained the  office  for  six  j-ears. 
In  Januarj\  1907,  Mr.  Nordberg 
was  elected  president  of  the  Swed- 
ish Singers'  Union  of  Chicago, 
which  was  in  1906  incorporated 
as  a  distinct  body. 

Mr.  Nordberg  is  married  to 
Esther  V.  Holmquist,  bora  Oct. 
22,  1 87 1.  The  date  of  marriage 
was  Nov.  1 8,  1903.  A  son,  Her- 
man Gerald,  was  born  in   1905. 


CARL  A.  EVALD. 

pastor  of  the  Immanuel  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church,  was  born  at 
Helleby,  Nerikes  Kil,  Orebro  Ian, 
Sweden,  May  25,  1849.  His  par- 
ents were  Anders  Andersson  and 
Christina  Sjoqvist,  farmer  folk, 
who  later  removed  to  Wretaberg, 
in  Grodinge  parish,  near  Stock- 
holm, where  his  mother  died  in 
187S  and  his  father  in  1887.  After 
attending  parochial  .school,  the  son 
was  placed  under  a  private  tutor 
and  when  ten  years  old  entered 
the  Carolinian  collegiate  .school  in 
Orebro.  During  the  seven  and 
one-half  years  spent  there,  he 
served  as  tutor  in  well-to-do  fam- 
ilies and  al.so  pursued  private  stud- 
ies with  the  view  of  fitting  him- 
self for  tla-  niiiiislrv  .      Dtiiin''  the 


last  j-ears  at  the  institution  he  en- 
joyed the  Thysselius  scholarship. 
At  the  early  age  of  nineteen  years 
Mr.  Evald  began  to  preach,  and 
in  1871  accompanied  Per  A.  Ahl- 
berg,  the  well  known  evangelist, 
on  an  extensive  missionary  tour 
through  Smaland.  During  this  trip 
his  thought  of  entering  the  min- 
istry ripened  into  a  fixed  purpose. 
In  the  fall  of  1871  young  Evald 
emigrated  to  America,  immediately 
entering    the  Augustana  Theolog- 


CAKI.    .\.    KVAI.D 

ical  Seminary  at  Paxton,  III.  Com- 
pleting his  course  the  following 
year,  he  was  ordained  a  Lutheran 
pastor  at  the  annual  meeting  of 
the  Augustana  Synod  at  Gales- 
burg,  Sept.  29,  1872.  At  this 
time  the  institution  had  no  col- 
legiate courses,  devoting  it.self  ex- 
clusively to  the  eilucation  of  jnin- 
isters.  Many  years  later,  however, 
Mr.  Ivvald  completed  the  collegiate 
course  at  the  .same  institution. 
I  lis    first    call    was  to  tlie  .\ug- 


Chicago 


127 


ustaiia  Church  in  Minneapolis, 
Minn.,  servinji:  that  congregation 
until  1S75,  when  he  accepted  a 
call  from  the  Imnianuel  Church  of 
Chicago,  whose  pastor  he  has  been 
been  from  April  4  of  that  year  up 
to  the  present  time.  It  is  a  pecu- 
liar fact  that  the  Inimanuel  Church 
has,  from  the  time  of  its  organiza- 
tion in  1853,  had  but  two  pastors, 
viz.,  the  venerable  Dr.  Erland 
Carlsson  and  his  son-in-law,  the 
present  pastor. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Evakl  has  been 
secretary  of  the  Minnesota  Con- 
ference; secretary,  vice-president 
and  president  of  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference: member  and  .secretarj-  of 
tlie  board  of  directors  of  August- 
ana  Hospital  in  Chicago  for  the 
last  twenty  years,  serving  contin- 
uously on  its  executive  committee 
and  almost  without  interruption 
as  its  secretary;  member  of  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  Chicago 
Lutheran  Seminary  since  many 
years  back;  member  of  the  board 
of  managers  of  the  Chicago  Bible 
Society  for  a  long  term  of  years; 
at  various  times  president  of  his 
mission  district  and  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Pastoral  Association  of 
Chicago;  also  vice-president  and 
member  of  the  executive  commit- 
tee of  the  Lutheran  Ministers' 
Association  of  Chicago,  and  vice- 
president  of  the  Chicago  Lutheran 
Jewish  Mission. 

Dr.  Evald— the  title  of  Doctor 
of  Divinity  was  conferred  upon 
him  3-ears  ago — has  contributed 
largelj-  to  a  number  of  church 
publications,  besides  having  edited 
several  publications.     For  a  num- 


ber of  years  editor  of  A^M  ocli 
Saiiiiiiig,  he  continued  as  associate 
editor  when  that  publication  was 
merged  with  Foitolaiidit;  he  also 
edited  Banivantun,  a  religious 
paper  for  children,  is  a  contrib- 
utor to  Tidskrijl  for  Tcologi  och 
Kyrkliga  Frdgor,  Augustaiia,  Ung- 
doDis- 1  'auiicn  and  k'orsbancrcl,  be- 
sides editing  his  local  church  pa- 
per,    Fdrsavilivgs-Vdnnen. 

Dr.  Evald  has  the  distinction 
of  being  the  foremost  pulpit  orator 
in  the  Augustana  Synod.  His 
sermons,  carefully  prepared  and 
finely  delivered,  are  models  of  re- 
ligious eloquence.  He  is  also  an 
able  lecturer  in  two  languages, 
having  often  appeared  on  the  lec- 
ture platform  in  Chicago  and  else- 
where. 

Dr.  Evald  has  been  twice  mar- 
ried, Oct.  4,  1876,  to  Miss  Annie 
Fredrique  Carlsson,  a  daughter  of 
Dr.  Erland  Carlson  and  his  wife, 
Eva  Charlotta  Andersson,  born  in 
Chicago  April  11,  1856.  She  died 
Nov.  27,  1880,  in  Stockholm; 
May  24,  1883,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  her  sister,  Emmy 
Christine  Carlsson,  born  in  Gene- 
va, 111.,  Sept.  18,  1857.  In  the 
second  marriage  there  are  two 
daughters,  Annie  Fidelia  Christ- 
ine, born  March  13,  1S84,  and 
Frances  Lillian  Charlotta,  born 
Dec.  2,  1S85.  The  eldest  daughter 
is  the  wife  of  Conrad  Emanuel 
Hoffsten,  pastor  of  the  Harlem 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  New 
York  City. 

Dr.  and  Mrs.  Evald  reside  at  218 
Sedgwick  St.,  in  the  parsonage  of 
the  Immaiuiel  Church. 


128 


Cook  County 


FRANK  A.    ROSE, 
a  leading  Swedish  nierchpiit  tailor, 
was  born  Sept.  19.  1864,  at  Tranas, 
Sweden.      He    emigrated    to    this 


FKA.XK   A.    ROSE 

counlr\'  in  18S0,  arriving  Ma>-  15. 
He  lived  for  a  time  in  Xew  York 
and  later  in  Galesburg.  111.  From 
the  latter  place  he  removed  to  Chi- 
cago. 

Here  he  conducts  a  merchant  tai- 
loring business  on  a  large  .scale,  his 
e.stablishment  being  in  the  Railway 
F^xchange  Building,  corner  of 
Jackson  and  Michigan  boulevards. 

The  home  of  the  Rose  family- 
is  a  handsome  residence  at  2857 
Kenmore  ave.,  Kdgewater. 

Mr.  Rose  i.s  a  member  of  the 
Martjuette  Club,  the  New  Illinois 
Athletic  Club,  the  Edgewater 
Country  Chicago  A.s.sociation  of 
Commerce,  and  is  a  32d  degree 
Mason. 


grated  to  America  in  May.  1891, 
and  located  in  Chicago.  Having 
pursued  the  building  trade  for 
about  two  years,  he  abandoned 
that  occupation  and  engaged  in  the 
real  estate,  fire  insurance  and  loan 
business,  with  office  at  159  La 
Salle  St.  He  is  a  director  of  Svea 
Building    and    Loan    Association. 

He  is  the  originator  of  and  is 
a  director  of  Washington  Park 
Hospital  and  vice-jsresident  of 
the  National  Mercantile  Co.  The 
Republican  party  has  in  him  a 
strong  adherent  and  active  worker. 

On  March  3.  1900,  Mr.  Swan- 
son  was  married  to  Hilda  S.  Peter- 
son, born  in  Elmeboda,   Smaland, 


FRANK  A.  SWANSON 
was  born  Feb.  7,  1866,  in  Alniiinds- 
ryd,   Smaland,  Sweden.      He   emi- 


I-KANK    A     S\VAN>'    \ 

Sweden.  They  have  a  daughter, 
list  her  Hildegard,  born  April  25, 
1903.  The  family  resides  at  7100 
Drexel  avenue,  and  belongs  to  the 
Ciustaf  Adolf  Swedish  Lutheran 
Ciiurch  of  whose  council  Mr.  Swan- 
son  is  a  member. 


Chicago 


1 29 


FRITZ  SCMUULTZ, 

jiropriutor  of  the  largest  house  in 
Chicago  for  the  inamifacture  of 
theatrical    costumes,    was    born    of 


FRITZ  SCHorLTZ 

Swedish-German  parentage  in  Co- 
penhagen Dec.  2,  1856.  At  the 
age  of  twentj'  he  came  to  the 
United  States.  After  obtaining  his 
schooHng  in  Stockholm,  where  he 
was  raised,  Mr.  Schonltz  worked 
at  the  typographer's  trade  in  various 
Swedish  printing  offices  in  this 
country,  including  those  of  Eng- 
berg  and  Hohnberg,  Scaiidia, 
in  Moline,  111.,  and  ^vetiska  Hdr- 
olden,  published  in  Salina,  Kansas, 
about  1880.  He  was  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  traveling  agent  for 
Swedish  newspapers,  such  as  Fol- 
kets  Rbst,  of  Omaha,  and  Sveiiska 
Trihinen  and  Sveiiska  Amerikana- 
ren  of  Chicago. 

After  marriage  he  engaged  in 
the  business  of  costumer,  his  wife 
being  the  proprietress  of  a  small 
shop,    furnishing     amateur     stage 


and  masquerade  costumes.  By 
combined  effort  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Schoultz  rapidl\-  increased  the 
business,  which  is  now  one  of  the 
leading  establishments  of  its  kind, 
capable  of  furnishing  the  costumes 
for  the  most  elaborate  productions 
put  on  the  stage.  Mr.  Schoultz 
has  invested  part  of  the  earnings 
of  the  atelier  in  a  palatial  apart- 
ment house  on  Sheridan  Road,  in 
a  fine  residence  district. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schoultz  both 
had  training  for  the  stage.  Mrs. 
Schoultz,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Emilia  Veth,  was  born  in  Mil- 
waukee of  German  parents.  She 
was  for  several  years  a  member 
of  the  German  Stock  Company  of 
actors  in  Chicago.  Mr.  Schoultz, 
while  living  in  Stockholm,  ob- 
tained dramatic  training  under 
Anders  Selinder,  the  well-known 
ballet-master  and  theatrical  man- 
ager. 

Two  daughters,  Emma  and  Isa- 
bella, were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Schoultz. 

Mr.  Schoultz  is  a  member  of 
the  Germania  Club,  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  the  Swedish  Glee  Club 
and  the  Svithiod  Singing  Club. 


HANS  E.  HAGGLUND 

was  born  in  Ambjornarp  parish, 
Elfsborg  Ian,  Sweden,  Sept.  i, 
1863.  His  parents,  Solomon  and 
Anna  C.  Petterson,  worked  a  farm 
in  Ambjornarp.  The  son  attend- 
ed public  school  at  home  and 
college  atOstersund.  Later  he  was 
employed  in  the  hardware  business 
for  several  years  in  that  city. 


I30 


Cook  County 


Since  1893  Mr.  Hagglund  has 
been  a  resident  of  Chicago,  his 
first  employment    being   that   of  a 


HANS   K.    H.\G(;i,rNIi 

blacksmith.  Next  he  Avorked  011 
a  farm.  In  1.S95  Mr.  Hagglund 
established  himself  in  the  grocery 
business  at  169  Elm  st.,  where  he 
has  a  brisk  trade.  He  is  also  im- 
porter of  all  kinds  of  the  well- 
known  I'^skilstuna  cutlery.  Mr. 
Hagglund  is  a  member  of  the 
Merchants'    Association. 


Ericson.  The  family  immigrated 
to  this  country  in  1863  and  both 
parents  died  in  Chicago  in  1876. 
Having  attended  common  school 
and  also  a  so-called  Rector's  school, 
young  Xel.son  went  to  sea  at  the 
age  of  fifteen.  Later  he  entered 
the  naval  academy  at  Karlshamn, 
pa.ssing  the  examination  for  cap- 
tain's mate  at  nineteen.  Again  go- 
ing to  sea,  he  advanced  to  able 
seaman,  serving  on  board  ship 
until  twenty-two  years  of  age, 
when  he  signed  papers  as  captain's 
mate  on  the  ship  Xorge,  Captain 
Hoist,  of  Laurvik.  After  sailing 
for  two  years,  during  which  time 
he  rounded  North  Cajie,  and  vis- 
ited the  ports  of  the  Mediterranean, 
the    Black    Sea,  the    West  Indies 


NELS  NELSON, 

manufacturer  of  white  vests  for  the 

wholesale    trade,    is    ojierating    a 

l)lant    at    5.S    Evanston    ave.,    cni- 

])l<)\ing    u])    to    180    workers    and 

turning    out     more    than     200,000 

garments     a    year.        Mr.      Nelson  si-.i.s  ni.i.su.n 

hails    from    the  Swedish    jirovince      and  Central  America,  he  landed  in 


of  Hlekingc,  where  he  was  born 
Oct.  9,  1844.  at  Pukavik  in  V.sane 
parish.  His  father  was  a  retired 
intikcei)cr,  named  Nels  Mattson. 
and  his  mother's  name  was  Ingrid 


New  York  in  iSd.s  with  a  view  to 
l)cconK-  an  American  resident,  l-'or 
about  two  years  snbsei|uently  he 
.sailed  as  ves.'^cl  master  on  tlietlreat 
Lakes,  wliereupon  he  embarked  in 


Chicago 


'3' 


the  business  of  niamifacturiiig  tai- 
lor  in  the  cit\- of  Chicago  in  1S69. 

Mr.  Nelson  was  married  in 
November,  1879,  to  Emma  Lyberg, 
born  in  Karlshamn,  Sweden,  Nov. 
5,  1844.  I"  '1^^  family  are  three 
living  children  out  of  a  total  num- 
ber of  nine.  These  are  Hilda 
Bernhardina,  born  in  1S76,  and 
married  in  1905,  to  Robert  Mc- 
Farren;  Victor  Emanuel,  born  in 
1874,  and  married  in  1898,  to 
Dorothy  Wood,  and  Alice  Eliz- 
abeth,  born   1887. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  reside  at 
2112  Central  St.,  Evanston.  They 
are  members  of  the  local  Swedish 
M.  E.  church,  where  Mr.  Nelson 
has  served  for  many  3'ears  in  var- 
ious capacities,  as  trustee,  deacon 
and  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
school. 


Frederic,  is  in  partner.ship  with 
his  father.  Mr.  Anderson  is  a 
strong   adherent    of   the  Lutheran 


CHARLES  A.  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  Agunnarj-d  parish, 
Smaland,  Sweden,  March  27,  1854. 
He  learned  the  tailor's  trade  in 
his  native  country.  In  1879  he 
emigrated  and  came  to  Chicago, 
where  he  has  since  resided  contin- 
ually with  the  exception  of  two 
years  spent  in  Springfield,  111.  In 
1886  he  established  a  merchant 
tailoring  business  which  he  has 
made  a  success.  He  has  two  stores: 
one  at  887  North  Clark  St.,  cor- 
ner of  Center  St.,  another  at  1806 
North  Clark  st.  The  business  is 
conducted  under  the  firm  name  of 
Charles  Anderson  &  Son.  In  1883 
Mr.  Anderson  was  married  to  Miss 
Anna  Peterson.  The}'  are  the  par- 
ents of  five  children,  of  whom 
three  sons    are    living.     One    .son. 


CH.\KLES  A.   ANUEKSO.N 

faith  and  has  been  a  trustee  for 
many  years  of  the  Trinity  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  at  Barry  and 
Seminar}'  avenues.  The  family 
reside  in  their  own  home  at  2682 
Evanston   ave. 


AUGUST  G.   ALMCRANTZ 

was  born  in  Sodra  Fogelas,  Skara- 
borg  Ian,  Sweden,  Aug.  21,  1864. 
His  parents  were  Anders  Gustaf 
and  Fredrika  Almcrantz.  August 
attended  school  for  several  years. 
In  1 89 1  he  emigrated  and  came 
to  Chicago.  After  a  few  years' 
experience  he  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  guitars,  mandolins  and 
other  musical  instruments,  at  6015 
S.  Halsted  st.  He  makes  a  variety 
of  high  grade  instruments,  among 
them  the  "Orchestra  Harp,"  his 
own  invention.  Other  inventions 
of   his  are  a    detachable  neck  and 


132 

a    detachable    hridj^e  for    guitars, 
allowing  the  entire  soundino:-board 


Cook  County 


AUr.lST  GEKHAKIi    ALMCRANTZ 

to  vibrate,  making  the  instrument 
more  resonant. 

Mr.  Almcrantz  is  married  to 
Cecilia  Amalia,  born  Nov.  20,  1S64, 
in  Vestra  Stenby  parish,  Ostergot- 
land.  Her  parents  were  Carl  Fred- 
rick and  Caroline  Amalia  Stendahl. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Almcrantz  have 
two  children,  Georgia  Dorothea, 
born  April  7,  1896,  and  Oscar 
Gerhard,  born  July  27,    1897. 


AXEL  E.  SWENSON 

was  born  at  Hjertum,  liohnslan, 
Sweden,  Sept.  6,  1.S65.  For  some 
years  he  attended  private  .school 
in  Goteborg.  In  1.SS2  he  emigrat- 
ed, settling  in  Chicago  and  em- 
barking in  business  as  building 
contractor  and  from  that  naturalh- 
drifted  into  the  real  estate  bus- 
iness. He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  firm  Swenson  and  Dahlquist, 
shoe  dealers  at  5 1  1    (>3rd  st. 


Nov.  20,  1893,  ^Ir.  Swenson  was 
married  to  Miss  Cliristina  Stewart, 
born  Nov.  17,  1872,  in  the  Ork- 
ney Islands,  her  father  l>eing 
Alexander  Nicholson,  a  Scotch- 
man. 

Their  children  are  Caroline 
I*!lizabeth,  Earl  Alexander  and 
Margaret. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Swenson  are  meni- 


AXIIl.    K.  SWESSON 


bers  of  the  North  Shore  Congrega- 
tional Church. 


ALFRED  E.   HOLMES 

was  boni  March  25,  1866,  in  Skof- 
de,  Sweden.  His  father  having 
died,  the  familv  emigrated  in  1S77 
with  Chicago  as  their  destination. 
The  next  year  they  moved  to  De 
Kail),  111.,  and  settled  on  a  farm. 
The  boy,  Alfred,  remained  tliere 
until  he  was  confirmed,  when  he 
decided  to  make  his  own  career. 
He  went  to  Chicago,  where  he 
served  an  apprenticeship  as  ma- 
chinist   and     engineer     with     the 


Chicago 


133 


American  Steam  niigine  Co.,  also 
taking  studies  in  evening  classes. 
In    1886,    at    the    age    of    twenty, 


ALFRED   E.   HOLMES 

Mr.  Holmes  became  chief  engineer 
for  the  clothing  house  of  Willougli- 
by,  Hill  &  Co.  After  two  years  he 
was  appointed  assistant  engineer  in 
the  Chicago  Fire  Department.  In 
February,  18S8,  Mr.  Holmes  re- 
signed in  order  to  become  chief 
engineer  of  the  Shufeldt  Distilling 
Co.,  retaining  this  post  until  the 
works  were  closed  by  the  trust  a 
year  later.  He  then  accepted  a 
position  as  chief  engineer  and  su- 
perintendent of  machinery  and 
buildings  for  the  Alexander  H. 
Revell  Co.,  and  has  been  employed 
in  this  capacit}-  for  the  past  sixteen 
3'ears.  He  has  also  acted  as  con- 
sulting engineer  for  some  of  the 
large  office  buildings  in  Chicago. 
During  the  year  1904-1905  Mr. 
Holmes  was  secretarj-  of  the  Swed- 
ish-American Republican  League 
of   Illinois,  and   1904-06    secretary 


of  the  Chicago  Society  Xo.  i  of 
the  National  Association  of  Sta- 
tionary- I'lngineers.  He  is  Past 
Worshipful  Master  of  King  Oscar 
Lodge  A.  F.  and  A.  M..  member 
of  Medinah  Temple,  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  and  in  1906  was  elected  a 
life  member  of  the  Oriental  Con- 
sistory, 32d  degree,  S.  P.  R.  S. 

Mr.  Holmes  was  married  Feb. 
I,  1890,  to  Minnie  G.  Nelson  of 
Chicago,  who  was  born  Nov.  22, 
1865.  They  have  two  children, 
Florence  G.  and  Walter  H.  They 
live  at  1072  E.  Carmen  ave.  and 
belong  to  the  Ebenezer  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church. 


JOHAN  A.  HESSELBOM, 

watchmaker  and  jeweler,  was  born 
April  7,  1864,  in  Animskog  parish. 


JOH.^N   ALFRED    HESSELBO.M 

Dalsland,  Sweden.  His  parents 
were  Erik  Magnus  and  Johanna 
Christina  Hesselbom.  After  study- 
ing three  years  in  the  Amal  high 
school  he  began,  in   1879,  to  learn 


134 


Cook  County 


the  watchmaker's  trade  at  Karl- 
stad. In  September,  1885,  he  ob- 
tained a  diploma  as  master  watch- 
maker, and  at  the  same  time 
received  the  highest  award,  a  sil- 
ver medal,  from  the  Upsala 
Trades  Society  for  constructing 
a  complete  clock.  After  having 
worked  as  foreman  with  a  jewelry 
firm  in  Stockholm  he  emigrated 
in  1886  to  America,  with  Chicago 
as  his  objective  point.  Here  he 
at  once  found  employment  with 
one  of  the  large  jevvelrj-  houses. 
He  has  worked  at  the  Peacock, 
the  Spaulding  and  Giles  Bros,  es- 
tablishments. In  1892  he  became 
foreman  at  the  latter  house.  Mr. 
Hesselbom  bought  the  jewelry 
store  at  103  Garfield  boulevard  in 
1895  and  has  since  carried  on  a 
successful  business  there.  He  is 
watch  inspector  for  the  Pennsyl- 
vania and  the  L."S.  &  M.  S.  rail- 
way companies.  Mr.  He.s.selbom 
still  has  in  his  possession  the  clock 
which  secured  for  him  the  silver 
medal  mentioned.  Another  clock 
built  b}^  him  is  a  three-wheel  elec- 
tric clock  showing  hours,  minutes 
and  seconds.  It  may  be  placed 
any  distance  from  the  regulator 
clock.  Another  fine  instrument 
of  Mr.  Hesselbom' s  invention  is 
a  guage  which  measures  to  the 
hundredth  part  of  a  millimeter 
and  which  will  show  i)lainly  the 
difference  in  thickness  of  the  mid- 
dle and  the  end  of  a  hair. 

Mr.  Hesselbom  was  married  Jan. 
1,  1H.S7,  to  Ivinnia  C.  Hagelin, 
who  was  burn  A])ril  7,  1862,  in 
Sillingebyn,  X'crmland,  Sweden.  .A 
son,   Albert    John,   was    born  Jiil>' 


7,  1887,  and  a  daughter,  Emmy 
Alice  Christina,  on  Feb.  14.  1S96. 
Albert  is  his  father's  assistant. 
The  mother  died  Jan.  29,  1901. 
Mr.  Hesselbom  was  re-married  in 
July,  1903,  being  united  to  Miss 
Elizabeth  Larson. 

The  famih-  belongs  to  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church. 

Mr.  Hesselbom  is  a  memlier  of 
King  Oscar  Lodge  of  the  Ma.>onic 
order,  John  Ericsson  Lodge  of  Odd 
Fellows,  the  North  American  Un- 
ion and  the  Royal  League. 


JOHN  WILLIAM  OLSON 

was  born  Feb.   10,  1867,  in  Visby, 
Sweden.     At  the  age  of  two  years. 


JOHN    WILLIAM    OLSON 

he  was  brought  by  his  parents  to 
America.  His  early  education  was 
acquired  in  the  public  schools  of 
Porter,  Ind.,  and  Chicago.  Sub- 
.sequently  he  pursued  studies  in 
vocal  music  under  private  teach- 
ers, and  in  other  subjects  at  a 
school    of   lechnology.      Mr.  Olson 


Chicago 


135 


is  a  cut  stoiif-  contractor  and  has 
been  in  business  some  ten  years, 
succeeding  his  father,  who  was 
engaged  in  the  business  for  about 
eighteen  years.  The  business  was 
begun  on  a  small  scale  with  a  few 
men,  but  has  since  attained  pro- 
portions indicative  of  prosperity. 
The  stone  >ards  are  at  3343  La 
Salle  St. 

Mr.  Olson,  who  possesses  a  fine 
voice,  was  for  manj-  years  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  male  chorus 
of  the  Swedish  Glee  Club.  He 
has  held  the  office  of  president  in 
Armour  Council,  National  Union, 
for  four  years. 

Mr.  Olson  belongs  to  the  Beth- 
lehem Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
in  Englewood. 

Jan.  4,  1 90 1,  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Mabel  Bennett  of  New  York. 
They  have  one  child,  Kathryn 
Maxine. 


and  trustee  of  the  Swedish  M.  E. 
Church,  and  a  member  and  an 
officer  of  several    fraternal  lodges, 


JOHN   BERG 

was  born  April  27,  1842,  on  a 
farm  near  the  cit}-  of  Kristianstad, 
Sweden.  After  obtaining  an  ele- 
mentary education  in  the  public 
school,  he  learned  the  carpenter's 
and  cabinetmaker's  trade.  Having 
taken  a  course  in  a  business  col- 
lege, he  emigrated  to  the  United 
States.  Since  1869  he  has  resided 
in  Chicago,  being  engaged  in  man- 
ufacturing. He  is  the  senior  mem- 
ber of  the  firm  of  John  Berg  & 
Bro.  The  firm  manufactures  step, 
extension  and  common  ladders, 
and  house  furnishing  woodenware. 
The  factory  is  situated  at  W'ent- 
worth  ave.,  50th  st.  and  Fifth  ave. 
Mr.   Berg    has    been    a    member 


JOHN   BERG 


also  a  member  of  the  Englewood 
Men's  Club.  Mr.  Berg  is  president 
of  the  Parkside  Loan  and  Savings 
Association. 


RAGXA   LINNE 

was  born  in  Christiania,  Norwaj*, 
of  Swedish-Norwegian  parentage. 
On  her  father's  side  she  is  a  de- 
scendant of  Carl  von  Linne,  the 
renowned  Swedish  botanist.  Even 
at  a  tender  age  she  manifested  an 
exquisite  vocal  talent.  At  the  early 
age  of  twelve  years  she  served  as 
vocalist  in  the  Catholic  cathedral 
of  her  native  city.  Later  on  she 
won  fame  by  her  singing  in  all 
the  principal  cities  of  Europe. 

Coming  to  the  I'nited  States  in 
1 885,  she  located  in  New  York. 
Pursuing  her  career  as  a  singer, 
she  appeared  in  concert  in  various 
parts  of  the  country,  and  as  church 


•36 


Cook  County 


soloist.  Her  greatest  triumphs, 
however,  she  won  as  a  memlier  of 
the    MetropoHtan    EiiRhsh    Grand 


^^^^^^Kr 

i 

^m9  ^  & 

'^^^^H 

^H£  cf/ 

1 

/  J 

w/^ ,  yii^^ 

H 

KAONA    LINNi: 

Opera  Company  and  the  Castle 
Square  Opera  Company.  After 
her  removal  to  Chicago,  Mme. 
Linne  has  been  very  active  in 
the  musical  circles  of  the  city,  as 
teacher,  concert  sinsjer  and  soloist 
on  numerous  public  occasions. 
She  has  been  engaged  as  soprano 
soloist  at  the  Second  Presbyterian 
Church,  the  Sinai  Temi)le,  and 
the  South  Congregational  Church, 
all  in  Chicago.  Mine.  Linne  is 
also  much  sought  after  as  a  singer 
at  Swedish  festivals. 

For  a  number  of  years  back 
she  has  been  a  member  of  the  fac- 
ulty of  the  American  Conservato- 
ry- of  Music.  On  her  tours  of  the 
states  as  a  nieml)er  of  various 
concert  and  opera  companies,  Mine. 
Linne  has  sur.g  in  the  principal 
cities  of  every  slate  in  the  Union. 


JOHN  MELAXGTON 

was  born  Feb.  S.  1872.  in  Brun- 
skog  parish.  Vermland  province, 
Sweden.  He  attended  the  com- 
mon school  until  his  twelfth  year, 
when  he  went  to  work  as  a  tai- 
lor's helper.  He  came  to  Chicago 
in  September,  1S92.  For  a  while 
he  attended  Xorlh  Park  College, 
but  soon  returned  to  his  trade, 
meanwhile  taking  lessons  in  grad- 
ing and  designing  in  a  school 
for  tailors.  By  1S97  he  had  at- 
tained such  skill  as  to  warrant 
him  in  accepting  a  jxisition  as 
designer  with  the  Kdward  Ely 
Co.,  tailors.  Since  1902  Mr.  Me- 
langtou  has  been  a  member  of 
this  firm,   the  oldest  of  its  kind  in 


JillIN    .Mi;i.ANf.Tii.\ 

Chicago,   and  wellkiiowii  ihrougii- 
(Hit   the  country. 

Mr.  Mcl.mgton  was  marrie<l  in 
1S97  to  Miss  Christina  Rollen 
from  his  native  plact-.  He  ln-longs 
lo  the  Swedish  Mission  Clnnch  and 
is  rt  deacon  in  the  congregation  of 


Chicago 


137 


which  he  is  a  iiK-inhcr.  He  has 
been  presidfiU  of  tlic  Voim^' 
People's  Society  ami  of  the  church 
clioir. 

CARL  OSCAR  LUNDIN 

was  born  Oct.  11,  1S47,  in  Stock- 
holm,  Sweden.      In    186S   he    enii- 


C.^RL  OSCAR  LUNDIN 

grated  to  America  and  made 
Chicago  his   home. 

Mr.  Lundin  is  the  son  of  a 
harbor  master,  Johan  Lundin. 
He  learned  his  trade  as  painter 
in  his  native  city:  in  this  country 
he  worked  for  the  Illinois  Central 
R.  R.  Co.  for  many  years.  A 
desire  for  independence  led  him 
to  begin  business  for  himself  in 
18S3  and  at  pre.sent  he  deals  in 
stationery,  books  and  music. 

At  twentj-eight  years  of  age 
Mr.  Lundin  was  married  to  Ida 
Maria  Anderson,  who  was  born  in 
Stockholm,  1S55,  who  came  to 
Chicago  with  her  parents  in    1868. 


Four  children  were  born  to  tliem 
but  all  are  now  dead. 

Mr.  Lundin  is  an  Odd  Fellow 
and  a  Forester,  and  has  held  the 
office  of  financial  secretarj'  and 
treasurer  in  the  Balder  Lodge. 

EDWARD  JOHNSON 

was  born  in  Sweden,  June  30, 
1864,  at  Persgiirde,  near  Karls- 
hamn.  From  1885  on  he  has  been 
a  resident  of  Chicago,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  baker's  trade. 
For  many  years  he  was  employed 
by  the  National  Biscuit  Co.,  hav- 
ing charge  of  various  departments. 
When  the  bakers'  strike  began  in 
1903,  he  opened  a  bakery  at  3607 
N.  Clark  St.  His  business  here 
has  been  steadily  increasing  in 
volume. 

Mr.  Johnson  received  a  good 
education  in  the  old  countrj',  at- 
tendiua:   the    colleoiate    school     at 


EDW.\RD  JOHNSON 

Kristineberg.     He  is  a  capable  and 
interested  worker  in  Bethany  Swed- 


138 


Cook   County 


ish  M.  E.  Church,  he  has  been 
president  of  the  Epworth  League  > 
secretary  of  the  Mission  Soci' 
ety  and  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  School  liome  department. 
He  has  also  developed  some  activity 
in  politics,  serving  five  years  as 
secretarj^  of  his  precinct  Repub- 
lican Club  in  the  26th  ward  and 
clerking  for  a  time  in  the  county 
treasurer's  office  during  Sam  B. 
Raymond's    incumbency. 

Mr.  Johnson  and  Miss  Nellie 
Christina  Nelson  were  married 
April  24,  1901.  Of  three  sons 
born  to  them,  two,  Edward  Stan- 
ley and  Garfield,  survive.  Mrs. 
Johnson  is  the  daughter  of  Charles 
J.  and  Hannah  Nelson  of  Cliicago. 

AXEL  JONAS  WALTER 
AF  JOCHNICK 

was  born  Oct.  25,    1859,  in   Karl- 
berg    Castle,   Sweden.      He    was  a 


AXi:i,  JO.SAS   WAI.TIIK    ,\l    JdCllMCK 

nienib.-r  of  a  noble   family  of  Ger- 
man orij^iii,   the   ancestors    having 


immigrated    to  Sweden  about   150 
years  ago. 

At  fifteen  years  of  age  he  en- 
listed as  a  volunteer  in  the  Svea 
Artillery.  Two  years  later  he 
graduated  and  at  eighteen  became 
a  sub-officer,  the  youngest  in  the 
Swedish  army.  Resigning  in  1S80, 
he  went  to  London  to  become  in- 
struclor  in  the  Kellbcrg  Gymnast- 
ical  Institute.  After  two  years 
he  went  to  Berlin  and  there  estab- 
lished a  similar  institute,  patron- 
ized, among  others,  by  Prince 
Bismarck. 

The  New  World,  with  its  greater 
po.ssibilities,  next  attracted  the 
young  and  energetic  man.  Going 
to  Chile,  he  served  for  a  few  years 
as  instructor  in  gymnastics  and 
fencing  in  the  government  militarj' 
school,  with  a  salarj- of  Sio,oooa 
year.  From  Chile  he  went  to 
Uruguay  and,  after  staying  there 
for  a  short  interval,  located  in 
Buenos  Ayres.  For  five  years  he 
was  instructor  in  gymnastics,  an- 
atomy and  massage  in  that  city, 
gaining  great  popularity  among 
the  native  aristocracy  as  well  as 
in  the  little  Swedish  colony  there. 
Jochnick  is  said  to  have  been  con- 
versant with  no  less  than  thirteen 
languages,  besides  having  a  fine 
knowledge  of  the  .sciences  and  of 
music.  When  war  suddenly  broke 
out  in  1890,  Jochnick  enlisted  and 
fought  with  heroi.sm  under  his 
adopteil  country's  flag.  The  cause 
hein^  lost  and  the  army  van- 
quisheil,  he  fled  to  Brazil  with  his 
wife,  Selma  Jochnick,  to  whom 
he  was  married  in  the  Argentine 
Republic.      For  a  time    he  was  in 


Chicago 


139 


the  employ  of  the  Krazilian  gov- 
ernment. 

The  CoUinihian  Exposition  at- 
tracted the  couple  to  Chicago  in 
1893.  Here  they  established  an 
institute  of  gymnastics  and  mass- 
age, Mrs.  Jochnick  having  also 
taken  a  thorough  course  in  these 
sciences  in  Sweden. 

When  the  Spanish-American 
War  broke  out,  Jochnick  was  one 
of  the  first  to  offer  his  services  to 
the  government.  He,  together  with 
other  Swedish  ex-ofRcers,  worked 
zealously  to  form  a  regiment  of 
Swedish-Americans  in  Chicago. 
This  was  done,  and  Jochnick  was 
appointed  major,  but  before  the 
regiment  was  ordered  out  for  active 
service,  the  war  closed. 

In  the  early  part  of  1903  Mr. 
Jochnick's  robust  health  was  un- 
dermined by  consumption  and  on 
March  27  of  that  year  death  put 
an  end  to  his  honorable  and  highlj' 
varied  career. 

Mrs.  Jochnick  continues  the 
massage  and  gymnastical  estab- 
lishment instituted  by  her  husband 
at  937  Edgewater  place. 


he  came  to  Chicago,  locating  here 
permanently. 

Mr.   Larson  is    the    inventor    of 
a    method    for    the    extension    or 


MARTIN  LARSON, 

orthopedic  shoe  manufacturer,  was 
boni  April  8,  1867,  at  Lofvestad, 
Sweden,  where  his  father,  Lars 
Akeson,  was  a  farmer.  His  mother, 
Elgena  Nelson,  died  in  1874  and 
his  father  twenty  years  later.  He 
came  to  this  country  in  1S87, 
equipped  with  what  education  he 
had  acquired  in  the  common  school. 
After  stopping  from  May  to  No- 
vember of  that  vear  in  St.    Paul, 


MARTIN   LARSON 

correction  of  short  or  deformed 
nether  limbs  which  conceals  the 
defects  by  matching  the  limbs 
successfully  with  their  perfect 
mates,  an  improvement  on  the 
old  method  of  bulkj-  cork  soles, 
metal  extensions,  etc.  His  ortho- 
pedic shoe  business  also  includes 
the  making  of  custom  shoes  to 
fit  slighter  pedal  inequalities  com- 
mon to  many  persons  other  than 
cripples.  The  shop  is  at  54 
Fifth  ave. 

Mr.  Larson  was  married  March 
3,  1898,  to  Ellen  Lind,  daughter 
of  Sune  J.  Lind.  Thej-  have  two 
sons,  Karl  Oscar,  born  Jan.  15, 
1904,  and  Ernest  Hjalmar,  born 
Nov.   29,    1906. 

In  1901  Mr.  Larson  was  elected 
deacon  of  the  St.  Paul  Lutheran 
Church,  of  which  he  is  a  respected 
member. 


140 


Cook  County 


ERNST  HUGO  BEHMER. 

actor  and  organizer  of  the  Swed- 
ish Tlieatrical  Company  of  Chi- 
cago,  was  born  in    the    parish    of 


ERNST  HUGO  BEHMER 

Grodinge,  in  Sodermanland,  Swe- 
den, Jnne  30,  1872,  the  son  of 
Erik  Behmer,  a  mercliant,and  his 
wife  Einilie  Julia,  nee  Hane,  both 
deceased.  His  parents  taking  up 
their  residence  in  Stockhohn  in 
1.S75,  he  was  reared  and  educated 
there,  attending  the  Osterinahn 
I{lenientary  School  and  the  North 
I.atin  School  in  Stockholm  and 
being  graduated  from  the  latter 
in  1.S.S9.  Two  years  later  he  emi- 
grated, coming  direcll\  to  Chicago. 
In  November,  1.S93,  he  secured 
eni])loymcnt  as  shipping  clerk  with 
the  house  of  Selz,  Schwab  and 
Co.,  boot  and  shoe  manufacturers, 
remaining  with  them  for  eight 
years.  Since  then  he  has  been 
with  the  American  Radiator  Co. 
and  is  now  ])urchasing  agent  of 
th.it    house.     Sept.     uj,     1S96,    he 


was  married  to  Miss  Fredriqiie 
Wilhelmine  Lindstriim.  Their  chil- 
dren are,  Lisa  Hildegard,  born 
Nov.  24,  1897,  and  Erik  Hugo, 
born  Oct.  23,  1900.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Behmer  made  a  trip  to  Swe- 
den in  1897,  visiting  the  Stock- 
holm Exposition. 

Being  pwssessed  of  dramatic  tal- 
ent, Mr.  Behmer  began  to  appeal 
as  a  public  entertainer  and  in  1893 
became  activeh-  attached  to  the 
local  Swedish-American  stage.  In 
1S99,  he  and  Mr.  Clir.  Brusell 
entered  into  partnership  and  or- 
ganized the  Swedish  Theatrical 
Company.  During  subsequent  years 
a  large  number  of  Swedish  plays 
have  been  given  in  Chicago  thea- 
tres and  halls,  principally  the 
North  Side  Turner  Hall,  the  Stude- 
baker  Theatre  the  Grand  Opera 
House  and  the  Garrick  Theatre. 
Besides  playing  the  old  jwpular 
Swedish  dramas,  this  company  has 
given  many  plays  new  to  Swedish 
audiences  in  this  city,  including, 
"Per  Olsson  och  hans  kjiring,"  by 
Gustaf  af  Geijerstani;  "Snialands- 
knekten,"  by  .\ugnst  Bondeson; 
"Sven  och  lilen  Anna,"  by  Her- 
man Martinson;  "Oregrund-O.st- 
hammar;"  "I.jungby  Horn"  and 
others.  Mr.  Behmer  has  partly 
rewritten  ".\nna  Stinas  illusioner," 
adajjting  it  to  local  conditions  and 
naming  it  ".\nna  Stina  i  Chicago." 
He  has  also  written  a  number  of 
topical,  hnniori)us  and  sentimental 
songs  with  wliich  the  pla\s  have 
been  interpolateil.  Several  of  these 
have  apjK'ared  in  the  Swedish  liK-al 
press.  Oinitling  minor  ])arts,  the 
following  are    .some    of    the    chief 


Chicago 


141 


characters  enacted  by  Mr.  Behnier: 
Anders  in  "\'ernilandingarne," 
Lasse,  in  "Nerkingarne;"  Jeppe, 
in  "Jeppe  pa  berget;"  Botvid 
the  Friar,  in  "Brollopet  pa  Ulfasa:" 
Petterson,  in  "Anderson,  Petter- 
son  och  Lundstrom;"  Squire  Dahl, 
in  "Jenibjiraren;"  Ringdahl,  in 
' 'Oregrund-Osthamniar;"  Brother 
Jonathan,  in  "Bror  Jonathan,  eller 
Oxhandlaren  fran  Smaland;"  Olof, 
in  "Ljnngby  horn;"  Olle,  in 
"Per  Olsson  och  hans  karing:" 
Father  Hieronj-nius,  in  "Regina 
von  Emnieritz;"  Professor  Khnt, 
in  "Svarfar;"  Petruchio,  in  "Tam- 
ing of  the  Shrew;"  Brander,  in 
"Farbror  Knut  fran  Norrkoping" 
and  Lieutenant  Ferdinand  von 
Henning,  in  "Master  Smith;"  the 
title  part  in  "Charles  XII.,"  and 
Torwald  Helmer  in  Ibsen's  "A 
Doll's  House." 

In  1904  Mr.  Behnier  separated 
from  Brusell  and  organized  the 
Swedish  Dramatic  Co.,  of  which  he 
is  director  and  stage  manager. 


ical  Seminar},-  in  Philadel])hia 
from  1900  to  1902.  The  next 
year  he  completed  his    theological 


OSCAR  NELS  OLSON, 

Lutheran  minister,  was  born  Jan. 
28,  1876,  in  Qvidinge  parish, 
Skane,  Sweden.  His  father,  Ola 
Anderson,  who  was  a  farmer,  died 
in  1885.  His  mother,  Johanna 
Nilsson,  died  in  1887.  The  son 
emigrated  to  America  in  May, 
1890.  From  1893  until  1896  he 
attended  Upsala  College,  in  New 
Jersey.  He  was  a  student  for  the 
next  two  years  at  Augustana 
College,  graduating  with  the  de- 
gree of  A.  B.  After  spending  a 
year  at  Yale  University,  he  pur- 
sued studies  at  Mt.  Airy  Theolog- 


OSCAR  NELS  OLSON 

studies  at  Augustana  Theological 
Seminary  at  Rock  Island,  receiv- 
ing the  degree  of  B.  D.  Mr. 
Olson  was  ordained  minister  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
June  14,  1903,  in  Paxton,  111.  He 
is  now  in  pastoral  charge  of  St. 
Paul  Church,  iii  Moreland,  and  of 
Lebanon  Lutheran  Church  in  Ber- 
wyn. 

June  6,  1906,  the  Rev.  Mr. 
Olson  was  married  to  Miss  Ida 
Wilhelmina  Peterson  of  Fort  Dodge, 
Iowa,  born  Dec.  8,  1878,  daugh- 
ter of  C.  O.  and  Mathilda  Peterson. 


OSCAR  DELL  OLSON, 

attorney  and  counselor  at  law,  is 
a  younger  brother  of  Edwin  A. 
Olson,  the  well-known  attorney, 
and  a.ssociated  with  him  in  the 
practice  of  the  profession. 

Oscar    D.    Olson    was    born    at 


142 


Cook  County 


Cambridge,  111.,  June  17,  1875, 
his  father,  Charles  Olson,  living 
there  as  a  retired  farmer.     Having 


OSCAR    IlKLL   OLSON 

finished  the  high  school  in  Cam- 
bridge, he  pursued  .scientific  studies 
at  Valparaiso,  Ind.,  and  subse- 
quently entered  the  Chicago  Law 
School,  completing  the  course  lead- 
ing to  the  degree  of  LL.  B.  in 
1897,  ""cl  tliat  of  LL.  M.  the 
following  year.  He  was  admitted 
to  the  bar  by  the  Supreme  Court 
on  examination  in  1898,  at  Spring- 
field, having  since  devoted  himself 
to  legal  practice.  In  the  fall  of 
1906  he  was  appointed  assistant 
state's  attorney. 

He  takes  an  active  interest  in 
politics  and  is  an  enthusiastic 
fraternity  man,  as  witne.ss  the  fact 
that  he  was  elected  secretary  of 
the  Swedi.sh-American  Republican 
League  of  Illinois  for  the  year  of 
1902-03,  and  that  he  is  a  life 
member  of  the  32d  degree  Masons, 
past     n;asler     of     the     Houlcvard 


Lodge  Xo.  8S2,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
and  now  president  of  the  Illinois 
Odd  Fellows  League,  consisting  of 
delegates  from  all  the  Odd  Fellows 
lodges  in   the  state. 

Mr.  Olson  was  married  Feb. 
3,  1906,  to  Miss  Hildred  Trozelle 
of  Windom,  Minn.,  born  May 
10,    1885. 


ADOLF  F.  BERGBOM, 

member  of  the  manufacturing  Srra 
of  Bergbom  and  Roberg,  hails 
from  the  parish  of  Dref,  Smaland, 
where  he  was  born  at  the  Box- 
holm  Iron  Mill  Nov.  10,  1847. 
His  schooling  began  at  the  age  of 
six,  in  the  home  of  his  grandfather, 
with  his  aunt  as  teacher  and  her 
spinningwheel  as  his  only    scliool- 


AlHIl.l"    I"     llliKl'.ltOM 

mate.  He  remained  under  her 
tutorship  for  a  year.  For  four 
months  each  \ear  thereafter  for 
six  years  he  had  tuition  in  the  pa- 
rish school.  At  thirteen  he  became 
his  father's  helper   in   the  .\safors 


Chicago 


'43 


mill,  Stengardshult  parish.  At 
sixteen  he  went  to  work  under  a  five 
year  contract  as  gunsmith's  appren- 
tice in  the  Husiivarna  Arms  Fac- 
tory. As  soon  as  the  contract 
expired  he  emigrated,  leaving  from 
the  city  of  Jonkoping  March  24, 
1869,  and  landing  in  Boston  one 
month  later.  Coming  on  to  Chi- 
cago, he  first  got  work  in  a  stove 
factor}'  as  model  finisher  and  after- 
ward worked  in  machine  shops. 
Bergbom  was  appointed  foreman  in 
the  tool  and  milling  department 
of  a  sewing  machine  factory  in 
the  spring  of  18S0  and  held  that 
position  for  six  years,  leaving  in 
1 886  to  open  a  machine  shop 
in  partnership  with  C.  F.  Roberg. 
This  firm  has  continued  in  bus- 
iness ever  since,  with  shops  for- 
merly at  26-28-30  Michigan  St., 
now  at  30  West  Randolph  st. 

In  1874  Mr.  Bergbom  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Hilda  John- 
son, born  in  Virserum,  Smaland. 
Six  sons  and  three  daughters  have 
been  born  to  them,  four  of  whom, 
three  boj's  and  one  girl,  have  been 
claimed  by  death. 

Politically  Mr.  Bergbom  is  a 
Republican  and  has  voted  the  partj' 
ticket  with  few  exceptions.  Since 
his  coming  to  America  he  has 
affiliated  with  the  Mission  church 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Maple- 
wood  congregation.  He  has  served 
as  organist  and  choir  leader  for 
over  twenty-five  years  and  as 
trustee  and  treasurer  for  more 
than  fourteen  3-ears. 


VICTOR  G.  ROCINE 

was  born  Sept.  6,  1856.  His 
father  was  of  French  origin  and 
adopted    the    name    of  Lundquist. 


VICTOR  G.    ROCIXB 

His  mother  came  from  Norway. 
Twenty-six  years  ago  he  emigra- 
ted from  Sweden  to  the  United 
States. 

He  has  fitted  himself  for  his 
profession  in  .six  schools  from  all 
of  which  he  has  graduated.  The 
last  six  5-ears  he  has  lived  in  Ill- 
inois. Dr.  Rocine  is  president  of 
the  Human  Science  School  at  130 
Dearborn  St.,  where  he  publishes 
"Human  Cultitn\  a  monthly  journal 
devoted  to  character  reading, 
human  science  and  self  develop- 
ment." He  devotes  much  time  to 
lecturing,  organizing  societies  for 
the  study  of  his  specialty.  He  is 
the  author  of  two  professional 
works;  "Mind  Training"  and  "Diet 
Guide". 

Dr.  Rocine  is  married  and  has 
a  son. 


144 


Cook  County 


OSCAR  F.  ENGWALL 

was  born  on  the  island  of  Visingso. 

Sweden,  July  20,    1S50.     His   an- 
cestors for  several  generations  back 


OSCAR    1".    UNCWAI.l, 

were  foresters  or  held  other  posi- 
tions in  the  service  of  the  Crown. 
They  esjjecially  distinguished  tlieni- 
selves  in  furthering  the  cultivation 
of  the  magnificent  old  oak  forests. 
His  parents  had  expected  their  .son 
to  follow  the  traditional  occujja- 
tion  and  possibly  rise  to  the  posi- 
tion of  royal  master-forester.  He 
studied  for  some  years  with  this 
purpose  in  view  but  a  severe  ill- 
ness compelled  him  to  abandon  the 
course,  later  engaging  in  the 
watchmaker's  trade.  After  having 
fully  mastered  his  trade  he  left 
Sweden  in  the  year  iS;3  with 
America  as  his  destination.  For 
more  than  thirty  years  he  has  been 
employed  by  C.  D.  Peacock,  the 
leading  jeweler  of  the  West.  In 
Chicago  the  Swedish  watchmakers. 


like  the  Swedish  tailors,  are  con- 
sidered the  most  skillful  in  the 
trade.  C.  D.  Peacock  therefore 
employs  22  of  them  in  the  watch 
department  with  Mr.  Engwall  at 
the  head. 

This  befitting  recogniton  of  his 
skill  Mr.  Engwall  has  gained  by 
keeping  abreast  of  the  times  in  all 
the  details  of  his  trade.  People 
who  have  met  in  a  business  way 
consider  him  one  of  the  most  skill- 
ful watchmakers  in  this  country. 
The  fact  that  the  United  States 
Patent  Office  has  recently  is.suetl 
letters  of  patent  for  an  automatic 
watch  regulator  invented  liy  him 
bears  ample  proof  of  his  extraor- 
dinary ingenuity.  A  leading  watch 
manufacturing  company  of  the 
West  is  negotiating  for  the  pur- 
chase of  this  invention.  E.xperts 
say  it  will  revolutionize  the  watch 
industry.  Mr.  Engwall  is  also  the 
holder  of  another  patent  issued 
.several  years  ago  for  an  ingenious 
opera  glass  handle  which  is  now 
in  general  use  in  England,  France 
Germany  and  Austria. 

Mr.  Engwall  was  married  in 
1875  to  Miss  Margaret  Carlson, 
from  Ostergotland.  Sweden.  They 
are  the  parents  of  seven  children, 
of  whom  three  daughters  are  living. 
Mr.  Engwall  is  trustee  of  Garfield 
Park  M.  E.  Church  and  resides 
at  936  Walnut   st. 

ICI.VIRA    M.    WENNERSKOLP 

was  born  in  Chicago  Sept.  22. 
1.S74.  Her  parents.  Charles  A. 
and  Augusta  M.  Wennerskold,  were 
lH)rn  in  Ostergotland,  Sweden, 
where  her    father    was    a    school- 


Chicago 


145 


master  before  he  einif^rated  ill  I S70.      scholarship    and    was   engaged    by 
He    pursued    further     studies     in      the  college  as  a  i)iano    instructor. 


Galeslnir"    and    at    Princeton,    111. 


i 


I 
I 


i:i,VlKA    M.   WENNERSKOLli 

and  then  traveled  as  an  evangelist 
founding  several  Swedish  Mission 
congregations.  He  retired  from 
the  ministry  in  1876  on  account 
of  ill  health,  and  died  in  igoo. 
Her  mother,  Augusta  M.,  has  a 
millinery  and  dressmakingestablish- 
ment  in  Englewood. 

Miss  Wennerskold  gave  early 
evidence  of  musical  talent.  At  the 
age  of  nine  she  took  piano  lessons 
from  ^li.ss  Bancroft.  After  grad- 
uating from  the  Parknian  School, 
she  studied  at  the  Chicago  Piano 
College  under  Charles  Watt.  She 
stib.sequently  finished  her  piano 
studies  at  the  Chicago  National 
College  of  Music  under  the  tuition 
of  W.  Waugh  Lauder,  at  the  same 
time  studying  theory,  harmony  and 
composition  with  the  general  direc- 
tor of  the  college.  She  received, 
in   1897,  'I  gold  medal  for  the  best 


Since  leaving  this  position  Miss 
Wennerskold  has  continued  her 
studies  in  harmony  under  the 
direction  of  Louis  Camj)bell-Ti])ton 
of  the  Chicago   Musical  College. 

Her  studio  is  at  5509  Fifth  ave., 
where  .she  gives  class  and  private 
instruction  in  harmoin'  and  piano. 


FRANK  A.  LUNDQUIST 

was  born  June  24,  1868,  in  Galva, 
Illinois.  His  parents  were  early 
settlers  in  that  region,  having  emi- 
grated from  Sweden  in  their  \-outh. 
When  he  was  two  3'ears  old  the 
family  removed  to  Lindsborg, 
Kansas,  where  his  father,  N.  P. 
Lundquist,    still   li\-es. 


FK.'iNK   A.    LUNUyLIST 

Frank  was  one  of  the  first 
students  at  Bethany  College  in 
Lindsborg.  He  graduated  from 
the  commercial  department  in  1891. 
After  spending  a  year  in  California 
he  went  to    Chicago    and    worked 


146 


Cook  County 


for  the  Bell  Telephone  Co.  There 
he  became  impressed  with  the  idea 
that  an  automatic  telephone  would 
be  a  commercial  possibility.  The 
next  year  he  returned  to  Lindsborg 
and  communicated  his  ideas  to  his 
old  friends,  John  Erickson  and 
Charles  J.  Erickson.  They  togeth- 
er worked  out  several  automatic 
telephone  instruments  which  were 
patented.  These  patents  are  now 
owned  by  the  Strowger  Automatic 
Telephone  Exchange  and  by  them 
are  leased  and  distributed  to  va- 
rious manufacturing  companies. 
Their  telephones  were  first  installed 
at  La  Porte,  Ind.,  and  later  in 
other  places. 

In  the  spring  of  1S97  Mr.  Lund- 
quist  perfected  another  automatic 
telephone  sj-stem,  the  first  ex- 
change of  which  was  installed  in 
Stirling,  Kansas.  The  National 
Automatic  Telephone  Co.  was 
formed  and  several  hundred  ex- 
changes in  all  parts  of  the  United 
States  operate  under  this  new  sys- 
tem. The  company  was  reorgan- 
ized in  1902,  as  the  Globe  Auto- 
matic Telephone  Company  of  Chi- 
cago. Mr.  Lundquist  was  manager 
and  electrical  engineer.  He  lias 
now  resigned  tlie  managership  and 
devotes  all  his  efforts  to  the  tech- 
nical side  of  the  business.  He 
he  has  applied  for  and  .secured 
about  thirty  patents  upon  this 
new  system.  Many  of  the  patents 
have  proved  to  be  fundamental  and 
to  co\er  the  system  known  as  the 
"trunking  system,"  which  is  used 
in  tile  construction  of  all  large  au- 
tomatic exchanges  no  win  operation. 

One     of     tile     n()\el      inventions 


recently  brought  out  by  him  is  a 
method  by  which  the  number 
called  for  will  be  indicated  on  the 
face  of  the  instrument,  a  visual 
proof  that  the  desired  telephone 
connection  has  been  made. 

Mr.  Lundquist  in  1898  married 
Anna  M.  Anderson  of  Galva,  111. 
They  belong  to  the  Lutheran 
Church. 


CARL  A    STILLE 
was     born    in     Svenarum    parish, 
Smaland,    Sweden,    and    came    to 


C.\KL   .^.   STII.I.E 

this  counlr\-  in  \S<^g.  He  settled 
in  Gene.seo,  111.,  where  he  lived 
for  llirec  years.  He  then  removed 
to  Chicagt),  where  he  has  since 
resiiled. 

Mr.  Stille  is  the  proprietor  of  a 
carriage  factory,  locateii  at  Si 
Twelfth  St..  where  he  employs 
a  large  numlicr  of  men. 

Mr,  Stille  was  marrietl  in  18.S5, 
to  Miss  Agnes  W'idman,  with 
whom  lie  has  two  cliiUlren,  a  boy 
and   a  girl. 


Chicago 


'47 


J.  WILLIAM  JOHNSON 

was  born  April  6,  iS66,  in  Fors- 
hetn,  Skaraborg  Ian,  Sweden.  Af- 
ter attending  the    common    school 


J.   WILLIAM  JOHNSON 

he  worked  on  the  farm  until  he 
went  to  the  United  States,  where 
he  landed  in  April  1S87.  Mr. 
Johnson  has  lived  in  various  places 
in  this  country,  including  Farmer's 
Valley,  Pa  ,  Joliet,  111.,  Blooni- 
ington.  111.,  Kansas  City,  Mo.  and 
Chicago.  He  has  had  a  variety 
of  occupations,  such  as  tanner, 
stone  quarrj'man,  coalminer,  black- 
smith, cowboy  and  mason.  For 
eight  months  Mr.  Johnson  was  a 
cowboy  in  Kansas.  The  work  was 
hard,  but  thrilling  and  full  of 
interest. 

The  mason's  trade  was  learned 
in  Chicago,  and  is  the  foundation 
of  Mr.  Johnson's  present  vocation, 
that  of  mason  contractor.  Mr. 
Johnson  has  been  married  for  seven 
years  to  Maria  Lundstedt. 

Mr.   and    Mrs.     Johnson    belong 


to  the  Swedish  Baptist  Church 
in  Englewood. 

OLOF    FERDINAND  NELSON, 

member  of  the  Osgood  Company, 
photo-engravers  and  electrotypers, 
and  superintendent  of  their  plant, 
is  the  son  of  Olof  Nilsson,  a  cab- 
inetmaker of  the  city  of  Halni- 
stad,  Sweden.  He  was  born  there 
April  22,  1867,  and  obtained  his 
education  partly  in  his  native  town, 
partly  in  the  public  schools  of  Chi- 
cago, having  come  to  this  city  in 
1882,   with  his  parents. 

He  worked  as  an  electrotyper 
until  he  was  master  of  the  craft. 
In  1890  he  was  offered  the  posi- 
tion of  foreman  in  the  Osgood 
plant,   advancing  next   to    that    of 


OLOF   FEKIiIN.\NU  NELSON 

superintendent.  He  became  a 
member  of  the  firm  some  seven 
years  ago. 

The  so-called  Xickelt\-pe  pro- 
cess, making  electrotypes  more 
durable  than    by  the   old    process, 


148 


Cook  Count V 


and  superior  in  quality,  is  the 
invention  of  Mr.  Nelson.  It  is 
used  extensively  in  the  I'nited 
States  and  in  Europe,  bringing 
the  inventor  a  comfortable  sum  in 
royalties  annually. 

When  in  18S3  the  Svithiod  male 
chorus  was  organized.  Nelson  was 
one  of  the  first  to  join  and  has 
ever  since  taken  an  active  part  in 
the  musical  life  of  the  Swedes  of 
Chicago.  In  1892  the  chorus  was 
incorporated  under  the  name  of 
Svithiod  Singing  Club,  a  social 
organization  admitting  other  mem- 
bers than  singeis.  In  the  club 
Mr.  Nelson  has  been  entrusted 
with  all  the  different  offices, 
respectively,  and  is  at  the  present 
time  a  member  of  the  board  of 
trustees,  which  has  the  manage- 
ment of  the  club  property  valued 
at  $20,000.  He  was  president  of 
the  American  Union  of  Swedish 
Singers  from  1901  to  1905  and 
was  the  first  president  of  the 
Swedish  Singers'  llnion  of  Chicago, 
in  1906.  He  acted  as  treasurer  of 
the  picked  chorus  of  the  American 
Union,  which  made  a  tour  of 
Sweden  in   1S97. 

Mr.  Nelson  is  a  member  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Svithiod, 
has  held  the  offices  of  chairman 
and  .secretary  in  Manhem  Lodge 
No.  2,  and  is  a  thirty-second  de- 
gree Mason. 

On  Feb.  3,  1894,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Christine  Ras- 
mussen,  who  was  born  in  Den- 
mark Nov.  S,  1871.  With  their 
one  child,  Klhel  Christine,  liorn 
Dec.    5,    1894,    tlie>     live    at    936 


Winona  ave.     Mr.    Nelson's    bus 
iness  address  is  66  Sherman   st. 

GISTAF    HOWARD   SCHUCH. 

minister  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church,   was    born  April  3,    1S71, 


GUST.\F    EIiWAKli  SCHfCH 

in  JiJnkoping,  Sweden.  Before 
emigrating  to  America  he  had 
studied  at  the  college  and  technical 
school  of  his  native  town.  Since  his 
arrival  in  this  country  he  has  re- 
sided in  Boston,  Rock  Island,  Ne- 
gaunee  and  Chicago. 

He  was  graduated  in  1S97  from 
Augustana  College,  and  in  1904 
from  Augustana  Theological  Sem- 
inary, receiving  at  the  same  time 
his  A.  M.  degree.  June  5,  1904, 
he  was  ordained  pastor  in  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  .\ngustana  Syn- 
od and  then  took  pastoral  charge 
of  the  congregation  at  .\ustin, 
Chicago.  In  n»i>5  Rev.  Scluich 
assnmeil  the  jiastorale  of  the  Zion 
Church  in  Ciiicago. 


Chicago 


111  lyoo  he  was  wedded  to  Miss 
Amanda  Evelina  Sundberg,  a 
daughter  of  a  well-known  family 
in  Xegaunee,   Mich. 

The  father  of  Mr.  Schuch  was 
born  in  Frankfurt  am  Main,  Ger- 
many. 

The  mother  of  Rev.  Schuch  was 
from  Halland,  Sweden. 

Rev.  Schuch  has  made  profound 
studies  on  the  subject  of  niedijeval 
history  and  has  an  extensive  lib- 
rary pertaining  to  this  subject. 


CHARLES  G.  PETERSON 

was    born     March     26,     1846,    in 
Hvetlanda,  Smaland,  Sweden.     He 


Cn.\RLES  GUST.\F    PETERSON 

comes  from  a  long  lived  faniil)-. 
His  paternal  grandfather,  John 
Boldt,  served  as  cavalryman  in  the 
war  of  1 814  and  died  in  1S56. 
His  grandmother,  Catharina  Boldt, 
died  aged  93  years.      His  mother's 


149 

father,  Olaus  Krook,  served  in  the 
war  of  1 81 8,  was  retired  on  a 
pension,  and  died  at  an  advanced 
age  in  1857.  His  wife  pa.ssed 
away  about  1847.  Their  daughter 
Anna  Carrie,  was  born  in  1820, 
married  Nils  Peterson  and  died  in 
1S53.  Charles'  father,  Nils  Peter- 
son, was  born  in  181 8,  became  an 
overseer  on  the  government  farm 
in  Oland,  and  died  in    1901. 

Charles  G.  Peterson,  after  at- 
tending .school,  drove  a  stage 
coach  while  still  in  his  'teens  and 
was  otherwise  employed  up  to 
1869,  when  he  emigrated,  coming 
to  Chicago  via  Montreal. 

In  turn  he  became  a  black- 
smith's helper,  carpenter  and 
butcher.  He  joined  the  Chicago 
fire  department  in  1 883  and  re- 
mained a  member  until  retired  on 
a  pension   in   1902. 

Mr.  Peterson  was  married  Feb. 
14,  1870  to  Helena  Carlson  of  Chi- 
cago, born  Nov.  7,  1843.  Her 
father,  Peter  Carlson  was  born  in 
1 81 8  and  died  in  1902.  Her 
mother,  Ingridi  Widen,  was  born 
in  1822  and  died  in  1883.  Her 
maternal  grandfather,  Peter  Widen, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Finnish  war 
of  1809  against  Russia,  helped  to 
dig  the  Gota  Canal  and  died  aged 
85  years.  His  wife,  Marta,  died 
at  the  age  of  90  j-ears. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Peterson  have 
been  born,  Erick  Edward,  1871. 
Apton  Hjalmar,  1872,  John  Albert 
Leopold,  1875,  Carl  Frederick 
Arthur,  1877,  Gustaf  Emanuel, 
1879,  Louis  Nathaniel,  1881, 
George  Wendell,  1884.  and  a 
daughter.     Erick  is  married  to  Ma- 


I50 

thilda    Peterson,     and     Apton     to 
Carolina  Rooks. 

Mr.  Peterson  joined  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Bethlehem  Church  in 
1877.  For  three  j-ears  he  was  a 
deacon,  and  is  now  a  trustee  of 
the  church.  The  family  home  is 
at  825  West  61   St. 


Cook  County 


KNUT  SUNDSTEN 

was  born  in    Stockhohn,    Sweden, 
in     1866.       After    completing     his 


and  has  an   office  in  the     Chicago 
Opera  House  Block. 

He  is  married  and  resides  at 
937  Edgewater  place.  Several 
fraternal  societies  claim  him  as  a 
member. 


ANDREW  REESE, 

minister  of  the  Swedish  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  was  born  July 
12,  i860,  in  Ransater  parish, 
Sweden,  where  his  father,  Andreas 
Riis  was  a  farmer.  Equipped 
with  a  Swedish  connnon  school 
education,  he  came  to  the  United 
States  in  May,  iSSo.  Having 
lived  in  Montclair,  N.  J.,  five 
years  and  in  Brooklyn,  X.  V., 
three  years,  Mr.  Reese  took  up 
studies  at  the  Swedish  Theologi- 
cal Seminary  at  Evauston,  111. 
He  was  ordained  as  deacon  of  the 
M.  E.  church  Sept.  13,  1891,  and 
as    elder    Sept.     8,     1893.       Since 


KNUT  SUNDSTEN 

studies  at  a  school  in  Orebro,  he 
was  employed  for  a  year  as  clerk 
in  Hamburg,  Germany.  He  af- 
terwards went  to  London,  where 
he  worked  for  two  j-ears  in  the 
capacity  of  salesman  in  the  colo- 
nial trade.  In  1889  he  came  to 
Chicago,  where  he  became  inter- 
ested in  the  real  estate  business. 
At  first  he  acted  as  agent,  and 
then,  having  met  with  consider- 
able success,  he  started  in  busi- 
ness for  himself.  Mr.  Siuulsteu 
is  still  engaged     in    this    business     preaclier   in    May  wood.     111.,    one 


.^.NliKl.W    KUliSli 

his  ordination  he     has    served    as 


Chicago 


i5« 


year;  in  South  Chicago,  111,,  four 
years;  in  Donovan,  111.,  six  years, 
and  is  at  present  pastor  of  the 
Humboldt  Park  Swedish  M.  E. 
Church,  having  been  stationed 
there  in  September,    1902. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Reese  was  mar- 
ried on  Oct.  26,  1892,  to  Signe 
Elizabeth,  daughter  of  Dr.  Will- 
iam Henschen.  Their  union  is 
blessed  with  seven  children,  born 
as  follows:  Agnes  Elizabeth,  1893; 
Oliver  William,  1894;  Alice  Leila, 
1896;  Helen  Margaret,  1897;  Anna 
Wilhehnina,  1901;  Frances  Louise, 
1903;  and  Kenneth  Andrew,  1905. 


CHARLES  A.  HOFVANDER 

was    born  at    Ellinge,   near  Lund, 
Sweden,   Dec.    25,     1853.      Having 


CH.iVRLES    A.   HOFV.^iNDER 

obtained  an  elementary  education 
in  the  public  schools,  he  learned 
the  shoemaker's  trade  in  Liuid. 
Mr.  Hofvaiider  has  been  a  resident 
of  the  United  States  and  the  city 
of    Chicago   for   twenty-five  j-ears, 


having  come  over  in  1882.  After 
ten  years  in  this  country  he  started 
in  the  shoe  business  at  137  Oak 
St.,    where  he  is  still   located. 

Mr.  Hofvander  is  a  member  of 
tlie  Immanuel  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  and  has  serv'ed  as  secretary 
of  the  Bethe.sda  Society  of  that 
church. 


AXEL    E.  THOMPSON 

was  born  March  22,   1875,  in  Chi- 
cago.   After  gaining  his  early  edu- 


.\XEL    E     THOMPSON 

cation  in  the  city  public  schools 
he  attended  the  Metropolitan  Bus- 
iness College.  At  the  age  of  four- 
teen he  entered  the  emplo}'  of  the 
New  York  Life  Insurance  Co.  as 
office  bo}-.  B}'  persistent  attention 
to  his  duties  he  gained  promotion 
from  time  to  time.  Having  been 
cashier  of  the  branch  office  in  St. 
Louis  for  a  short  time,  he  returned 
to  Chicago  as  general  agent  of  the 
company,  with  offices  in  suite 
304-322  Stock  Exchange  Building 


152 


Cook  County 


III  a  contest  covering  a  period  of 
a  year,  in  which  500  men  partici- 
pated, Mr.  Thompson  won  the 
presidency  of  the  New  York  Life 
Chicago  Hundred  Thousand  Dol- 
lar Club,  which  is  the  largest  or- 
ganization of  its  kind  in  the  life 
insurance  business. 

Mr.  Thompson  is  sergant-at- 
arms  of  the  Swedish-American 
Republican  League  of  Illinois, 
president  of  the  Swedish-American 
Republican  Club  of  the  31st  ward, 
and  is  president  of  the  Swedish- 
American  Central  Republican  Club 
of  Cook  county.  He  is  Past  (irand 
of  Jolin  Ericsson  Lodge  No.  361, 
I.  O.  O.  P.,  and  belongs  to  Boule- 
vard Lodge  No.  8S2,  A.  F.  and 
A.  M.,  Oriental  Consistory  (32d 
degree)  and  Medinah  Temple  A. 
A.  O.  N.  M.  S.,  Masonic  orders. 

Mr.  Thompson  was  married  Feb. 
23i  1895,  to  Marie  Elizabeth  Go- 
dey.  They  have  two  children, 
Myra  Elizabeth,  born  July  12, 
1899,  and  Douglas  Eugene,  born 
April  26,  1902,  their  first  child 
lia\-iug  died  in  iiifanc)'. 


John  R.  Orlengren,  harmony  with 
Dr.  Louis  Falk,  Italian  with  Sig. 
Alfieri  and  composition  with    Felix 


LYDIA     HELEN     HALLBERG 

was  born  in  Chicago,  Aug.  12, 
1880.  Her  father,  Anton  A,  Hall- 
berg,  a  native  of  Gamleby,  Swe- 
den, came  to  Chicago  in   1872. 

Miss  Hallberg  began  taking 
piano  studies  at  the  age  of  eleven. 
Being  gifted  with  a  sweet  soprano 
voice,  she  commenced  at  the  age  of 
seventeen  to  take  vocal  lessons 
from  Dr.  11.  S.  I'erkins.  She 
then  attended  the  Chicago  .Musical 
College  and  studied  the  voice  with 


I.Vni.X    HIU.K.N   HALI.BEKC 

Borowski.  Mi.ss  Hallberg  was 
graduated  in  1905.  She  has  chosen 
the  career  of  vocal  teacher  and 
has  amply  demonstrated  her  abil- 
ity. Her  studio  is  at  5509  Fifth 
ave. 

Miss    Hallberg  is  soloist   at    the 
Bethany  Swedish   Mission  Church 
liaxing    filled    that    position    for  a 
number  of  years. 

GUSTAF  A.  AKERLIND, 

mechanical  engineer,  is  a  native 
of  the  province  of  Sodermanland, 
Sweden,  where  he  was  born  March 
21,  1856,  in  a  parish  nameil  Gd.s- 
inge.  His  father,  Daniel  Akerlind, 
who  was  a  master  mechanic,  soon 
after  removed  to  Varby,  in  Bot- 
kyrka  parish,  renowned  for  its 
ancient  church,  built  as  early  as 
112S.  The  fanuly  after  a  time 
made  their  home  at  Tumba,  where 


Chicago 


«53 


the    paper    mill    of    the    Bank  of 
Sweden   (  rikshank  )   is  located. 

In   1879,  his  elementary  school- 
ing   completed,     young     Akerlind 


GUSTAK    ALFRED    AKERI.I.Mi 

entered  the  Institute  of  Technol- 
ogy in  Stockholm.  At  the  end  of 
the  first  term  there  he  won  several 
prizes  and  also  captured  one  of  the 
scholarships.  Having  completed 
a  three  years'  course  at  the  insti- 
tute and  worked  with  various  man- 
ufacturing firms  during  vacations 
so  as  to  gain  practical  experience, 
he  secured  a  situation  as  assistant 
superintendent  of  the  Mechanical 
Works  at  Visby,  Gotland,  then 
owned  by  Graham   Brothers. 

The  young  engineer  at  the  age 
of  twenty-nine  came  to  the  United 
States,  resolved  to  risk  success  or 
failure  in  the  unlimited  field  of- 
fered by  the  enormous  industries 
of  this  prosperous  country.  At  the 
time  of  his  coming,  in  1887,  the 
outlook  for  men  in  his  line,  in- 
experienced in  American  methods. 


was  not  the  I)est.  After  a  short 
stay  in  New  York  City,  he  went 
to  Philadelphia,  where  he  obtained 

his  first  position  of  relative  f)er- 
manence  with  the  Ashton  Hand 
machine  works  of  Toughkenamon. 
Not  long  afterward  he  was  offered 
a  position  as  draughtsman  in  the 
Riehls  Brothers  Testing  Machine 
Works,  where  he  continued  for 
nine  months.  He  held  a  similar 
position  with  the  Pennsylvania 
Railroad  engineering  department 
in  Altoona,  Pa.,  from  1.S89  to 
1 89 1 .  This  was  known  as  a  splen- 
did school  for  the  training  of 
young  mechanical  engineers  for 
railway  work,  and,  having  spent 
two  j-ears  there,  he  easily  obtained 
a  more  lucrative  position  in  the 
shops  of  the  New  York,  Lake  Erie 
and  Western  Railroad,  at  Susque- 
hanna, Pa.  Early  in  1892  Mr. 
Akerlind  entered  the  service  of 
the  "Big  Four"  Railway  and  in 
December  of  the  same  year  took 
a  position  with  the  Brooks  Loco- 
motive Works  at  Dunkirk,  N.  Y. 
In  January,  1896,  Mr.  Akerlind 
gave  up  that  position  to  become 
chief  of  the  draughting  depart- 
ment of  the  Rock  Island  railway 
system,  his  residence  in  Illinois 
dating  from  that  lime.  Before 
coming  west,  Mr.  Akerlind  had 
won  a  notable  triumph  in  1894, 
in  a  competition  arranged  by  the 
Loiomotivc  Engineering,  a  leading 
railway  journal,  for  the  best  plans 
for  a  railway  locomotive  affording 
the  greatest  safety  and  comfort 
for  the  crew.  The  competition 
was  open  to  the  world  and  three 
prizes  were  offered,  one  of  which 


•54 


Cook  County 


went  to  Mr.  Akerliiid  wlio,  besides, 
received  honorable  mention  for 
having  submitted  the  most  original 
plans.  Later  he  secured  patents 
on  several  of  the  safety  devices 
suggested  in  his  plans. 

His  connection  with  the  Rock 
Island  Railroad  has  been  fruitful 
of  a  number  of  practical  improve- 
ments in  its  rolling  stock.  It  was 
his  brain  that  evolved  the  tender 
steps  and  handholds  with  which 
Engine  No.  i,ioi  was  first 
equipped,  all  the  passenger  and 
freight  engines  being  subsequently 
equipped  with  these  attachments. 
A  car  transom,  which  is  u.sed  on 
all  freight  cars  built  by  that  road 
since  1897,  is  another  of  his 
patents. 

In  1902  Mr.  Akerlind  left  his 
position  with  the  Rock  Island 
company  for  a  more  profitable  one 
with  the  Chicago  Malleable  Iron 
Works.  Being  one  of  the  men, 
whose  talents  and  skill  the  strong- 
est companies  in  the  country  are 
bidding  for,  he  had  not  long  been 
engaged  there  when  the  National 
Coal  Dump  Car  Company  made  him 
so  flattering  an  offer,  that  he  felt  it 
a  duty  to  himself  to  accept.  He  is 
still  with  this  company,  with  offices 
at  17 17  Railwaj-  Exchange  Build- 
ing, Michigan  ave.  and  Jackson 
boulevard,  having  held  the  ix)si- 
tion  of  mechanical  engineer  with 
that  concern  since  May,  1903. 

Mr.  Akerlind  is  a  member  of  sev- 
eral associations,  including  the 
Scandinavian  Ti-chnical  Society  of 
Chicago,  of  which  he  is  now  one 
of  the  directors.  A  lirother  of  the 
engineer    is    C.    L.    Akerlind,     of 


Rock  Island,  foreman  of  the  press- 
room of  the  Augustana  Book  Con- 
cern.   Their  father  died  in  1901. 


JOHN  N.  ALQUIST 

was  born  Oct.   13,   1865,  in  Ardre 
parish,  Gotland,  Sweden.    He  came 


JOH.N    N.    .\LUIIST 

to  America  Dec.  14,  18S9,  and 
went  to  Connecticut,  where  he  re- 
mained ten  months.  Chicago  soon 
attracted  him  and  in  the  fall  of 
1890  he  made  this  city  his  home. 
Having  joined  the  Swedish  Free 
Mission  Church,  he  took  a  course 
of  instruction  in  1S92-93,  at  D. 
Iv.   Moody's  Bible  Institute. 

In  the  summer  of  1S93  he  left 
for  the  mission  field  of  Africa, 
having  been  engaged  by  the  Scan- 
dinavian Alliance  Mission.  After 
reaching  Lamoa,  British  lilast  Af- 
rica, he  worked  under  the  tiirec- 
tion  of  Missionary  lunil  Heden- 
Strom  among  the  Galla  and  I'okomo 
tribes.  Soon  Mr.  Ahlquisi's  health 
failed  him,  however,  antl  in    1895 


Chicago 


»55 


he  was  compelled  to  give  up  mis- 
sionary work.  Retuniing  to  Chi- 
cago, he  was  engaged  for  several 
years  as  a  book  and  news  agent. 
In  1896  he  married  Brita  Lena 
Johnson,  nee  Bengtson,  born  in 
As  parish,   Halland. 

Desirous  of  establishing  a  busi- 
ness of  his  own,  Mr.  Alquist  in 
1902  settled  on  the  south  side  and 
opened  a  book  and  stationery  store, 
also  dealing  in  toys,  confections 
and  notions,   at   1136  W.  ^gtli   st. 

He  and  his  famih*  are  members 
of  the  Swedish  Mission  Church  in 
Englewood . 


AXEL  B.  C.    CARLSTEDT, 

founder  and  principal  of  the  South 
Side  College  of  Music,    was    born 


.\XEL   B.   C.   C.\KLSTEDT 

in  the  Swedish  citj-  of  Helsing- 
borg,  Jul}-  26,  1849.  His  ances- 
tors, both  on  the  father's  and 
mother's  side,  had  been  organists, 
musical  directors,  teachers  and 
composers   for    man}-    generations 


back.  The  jiosition  of  organist 
of  the  churches  in  Sodra  Villie 
and  Orsjo  had  been  held  by  mem- 
bers of  the  Carlstedt  famil\-  for 
130  years.  Mr.  Carlstedt  studied 
music  nnder  several  teachers  in 
Sweden  up  to  1872.  That  year 
he  came  to  this  country  and  en- 
tered the  New  England  Conserva- 
tory of  Music  in  Boston.  The 
following  year  he  was  graduated 
with  the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Music. 
Subsequently  he  was  engaged  in 
the  teaching  and  execution  of 
music  in  the  state  of  Ma.s.sachu- 
setts  until  1876,  when  he  came 
to  Chicago,  becoming  one  of  the 
ver}-  6rst  of  the  musical  profession 
to  establish  himself  as  teacher  in 
this  city.  After  several  years  he 
was  called  as  teacher  of  piano  at 
the  St.  Joseph  Seminary,  in  Kanka- 
kee, 111.  From  there  he  removed 
to  Decatur  in  1882  and  there  found- 
ed the  Decatur  Conservatory  of 
Music.  Tiring  of  life  in  a  small 
city,  he  left  after  three  years, 
returning  to  Chicago  in  1886. 
Here  he  continued  his  profession 
for  a  number  of  years,  and  in  the 
latter  '90s  established  the  South 
Side  College  of  Music,  which  is 
now  in  its  tenth  year.  The  insti- 
tution is  located  at  600  Engle- 
wood ave. 

Dr.  Carlstedt  was  married  in 
1876  to  Miss  Annie  Bird  of 
Boston,  a  niece  of  General  Terry. 
To  them  seven  children  have  been 
born,  four  of  whom,  two  daugh- 
ters and  two  sons,  are  living. 

Dr.  Carlstedt  is  the  eldest  of  a 
family  of  thirteen  children.  The 
fact   that  his  first  initials    are    the 


156 


Cook  County 


first  three  letters  of  the  alphabet 
is  not  an  accident.  Thereby 
Tiangs  a  tale  that  is  sufficiently 
interesting  to  go  on  record.  All 
the  children  were  named  alphabet- 
ically, and  being  given  three  names 
apiece,  the  alphabet  was exhan.sted, 
whereupon  the  father  resorted  to 
numbers  twelve  and  thirteen.  The 
list  of  names — probably  the  oddest 
in  existence — is  here  given: 

Axel  Bernhard  Conrad;  Dago- 
bert  Edvard  Fritiof ;  Gustaf  Harald 
Julius;  Knut  Leonard  Matildius; 
Nellie  Olivia  Pauline;  Quelie  Ro- 
salie Sophie;  Teresa  Urania  \'il- 
helmina;  Xesia  Yrsa  Zephania; 
Aberta  Agir  Ostgota;  Detolfta 
Johanna  Marie;  Bror  Tretton  Me- 
thodius. The  death  of  two  chil- 
dren in  infancy,  who  are  not 
included  in  the  list,  explains  whj- 
the  daughter  named  Twelve  and 
the  one  named  Thirteen  are  the 
tenth  and  the  eleventh  in  the  list. 
All  the  nine  surviving  children 
are  following  the  musical  profes- 
sion, six  in  Chicago  and  three  in 
New  York. 


medical  gymnastics  under  Director 
Liedbeck  of  Stockholm.  Mr.  Ol- 
denborg  was  assistant  to   Director 


HUGO  ADALVARD 
OLDENBORG 

was  born  at  Hanunar,  Nerike, 
Sweden,  July  26,  1868,  his  par- 
ents being  C.  C.  Oldenburg,  a 
clergyman,  and  Johanna  Maria, 
nee  Hertzman.  Begiiuiing  his  ed- 
ucation in  the  public  school  of 
llammar,  he  entered  the  col- 
legiate school  of  Askersund  in 
1887.  Subsequently  he  .studied 
at  the  collegiate  .school  of  Orebro, 
graduating  in  1S8S.  The  follow- 
ing   year    he    began    the    study  of 


HTGIl   .\ll.M.V.\KI)  OLIIENBORG 

Cleve,  of  the  Medevi  health  re- 
.sort,  during  the  season  of  i89o-'9i. 
During  the  summer  of  1892  he  con- 
ducted a  medical  gymna.-^tic  insti- 
tute of  his  own  at  Oregrnnd.  For 
three  years,  1890-1893,  he  was  a 
student  at  the  Royal  Gymnastic 
Central  Institute  of  Stockholm, 
graduating  as  Director  of  Gym- 
nastics. In  July,  189,-?,  Mr.  Ol- 
denborg  left  Sweden  and  locatetl 
in  Chicago,  where  he  has  .since 
practiced  his  profe.ssion. 

In  the  summers  of  1897  and 
1S99  Mr.  (.Mdenliorg  studied  gyne- 
cological massage  under  Dr.  Stapfcr 
in  Paris,  France.  For  the  last 
six  years  he  has  taught  kinesi- 
therapy  —  n»as.sage  and  nietlical 
gymnastics  —  at  Rush  Medical 
College,  first  as  assistant,  now  as 
as.sociate    in     the    dei>artment     of 


Chicago 


157 


Therapeutics,    having    charge     of 
the  instruction  in  kinesi. 

Mr.  Oldenborg's  marriage  to 
Miss  Maria  Ohlson  of  Kristian- 
stad,  Sweden,  took  place  June 
24,    1899. 


JOHN   ERICKSON 

AND 

CHARLES  J.  ERICKSON 

John  Erickson  was  born  in  Filip- 
stad,  Sweden,  Jan.   25,  1S66.    The 


JOHX   ERICKSOK 

parents  emigrated  in  1869  to  Amer- 
ica and  were  among  the  first  set- 
tlers in  the  Swedish  colony  at 
Lindsborg,   Kansas. 

Charles  J.  Erickson  was  born 
in  Lindsborg,  Kans.,  Jul}-  23,  1870. 
Until  1893  the  two  brothers  re- 
mained under  the  parental  roof. 
The  bo\-s  both  had  a  genius  for 
invention.  Together  thej' contrived 
and  perfected  the  first  automatic 
organ  and  piano  pla\-er,  now  used 
under  various  names  all  over 
America  and  Europe. 


The  brothers  have  l)eeii  insep- 
arable in  all  their  undertakings. 
In  1893  they  went  to  Chicago  in 
order  to  perfect  and  introduce  to 
the  commercial  world  their  auto- 
matic telephone  switchboard.  Cap- 
ital was  interested,  and  after  a 
few  years  the  electrical  world  was 
.startled  with  the  news  that  the 
automatic  telephone  switchboard 
was  a  success.  One  million  dol- 
lars had  been  spent  in  perfecting 
the  system,  but  the  result  has 
more  than  justified  this  immense 
expenditure.  The  Automatic  Tele- 
phone Co.,  at  Van  Buren  and 
Morgan  sts.,  with  a  factory  em- 
ploying over  1,000  men,  is  unable 
to  make  instruments  rapidly  enough 
to  supply  the  demand.  The  system 
is  being  installed  in  towns  and  cities 
both  in  Europe  and  the  United 
States,  Chicago    being  among  the 


CHAKLES  J.    ERICKSO.N 

number.     The   sj-stem  does   away 
with  telephone  operators,  a  simple 


158 


Cook  County 


device  enabling  the  subscriber  to 
make  his  own  connections. 

Fourteen  years  of  painstaking  ef- 
fort passed  before  the  Erickson 
Brothers  brought  their  ingenious 
invention  to  its  present  state  of 
perfection. 

The  brothers  are  close  observ- 
ers of  physical  phenomena  and  are 
well-informed  on  practical  scien- 
tific topics.  Thej'  are  admirable 
examples  of  pluck  and  .singleness 
of  purpose. 

John  Erickson  was  married  in 
1900  to  Miss  Marj'  Josephine  Lind- 
skog,  from  Karlstad,  Sweden. 
They  have  a    son,    John    Arthur. 

Charles  J.  Erickson  was  married 
in  iSyS  to  Miss  Maria  Elizabeth 
Schonbeck  from  Stockholm.  They 
have  a  daughter,  Hazel  Elizabeth, 
and  a  .son,   Roy  Charles. 


VICTOR    E.  JOHNSON 
was    born  in    Kroppa  parish,  near 


Emigrating  in  1884,  he  came  to 
Chicago.  After  working  here  for 
various  firms,  he  engaged  in  bus- 
iness with  his  brother,  Charles  H. 
Johnston.  In  1900  he,  togeth- 
er with  Wm.  Johnson,  started 
the  Superior  Iron  Works  at  141- 
143  Ontario  st.  The  firm  manu- 
factures all  kinds  of  iron  work 
for  building  purposes  and  brass 
castings,  also  doing  jobbing  and 
machine  forging. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  a  member  of  the 
A.   F.   &  A.   M. 

In  January,  1900,  Mr.  Johnson 
was  married  to  Miss  Emilia  Eric- 
son  from  Fogelvik  parish.  Verm- 
land,  with  whom  he  has  one  son. 


VICTOR    1;.   |(ill.\sn.\ 

Filipstad,  Sweden,  J:m.    ;,!,    iS7,s. 


OTTO  CARL  Jl'EL  CARLSON 
was  born  June  9,  1S75,  in  Ostra 
Torp,  Sweden.  After  ha\ang 
attended  the  public  school  in  his 
native  village,  he  came  over  to 
this  countrj-  and  settled  in  Chicago 
in  July,  1890.  Having  worked  half 
a  year  in  a  bakery,  he  obtained 
employment  with  Wendell  &  Co. 
where  he  learned  the  lapidary 
trade.  After  a  couple  of  years 
he  began  to  work  at  jewelry  and 
diamond  setting  continuing  until 
iSyS,  when  he  left  for  Hallandale, 
Florida.  While  there  he  acted  as 
organist  of  the  Bethlehem  Church. 
After  a  year  spent  in  Florida,  Mr. 
Carlson  returueil  to  Chicago  and 
resumed  work  for  his  old  employ- 
ers. He  is  now  engaged  as  dia- 
mond setter  with  the  jewelry  house 
of  SpauUling  and  Co. 

Mr.  Carlson  has  pronounced 
musical  talents.  He  has  studied 
jiiaiio  for  some  years  ami  ha-;  been 


Chicago 


for  tlie  last  few  j-ears  under  the 
skillful  guidance  of  the  well-known 
Swedish  vocal  teacher  of  the  Clii- 


OTTO   CARL  jUEL   CARLSON 

cago  Musical  College,  John  R. 
Ortengren.  Mr.  Carlson  has  a 
clear  and  pleasing  tenor  voice. 
He  was  for  eight  years  a  member 
of  Lyran  Singing  Society  and  also 
belonged  to  the  Swedish  Glee  Club. 
He  was  one  of  the  chorus  of  fifty- 
five  Swedish-American  singers  who 
visited  the  Stockholm  exposition 
in  1897.  Mr.  Carlson  is  a  member 
of  the  Trinit}-  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  and  is  the  leader  of  its 
church  choir,  and  also  of  the  Arpi 
male  choir. 

Mr.  Carlson  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Josephina  Ostrom 
June  5,    1907. 


JOHN   N.    JOHNSON 

was  born  on  a  farm  near  Skofde, 
Sweden,  Feb.  2,  1865.  He  attended 
school  until  about  the  time  of  his 
father's  death,  in   187S,   when    he 


1.S9 


iiad  to  take  charge  of  the  farm 
work  as  best  he  could  as  a  lad  of 
thirteen.  The  mother  had  died 
two  years  previously.  Tiiere  were 
three  sisters  and  three  brothers  of 
whom  John  was  the  oldest. 

He  came  to  America  and  settled 
in  Paxton,  111.,  in  18184,  beginning 
work  on  a  farm.  Later  on  he 
learned  broommaking  and  in  1887 
left  for  Chicago.  Here  he  secured 
employment  in  a  broom  corn  com- 
mission house  where  he  was  em- 
ployed until  1897.  That  year  he 
engaged  in  a  similar  business,  with 
one  Mor.se  as  partner.  At  the 
present  time  he  is  associated  with 
H.  E.  Smallbone  and  J.  L.  Flan- 
nery  in  the  manufacture  of  shutt- 
les   and    other    parts    for    sewing 


JOHN    N.  JOHNSON 

machines,  he  being  vice  president 
of  the  Johnson  Shuttle  Company. 
The  business  is  located  at  606 
Wilson  ave.,   Ravenswood. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  married  Aug. 
24,    1S93,   t^o    Emma  W.  Johnson. 


i6o 


Cook  Countv 


Of    their    five   children    but    two, 
Reuben  and    Myrtle,   survive. 

He  is  connected  with  the  Mis- 
sion Church  in  Raveuswood  and 
is  an  active  church  worker,  having 
served  as  trustee,  deacon,  financial 
secretarj-,  treasurer  and  Sunday 
school  teacher. 


ARTHUR  C.  LEXBERG 

was   born    in   Vestergotland,   Swe- 
den.   His  father  is  a  school  teacher 


Co.,  which  is  now  in  the  piano 
business  at   1510  Belmont  ave. 

Mr.   Lenljerg  is  a  Lutheran. 

In  1S93  he  was  married  to  Miss 
Anna  Bargquist  of  Chicago.  They 
have  a  son,  George  C,  and  a 
daughter.   Ruth  L.   Lenberg. 

ANDERS  J.  LOFGREX, 

Methodist  clerg^Muan,  was  born  in 
Vestra  Eneby  parish,  in   tlie   pro- 


.\uTinK  c.  i.ii.\Bi;Ki; 

in  tlie  parish  of  \'arnhem.  Emi- 
grating in  1888,  he  located  in  Chi- 
cago, securing  work  as  a  grocery 
clerk.  For  .some  time  he  lived  in 
Kansas  City,  engaged  in  the  same 
occupation.  Mr.  Lenberg  is  at 
present  devoting  his  tinn.-  to  the 
piano  business.  Having  been  man- 
ager of  Story  and  Clark  Piano 
Com])any's  branch  store  at  1804 
N.  Clark  st.  for  a  time,  he  em- 
barked in  the  busine.ss  independ- 
entl\-,  going  in  as  a  member  of 
the    funi   of    the  Johnson-Lenberg 


ANDKKS  J.   LOFGKE.N 


vince  of  Ostergotland,  Sweden,  on 
Oct.  2,  1S57.  He  received  his 
education  in  the  collegiate  school 
at  Lunnevad  and  in  the  Normal 
School  in  Linkiipinf;.  In  1SS6  he 
emigrated  to  America  and  two 
years  later,  at  the  annual  conven- 
tion of  the  MetluHlisl  ICpiscojial 
Church  in  Cliicago,  was  ordaineil 
to  the  ministry  by  Hisho])  G. 
Andrews.  During  the  next  twelve 
years  he  served  as  pastor  and  as 
presiding  elder  in  Kansas  anil 
Nebraska,  until  in  the  f.dl  lu'  1S99 
wlieii   he   was  ajipoiutcd,   by   Hish- 


Chicag'o 


i6r 


op  J.  N.  FilzgeraUi.  pastor  of  the 
First  Swedish  Methodist  Churcli 
of  Chicago.  He  became  presiding 
elder  of  the  Chicago  District  of 
the  Central  Swedish  Conference. 
In  1906  he  removed  to  Brooklyn, 
and  assumed  charge  of  the  Ini- 
manuel  Swedish  M.  E.   Churcli. 


FREDRIK  G.   and 

CLARA  E.  HEDBERG 

were  born,   respectively,  at    Norr- 

telje,  Uppland,   May  25,  1846,  and 

Boxholm,  Sweden,   Feb.   18,    1850. 


CLARA   E.    HEDBERG 

Mr.  Hedberg  is  the  son  of  Mag- 
nus Leonard  Hedberg,  a  tanner  of 
Norrtelje,  and  his  wife  is  the 
daughter  of  Carl  Ekdalil,  a  black- 
smith at  Boxholm.  Both  were  in 
charge  of  Bethany  Home,  a  IMeth- 
odist  institution  for  old  folks,  for 
about  ten  years,  Mr.  Hedberg  as 
manager  and  his  wife,  matron. 

They  retired  from  their  charge 
June   I,    1907. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hedberg  are  mem- 


bers of  the  Bethany  M.  li.  Church 
in  Raven.swood.  Their  children 
are  Fredrik  G.  and  Henry  F:. 
Hedberg. 


CARL  G.  SWENSON 

was  born  in  Smaland,  Sweden.    In 
1S84   he   emigrated    to    this  coun- 


C.\RL  G.  SWENSON 

tr}'  and  first  settled  in  Shelton, 
Neb.,  where  he  attended  high 
school  for  about  a  j-ear  to  learn 
the  English  language.  He  then 
began  the  studj-  of  medicine  in 
the  office  of  a  phj^sician  in  a  small 
Nebraska  town.  In  1887  he  was 
licen.sed  as  a  pharmacist.  Soon 
afterward  Mr.  Swenson  took  a 
medical  course  at  Rush  Medical 
College  in  Chicago,  from  which 
he  was  graduated  in  1891,  receiv- 
ing the  degree  of  M.  D.  He  then 
went  to  Omaha,  Neb.,  and  there 
built  up  a  lucrative  practice. 

Desiring,  however,  a  larger  field 
for  his  work  and  wishing  to  study 
the  methods  of  the  great  surgeons. 


1 62 


Cook  Countv 


he  came  to  Chicago  in  1S94,  where 
he  was  attached  to  the  Augustana 
Hospital  for  almost  two  years.  He 
afterwards  opened  an  office  in  31 S 
E.  Division  st.  Although  he  now 
has  a  large  practice,  he  has  always 
taken  a  keen  interest  in  hospital 
work.  He  later  became  attached 
to  the  Passavant  Hospital  attract- 
ed to  that  institution  bj-  the  skill- 
ful surgeon,  the  late  Dr.  Fenger. 
Dr.  Sweiison's  care  and  skill  soon 
won  for  him  a  place  on  the  surg- 
ical staff  of  the  hospital,  and  he 
is  now  one  of  the  attending  surg- 
eons. 

A  marital  union  of  three  years' 
duration  was  dissolved  in  1905  by 
the  death  of  his  wife,  whose  maid- 
en name  was  Christine    Johnston. 

Dr.  Swenson  now  resides  at  754 
Fullerton  ave.,  corner  of  Clark  st. 


teacher  in  the  Martin  Luther 
College,  an  institution  then  just 
opening  in  Chicago.     He  pursued 


CARL  RICHARD  CHINDBLOM 
was  born  Dec.  21,  1870,  in  Chicago, 
where  his  parents  have  lived  since 
then.  They  are  Mr.  Carl  P.  Chind- 
blom,  tailor  by  trade,  and  Mrs. 
Christina  C.  Chindbloni,  nee  Eiigel, 
who  came  to  this  city  from  Asbo, 
Ostergotland,  Sweden.  The  son 
studied  in  the  public  .schools  of 
the  city  and  also  attended  a 
private  school  for  the  study  of  the 
Swedi.sh  language.  In  September, 
1S84,  he  was  enrolled  as  a  student 
in  the  academic  department  of 
Augustana  College,  at  Rock  Is- 
land, 111.,  graduating  from  this  in- 
stitution with  the  degree  of  A.  15., 
in  May,  1890.  He  then  continued 
his  studies  and  engaged  in  various 
employnieiils  until  the  fall  of  1893, 
when  he    accejited    a    position    as 


CARI.    KlCllAKli    CHINUULO.M 

the  work  of  an  educator  until  the 
fall  of  1896,  when  he  severed  his 
connection  with  the  college.  Dur- 
ing this  period  he  received  the 
honorary  degree  of  A.  M.  from 
Bethany  College,  Lindshorg,  Kan- 
sas. In  January,  1S97,  he  enrolled 
as  a  student  in  the  Kent  College 
of  Law  in  Chicago  and  graduated 
therefrom  with  the  degree  of  LL.  H. , 
in  June,  1898.  The  law  requiring 
three  full  years  of  study  for  ad- 
mission to  the  bar,  he  continued 
his  preparation  for  the  legal  pro- 
fe.ssion  until  the  spring  of  1900, 
when,  uiwn  examination  iK-fore 
the  State  Board,  he  was  .idniitted 
to  ])raclice  Since  that  tijue  he 
has  followed  the  profession  of  the 
law  in  the  city  of  Chicago,  and 
has  ofhces  at  the  present  lime  in 
suite  S07-S11,  160  Washington  St. 
For    several    years    he    lins    been 


Chicago 


163 


secretary  and  attorney  for  the 
First  Swedish  Building  and  Loan 
Association. 

Mr.  Chindbloni  i.s  widely  known 
as  a  public  speaker  and  has  filled 
many  appointments  to  make  ad- 
dresses on  festival  and  other  occa- 
sions not  only  in  Chicago,  but  at 
other  places  in  Illinois  and  in  other 
states.  He  is  a  Republican  in 
politics  and  has  done  much 
campaign  work  in  his  home  citj' 
and  state  and  elsewhere.  In  the 
fall  of  1894  his  services  were  en- 
gaged by  the  Republican  State 
Committee  of  Michigan  and  in  the 
campaigns  of  1896,  1898  and  1900 
he  did  service  as  political  speaker 
for  both  the  Illinois  State  and  the 
National  Republican  Committees, 
speaking  in  both  the  English  and 
the  Swedish  languages.  Mr.  Chind- 
bloni was  in  1903  elected  president 
of  the  Sw'Cdish-American  Repub- 
lican League  of  Illinois.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Gethsemane 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  and  of 
several  fraternal  and  social  organ- 
izations. 

He  has  served  on  the  board  of 
directors  of  Augustana  College  and 
Theological  Seminary,  also  on  that 
of  the  North  Star  Benefit  Asso- 
ciation, with  head  office  at  Moline, 
111.  He  was  one  of  the  committee 
which  re-organized  the  present 
Scandia  Life  Insurance  Companj-. 
Early  in  1906  Mr.  Chindblom  was 
appointed  attorney  for  the  State 
Board  of  Health,  by  Governor 
Deneen,  and  in  the  fall  of  the 
same  j-ear  was  elected  count>-  com- 
missioner on  the  Republican  ticket. 

Mr.     Chindblom     was     married 


April  27,  1907,  to  Mi.ss  Christine 
M.  Nil.s.son,  daughter  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hjalmar  Nil.sson  of  Minne- 
apolis. Mrs.  Chindblom  is  an 
accomplished  pianist.  They  reside 
at  614  Foster  ave. 


AKSEL  G.  S.  JOSEPHSON. 

cataloguer  of  the  John  Crerar  Li- 
brary, was  born  in  Upsala,  Oct. 
2,    1S60.     His    father   was    J.    A. 


AKSEL  GUSTAV  SALO.MOX   JOSEPHSON 

Josephson.  musical  director  at  the 
University  of  Upsala  and  one  of 
the  famous  song  composers  of 
Sweden. 

Mr.  Josephson  in  1885  estab- 
lished himself  as  a  bookseller  in 
the  university  town.  After  twelve 
years  spent  in  the  book  trade, 
during  which  time  he  stocked  up 
with  a  vast  quantitj^  of  biblio- 
graphical knowledge,  Mr.  Joseph- 
son  came  to  the  United  States  and 
enrolled  at  the  New  York  State 
Library  School  at  Albany.  His 
course    completed,    he  obtained    a 


1 64 


Cook   County 


position  in  i«94,  as  assistant  in 
the  Lenox  Library,  now  a  part 
of  the  New  York  Librar>-.  On 
March  i,  1S96,  he  assumed  his 
present  position  of  cataloguer  of 
the  John  Crorar  Library  in  Chicago. 

On  April  27,  1899,  Mr.  Joseph- 
son  was  married  to  Lucia  Eng- 
berg,  daughter  of  the  late  Jonas 
Engberg  of  Chicago. 

Mr.  Josephson  is  a  member  of 
many  clubs  and  societies,  chief 
among  which  are  Svenska  Litter- 
atur  -  Sallskapet  of  Upsala,  the 
American  Library  Association, 
the  Bibliographical  Society  of 
America  and  a  member  of  its 
council,  the  City  Club  of  Chicago, 
the  Gutenberg  Gesellschaft  of 
Mainz  and  of  the  Swedish- Ameri- 
can Historical  Society-.  Of  this 
last  named  society,  which  came 
into  existence  in  1905,  Mr.  Joseph- 
son  was  one  of  the  organizers  and 
was  elected  its  first  treasurer  and 
made  chairman  of  its  library 
committee.  He  is  now  secretary 
of  the  society. 

The  following  contributions  to 
bibliographical  lore  have  been 
made  by  Mr.  Josephson,  to  wit: 
Catalogue  of  Swedish  and  Finnish 
Dissertations  at  Universities  and 
Schools,  published  at  Upsala, 
1892-97.  List  of  Bibliographies 
of  Bibliograjihies  (1901);  Biblio- 
graphy of  Union  Lists  of  Serials 
(1906).  In  a  pamjihlet  issued 
l)y  him  in  1905,  entitled,  Plan  for 
the  Ivslablishnieiit  of  llic  Biblio- 
graphical Instituti.-,  Mr.  Josephson 
interestingly  develops  his  iileas  as 
to  the  organization,  SC05X;  and 
uses  of  such  an    in.stitution. 


JOHN  L.  SWENSON 

was  born  in  Skarstad  parish,  Sma- 
land,  Sweden,  Jan.  i,  1850.  When 
he  wa-^  two  vears  old.   the  faniilv 


jiiiiN  1..  s\vi;nsi  •.n 

removed  to  the  city  of  Joukoping. 
In  its  public  schools  he  received 
his  early  education.  His  schooling 
was  interrupted,  however,  when 
at  the  age  of  thirteen  he  ob- 
tained employment  in  the  print- 
ing shop  of  Jivikopings  Tidiiitig, 
and  remained  there  until  he  emi- 
grated in  1S65,  when  he  came  to 
Chicago  and  worked  in  the  /fnii- 
landct  printing  office.  He  sul>se- 
quently  was  eniploNcd  1)_\  J.  M.  W. 
Jones  Co.,  and  by  Stromberg, 
Allen  ^:  Co. 

Almost  immediately  after  his 
arrival  in  Chicago,  Mr.  Swenson  be- 
came a  memlier  of  the  Svea  Sing- 
ing Society,  which  cho.se  him  in- 
structor and  director  three  years 
later.  In  1S70  Mr.  Swenson  organ- 
ized till-  Scandinavian  National 
yuarlet.  with  which  he  made  an  ex- 


Chicago 


'65 


I 


tensive  concert  tonr  in  Illinois, 
Iowa,    Wisconsin    and    Minnesota. 

When  Christina  Xilsson  first 
visited  America  and  Chicago,  Mr. 
Swenson  was  chosen  to  direct  the 
united  Scandinavian  choruses  who 
sang  at  the  reception  given  the 
prima  donna  in  Germania  Hall, 
Chicago.  He  also  wielded  the  ba- 
ton at  the  benefit  concert  given 
b}-  lier  in  behalf  of  the  St.  Ansgar- 
ius  Church. 

About  this  time  Mr.  Swenson 
was  offered  the  directorship  of  the 
Freja  Singing  Societj%  then  one 
of  the  foremost  musical  organiza- 
tions of  the  cit}',  and  remained 
its  director  for  a  period  of  nearly 
ten  years.  Since  that  time  he  has 
directed  the  following  singing  so- 
cieties: the  Typographical  Man- 
nerchor,  the  Scandinavian  Quartet 
Club,  the  Swedish  Singing  Societ}-, 
reorganized  as  the  Swedish  Glee 
Club,  the  Svithiod  Singing  Club, 
and  the  Lyran  Singing  Society  of 
Rockford,  111.,  besides  several  quar- 
tets and  other  smaller  organiza- 
tions. Mr.  Swenson  was  niusica^ 
director  of  the  Svithiod  Singing 
Club  for  about  fifteen  years,  re- 
tiring in   1906. 

At  a  competitive  singing  festi- 
val, held  at  the  Auditorium,  Chi- 
cago, Jan.  II,  1896,  in  which 
male  choruses  of  seven  different 
nationalities  took  part,  the  Svith- 
iod .singers  carried  off  the  cham- 
pionship banner,  while  Mr.  Swen- 
son received  a  gold  medal  with 
this  inscription:  "John  L,.  Swen- 
son, Trophoeum  Cantatorum,  Com- 
petitio  Musicalis.  Chicago,  Jan. 
II,    1S96." 


At  the  present  time,  and  for 
years  past,  Mr.  Swenson  is  the 
director  of  the  Bjorgvin  Norwe- 
gian male  chorus,  and  has  raised 
it  to  a  high  standard  of  song.  At 
its  twenty-fifth  anniversary  con- 
cert, given  at  Garrick  Theatre  in 
Ma}-,  1907,  Mr.  Swenson  was  pre- 
-sented  with  a  gold  laurel  wreath 
medal,  set  with  diamonds,  as  a 
token  of  their  appreciation  of  his 
long  .services  during  the  past  fif- 
teen }^ears. 

Aside  from  the  duties  implied 
in  the  foregoing,  Mr.  Swenson  has 
always  been  engaged  more  or  le.ss 
in  church  musical  work.  Thus 
he  has  been  attached  to  the  Olivet 
Presbyterian,  the  Centennial  Bap- 
tist, the  Norwegian  Methodist 
Episcopal,  the  Immanuel  Swedish 
Lutheran  and  the  Lincoln  Park 
Congregational  churches  for  vari- 
ous periods  from  the  '60s  to  the 
present  time. 

In  order  to  familiarize  himself 
thoroughly  with  the  higher  class 
of  choral  work,  Mr.  Swenson  has 
been  a  member  of  the  Chicago 
Oratorio  Society,  inider  the  leader- 
ship of  Hans  Balatka,  the  Apollo 
Club,  under  William  Tomlins,  and 
other  singing  organizations  of  the 
highest  class.  In  the  last  named 
club  he  has  been  an  officer.  In 
voice  culture  and  training  he  has 
been  a  pupil  of  Mme.  Redington, 
Mine.  Barnett  of  the  Cecilian  Acad- 
emy, and  Dr.  Parker,  and  has 
studied  harmony  w-ith  Henry 
Schoenfeld. 

Mr.  Swenson  was  married  to 
Miss    Sophie    Anderson    Sept.    24, 


1 66 


Cook  County 


1885,  and  they  have  three  child- 
ren, Grace.  Henry  and  Ruth. 

They  have  always  lived  at  their 
own  home,    171 2  Detuing  pi. 

In  view  of  his  long,  successful 
and  manysided  career  as  musical 
director,  Mr.  Swen.son  may  well 
be  given  credit  for  having  done 
the  most  of  any  man  so  far  in 
fostering  among  the  Scandinavian 
population  of  Illinois  love  for  their 
national  songs  and  training  their 
singers  to  artistic  rendition  of  the 
same. 


VICTOR  J.    TENGWALD, 

pastor  of  the  Elim  Swedish  Luth- 
eran Church  in  Pullman,  Chicago, 


VICTOR  JOHAN   Tli.NC.WAI.n 

was  born  March  6,  1S60,  in  Ting- 
stade,  Gotland.  In  his  earl\-  child- 
hood his  parents  removed  to 
Halmstad,  Sweden,  where  he  re- 
ceived hiseducalion  in  Ihegranunar 
school  and  college  of  that  city. 
After  devoting  some  time  to  private 
tutoring  lie  emigrated  to  America 


in  1879.  He  remained  in  the 
eastern  states  about  two  years, 
being  employed  as  bookkeeper  and 
teacher.  In  1881  he  became  prin- 
cipal of  the  graded  parochial  school 
of  the  Immanuel  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church,  Chicago,  which  position 
he  held  until  1887.  The  following 
>'ear  he  was  employed  by  the 
Engberg-Holmberg  Pub.  Co.  as 
editor  and  completed  the  "Laro- 
och  liisebok  for  svensk-amerikan- 
ska  forsamlingsskolor,"  a  Swedish 
reader  still  used  in  parochial 
schools.  In  the  fall  of  that  vear 
he  entered  the  Augustana  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Rock  Island, 
where  he  graduated,  and  was  or- 
dained to  the  ministry  in  1890. 
Since  then  he  has  had  pastoral 
charges  in  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  1890- 
1894:  in  Jamestown,  X.  Y.,  1S94- 
1895;  in  Grand  Rapids,  Mich.. 
1 895-1900,  and  since  that  time 
in  Chicago. 

Rev.  Tengwald  served  in  1895 
as  secretary  of  the  New  York 
Conference.  He  was  unanimously 
elected  secretary  of  the  Illinois 
Conference  of  the  Augustana  Syn- 
od in  1905,  an  office  to  which  he 
was  reelected  in  1906  and  1907. 
He  has  al.so  been  entrusted  with 
the  chairman.ship  in  various  church 
organizations. 

In  iS,S4  Rev.  Mr.  TcngwaKl  was 
married  to  Dorothea  Hog.stroni, 
who  died  in  April,  1905.  Mrs. 
Tengwald  was  widely  known  for 
her  active  church  and  school  work, 
as  also  for  her  literary  ability. 

Rev.  Tengwald  is  the  editor  of 
a  monthly  church  pajier,  /uhhi- 
11(11  tn.     From  lime  to  time  various 


Chicago 


167 


articles  on  religious  subjects  from 
his  pen  have  appeared  in  different 
publications. 

In  1907  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Enuna  Snndquist  of 
Chicago,  who  is  eminently  gifted 
for  church  work. 


AXKL  JOHANSON, 

importer  of  Swedish  merchandise, 
was  born  in  Aleni  parish,  Smaland, 


and  with  his  family  took  a  trip 
to  Sweden.  During  his  stay  there 
he  made  connections  with  some  of 
the  large  manufacturers,  and 
he  now  represents  .some  of  the 
largest  firms  of  Sweden,  whose 
manufactures  he  is  introducing 
into  this  country.  Mr.  Johanson 
is  at  the  present  time  one  of  the 
largest  importers  of  Swedish  mer- 
chandise products  in  the  United 
States.  His  office  is  in  the  Ma- 
sonic Temple. 

In  1S89  Mr.  Johan.son  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Hilma  Nelson,  with 
whom  he  has  three  children,  one 
bo\-  and  two  girls. 

In  politics  he  takes  no  part  be- 
j-ond  doing  his  dut>-  as  a  citizen 
and  a  Republican  at  the  elections. 


JOHX  K.  NORSTROM 

was  liorn    on   a  farm    near    Linds- 
borg,   Kansas,  Jan.    13,  1869.     He 


AXEL  JOHANSON 

Sweden,  Dec.  24,  1867.  In  1888 
he  emigrated  to  America,  landing 
April  24  in  Boston,  where  he 
worked  until  the  following  year, 
when  he  took  a  pro.specting  trip 
westward,  and  finalh-  arrived  in 
Chicago,  in  May,  1S89.  He  has 
since  made  this  cit}-  his  home. 

In  1S96  he  started  the  firm 
known  as  the  Sw^edish  Produce  Co. 
with  location  on  S.  Water  St., 
and  began  to  import  all  kinds  of 
Swedish  merchandise.    Of  this  firm  ^^'"^  '•^-  norstro.m 

he    was    the    proprietor    until    he     is  said  to  be  the  first  white  child 
sold  out  his  interest  in  June,  1896,      born  in   McPherson  county.      His 


1 68 


Cook  County 


parents  are  C.  F.  Xorstrom  and 
Anna  Swenson  Xorstrom.  The 
father  is  now  treasurer  of  the 
Swedish  American  Insurance  Co. 
of   Lindsborg. 

John  is  the  second  son  in  a 
family  of  twelve  children,  eight  of 
whom  are  living.  He  worked  on 
the  farm  as  a  boy  at  the  same  time 
attending  the  public  school  in 
Lindsborg,  subsequently  completing 
a  course  in  the  commercial  de- 
partment of  Bethany  College. 

Removing  to  Chicago  in  January 
1896,  he  found  employment  with 
the  Strowger  Automatic  Tele])hone 
Co.  and  rose  to  the  position  of 
sub-foreman  in  the  electrical  de- 
partment. He  was  then  engaged 
by  the  National  Automatic  Tele- 
phone Co.  to  install  automatic 
exchanges  and  act  as  .salesman. 
The  firm  next  put  him  in  charge 
of  the  electrical  department  and 
later  made  him  superintendent. 
In  this  capacity  he  made  several 
improvements  in  the  telephone 
system.  In  Dec,  1900,  the  Globe 
Automatic  Telephone  Co.  was  or- 
ganized with  Mr.  Xorstrom  as 
vice  president,  director  and  elec- 
trical engineer.  He  continued 
makiiig  improvements  in  the  ap- 
paratus, protecting  them  by  ])atents. 

Having  made  a  close  study  of 
the  demerits  of  the  then  existing 
automatic  telephones,  he  saw  room 
for  still  further  improvement  and, 
resigning  his  position,  he  became 
the  i)rcsident  of  the  Automatic 
Telei)lione  Co.  with  works  at  103- 
109  Iv  Randolph  St.,  in  Feb.,  190-^. 
Mr.  Norstrom's  genius  has  evolved 
a    (.ompkte     central    eniTgy    auto- 


matic telephone  exchange  system. 
It  is  patented  and  the  apparatus 
is  now  manufactured  by  the  firm. 
Mr.  Xorstrom  was  married  in 
December,  1892.  to  Lydia  E.  Lund- 
quist,  daughter  of  a  pioneer  farm- 
er, X.  P.  Lundquist  and  his  wife, 
Carolina.  They  have  a  daughter, 
Frances.  The  family  belongs  to  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 


FRANK  LONN 

was    born    Nov.    3,    1843.  i»  Lan- 
naskede  parish,  Smaland,  Sweden. 


l-KAXK    l.OX.N 

His  educational  advantages  were 
limited  to  the  common  schools. 
In  186S,  when  twenty-five  years 
of  age,  lie  left  for  the  United 
States. 

Mr.  Lonii  has  held  the  i)Osition 
of  superintendent  of  the  postal 
station  at  Hegcwisch,  Chicago, 
for  several  years.  He  has  always 
been  a  Repulilican  and  has  taken 
an  active  ])art   in  i>olilics. 

Mr    I.onn    is    a    Lutheran,    and 


Chicago 


169 


is  a  ineinber    of    the    Iiuiependent 
Order  of  Odd    Fellows. 

Ol'STAF   IJNDELL 

was  born  in  Sweden  Nov.  9,  1S64. 
His  parents  were  Lars  and   Maria 


GUST.\F  LINDELL 

Larson,  who  lived  in  Sunne  parish, 
Vermland.  The  son  attended  the 
high  school  founded  bj-  Anders 
Fryxell,  the  famous  Swedish  his- 
torian, and  as  a  boy  he  once  took 
a  prize  of  five  crowns,  given  by 
Professor  Fryxell,  an  occasion  he 
cheri.shes  as  the  proudest  moment 
in  his  life.  Gustaf  helped  his 
father  on  the  farm  until  1885, 
when  he  went  to  Stockholm  and 
learned  the  trade  of  carpenter  and 
joiner.  In  1887  he  emigrated  to 
America,  landing  on  our  shores 
May  5.  Proceeding  at  once  to 
Chicago,  he  there  secured  employ- 
ment in  his  trade.  After  three 
years  he  got  his  first  contract  for 
the  erection  of  a  building.  Before 
it  was  completed,  he   had  secured 


two  more  contracts.  Since  then 
lie  has  erected  nian>-  jirivate  resi- 
dences and  a  number  of  public 
buildings  and  club  houses,  among 
the  latter  the  Saddle  and  Cycle 
Club  house  in  Fxlgewater  and  the 
Exmore  Golf  Club  house  in  High- 
land Park. 

Mr.  Lindell  has  been  recording 
secretary  of  the  Iduna  Society  and 
is  a  member  of  the  Carpenters' 
and  Builders'   Association. 

In  [897  Mr.  Lindell  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Enniia  Maria  Olson. 
They  have  a  daughter  living,  their 
first  child,  a  son,  having  died  at 
a  tender  age. 


AARON  W.  ANDERSON 

was  born  at   Rydaholm,  Smaland, 
Sweden,  July    3,    1S77.     He    emi- 


.\.\R()N    W.    A.NIiERSON 

grated  to  America  in  1S93,  locat- 
ing in  Chicago.  He  started  in 
the  grocery  business  when  but  a 
young  man,  and  has  now  a  pros- 
perous grocery    and    meat   market 


I70 


Cook  County 


at    2S75    N.    Robey    St.,    Ravens- 
wood  . 

He  married  Miss  Sig^iie  Ander- 
son, born  in  Chicago  May  15,  1S79, 
and  their  union  has  been  blessed 
with  two  children,  Parkmaii  Rus- 
sell and   Morris  Aaron. 


WILHELM  EKEXBORG 

was    born    April    2,    1850,    in    the 
city    of    Ronneby,    Sweden.       He 


\VI1,HEI,.M    KKE.XBnRr. 

learned  the  carriage  maker's  trade 
from  his  father.  Ivmigraling  in 
1870  to  America,  he  first  settled 
in  California.  After  two  years  he 
moved  to  Chicago.  He  started  in 
business  for  himself  as  carriage- 
maker  in  1882,  at  1 40 1 -3  North 
Clark  St.,  where  he  is  still  located. 
In  1875  Mr.  Ivkenborg  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Mathilda  W'enncrholni. 
They  have  had  four  sons,  of  whom 
three  are  still  living.  They  are 
engaged  in  business  with  their 
father.  The  famil\-  belongs  to  the 
St.    Ansgarius    Swedish    Ivjjiscopal 


Church.  Ekenborg  is  a  member 
of  the  First  Swedish  Lodge,  I.  O. 
O.  F.,  and  of  the  \'erdandi  Lodge 
of  the  Svithiod  order. 


ANDREW  THELANDER 

was  born  July  26.  1847,  in  Bre- 
daryd  parish,  Smaland,  Sweden. 
He  emigrated  to  America  in  1869. 
For  the  first  two  years  he  traveled 
through  various  parts  of  the  coun- 
try and  afterwards  made  his  home 
in  Chicago. 

He  joined  the  Immanuel  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  in  1870.  For 
many  years  he  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  its  Board  of  Trustees,  and 
in  latter  years  was  treasurer  of  the 
board. 

In  1874  he  entered  the  employ 
of  the  firm  Braun  &  F^itts,  butter- 
ine  manufacturers,  and  was  for 
many  years  salesman  and  collector 
for  this  firm. 


When  in    1904  the  firm  split  and 
Mr.     Hrauti    established    hi>    own 


fl 


Chicago 


171 


factory  at  75-77  W.  Monroe  St., 
under  the  name  of  Geo.  P.  Braun 
Co.,  Mr.  Thelander  followed  and 
continues  in  his  employ  to  the 
present  time. 

In  1872  Mr.  Thelander  was  mar- 
ried to  Maria  L.  Erickson  from  Ul- 
lened  parish,  province  of  Vester- 
gotland,  Sweden.  Nine  children 
have  been  born  to  the  couple,  of 
whom  one  son  and  four  daughters 
are  still  living.  The  son,  Theo. 
A.  Thelander,  is  a  jeweler  at 
1739  North  Clark  st.,  Lake  View. 


JOHANNES  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  Edsvara  parish,  Ves- 
tergotland,  Sweden.     At  an   early 


JOHAN.NES    ANDERSON 

age  he  went  to  Stockholm  and  be- 
gan as  an  apprentice  in  the  wood- 
carving  trade.  For  a  number  of 
years  lie  attended  the  Technolog- 
ical School  of  Stockholm.  In  1883 
he  went  to  Hamburg,  Germany, 
and  during  the  following  three 
years  visited  the  cities  of  Cologne, 


Mainz,  Stuttgart,  Strassburg,  and 
other  places  in  Germany  and 
Switzerland.  In  1885  he  went  from 
Zurich  to  Paris,  remaining  there 
until  1889,  when  he  returned  to 
Sweden.  Coming  to  this  country 
in  1892,  he  located  in  Erie,  Pa., 
and  later  in  Rockford,  111.  He 
came  to  Chicago  in  1894  and  se- 
cured a  position  with  Joseph  Dux, 
the  well-known  architectural  .sculp- 
tor, under  whom  he  has  worked 
ever  since  as  molder  and  designer. 
Mr.  Anderson's  work  adorns  many 
of  Chicagos  finest  club  houses, 
depots,  commercial  houses  and 
residences . 


LOUIS  A.  LEVIN 

was  born  in  Oknaby,  Gellersta  pa- 
rish, Orebro  Ian,  Sweden,  Dec.  12, 
1S42.  He  arrived  in  America  June 
7,   1868.     Proceeding    to    Chicago 


LOUIS    A.    I.EVIN 


he  took  up  his  permanent  residence 
here,  and  after  some  years  engaged 
in    the    wholesale    tea    and    coffee 


172 


Cook  County 


trade,  which  he  has  followed  un- 
interruptedly for  twenty  -  eight 
years. 

Mr.   Levin  has  never  married. 


JOHN    E.  ERICSOX, 

civil  engineer,  was  born  in  Upland, 
Sweden,  Oct.   21,    185S,  his  father, 


JOHN    ERNST    EKICSON 

Anders  Ericson,  owning  an  estate, 
known  as  Lockstaholui.  His  father 
died  in  1894,  but  his  mother  still  sur- 
vives. He  received  a  common  school 
and  collegiate  education  at  Norr- 
telje  and  Upsala,  graduating  from 
the  Royal  Polytechnic  Institute, 
Stockholm,  in  18S0.  Soon  after 
he  was  appointed  assistant  engi 
neer  of  the  Vasa  Bridge,  Stock- 
holm, which  position  he  retained 
for  one  year,  until  emigrating  to 
America  in  June,  iSSi.  Arriving 
here,  he  was  made  resilient  en- 
gineer of  the  Toledo,  Cinciiuiati 
and  St.  Louis  Railroad,  and  the 
following  year  accepted  a  ])osition 
as  l)ridge  designer    with    Hopkins 


&  Co.  of  St.  Louis.  From  the 
fall  of  1882  to  the  spring  of  1884 
he  was  assistant  engineer  for  the 
U.  S.  government  on  the  Illinois 
and  Mississippi  canal  investigation. 
In  the  last  named  year  he  was  em- 
ployed by  the  city  of  Chicago  as 
draughtsman,  which  position  he 
filled  with  such  ability  that  he 
was  in  18S6  promoted  to  become 
assistant  engineer.  In  1893  he  was 
again  promoted  to  the  position  of 
principal  assistant  city  engineer, 
followed  four  years  later,  July  6, 
1S97,  bj^  his  advance  to  the  fwsi- 
tion  of  city  engineer.  In  1903  he 
was  made  a  memlier  of  the  Board 
of  Public  Improvements.  This 
josition,  although  an  important 
one,  became  irksome  to  Mr.  Eric- 
son  because  of  its  comparative  in- 
activity. He  therefore  applied  for 
his  old  post  of  city  engineer  and 
was  reappointed  to  this  office  un- 
der the  civil  service  rules. 

During  Mr.  Ericson's  employ- 
ment by  the  city  of  Chicago  he 
has  superintended  the  construction 
of  many  important  public  works 
in  the  city  and  elsewhere.  He 
was  in  local  charge  of  the  Lake 
\'iew,  Xorth  Shore  and  Sixty- 
eighth  street  tunnels.  He  was  also 
assistant  chief  engineer  for  the 
location  and  design  of  the  Jiew 
water  works  at  Seattle,  Wash. 
During  his  service  as  assi.stant  city 
engineer  Mr.  I'>icson  was  in  charge 
of  all  tunnel  and  crib  construction 
and  made  the  plans  and  specifica- 
tions for  twelve  miles  of  new  tun- 
nels, together  with  two  new  i)Ump- 
ing  stations,  each  station  to  have 
four    twenty-million    gallon    triple 


Chicago 


•73 


expansion  pumping  engines.  Mr. 
Ericson  has  also  ovtrhanled  all 
the  engines  of  the  various  jjump- 
ing  stations,  entailing  a  vast 
amount  of  detail  work.  All  the 
extensive  improvements  to  the 
water  works  system  of  Chicago 
have  called  for  engineering  and 
executive  ability  of  the  highest 
order,  and  Mr.  Ericson  has  amply 
met  the  expectations  of  the  citi- 
zens as  well  as  of  the  adminis- 
tration. About  70  per  cent,  of  the 
Chicago  water  works  system  has 
been  designed  and  constructed  un- 
der Mr.  Ericson 's  supervision. 

As  an  engineer  Mr.  Ericson 
stands  in  the  foremost  rank.  In 
all  the  public  positions  which  he 
has  held  he  has  given  eminent 
satisfaction  and  many  of  his  works 
stand  as  monuments  to  his  en- 
gineering skill. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  West- 
ern Society  of  Engineers,  Chicago 
Academy  of  Sciences,  American 
Societj-  of  Civil  Engineers,  Amer- 
ican Water  Works  Association, 
also  of  the  Chicago  Athletic  Asso- 
ciation and  the  Swedish  Glee  Club, 
being  president  of  the  latter  for 
some  years,  and  several  Masonic 
lodges.  He  has  traveled  ex- 
tensively through  Sweden,  Nor- 
waj',  Germany,  Holland,  England, 
Scotland,  the  United  States  and  the 
Hawaiian  Islands. 

Mr.  Ericson  was  married  July 
II,  1888,  to  Miss  Inez  Lydia 
Malmgren  of  Chicago,  who  died 
in  1893.  Three  years  after,  on 
June  30,  1896,  he  wedded  her 
sister,  Esther  Elizabeth  Malmgren. 
The}'    were   daughters  of  the  late 


Anders  Fredrik  and  Lydia  Eliza- 
beth Malmgren  of  Chicago.  Mr. 
Ericson  has  a  daughter,  Mildred 
Inez,  born  May  10,  1889,  of  his 
first  wife. 

In  the  exercise  of  his  duties  as 
city  engineer  of  Chicago,  Mr.  Eric- 
son has  prepared  a  number  of 
special  reports  printed  in  pamphlet 
form,  bearing  on  such  topics  as 
the  water  supply,  street  railways 
and  the  lowering  of  the  tunnels 
under  the  Chicago  River.  He  is 
also  the  author  of  several  papers 
on  technical  subjects,  read  before 
various  engineering  societies. 

In  1906  Mr.  Ericson  was  granted 
a  year's  vacation  with  full  pa\-, 
retaining  meanwhile  the  position 
of  consulting  engineer. 

In  April,  1907,  he  again  assumed 
full  charge  as  city  engineer  at  the 
request  of  the  municipal  govern- 
ment. 


JOHN  GOTTFRID  CARLSON 
was  born  at  Bone,  Vestergot- 
land,  Sweden,  Nov.  29,  1835. 
With  a  public  school  education 
acquired  in  his  native  place  he 
emigrated  to  America  in  1S52  in 
company  with  his  parents,  his 
father  dying  three  years  after  their 
arrival  in   Chicago. 

As  a  young  man  he  learned  the 
tailor's  trade  which  he  followed  for 
some  time.  Subsequently  he  joined 
the  city  fire  department  from  which 
he  was  retired  on  a  pension  at  the 
age  limit  after  forty  years'  .ser- 
vice, including  thirty-one  years  as 
captain  of  his  brigade.  He  is  one 
of  the  charter  members  of  the 
Inmianuel   Swedish  Luth.    Church 


174 


Cook  Couniv 


and   has  served  in  the  capacity  of 
deacon  for  many  years  back. 
March  8,  1873,  Mr.  Carlson  was 


JDHN   GOTTFKID  CARLSON 

married  to  Miss  Matilda  Johnson 
of  Chicago,  born  Apr.  17,  1844. 
Of  three  children  a  son  and  a 
daughter  are  living.  They  are, 
Albert  G.,  born  Dec.  14,  1873, 
married  to  Miss  Kathryn  Mack, 
and  Hildur  J.,  born  July  11,  1875, 
who  is  now  Mrs.  Eugene  W.  Dahl. 


MATTHIAS  WAHLSTROM 

was  called  to  the  position  of  su- 
perintendent of  Augustana  Hospi- 
tal, from  that  of  president  of 
Gustavus  Adolpus  College  at  St. 
Peter,  Minn,  where,  in  the  main, 
his  life  work  has  been  performed. 
He  was  born  in  the  province  of 
IMekinge,  Sweden,  Nov.  28.  1851. 
His  parents  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1854,  first  locating  in 
Cliicago,  and  then  living  for  short 
periods  at  Gcncv;!,  Montgomery, 
and   Aurora,   111.,  nnlil  1S61,  when 


they  settled  in  West  Union,  Car- 
ver county,  Minn.  The  son  at- 
tended St.  Ansgar's  Academy 
1869-71,  and  in  the  latter  year 
entered  Augustana  College,  at 
Paxton,  111.,  which  institution 
was  removed  to  Rock  Lsland  be- 
fore he  graduated,  in  1877.  Mr. 
Wahl.strom  taught  in  St.  Ansgar's 
Academy  in  1874-75,  and  acted 
as  parochial  .school  teacher  during 
summer  vacations  while  a  student. 
Having  completed  the  college 
course,  he  continued  his  studies 
in  the  theological  seminary  at 
Augustana  for  two  j-ears,  grad- 
uating in  1879  and  being  ordained 
minister  by  the  Augustana  Synod 
at  its  meeting  in  Chicago  in 
June    of    the   same  year. 


M.\1TI1I.\S  \V.\lll.STKO.\I 

July  6,  following,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Sehna  C.  Kkstrom 
of  Lindsborg,  Kas.,  and  then  left 
for  (he  mission  field,  hihoring 
among  the  Indians  of  the  West 
anil  Southwest   in   1879  and    18S0, 


Chicago 


175 


^ 


meanwhile  traveling  extensively 
ill  Colorado,  New  Mexico  and 
Indian  Territorj-. 

In  the  fall  of  1880,  Mr.  Wahl- 
strom  accepted  a  call  to  teach  at 
Gustavus  Adolphus  College,  at 
St.  Peter,  Minn.  The  following 
year  he  wa.s  elected  president  of 
the  institution.  For  twenty-three 
years  he  remained  at  the  head  of 
the  institution  and  saw  it  grow 
from  a  small  academj-  with  a  single 
department  to  a  full  college,  with 
five  departments  in  all,  annually 
enrolling  from  300  to  400  stu- 
dents and  graduating  50  to  70 
every  year. 

Augustana  College  in  1886  con- 
ferred on  Prof.  Wahlstrom  the 
degree  of  A.  M.,  and  in  1894 
that  of  Ph.  D.  In  November, 
1901,  by  order  of  King  Oscar  II 
of  Sweden,  he  was  created  a 
knight  of  the  Order  of  the  North 
Star  by  the  Rt.  Rev.  Bi.shop  K. 
H.  G.  von  Scheele  of  Gotland, 
Sweden,  then  on  a  visit  to  the 
United  States.  Dr.  Wahlstrom  is 
a  life  member  of  the  American 
Bible  Society. 

For  several  years  he  served  as 
pastor  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
churches  at  Le  Sueur  and  St. 
Peter,  Minn.  In  1904  Dr.  Wahl- 
strom resigned  the  presidencj'  of 
Gustavus  Adolphus  College  and 
about  the  same  time  he  was  elec- 
ted bj'  the  Illinois  Conference  to 
the  position  of  superintendent  and 
chaplain  of  Augustana  Hospital, 
and  assumed  his  duties  in  Septem- 
ber of  the  same  year. 

Dr.  Wahlstrom  is  a  forceful 
public  speaker,     and    the    quarter 


century  he  has  devoted  to  .school 
work  has  given  him  front  rank 
among  Swedish-American  edu- 
cators. 

His  married  life  has  been  bles.sed 
with  three  sons  and  four  daugh- 
ters, here  named  in  the  order  of 
their  birth:  Hilding  Timotheus, 
Edna  P'rideborg,  deceased,  An- 
nette F'rideborg,  Ruth  Eleonor, 
Edna  Constance,  Einar  Anselm 
and  Maurice  Geijer. 


FERDINAND 
ENGELBRECTSON 

was    born    in    Goteborg,    Sweden, 
April    27,    1862.       In    November, 


FERIlIN.VND    ENGELB-RECTSDN 

1 888,  he  passed  a  successful  exam- 
ination in  surgery  before  the  Royal 
Medical  Department  in  Stockholm. 
Discontented  with  the  opportu- 
nities open  to  him  in  Sweden,  he 
left  Goteborg  for  London  in  Octo- 
ber, 1890.  From  this  place  he 
went  to  Alexandria,  Egypt,  and 
thence  back  to  England.     He  next 


176 


Cook  County 


went  to  Xtw  York,  arriving  in 
January,  1S91,  and  remained  until 
August,  1S93,  when  he  removed 
to  Chicago,  where  he  has  been 
permanently  located  as  practicing 
masseur  ever  since  that  time. 

In  April,  1901,  he  married  Miss 
Agues  Bergendorff  from  Falkop- 
iug,  Sweden.  The  same  year  he 
was  appointed  clinical  demonstra- 
tor in  massage  and  medical  gym- 
nastics at  the  Northwestern  Uni- 
versit\-  Medical  School.  Mr.  Eng- 
elbrect.son  graduated  as  Doctor  of 
Medicine  from  Dearborn  Medical 
College  in  Chicago  June  27,  1907. 


EMANUEL  OSTERHOLM 

was  born    Feb.   27,    1S69,   in  Ostra 
Emtervik,       Vermland,       Sweden. 


EMANl'KI,  OSTIiKUdl-.M 

His  parents  were  Magnus  Oster- 
liolin,  a  carpenter  and  farmer, 
and  Anna  Maria,  nee  Anderson. 
After  leaving  the  public  school,  he 
worked  as  a  farm  hand  initil  1HS7, 
when    lu-    emigrated    to    America, 


destined  for  Chicago.  Here  he 
went  to  work  as  a  painter,  stick- 
ing to  that  trade  until  1894.  when 
he  opened  a  paint  and  wall  paper 
store  in  partnership  with  Robert 
Anderson,  under  the  firm  name  of 
Anderson  and  Osterholm.  Con- 
tracting for  painting  and  decorat- 
ing is  the  principal  item  in  their 
business.  They  Ijegan  by  employ- 
ing five  men  and  now  emplo>- 
about  fifty.  Their  busine.ss  has 
increased  very  extensively. 

Outgrowing  the  quarters  in 
which  the  firm  opened  up,  the>- 
erected  a  three  story  store  and 
flat  building  in  1898,  at  1202  W. 
59th  St.  This  is  their  main  place 
of  business,  but  they  also  comhict 
a  branch  store  at  3200  N.  Clark 
street. 

Mr.  Osterholm  was  choirmaster 
of  the  Swedish  Mission  Church  of 
Englewood  for  several  years.  He 
is  now  a  member  of  the  Swedish 
Mi.ssion  Church  in  Lake  \'iew. 
His  brother  is  Albin  N.  Oster- 
holm of  Superior,  Wis.,  who  has 
poetical  ability,  as  shown  in  a 
volume  of  verse,  published  several 
years  ago. 

Mr.  Osterholm  was  on  June 
20,  1900,  married  to  Hannah 
Mathilda  Swenson,  of  Chicago, 
horn  Jan.  14.  1S75.  They  have 
a  son.  Philip  Emanuel,  born 
April    1,    igoi. 

AXEL  Ll'DVU^.  NVSTROM, 

a  clergyman  in  the  Mission  Church, 
was  born  in  Kristiania,  Norway, 
July  8,  1872,  his  parents  haxing 
come  from  the  Swcilish  ]>rovince 
of    \'ermland.     The    familv    emi- 


Chicago 


177 


grated  and  located  on  a  farm  in 
Grass  Lake,  Kanabec  co.,  Minn, 
in   1876.     At  thirteen  he  went    to 


i 


t 


AXliL   LUL>VIG  NYSTKOM 

West  Superior,  Wis.  and  worked 
there  as  salesman  in  a  clothing 
store.  In  1892,  he  entered  the 
Ev.  Mission  Covenant  Theo- 
logical Seminary  and  completed 
his  studies  for  the  ministry  at 
North  Park  College  in  the  spring 
of  1895.  He  afterward  took  a 
special  course  at  Knox  College 
and  also  studied  for  some  time  at 
Bethanj-  College,  Lindsborg,  Kans. 
In  1895  he  was  given  his  first 
pastoral  charge,  that  of  the  Swed- 
ish Mission  Church  at  West  Bur- 
lington, Iowa.  In  December,  1900, 
he  accepted  a  call  from  the  Swed- 
ish Congregational  Church  in 
Cleveland,  Ohio.  In  1901,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Nj-strom  came  to  Chi- 
cago and  assumed  the  pastorate 
of  the  Swedish  Mission  Church  in 
Englewood,  and  is  still  retaining 
that    charge.     He    is    married    to 


Miss  Mollin  Miller  of  Burlington, 
Iowa,  and  resides  at  5849  Car- 
penter St. 

KARL  H.  ELMSTROM, 

minister  in  the  Swedish  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  was  born  Aug. 
20,  1850,  in  the  city  of  Karls- 
krona,  Sweden.  While  attending 
the  collegiate  school  there,  he 
came  under  the  influence  of  Meth- 
odism through  Rev.  Scirliii,  and 
after  his  graduation  felt  prompted 
to  devote  himself  to  the  ministrj' 
in  that  church.  The  opposition 
of  his  parents,  however,  forced 
him  to  abandon  this  plan.  Instead 
he  entered    Fjellstedt    Theological 


K.\RI,    H.    ELMSTKD.M) 

Seminarj-  in  Upsala  with  the 
intention  of  becoming  a  Luth- 
eran pastor.  During  his  three  years' 
stay  here  he  had  the  permission 
of  Archbishop  Sundberg  to  preach 
in  four  different  churches  of 
the  archbishopric.  At  the  end  of 
this  period  he  again,  in  1872,  came 


178 


Cook  County 


in  close  touch  with  the  Method- 
ists ill  Stockhohii,  and  after  having 
had  conversations  with  several  of 
the  older  ministers,  whose  ac- 
quaintance he  had  formed  in  Karls- 
krona,  he  resolved  to  join  the 
Methodist  Church.  He  was  or- 
dained in  1S75  as  deacon  and  in 
1S77  as  elder.  In  Sweden  he  la- 
bored in  the  ministry  for  about  ten 
years,  having  charge,  successively, 
of  the  Methodist  congregations  in 
Orebro,  Halsberg,  Goteborg,  Up- 
sala.    Jonkoping    and    Stockholm. 

In  1882  the  Rev.  Mr.  Elmstrom 
emigrated  to  America,  where  his 
first  charge  was  at  Beaver,  111. 
Next  his  charges  were  on  the  west 
side  in  Chicago  for  three  years,  in 
Minneapolis  for  three  years  and 
again  on  the  west  side  in  Chicago 
for  three  j-ears,  on  the  north  side 
for  three  years,  and  finally  for 
two  j-ears  in  Jamestown,  N.  Y. 
From  Oct.  i,  1898,  until  1903  he 
was  editor  of  Siiiicici'iidii,  resign- 
ing to  assume  the  pastorate  of  the 
First  Swedi.sh  M.  E.  Church  of 
Chicago. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  lilmstrom  married 
Miss  Jennie  Froberg  of  Stockholm, 
Sweden,  in  1873.  Of  their  four 
children,   two    daughters    survive. 


tar,    visiting    many    parts    of    the 
world. 

In    1877,    having    concluded    to 
become  a  landlubber,  he  embarked 


GUSTAF  C.  BROBERG, 
general  steam.ship  agent,  was  born 
in  the  city  of  N>koping,  Sweden, 
Oct.'  20,  1S58.  As  a  boy,  he  was 
sent  to  a  relative  in  Stockholm  to 
study.  He  was  restless,  however, 
and  soon  hired  out  as  a  member 
of  the  crew  of  a  sailing  ves.sel, 
1)1)1111(1  for  I'jigland.  For  several 
years    Ik-    k<l  the  life   of  a  yniiiig 


1 

■PflH 

1 

1 

GisT.M-  c.\spi-;k  hkdbbkg 

for  New  York  City,  going  from 
there  to  Buffalo  and  later  to  Chi- 
cago. Mr.  Broberg  here  became 
a  sub-agent  for  a  railroad,  and  in 
that  capacity  secured  much  of  the 
immigration  business  for  his  road. 
After  gaining  e.xperience  he  estab- 
lished a  steamship  and  railroad 
ticket  agency,  making  a  specialty 
of  the  pas.senger  traffic  to  and 
from  Sweden,  Xorwa\-,  Denmark 
and  Finland.  His  office  is  in  his 
own    building,   67  E.  Kinzie  st. 

In  1S90  Mr.  Broberg  started 
publishing  Hiimorisleti,  a  comic 
weekly,  the  successive  editors  of 
which  were  Ville  Akeri)erg,  Oliver 
Linder,  Ernst  Lindblom  and  Gustaf 
Wicklund.  In  1S90  the  i>aiKr  was 
changed  to  a  weekly  general  news- 
I>a]>er,  entitled  Svfiiska  iXv/iflfi.  It 
grew  from  a  smaller  size  to  a  7-col- 


Chicago 


'79 


uiiin,  12  page  paper,  and  then  to  i6 
pages.  In  July,  1906,  Sz'e>iska  Ny- 
heter  and  Svonka  Trihiinoi,  a  sim- 
ilar newspaper,  were  consolidated 
and  are  now  published  under  the 
hyphenated  name  of  Svcnska  Trih- 
Hiic-i-Nylulcr.  Earlj-  in  1907  Mr. 
Broberg  sold  his  interest  in  the 
new.spaper,  and  now  devotes  him- 
self to  his  ticket  agency. 

Mr.  Broberg  was  married  in  18S4 
to  Miss  Bertha  Gloor,  with  whom 
he  has  a  daughter,  thirteen  years 
old.  The  family  residence  is  at 
1 152  Sheridan  road. 

Mr.  Broberg  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Glee  Club,  Svithiod  Lodge 
No.  I,  King  Oscar  Lodge  A.  F.  & 
A.  M.,  Lincoln  Park  Chapter  of 
St.  Bernard  Commandery  and  of 
Medinah  Temple.  At  the  World's 
Fair  in  Chicago  Mr.  Broberg  was 
corresponding  secretar}-  of  the 
Scandinavian  Auxiliary  Committee^ 


got  work  in  a  sawmill.  He  was 
variously  employed  in  shingle  and 
lumber  mills,   and    at    log  cutting 


JOHN  MARTENSON, 
publisher  of  the  weekl}-  religious 
newspaper,  Chicago- Bladct,  is  the 
son  of  Abraham  Martenson,  a  la- 
borer of  Jonkoping,  Sweden,  and 
his  wife,  Charlotta  Falk,  He  was 
born  in  that  city  March  25,  1850. 
After  attending  common  .school 
for  two  or  three  years  the  boy 
worked  for  an  upholsterer  un- 
til ten  3'ears  of  age  when  he  got 
a  job  as  errand  bo}'  in  a  printing 
.shop  in  his  home  town,  and  worked 
at  the  t}-pe  case  there  and  in 
Stockholm  for  the  next  six  years, 
or  until  he  emigrated  in  1867. 
He  went  as  far  west  as  his  money 
would  take  him,  stopping  at 
Grand  Rapids,    !Mich.,    where    he 


JOHN   MARTENSON 

and  log  driving  until  1S69,  when, 
after  a  trip  down  the  Mississippi 
on  a  lumber  raft,  he  pa.ssed  through 
Chicago  and  decided  to  take  up 
his  old  trade  in  that  city.  He 
worked  as  compositor  on  the  Swed- 
ish newspaper  Hcmlaiidct  up  to 
1874,  when  he  took  the  position 
of  foreman  in  the  printing  office 
of  Svcnska  Amciikanarcn,  another 
Swedish  newspaper,  continuing 
there  until  the  latter  part  of  1876. 
In  Februarj-,  the  following  year, 
Mr.  Martenson  started  Chicago- 
Bladct  and  has  been  its  publisher 
up  to   the  present  time. 

Mr.  Martenson  comes  from  a 
pious  famih-,  which  for  two  gen- 
erations had  been  identified  with 
the  revivalists  known  as  Readers. 
His  father  was  one  of  the  first  of 
these  in  Jonkoping.  Mr.  Marten- 
son's  maternal  grandfather,  Abram 


I  So 


Cook  County 


Falk,  was  a  farmer-poet,  who 
wrote  many  religious  songs,  in- 
cluding the  well-known  hj-mn 
beginning,  "Oppet  star  Jesu  for- 
barmande  hjiirta."  Mr.  Marten- 
soti's  activity  as  editor  and  pub- 
lisher has  received  its  character 
from  the  earlj-  influences  of  his 
home.  His  paper,  while  indepen- 
dent, is  generally  accepted  as  the 
organ  of  the  Free  Mission  Church. 
He  is  also  the  publisher  of  Coliim- 
ba,  a  fortnightly  paper  for  juve- 
nile readers. 

Mr.  Martenson  is  a  member  of 
the  Oak  Street  Swedish  Mission 
Church,  of  which  he  has  served 
as  trustee  and  treasurer  for  about 
twentj'-five  3'ears.  He  ranks  as 
one  of  the  leaders  of  that  group 
of  believers  denominated  as  Free 
Mission  Friends  and  was  in  fact 
one  of  the  fathers  of  this  move- 
ment. 

Mr.  Martenson  was  married 
Sept.  27,  1 87 1,  to  Sarah  Ander- 
son, a  daughter  of  Anders  and 
Christina  Jonsson,  born  in  Rj^da- 
holm,  Sweden,  June  2,  1854.  Of 
four  children  born  to  them  two 
died  in  early  years.  The  surviv- 
ors, John  Victor  and  Alma  Emilia, 
are  both  married. 

The  Martenson  family  resides 
at  1540  Aldine  ave.,  and  the  office 
of  Cliicai^o-niadct  is  at  205  Oak  st. 

FRANK  W.  ISHKRG 

is  a  nati\e  of  Chicago.  Born  in 
this  city  April  8,  1871,  he  was  ed- 
ucated in  its  j)ublic  schools.  After 
reaching  mature  years,  he  became 
superintendent  for  H.  C.  Tillinghast 


&  Co. ,  manufacturersof  cut  leather. 
In  1902,  Mr.  Isberg  bought  out 
his    employers'    interests.     As    far 


FRANK    W.    ISBERC. 

as  he  knows,  he  is  the  only  Swede 
b}'  birth  or  descent  in  the  West 
engaged  in  this  line  of  business. 
The  firm  is  styled  F.  W.  Isberg 
&  Co.,  and  its  place  of  business 
is  at   193  Lake  st. 

Mr.   Isberg  is  a  member  of   the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 


CART,   F.   BRUSKN 

was  born  July  22,  1871,  in  Hal- 
lingeberg  parish,  Smaland,  Swe- 
den. He  learne;'.  the  tailor's  trade 
from  his  father  at  home.  Coming 
to  America  and  locating  in  Clii- 
cago,  he  worked  for  various  tailor- 
ing establishments  ami  learneil  also 
the  art  of  cutting.  Thus  equipix.'d, 
he  started  in  business  for  himself 
as  a  merchant  tailor  in  1897,  at 
1643  N.  Clark  St.,  his  present 
location. 


Chicago 


Mr.  Bnisen  was  married  in  1900 
to  Miss  Constance  Johanson.  He 
is  a    member    of    several    Swedish 


CARL  FREDRIK    BRUSEN 

societies  and    has  served  as  presi- 
dent of  the  Orpheus  Singing  Chib. 


CLAES  FLODIN, 

manufacturer,  was  born  in  Jon- 
koping,  Sweden,  July  6,  1S4.S. 
His  parents  were  Carl  Flodin,  su- 
perintendent of  the  Barnangen 
Manufacturing  Company's  works 
at  Stockholm,  and  Lovisa  Svenson 
Flodin.  The  son  attended  public 
and  private  school.  In  1872  he 
left  home  for  America,  arriving 
July  2.  He  proceeded  to  Chicago, 
where  he  worked  at  the  metal 
trades.  For  upwards  of  twenty- 
five  years  he  has  been  junior 
member  of  the  firm  of  Goetz  & 
Flodin,  133  W.  Chicago  ave., 
manufacturers  of  copper  and  sheet 
iron  tanks. 

Mr.     Flodin    was    for    eighteen 
years  president  of  the  First  Swed- 


181 

ish  Building  and  Loan  Associa- 
tion. He  belongs  to  the  Swedish 
Ev.  Lutheran  Mission  Church  in 
Lake  View  and  has  been  a  trustee 
of  the  North  Side  Mission  Church. 
Mr.  Flodin  is  married  to  Emma 
O.  Larson,  daughter  of  A.  Larson, 
a  coppersmith,  and  Anna  Larson 
from  Satersfors,  Habo  parish,  Ves- 
tergotland,  Sweden.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Flodin's  children  are  eight  in  num- 
ber, Hilma  C,  Benjamin  A.,  Ru- 
dolph A.,  Agnes  O.,   Ida  E.,    Ha- 


CLAES  FLODIN 

raid    L., 

Arnold    and    Elmer 

E. 

Flodin. 

CHARLES  E.  SPAAK 

was  born  Oct.  21,  1S65,  in  Elfs-  j 
borgs  Ian,  Sweden.  His  father, 
Pehr  Henric  Spaak,  was  well- 
known  in  the  province.  The  early 
instruction  given  Charles  Spaak 
was  private,  but  at  twelve  years  I 
of  age  he  entered  the  Jonkoping 
collegiate  .school.  From  there  he 
went  to  Orebro  and  studied  at  the 


1 82 


Cook  County 


Technical  Institute  at  that  place. 
Upon  his  graduation  in  1885  he 
imniediatelv    left    for    the    I'nited 


CHAKl.ES    KKIK    SJ'AAK 

States.  Here  he  became  engaged 
as  draughtsman  in  1885-1886  at  the 
headquarters  of  the  U.  S.  Govern- 
ment Engineering  Corps  in  Chicago. 
From  1886-87  "S  assisted  in  the 
preliminary  work  for  the  Chicago 
drainage  canal  and  from  1887-88 
he  was  assistant  engineer  during 
the  laying  of  the  cable  sj'stem  in 
St.  Louis,  Mo.  In  1888-89  he 
held  a  position  as  inspector  and 
draughtsman  for  the  U.S.  Govern- 
ment Engineering  Corps.  After 
working  for  one  year  in  this  ca- 
pacity he  accepted  the  position  of 
assistant  city  engineer  in  Seattle, 
Wash.,  from  which  he  soon  resigned 
to  become  assistant  engineer  for 
the  Great  Northern  Railway.  April 
I,  1892,  he  returned  to  Chicago  as 
assistant  engineer  with  the  Indiana 
Natural  Gas  and  Oil  Co.  This  ]X)si- 
tion  he  held  until  in  1898  he  became 


chief  engineer  with  the  same  corn- 
pan)-,  his  present  |X)sition. 

Mr.  Spaak  was  married  to  Miss 
Anna  Gerda  Hessler  July  5,  1S94. 
Their  two  .sons  are  Carl  Per  Harald. 
born  Aug.  15,  1897.  and  Gilbert 
Henric,  born  April  11,  1899. 


CHARLES  RUDOLPH  NELSON 

was  born  in  Ulricehanui.  Sweden, 
January  26,  1859.  His  father  was 
John  Nelson,  a  cabinet  maker. 
His  mother's  maiden  name  was 
Matilda   Hedlund. 

The  family  emigrated  to  this 
countr\-  in  1S65  and  proceeded  to 
Chicago.  In  common  with  so 
man>-  others  they  were  burned  out 
in  the  fire  of  1871.  Charles  at- 
tended    the     putilic    school    until 


CllAKI.liS   KlllOI.IMl    Mil.SOX 

1875  when  he  started  to  learn  llie 
printer's  trade  which  he  continueil 
until  18S3.  After  a  few  more 
years  of  experience  in  business  he 
became  in  1S88,  head  of  the  .sales 
department  of  the  Ames  and  Frost 


Chicago 


'83 


Co.     r'or  ten    years    he    remained 
with  the  house,  afterward   assum- 
ing management  of  the    Tengwall 
File  and    Ledger   Co.,    in    Ravens- 
wood.     In   1903    Mr.    Nelson    was 
attracted  to   St.    Louis   where    he 
was,     until     1906,    vice    president 
and  general  superintendent  of  Lie- 
ber  &  Tru.ssell  Co.     Mr.  Nelson  is 
now  president  of  the  Nelson  Cor- 
poration,   231     Monroe  st.,  where 
loose-leaf  devices  are  manufactured. 
He  has  invented  no  le.ss    than    26 
loose-leaf  devices,  a  paper   punch 
ing  machine  and  a  rattan  splitting 
machine.     Some   of  these    devices 
are  used  by  the  U.  S.  government. 
His    business    has    taken    him    to 
nearly  all  the  larger  cities  of  the 
United  States  and  Canada. 

Mr.  Nelson  is  one  of  the  early 
settlers  of  Ravenswood,  having 
moved  there  when  there  were 
truck  farms  all  around  his  home. 
From  that  time  he  has  been 
identified  with  its  rapid  improve- 
ment and  advance.  He  is  presi- 
dent of  the  Republican  precinct 
club  and  belongs  to  Royal  League, 
Royal  Arcanum,  Knights  of  Pyth- 
ias, Odd  Fellows,  National  Union, 
Ravenswood  Blue  Lodge,  A.  F. 
and  A.  M.  Columbia  Chapter,  St. 
Bernard  Commandery,  Medinah 
Shrine,  Prince  of  Chaldeans,  and 
to  the  Chicago  Athletic  Club. 

Mr.  Nelson  was  married  Juh- 
22,  1882,  to  Viola  May  Newell, 
born  in  Chicago,  May  27,  1861, 
her  parents  being  Samuel  B.  and 
Margaret  Newell.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Nelson  have  been  born,  Clar- 
ence Richard,  in  1883;  Lulu  Irene, 
in      1884:      Ethel    May    in      1886: 


Marshall  Hurr,  in  1S87;  Wilbur 
AKord,  in  iSy2;  Ruth  Ivieanor, 
in  1901,  and  Florence  Helen  in 
1904.  The  family  re.sides  at  2881 
N.  Paulina  st.,  and  belongs  to 
Ravenswood  M.  E.  Church.  Mr. 
Nelson  has  been  a  member  of  the 
official  board  of  the  church  and 
the  chorister  of  the  Sunday  school 
for  man}-  years. 


HENRY  S.  HENSCHEN 

was  born  Jul>-  29,    1873,  in  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  attended  public  schools 


HENRY    SAMriil,    HENSCHEN 

in  Evanston,  111.,  and  Jamestown, 
N.  Y.,  and  removed  in  1885  to 
Sweden  with  his  parents.  After 
attending  school  two  years  in 
Stockholm  and  two  years  in  Up- 
sala,  he  returned  to  the  United 
States  in   1889. 

The  same  year  he  entered  the 
employ  of  Haugan  and  Lindgren, 
bankers,  Chicago,  and  has  ever 
since  been  connected  with  the 
institution,   now  known    as    State 


1 84 


Cook  County 


Bank  of  Chicago.  In  1898  he 
was  made  manager  of  the  Bond 
and  Foreign  Exchange  Depart- 
ment and  in  1901  promoted  to 
Assistant  Cashier. 

From  1893  to  1896  he  attended 
evening  classes  in  the  Chicago 
College  of  Law,  was  admitted  to 
the  Illinois  bar  in  1895  and  in 
1898  received  the  degree  of 
Bachelor    of  Laws. 

He  has  at  times  filled  the  po- 
sition of  Acting  Vice  Consul  for 
Sweden  in  Chicago. 

Mr.  Hen.schen  was  married  in 
1898,  to  Miss  Edith  M.  C.  Mount- 
ain and  has  one  .son.  His  home 
is  at  728  Pine  Grove  ave. 

Mr.  Henschen  is  a  member  of 
the  Union  League  Club  and  the 
Bankers'  Club  and  of  Grace 
M.  E.  Church. 


try  in  July  and  settling  at  Gales- 
burg.  There  young  Nelson  attend- 
ed the  public  schools,  worked  for 


NELS  NELSON 
is  an  insurance  man,  well  known 
to  Swedish-Americans  in  general 
from  his  connection  with  the  Scan- 
dinavian Mutual  Aid  Association 
of  Galesburg,  111.,  as  its  secretary 
for  a  period  of  nineteen  j-ears. 

He  was  born  in  Weinge  parish, 
Halland,  Sweden,  July  13,  1840, 
the  son  of  Nils  Hengtson,  a  farmer 
and  carpenter,  and  his  wife,  Jo- 
hanna Johansson.  His  parents 
with  four  children  emigrated  to 
America  in  1854,  but  owing  to  in- 
sufTicient  means,  Nels  was  left  be- 
hind with  friends.  The  family 
arrived  in  Chicago  duiing  the 
cholera  fpideniic  of  1854,  and  the 
father  and  one  son  died  from  that 
disease  .soon  after.  In  1856  Nels 
left  Sweden,  coming  to  this  conii- 


NliLS    NELSON 

farmers  in  that  locality,  and  for 
the  Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quin- 
cy  R.  K.  Company,  also  serving 
a  short  apprenticeship  with  a  cab- 
inetmaker, until  1861.  That  year 
he  volunteered  for  service  in  the 
Union  army,  served  four  and  a 
half  jears  and  in  March,  1865, 
was  promoted  for  meritorious  serv- 
ice to  the  rank  of  first  lieutenant. 
Mr.  Nelson  was  a  member  of 
Company  C,  43d  Illinois  \'olun- 
teers,  which  company  was  made 
up  of  Swedes.  He  began  service 
as  a  .sergeant  of  the  company. 

At  the  close  of  the  war  Mr. 
Nelson  went  into  busine.ss  in  Gales- 
burg. In  18;  I  he  was  elected  city 
treasurer  and  served  in  that  capac- 
it>-  for  five  years,  l)eing  re-elected 
each  year  up  to  1875  inclusive. 
He  now  devoted  himself  to  his 
private  bu.siness  until    1S83,  when 


Chicago 


'85 


he  was  elected  secretary  of  the 
Scandinavian  Mutual  Aid  Associ- 
ation, a  life  insurance  companj' 
on  the  assessment  plan,  a  position 
held  by  him  until  1902.  When 
the  business  of  the  Association  was 
by  a  vote  of  the  necessary  major- 
ity of  its  members  transferred  to 
the  Scandia  Mutual  Life  Insur- 
ance Company  of  Chicago,  also 
an  assessment  organization,  on  the 
29th  day  of  August,  1902,  Mr. 
Nelson  severed  his  connection  with 
the  association  and  remained  in 
Galesburg. 

The  following  spring  he  was 
again  elected  treasurer  of  the  city 
for  a  term  of  two  years.  At  the 
expiration  of  the  term  in  April, 
1905,  the  Scandia  Mutual  Life 
was  reorganized  on  the  legal  re- 
serve basis  and  placed  on  a  per- 
fectly sound  footing.  Then,  upon 
the  invitation  of  the  management 
of  the  company,  now  the  Scandia 
Life  Insurance  Company,  Mr.  Nel- 
son went  to  Chicago  to  as.sist  in 
the  management  of  its  affairs  at 
the  head  office,  where  he  is  now 
engaged. 

In  1868  Mr.  Nelson  was  married 
to  Miss  Sarah  Nelson  of  Gales- 
burg, daughter  of  Nils  Palsson. 
She  died  Dec.  7,  1898.  The  issue 
of  their  union  was  two  children, 
Arthur  Ulrich,  born  July  29,  1869, 
and  Edmund  Linnea,  who  died  in 
infancy.  Arthur  Nelson  is  married 
to  Miss  Anna  E.  Westerberg  of 
Galesburg,  and  resides  there. 

Mr.  Nelson  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at 
Galesburg,  and  served  for  fourteen 
consecutive  vears  on  the  board  of 


trustees  and  was  its  treasurer.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army 
of  the   Republic. 

While  living  in  Galesburg,  Mr. 
Nelson  served  the  city  in  many 
other  capacities  besides  that  of 
city  treasurer.  He  was  a  member 
of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  for  15 
jears,  of  the  Board  of  Education 
for  4  years  and  of  the  Public  Lib- 
rary Board  for  7  years. 


CARL  VALLENTIN 

was  born  at    Fredriksberg,  in  the 
province     of     Smaland,     Sweden, 


C.\RI.   V.\I.LEXTIN' 

May  10,  1858.  He  came  to  this 
country  with  his  parents  in  1870 
and  settled  in  Moline,  111.  For  a 
few  years  he  followed  his  father's 
trade  as  a  blacksmith  and  worked 
for  the  Moline  Plow  Co. 

His  education  was  obtained 
at  Augustana  College.  When 
twenty  years  of  age  he  began  to 
teach  school  and  continued  in  this 
occupation  for  three  years. 


i86 

When  the  insurance  society 
known  as  the  Scandinavian  Mutu- 
al Aid  Association  of  Galesburg 
was  organized,  he  accepted  a  po- 
sition as  their  general  agent  and 
traveled  extensively  for  a  number 
of  years. 

In  iS86  he  started  a  book  and 
music  store  in  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
While  in  this  business  he  pub- 
lished a  journal,  called  Hcmmd, 
and  a  Swedish  cookbook. 

In  1890  Mr.  Vallentin  came  to 
Chicago  and  opened  a  real  estate 
office,  with  Mr.  Charles  Berg  as 
a  partner. 

When  the  S%'ea  Building  and 
Loan  Association  of  Chicago  was 
organized,  he  was  one  of  the  pro- 
moters and  officiated  as  vice-pres- 
ident and  treasurer  until  the  spring 

of  1896. 

In  June  of  that  year  he  went 
to  Europe,  making  a  tour  of  Swe- 
den, Denmark,  Germany,  France 
and  England. 

In  1S97  he  became  a  member 
of  the  firm  known  as  the  Svea 
Land  Colony,  which  for  the  last 
decade  has  been  engaged  in  colo- 
nizing and  developing  Silverhill, 
Alabama.  Mr.  Valk-nlin  more 
recently  interested  himself  in  a 
gold  mining  enterprise,  known  as 
the  Telma  Gold  Mining  Co., 
and  is  identified  with  other  finan- 
cial enterprises. 

Mr.  Vallentin  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in 
Englewood,  where  he  has  resided 
for  some  twelve  years. 


Cook  County 


CHARLES  J.  DAHLyUIST 

was  born  June   13,    1862,  in    Kin- 
neved  parish,  Vestergotland,  Swe- 


CH.\RLi:S   J.    UAHLQUIST 

den.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  native  land. 
Oct.  12,  1 88 1,  he  came  to  America 
and  took  up  his  abode  in  Chicago. 
Mr.  Dahlquist  is  a  shoe  dealer, 
having  started  in  business  with  a 
Mr.  Swanson  in  1895,  in  Engle- 
wood. The  firm  is  now  Burkdahl 
&    Dahlquist,    located    at    .sn    \\  ■ 

63d   St. 

His  wife  is  Maria  Dahlquist. 
nee  Borg,  and  their  children  are: 
l-:ilen,  Carl.   Martin  and  Juliet. 

Mr.  Dahlquist  is  a  member  of 
the  Salem  Swedish  Lutheran  con- 
gregation in  Chicago,  where  he  has 
been  a  Sunday  school  teacher  for 
many  years. 

CHAKI.i:S     1:.      SCHl.VTKKN. 

president  of  the    Union     Hank    of 
Chicago,     was     born     in    Svarlla, 


Chicago 


Ofver  Lulea  parish,  Sweden,  Jan. 
17,  1853,  the  soil  of  C.  O.  Schly- 
teni.    a    larjje    iiiamifacturer,    and 


CHARLES  E.   SCHLVTERN 

his  wife  Anna,  nee  Sjoding. 
During  the  years  1 862-1 871,  he 
attended  the  collegiate  schools  at 
Lulea  and  Umea.  Shortly  after 
graduating,  in  1871,  he  went  to 
the  United  States,  spending  the 
next  two  years  in  Iowa,  Nebraska, 
Illinois,  working  as  wood-cutter, 
a  farm  hand  and  railroad  laborer 
and  doing  whatever  work  was 
offered.  Subsequently  he  located 
in  Chicago.  Until  1879  he  was 
emplo3'ed  in  various  offices  in  the 
city;  after  that  time  he  was  for 
ten  years  chief  clerk  in  the  John- 
son Chair  Co's.  factory,  and  sub- 
sequently for  twelve  years,  1889- 
1901,  cashier  of  the  Milwaukee 
ave.   State  Bank. 

In  August,  1901,  he  engaged  in 
the  real  estate  and  mortgage  loan 
business  at  825  Milwaukee  ave., 
in  partnership  with  John  A.  Prebis. 


187 

When,  in  1905,  the  Union  Bank 
of  Chicago  was  organized  by  a 
nuniljer  of  Swedes  and  Norwegians 
of  Chicago,  Mr.  Schlytern  was 
elected  jsresident  of  the  bank. 
This  institution  which  is  a  state 
bank,  was  capitalized  at  $200,000, 
with  a  reserve  fund  of  $25,000, 
and  began  business  May  i,  1905. 
At  the  end  of  the  month  the  de- 
posits were  $108,565.63.  In  two 
years.  May  i,  1907,  they  had 
increased  to  $648,458. 

Mr.  Schlj'tern  was  married  in 
1889,  to  Edith  G.  Isbell,  of 
American  parentage.  They  have 
one  child,  a  son.  Mr.  Schlj-tern 
is  a  Republican  in  politics. 


SVEN  P.  SWANSON 

was    born  in    Hinneryd,  Smaland, 
Sweden,  March  3,  1853.     He  emi- 


SVEN    p.   SW.\NSON 


grated  to  America  in  1872,  locat- 
ing first  in  Chicago,  then  in  Min- 
neapolis, and  later  on  in  Chicago 
again.      He    is    a    cutter    by    trade 


i88 


Cook  County 


and  at  present  connected  with 
Barret  R.   Hall. 

Mr.  Swenson  is  a  member  of 
the  Illinois  Encampment  No.  2, 
First  Swedish  Lodge  of  I.  O.  O. 
F.,  K.  P.  and  King  Oscar  Lodge 
of  Free  Masons. 

He  was  married  to  Sophie 
Lundquist  Jan.  14,  1884,  and  has 
a  son,   Earl  Grover. 


P.  AXEL  BLOMFELDT 

was    born  at    Ekno  estate,    Bjork- 
skog  parish,  Vestmanland,  Sweden, 


p.  A.\i:i,  m.oMFiii.nT 

April  10,  185S.  Having  fuiisheil 
in  tlie  common  .school,  he  entered 
at  fifteen  years  of  age  as  an  a])- 
jjreiitice  in  the  works  of  the  Ko- 
l)ing  .Manufacturing  Company. 
Four  years  later  he  left  and  was 
employed  in  a  similar  plant  at 
Ljusne  for  three  years.  A  desire 
to  seek  his  fortune  in  the  New 
World  had  been  steadily  growing 
with  him,  and  at  twenty-three 
he  bade  farewell  to  his  fatherland. 


He  arrived  in  Chicago  May  2, 
kSSi.  Immediately  after  his  arrival 
he  secured  employment  at  his  trade 
as  a  mechanic,  and  for  fifteen 
years  occupied  his  time  in  con- 
stantly improving  his  mechanical 
skill  and  acquiring  American 
methods. 

In  1S96  Mr.  Blomfeldt  formed 
a  partnership  with  another  skilled 
Swedish-American  mechanic,  Mr. 
O.  Rapp,  for  the  purpose  of  man- 
ufacturing dies,  tools  and  other 
machinery  specialties,  and  they  Ijc- 
gan  business  under  the  firm  name 
of  Blomfeldt  &  Rapp,  at  34  Mar- 
ket St.  Besides  having  a  large 
trade  in  the  United  States,  the 
firm  has  made  considerable  .ship- 
ments to  Canada,  Central  and  South 
America,  Japan,  and  even  to  Eng- 
land and  Germany.  Their  shop  is 
now  at  39  W.   Randolph  st. 

Aside  from  his  reputation  as  a 
business  man,  Mr.  Blomfeldt  is 
well  known  for  his  public  spirit, 
Ids  liberality  and  his  intere.st  in 
patriotic  and  social  organizations. 
The  fraternal  order  of  Svithiod 
owes  its  present  stantling  and 
jirosperous  condition  largely  to 
Mr.  Blomfeldt' s enthusiastic  leader- 
ship and  skillful  management.  Be- 
ing one  of  the  first  members  of 
Svithiod  Lodge  No.  1,  he  pro- 
moted the  branching-out  process 
and  joined  \*erdaiuli  Lodge  No.  3 
at  its  organization  in  1S90.  When 
in  July,  1S93,  all  the  Svithiod 
lodges  were  organi/eil  into  a  grand 
lodge,  Mr.  Blomfeldt  was  almost 
unanimously  chosen  its  first  Grand 
Master.  A  few  >ears  later  the 
treasurershij)  of  the  order  was  en- 


Chicago 


189 


trusted  to  him,  and  during  his 
services  in  this  capacity  more  than 
$200,000  have  passed  through  his 
hands,  all  of  which  has  been 
handled  and  accounted  for  in  the 
most  business-like  manner. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Svithiod 
Singing  Club. 

Mr.  Blomfeldt  and  Miss  Emily 
Saniuelson  were  married  Sept.  21, 
1895,  and  their  union  has  been 
ble.ssed  with  one  child.  The  Blom- 
feldt residence  is  at  3990  Perry  St., 
Rogers  Park. 


FRANK    ROSENGREN 

was  born  Dec.    17,   1846,  in  Stock- 
holm,   Sweden.       Having    studied 


FR.\NK   ROSENGREN 

iu  the  naval  school  in  Stockholm, 
he  emigrated  to  America  in  1866, 
stopping  in  Chicago,  where  he  has 
resided  ever  since. 

Mr.  Rosengren  was  connected 
with  the  GormuUy  &  Jefferj-  Manu- 
facturing Co.  for  over  twenty-two 
years.     He  is  at  present  associated 


with  George  T.  and  F.  W.  Ro- 
sengren and  Chas.  W.  Nelson  in 
the  manufacturing  business,  under 
the  name  of  the  Enterprise  Tool 
and  Metal  Works,  incorporated, 
at   141   S.  Clinton  st. 

Mr.  Rosengren  was  married  in 
1870,  and  has  five  children,  mostly 
married.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest 
Swedish  Odd  Fellows  in  Chicago, 
having    joined    the  order  in   1868. 


FRANK  G.  GUSTAFSON 

was  born  in  Skbfde   parish,   prov- 
ince    of     \'esterg6tland,    Sweden, 


FRANK  G.  GUSTAFSON 

on  Nov.  8,  1863.  His  father  was 
Gustaf  Andenson,  who  by  industry 
and  thrift  had  risen  from  hired  hand 
through  the  intermediate  stage  of 
foreman  to  owner  of  a  farm.  His 
son  Frank  who  was  one  of  a  fami- 
ly of  eight  children,  spent  his 
early  years  on  the  farm,  attending 
school  at  intervals.  At  the  age 
of  seventeen  years  he  went  to 
Stockholm     and     worked     at    the 


I90 


Cook  County 


mason's  trade.  For  a  time  he 
attended  Tekniska  Skolan  and 
Byggnadsyrkesskolan  in  order  to 
learn  the  theoretical  side  of  mason 
construction  and  general  architect- 
ure. He  continued  there,  work- 
ing as  a  mason  until  1887  when 
he  came  over  to  Chicago,  obtain- 
ing emploj-ment  at  his  trade.  As 
.soon  as  he  had  the  language 
sufficiently  at  his  command  he 
attended  an  evening  technical 
school,  further  improving  his  theo- 
retical knowledge  of  building  con- 
struction. After  a  few  years'  ex- 
perience he  became  a  builder  and 
contractor.  As  such  he  has  erected 
a  number  of  the  most  modern 
structures  in  the  city,  aiding  ma- 
terially in  the  upbuilding  of  resi- 
dential Chicago. 

Mr.  Gustafson  has  a  tenor  voice 
which  in  the  upper  register  is 
sweet,  clear,  and  powerful  withal. 
This  has  made  him  a  much  sought 
for  member  of  male  choruses  in 
Stockholm  and  in  Chicago.  Vot 
a  number  of  years  he  has  been 
an  active  member  of  the  Swedish 
Glee  Club,  and  has  acted  as 
director  and  vice-president  of  the 
club.  In  1897  he  took  part  in 
the  concert-tour  to  Sweden,  made 
by  the  American  Union  of  Swed- 
ish Singers.  He  belongs  to  the 
Builders'  and  Masons'  Association. 
In  1893  Mr.  Gustafson  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Maria  Svenson.  They 
reside  at  735  51st  st.,  Chicago. 


Johan  Larson,  and  Johanna  Jo- 
hansdotter  who  both  lived  on  the 
farm  until  their  re.sp)ective  deaths, 


CHARLES  G.   CHINLUM) 

was  born  Sii>l.  .|,  iS-tw,  in  Kin- 
nared,  Hossna  ]>arish,  Ivlfsborgs 
liin.       His    parents    were    Anders 


CHARLES  C.rSTAI-   ClllNI.rNII 

the  former  passing  away  in  1888. 
Gustaf,  as  he  was  then  called,  at- 
tended the  public  school  until  he 
was  confirmed  in  1864.  In  1871 
he  emigrated  to  America,  landing 
at  lioston,  and  came  tiirect  to 
Chicago.  He  arrived  Oct.  18, 
one  week  after  the  Chicago  fire. 
Ivmi)loyment  was  secured  at  once 
in  clearing  away  the  ruins.  P'or 
a  year  he  was  engaged  in  the 
building  trade.  In  1S74  he  was 
engaged  by  Engberg  and  Holm- 
iicrg  as  a  .salesman  of  Swedish 
publications.  He  has  since  re- 
mained with  this  firm  except 
during  1889-1891  when  he  was  a 
stockholder  in  the  Concordia  Pub- 
lishing Co.,  and  manager  for  the 
Framat   Pub.   Co. 

Mr.  Chinlund  was  a  memlier 
of  the  Immanuel  Church  from  1S74 
until    i.sss.     He  serve<l  six    years 


Chicago 


191 


as  collector  and  from  1S83  to  1885 
as  deacon.  In  1S.S4  Mr.  Chinlund 
secured  a  home  in  Baxter  st.,  now 
Osgood  St.  This  resulted  in  his 
joining  the  Trinity  Church,  where 
he  was  a  deacon  for  nine  j-ears 
and  Sunday  school  superintendent 
for  seven  years.  Mr.  Chinlund 
has  been  a  member  of  the  Me.ssiah 
English  Lutheran  Church  since 
its  organization  in  i<S96,  and  has 
been  a  deacon  during  this  period. 
In  1 87 1  Mr.  Chinlund  was  mar- 
ried to  Wilhelmina  C.  O.  Xelson, 
born  April  24,  1851,  in  Bone  par- 
ish, Elfsborgs  Ian,  Sweden.  They 
have  five  sons  and  five  daughters, 
viz.:  Emil  Gottfrid,  born  1872 
(now  pastor  in  Lincoln,  Neb.,  and 
married  to  Alma  Swenson  of 
Chicago);  Ellen  Theresia,  born 
1876  (married  to  Dr.  John  N. 
Sandblom,  dean  of  the  dental  de- 
partment. New  Technical  Institute 
of  Christiania) ;  Carl  Theodore, 
born  1878,  (employed  with  Gage 
Bros.,  millinerj-);  Victor  Imman- 
uel,  born  1880  (married  to  Elsa 
Bergman  of  Chicago) ;  Anna 
Wilhelmina,  born  1883  (graduate 
of  Columbia  School  of  Music, 
teacher  of  piano);  Edith  Josefina, 
born  1884;  Joseph  Ferdinand,  born 
1886;  Ruth  Eveline,  born  1888; 
Edwin  Fridolf,  born  1890;  Mildred 
Augusta,  born    1892. 


gan  studying  law,  and  graduated 
from  Chicago  College  of  Law 
after  taking  a  three  years'  course, 


WILLIAM  R.  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  Chicago  Nov.  i , 
1875,  and  attended  public  schools 
and  high  school  until  1890.  For 
several  years  he  devoted  himself 
to  business.   He  soon,  however,  be- 


WILLIAM   R.   .ANDERSON 

receiving  the  degree  of  LL.  B. 
Shorth'  thereafter  he  took  the 
state  examination  for  admission 
to  the  bar  and  received  his  licen.se 
to  practice  in   1899. 

Since  that  time  he  has  been 
associated  with  his  brother,  G. 
Bernhard  Anderson,  in  the  prac- 
tice of  law,  the  firm  being  known 
as  Anderson  and  Anderson,  with 
offices  at  100  Washington   st. 


ANDREW  SW ANSON 

was  born  in  the  city  of  Malmo, 
Sweden,  April  30,  1853.  After 
attending  the  public  school,  he 
learned  the  mason's  trade.  In 
18S0  he  emigrated  to  this  country, 
with  Chicago  as  his  destination. 
He  was  superintendent  for  several 
large  contracting  firms  for  a  num. 


192 

ber  of  >ears.  By  1891  he  had 
saved  a  sufficient  capital  to  start 
operations    on    his    own    account. 


Cook   County 


ANDREW    SWAXSON 

Among  the  large  buildings  he  has 
erected  may  be  mentioned  the 
Augustana  Hospital,  partially  built 
in  1892-93  at  a  cost  of  $85,000, 
and  completed  in  1905  by  means 
of  an  annex  costing  about  $100,- 
000  and  doubling  the  capacity  of 
the  institution. 

In  1878  he  was  married  to  Ma- 
tilda Nelson  from  Roiuieby,  Swe- 
den. Their  onlj-  child,  Elizabeth, 
in  June,  1906,  married  Dr.  Aaron 
M.  Olson. 

Mr.  Swanson  is  a  member  of 
the  Immanuel  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church,  and  also  of  the  Masons' 
and  Builders'  Association  of  Chi- 
cago. 

LARS    E.   FREDRIKSON 

was  born  June  24.  1H77,  in  Lockne 
parish,  Jenitland,  Sweden.  At 
thirteen  years   of   age  •  lie   became 


apprenticed  to  a  painter  and  de- 
corator, a  trade  for  which  he 
showed  so  much  aptitude  that  the 
parish  authorities  granted  him  a 
stipend  to  visit  the  Exhibition  of 
Stockholm  in  1897.  In  1901  he 
came  to  America  and  Chicago. 
During  his  first  year  in  this  coun- 
try he  painted  an  altar  piece  for 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  church  in 
Port  Wing,  Wis.,  the  painting 
being  a  copy  of  an  old  master- 
piece, representing  Christ  and  the 
Samaritan  woman  at  Jacob's  well. 
Mr.  Fredrikson  has  also  done  the 
interior   decoration  in   the   church 


I.ARS   IvMANL'lJl.   HKEDKIKSO.S 

in  Brainerd,   Minn,  where  he  now 
resides. 

Among  his  original  paintings  are 
a  number  of  well-executeti  land- 
scapes. Mr.  Fredrikson's  work 
so  far  gives  promise  of  still  greater 
results  in  the  future.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Lutlieran  Church. 


Chicago 


193 


NEANDER   N.  CRONHOLM, 

counselor  at  law,   is    the    descend- 
ant   of    an    old    prominent    family 


NEANDER   N.   CRONHOLM 

in  Sweden,  and  was  born  in  Nov. 
19,  1843.  His  ancestors  held  large 
possessions  in  Finland,  Livonia 
and  other  trans-Baltic  provinces 
during  the  period  of  Sweden's 
greatness,  but  his  grandfather, 
George  Cronholni,  who  was  one 
of  the  truly  loyal  Swedes  in 
the  wars  with  Russia  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  eighteenth  and  the 
beginning  of  the  nineteenth  cent- 
uries, lost  everything  on  account 
of  his  fidelitj'  to  his  fatherland 
when  Sweden  lost  Finland  and 
other  trans-Baltic  possessions. 
Having  sacrified  all  his  property 
for  his  country,  notwithstanding 
that  Russia  held  out  to  him  the 
most  glittering  inducements  to 
become  a  Russian  subject,  he 
proved  that  his  love  and  his  loy- 
alty to  his  fatherland  were  dearer 
to   him     than    the    most    dazzling 


imperial  favors.  His  estates  were 
confiscated,  plundered  or  destroyed. 
Everything  was  swept  away  save 
his    loyalty,    courage    and  honor. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
the  eldest  son  of  his  father's 
family.  He  was  carefully  educa- 
ted, particularly  in  military  tactics 
and  civil  engineering,  advanced 
rapidlj-,  and  the  future  looked 
bright  and  hopeful.  When  the 
great  Civil  War  broke  out  between 
the  North  and  the  South,  he 
desired  to  become  identified  with 
it;  but  owing  to  the  responsible 
position  occupied  by  him  at  that 
time,  he  was  unable  to  secure 
leave  of  absence,  and  hence  did 
not  come  to  America  until  the 
spring  of   1867. 

Upon  his  arrival  in  America, 
he  traveled  all  over  the  country 
and  was  much  impressed  with  its 
greatness  and  with  the  many  op- 
portunities offered  to  win  an  ex- 
alted position  in  business  and 
social  life.  He  determined  to 
remain,  and  accordingl3-  renounced 
allegiance  to  Sweden,  and  in  1869 
entered  Pennsylvania  College  at 
Gettysburg,  from  which  institution 
he  graduated  with  distinction, 
obtaining  the  degree  of  Master  of 
Arts  in  1873.  He  then  entered 
the  law  and  postgraduate  depart- 
ments of  Yale  University,  and 
in  Juh",  1875,  received  the  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Philosophy.  He  was 
a  classmate  of  the  late  Pre.sident 
Harper  of  the  University  of  Chica- 
go. He  also  studied  law  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  New  York,  and  received 
therefrom  the  degree  of  LL.  B. 
In     1875    and     1876     he     traveled 


194 


Cook  County 


extensively,  visiting  Russia,  Ger- 
many, Austria,  France  and  part 
of  Asia  and  Africa.  He  remained 
for  some  lime  at  Florence  and 
Rome. 

Mr.  Cronholm  began  his  prac- 
tice at  the  New  York  bar,  being 
with  the  firm  of  Brewster,  Miller, 
Peet  and  Opdyke,  but  in  January, 
1878,  removed  to  Chicago,  where 
he  has  since  practiced  his  profes- 
sion with  success.  On  .several 
occasions  he  has  presided  at  the 
great  Swedi.sh  anniversaries.  He 
is  of  liberal  opinions,  a  lover  and 
and  patron  of  learning  and  ath- 
letics, and  has  encouraged  the  in- 
troduction of  Swedish  gjmnaslics 
in  America.  He  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican. 

In  1875,  when  he  visited  his 
native  country,  he  was  the  recipi- 
ent of  special  favors  from  the 
king  and  from  prominent  per.son- 
ages  there.  While  there  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Northern 
Jurist  A.ssociation  at  Stockholm. 
He  is  an  honorary  member  of 
several  historical  and  antiquarian 
societies,  and  for  several  years 
was  engaged  on  an  historical  work 
on  Sweden.  The  result  of  his 
literary  labors  and  historical  re- 
searches was  published  in  1902, 
namely,  "Cronliolm's  History  of 
Sweden,"  in  two  large  8vo  vol- 
umes, wliich  historians  and  critics 
consider  a  standard  work  on  Swe- 
den. Cronliolm's  History  of  Swe- 
den has  found  a  ready  sale  among 
the  English  speaking  people  all 
over  the  world.  Mr.  Cronholm 
is  now  engaged  on  two  other 
historical    works. 


In  1878  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Culiaelma  P.  Frazee,  of 
New  York  City,  the  descendant 
of  an  old  colonial  family.  She 
bore  him  one  son,  Neander  W.  P., 
July  24,  1883,  who  died  in 
infancy.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cronholm 
reside  at  3039  Groveland    ave. 


LARS    GUSTAF    HALLBERG, 

architect,  was  born  at  Vener.snas, 
Vestergotland,    Sweden,     Sept.    4, 


i..\Ks  i;i  sT.\K  h.\i.i.iii:ki; 

1S44.  After  attending  common 
school,  he  enjoyed  private  in- 
struction fitting  him  for  entry  at 
the  Chalmers  Institute  at  Goteborg. 
After  com])leting  the  course  in 
civil  engineering,  he  was  gradua- 
ted in  iS(i6,  at  the  age  of  twenty 
two.  He  next  entered  the  Aca- 
demy of  Fine  Arts  at  StockhoUn, 
studying  architecture  and  germane 
subjects.  Returning  to  GiUeborg, 
he  was  at  once  employeil  by  Wes- 
terberg,  a  prominent  architect, 
for    some    three     years.       During 


I 


Chicago 


'95 


thai  time  he  planned  and  super- 
intended the  construction  of  a 
number  of  costly  buildings  at 
Finimersta,  the  country  estate  of 
Dickson,  a  merchant  prince  of 
Goteborg. 

When,  in  1869,  the  city  of 
Gefle  was  almost  totally'  destroyed 
by  fire,  Mr.  Hallberg  went  there 
and  took  an  important  part  in  the 
rebuilding  of  the  city.  At  this 
time  the  city  of  Goteborg  was 
preparing  for  the  holding  of  a 
large  agricultural  and  industrial 
exposition.  The  building  con- 
tracts were  given  to  Architect 
Westerberg  who,  needing  assist- 
ance for  the  task,  engaged  Mr. 
Hallberg  at  the  latter' s  own 
figures. 

This  run  of  prosperity'  awak- 
ened in  Mr.  Hallberg  a  desire  of 
seeing  the  world  and  in  1801  he 
went  to  England.  While  there 
the  news  of  the  great  Chicago 
fire  was  flooded  over  the  world. 
As  soon  as  it  became  known  that 
the  Chicagoans  were  determined 
to  rebuild  their  city  at  once,  on 
a  greater  scale,  Mr.  Hallberg  saw 
his  opportunity  and  came  on  to 
Chicago  in  December,  directly 
from  England.  From  that  day 
to  this  Mr.  Hallberg  has  resided 
in  this  city  and  to  his  architect- 
ural genius  and  taste  modern 
Chicago  owes  much.  An  enumer- 
ation of  some  of  the  manj'  struct- 
ures that  have  been  erected  under 
his  hand  and  eye  would  give  only 
an  inadequate  idea  of  the  extent 
of  his  activity.  Mr.  Hallberg's 
office  is  at  84  La  Salle  st. 

Mr.     Hallberg    was     united     in 


marriage  to  Florence  Estey  in 
i8,Si.  Four  children,  two  daugh- 
ters and  two  .sons,  have  been 
born  to  them.  The  family  resi- 
dence, a  home  of  elegance  and 
refinement,  is  at  Ridge  ave.  and 
Greenwood  Houlevard  in  Evanston. 
Mr.  Hallberg  has  traveled  exten- 
sivel}-  for  pleasure  and  study. 
The  splendid  success  of  the  archi- 
tect has  not  affected  the  natural 
modesty  of  the  man.  He  is  a 
fellow  of  the  American  Institute 
of  Architects  and  pa.st  president 
of  the  Illinois  Chapter  and  a 
member  of  various  clubs  and  a.s- 
sociations. 


PETER  SJOHOLM 

was  born  July   10,    1859,  in    Gud- 
dastad,     Ostra     Sallerup,     Skane, 


PETER  SJOHOLM 

Sweden,  where  his  father  owned 
a  farm.  Here  young  Sjoholm  at- 
tended public  school  and,  after 
having  fini.shed  his  schooling,  as- 
sisted his  father  in  tilling  the  soil 


196 


Cook  County 


until  1 88 1,  he  yielded  to  a  desire 
to  emigrate  across  the  Atlantic. 
Upon  his  arrival  in  America  he 
first  settled  in  Sac  county,  Iowa, 
were  he  worked  as  a  farm  laborer. 
Then  he  rented  a  farm  in  Chero 
kee  CO.,  which  he  cultivated  until 
the  spring  of  1885,  when  he  went 
to  Chicago  and  accepted  a  position 
in  the  produce  commission  market. 
In  1895  he  opened  up  a  business 
of  his  own  as  a  dealer  in  poultry 
and  game,  and  is  so  engaged  at 
the  present  time.  His  present  lo- 
cation is  at  190  S.   Water  st. 

June  25,  1898,  Mr.  Sjoholni 
was  married  to  Miss  Caroline  B. 
Peterson,  daughter  of  Andrew  B. 
and  Elva  Peterson,  af  Maynard, 
Minnesota,  and  they  have  one 
daughter,  Lillian  Elizabeth,  born 
in  1897.  Mr.  Sjoholm  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  order  and  of 
the  First  Swedish  Baptist  Church. 
For  various  periods  he  has  served 
the  latter  as  financial  secretary, 
treasurer  and  trustee.  Mr.  Sjoholm 
has  served  as  a  director  of  the 
Swedish  Baptist  Sick  Benefit 
Society. 


retail  dress  goods  department, 
which  position  he  still  holds.  Mr. 
Barquist  is  a  member  of  the    Im- 


CHARLES  H.  BARQUIST 

was  l)orn  in  Smaland,  Sweden, 
March  10,  1866.  At  the  age 
of  four  years  he  came  to  this 
country  with  his  parents,  who 
settled  in  Chicago.  He  attended 
the  jniblic  schools  of  this  city  af- 
ter which  he  accepted  a  position 
as  a  dry  goods  salesman  with 
O.  H.  Carson.  In  1888  he  en 
tered  the  employ  of  Marshall 
Fluid  :iiul  Co.,  as  salesman  in  the 


CH.\RI,i:S   HEK.M.W    ll.VKijl  ISI' 

manuel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  Chicago. 

He  has  taken  an  active  interest 
in  politics  for  a  number  of  years, 
being  a  stanch  Republican.  Mr. 
Barquist  has  held  the  positions  of 
.secretary,  vice  president  and  of 
president  of  the  Swedish  Repub- 
lican Club  of  the  25tli  Ward, 
where  he  resides  and  he  is  a  factor 
in  Republican  politics  in  that 
ward,  being  precinct    captain. 

His  home  is  at    1622  Grace    st. 

JOHN"   H.  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  Stockholm,  Sweden, 
Sept.  11,  i860.  When  eight  years 
of  age  he  emigrated  to  America 
with  his  jiarents,  Sveii  Johan  An- 
derson and  his  wife  Johanna,  n6e 
IamiIioIiu,  the  family  locating  in 
Brooklyn,   N.   V. 

Ill     iStj    the    faniih'    moved    to 


I 


Chicago 


Kansas,  settling  on  a  farm  near 
Salina.  Here  his  earlj-  days  were 
spent    in     farming     and     herding 


JOHN     EMIL    ANDERSON 

cattle,  and  subsequently  teaching 
school  four  years. 

After  graduating  in  a  business 
•college  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  he 
entered  the  law  office  of  the  pros- 
ecuting attorney,  where  he  studied 
law  and  was  admitted  to  the  bar 
Feb.  17,  1885.  While  studying 
law  he  contributed  many  articles 
to  the  different  newspapers  in  the 
West;  was  correspondent  of  the 
Kansas  City  S/ar,  and  also  repre- 
sented the  Associated  Press.  He 
also  held  several  clerical  positions 
in  the  Kansas  legislature  and  has 
■served    as    deputy   U.  S.  marshal. 

In  1 891  he  removed  to  Chicago, 
where  he  has  since  lived,  engaged 
in  the  practice  of  law.  His  office 
is  at  9206  Commercial  ave..  South 
•Chicago. 

He  has  been  an  active  member 


i97j 

of  the  Swedish  Republican  club  of  i 
the  lughth  ward,  and  also  of  the; 
Linnea,  Knights  of  Pythias,  North! 
Aiiierican  Union,  Royal  Arcanum,; 
Red  Men  and  other  societies  andj 
orders.  1 

In  1888  he  was  married  to  Missi 
Hilda  Ek,  a  native  of  Vermland,| 
Sweden,  daughter  of  Bengt  and, 
Cliarlotta  Kk.  Her  father  wa.s  de- 
scended from  a  line  of  illustrious 
warriors  in  the  Napoleonic  wars.. 
There  are  two  daughters,  in  the, 
family,  Edith  Evangeline,  borni 
July  29,  1890,  in  Salina,  Kans.,! 
and  Mabel  Louise,  born  Feb.  17, 
1897,  in  Chicago. 

Mr.  Ander.son's  mother  died  in 
1905,  at  Salina,  Kans.,  where  his 
father  is  still  living. 


JOHN  HIGHFIELD 

was    born    March     21,      1872,    at' 
Animskog,  Dalsland,  Sweden.    His 


JOHN   HIGHFIELD 

parents    are    Fred    and    Sara    M.| 
Hogfeldt.     He  emigrated  to  Amer-i 


igS 


Cook  County 


ica  as  a  youth  of  seventeen.  His 
first  place  of  abode  was  at  Iron 
Mountain,  Mich.,  but  after  a  brief 
stay  there  he  moved  to  Chicago. 
Here  he  engaged  in  the  custom 
vest  manufacturing  business  in 
1891,  still  continuing  in  that  line. 
His  .shop  is  at  189  Fifth  ave. 

Mr.  Higlifield  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Ev.  Mission  Church 
on  Orleans  St.,  and  has  acted  as 
trustee.  He  has  been  a  member 
of  the  church  choir  there  for 
more  than  seventeen  years,  and  for 
several  years  has  acted  as  its 
president.  He  is  also  a  member 
of  the  Asaph  Singing  Society. 

Mr.  Highfield  was  married  Sept. 
27,  1898,  to  Selma  Constance 
Charlotte  Gustafson,  born  Nov. 
4,  1873,  at  Goteborg.  They  have 
a  daughter,  Inez  Virginia  Henri- 
ette,    born  Dec.  31,  1901. 


of  1896,  he  took  charge  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  missions  in  Glou- 
cester and  Rockport,   Mass.,  for  a 


CARL  J.  APPELL 

was  born  on  a  farm  near  Galva, 
111.,  of  Swedish  parentage,  his 
father  and  mother  having  both 
been  born  in  Sweden  but  having 
come  to  this  country  in  their 
childhood.  At  fourteen  years  of 
age,  he  entered  Augustana  Col- 
lege, from  which  he  graduated 
in  1894,  receiving  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Arts  and  Bachelor  of 
Science  simultaneously.  The  next 
year  he  spent  partly  at  teaching 
public  school  and  partl\'  on  the 
farm.  In  July,  1895,  he  entered 
the  University  of  Chicago,  spe- 
cializing in  the  subjects  of  jxiliti- 
cal  science  and  jxilitical  econonn', 
but  also  studying  h'rench,  S]>anish, 
and  Italian  literature.     In   the  fall 


c.^Ki,  J.  .\i'ri;i.L 

period  of  one  year,  and  then  entered 
the  Chicago  Law  School  in  the  fall 
of  1897.  At  the  same  time,  he  con- 
tinued his  studies  at  the  Univer- 
.sity  of  Chicago,  carrying  a  full 
course  there.  The  following  year 
he  devoted  to  the  study  of  law 
exclusivelj-,  and  completed  all  the 
second  and  third  year  courses  in 
the  Kent  College  of  Law,  gradu- 
ating therefrom  in  the  .spring  of 
1899.  He  thereafter  took  what 
was  formerly  known  as  the  post- 
graduate law  course  at  Lake  For- 
est University,  at  the  conclusion 
of  which,  in  the  spring  of  1900, 
he  wrote  a  thesis  which  took  the 
first  prize.  Simultaneously  he 
resumed  his  studies  in  ])olitical 
.science  and  political  economy  at 
the  l^niversity  of  Chicago,  com- 
pleting all  the  required  courses 
for  the  degree  of  Doctor    of    Phi- 


Chicam) 


199 


losoph)-,  also  pursuing  linguistic 
studies.  He  lias  studied  twelve 
languages  in  all.  His  studies 
completed,  Mr.  Appell  removed 
to  Peoria,  where  he  opened  a 
law  office  and  practiced  for  three 
years,  a  part  of  the  time  in  part- 
nership with  A.  \'.  D.  Rousseau, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Appell 
&  Rousseau. 

Immediately  after  coming  to 
Peoria,  he  helped  to  organize 
the  Swedish-American  Republican 
Club  of  that  city,  which  he  served 
as  secretary  for  three  years.  In 
the  fall  of  1903  he  returned 
to  Chicago  and  opened  a  law 
office  in  the  Unit}-  Building,  79 
Dearborn  st. 

Mr.  Appell  was  a  member  of 
Troop  G,  First  Regiment  Cavalr}-, 
I.  N.  G.,  1901-1903  and  was  one 
of  the  sharpshooters  for  which 
this  regiment  is  noted,  he  having 
received  the  gold  medal  offered 
by  the  State  of  Illinois  for  pro- 
ficiency in  sharpshooting.  Bj' 
transfer  he  is  now  a  member 
of  Troop  A,  in  Chicago,  of  the 
same  regiment.  Mr.  Appell  is 
also  a  member  of  the  American 
Academj'  of  Political  and  Social 
Science  of  Philadelphia.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Immanuel  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church. 


Mater.  He  then  became  house 
physician  and  surgeon  at  the  Pres- 
In-terian    Hospital  in  Chicago,   re- 


OSCAR  T.  ROBERG, 

physician  and  surgeon,  was  born 
in  Chicago  in  1S76.  After  taking 
a  course  in  medicine  at  Rush 
Medical  College,  he  was  graduated 
in  1899.  For  a  year  he  was  in- 
structor in  chemistry  at  his  Alma 


OSC.\R  THEODORE    ROBEKG 

maining  there  from  1900  to  1902. 
Subsequentlj-  Dr.  Roberg  was  ap- 
pointed surgeon-in-chief  at  the 
Swedish  Covenant  Hospital  in 
Chicago.  He  was  appointed  in- 
structor in  surgery  at  Rush  Medi- 
cal College  in  1906,  and  has  an 
extensive  practice  on  the  north 
side. 

Dr.  Roberg  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Mission  Church. 


CHARLES  A.    WESTERHOLM 

was  bom  in  Ostra  Ed  parish, 
Kalmar  Ian,  Sweden,  July  i, 
1 861.  His  father,  Jacob  Renhold 
Westerholm,  is  still  li\4ng.  His 
mother,  Brigitta  Lovisa,  passed 
away  May  27,  1877.  The  boy 
had  but  four  months'  schooling  as 
he  had  to  help  his  father  on  the 
farm.  For  a  time  he  worked  at 
cabinetmaking     and    then    was    a 


200 


Cook  County 


sailor  for  three  years.  He  came 
to  Chicago  May  12,  1880,  and 
worked  for  his  uncle    nine    years. 


ADOLPH  RYDIN 

was  born  Dec.  12,  1870,  on  the 
Leonardsberg  estate  near  Norr- 
kciping,  Sweden.  He  emigrated 
to  America  at  the  age  of  eighteen. 
For  a  short  time  he  stopped  in 
Youngstown,  Ohio.  The  follow- 
ing April  he  left  for  Chicago, 
where  he  has  since  resided. 
Working  for  a  few  >ears  as  a 
common  laborer,  he  attended  the 
evening  schools  hoping  to  im- 
prove his  condition.  During  1895 
and  1896  he  was  saleman  for  J. 
L.  Prescott  and  Co.  Since  then 
Mr.  Rydin  has  been  the  Chicago 
representative  of  the  Minnesota 
Scandinavian  Relief  Association  of 
Red  Wing.     He  has  had    marked 


CHARLES  AUGUST  WESTERHOLM 

In  1889  Mr.  Westerholm  formed 
a  partnership  with  Nels  Anderson 
and  has  since  then  been  a  soda 
water  manufacturer  and  a  general 
bottler  with  office  at  383  Aus- 
tin  ave. 

Mr.  Westerholm  is  a  Lutheran 
and  is  a  member  of  I.  O.  S.  Xo. 
I,  K.  of  P.,  and  the  following  Ma- 
sonic bodies,  viz.:  Thos.  J.  Turner 
Lodge  No.  409;  Washinvjlon  Chaj)- 
ter  No.  43;  Columbia  Coniniandery 
No.  63;  Oriental  Consistory,  Scot- 
tish Rites,  and  the  My.stic  Shrine. 
Mr.  Westerholm  was  married 
April  8,  1887,  to  Sophia  Stol- 
zenbach  of  Thornton,  111.,  born 
Aug.  27,  186S.  Their  children 
are  John  Henry  Kdward,  born 
Feb.  1,  1.S8S  and  lUluI,  born 
July   19,    1891. 


AliOI.ril   KVUIN 

success  in  convincing  his  country- 
men of  the  merits  of  the  oldest  life 
insurance  company  among  the 
Scandinavian  people  of  America. 
Mr.  kydin  was  married  in  iSijS, 
to  Hilma  Anderson.  They  have 
two  sons. 


Chicago 


ANDREW  EDWARD  NORMAN 

was  born  March   13,   i860,  in  Kol- 
backen,  Verniland,    Sweden.     His 


ANDREW  EDWARD  NORMAN 

father,  Jonas  Norman,  was  a 
forester.  At  the  age  of  sixteen 
j-oung  Norman  was  apprenticed  in 
the  patternmaker's  trade  at  the 
Finnshyttan  Mechanical  Works. 
He  emigrated  to  America  in  1880 
and  worked  for  six  months  as 
a  joiner  in  Brookh-n.  Thereupon 
he  went  to  Ishpeming,  Mich., 
where  he  became  foreman  in  a 
joiner's  shop.  He  took  the  first 
prize  in  carving  for  three  j'ears 
in  succession  at  the  Marquette 
county  fair.  A  silver  goblet  was 
also  won  by  him  as  champion 
skater  of  Northern  Michigan.  In 
1887  he  removed  to  Chicago  where 
he  is  now  a  contractor  and  archi- 
tect with  office  at  3575  N.  Clark  st. 
In  his  spare  time  Mr.  Norman 
has  executed  some  artistic  wood 
carvings  one  of  which  represents 
Columbus  landing  in  America.     A 


truly  wonderful  piece  of  mechani- 
cal work  by  him  is  a  miniature 
reproduction  of  the  battle  of  Ma- 
nila Bay,  operated  bj-  electricity, 
showing  fifteen  inch  battleships 
firing  real  explosive  shells,  vessels 
sinking  automatically  and  powder 
magazines  blowing  up.  This  pro- 
duct of  Mr.  Norman's  ingenuity 
has  been  exhibited  publicly  in 
Chicago  and  elsewhere. 

Mr.  Norman  was,  in  1882,  when 
in  Ishpeming,  married  to  Miss 
Ulrika  Olson  from  Dalsland,  Swe- 
den. 


FREDERICK  T 
was  born    May 


CROONBORG 


citv 


9,     1867,    in    the 
of  Mariestad,  Sweden.     After 


FREDERICK   T.   CROONBORG 

attending  the  public  schools  he 
was  apprenticed  to  a  tailor  and 
at  the  age  of  sixteen  became  a 
journeyman  tailor,  working  in 
Stockholm,  Christiania,  Copen- 
hagen and  elsewhere.  Finally  he 
concluded  to  emigrate  to  America 


202 


Cook  County 


and  came  to  Chicago  in  1887. 
He  soon  found  employment  as 
coat  maker,  and  after  a  couple  of 
years  became  a  cutter.  In  Jan- 
uar\%  1893,  he  was  awarded  a  gold 
medal  and  the  first  prize  from 
the  U.  S.  Cutters  and  Tailors 
for  his  skill  in  garment  cutting. 
At  the  World's  Fair  in  1893,  he 
was  again  awarded  by  the  same 
association.  Mr.  Croonborg  for 
five  years  conducted  a  merchant 
tailoring  business,  but  receiving  a 
large  number  of  applications  for 
instruction  in  tailoring,  he  finally 
gave  up  his  business  and  founded 
a  tailoring  school,  known  as 
Croonborg's  Sartorial  Academy, 
now  located  at  185  Dearborn  st. 

Mr.  Croonborg  was  married 
June  2,  1897,  to  Miss  Hildur 
Marie  Gryzelius  from  Mariestad. 
They  have  one  son. 


the  Augustana  Theological  Sem- 
inary at  Rock  Island  in  1899  and 
was    graduated    in     1902.     having 


GOTTFRED  NELSON 
was  born  July  8,  1875,  on  a  farm 
near  Knoxville,  111.  In  1878  his 
parents  moved  out  to  Kansas,  set- 
tling on  a  farm  in  McPherson  co., 
where  the  elder  Nelson  became  a 
pro.sperous  farmer. 

At  the  age  of  four  and  a  half 
years,  Gottfred  lost  his  mother  by 
death.  After  due  preparation  he 
entered  Bethany  College,  at  Linds- 
borg,  Kans.,  pursuing  his  studies 
in  the  winter  months  and  working 
on  his  father's  farm  during  vaca- 
tions. 

In  the  sjjring  of  1898  he  was 
graduated  from  Bethany  College 
whereupon  he  was  stationed  as 
preacher  in  Jamestown,  N.  Y., 
and  Kansas  City,  Mo.     He  entered 


GOTTl-KICli   .\1-;LS(>.\ 

.spent  one  year  at  the  English 
Lutheran  Theological  Seminary  at 
Chicago.  On  June  15,  1902,  Mr. 
Nelson  received  ministerial  ordina- 
tion at  Ishpeming,  Mich.,  holding 
a  call  from  the  Bethesda  I-^van- 
gelical  Lutheran  Church.  Chicago. 
Later  he  resigned  this  pastorate 
to  accept  a  call  from  the  Trinity 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  Lake 
View,  Chicago,  a  large  and  imjKjr- 
tant  field,  in  which  he  is  laboring 
since  Oct.  i,  1903.  The  congre- 
gation has  more  than  doubled  its 
membership  during  Rev.  Nelson's 
pastorate,  it  now  nunil)ering  about 
800  communicants  and  about  1,200 
in  total. 

Rev.  Nel.son  was  united  in  wed- 
lock July  6,  1904,  to  Miss  Anna 
Almquist  of  Butte,  Mont.  They 
have  a  daughter,  Marjorie,  born 
Dec.   21,    1905. 


Chicago 


203 


C.     BERNHARD      HEDSTROM 

was  horn   Aiijj;.   20,    iSSi,   in  Ratt- 
vik,     Dalarne,    Sweden.      Coming 


C.   BERNHARD  HEDSTROm 

to  Chicago  at  the  age  of  twelve, 
with  some  schooling  from  the  old 
country,  he  attended  grammar 
school  for  a  time  in  this  city. 
Then  he  began  work  as  errand 
boy  and  having  been  with  several 
firms  he  struck  his  future  voca- 
tion in  1896  with  the  shoe  firm 
of  N.  B.  Holden.  After  two 
years  he  accepted  a  position  in 
the  shoe  stock  room  of  The  Fair. 
When  he  was  but  nineteen  years 
of  age,  Mr.  Hedstrom  was  pro- 
moted to  the  position  of  assistant 
manager  of  the  shoe  department. 
After  five  j-ears'  service  with  The 
Fair,  Mr.  Hedstrom  became  travel- 
ing salesman  for  Fargo-Keith  and 
Co.  In  1904  he  became  Chicago 
salesman  for  Florsheim  and  Co., 
shoe  manufacturers.  Mr.  Hed- 
strom is  well-known  to    the    shoe 


trade  in  Chicago  and  throughout 
Illinois. 

He  belongs  to  the  (lideons,  the 
the  Illinois  Commercial  Travelers' 
Association  and  the  Y.  M.  C.  A. 
Mr.  Hedstriim  l)elongs  to  the 
Oak  Street  Swedi.sh  Free  Mission 
Church  in  which  he  has  been  as- 
sistant secretary-,  and  leader  of  the 
mixed  choir,  besides  being  active 
in  the  Sunday  school  and  the 
Young  People's  Society.  He  is 
now  leader  of  the  Hope  Male 
Chorus  and  director  of  song  in  the 
Lake  View  Free   Mi.ssion  Church. 

On  Nov.  8,  1905,  Mr.  Hed- 
strom was  united  in  marriage  to 
Sabina  Holm,  born  Dec.  2,  1882, 
in  Chicago.  Her  parents  are 
Chri.stian  M.  and  Anna  C.  Holm. 


A.  ALFRED  HOLMES 
was     born     in     Marbeck      parish, 


Smaland, 


in 
Sweden. 


At     the 


age 


A.   ALFRED   HOL.MES 

of  seven  years  he  came    with    his 
parents  to  America.     They  located 


204 


Cook  County 


in  Chicago  where  he  was  educated 
in  the  public  and  the  Swedish 
parochial  schools.  His  talent  for 
music  was  earl\-  manifested,  and 
at  the  age  of  twelve  he  commenced 
his  musical  studies  which  were 
pursued  for  seventeen  j-ears  under 
the  following  teachers:  Alfred 
Alander,  J.  F.  Ring,  C.  H. 
Wood,  A.  E.  Fox  and  Calvin  B. 
Cady. 

Mr.  Holmes  has  been  promi- 
nently before  the  public  for  many 
years  as  organist,  chorister  and 
orchestral  director.  In  1890  he 
accepted  a  call  as  teacher  of 
music  at  the  Augustana  Con- 
servatory in  Rock  Island.  In  1892 
he  resigned  this  po.sition,  but  con- 
tinued a  private  class  at  Rock  Is- 
land and  Moline  until  1896,  count- 
ing among  his  pupils  members  of 
the  most  prominent  families  of  those 
cities.  During  all  this  time,  how- 
ever, his  home  was  in  Chicago.  In 
1896  he  had  charge  of  the  music  at 
the  Dixon  Chautauqua.  For  two 
years  he  was  a  member  of  the 
committee  on  convocation  of 
church  musicians  of  the  General 
Council  of  the  Lutheran  church 
of  America,  and  for  three  years 
director  of  the  Luther  League 
chorus.  In  iSSi  he  became  the 
organist  of  the  Swedi.sh  Lutheran 
Geth.seniane  Church,  which  i>osi- 
tiou  he  held  for  twenty  four  years, 
until  1905,  meanwhile  refusing 
many  flattering  offers.  The  last 
ten  years  he  was  also  leader  of 
the  church  choir.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Hoard  of  Trustees 
of  the  church  for  a  numlicr  of 
years.     Mr.   Holmes  is  an    enthu- 


siastic Sunday  school  worker,  and 
served  as  superintendent  for  sev- 
eral years  up  to  1905,  when  he 
became  organist  of  the  Immannel 
Church,  al.so  transferring  his 
Sunday  school  activity  to  that 
church.  In  1902  he  was  elected 
a  member  of  the  Cook  Co.  Sunday 
School  A.ssociation  May  Festival 
Committee.  In  1906  he  accepted 
the  position  as  teacher  in  the  Men- 
delssohn Conser\-atory  of  Music. 
Mr.  Holmes  lives  at  2345  W. 
Dakin  ave.,  and  has  his  studio  in 
Steinwaj-  Hall. 


FRANK  C.   LINDH 

was   born    in  Stockholm,  Sweden, 
and  received  his  educational  train- 


1-R.\\K    C.    l.lNlill 

ing  in  that  city.  Ha\ing  renche<l 
the  age  of  manhood,  he  emigrated 
to  America  and  settled  in  Chicago 
in  1S93.  He  chose  the  traile  of 
machinist,  in  which  he  now  holds 
the    jiosition    of    foreman    in    llie 


Chicago 


205 


iiiacliine    department    of    a    luami- 
factiiriiig  establishment. 

Mr.  Lindh  was  married  Feb. 
20,  1902.  His  wife,  formerly  Miss 
Alida  Peter.son,  is  a  nati%'e  Clii- 
cagoau . 


PEHR  E.  GUSTAFSON 

was  born  April  6,    1849,  in  Onsta 
parish,  Nerike,  Sweden.   When  bnt 


PEHR   E.  GUST.\F!5(JN 

six  j'ears  old  he  was  left  a  poor 
orphan,  with  no  one  to  provide 
for  him,  and  on  one  occasion  had 
to  go  without  food  for  over  four 
days.  At  the  tender  age  of  seven 
he  began  herding  cattle  for  Rector 
Gumelius  of  Orebro  parish.  Then 
for  three  years  he  worked  at  street 
repairing  in  the  city.  At  the  age 
of  fourteen  he  became  an  appren- 
tice in  the  Rosenfors  cutlery  and 
tool  factory  in  Eskilstuna  for  a 
term  of  eight  years,  earning  his 
board  and  thirty  crowns  a  year. 
At  maturity  he  obtained  work 
with  a  similar  firm    in    Torshiilla. 


Going  to  Finland  he  worked  and 
attended  evening  school  there,  but 
soon  returned  to  Sweden,  and  in 
18S1  resolved  to  try  his  luck  in 
the  New  World. 

After  working  some  time  in 
Philadelphia,  Cincinnati,  Toledo 
and  St.  Louis,  he  went  to  Chica- 
go. Mr.  Gustafson  here  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  saws,  ma- 
chine knives,  etc.,  his  factory  being 
located  at  214-216  S.  Clinton  st. 
He  is  an  adherent  of  the  Luther- 
an Church,  and  is  an  active  mem- 
ber of  Progressive  Council  No. 
940,   Royal  Arcanum. 


CHARLES  J.    LINDEN 

was  born  Dec.  14,  1859,  in  Sol- 
berga,  Smaland,  Sweden.  March 
24,  1882,  he  arrived  in  this  coun- 
try, bound  for  Chicago.  He  is  a 
carpenter  and    building  contractor 


CH.^RLESJ.   LINDEN 

and  resides  in    Morton    Park,  one 
of  the  west  side  suburbs. 

Mr.   Linden  belongs  to  the  Odd 


2o6 


Cook  County 


Fellows,  Royal  Arcanum  and  the 
Royal  League.  He  was  treasurer 
of  the  town  of  Cicero  for  two 
terms. 

In  1896  Mr.  Linden  was  mar- 
ried to  Mathilda  Kolander,  with 
whom  he  has  three  daughters  and 
one  son. 


JOHN  H.  HENRICKSON 

was  born  in   Filipstad,  Vermland, 
Sweden,   Nov.    12,    1S49.      Having 


JOHN    H.    HENRICKSON 

learned  the  tailors'  trade  under 
the  direction  of  his  father,  who 
was  a  master  tailor  in  Filipstad, 
he  started  an  establishment  of  his 
own  as  soon  as  he  became  of  age. 
Seized  with  a  desire  to  try  his 
fortunes  in  the  land  across  the 
Atlantic,  he  emigrated  in  1873, 
going  first  to  Hscanaba,  Mich. 
After  nine  months  he  went  to  Min- 
neai>olis.  In  1877  he  left  that 
city  for  Chicago,  which  has  since 
been  his  home.  Here  Mr.  Hen- 
rickson  secured  a  position  witli  the 


firm  of  G.  \V.  Matthews  &  Son, 
and  for  more  than  a  quarter  of  a 
century  he  has  been  connected 
with  this  house.  His  skill  and 
care  soon  won  him  the  confidence 
of  his  employers  and  popularity 
among  the  customers.  In  a  very 
short  time  he  became  manager  of 
the  manufacturing  department. 
Since  1901  he  is  a  member  of  the 
firm. 

In  March.  1S79,  Mr.  Henrickson 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Carolina  Olson  from  Jonkoping, 
Sweden.  They  have  no  children 
of  their  own,  but  have  adopted  a 
daughter,  now  married. 

Mr.  Henrickson  is  an  old  time 
Lutheran,  and  in  politics  a  stanch 
Rupublican.  He  owns  his  resi- 
dence at  1 21 7  Wilton  ave..  Lake 
\'iew. 

ARVID  N.  SORLIN, 

minister  of  the  Swedish  Methodist 
Lpiscopal  Church,  was  born  in  the 
parish  of  Dal,  near  Hernosand, 
Sweden,  March  31,  1S61.  His 
father,  D.  S.  Sorlin,  who  was  also 
a  minister  of  the  gospel,  died  in 
Boston,  Mass.,  in  1888. 

Having  enjoyed  instruction  in 
the  conmion  school  of  his  native 
place,  Arvid  accompanied  his  par- 
ents to  this  country  in  1874.  Here 
he  continued  his  .schooling  in  New 
York  and  Chicago,  and  then  de- 
termined to  stu<ly  for  the  ministry. 
After  completing  the  prescril>ed 
courses  at  the  Swedish  M.  E.  The- 
ological Seminary  at  Ivvanstoii, 
III.,  he  graduated  from  that  in- 
stitution in   1S96. 

Trior   to  enteriiig  the  seminary, 


Chicago 


207 


Mr.  Sorlin  had  performed  pastoral 
work,  having  begun  as  a  local 
preacher  in   1891   and  received  his 


AKVID  NICKOLAUS  SORLIN 

first  appointment  as  pastor  the 
same  j-ear.  In  1892  he  was  or- 
dained deacon  and  in  1S97,  elder. 
Rev.  Mr.  Sorlin  lias  served  the 
Swedish  M.  E.  churches  in  Linds- 
borg,  Kans.,  Englewood,  Ravens- 
wood  and  Moreland  in  Chicago, 
and  Rockford,  111.  At  the  present 
time  he  is  stationed  at  the  Union 
Avenue  Swedish  M.  E.  Church  of 
Chicago. 

Through  his  activity  and  ability 
as  a  clergyman  Rev.  Mr.  Sorlin 
has  attained  a  position  of  prom- 
inence in  his  denomination.  In 
1S99  he  was  appointed  Presiding 
Elder  of  the  Galesburg  District 
of  the  Central  Swedish  Conference, 
serving  out  the  full  term  of  six 
years.  Having  been  elected  on 
the  board  of  trustees  of  the  Theo- 
logical Seminarj-  at  Evanston  in 
1900,  he  is  still  a  member  of  that 


body  and  is  at  present  its  secre- 
tary. He  has  represented  the 
Swedish  portion  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  at  the  General 
Conference,  and  iield  other  posi- 
tions of  trust  and  honor. 

His  marriage  took  place  March 
13,  1882.  Mrs.  Sorlin,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Hannah  Wil- 
helmina  Erickson,  was  born  March 
II,  1865,  and  is  the  daughter  of 
John  W.  and  Maria  Erickson  of 
Oakland,  Xeb.  A  son,  Oswald 
D.  M.,  was  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Sorlin  in  1883.  and  a  daughter, 
Margaret  N.,  in  1893. 


EDWIN  A.  OLSON 

was    born    of    Swedish    parents   at 
Cambridge,     111.,    Feb.     16,     1868. 


EDWIN     .A.     OLSON 

He  attended  the  Cambridge  High 
School  and  Elliott's  Business  Col- 
lege in  Burlington,  Iowa.  For 
some  time  thereafter  he  worked  on 
his  father's  farm.  Coming  to  Chi- 
cago in    1890    he    commenced    the 


2o8 


Cook  County 


study  of  law.  Since  1892.  when 
he  was  admitted  to  the  bar,  he 
has  practiced  law  in  this  city,  and 
bj'  energ)-  and  legal  acumen  has 
made  success  in  his  profession  and 
acquired  good  standing  at  the 
Chicago  bar. 

Mr.  Olson  is  a  Republican  and 
has  for  the  last  fifteen  years  taken 
an  active  interest  in  politics  in 
every  campaign,  national,  state 
and  local.  He  was  secretary  for 
four  years  and  president  one  year 
of  the  Swedish-American  Repub- 
lican League  of  Illinois  and  helped 
to  make  that  institution  the^larg- 
est  and  strongest  political  organ- 
ization of  the  kind  in  America. 

He  has  been  attorney  for  the 
Scandia  Life  Insurance  Company 
for  several  years  and  has  taken  a 
vigorous  part  in  the  reorganiza- 
tion of  that  company  from  the 
assessment  to  the  old  line  basis. 
He  is  now  at  the  head  of  the 
agency  department  of  the  company. 

Mr.  OLson  is  an  Odd  p-ellow,  a 
32d  degree  Mason  and  a  member 
of  Medinah  Temple,  A.  A.  O.  N. 
M.  S. 


Lothgren  is  also  in  the  real  estate, 
renting     and     insurance     business 


CARL  A.  LOTHGREN 

was  1)orn  June  4,  1S69,  in  Kil 
parish,  near  Orebro,  Sweden.  In 
June,  1885,  at  the  age  of  sixteen, 
he  came  over  to  this  country. 
His  first  stop  was  in  Rutland 
CO.,  Vermont,  but  after  tw<i  years 
he  moved  to  Chicago.  For  the 
next  four  years  he  was  working 
as  a  stone  cutter.  In  1S92  lie  set 
up  as  a  l)uilder.  Since  that  time 
he  has  built,  owncii  and  sold  about 
a  hundred  or    more    houses.     Mr. 


CARl,  A.   LOTHGREN 

with  office  at  Halsled     and     59th 
streets. 

The  Second  Swedish  Baptist 
Church  chose  him  as  a  trustee  for 
several  years.  He  is  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Royal  League.  Mr. 
Lothgren  was  married  Nov.  8, 
1890,  to  Maria  S.  Engstrand  who 
was  born  in  Vermland.  Tlie>' 
have  three  sons. 


CARL  G.  LINDHOLM 

was  born  in  Grenna,  Sweden,  Aug. 
22,  1855.  Having  finished  his 
.schooling,  he  learned  the  shoe- 
maker's trade,  and  in  time  l>ccame 
a  master  shoemaker.  In  18S0  he 
emigrated  to  Chicago.  Having 
formed  a  partnershiji  with  Wm. 
Voungquisl,  he  engagetl  in  the 
retail  shoe  business.  He  sold  his 
interest  to  Mr.  Voungquist  in 
i>Si).S  and  removed  to  Lake  \'iew, 
wliL-re    he    opcneil    a    large    retail 


Chicago 


shoe  store  at  1702  X.  Clark  st., 
and  has  been  doing  a  thriving 
business  ever  since. 


CAKL    r.rSTAi-'     l.INliHdLM 

Mr.  Lindhohn  is  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Mission  Church  in  his 
home  locaHty,  and  has  held  several 
offices,  such  as  trustee  and  deacon 
and  treasurer  of  the  Sunday  school. 
In  politics  he  is  an  unswerving 
Republican. 

In  1882  Mr.  Lindholni  married 
Miss  Helen  Swanstrom,  the  fruit 
of  this  union  being  five  children 
— two  boys  and  three  girls. 


ANDERS  O.  R.  BERGENGREN 

was  born  in  Stoby,  Skane,  Swe- 
den, Sept.  8,  1872.  He  is  a  descend- 
ant of  a  family  of  the  old  Swedish 
nobility.  Mr.  Bergengren  gradu- 
ated in  1888  from  the  collegiate 
school  in  the  citj-  of  Kristianstad 
and  then  took  a  position  with  the 
"Svanen"  drugstore  in  that  citj-. 
He  graduated  from  the  Royal  In- 


209 

stitute  of  Pharmacy  at  Stockholm 
in  1892.  In  the  same  year  he 
emigrated  to  tlie  I'nited  States, 
and,  after  studying  at  Chicago 
schools  of  pharmacy,  was  made  a 
registered  pharmacist  by  the  Illinois 
State  Board  of  Piiarniacy  in  1S93. 
Since  1896  he  has  been  in  the 
drug  business  at  854  Seminary 
ave.,   in  Lake  View. 

In     1896    Mr.    Bergengren    was 
married  to  Hilda  Natalia  Euphro- 


.AN'IlERS  ()SC.\R   RHINHULli 
BERGENGREN 

syne    Morin.     He  is  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Vikings. 


LARS  N.  S.  KLAESSON 

was  born  Oct.  15,  1869,  in  Got- 
land, Sweden.  His  parents  were 
Olof  Klaesson,  a  farmer,  and 
Maria  Klaes.son.  The  boy's  educa- 
tion was  limited  to  the  public 
school.  He  emigrated  in  1887 
and  located  in  Kansas,  and  there 
grew  to  maturity.  In  1895, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-six,  he  went 


2IO 


Cook  County 


to  Chicago.  Mr.  Klae.-^soii  is  a 
traveling  .salesman  for  Carson,  Pi- 
rie,  Scott  6t  Co.,  having  charge 
of  territorv  in    Kansas. 


I.ARS  .\1(J1<L.\S  SEV  ERIN    KI,AESSON 

Mr.  Klaesson  was  married  May 
15,  1901,  to  Anna  Christina  John- 
son, a  daughter  of  John  and  Chris- 
tina Johnson  of  Chicago,  born  Oct. 
3,  1876.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Klae.sson 
have  two  daughters,  Kathryn  Bert- 
ram, born  Oct.  1,  iyo2,  and  Nan- 
na  Jeannette,  born  Dec.  2,  1906. 
The  family  home  is  at  851  Sunny- 
side  ave. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Klaesson  belong 
to  the    Lutheran  Church. 


JOHN  A.   KOHLKR, 

secretary  of  llic  I'arkside  Loan 
and  Savings  Company,  was  born 
in  tile  vicinity  of  Norrkciping, 
SwLilcii,  Jan.  15,  1S44.  and  was 
educated      at      IIr'       Technological 


School  of  that  city.  He  came  to 
America  in  the  spring  of  1S65. 
Beiiig  a  mechanical  engineer  and 
machinist  by  profession,  he  had 
no  trouble  in  keeping  up  wnth 
the  march  of  the  procession  in 
this  land  of  mechanical  advance- 
ment. He  settled  first  in  Phila- 
delphia, went  later  to  New  York, 
and  in  1869  came  to  Chicago. 
From  the  first  he  took  great  in- 
terest in  politics.  He  has  been 
president  of  the  Scandinavian  Club 
of  the  Town  of  Lake  and  record- 
ing secretary  of  the  Swedi.sh- 
American  Central  Republican  Club 
of  Chicago.     He  was  one    of    the 


jimx  A.  ki)iu.|':k 

directors  of  the  Linnc  Monument 
Association  and  took  a  lively  in- 
terest in  raising  funds  for  the 
erection  of  a  statue  of  tlie  great 
botanist.  In  1SS7,  Mr.  Kohler 
helped  to  organize  tlie  Linncan 
SocieiN',  and  was  the  tirsl  ])resi- 
dent  of    that    organization,   which 


Chicago 


211 


is  now  one  of  the  htst  Swedish- 
American  sick-benefit  societies  in 
Chicago. 

For  the  past  eleven  years,  Mr. 
Kohler  has  been  .secretary  of  the 
Parkside  Loan  and  Savings  Com- 
pany, a  corporation  which  has 
been  in  successful  operation  since 
1885.  He  is  also  conducting  a 
real  estate  and  insurance  office  at 
5205  Wentworth  ave.  During  his 
stay  in  Chicago  he  has  been  con- 
nected with  several  of  the  leading 
manufacturing  establishments  as 
mechanical  engineer  and  machin- 
ist, which  has  been  his  principal 
business  and  means  of  livelihood. 
Realizing  the  value  of  the  legal 
training  to  the  business  man,  he 
took  a  course  at  the  Chicago 
College  of  Law,  graduating  in 
1S99. 

Mr.  Kohler  is  married  and  has 
one  son,   Dr.   E.   A.   Kohler. 


Church,      He  has  served  as  trustee 

and  .secretary  of   his  congregation. 

In   1 89 1   he   was  married  to  Mi.ss 


CHARLES     EVERT     CARSON 

was  born  Feb.  24,  1864,  in  Foglo, 
Aland,  Finland.  At  eighteen  he 
emigrated  from  Finland  to  Amer- 
ica. Here  he  made  Chicago  his 
home  and  is  still  a  resident  of 
this  city.  He  attended  the  pub- 
lic .schools  in  his  native  land  and 
the  Metropolitan  Business  College 
in  Chicago.  Engaging  in  the 
building  trade,  he  has  built  up  a 
comfortable  business  for  himself 
as  building  contractor. 

The  great  interest  taken  by  Mr. 
Carson  in  church  work  has  made 
him  an  invaluable  member  in  the 
Swedish        Methodist        Elpi.scopal 


CH.\RI,ES  EVERT  CARSON 

Anna  Hallgren   from  Vdre,  Oster- 
gotland,  Sweden. 


WAHLFRID  \VILLL\MSON 

was  born  in  Trelleborg,  Sweden, 
April  18,  1850.  Shortly  after,  his 
parents  removed  to  Helsingborg, 
where  he  received  a  public  .school 
education  and  learned  the  printing 
trade,  serving  his  apprenticeship 
in  the  printing  office  of  (hvsitnds- 
PosU'ii.  Having  learned  his  trade, 
he  left  that  shop  and  w-orked  for 
a  time  in  the  Ihiiversity  Press  in 
Lund,  afterward  returning  to 
his  old  place  in    Helsingborg. 

In  April,  1869,  at  the  age  of 
nineteen,  he  left  the  fatherland, 
with  Chicago  as  his  destination. 
After  his  arrival  here,  he  tried  to 
obtain  work  at  his  trade:  but  as 
the  only  two  Swedish  newspaper 
offices    in    Chicago    at    that    time 


212 


Cook   County 


had  110  need  of  his  services,  he 
was  forced  to  seek  other  employ- 
ment.     In  Missouri  he  found  work 


VVAHLFRIU    WILLIAMSON 

on  the  Southern  Pacific  Railway, 
just  being  built,  and  remained  un- 
til the  following  winter,  when  he 
was  offered  a  place  on  the  Swedish 
newspaper  Hcmlandct.  In  the 
spring  of  1 87 1  he  became  foreman 
in  the  printing  office  of  Nya  I'erl- 
di'ii,  afterwards  Svcnska  Tribum-ii, 
and  worked  on  that  paper  up  to 
the  time  of  the  great  Chicago  fire, 
also  for  a  time  after  the  paper 
was   re-established. 

In  1875  Mr.  Williamson  started 
a  printing  office  of  his  own  at  1-3 
N.  Clark  St.,  where  he  remained 
until  the  building  together  with 
his  printing  office  on  Feb.  18, 
1903,  was  totally  destroj-ed  b\- 
fire.  For  manj'  years  Mr.  William- 
son was  the  o\\\y  Swedish  job 
printer  in  Chicago,  and  made  him- 
self known  as  a  reliable  and  skill- 
ful ])rinter.     A  considerable   num- 


ber of  good  books  in  Swedish  as 
we'll  as  Norwegian,  among  which 
maj-  be  mentioned  "Sverige  och 
Svenskame,"  by  W.  W.  Thomas, 
and  "Unionsperioden  og  Norges 
Gjenreisning,"  by  Hagebert  Mil- 
ler, have  been  published  from  his 
office:  .several  have  been  published 
in  his  own  name.  For  some  time 
he  published  a  periodical,  I'id 
Aftoiihrasan  ("At  the  Evening 
Fireside").  After  his  printing 
plant  was  destroyed  by  fire,  he 
took  a  vacation  from  busine.s.s,  but 
in  August,  1905,  he  again  took 
u])  his  old  business,  and  is  now 
located  in  his  own  building,  654 
Winona  ave.,  where  he  continues 
to  do  general  book  and  job  print- 
ing work.  In  1907  he  published 
a  book  entitled  "Det  femte  Fivan- 
geliet,  eller  de  fyra  Evangelierna 
sammanvafda  till  en  fullstandig 
beriittelse  om  var  Fralsare  Jesu 
Kristi  lif,  ordnad  i  tidsfoljd." 

In  1879,  Mr.  Williamson  jiaid 
a  visit  to  his  parents  and  relatives 
in  the  old  country.  His  father, 
C.  G.  Wilhelmsson,  was  Sergeant 
Major  of  the  regimental  band  of 
the  Skane  Hus.sars. 

Mr.  Williamson  was  married  in 
1 87 1  to  Miss  Carin  Pehrson  of 
Vestanskog,  Skane,  but  he  had 
hardly  established  a  home,  when 
it  was  swept  awa>'  by  the  great 
Chicago   fire. 

In  18S2  he  l)ccame  a  member  of 
the  First  Swedish  Methodist 
Church,  and  has  held  many  im- 
portant otiices  in  that  congrega- 
tion. From  1SS2  to  1S99,  or  sev- 
enteen years,  he  was  secretary  of 
the  Swedish    Methodists'  Aid  As- 


Chicago 


i"3 


sociation,  a  life  insurance  society. 
In  1892  he  moved  from  the  north 
side  to  Sumnierdale,  where  he  owns 
a  comfortable  and  pleasant  home, 
and  is  a  member  of  the  Swedish 
Bethany  M.  E.  Church. 


OSCAR  F 

was     born 
30, 


MALM BERG 


Oct. 


in 
S62. 


Motala, 
Coniin< 


Sweden , 
to    this 


nSC.\R   F.    M.\L.MBEKG 

country  in  1S82,  his  first  employ- 
ment here  was  that  of  a  grocery 
clerk.  He  afterwards  formed  a 
partnership  with  A.  P.  Nelson  in 
the  retail  grocery  business  at  68 
Chicago  ave.  In  January-,  1888, 
he  became  a  member  of  the  Chi- 
cago Fire  Department,  and  was 
promoted  to  the  position  of  lieu- 
tenant on  the  fire-boat  "Yosem- 
ite"    July  2,    1891. 

Capt.  Malmberg  has  on  many 
occasions  distinguished  himself  for 
bravery  and  was  honorably  men- 
tioned by  the  department  for  res- 
cuing   a    man    from    drowning    at 


the  Yosemite  headquarters  Aug.  5, 
1892,  and  on  the  following  night, 
with  the  assistance  of  the  crew, 
rescuing  two  men  from  drowning. 
At  the  fire  at  236-238  Monroe  St., 
Feb.  14,  1894,  Chief  Swenie  or- 
dered him,  together  with  his  com- 
pany, to  effect  the  rescue  of  Wm. 
Fleming  of  company  40,  who  was 
caught  by  falling  floors  at  the 
head  of  the  stairs  leading  to  the 
third  floor.  Just  after  they  had 
succeeded  in  releasing  Fleming's 
arm  from  underneath  a  heavy 
beam,  an  explosion  occurred, 
throwing  them  to  the  bottom  of 
the  stairs  on  the  first  floor.  Lieut. 
Malmberg  and  his  crew  did  signal 
service  during  the  lumber  yard 
fire  of  Aug.  i,  1894,  in  prevent- 
ing the  whirlwind  of  flames  from 
leaping  the  river  to  the  south, 
thereby  saving  from  certain  de- 
struction the  Santa  Fe  elevator, 
which  escaped  with  but  slight 
damage.  The  wind  developed  into 
a  cyclone  of  such  power,  that  a 
wagon,  loaded  with  lumber,  was 
thrown  into  the  air  and  struck  the 
side  of  the  "Yosemite,"  doing 
considerable  damage.  First  Assist- 
ant Fire  Marshal  W.  H.  Musham 
was  thrown  into  the  river,  but 
rescued  by  the  crew.  Lieut.  Malm- 
berg was  blown  from  the  stand- 
pipe  on  the  deck,  but  recovered 
shortly  afterward. 

The  following  report,  published 
in  The  Daily  Nacs,  Sept.  13,  1894, 
gives  a  graphic  description  of  his 
narrow  escape  from  death  and  the 
part  he  played  in  rescuing  his 
companions. 

"When  it    was   discovered    that 


214 


Cook  Couniv 


fire  had  broken  out  in  the  lumber 
yards  in  South  Chicago,  the  Yo- 
seniite  was  ordered  to  go  to  the 
fire.  The  boat  left  at  8:13  and 
when  al)out  three  miles  out  in  the 
lake  it  was  found  that  the  boat 
had  sprung  a  leak  and  was  filling 
with  water  which  soon  put  out 
the  fires.  Finding  that  all  efforts 
to  keep  the  boat  bailed  out  were 
unavailing,  the  crew  looked  for 
something  to  use  for  a  signal. 
Nothing  which  could  lie  seen  at 
any  distance  was  at  hand.  Then 
a  desperate  jilan  was  resorted  to. 
Lieutenant  Malmberg  took  off  his 
coat  and  dipped  it  into  a  barrel  of 
kerosene,  then  fastened  it  to  the 
end  of  a  pole  and  .set  fire  to  it. 
The  other  members  of  the  crew 
followed  his  example  and  .soon  the 
deck  was  illuminated  by  the  im- 
provised distress  signals.  The 
burning  fluid  trickled  down  the 
handles  of  the  torches  and  burned 
hands  and  arms.  The  pain  was 
excruciating,  but  the  signals  were 
vigorously  waved.  It  was  mid- 
night before  the  live  .saving  crew 
reached  them.  With  succor  at 
hand  the  men  made  a  last  des- 
perate and  unsuccessful  attempt 
to  save  their  craft.  No  sooner  had 
the  iin])erile(l  men  l)een  transferred 
to  the  life  boat  l)efore  the  Vo.sem- 
ite  sank." 

The  boat  was  later  raised  and 
placed  in  service  again. 

Lieutenant  Malmljerg  was  jiro- 
moled  to  the  position  of  captain 
under  the  civil  .service  examina- 
tion July  2,  1S96,  and  assigned 
tile  command  of  engine  company 
21,  Stale  and   Taylor  sts..  and  in 


April,  1897,  was  transferred  to 
engine  company  83,  11 11  South 
Place.  Since  Oct.  iS,  1905,  Capt. 
Malmberg  has  been  in  command 
of  engine  company  90,  57  E.  Divi- 
sion  St. 

Captain  Malmberg  was  married 
April  30,  1890,  to  Jennie  Aker- 
lind,  and  the  con]ile  have  two 
children,   Edgar  and  Irene. 


ERLAND  LARSON 

was  born  Jan.  i,  1S63,  in  EMsljerg 
parish,   Nerike.  Sweden.    He  came 


ERL.WP     l..\KSO.S 

to  the  United  States  in  1S.S6, 
bound  for  Minne.sota.  After  a  few 
niontlis  he  went  to  Wisconsin, 
where  he  worked  in  a  lumber 
camp.  He  next  left  for  Oregon, 
where  he  remained  three  years. 
In  1893  Mr.  Larson  came  to  Chi- 
cago, working  at  first  as  a  black- 
smith. After  a  year  he,  in  com- 
pany with  Mr.  L.  Wahltiuisi,  or- 
ganized the  C.rand  Union  Uirill 
Works.     The  l>usiiiess  l)eKan  on  n 


Chicago 


215 


small  scale,  but  has  so  expanded 
that  in  1907  the  firm  erected  a 
large  building  at  i664-6<S  \V.  Lake 
St.  It  is  the  largest  factory  of  its 
kind  in  the  citj-,  and  a  large  as- 
sortment of  grills,  consoles  ar.d 
turned  columns    is    manufactured. 

Mr.  Larson  was  married  in  1897 
to  Anna  Theresia  Anderson  from 
Nora,  Westmanland,  with  whom 
he  has  three  daughters,  Hildur, 
Ella  and  Violet. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Larson  belong  to 
the  Humboldt  Park  Swedish  Meth- 
odist Church. 


FRANK  AUGUST  LINDHOLM 

was    liorn     in     Grenna,     Sweden, 
Sept.   21,    1.S68.     He    received    an 


FK.^NK   AUGl'ST   LINIlHOI.M 

ordinary  common  school  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
land,  and  spent  part  of  his  youth 
in  the  cities  of  J5nk6ping  and 
Falkoping.  On  his  eighteenth 
birthday  he  landed  in  this  coun- 
tr}-.      Being  a  tailor  by  trade,    he 


specialized  in  the  manufacture  of 
vests  and  pants  for  the  trade,  a  bu.s- 
iness  he  is  now  engaged  in,  giving 
employment  to  about  125  workers. 
The  firm  is  the  Lindholm,  John- 
son Co.,  at  215  Madison  st.  Mr. 
Lindholm  has  taken  interest  in 
organizations  promoting  the  in- 
terests of  his  trade  and  has  been 
financial  secretary  of  the  Tailor's 
Business  Association.  He  has  also 
served  one  term  as  president,  be- 
sides filling  other  offices  in  the 
organization. 

Mr.  Lindholm  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Mission  Church  at 
Orleans  and  Whiting  streets,  in 
which  he  at  present  is  a  trustee. 
For  several  years  he  has  been  a 
member  of  the  church  choir,  and 
taught  classes  in  the  Sunday 
school,  for  which  he  is  now  the 
treasurer. 

In  1892  Mr.  Lindholm  made  a 
vi.sit  to  his  native  land.  The 
following  year,  having  returned 
to  Chicago,  he  was  married  to 
Mi.ss  Anna  T.  Sahlberg,  Nov. 
16,    1893.  

GUSTAVE  NELSON 

was  born  Nov.  2.  1867,  in  Dais- 
land,  Sweden.  His  father,  Mag- 
nus Nil.sson,  emigrated  with  his 
family  in  1869  and  settled  in  Des 
Moines  co.,  Iowa.  He  was  one 
of  the  pioneers  who  organized 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  church  in 
Kingston,   Iowa. 

Gustave  remained  on  the  farm 
until  1892,  when  he  went  to  Texas. 
After  a  short  staj-  he  went  to 
Chicago,  where  he  worked  for 
two    years.     In    1S94    he    entered 


2l6 


Cook  County 


Augustana  College,  continuing  his 
studies  there  for  two  years.  He 
then  entered  the  law    department 


(USTAVE  NELSON 

of  the  I'liiversity  of  Michigan 
and  was  graduated  in  1.S99.  Mr. 
Nelson  has  an  office  at  145  La 
Salle  St.,  where  he  is  engaged  in 
general  law  practice. 

Mr.   Nelson  is  a  member   of  the 
Royal  League. 

CARL  O.  YOUNG 

was  horn  in  Goteborg,  Sweden, 
Oct.  10,  1865.  When  he  was  four 
years  old,  his  parents  came  to 
America  and  settled  in  Kansas 
City,  Mo.  There  he  attended 
public  school  and  the  Swedish 
parochial  school  until  twelve  years 
of  age,  when  he  moved  with  his 
parents  to  Lindsborg,  Kans.  Here 
he  worked  on  the  farm  in  sum- 
mer and  attended  school  in  win- 
ter until  the  fall  of  iSSi,  when 
he  entered  the  academic  tlepart- 
menl  of  Hcthanv-  Colle>.'e.      Having 


finished  the  preparatorj-  course, 
he  was,  in  1S85,  matriculated  at 
Augustana  College,  in  Rock  Island, 
111.,  where  he  graduated  in  1S89. 
In  the  fall  of  that  year  he  entered 
the  medical  department  of  Har- 
vard Universitj',  where  he  com- 
pleted the  required  four  year  years' 
course,  graduating  in  1X93.  Dur- 
ing this  period  he  had  charge  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at 
Quincy,  Mass.,  which  at  that  time 
erected  a  fine  edifice,  the  only 
granite  church  building  in  the 
Augustana  Synod. 

In  iS94-'96  Mr.  Young  pursued 
further  medical  studies  at  the 
University  of  Berlin.  Returning 
to  America  in  1S96,  he  opened  an 
office  in   Chicago,  where    later   he 


CAKl,    i>.    \  nl\r. 

became  chief  of  the  medical  de- 
partment at  .-Vugustana  Hos- 
]>ilai. 

Ill  the  sunnner  of  1901  Dr. 
N'dung  again  made  a  trip  to  Ger- 
iiian\-,   where    he    i)ursued   further 


Chicago 

medical  studies  in  Haniburg  for 
six  nioiUhs. 

In  August,  1904,  Dr.  Young 
incorporated  the  Wasliington  Park 
Hospital,  which  was  opened  in 
rented  quarters,  Labor  Day  of  that 
year.  In  February,  1906,  a  new 
building,  with  a  capacity  for  sev- 
enty-five patients,  was  opened. 

Dr.  Young  is  chief  of  the  hos- 
pital staff.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Chicago,  the  Illinois  and  the 
American  medical  associations,  and 
of  the  Harvard  Alumni  Associa- 
tion. 

May  31,  1898,  Dr.  Young  was 
married  to  Miss  Sophia  Swanstrom 
of  Lindsborg,  Kans.  They  have 
two   children,  Viola    and  Stanley. 

K.  ALBERT  WEYDELL 

was  born  in  Kalmar,  Sweden, 
Jan.     20,      1869.     His     childhood 


217 

a  few  years  before  the  mast. 
During  this  time  he  vi.sited  all 
quarters  of  the  globe  and  saw 
many  strange  lands.  He  stayed 
in  Brazil  and  Chili  for  two  years, 
and  had  occasion  to  familiarize 
himself  with  tropical  and  sub- 
tropical conditions.  Finally  he 
decided  to  take  some  rest  from 
his  extensive  seafaring  and  came 
to  Chicago  to  visit  .some  relatives. 
They  prevailed  upon  him  to  stay 
and  he  then  began  to  study  phar- 
macy at  the  University  of  Illinois 
School  of  Pharmacy.  Immediately 
after  his  graduation  he  started  in 
business  at  6501  Cottage  Grove 
ave.,  where  he  enjoys  a  good 
trade. 

ALFRED  L.  MORRIS 
was    born    at    Chandlers     Valley, 
Warren     co.,    Pa.,    Oct.    2,    1865, 


K.    .\LBEKT    WHVllELL 

and  early  youth  were  spent  in 
his  native  city.  At  the  age  of 
sixteen  he  went  to  sea  and   spent 


.Ai.i-Kiiii  i..\\vki;nci-;  mokris 
and    grew    up  on    the  farm  of  his 
father,  A.  P.  Morris,  an  old  settler 
of  that  vicinity.     Having  attended 
public  school  in  his  home  district 


2l8 


Cook  County 


and  the  high  school  at  Sugar 
Grove,  Pa  ,  he  left  home  and  came 
to  Chicago  in  1888.  Here  he  en- 
gaged in  the  grocerj-  business, 
conducting  a  retail  store  up  to 
1896,  when  he  went  out  of  busi- 
ness and  went  to  work  as  a  whole- 
sale salesman  with  Durand,  Kaspar 
&  Co.  From  1897  to  1901  he 
held  a  position  as  deputy  clerk  in 
the  Criminal  Court  Clerk's  office. 
In  1902  he  was  made  general 
agent  of  the  Scandia  Life  Insur- 
ance Co.,  and  remains  in  its  serv- 
ice to  date. 

Oct.  9,  1888,  Mr.  Morris  was 
married  to  Miss  Linda  Jerner  of 
Chicago,  a  daughter  of  Mr.  John 
F.  Jerner,  born  Sept.  10,  1868. 
Their  children,  with  dates  of  birth, 
are:  Irene  Evelyn,  Aug.  23,  1890; 
Edgar  Lawrence,  Aug.  23,  1892: 
Florence  Marie,  June  5,    1902. 

Mr.  Morris,  with  his  family, 
belongs  to  the  Salem  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church,  where  his 
brother-in-law,  Dr.  L.  G.  Abraham- 
son,  has  served  as  pastor  for  a 
long  term  of  years.  Mr.  Morris 
is  a  member  of  King  Oscar  Lodge, 
A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  and  the  I.  O. 
O,   F. 


he  established  a    second    store,    at 
1249  Belmont  ave. 
In    1 90 1    Mr.   Larson    was    niar- 


JOHN  LARSON 

was  born  in  Raflunda,  Skane, 
Sweden,  Jan.  6,  1S74.  In  18SS,  at 
the  age  of  fourteen  years,  he  emi- 
grated to  America,  locating  in 
Chicago,  where  he  worked  in  the 
grocer\-  trade  for  some  nine  years. 
He  then  opened  a  fish  and  delikat- 
essen  store  at  1685  N.  Clark  st. 
The  business    grew,    and    in    1901 


JOHN  I.ARSON 

ried  to  Miss  Ida  Anderson  and 
the  couple  have  established  a 
plea.sant  home  at  1479  Belmont 
ave. 

WILLIAM  P.  CARLSON, 

manufacturing  tailor,  was  born  in 
Falkoping,  Skaraborgs  Ian,  Swe- 
den, March  7,  1863.  At  the  age 
of  twelve  he  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica, where  he  landed  July  12,  1875. 
He  has  since  resiiied  in  Chicago. 
He  attended  the  jiublic  schools  in 
this  city,  and  afterwards  learnetl 
the  tailoring  trade.  Mr.  Carlson 
is  a  member  of  the  firm  of  manu- 
facturing tailors,  Strom,  Carlson 
&  Dreut/,  at  472  Hermitage  ave. 
In  1S89  Mr.  Carlson  was  mar- 
ried to  Mi.ss  Margaret  Goodsnover, 
who  is  of  Belgian  descent.  They 
have  tlirce  children,   IClhel,   Helen 


Chicago 


and    William,    and    reside    at    164 

Larrabee  st.,  owning  the  propert}-. 

Mr.   Carlson  is  a  nieniher  of  the 


WILLIAM    P.   CARLSON 

Lutheran  Church.  He  also  be- 
longs to  the  First  Swedish  Lodge 
L  O.  O.   F. 

AXEL  CHYTRAUS, 

Judge  of  the  Superior  Court  of 
Cook  county,  was  born  1859  in 
Vermland,  Sweden.  At  the  age 
of  ten  he  came  with  his  father  to 
America.  They  settled  in  Chica- 
go, where  his  father  was  employed 
as  a  bookkeeper  until  his  death 
in  1SS7.  Axel  attended  the  public 
schools  and  the  Chicago  Atheiue- 
utn.  At  thirteen  years  of  age  he 
was  employed  as  errand  boy  in 
the  law  office  of  Howe  &  Ru.s.sell. 
Interesting  himself  in  the  business 
of  the  law  office  during  succeed- 
ing 3'ears,  he  acquired  a  well- 
grounded  legal  knowledge  before 
reaching  maturity.  In  1S81,  after 
nine  years  spent   in   the  law  office 


219 

and  in  study,  he  was  admitted  to 
the  bar.  Four  years  later  the  firm 
of  Blanke  &  Chytraus  was  formed. 
In  1892  Mr.  Charles  S.  Deneen, 
then  a  young  man,  was  taken  into 
the  firm,  and  it  became  Blanke, 
Chytraus  iS:  Deneen.  When  in 
1893  Mr.  Blanke  was  elected  a 
judge  of  the  Superior  Court,  the 
firm  was  continued  as  Chytraus 
&  Deneen.  Mr.  Deneen  was,  sub- 
sequently, in  1896,  elected  State's 
Attorney,  and  he  is  now  Gover- 
nor of  Illinois.  Mr.  Chytraus 
was  elected  a  judge  of  the  Supe- 
rior Court  of  Cook  county  in  1898, 
at  which  time  the  firm  of  Chytraus 
(&  Deneen  was  dis.solved,  and  he 
was  re-elected  in   1904. 


AXKL  CHYTKAIS 

Augustana  College  in  1901  con- 
ferred upon  him  the  degree  of 
LL.   D. 

Judge  Chytraus  was  married  in 
1892,  to  Miss  Laura  Haugan, 
daughter    of    Helge    A.    Haugan, 


2  20 

the  well-known  banker.   Mrs.  Chy- 
traus  died  in   1907. 

Judge  Chytraus  i.s  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Glee  Club.  He  has 
the  interests  of  the  Swedish  na- 
tionalitj-  in  America  at  heart;  his 
high  standing  among  the  judiciarj- 
reflects  credit  upon  his  country- 
men generally,  and  in  the  coun- 
cils of  the  Republican  party  in 
Chicago  and  the  state  at  large 
his  influence  is  recognized  and 
his  word  carries  weight. 

ALFRED  J.  VOUNGDAHL, 

the  popular  west  side  jeweler  and 
optician,     was     born    in    Malmo, 


Cook  County 


.M.I'KlJIl  J.    Vor.NC.Il.MlI. 

Sweden,  Dec.  12,  1859,  and  came 
to  America  in  1X83.  For  about 
a  year  he  was  connected  with 
Ik-iiedict  Bros.,  of  New  York. 
Leaving  that  city  he  went  to 
Chicago,  and  for  some  time  he 
was  employed  by  N.  Matson  and 
Co.  In  1S89  Mr.  Voungdahl 
formed    a    partnersliip    with    John 


R.  Lilja  and  after  about  twelve 
years  became  sole  owner.  His 
place  of  business  is  at  565-367  W. 
Madison  st.  Mr.  Youngdahl  was 
married  in  1895,  to  Miss  Helen 
MaV)el  Kaye,  of  Lake  Geneva, 
Wis.,  with  whom  he  has  one  son 
and  one  daughter. 


CARL  G.  LOXNERBLAD 

was    born    April    24,    1S67.   in  the 
Swedish  city  of  Falkiiping,  in  \"es- 


CAKI,   r.lST.XK    LON.NEKHl..\|i 

lergotland.  His  parents  were  Nils 
Jonas  Lonnerblad,  a  parson,  and 
liis  wife  Hedvig  Carolina,  nee 
Mannerfelt.  The  .son  was  given 
a  thorough  education,  studying 
for  six  years  at  Skara,  then  con- 
tinuing at  a  higher  educational 
institution  in  \'enersborg.  At  the 
age  of  twenty  he  joined  the-  Royal 
Skaraborg  Regiment  and  in  188S 
com])leted  his  course  at  the  Karls- 
boig  military  school.  Later  he 
abandoned  the  military  career  and 
in  1890  left  Sweden  for  the  I'niled 


Chicago 


221 


States.  Coming  to  Chicago  he 
became  first  assistant  to  the  late 
Dr.  Ahlstrand  in  his  ma.ssage  es- 
tablishment. Mr.  Lonnerblad  af- 
terward was  engaged  as  masseur 
at  the  sanitarium  at  Palmyra, 
Wis.,  in  Lake  Geneva,  III.,  and 
Louisville,  Ky.  Returning  to  Chi- 
cago he  opened  his  own  establish- 
ment and  has  been  in  business  as 
masseur  and  medical  g)  innast  for 
the  I  ast  ten  years. 

As  a  singer  Mr.  Lonnerblad  soon 
attracted  attention  in  Swedish  mu- 
sical circles  in  Chicago.  His  voice, 
a  low  tenor  of  rare  quality,  has 
been  frequently  heard  in  solos, 
duets  and  quartets  at  concerts  and 
other  public  entertainments.  In 
rendering  the  famous  "Glunt- 
songs"  of  Wennerberg  he  is  es- 
pecially proficient.  Since  the  fall 
of  1890  Mr.  Lonnerblad  has  been 
active  in  the  Swedish  Glee  Club, 
in  which  he  has  taken  front  rank 
both  as  a  singer  and  as  a  social 
member.  He  served  as  secretary' 
of  the  club  in  1904-6  and  was 
chosen  vice-president  in  1907.  Up- 
on the  demi.se  of  Robert  Lindblom, 
the  president,  early  in  the  year, 
Mr.  Lonnerblad  became  acting 
president  of  the  club. 

Mr.  Lonnerblad  in  1892  was 
among  the  organizers  of  the  Am- 
erican Union  of  Swedish  Singers, 
served  as  its  secretary  in  190 1-3 
and  has  for  the  past  four  years 
been  first  vice-president  of  the 
organization. 

Combining  as  he  does  the  music- 
al with  the  dramatic  talent,  Mr. 
Lonnerblad  is  frequently  called 
upon    to    assist    in  the  production 


of  Swedish  plays.  Williout  any 
claim  to  professionalism,  his  act- 
ing is  free  and  natural,  backed  by 
clear  intuition  and  intelligent  in- 
terpretation. 

Since  coming  to  the  United 
States,  Mr.  Loinierblad  has  made 
several  visits  to  Sweden,  including 
the  1897  tour  of  the  picked  chorus 
of  the  A.  U.  S.  S.,  of  which  he 
was  a  member. 


ELLEN  LINDSTROM 

was    born    ut    Fjelkestad,    Skane, 
Sweden,  Jan.  21,  i860.   Her  father. 


ELLE.V   LINUSTKO.M 

Swen  Lindstroni,  was  the  last  mas- 
ter blacksmith  in  Sweden  to  receive 
a  diploma  from  the  old  Black- 
smiths' Guild.  In  his  shop,  which 
was  her  favorite  re.sort  when  a 
child,  were  laid  the  foundations 
of  that  deep  interest  in  the  prog- 
ress o£  the  working  people,  which 
has  characterized  her  later  in  life. 
She  studied  at  girls'  seminaries  in 
her  home  city  and  in  Skara.   That 


222 


Cook  County 


she  was  an  ambitious  student  is 
shown  from  the  fact  that  she  was 
the  j'oungest  student  ever  sent  out 
from  her  Alma  Mater.  The  next 
ten  years  of  her  life  were  spent 
in  teaching,  until  her  health  broke 
down.  For  several  years  she  was 
apparently  a  hopeless  invalid,  and 
when  health  gradually  returned, 
the  school-room  being  forbidden 
her,  she  turned  to  a  new  field  of 
activity.  Her  interest  in  social 
reform  had  been  deepened,  while 
still  she  was  a  teacher,  by  a  meet- 
ing with  Herr  Bebel,  the  famous 
German  .socialist. 

On  leaving  the  school-room,  she 
decided  to  cast  her  lot  with  the 
toilers.  Coming  to  this  country 
in  1S90,  Chicago  was  chosen  as  the 
field  of  her  new  activity.  Within 
three  days  after  reaching  the  city 
she  was  seated  in  a  tailor  shop, 
and  was  long  identified  with  the 
tailoring  trade  of  Chicago.  She 
was  for  several  years  the  business 
agent  of  a  large  local  union,  com- 
posed almost  entirely  of  women. 
So  far  as  is  known.  Miss  Lind- 
strom  was  the  first  woman  who 
ever  bore  the  much  abused  title 
of  "walking  delegate."  At  the 
ab.sorption  of  her  union,  the  Special 
Order  Clothing  Makers,  by  the 
United  Garment  Workers,  Miss 
Lindstroin  was  made  a  member  of 
the  General  Kxeculive  Board  of 
the  latter  organization,  a  bod\-  of 
53,000  workers. 

One  of  her  chief  desires  is  for 
the  abolition  of  cliikl-labor,  to 
which  her  own  trade  offers  so 
temjitint;  a  field.  Tlu<nigli  her 
instnuncntalil\-   the  women's  local 


union  already  mentioned  became 
one  of  the  first  labor  unions  in 
Chicago  to  take  active  steps  in 
opposition  to  this  great  evil. 

For  years,  both  in  Sweden  and 
in  America,  Miss  Lindslroni  has 
been  a  frequent  contributor  to 
Swedish  periodicals.  In  August, 
1906,  she  left  Chicago  to  take  a 
position  as  as.sociate  editor  of 
A'viiDian  och  Hcinnict,  a  woman's 
journal,  published  at  Cedar  Rap- 
ids,  Iowa. 

In  religion  Miss  Lindstrom  is  a 
Lutheran. 

NELSON  A.  ANDERSON 

was  born  May  7,  1855,  in  the 
parish  of  Lindtjerg,  Halland.  Swe- 


.Nlil.SlIN  .\.   .\.niii:ksi>n 

lien.  Mis  father  was  the  villiage 
blacksmith  and  taught  his  trade 
to  his  son.  When  the  l)oy  was 
thirteen,  his  father  dieil.  The 
lad  now  learned  the  carpenter's 
trade.  He  came  to  this  country 
in    i>>74,   and  selthd  in  St,  Joseph, 


Chicago 


223 


Mich.,  where  he  obtained  em- 
ployment in  the  railroad  shops 
and  learned  the  molder's  and 
machinist's  trades.  In  1886  he 
went  to  Kansas.  The  next  year 
he  came  to  Chicago  and  worked 
in  various  machine  shops.  He 
became  a  stockholder  in  the  Carl 
Anderson  Co.,  and  was  engaged 
there  from  1889  imtil  January, 
1900.  In  April,  1902,  he  formed 
a  partnership  with  K.  L.  Jones 
under  the  firm  name  Anderson 
and  Jones,  at   66  W.   Lake  st. 

The  business  was  later  incorpo- 
rated as  The  Anderson  Machine 
Co.,  of  which  Mr.  Anderson  is 
president.  In  1907  the  firm  moved 
to  56  N.   Jefferson  st. 

In  187S  Mr.  Anderson  married 
Hanna  Danielson  of  Smaland, 
Sweden.  The  couple  have  been 
blessed  with  three  children. 


ncss  of  the  city  by  the  lake.  At 
one  time  he  owned  and  conducted 
a    hotel    and    restaurant    on     the 


ANDREW   TALLBERG 

was  born  in  Lju.sdal  parish,  Hel- 
singland,  Sweden,  Sept.  19,  1843. 
His  early  education  was  obtained 
in  the  parish  .school.  In  1870  he 
emigrated  to  America  and  settled 
in  Chicago,  where  he  has  since 
lived. 

Mr.  Tallberg  is  a  well  known 
business  man  and  has  devoted  his 
time  and  energy  to  .several  lines 
of  investment.  For  many  }-ears 
he  was  engaged  in  the  real  estate 
business  and  has  built  several  flat 
buildings  in  Hyde  Park.  He  has 
shown  his  faith  in  Chicago  and 
its  growth  by  investing  largely  in 
vacant  and  improved  property  and 
has  thus  contributed  to  the  sjreat- 


ANDREW  T.^LLBERG 

south  side,  which  not  only  in- 
creased his  acquaintance  among 
the  Swedish  as  well  as  the  Amer- 
ican people,  but  proved  a  paying 
venture.  In  recent  j-ears  he  has 
given  much  of  his  time  to  mining 
and  other  investments.  His  oflfice 
is  at  112  S.  Clark  St.,  suite  410. 
Mr.  Tallberg  for  a  number  of 
years  has  been  an  active  member 
of  the  Swedish  Free  Mission 
Church. 

GUSTAF  T.  CEDERLOF 

was  born  Oct.  18,  184S,  in  Tims- 
bro,  Karlskoga  parish,  Orebro  Ian, 
Sweden.  He  received  instruction 
in  the  public  school  and  in  the 
first  four  classes  in  the  collegiate 
school  in  Kristinehamn.  In  1866 
he  obtained  employment  in  the 
Wallgren  tatniery  in  Orebro,  in 
order    to    learn  his  father's  trade. 


224 


Cook  County 


He    returned    home    in    1869  and     I  Will  Lodge,  Knights  of  Honor, 
assumed  management  of  the  farm 
and    the    tannerv    owned    by    his 


GUSTAF  T.  CEUERL5F 

father.  Mr.  Cederlof  continued  in 
this  vocation  until  1884,  when  he 
went  to  Chicago.  Until  1893  he 
was  employed  with  the  Lambeau 
Leather  Co.  Since  then  he  has 
conducted  a  restaurant,  and  later 
a  bakery  in  Austin. 

Mr.  Cederlof  was  married  in 
1 89 1  to  Ida  Maria  Tornberg  from 
Kristianstad,  province  of  Skane. 
They  have  a  daughter,  Ruth. 

CHARLES    B.  CARLEMAN 

was  born  in  Stockholm,  Sweden, 
Aug.  6,  i860.  He  came  to  Amer- 
ica in  April,  1866,  with  his  father. 
Dr.  Mauritz  li.  Carlcman,  now 
decea.sed. 

Mr.  Carieman  is  the  proprietor 
of  the  PluuMiix  I'harniac\-,  located 
at  63  Iv  Chicago  ave. 

Mr.   Cailtnian   is    a    UR-niber    of 


Cll.\KUi;s    U.   C.\KI.li.\I.\N 

and    Lincoln    Park    Lodge,    A. 

and  A.   M. 


EDWARD  T.  CARLSON 

is  a  native  of  Tanum,  in  Bohus 
Ian,  Sweden,  where  he  was  bom 
July  I,  1863.  His  .schooling  he 
received  in  his  native  place.  At 
the  age  of  twenty-three  he  left 
the  old  country  for  America.  Ar- 
riving in  Chicago  in  May,  1886, 
he  at  once  obtained  employment 
in  a  paint  shop,  working  there  for 
three  years.  Subsequently  he 
opened  a  paint  shop  of  his  own 
on  Milwaukee  ave.,  remaining  in 
business  there  until  aUnit  ten 
years  ago,  when,  recognizing  a 
more  profitable  outlook  in  Irving 
Park,  he  removed  to  that  sul)Urb 
and  there  established  the  Irving 
Park  Paint  Store,  at  26S4-S6  N. 
40ih  ave,  where  he  is  still  located, 
dealing  in  paints  and  wall  jiaper. 
In    1 8^3   Mr.  Carlson   visited  his 


Chicago 


225 


old  parents  in  Sweden,  and  find- 
ing them  enfeebled  by  age  and 
the    old    homestead    badlv  encum- 


EIiWAKU  THEODORE  CARLSON 

bered,  he  purchased  the  farm  and 
turned  it  over  to  his  eldest  sister 
and  her  husband,  they  in  return 
therefor  being  required  to  take  the 
best  care  of  the  aged  couple,  thus 
relieving  them  of  worry  and  in- 
suring them  a  comfortable  home 
for  the  remainder  of  their  days. 

While  in  Sweden  on  this  errand 
of  filial  charity,  Mr.  Carlson 
formed  the  acquaintance  of  Miss 
Emilia  Tobiasson,  to  whom  he  was 
married  in  1894.  The  couple  have 
now  a  family  of  six  children,  four 
boys  and  two  girls. 


SVEN      OLOF     LEJONSTEIN, 

inventor  and  electrical  engineer, 
is  the  son  of  Carl  Magnus  Lejon- 
stein,  a  farmer  at  Urshult,  Sma- 
land,  Sweden,  and  his  wife, 
Cecilia  Bjork,  both  decea.sed.     He 


was  born  on  his  father's  farm, 
June  20,  i860,  and  was  reared 
and  educated  in  the  home  parish 
up  to  1876,  when  he  went  to 
Germany  intent  on  learning  the 
mechanic's  trade.  He  was  eni- 
jiloyed  at  the  Linden  Works  at 
Hanover  for  three  years  and  sub- 
sequentl}-  in  the  Kockum  Works 
at  Malmb  a  short  time  before 
going  to  Stockholm  in  1880. 
During  the  seven  years  next 
following  he  led  a  seafaring  life, 
gradually  working  his  way  up 
and  .spending  enough  time  on 
land  to  pass  the  necessary  ex- 
aminations for  preferment.  He 
began  his  career  as  marine  en- 
gineer on  a  passenger  steamer 
plying    between     Stockholm     and 


SVEX  OLOF  LEJONSTEIN 

London.  Later  we  find  him  in 
the  service  of  the  British  mer- 
chant marine,  as  assistant  engineer 
of  the  Persian  Gulf  liner  "Ex- 
press" and  the  East  India  liner 
"Lord  Warwick."    For  two  years, 


226 


Cook   County 


1887  to  1889,  Mr.  Lejoiistein  left 
the  sea  to  become  mechanical 
engineer  in  the  milling  and  bak- 
ing plant  of  Schumacher,  the 
court  baker,  at  Stockholm.  Then 
he  returned  to  his  former  occu- 
pation on  shipboard,  making  an 
extensive  trip  with  the  British 
mail  steamer  "Catania,"  from 
London  to  Melbourne  and  Sydney 
via  Suez,  then  doubling  the  Cape, 
en  route  to  New  Zealand,  and 
from  there  back  via  Rio  Janeiro, 
arriving  in  London  New  Year's 
eve,  1890.  He  now  took  a  posi- 
tion with  the  Max  Xordenfeldt 
Gun  Factory,  remaining  for  fifteen  . 
months.  During  his  stay  in  Eng- 
land lie  was  married  to  Miss 
Anna  Carlson,  Jan  31,  1891,  the 
ceremony  being  i)erformed  at  the 
Swedish  consulate  by  Pastor  Pal- 
mer of  the  Swedish  church  in 
London.  Mrs.  Lejonslein,  daugh- 
ter of  Carl  Danielson,  a  farmer 
at  Urshult,  was  born  Aug.  22, 
1867.  They  have  a  son,  Carl 
Olof,  born  Julj-  31,  1S94.  Their 
first  child,  a  son  of  the  same 
name,  died  in  infancy. 

Coming  to  the  United  States  in 
April,  1891,  Mr.  Lejonslein  went 
to  the  Navy  Van!  at  Washington, 
armed  with  recommendations  from 
Kngland.  In  the  absence  of  the 
oflicial  to  whom  lliey  were  ad- 
dressed, he  turned  for  employ- 
ment to  the  Haldwin  Locomotive 
Works  in  Phila(lel]>liia,  wlure  lie 
worked  for  a  short  tinii'  until  la- 
was  em])loyed  as  engineer  lor 
the  Kcene  -  Snlterlee  Company 
in    the    same    cil\-.      He  remained 


for  more  than  a  year,  mean- 
while completing  the  course  in 
electrical  engineering  at  the  Scran- 
ton  Correspondence    Schools. 

In  the  fall  of  1892,  Mr.  Lejon- 
slein came  to  Chicago.  After 
being  employed  for  some  time  as 
engineer  for  Reid,  Murdoch  and 
Company,  he  took  charge  of  the 
heat,  light  and  power  plant  of 
Paul  O.  Stensland  and  Co.,  re- 
maining as  chief  electrical  en- 
gineer for  eleven  years. 

IVJi;..  Lejonstein  exhibits  with 
p^tkrtUible  pride  the  grand  gold 
midal  of  the  Paris  Academy  of 
Inventors  and  accompanying  di- 
ploma of  honorary  membership, 
awarded  him  Nov.  12,  1892.  for 
a  life-saving  device  of  his  inven- 
tion. Other  ingenious  inven- 
tions are  a  rapid-firing  cannon, 
and  a  safety  brake  for  eleva- 
tors. Mr.  Lejonstein  now  has 
a  jiatent  pending  on  a  siopjier 
for  faucets  and  valves,  permitting 
their  removal  and  repair  without 
first  turning  off  the  water  or 
other  liquid  or  gas.  Thus  a  water 
faucet  in  a  large  apartment  hou.se 
may  be  repaired  without  incon- 
veniencing all  the  tenants  b\-  cut- 
ting off  the  entire  water  su]>ply 
for  the  building. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lejonstein  are 
Lutherans  and  have  been  mem- 
bers of  the  Swedish  church  when 
in  London  and  the  t'^tcthsemane 
Swedi.-^h  chnrcii  as  resiilenls  of 
Chicago. 


Chicago 


227 


OTTIIJIv    A.    LILJENCRANTZ 

is    an    author,    who    has    sprung 
into     prominence     in    a     reniark- 


OTTILIE  ADELINE   LILJENCRANTZ 

ably  short  time.  She  was  born 
in  Chicago  Jan.  19,  1876.  Her 
father  is  G.  A.  M.  Liljen- 
crantz,  who  for  over  thirty-five 
years  has  been  United  States  assist- 
ant engineer  in  Chicago.  Through 
him,  her  ancestry  is  traced  back 
to  Laurentius  Petri,  the  disciple 
of  Martin  Luther,  who,  with  his 
brother,  Olans  Petri,  introduced 
the  Lutheran  religion  into  Sweden. 
Laurentius  Petri  was  created  the 
first  Lutheran  archbishop  in  I'p- 
sala  during  the  reign  of  Gustaf  L 
Vasa.  In  1541  he  introduced  the 
first  Swedish  translation  of  the 
Bible,  of  which  he  had  translated 
the  greater  part  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment. Some  of  his  hymns  are 
still  preserved  in  the  Swedish 
Psalmbook.  Another  paternal  an- 
cestor was  Johan  \'esterman,  the 
son  of  a  clergvnian  of  Gefle,  who 


in  176S  was  created  a  baron,  and 
later  a  count,  in  recognition  of 
his  brilliant  career  as  councillor 
of  state  and  minister  of  finance 
under  Gustaf  IIL  He  then  as- 
sumed   the    name   of  Liljencrantz. 

On  her  mother's  side.  Miss  Lil- 
jencrantz has  a  New  England  an- 
cestry which  goes  back  through 
revolutionary  times  to  the  old 
puritan  days  of  1640,  when  her 
forefathers  came  over  from  Eng- 
land. 

Andersen's  fairy  tales,  stories  of 
the  romantic  adventures  of  Gustaf 
\'asa,  of  the  glory  of  Gustaf  II. 
Adolf,  of  the  heroism  of  Carl  XH. 
and  reminiscences  of  her  father's 
boyhood  were  the  first  bedtime 
stories  of  the  little  girl.  When 
seven  she  wrote  her  first  love 
story.  From  twelve  to  twenty- 
she  had  a  passion  for  writing  plays 
for  amateur  theatricals.  At  the 
age  of  sixteen  she  wrote  a  play 
founded  on  the  legend  of  "the 
King's  Ring,"  as  described  in  the 
famous  "Surgeon's  Stories,"  of 
Topelius. 

Mi.ss  Liljencrantz  was  educated 
at  Dearborn  Seminarj-,  graduating 
in  1893.  She  had  thoughts  of  en- 
tering upon  a  university  course, 
but  her  health  not  being  equal  to 
the  continuous  grind,  she  occupied 
herself  with  home  reading  and 
home  study.  With  the  exception 
of  fairly  thorough  courses  in  Ger- 
man and  French,  her  education 
has  been  in  Knglish,  but  she  has 
had  the  benefit  of  lier  father's 
translations  in  the  case  of  Swedish 
and  Norwe.gian  history. 

The  first  book  written    by  Miss 


228 


Cook  County 


Liljeiicrantz  was  a  juvenile  enti- 
tled "The  Scrape  that  Jack  Built," 
published  in  1896.  The  circum 
stance  that  undoubtedly  decided 
her  future  field  was  the  purchase 
of  Du  Chaillu's  "Viking  Age," 
which  intensely  fascinated  her. 
"PVithiof's  Saga"  and  Andersen's 
"Norse  Mythologj-"  furtheraroused 
her  to  the  possibilities  of  a  field 
at  once  inestimably  rich  and  com 
paralively  untilled.  These  studies 
resulted  in  "The  Thrall  of  Leif. 
the  Luck\-,"  published  in  1902  b\- 
A.  C.  McClurg  &  Co.  as  their 
leading  "book  of  the  year."  This 
glowing  tale  is  centered  in  the 
career  of  Leif  Ericson,  the  Norse 
Viking,  who  in  the  year  1000 
sailed  from  Greenland  and,  laud- 
ing in  the  present  state  of  Rhode 
Island,  was  the  discoverer  of  the 
American  continent. 

In  1903  Mi.ss  Liljencrantz 
brought  forth  another  book,  which 
like  its  predecessor  has  .seen  sev- 
eral editions.  This  historical  ro- 
mance is  founded  on  the  concjuest 
of  Kngland  by  the  Danish  king. 
Canute,  and  is  entitled  "The 
Ward  of   King  Caiuite." 

Another  book  written  by  Miss 
Liljencrantz  is  "The  Vinland 
Champions,"  a  juvenile,  depicting 
the  adventures  of  a  young  Norse- 
man and  his  comrades  on  an  ex- 
pedition  to  \'inland   in    i(xi9. 

"Raudvar,  the  Songsmith;  A 
Romance  of  Norumbega,"  is  the 
title  of  her  latest  work,  which 
was  published  by  the  HarjK'rs.  It 
is  a  tale  of  the  time  of  the  Norse- 
men in  America,  and  is  based  on 
the  legends  woven  about    the    old 


tower  at  Newport.  The  .son  of  the 
viking  mentioned  in  Longfellow's 
"The  Skeleton  in  Armor,"  is  the 
hero  of  the  novel,  which  is  regardetl 
as  Miss  Liljencrantz's  best  work. 
The.se  romances  exhibit  profound 
study  of  northern  antiquities  aside 
from  a  vivid  imagination  and  fin- 
ished literary  power  on  the  part 
of  the  gifted  author. 

Besides  the  writing  of  the.se 
books  Miss  Liljencrantz  has  never 
done  anything  to  bring  herself 
before  the  public  or  into  the  news- 
pajjers.  As  an  only  child  her  girl- 
hood has  been  pa.ssed  quietly  in 
her  native  city,  in  close  compan- 
ionship with  her  father.  The 
home  is  at  24  Groveland    Park. 


CARL  I.  J.   IREN.€US. 

physician  and    surgeon,   was    boni 
Dec.  15,  1S72,  in  Krakstad,  an  old 


CARL   I.  J.  IRR.\ABl;S 

estate  in  the  parish  of  Hcigstad, 
(istergotlaud,  Sweden,  which  has 
belonged  to  his  auivsinr-,  for  many 


Chicago 


229 


generations.  His  father.  Per  Johan 
Jonsson,  was  born  1830  and  died 
at  his  home  in  Sweden  in  1904. 
His  mother  is  Clara  Charlotta  Ire- 
n;eus,  born  1841,  and  wife  in  the 
second  marriage  of  his  fatlier. 
There  were  nine  brothers  and 
three  sisters  in   the  family. 

Dr.  Irenanis  obtained  his  early 
education  first  at  home  and  later 
at  the  Krislinehamn  Practical 
School.  In  1 89 1  he  passed  the 
examination  for  entrance  to  the 
Polytechnical  College  in  Xorrkop- 
ing,  and  graduated  from  the  chem- 
ical branch  of  this  college  in  1895, 
receiving  the  highest  award  of  the 
institution,  the  "Carl  Johan  Nelin 
prize."  Ma}^  10  of  the  following 
jear  he  left  home,  bound  for  Chi- 
cago, with  the  intention  of  engag- 
in  cheuiico-technical  work  in  this 
country.  At  first  he  obtained  em- 
ployment with  the  electrical  firm 
of  Gus.  Monrath  &  Co.  and  later 
with  the  Western  Electric  Co. 
He  also  worked  for  some  time  in 
a  bicycle  shop.  In  1897  he  be- 
came assistant  to  Dr.  Charles  \\". 
Purdy,  the  prominent  phy.sician 
and  physiological  chemist,  whose 
valuable  text  books  and  writings 
are  well  -  known  to  the  medical 
profession  in  this  coinitry  as  well 
as  abroad.  Dr.  Purdy  soon  recog- 
nized the  ability  of  his  new  assist- 
ant, and  before  long  placed  him 
in  charge  of  his  laboratory.  Here 
Irenseus  began  to  make  his  inves- 
tigations, resulting  in  a  series  of 
new  methods:  i;o  The  construction 
of  the  Purdy  Electric  Centrifuge; 
2:0  A  method  for  the  quantitative 
determination  of  sugar  in  diabetes. 


known  as  "Purdy's  sugar  test;" 
3:0  The  Purdy  method  for  quali- 
tative and  cjuantitative  determina- 
tion of  albumen  in  Bright's  dis- 
ease; 4:0  The  Purdy  centrifugal 
method  for  quantitative  estimation 
of  chlorides,  phosphates  and 
sulphates  in  the  urine.  All  these 
mcthoils  which  furnish  valuable 
data  in  the  diagnosis  and  treat- 
ment of  disease  were  published 
during  the  five  years  that  Irenieus 
was  in  cooperation  with  Purdy. 
Credit  is  given  Irena-us  in  some 
of  these  publications,  but  privately 
Dr.  Purdy  gave  him  full  credit, 
and  promised  that  Iren:eus  should 
become  his  succe.s.sor,  and  that  his 
laboratory  and  practice  should  be 
given  him.  Upon  Purdy's  sudden 
death,  and  in  the  aljsence  of  any 
written  statement  to  this  effect, 
this  plan  miscarried. 

After  Purdy's  death.  Irenseus, 
who  had  not  \et  completed  his 
medical  course,  took  up  studies  at 
the  University  of  Chicago  for  the 
degree  of  Ph.  D.,  but  after  nearly 
two  years  of  study  reentered  the 
medical  career,  and  obtained  the 
degree  of  B.  S.  in  1903,  and  grad- 
uated in  medicine  in    1905. 

Dr.  Irenaus  has  had  much 
special  training  in  different  branches 
of  medicine.  He  was  for  four 
vears  director  of  the  clinical  labor- 
atory of  Dr.  Wm.  E.  Ouine,  assist- 
ant bacteriologist  to  the  city  Health 
Department,  assistant  to  Dr.  Turck, 
the  well-known  specialist  on  dis- 
ea.ses  of  the  stomach,  and  is  now 
pathologist  at  the  Michael  Reese 
Hospital,  and    professor    in  chem- 


230 


Cook  County 


ical    and    microscopic  diagnosis  in 
a   medical  college. 

Dr.  Irenaeus  has  made  a  journey 
to  the  different  countries  of  Eu- 
rope to  study  his  profession.  Re- 
cently he  has  invented  an  instru- 
ment for  determing  the  amount  of 
coloring  matter  in  the  blood. 

JOHN  R.  ORTHXGREX 
is  a  dominant  figure  in  the  musical 
life    of    Chicago,    particularly    so 


.|UH.\    KUINHOl.U   ORTliNCKUX 

among  the  S\vedi.sh-Americans. 
His  great  service  to  his  national- 
ity con.sists  in  ha\-ing  rai.sed  to 
the  highest  pitch  the  interest  of 
his  countrymen  in  the  songs  of 
the  fatherland.  His  influence  has 
extended  from  Chicago  to  every 
point  in  the  United  Stales  where 
patriotic  choral  singing  is  being 
practiced  by  tlKin.  It  was  under 
his  leadership  that  the  Swedish 
Glee  Club  of  Chicago  attained  the 
acme  of  fame,  and  under  his  elec- 
trifying baton  tin-  .Xmerican  Union 


of  Swedish  Singers  won  their 
greatest  triumphs. 

John  Reinhold  Ortengreii  was 
lx)rn  in  the  Swedish  province  of 
Gestrikland  Oct.  5,  1S62.  His 
father  was  a  captain  of  the  Ges- 
irike-Hclsinge  regiment  of  the 
Swedish  Arnn-.  A  brother.  Albion 
Ortengren,  is  a  leading  actor  of 
the  Royal  Dramatic  Theatre  at 
Stockholm. 

Having  finished  his  studies  at 
the  higher  elementary  school  in 
Gefle,  young  Ortengren  began  the 
study  of  music  with  Fritz  Arlberg, 
a  famous  operatic  singer  of  the 
cajiital.  In  1883-85  he  studied 
with  Prof.  Julius  (Uinther  at  the 
Royal  Academy  of  Music,  earning 
the  Abrahanison  .scholarship.  In  the 
meantime  he  completed  the  course 
in  the  school  of  acting  in  connec- 
tion with  the  Royal  Theatre  and 
in  1885-86  he  was  a  member  of 
its  dramatic  company.  In  i886 
Mr.  Ortengren  went  to  Paris, 
studying  for  a  year  with  Prof. 
Romaine  Bussine.  Returning  to 
Sweden,  he  was  attached  to  the 
Royal  Opera  until  1SS9,  as  oper- 
atic singer. 

That  year  Mr.  Ortengren  left 
Stockholm  for  Chicago,  and  for 
the  past  sixteen  years  he  has  been 
connected  with  the  Chicago  Mu- 
sical College,  ranking  among  the 
foremost  in  a  corps  of  half  a  liiui- 
dred  teachers. 

His  sweet,  sympathetic  baritone 
voice  at  once  made  Mr.  Ortengren 
a  favorite  concert  singer  and 
church  soloist  in  Chicago.  In  the 
lalttr  cajwcity  he  has  been  con- 
nccti-il   with   the  Unitv  and   Union 


Chicago 


2.V 


I'ark  Churches  and  is  at  present 
Iniriloiie  soloist  of  the  First  Con- 
gre^catioiial  Churcli  in  Oak    Park. 

Mr.  Orlengren's  efficiency  as  a 
director  having  Iseconie  known, 
many  choral  organizations  com- 
peted for  the  privilege  of  his  ser- 
vices. Much  of  his  lime  has  for 
years  been  laken  up  in  training 
and  directing  choruses,  both  Amer- 
ican and  Swedish.  Besides  the 
afores.iid  Swedish  Glee  Club  may 
be  mentioned  the  Mendelssohn 
Club  of  Rockford,  the  Svea.s  So- 
ner  of  the  .same  city,  the  Wen- 
nerberg  and  Swedish  Festival  Cho- 
ruses, the  Swedish  Singers'  I'nion 
of  Chicago,  and,  since  1906,  the 
Svithiod  Singing  Club. 

At  the  great  Scandinavian  sing- 
ing festival  held  in  Minneapolis 
in  1891  Mr.  Ortengren  directed 
the  grand  chorus  of  united  sing- 
ing clubs.  When  the  American 
Union  of  Swedish  Singers  was  or- 
ganized the  following  year  he  was 
chosen  director-in-chief  and  subse- 
quently acted  in  that  capacity  at 
the  "Swedish  Day"  concert  at  the 
Columbian  Fixposition  and  at  the 
singers'  conventions  in  New  York, 
Rockford,  Minneapolis,  Chicago 
and  Moline. 

When  in  1897  a  picked  chorus 
from  the  singers'  union  made  a 
tour  through  Sweden,  Mr.  Orten- 
gren led  the  triumphant  troupe  and 
was  accorded  a  private  audience 
before  King  O.scar,  who  spoke  in 
terms  of  unmeasured  praise  of  the 
American  Singers  and  their  leader. 

It  may  be  added  that  Mr.  Or- 
tengren frequently  has  lent  his 
dramatic  talent   in    the  production 


of  Swedish  plays  in  Chicago  and 
other  cities.  On  such  occasions 
he  has  invariably  enacted  leading 
parts,  and  by  his  energetic  and 
convincing  acting  inspired  less 
experienced  fellow  actors  witli  con- 
fidence and  courage.  He  has  also 
acted  as  stage  manager  at  various 
performances. 

With  his  exceptional  talents  Mr. 
Ortengren  combines  a  modesty 
that  has  much  to  do  with  his  pop*- 
ularity  with  those  under  his  train- 
ing. As  a  vocal  teacher  he  takes 
first  rank.  He  possesses  extra- 
ordinary ability  in  bringing  out 
voices  and  imparling  to  the  pupil 
that  artistic  enthusiasm  without 
which  study  becomes  a  mere 
drudgery.  Many  are  the  .soloists 
who  owe  their  success  to  the  ex- 
cellent training  enjoyed  under 
him. 

Mr.  Ortengren  is  married  and 
lives  at  Park  Ridge.  His  wife, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Mimmi 
Lindslrom,  herself  a  prominent 
pianiste,  came  from  the  cit\'  of 
Hudiksvall,  Sweden.  Two  cliild- 
ren  were  born  to  them,  a  daugh- 
ter, Svea,  who  died  several  years 
ago  in  the  prime  of  youth,  and  a 
.son,   Helmer,  still   living. 


ALFRED    EDWIN    WESTMAX 

was  born  in  Hammarlunda  parish 
near  Lund,  Sweden,  July  20, 
1S55.  He  was  educated  in  the 
common  school,  and  in  the 
people's  high  .school,  and  also 
graduated  from  a  business  col- 
lege. Not  satisfied  with  this  he 
entered  the  Agricultural  college 
at      Alnarp,     taking     a     complete 


232 


Cook  County 


three  years'  course,    and    gradua- 
ting with   honors  in   1876. 

In      Reslof,     a     cousin     of     liis 
owned    a    large    estate,    and     Mr. 


^ 

i 

sJ 

w 
f , 

Al.KKEU   EliW  IN    \Vi;sl  MAN 

Westnian  was  now  offered  a  po- 
sition as  Ijook-kcejKT  with  liiin, 
wln'ch  he  accepted.  His  next 
promotion  was  to  a  similar  position 
at  Sagb)diohn,  a  large  estate  of 
4,000  acres  of  land  in  the  ricliest 
part  of  Skane.  Although  this 
position  was  both  responsible  and 
renuineralive,  Mr.  Westnian  found 
it  loo  confining  for  his  energies 
and  consequently  gave  it  ujj  to 
test  his  fortune  in  the  I'nited 
States.  Coming  over  in  1.S80,  he 
was  employed  for  iliiee  years  on 
a  large  slock  farm,  at  Wataga, 
near  (ialeshurg,  111.  Thereafter 
he  locateil  in  Chicago  as  a  general 
broker.  In  iS.Sj  he  abandoned 
the  brokerage  business  and  started 
in  the  livery  business  at  Chicago 
and  Dearborn  aves.,  Cliicago.  Af- 
ter five  years  he  sold  out  and  en- 


gaged in  the  real  estate  and  loan 
business.  After  another  five  years 
he  decided  to  return  to  his  native 
country  with  his  family.  Over 
there  he  bought  a  fine  estate.  But 
after  having  lived  in  the  United 
States,  Mr.  Westnian  did  not  find 
conditions  in  the  old  country  to 
his  liking,  so  he  soon  sold  his 
estate  and  returned  the  following 
year  to  (ialesburg.  Next  we  find 
him  l)ack  in  Chicago,  once  more 
ill  the  real  estate  and  loan  busi- 
ness, with  office  in  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank  Building.  He  is  still 
engaged  in  that  line  of  business 
and  has  a  branch  office  at  3606 
X.  Clark  St.  By  strictly  attending 
to  business  and  fair  dealing  he 
has  won  a  large  clientele  of  cus- 
tomers. 

In  iS.Sj  Mr.  Westnian  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Kate  B.  Bennett,  a 
daughter  of  Mr.  B.  P.  Bennett,  a 
venerable  Swedish  gentleman  of 
Galesburg.  This  union  has  been 
blessed  with  five  children,  namely, 
Kate  Klizabeth,  born  18SS.  Olga 
Josephine,  1890,  Alfred  Kdwin, 
1891,  Martha  Rowena,  1894,  and 
Julia  Harriet,  1900.  With  his 
family  he  occupies  his  own  elegant 
residence  at  95S  Farragut  ave.. 
I'Mgewater. 

The  family  attends  the  I^beiie- 
zer  Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 


WI  1.1. 1  AM  B.  WIXr.RI'X 

was  born  in  Malnio,  Sweden, 
April  II,  1877,  and  emigrated 
with  liis  parents  to  the  I'nited 
States  when  he  was  but  three 
years  old.     The  family  liH.-:ile<l  in 


Chicago 


233 


Chicago,    where    he    attended    the      was  horn  in  Kongsbacka,  Sweden, 
public  schools  and  was   graduated      Jan.  i,  1S44,  the  son  of  Johan  Lin- 


in  the    spring    of    1.S93.     In    1894 


WII.I.IAM    B.   WIXGREN 

he  attended  the  Metropolitan 
Business  College  for  a  short  time 
and  thereafter  the  Chicago  Athe- 
nseum.  In  1S9S  he  was  em- 
ployed as  a  clerk  in  the  oflfice 
of  the  Aja  \\  ako-Poste?!,  which 
is  published  by  his  father,  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Eric  Wingren.  In 
1897  he  became  assistant  manager 
of  the  paper  and  in  1900  assumed 
the  general   management. 


JOSUA  LINDAHL, 

one  of  America's  eminent  men  of 
science,  belongs  to  the  state  of 
Illinois  by  dint  of  eighteen  3'ears 
spent  in  important  work  here, 
first  as  professor  of  natural  sci- 
ence at  Augustana  College  and 
subsequently  as  state  geologist 
and  curator  of  the  museum  of  nat- 
ural history  at  Springfield. 

Johan     Harald     Josua     Lindahl 


dahl,  a  clergyman  of  the  Lutheran 
state  church,  and  Susanna  Ma- 
thilda Bjiirklander,  his  wife.  Upon 
the  death  of  his  father  in  1854, 
the  ten  year  old  son  was  sent  to 
relatives  in  Karlshamn.  Here  he 
completed  the  courses  at  the  local 
collegiate  school,  passing  the 
examination  for  graduation  in 
May,  1863,  at  the  University  of 
Lund,  where  higher  studies  were 
pursued.  Partly'  supporting  himself 
by  private  tutorship  in  the  von 
Essen  family  throughout  his  stay 
at  the  university,  he  received 
further  assistance  by  being  once 
awarded     the  Thoniander  stipend, 


JOSU.\   LINDAHL 

voted  once  a  3-ear  by  the  student 
body  to  the  most  worthy  of  their 
number. 

He    finished    his    post-graduate 
course      in     .science     in     January, 


234 


Cook  County 


1872,  and,  having  presented  his 
thesis,  received  the  degree  of 
Ph.  D.  in  June,  1874.  The  fol- 
lowing year  Dr.  Lindahl  was 
appointed  docent  in  zoology  at  the 
university,  and  retained  this  posi- 
tion until  he  became  a  professor 
at  Augustana  College.  During  the 
years  1864- 1866  Dr.  Lindahl 
served  as  substitute  or  extra  teach- 
er at  the  colleges  of  Landskrona, 
Lund  and  Goteliorg. 

In  1875  Dr.  Lindahl  was  ap- 
pointed secretary  of  the  Swedish 
coninii.ssion  to  the  International 
Geographical  Congress  and  E.x- 
position  held  in  Paris  that  year. 
Upon  his  return  to  Stockholm  in 
the  fall  he  was  made  .secretary 
of  the  commission  to  take  charge 
of  the  Swedish  section  about  to 
be  arranged  for  the  Centennial 
Exposition  at  Philadelphia  in 
1876,  his  duties  taking  him  to 
the  exposition  citj^  in  November  of 
the  same  year.  In  that  capacity  he 
served  until  the  Swedish  exhibits 
were  shipped  home.  When,  after 
the  close  of  the  exposition,  there 
was  formed  in  Philadelphia  a  so- 
called  Permanent  International  Iv.x- 
hibition,  Dr.  Lindahl  was  made 
superintendent  of  the  Scandina- 
vian dejiartnient.  The  plan  soon 
failed  for  lack  of  funds,  and  Dr. 
Lindahl's  department  was,  in 
fact  the  only  one  that  was  ever 
completed.  He  remained  in  Phila- 
delphia until  December,    1878. 

At  the  time  of  the  World's 
Fair  in  Chicago  Dr.  Linilahl,  as 
Curator  of  the  stale  museum  at 
Springfield,  was  chargetl  with  the 
arrangement  of    a    geological    ex- 


hibit in  the  Illinois  stale  building, 
a  task  which  occupied  the  greater 
part  of  his  time  from  the  spring 
of  1891  until  July.  1X93.  In 
August  of  the  last  named  year 
he  was  appointed  on  the  interna- 
tional committee  of  awards,  to 
fill  a  vacancy  in  the  Swedish 
delegation  in  that  body. 

Dr.  Lindahl  has  participated 
in  a  number  of  scientific  expedi- 
tions in  the  capacitj-  of  zoologist. 
His  training  for  .scientific  work 
had  begun  early.  As  a  student 
in  Karlshamn  Dr.  Lindahl  had 
a.ssisled  Prof.  Gosselniaii  in  com- 
jiiling  the  flora  of  the  province 
of  Blekinge,  meanwhile  collecting 
a  large  herbarium  and  making  a 
good  l:)eginning  for  a  collection  of 
Swedish  land  and  fresh  water 
shells,  which  later  was  added  to 
the  Augustana  College  Museum. 
At  the  University  of  Lund  he  was 
in  close  touch  with  Prof.  Otto  To- 
rell,  at  that  lime  Sweden's  fore- 
most scientific  explorer  of  the 
Arctic  regions,  whose  influence 
had  much  to  do  with  deter- 
mining Dr.  Lindahl's  line  of 
study.  When  in  1869  J.  Gwynn- 
Jeffreys,  the  British  conchologist. 
visited  Lund  to  examine  Torell's 
collections  from  the  Arctics,  Dr. 
Lindalil  was  serving  as  amanuen- 
sis in  the  museum  and  as  such 
lent  assistance  to  the  visiting 
scientist.  This  acquaintance  ren- 
dered him  an  invitation  the  fol- 
lowing spring  to  lake  charge  of 
Mr.  Gwynn-JefTreys"  own  pleasure 
yacht,  the  Osprey,  on  a  scienlfic 
cruise  off  the  west  coast  of  Ire- 
land,   where    zoological    drciigings 


Chicago 


235 


. 


were  made  in  Dingle  Bay.  This 
trip  was  made  in  May  and  June, 
1870.  The  following  three  months 
Dr.  Lindahl  spent  participating 
in  an  expedition  with  H.  M.  S. 
Porcupine,  under  the  auspices  of 
the  Royal  Societj'  of  London,  for 
the  purpose  of  deep  sea  explora- 
tions, partly  in  the  Atlantic,  un- 
der the  direction  of  Gwynn-Jeffreys, 
partly  in  the  Mediterranean,  in 
charge  of  Dr.  W.  B.  Carpenter. 
Returning  to  England,  Dr.  Lin- 
dahl  spent  several  months  of  study 
in  the  British  Museum  and  the 
Museum  of  Comparative  Anatomy 
in  London  before  going  back  to 
Sweden  in  December. 

The  following  year,  1871,  Dr. 
Lindahl  was  the  zoologist  of  an 
expedition  .sent  out  by  the  Swed- 
ish Academy  of  Science  to  make 
explorations  in  Greenland  and 
more  especially  to  bring  back 
certain  huge  blocks  of  meteoric 
iron,  discovered  the  previous  year 
by  Nordenskjold.  The  party  went 
in  two  ships,  Ingegerd  and  Gladan, 
and  spent  the  months  of  May  to 
September  in  the  far  North. 
During  the  two  successive  sum- 
mers he  accompanied  dredging 
expeditions  along  the  coasts  of 
Sweden,  the  purpose  being  to 
establish  the  prevalence  and  dis- 
tribution of  invertebrates  .serving 
as  food  for  fish. 

From  1872  to  1875  Dr.  Lindahl 
was  assistant  in  the  Royal  Swed- 
i.sh  Museum  at  Stockholm,  work- 
ing under  the  direction  of  Prof. 
Sven  Loven,  one  of  the  fore- 
most Swedish  scientists  of  recent 
times. 


After  subsequent  service  at  the 
exposition     in     Philadelphia,     Dr. 

Lindalil  in  1878  accepted  a  call  to 
the  chair  of  natural  science  at 
AugustanaCoUege,  a  position  which 
did  not  exist  ])rior  to  his  arri\al. 
Here  he  taught  until  the  spring 
of  18SS,  in  the  meantime  work- 
ing with  great  energy  to  make 
scientific  collections  as  a  neces.sarj' 
aid  to  instruction  in  his  branches. 
He  made  trips  in  various  direc- 
tions in  quest  of  material,  the 
most  extensive  and  fruitful  one 
being  a  summer  trip  to  California 
and  the  Farallone  Islands  in 
1886.  While  at  Augustana  he 
practically  created  at  that  institu- 
tion a  museum  of  natural  history, 
superior  in  extent  and  arrange- 
ment to  most  similar  museums  in 
the  West.  During  his  first  years 
at  Augustana  he  also  taught 
mathematics,  a  subject  in  which 
he  had  taken  the  highest  mark  at 
his  college  graduation.  He  was 
the  first  professor  at  the  college 
who  was  not  a  minister. 

When  Dr.  Lindahl  left  Augus- 
tana in  1888  to  take  the  more 
lucrative  position  of  curator  of 
the  museum  at  Springfield,  in 
connection  with  the  office  of  state 
geologist,  he  found  that  institu- 
tion in  a  chaotic  condition,  but 
rich  in  material,  epecialh-  geolog- 
ical specimens.  After  five  years 
in  charge,  he  left  the  museum 
scientifically  arranged  and  greatly 
enriched  as  a  result  of  his  labors. 

Being  a  scientist  to  the  bone. 
Dr.  Lindahl  devoted  all  his  ener- 
gies to  the  museum  and  to  geo- 
logical   work,     ne\-er     recognizing 


236 


Cook  County 


the  office  as  a  "political"  one, 
until  his  resignation  was  demand- 
ed by  Governor  Altgeld.  His 
term  of  service  at  Springfield  was 
from  May,     1888,    to    July,    1893. 

The  next  two  years  Dr.  Lin- 
dahl  lived  in  Chicago,  devoting 
most  of  his  time  to  teaching.  In 
1895  he  was  called  to  the  position 
of  director  of  the  Cincinnati  So- 
ciety of  Natural  History  and 
entered  upon  his  duties  in  Decem- 
ber. In  this  position,  which  he 
retained  until  September.  1906,  Dr. 
Lindahl  edited  the  Journal  of  the 
Cincinnati  Society  of  Natural  Hix- 
lory,  a  scientific  periodical  pub- 
lished by  the  society. 

While  Dr.  Lindahl's  pen  is  a 
capable  one,  it  is  not  prolific. 
His  principal  contributions  are 
the  following:  In  French — Ex- 
peditions Suedoises  aux  regions 
arctiques,  a  paper  included  in 
Notices  sur  la  Suede  a  I'occasion 
du  Congres  International  des  sci- 
ences geographique  de  1875,  a 
Paris;  in  Engli.sh-  Geographical 
Survey  of  Illinois,  Vol.  VIII: 
Description  of  a  Skull  of  Mega- 
lonyx  Leidey,  published  in  the 
Transactions  of  the  American 
Philosophical  Society:  Report  on 
the  Geological  Department  of  the 
Illinois  State  Kx]iil)its  at  the 
World's  Columbian  lixposition  in 
Chicago,  1S93;  Description  of  a 
Devonian  Ichth>o(l<)iulite,  Hetcra 
canthus  Uddeni,  n.  sj).  from  iiiif- 
falo,  la.:  and  ()rthogra])liy  of  the 
names  of  the  Naiades: — both  of 
these  papers  were  published  in  the 
yoiirnal  of  the  Cincinnati  Society  of 
Natural  History;    in  Swedish — Oni 


Pennatulidslagtet  Umbellula  Cuv- 
ier,  being  his  thesis  for  the  degree 
of  Ph.  D.,  which  was  embodied 
in  the  Transactions  of  the  Swed- 
ish Academy  of  Sciences.  Other 
articles  by  him  have  appeared  in 
various  Swedish,  English.  French 
and  German  publications  from 
time  to  time.  In  addition  to  the 
above  Dr.  Lindahl  must  be  given 
credit  for  purely  literary  ability 
of  a  high  order,  as  exemplified  in 
several  popular  sketches  that  have 
appeared  in  the  Swedish-.\merican 
literary  annual,  Praricblomnian, 
and  in  Swedish  general  news- 
papers. 

Dr.  Lindahl  is  a  member  of 
a  number  of  learned  societies  of 
both  continents,  including  the 
American  Association  for  the  .Ad- 
vancement of  Science,  the  -Ameri- 
can Society  of  Vertebrate  Paleon- 
tologists, the  .American  Society  of 
Invertebrate  Paleontologists,  the 
Museums  Association  of  America, 
the  National  Geographic  Society, 
Svenska  Sallskapet  for  .Antropolo- 
gi  och  Geografi.  [the  Swedish- 
American  Historical  Societw  and 
the  Oliio  State  .Academy  of  Sci- 
ence, of  which  he  has  been  presi- 
dent. On  different  occasions  he 
has  received  murks  of  distinction 
at  the  hands  of  high  authorities: 
thus,  at  the  close  of  the  Interna- 
tional Geographical  I';x]>ositit)n  at 
Paris  in  1875  iIk-  Minister  of 
Pul)lic  Instruction  appointed  him 
Officier  il'.Academie,  and  in  De- 
cember, 1877,  King  ( >^c.u  II 
decorated  him  with  the  Royal 
t)riler    of    Vasa    in    recognition  of 


Chicago 


237 


his  services  to  Sweden  at  the 
Centennial  Exposition. 

In  1S93  Dr.  Lindahl's  friend  and 
old-time  comrade  at  the  university, 
Dr.  P.  Hakansson,  who  discovered 
the  medicinal  projierties  of  acetic 
ether,  and  subsequently  invented 
Salubrin,  requested  him  to  take 
charge  of  the  manufacture  of 
that  article  in  the  United  States. 
As  a  result  Dr.  Lindahl  estab- 
lished a  Salubrin  Laboratory  at 
Cincinnati,  of  which  he  himself  is 
the  manager.  This  caused  him 
to  give  up  his  position  as  director 
of  the  Cincinnati  Museum,  and  he 
is  now  preparing  to  move  his 
headquarters  to  Chicago. 

In  1877  Dr.  Lindahl,  then  in 
Philadelphia,  made  a  trip  to  Swe- 
den aud  brought  back  as  his 
bride  Miss  Sophie  Pahlman,  a 
daughter  of  Major  Carl  Adolph 
and  Mrs.  Sophie  Pahlman,  bom 
Jul}'  5,  184S.  The  marriage  took 
place  Mar.  18,  1877.  Of  four  chil- 
dren born  to  them,  the  oldest, 
Sven  Carl,  died  at  an  earl}-  age. 
A  daughter,  Eva  Hed\'ig  Sophia, 
born  May  15,  1880,  is  the  wife  of 
Dag  Agnar  Engstrom,  superin- 
tendent of  the  factor}'  of  the 
Separator  Company  of  Stockholm. 
The  other  children  are  Seth  Harald, 
born  Mar.  12,  1882,  superintendent 
of  the  Salubrin  Laboratory,  and 
Signe  Elizabeth  Ida  Sophia,  born 
April  6,    1884. 

Outline  biographies  of  Dr.  Josua 
Lindahl  are  to  be  found  in  the 
National  Cyclopedia  of  American 
Biography  and  in  American  Men 
of  Science,  published  by  the 
Carnegie  Institute. 


OTTO    G.    RVDEN, 

law}er  and  member  of  the  Chica- 
go   bar,   was    born    Sept.   6,    1874, 


OTTO  GUSTAF   RVDEN 

at  Ryssby,  Sweden,  where  he  re- 
ceived his  early  training  in  the 
public  schools,  until  he  came  to 
Seneca,  111.,  in  the  early  spring  of 
1889.  Remaining  there  until  the 
following  September,  he  went  to 
Evanston,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. Mr.  Ryden's  father,  Carl 
Gustaf.son  Ryden,  was  a  farmer 
and  master  mechanic.  He  died 
at  Seneca,  111.,  Jan.  3,  1903.  The 
maiden  name  of  Mr.  Ryden's 
mother  was  Britta  Lena  Olson, 
who  now  resides  with  one  of  her 
daughters  in  Iowa. 

Following  the  mechanical  trend 
of  his  father,  Mr.  Ryden,  while 
yet  a  mere  boy,  decided  to  learn 
a  trade.  With  that  purpose  in 
view  he  soon  became  an  appren- 
tice, at  the  age  of  sixteen,  with 
a  mason  contractor  in  Evanston. 
After    a    few    years    he    became  a 


238 


Cook  County 


building  superintendent,  but  real- 
izing that  there  were  better  oppor- 
tunities for  trained  men,  Mr.  Ry- 
den  decided  to  take  advantage  of 
the  educational  opportunities  of- 
fered in  Ev^anston.  He  therefore 
entered  the  Evanston  township 
high    school    in    the  fall  of    1S95. 

While  a  student  at  the  high 
school  and  later  at  the  univer- 
sity, Mr.  Rj-den  found  time  to 
represent  his  school  on  some  of 
its  athletic  teams,  besides  earning 
enough  money  by  outside  employ- 
ment to  defray  his  necessary  school 
expenses.  He  was  graduated  from 
the  Evanston  high  school  in  June, 
1899,  and  in  the  fall  of  that  year 
entered  the  Northwestern  I'niver- 
.sity,  from  which  he  was  graduated 
with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
Philo.sophy  in  1903.  Having  de- 
cided before  this  time  to  enter  the 
legal  profession,  Mr.  Ryden  en- 
tered the  Northwestern  University 
Law  School  in  the  fall  of  1902 
and  graduated  with  the  degrees  of 
Master  of  Arts  and  Bachelor  of 
Laws  in  June,  1905.  He  was  then 
engaged  b}'  one  of  the  oldest  and 
most  prominent  law  firms  in  Chi- 
cago, Hoyne,  O'Connor  iS:  Hoyne, 
and,  as  a  member  of  their  office 
force,  began  his  career  as  a  lawyer. 

While  a  student  in  the  univer- 
sity, Mr  Ryden  wrote  two  theses: 
the  first  in  1903,  on  "Some  Pha.ses 
of  Life  Insurance,"  and  the  second 
in  1905,  on  "Dedication  of  Land 
for  I'ublic  Uses  in   Illinois." 

In  jiolilics,  Mr.  Ryden  is  a  Re- 
])ublican.  He  was  town  clerk  of 
I'^vanston  for  four  consecutive 
terms,  beginning    iSgy.      He   is  a 


member  of  the  Methodist  Church, 
and  of  the  following  fraternal  or- 
ganizations: the  Free  Ma.sons,  the 
Modem  Woodmen  of  America:  the 
National  Union,  and  the  Alpha 
Kappa  Phi  Law  Fraternity. 

Mr.  Ryden  is  married  to  one  of 
his  former  class  mates.  Her  maid- 
en name  was  Gertrude  Louise 
Gibbs.  She  received  her  early 
training  in  the  public  schools  of 
her  native  city,  Chicago.  She 
then  attended  Rockford  College 
and  was  graduated  with  the  de- 
gree of  Bachelor  of  Science  from 
the    Northwestern     University    in 

1905.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ryden  have 
twin  daughters,  Alice  Gertrude 
and    Ruth    Loui.se,    born    No\'.    9, 

1906.  They  reside  at  1910  Asbury 
ave.,   Evanston. 

Mr.  Ryden's  business  address  is 
1031-1037   Stock  Exchange  Bldg. 

EMMY  EVALD 

was  born  Sept.  18,  1S57.  in  Ge- 
neva, 111.  Her  father  was  Dr. 
Erland  Carlsson,  the  Lutheran 
pioneer,  who  was  the  pastor  of 
Inuuanuel  Swedish  Ev.  Lutheran 
Church  in  Chicago  from  1S53 
until  1S75.  After  receiving  her 
early  education  at  various  schools 
in  this  country  she  went  to  Swe- 
den and  pursued  her  studies  four 
years  in  Miss  Fryxell's  Woman's 
Academy,  in  Kalmar.  Gn  May 
24,  1883,  she  was  united  in 
marriage  to  the  Rev.  C.  A.  I^vald. 
Few  minister's  wives  are  so 
well  cjualified  as  was  Mrs.  I{vald 
for  the  many-sided  duties  devolv- 
ing tiiHin    the    pastor's    helpmate. 


Chicago 


2.^9 


esjjecially  in  a  large  metropolitan 
congregation.  She  is  an  ideal 
honsewife     intimately     acquainted 


E.MMY    EVALD 

with  all  the  details  of  a  well- 
managed  household,  but  her  rare 
talent  and  energy  have  been  de- 
voted to  more  far-reaching  en- 
deavors. For  twenty-four  years 
Mrs.  Evald  has  conducted  a  Sun- 
daj-  school  class  whose  mem- 
bership is  far  in  excess  of  300, 
with  an  average  attendance  of 
200.  Mrs.  Evald,  besides,  for 
many  ^ears  has  been  super- 
intendent of  the  Sunday  .school's 
infant  department.  She  is  sec- 
retary of  the  Old  Ladies'  Sew- 
ing Society,  president  of  Be- 
thania,  the  women's  insurance 
society,  and  vice-president  of  the 
Immanuel  Woman's  Home  Asso- 
ciation, executive  of  the  Mission 
Society,  president  of  the  Young 
Ladies'  Sewing  Society  and  a 
member  of    the    committee    which 


directs   the  labors  of  the  deaconess 
of  Immanuel  Church. 

Through  Mrs.  Evald's  energetic 
efforts  the  Woman's  Mission  So- 
ciety of  the  Augustana  Synod  was 
organized  in  1892.  Tlie  first 
Swedish-American  woman's  club, 
aiming  at  the  elevation  of  women 
intellectually  and  morally,  was 
brought  about  by  her  initiative. 
She  was  a  member  of  the  Chicago 
Woman's  club  for  two  3-ears. 

At  the  World's  Parliament  of 
Religions,  an  au.xiliary  of  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition  in 
Chicago,  1893,  Mrs.  Evald  was 
president  of  the  Lutheran  Woman's 
Congress.  There  were  present 
representative  women  from  Swe- 
den, Norway,  Denmark,  Germany, 
Iceland  and  India,  besides  from 
six  great  Lutheran  church  or-  ' 
ganizations  in  this  country.  One 
of  the  results  of  this  congress 
was  the  formation  of  the  Lutheran 
Woman's  International  League, 
of  which  she  was  made  president. 
In  1895  Mrs.  Evald  made  an 
appeal  for  woman's  suffrage  before 
the  State  Legislature  in  Spring- 
field, 111.,  and  on  Sept.  18,  1897, 
spoke  at  the  celebration  of  King 
0.scar's  Jubilee,  in  the  Auditorium, 
in  Chicago.  She  was  a  represent- 
ative of  the  Swedish  women  in 
this  country,  and  in  this  capacity 
addressed  the  National  Woman's 
Congress  in  Washington  in  1898. 
The  Swedi^■h  Woman's  National 
Union,  of  which  the  Fredrika 
Bremer  Association  is  a  part, 
appointed  Mrs.  Evald  to  represent 
Sweden  at  the  International  Con- 
gress  of   Women    at     Washington 


240 


Cook  Countv 


in  1902.  Before  this  assembly 
she  delivered  an  address  in  the 
House  of  Representatives.  On 
many  other  notable  occasions  she 
has  spoken  publicly  on  various 
topics. 

Mrs.  Evald  has  two  daughters, 
Anna  Fidelia  Christine,  married 
to  the  Rev.  C.  Emanuel  Hoflfsten 
of  New  York  City,  and  Frantes 
Lillian  Charlotta. 

ERNEST  HARALD    MATH  IAS 
VOUNGGREN 

was  born  in  Notteback  parish, 
Smaland,  Sweden,  Sept.   10,  1846. 


HR.NEST    11,    M.    \  (II   NC.r.KlCN 

He  received  his  education  in  his 
native  land,  which  he  left  in 
1870,  settling  in  Chicago,  where 
he  has  since  resided.  Having 
learned  the  printer's  trade  in  the 
old  country,  he  immediately  se- 
cured empIoNinent  with  the  weekly 
Hemlandct.  In  1877  he  became 
foreman  of  the  comi>osing  room. 
After    twenty    years'    service     he 


bought  a  linot>pe  machine  and 
contracted  for  the  composition, 
thus  modernizing  the  methods  of 
the  newspaper's  typography-. 

Mr.  Younggren  was  one  of  the 
organizers  of  the  Scandia  Building 
and  Loan  As.sociation,  and  was 
director  and  treasurer  for  a  num- 
ber of  years. 

He  was  married  in  1873,  to 
Helena  Sophia  Holm  from  Mons- 
teras,  Sweden,  and  resided  at 
1 127  Roscoe  St.,  Lake  View. 

In  January,  1904,  Mr.  Young- 
gren retired  from  business.  Shortly 
afterward,  Feb.  8,  he  died  and 
was  cremated  at  Graceland  cre- 
matory. 


MARTIN  E.  NELSON. 

one  of  the  most  i)roniinent  con- 
tractors on  the  south  side  in 
Chicago,  was  born  in  Smaland, 
Sweden,  June  12,  1868.  His 
father  being  a  contractor,  the  son 
naturally  took  to  that  vocation. 
In  1868,  however,  he  emigrated 
to  America  and  settled  down  to 
work  on  a  farm  in  Henry  county, 
Illinois.  This  did  not  suit  him, 
though,  and  he  soon  left  for  the 
western  part  of  the  country, 
where  he  resumed  his  old  trade 
as  contractor  and  builder.  Being 
fond  of  travel,  Mr.  Nelson  visited 
almost  every  state  in  the  Union, 
but  finally  settled  in  Chicago,  in 
the  suburb  of  West  Pullman, 
where  he  has  a  fine  home.  Be- 
sides being  a  contractor,  in  1904 
he  was  connecte<l  with  the  Calu- 
met Lumber  and  Manufacturing 
Company  in  the   capacity    of    su- 


Chicago 


I)erinteiideiit.  One  j-ear  later  he 
resigned  this  position  and  organ- 
ized the  Nelsoii-Secord    Construc- 


MARTIN   E.   NELSON 

tion  Company  of  which  he  is 
president  and  treasurer.  The 
company  is  doing  an  extensive 
business  all  over  Chicago,  as  well 
as  in  other  cities.  Mr.  Nelson 
also  has  had  considerable  experi- 
ence in  ship-building,  having  been 
employed  for  a  number  of  \ears 
in  the  cabin  department  of  F.  W. 
Wheeler  and  Co.,  of  West  Bay 
City,   Michigan. 

Mr.  Nelson  was  married  in 
1 89 1  to  Miss  Christina  Carsten- 
sen,  and  has  four  children,  two 
boj's  and  two  girls.  He  is  a 
member  of  several  societies,  such 
as  the  Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of 
Pythias,  and  is  a  Pa.st  Master  of 
Fides  Lodge  No.  842,  Free  Masons. 


GUSTAF  JOHNSON 

was  born  in  Saby,  Visnum  parish, 
province    of    Vermland,    Sweden, 


241 

May  21,  1845.  He  came  to  the 
United  States  in  1868,  landing  on 
June  I,  with  Chicago  as  his  des- 
tination. Mr.  Johnson  witnessed 
the  great  Chicago  fire  of  1871. 
In  the  spring  of  1874  he  removed 
to  Morris,  Grundy  co.,  111.,  where 
he  engaged  in  the  school  and 
church  furniture  business.  In  1880 
Mr.  Johnson  lived  for  a  short 
time  in  Cambridge  and  Geneseo, 
Henry  co..  111.  During  the  same 
>ear  he  returned  to  Chicago.  Since 
1882  he  has  been  in  the  laundry 
machine  and  hardware  business  at 
68  E.   Chicago  ave. 

He  joined  the  Star  Lodge,   No. 
75,     of     the     Odd    Fellows  order 


GUST.\F  JOHNSO.V 

in  1875,  and  has  been  a  member 
of  Frithiof  Lodge  No.  5,  I.  O.  S., 
since  1891.  In  1893  he  was  a 
delegate  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  Svithiod  Order  and  has  attend- 
ed all  sub.sequent  Grand  Lodge 
meetings  in  the  same  capacitj-. 
For  four  years  he  was  Grand 
Treasurer.  Mr.  Johnson  has  be- 
longed to  the  Svithiod  Singing 
Club  for  twelve  years  and  was  for 
four  years  its  treasurer.     He    has 


242 


Cook  County 


been  president  of  the  Three  Links 
Club.  In  1 89 1  he  was  vice-presi- 
dent of  the  Swedish  Central  As- 
sociation. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  married  in 
1868.  He  has  one  son  and  three 
daughters,  all  of  whom  are  married 
and  live  in  Chicago. 


JOHN  E.  TYDEN 

was  born  March  3,    1867,  in  Sma- 
land,  Sweden.      He    attended    the 


A.  G.  ERNEST  LINDSTROM 

was  born  in  the  city    of    Kalmar, 
Sweden,  Oct.  14,  1856.    He  attend- 


joii.N  y..  TYi>i;.\ 

Swedish  public  schools,  and  came 
to  America  in  April,  1866.  Here 
he  became  engaged  in  the  meat 
and  grocery  trade,  and  now  has 
a  meat  market  and  sausage  fac- 
tory at  8822  Buffalo  ave. 

Mr.  Tyden  is  a  member  of  many 
societies,  such  as  the  Unnea,  Gyl- 
fe  Lodge  No.  6  I.  O.  S.,  Alient 
No.  201  K.  of  P.,  Engelbrecht 
Lodge,  and  Windsor  Park  Lodge 
No.  8.36,  A.  F.  and   A.  M. 


A.  C.   liRSEST  I.I.SKSTROM 

ed    the  public  school  and  Kalmar 
high    school.       After     completing 
his    school    studies    he    served  for 
two  years  as  designer  in  the  cab- 
inet works  of  his  father,  H.  Lind- 
strom.     After  the  death  of  the  lat- 
ter, the  business  was  for  four  years 
conducted  by  the  son.     Mr.  Lind- 
strom    then    went    to    New  York, 
arriving    in  October.    1S81.     .\fter 
a  year's  stay   he  removed  to  Chi- 
cago.    For  six  years  he  was  fore- 
man with    the  Schick  Co.,   manu- 
facturers of   cabinet  work.     After 
that  time   he  engaged  in  business 
for    himself    on  a  small   scale  and 
made   a    sjiecialty    of    high    grade 
cabinet  work.     The  output  is  now 
largely    increased,    and    the    firm 
name  is  Lindslrom  ^:  Oliver.    The 
factory  is  at  192-200  N.  Union  st. 
Mr.    Lindstrom    is   a    Lutheran. 
He  is  married  to    Maria   Thranell 


Chicago 


243 


from  Vestmanlaiid,  Sweden.  The 
couple  have  two  children,  Ernst 
and  Anna. 


I 


ENGELBRECHT    NELSON 

was    born    in     Sweden    Aug.    18, 
1866.     He    emigrated   to  America 


ENGELBRECHT    NELSON 

in  18S9,  after  completing  a  high 
school  course.  He  located  in  Chi- 
cago and  was  for  some  time  em- 
ploj'ed  as  a  chemist  in  the  labor- 
atory of  the  Illinois  Steel  Co.,  in 
South  Chicago.  Later  he  became 
chief  chemist  at  the  North  Works 
of  the  same  corporation.  Mr.  Nel- 
son afterward  attended  the  medical 
college  of  the  l-niversitj'  of  Illi- 
nois, and  is  now  a  practicing  phy- 
sician in  South  Chicago. 

Dr.  Nelson  is  a  member  of  sev- 
eral medical  .societies  of  Chicago 
and  Illinois,  and  is  one  of  the 
rising  Swedish-American  physi- 
cians of  the  city.  As  a  fraternity 
man  he  is  affiliated  with  the  Cal- 
umet Commander}'  of  the  Knight 


Templars  and  of  the  Oriental  Con- 
sistory of  the  Valley  of    Chicago. 

CHARLES  BOSTROM 

was  born  in  Boda,  Vermland,  Swe- 
den, Dec.  2-/,  1872.  His  father, 
Johannes  Jonson,  was  a  farmer  in 
good  circumstances,  and  the  son 
received  a  good  education.  He 
early  took  a  liking  to  the  indus- 
trial arts,  and  at  the  age  of  seven- 
teen commenced  to  work  at  the 
carpenter's  trade,  which  he  pursued 
until  1892,  when  the  desire  to  te.st 
the  opportunities  of  the  West 
brought  him  to  America.  He 
settled  in  Ishpeming,  Mich.,  and 
found  that  his  exf>ectations  had 
been  greater  than  the  realization. 
He  secured  employment  for  a  few 
weeks  as  a  hod-carrier,  but  when 
his  training  as  a  carpenter  was 
made  known,  he  secured  employ- 
ment in  that  line,  at  times,   how- 


CHARLES    BOSTRO.M 

ever,  working  as    a    mason,    until 
he  moved  to  Chicago  in  1894.    He 


244 


Cook  County 


there  entered  into  partnership  with 
Mr.  Nordvall  as  a  contractor,  con- 
tinuing his  connection  with  him 
until  1896,  when  he,  together  witli 
Magnus  Olson,  formed  the  con- 
tracting firm  of  Bostrom  &  Olson, 
19S.S  X.  Clark  st.,  which  is  doing 
a  prosperous  business,  building 
from  fifty  to  seventy-five  houses  a 
year,  besides  dealing  extensively 
in  realtj'. 

In  1901  Mr.  Bostrom  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Emma  Carlson  from 
the  city  of  Orebro,  Sweden,  and 
their  union  has  been  blessed  with 
one  daughter. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Swedish 
National  Association,  and  of  the 
Oconto  Pleasure  Club,  of  which  lat- 
ter he  has  served  as  vice-president 
and  director. 

CARL    H.    J.    CHRISTENSON, 

-minister  of  the  Augustana  Synod 
of  the  Lutheran  church,  was 
born  Feb.  6,  1.S67,  in  the  parish 
of  Askome,  Halland,  Sweden,  the 
son  of  Nels  Christenson,  a  la- 
borer. In  the  year  1880,  he 
came  to  this  country,  .settling  in 
Portland,  Conn.  Entering  Augus- 
tana College  in  the  '80s,  he 
graduated  with  the  college  class 
of  '92,  and  subsequently  became 
a  divinity  student  at  the  same 
institution,  graduating  from  the 
Theological  Seminarj-  in  1896. 
The  same  year  he  was  ordained 
minister  and  took  charge  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at 
Lincoln,  Xeb.  While  there  Rev. 
Mr.  Christenson  was  a  member 
of  the  board  of  directors  of 
Luther  Academy,  at  Wahoo,  Neb., 


for  one  year,  and  also  pursued 
jwst-graduate  studies  for  two  years 
at    the    University    of    Nebraska. 


C.\KI.   HENNINO  JTLIUS    CHRISTENSON 

In  1900  he  assumed  charge  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at 
Geneva,  111,  serving  there  until 
1905,  when  he  was  called  to  the 
Saron  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  Chicago,  his  present  charge. 

While  serving  the  Geneva 
church  Mr.  Christenson  was  a 
meml)er  of  the  Board  of  Educa- 
tion for  three  years  and  was  an 
active  promoter  of  the  Geneva 
Conservatory  of  Music,  serving  as 
president  and  treasurer,  resix.*ci- 
ively.  In  that  jx-riod  his  church 
erected  a  splendid  edifice  at  a 
cost  of  $15,000. 

Mr.  Christenson  has  serve*.!  as 
president  of  the  Luther  League 
of  Illinois  for  two  years  and  of 
the  Fox  River  \'alley  District  of 
that  organization  for  a  like  period. 
He  is  now  a  member  of  the 
board    of    directors   of    the    Salem 


Chicago 


245 


Home  for  the  Aged,  founded  at 
Joliet,  111.,  by  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference of  the  Angustana  Synod. 
The  Rev.  Mr.  Chrislenson  on 
May  27,  1897,  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Ada  Davida 
Johnson,  daughter  of  S.  A.  John- 
son, of  Rockford.  There  are 
three  children,  Maud  Genevieve, 
born  1898,  Carl  Irving,  born  1900, 
and  \'era  Marie,  born   1902. 


LOUIS  CARSON 

was    born    in    Grenna,     Smaland, 
Sweden,   Aug.    8,    1865,  and  came 


LOUIS  C,\RSON 

to  America  in  18S5.  He  lived 
one  year  in  St.  Charles,  111.,  and 
then  moved  to  Chicago.  There 
he  has  been  working  at  the  trade 
of  stair  builder  and  interior  fin- 
isher since  the  year  1890.  His 
shop  is  at  51  Institute  place. 
Mr.  Carson  is  a  member  of  the 
Elim  Swedish  Methodist  Church 
of  Lake  View. 

In     1893    Mr.     Carson     married 


Mi.ss  Amanda  Carlson,  and  their 
union  has  been  bles.sed  with  two 
children,  Raymond  and  Alice. 
They  reside  at  Irving  Park  Boule- 
vard and  Janssen  ave. 


JOHN  M.  BERGLING 

was  born  in  By    parish,    Dalarnc, 
Sweden,   Oct.    15,     1H6A.      He    re- 


JOHX   M.   BERGUIXG 

ceived  his  education  in  Sundsvall 
until  1880,  when  he,  together  with 
his  father,  John  E.  Bergling,  a 
tailor  by  trade  came  to  this  coun- 
try. He  early  showed  signs  of 
artistic  talent.  It  was  especially 
recognized  by  the  superintendent 
of  Blauer's  Watch  Case  Co.,  who 
entered  him  in  the  engraving  de- 
partment of  the  firm.  Mr.  Berg- 
ling's  progress  was  unusually  ra- 
pid. At  the  end  of  two  years  he 
took  part^in  a  competition  of 
watch  ca.se  engravers  and  won 
with  the  highest  honors.  For 
swiftness  and  good  workmanship 
he  was  counted  among    the    fore- 


246 


Cook  County 


most  in  the  country.  He  was 
subsequently  given  charge  of  the 
department. 

In  1X88  Mr.  Bergling  went  to 
California  and  was  in  succession 
put  at  the  head  of  several  en- 
graving departments  among  which 
was  that  of  the  San  Jose  Watch 
Co.  While  in  California,  he 
served  two  years  with  the  San 
Francisco  Hussars.  The  World's 
Fair  attracted  him  back  to  Chi- 
cago and  in  the  fall  of  1892  he 
secured  a  position  with  the  large 
jewelry  house  of  C.  D.  Peacock. 
The  following  j-ear  he  was  given 
charge  of  the  engraving  depart- 
ment, which  poeit40n.he  holds  at 
the  present  time.  ' 

Mr.  Bergling  was  married  Nov. 
4,  1899.  With  his  wife,  who  was 
Miss  Fanny  A.  Eklund,  of  Stock- 
holm, Sweden,  he  has  two  daugh- 
ters. 


Chicago,  located  at  208    E.    Ohio 

St.,  where  he  is  still  in    business. 

Mr.  Melander  is  a  member  of  the 


SILAS  P.  MELANDER, 

photographer,  was  born  in  Jon- 
koping,  Sweden,  March  14,  1853. 
His  parents  emigrated  to  this 
country  the  following  j-ear  and 
settled  in  Chicago  being  among 
the  earliest  Swedi.sh  inhabitants 
of  the  city.  In  1866,  after  ob- 
taining his  elementary  schooling, 
the  son  became  a  photographer's 
assistant,  and  two  years  later 
established  himself  as  a  photogra- 
pher at  131  Lake  st.  Here  he 
was  burned  out  in  the  great  fire 
of  1 87 1,  and  re-established  him- 
self the  next  year  at  88  N.  Clark 
St.  In  1879  Mr.  Melander  built 
the    finest    photograph    studio    in 


SILAS  p.   MELANDER  l 

Trinity  English  Lutheran  Church, 
and  of  fraternal  organizations  he 
has  chosen  the  I.  O.  O.  F.  At 
this  date  Mr.  Melander  is  counted 
with  the  very  few  survivors  of  the 
Swedish  colony  in  Chicago  in  the 
early   fifties. 


VICTOR  A.  BOVIK 

was  born  in  the  city  of  Lysekil, 
Sweden,  Aug.  26,  1867.  He  emi- 
grated to  America,  landing  on 
March  21,  1SS5.  Proceetling  to 
Joliet,  111.,  he  made  his  home 
there  until  iSSS.  F'rom  there  he 
removed  to  Chicago,  esial)lishing 
himself  as  a  merchant  tailor.  His 
present  location  is  at  546  W. 
63rd  St.  He  belongs  to  the 
Svithiod  Society  and  is  a  tneml)er 
of  the  Lutheran  Church.  Mr. 
Hovik  was  married   .\pril  2.  1892, 


Chicago 


to  luiphrosj-ne    Holmgren.     Tlie>- 
have  two  sons,  Conrad  and  Oliver. 


VICTOR   .\.    BOVIK 


OTHO  M.  NORDENSTAM, 

restaurant  manager,  now  with  the 
Morrison  Hotel  and  Restaurant 
Co.,  formerly  with  the  Kuntz- 
Remmler  Co.,  is  a  native  of  L,in- 
derod,  Sweden,  where  he  was 
born  April  ii,  1872,  the  son  of 
Martin  Ohlson  and  his  wife,  Kjer- 
sti  Fajerson.  He  graduated  from 
the  high  school  in  Linderod,  with 
the  highest  honors,  then  went 
to  work  in  a  store  and  afterward 
on  the  railroad.  Subsequent!}-  he 
learned  the  cabinetmaker's  trade 
at  Hoor  and  received  his  journey- 
man's diploma  in  Lund. 

Coming  to  this  country  in 
April,  1893,  he  went  to  Minne- 
sota, working  and  attending  school 
in  St.  Paul  and  Montrose.  A 
year  later  he  came  to  Illinois.  In 
this  state  he  worked  on  a  farm 
for  two  years  and  then  went    out 


247 

to  Nebraska,  returning  to  Illinois 
after  one  year  and  a  half  and 
locating  permanently  in  Chicago. 
While  iu  Nebraska,  Mr.  Norden- 
stam  took  a  course  in  the  Y.  M. 
C.  A.  business  college  in  Omaha* 

Obtaining  a  .situation  with  the 
Kuntz  -  Rennnler  Company,  Mr. 
Nordenstam  during  the  eight 
j'ears  in  their  emploj'  advanced 
to  the  position  of  manager  of 
their  restaurant  at  305  Wabash 
ave.  and  secretary  of  the  company, 
which  position  he  held  until  Jan.; 
uary,  1906,  when  he  resigned  to 
take  a  position  with  the  Morrison 
Hotel  and  Restaurant  Company. 

The  following  bodies  claim  Mr. 
Norden.stam  as  a  member,  namelv: 


OTHO   MARTI.X   NOKL)ENST.\M 

St.  Cecilia  Lodge  No.  865.  Chi- 
cago Council  No.  4,  Corinthian 
Chapter  No.  69,  Columbia  Com- 
mandery  No.  63,  all  of  the  Ma- 
sonic order:  also  the  Royal  Arca- 
num, Hyde  Park  Council  No.  582. 
Mr.    Nordenstam' s    marriage    to 


248 

Miss  Anna  McQuoid  took  place 
Dec.  31,  1902.  Mrs.  Nordenstani 
is  a  daughter  of  Daniel  and  Su- 
sannah McQuoid  of  Carthage,  111  . 
where  she  was  born  May  4,  1868. 
The  couple  reside  at  6125  Drexel 
boulevard. 


Cook  County 


MARTHA    SETTERGREN- 
HALL 

was  born  in  Hjo,  Sweden.  Dec.  16. 
1867.      Her    father    was    a    color 


.\rAKTHA   si;tti:e<c.ki;n-hai.i, 

sergeant  in  the  Swedish  army. 
She  received  a  common  school 
education  in  Sweden,  and  later 
took  a  course  in  a  business  col- 
lege. In  1885  she  emigrated  to 
America,  where  she  secured  a  po- 
sition in  Chicago  as  Swedish  cor- 
respondent for  P.  Fahrney  &  Sons 
Co.  This  place  she  held  until 
her  marriage,  July  12,  i8yo,  to 
Mr.  (i.  Robert  Hall,  proprietor  of 
a  tea  and  coffee  concern,  of  which 
.she    is    now    the    manager.       Tlie 


place    of   business    is    at    1764  N. 
Clark  St. 

Mrs.  Hall  has  taken  an  active 
interest  in  women's  organizations, 
and  has  been  .secretary  of  the 
Swedish-American  Woman's  Club 
of  Chicago  ever  since  its  organi- 
zation. 

ADOLF  PETTERSOX- 
BERNHARDT 
was  born  in  1866,  at  Malmo, 
Sweden.  Having  attended  the 
collegiate  school  at  Lund  up  to 
iSSi,  he  went  to  Stockholm  and 
there  got  a  situation  as  clerk  in 
the  pharmacy  known  as  "Ele- 
fanteii."  After  passing  the  pre- 
liminary examinations  in  pharmacy 
in  1S85,  Mr.  Petterson-Benihardt 
served  successively  in  Alfta,  Malmo, 


AHOI.l'   I'KTTI-:RSt)S   HHKSHAKPT 

Askersiuul  ami  Xorrkoping.  In 
18S1)  he  was  admitted  to  the 
I'liarmaceutical  Institute  in  Stt)ck- 
holni  and  two  years  later  received 
his  degree  in  ])liarmacy.  He  was 
again    engaged    as    a    ])rescrii)lioii 


Chicago 


249 


clerk,  in  the  "Elefanten"  phar- 
macy, in  Stockhohn  until  1892, 
when    he    emigrated    to    America. 

In  this  country  he  gained  ex- 
perience in  American  business 
methods  in  Rockford,  Batavia  and 
Chicago  and  in  1894  opened  a 
drug  store  on  Belmont  ave.,  Chi- 
cago. 

In  1898  Mr.  Petterson-Bern- 
hardt  began  the  study  of  medi- 
cine at  Rush  Medical  College  and 
National  Medical  University.  Af- 
ter three  years'  study  he  received 
the  degree  of  M.   D. 

Dr.  Petterson-Bernhardt  suc- 
cessfully passed  the  examination 
of  the  State  Board  of  Health  im- 
mediatelj-  after  his  graduation  in 
1901,  admitting  him  to  general 
medical  practice  in  this  state. 
His  office  and  place  of  business 
is  at   1336  Belmont  ave. 

THEODOR  S.  JOHNSTON, 

pastor  of  the  Ebenezer  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Chicago,  is 
the  son  of  Andrew  Johnson,  a 
factory  worker,  who  came  over 
from  Dalsland,  Sweden,  in  1869, 
and  settled  in  Flintstone,  Md. 
There  the  son  was  born  March 
12,  1 87 1.  Having  subsequently 
lived  for  a  time  in  Portland,  Conn., 
the  family  returned  to  Sweden, 
where  Mr.  Johnson  started  a  tan- 
nery- at  Orbol,  in  the  parish  of 
Ryr.  The  family  emigrated  for 
the  second  time  in  1886,  after  the 
son  had  obtained  his  earlj-  school- 
ing and  been  confirmed  in  Sweden. 
The  Johnsons  now  settled  at  Paw 
Paw,   W.   Va.,  not  far  from  Cum- 


berland, Md.,  and  were  the  only 
Swedes  in  the  locality.  There 
young  Johnson  worked  in  the  fac- 


THEOLIOK   S.  JOHNSTON 

tories  and  also  attended  the  public 
schools.  The  faniih-  in  1S89  moved 
to  Pennfield,  Pa.,  and  later  to 
Dubois,  Pa.  Finally,  in  1891,  the 
famil}-  settled  in  Titusville,  Pa., 
where  the  old  folks  still  have 
their  home. 

In  1894  Theodor  entered  the 
second  class  at  Augustana  College, 
graduating  with  college  class  of 
1900.  Completing  the  divinity 
cour.ses  at  the  same  institution  in 
three  years,  he  was  ordained  to 
the  ministry  at  Paxtoii,  111.,  June 
14,  1903,  having  been  called  to 
the  Ebenezer  Church,  which  he 
still  serves.  At  this  juncture  he 
added  a  "t"  to  his  name  for 
practical  reasons.  Rev.  Johnston 
took  charge  of  a  congregation  of 
56  communicant  members,  owning 
no  appreciable  church  property. 
After  four    vears    of    labor   in    his 


250 


Cook  County 


field,  the  church  numbered  up- 
wards of  500  communicant  mem- 
bers and  its  property,  comprising 
a  fine  parsonage  and  a  partly  com- 
pleted church  edifice,  had  a  value 
of  about  $26,000. 

The  Reverend  Mr.  Johnston  was 
married  July  25,  1905,  to  Miss 
Victoria  John.son,  daughter  of 
Swan  and  Inga  Christina  Johnson 
of  Millers,  Ind.  Mrs.  Johnston  is 
a  graduate  of  the  normal  depart- 
ment of  Valparaiso  College  and 
taught  public  school  for  a  short 
period. 


NILS  F.   OLSON 

came  to  Chicago    from    Killeberg, 
Skane,  Sweden,  in   1S68,  a  penni- 


M1,S   I-.   Dl.SDN 

less  boy  of  fifteen  years,  alone 
and  with  no  one  to  a.ssist  him. 
He  went  to  work  in  a  bookbind- 
ery  as  errand  boy,  learned  the 
trade,  attended  school  during 
evenings  and  studied  the  higher 
branches     under     private      tutors. 


In  1877,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
four  years,  he  started  in  business 
for  himself,  in  partnership  with 
Peter  Johnson,  and  for  ten  years 
successfully  conducted  a  large 
and  prosjjerous  bookbinding  busi- 
ne.ss.  While  thus  engaged,  he 
bought  and  sold  real  estate  and 
was  one  of  the  first  Swedes  to 
plat  and  lay  out  a  large  subdi- 
vision  in   Chicago. 

In  18S7  he  sold  his  interest  in 
the  business  and  for  three  years 
devoted  his  time  to  real  e.state 
and  traveling,  vi.siting  Europe 
twice  during  these  three  years. 
The  last  time  he  spent  a  whole 
year  on  an  extended  tour  of  every 
country  in  Europe. 

A  life  of  idleness  was  not  to 
his  liking  and,  returning  to  Chi- 
cago in  1890,  he  took  up  the 
stud}-  of  law  in  the  Northwest- 
ern College  of  Law  and  in  the 
Kent  College  of  Law,  from  which 
he  graduated  with  honor  in  the 
spring  of  1893.  and  has  since 
given  his  time  and  energy  to  the 
legal  profession  with  an  ambition 
that  has  characterized  his  every 
undertaking.  He  was  a  skillful 
mechanic,  an  alert  businessman, 
especially  in  the  handling  of  Chi- 
cago realty,  and  in  the  legal 
profession,  his  succe.ss  has  lx>en 
on  a  par  with  his  efforts  in  other 
directions.  The  exj')erience  gained 
by  him  during  his  .somewhat 
varied  career  is  a  valuable  help 
to  him  in  the  practice  of  law. 
His  office  is  at  160  Washington 
street. 

Mr.  Olson,  in  1889,  married 
Charlotte    Lundh,    a    young    huly 


Chicago 


251 


of  Swedish  birth,  who  has  dis- 
tinguished lierself  both  as  an 
educator  and  as  an  artist.  She 
was  the  first  Swedish  woman  in 
Chicago  to  gain  the  position  of 
principal  in  the  Chicago  schools 
and  for  six  years  had  charge  of 
one  of  the  largest  schools  in  this 
city.  As  an  artist  she  ranks 
well  to  the  front  and  her  pictures 
have  been  often  seen  at  art 
exhibitions,  invariablj-  receiving 
honorable  mention.  She  was  also 
the  first  Swedish  lady  to  be  elec- 
ted a  member  of  the  Chicago 
Woman's  Club. 


CHARLES  G.  CARLSON 

has    lived    in    Chicago  since   1891. 
With    Peter    O.   and    Eric    Holm- 


CHARLES  G.  CARLSON 

quist  he  established  the  firm  of 
Holmquist  &  Co.,  manufacturers 
of  ladders  and  household  wooden - 
ware.  In  1897  he  entered  upon 
the  manufacture  of  curtain  stretch- 
ers,   and    organized    the    Chicago 


Curtain  Stretcher  Co.,  of  which  j 
firm  he  is  the  president  and  sec-  1 
retary.  At  that  time,  curtain  [ 
stretchers  were  a  new  thing,  and  I 
to  introduce  the  article  to  the  I 
trade  cost  considerable  effort,  but  j 
the  company  has  succeeded  well  , 
and  has  largely  increased  its  out- 
put during  the  short  time  it  has  ; 
been  doing  business.  It  now  sends  | 
goods  to  all  parts  of  the  United  1 
States,  as  well  as  abroad,  and  the  , 
factory  is  running  full  capacity  all  | 
the  year  round  at  100-108  North  I 
Lincoln  street.  i 

Mr.  Carlson  was  born  in  Finne- 

rodja,    Skaraborgs     Ian,    Sweden,  ' 

Dec.    13,    1 87 1,    and    was    married  '■ 

in  Chicago  May   15,    1895,  to  Miss  ' 

Maria  L.  Johanson,  al.so  from  Fin-  : 

nerodja.     They  have  two  children,  ' 

a  boy  of  eleven  and  a  girl  of  nine  ■ 

years  of    age.     They    live   at    502  • 
Cornelia  st. 


SOPHIA  C.  YOUNG 

was  born  at  Lind.sborg,  Kansas, 
March  13,  1875.  She  is  a  daugh- 
ter of  John  Swanstrom  and  his 
wife  Christina,  nee  Hakanson, 
who  were  early  settlers  in  that 
locality.  Her  public  school  courses 
completed,  she  attended  Bethany 
College  at  Lindsborg,  studj-ing  lit- 
erature and  elocution.  She  came 
to  Chicago  in  1895  to  enter  the 
Columbia  School  of  Oratory  (now 
Columbia  College  of  Expression), 
and  was  graduated  from  that 
school  in  1897.  While  completing 
her  course  she  taught  privately, 
al.so  filling  engagements  for  public 
readings.  For  one  year,  1897-98, 
she    was  a    teacher    of    the  art  of 


252 


Cook  County 


expression  and  of  physical  cullnre 
at  Augustana  College,  leaving  her 
f>ositoin  just  prior  to  her  marriage, 


-SOI-HIA  C.   YOUNG 

May    31,    1898,    to    Dr.    Carl    O. 
Young  of  Chicago. 

Mrs.  Young  is  active  in  social 
and  chih  circles,  holding  nieniher- 
sliip  in  a  number  of  organizations, 
such  as  the  Swedi.sh-American 
Woman's  Club,  the  Woodlawn 
Woman's  Club,  the  South  Side 
Woman's  Club  and  Drottning  So- 
phias Foreiiing  of  Stockholm,  a 
benevolent  .society  organized  b\ 
the  Queen  of  Sweden.  Mrs.  Young 
was  the  ])rime  mover  in  the  or- 
ganization of  the  Soi'hia  Aid  So- 
ciety of  the  Washington  Park 
Ho.sj)ital,  a  woman's  association 
for  benevolent  purposes.  She  is 
president  of  the  Martha  Washing- 
ton Aid  Society  of  the  Washing- 
ton Park  Hospital.  In  lyoo  she 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of 
the  Rethaiiy  Association  of  Chi- 
cago,    and     in     1906    was    elected 


second  vice-president  of  the  Swed- 
ish National  Association  of  Chi- 
cago. 

After  her  marriage  Mrs  Young 
did  not  enlirel>-  discontinue  her 
public  readings,  but  limited  her- 
self to  particijjation  in  entertain- 
ments for  purely  charitable  pur- 
poses. 

Mrs.  Young  has  two  children, 
\'ioIa  and  Stanley. 


ALEX     J.  JOHNSON, 

editor  and  publisher  of  Sir/iska 
k'ltiinn.  was  born  near  Stock- 
holm, in  1850.  He  obtained  a 
school  and  college  education  in 
that  city  and  in  1868  was  ad- 
mitted      to       Upsala      I'niversity, 


Al.i:x    I.    IDIISSON 

where  he  studied  law  for  two 
years.  Upon  his  deciding  on  a 
business  career,  he  sjient  six  years 
in  Germany  and  France  and 
traveled  extensivel>-  in  South 
.Xfrica,  Madng:>'<car  and  the  I-'rench 


I 


Chicago 


colonies  for  a  mercantile  house 
in  Marseilles. 

Mr.  Johnson  came  to  this  coun- 
try and  to  Chicago  in  1882.  For 
a  short  time  he  was  employed  by 
the  dry  goods  house  of  C.  W. 
and  E.  Pardridge  and  then  for 
five  years  he  held  a  position  with 
the  crockery  firm  of  Barley  and 
Tyrrell.  He  then  acquired  con- 
trol of  S^r/ishi  Kuiiren,  a  Swed- 
ish weekly  newspaper,  of  which 
he  has  ever  since  been  the  editor 
and  publisher.  Having  had  a 
taste  for  newspaper  work  from 
his  youth  and  being  equipped 
with  a  practical  education,  Mr. 
Johnson  made  a  success  of  the 
enterprise  from  the  start. 

He  has  taken  a  keen  interest 
in  politics,  but  beyond  being  a 
member  of  the  Republican  State 
Central  Committee,  he  has  never 
held  a  political  office.  From 
his  home  county,  DuPage,  he  has 
been  sent  as  a  delegate  to  state 
conventions  on  several  occasions. 
The  subject  of  American  politics 
probably  no  Swedish  newspaper 
man  has  mastered  so  well  as    he. 

In  1880,  Mr.  Johnson  was  mar- 
ried to  Marie  Antoinette  Solberg, 
from  Oscarshamn,  Sweden.  Two 
daughters  and  two  sons  have  been 
born  to  them.  The  eldest  daugh- 
ter, Hilma,  was  married  in  1901, 
to  Julius  Dahlstrom,  general  agent 
of  the  St.  Joseph  &  Grand  Island 
Railroad  Company  in  Denver,  Col- 
orado. The  Johnson  family  have 
a  comfortable  home  at  Glen  El- 
lyn,  111. 


253 

JOHN  E.  YOUNGBERG 

was  born  in  Ostad,  Halland, 
Sweden.  The  name  usually  is 
spelled  Ljungberg,  being  derived 
from  the  name  of  the  parish  of 
Ljimgby.  The  family  moved  to 
the  United  States  when  he  was 
four    years    old     and     located     at 


JOHN   E.    VOUNGBEKG  | 

Keokuk,   Iowa,    later    at     Daven-  1 

port.   Rock  Island,  and  finally    at  ! 

Moline,    111.,    where    he    attended  ' 

public  school.  [ 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  he    was  I 

sent    to    Kansas    on    a     ranch    in  ; 

Riley  co.,  but  finding  cattle    dull  ; 

companions,  he,  after  a  few  years,  ' 

began  the  trade  of  furniture  mak-  j 

ing  at    Atchison,     Kansas.     Later  ' 
he  spent  four    years    at    Topeka, 
Kansas,  with   the  Atchinson,    To- 
peka   and    Santa    Fe    R.     R.     In 
1887  a  local    architect    discovered 

latent  artistic  talent  in  the  j-oung  I 

man  and  his  career  as  an  architect  1 

thus    began.       The    Topeka    field  j 
was   too  limited  for    the    student, 


254 


Cook  County 


and  Kansas  City,    Mo.,    was    the 
next  station  in  his  dream  of  the  art 
loving    East  and  the  Paris  school 
of  Architecture.     He  remained  in 
the  branch  office  of  Burnham  and 
Root  of  Kansas  City    until    1889, 
when  he    attracted    the    attention 
of    the  celebrated    architect    John 
W.  Root,   who    employed    him  on 
important    construction    work    on 
many  of  the  high  office   buildings 
in  Chicago  until  the  World's   Co- 
lumbian   Exposition,    where    Mr. 
Youngberg     had     charge     of    the 
construction  of  many  of  the  build- 
ings.    In    recognition    of    this    he 
was    presented    with    a    memorial 
certificate    of    his   services    to    the 
Exposition  by  the    directors. 

After  the  Exposition  Mr.  Young- 
berg spent  several  years  in  exten- 
sive travel  and  study  in    Europe. 
The  winters  of  1893  and  1894  were 
spent   in    the    study  of    architect- 
ure and  decorations  in  the   atelier 
of  Godefroy  and  Freynet    and    he 
passed   the  examinations  for  archi- 
tecture,     modeling    and    drawing 
in    L'Ecole    des    Beaux    Arts    in 
Paris.     While  in  Athens,   Greece, 
in  1894,  he  made  measured   draw- 
ings   of     the    Academy     of    Sci- 
ences   and    later    in    Paris    made 
a     water     color     rendering     of    it 
which  was  accepted  and  exhibited 
in  the  Salon   des  Champs  Elysees 
in  1895. 

Mr.  Youngberg  has  practiced 
in  Chicago  since  1896,  during 
which  liini.-  he  has  constructed 
residences,  business  buildings  and 
factories,  and  in  1901  he  designed 
the     Colonial    Club    House,    4445 


Grand  Boulevard,  of    which    club 
he  is  a  member. 


PETER  GUSTAF  ALMBERG 
was  born  on  the  18th  of  Feb., 
1858,  at  Bengtstorp,  near  Elmhult, 


I'HTiiK  lUST.vr  .\lmiu;kg 

Sweden.  He  studied  at  the  high 
school  at  Hvilan,  and  also  at- 
tended military  schools.  His  fa- 
ther, O.  P.  .\lmberg,  was  a  luml)er 
merchant,  who  died  in  Elmhult 
May  I,  1900.  In  Sweden,  the 
son  learned  the  engineer's  and  the 
machinist's  trade. 

In  June,  18S3,  he  came  to  this 
country,  landing  at  (Quebec,  and 
went  first  to  Fargo,  N.  D..  and 
worked  as  engineer  for  two  years 
for  the  Pillsbury  and  Hull)ert 
Elevator  Company.  Coming  to 
Chicago  in  December,  1SS5,  he 
worked  here  for  two  \ears  as  en- 
gineer and  machinist.  Since  18S8, 
Mr.  Alml>erK  is  a  book  and  job 
I)rinter  at  62  K.  Chicago  ave.,  do- 
ing business  uiuki    the  lirm  name 


Chicago 


255 


p.  G.  Almberg  and  Co.,  est. 
1888.  He  i.s  an  adherent  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  and  belongs  to 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  Royal  Arcanum,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Svithiod,  Vik- 
ings, Foresters,  Maccabees  and 
several  other  societies.  He  has 
been  president,  vice-president, 
secretary  and  trustee  in  several 
of  these  societies. 

Nov.  24,  1887,  Mr.  Almberg 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Miss 
Anna  M.  Larson,  of  Moorhead, 
^inn.,  born  June  22,  1867.  They 
hbve  six  children,  Hilda,  Olga, 
Hans  Edward,  Anna,  Clara,  and 
Axel  William. 


LAWRENCE  HESSELROTH, 

the  well-known  druggist,  now  de- 
ceased, was  one  of  the  Swedish- 
American  pioneers  of  Chicago. 
He  was  born  in  Brasater  parson- 
age, in  Dalsland,  Sweden,  Nov. 
25,  1844.  His  father,  who  was  a 
clergj^man,  died  when  Lawrence 
■was  but  three  j-ears  old,  and  only 
three  years  afterwards  his  mother 
died,  leaving  the  young  boy 
practically  alone  in  the  world. 
His  brother-in-law,  who  was  a 
clerg3'man,  took  an  interest  in 
young  Hesselroth,  however,  and 
provided  him  with  an  education. 
Thus  Mr.  Hesselroth  learned  the 
rudiments  of  pharmacy  from  C. 
W.  Weinberg,  a  druggist  in  Amal, 
and  later  on  was  in  the  emploj- 
of  J.  A.  Wallin,  in  Falkoping, 
until  1S64,  when  he  passed  the 
pharmaceutical  examination.  In 
the  spring  of  the  same  year  he 
emigrated     and     came     direct     to 


Chicago.  He  had  not  been  in 
the  city  long  before  a  singular 
opportunity  presented  itself.  An 
American  whose  patriotism  was 
rather  lukewarm  offered  young 
Hes.selroth  S300  if  he  would  enlist 
in  the  U.  S.  navy  in  his  place. 
Mr.  Hesselroth  accepted  the  pro- 
position and  .soon  he  was  aboard 
the  U.  S.  Cruiser  Kenwood,  No. 
14,  of    the    Mississippi    Squadron, 


L.\WK1;NCE    IIHSSELKllTH 

serving  not  onlj-  as  the  "Doctor's 
Steward,"  but  also  as  the  ship's 
apothecarj'.  Mr.  Hesselroth  re- 
mained on  the  Kenwood  until  the 
spring  of  1865,  when  he  returned  to 
Chicago.  He  afterwards  worked 
in  Rockford,  111.,  St.  Paul  and 
Red  Wing,  Minn.  Returning  to 
Chicago,  however,  in  i86g,  he 
was  employed  with  a  Norwegian 
druggist,  named  Foss,  on  Chicago 
ave.  In  December,  1871,  two 
months  after  the  Chicago  fire, 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Carl 
Weinberg     and     opened     a     drug 


256 


Cook  County 


store  at  53  E.  Chicago  ave.,  this 
being  the  first  Swedish  drug  store 
established  in  the  U.  S.  In  1.S78, 
he  sold  his  interest  and  started 
another  drug  store,  at  107  E. 
Chicago  ave..  where  he  conducted 
a  thrifty  business  for  a  long  term 
of  years,  making  the  corner  a 
landmark  in  the  Swedish  colony 
on  the  north  side.  There  are 
few  Swedes  in  Chicago,  or  the 
United  States,  who  have  not 
heard  the  name  Hesselroth,  or 
who  do  not  know  of  his  well-known 
"Crown"  series  of  Swedish  family 
remedies. 

Mr.  Hesselroth  was  a  32nd 
degree  Mason,  and  a  charter 
member  of  King  Oscar  Lodge 
and  a  member  of  other  fraterni- 
ties. He  served  as  president  of 
the  Swedish  Glee  Club,  of  which 
organization  he  was  elected  honor- 
ary member. 

He  was  married  to  Miss  Sofia 
Mathilda  Blom  in  1872,  and  died 
Feb.   29,    1904. 


From  that  time  he  has  been 
passionately  fond  of  sketching 
and  painting,  though  it  took  many 
vears  before    lie    was    enabled    to 


CHARLES  E.  HALLBERG, 

marine  painter,  was  born  of  very 
poor  parents,  in  Goteborg,  Swe- 
den, Jan.  15,  1855.  Not  long 
after,  his  father  died,  leaving  the 
family  almost  penniless.  Charles 
had  to  take  a  hand  early  in  the 
support  of  himself,  his  mother 
and  sister,  leaving  little  time 
over  for  attending  public  school. 
At  twelve  years  of  age  he  saw 
a  couple  of  water  color  paintings 
in  the  home  of  a  pla\inale. 
These  attracted  him  so  that  he 
begged  for  the  loan  of  the  bits  of 
color  that    he    might    copy    them. 


CliAKI.KS   EDW.XRl)   ll.\I.I.nHRG 

devote  serious  attention  to  that 
work. 

At  the  age  of  seventeen,  Mr. 
Hallberg  went  to  sea,  on  board  a 
British  brig,  and  for  ten  years  he 
served  before  the  mast  under 
various  flags.  In  18S3  he  landctl 
in  this  country  and  for  the  next 
seven  years  sailed  on  the  Great 
Lakes.  During  these  seventeen 
years  he  imbibed  that  love  for 
the  water  which  is  evidencetl  by 
every  creation  of  his  brush.  He 
always  carried  with  him  on  ship 
board  palette  ami  supplies,  and 
spent  his  spare  moments  in  mak- 
ing rude  sketches  of  the  sea  as 
he  saw  it  in  storm  and  calm. 

In  1890  Mr.  Hallberg  settleil 
down  in  Chicago  and  was  em- 
ployed as  janitor  in  an  apartment 
house     in     LaSalle     ave.      Al)out 


Chicago 


257 


this  time  there  was  hcUl  a  bazaar 
for  the  benefit  of  Au<^ustaiia 
Hospital  in  Chicago,  and  Mr. 
Hallberg,  after  some  hesitation, 
decided  to  donate  one  of  his  pictures 
to  the  cause.  The  canvas  was 
unsigned  and  the  gift  anonymous, 
but  it  attracted  attention  and  was 
sold  for  lifleen  dollars.  To  the 
self-taught  janitor-artist  this  was 
real  encouragement.  He  began 
to  consider  how  he  might  acquire 
an  artistic  education,  but  with  a 
wife  and  children  to  support  on 
meager  wages  the  thing  looked 
impossible. 

After  a  year  or  two  we  find 
Mr.  Hallberg  as  janitor  of  the 
Austin  State  Bank  and  an  adjoining 
apartment  building.  There  he 
continued  to  give  his  spare  time  to 
the  palette  and  brush.  A  little  four 
by  five  room  in  the  basement  of 
the  bank  building,  sparingly  lit 
up  by  a  transom  window,  served 
as  a  studio,  and  here  Janitor 
Hallberg  painted  marines  when 
he  was  not  stoking  the  furnaces 
or  sweeping  floors.  Here  also  it 
was  that  the  janitor-artist  was 
"discovered,"  as  told  in  another 
part  of  this  volume. 

From  that  time  on  Mr.  Hall- 
berg's  name  has  been  brought 
frequently  before  the  public  and 
his  work  has  met  with  much  en- 
couragement and  appreciation  in 
artistic  circles.  His  greatest  tri- 
umph, however,  was  to  have  his 
"Summer  Day  on  Lake  Michi- 
gan" accepted  b}-  the  national 
art  jurj'  of  the  St.  Louis  Expo- 
sition. Of  the  numerous  Chicago 
artists  onlv    nineteen    were    there 


represented,  and  among  these  Lin- 
tlin  and  Hallberg  were  the  only 
Swedish  Americans  whose  works 
were  hung  in  the  general  art  hall. 

Some  j'ears  ago  Mr.  Hallberg 
visited  Sweden  and  was  cordially 
received  in  his  native  city  of 
G'iteborg,  where  several  of  his 
piintings  ware  exhibitel  and  the 
modest  artist  met  with  apprecia- 
tion on  the  pirt  of  the  artists 
and  the  press. 

O.nitting  wliat  has  been  said  of 
Mr.  Hallberg  elsewhere  in  this 
work,  we  nn)'  add  that  he  has 
donated  his  painting,  "After  the 
Storm,"  to  Augustana  College  and 
a  biblical  marine,  entitled  "Christ 
Walking  on  the  Water,"  to  Augus- 
tana    Hospital. 

Jan.  21,  1S85,  Mr.  Hallberg 
was  married  to  A'nanda  Josefina 
OWon  of  Goteborg.  They  hxve 
three  children,  Ellen  Hermina, 
born  1887,  Sylvia  Helena,  born 
1890,  and  Austin  Benjamin,  born 
1S92.  The  family  attend  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  church.  Mr. 
Hallberg  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish-American  Art  Association 
of  Chicago,  the  Chicago  Society 
of  Artists,  and  others. 


FRED  R.  FRANSON 

hails  from  the  Swedish  manufact- 
uring town  of  Motala,  in  Oster- 
gotland.  In  1879,  on  the  fourth 
of  Jul}^  he  arrived  on  American 
soil,  having  since  been  a  resident 
of  Chicago  for  more  than  twenty- 
five  years.  For  the  past  fifteen 
years  Mr.  Franson  has  taken  great 
interest  in  the  Swedish  singii;gclubs 
and  fraternal  organizations  of  the 


258 


Cook  County 


city.  He  has  ever  Ijeen  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  Svithiod 
Singing    Chib,    having    held     the 


l-KEl)   R.    FRANSON 

presidency  of  that  organization 
for  some  ten  j-ears.  He  is  the 
possessor  of  a  splendid  baritone 
voice,  which  has  often  been  heard 
in  solo  parts  at  concerts  and  en- 
tertainments. He  was  one  of  the 
hardest  workers  for  the  success 
of  the  Swedish  Day  at  the 
World's  Fair  in  Chicago,  and 
likewise  a  leading  promoter  of 
the  concert  tour  through  Sweden 
made  in  1897  bj'  a  picked  chorus 
from  the  American  Union  of 
Swedish  Singers.  Of  the  latter 
organization  he  is  also  an  influ- 
ential member. 

Mr.  Franson  has  been  connected 
with  the  Illinois  Central  railway 
as  skilled  mechanic  for  nearly  a 
score  of  years.  For  a  short  time 
he  held  the  Scandinavian  general 
agency  for  the  Ivijuilable  Life 
Assurance  Society. 


ELOF  JOHNSON 

wasborn  July  24,  1852,  inQ\-inhult, 
Traheryd  parish,  Sweden.  His 
father  was  a  farmer  and  what 
time  Elof  did  not  spend  at  school 
he  put  in  assisting  in  the  tilling 
of  the  soil  and  doing  the  chores. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  traveled 
about  peddling  notions.  In  the 
spring  of  1S71  he  emigrated  to 
the  United  States.  Reaching  Chi- 
cago, he  worked  a  year  in  a 
factory.  Subsequently  he  went 
into  the  teaming  business,  con- 
tinuing until  1876.  Since  that 
time  Mr.  Johnson  has  owned  and 
conducted  a  grocerj'  business,  en- 
joying a  thriving  trade  at  314 
Austin  ave.  and  at  141  \V. 
Huron    St.     He    was    married    in 


1 882 


1:1. Ill-  Jl)llNSl).\ 

to     Miss     Sigrid     Mathilda 


Peterson,  also  a  native  of  Traheryd 
parish.  She  died  in  1890  leaving 
three  sons,  Flof  Allen  Ragnar, 
Axel  Sigwald  Reuben  and  Harald 
John   I'Vancis. 


Chicago 


259 


WALDEMAR     G.     THORSELL 

was    born    in    Torshalla,    Sweden, 
Feb.   24,    1870,  the  son  of    Gustaf 


WALUEMAR  GUSTAF  THORSELL 

and  Albertina  Larson.  In  his  youth 
he  enjoyed  a  common  school  and 
high  school  education  in  his  native 
town.  He  worked  in  factories  in 
various  parts  of  Sweden  before 
coming  to  the  United  States  in 
1895.  Locating  in  Chicago  he 
was  for  a  time  emploj^ed  as  a  fur- 
niture worker  and  upholsterer,  in- 
cluding two  years  with  the  Nation- 
al Parlor  Furniture  Co. 

Abandoning  that  trade,  he  be- 
gan work  as  a  grinder,  and  .soon 
he  became  the  owner  of  a  grind- 
er's shop  at  146  S.  Clark  St.,  in 
which,  by  steady  application,  he 
has  worked  up  all  the  custom  that 
can  well  be  handled  in  the  present 
quarters.  A  few  large  houses, 
such  as  Marshall  Field  &  Co., 
are  giving  his  shop  the  bulk  of 
all  the  work  it  can  turn  out.  It 
was  in   1900  that  Mr.  Thorsell  es- 


tablished his  own  business,  and 
in  May,  1904,  he  took  a  business 
partner,  the  firm  being  now  known 
as  Thorsell  &  DeVry. 

June  18,  1898,  Mr.  Thorsell  was 
married  to  Miss  Blenda  Maria 
Sundstrom,  born  at  Haparanda, 
Sweden,  Feb.  12,  1871.  She  came 
over  in  1893,  as  an  attache  of  the 
Swedish  section  at  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition.  They  have 
a  daughter,  Blenda  Lillian,  tiorn 
April   18,    1899. 

In  1906  the  family'  moved  out 
to  the  suburb  of  Falos  Park,  where 
Mr.  Thor.sell  built  a  cottage,  Ek- 
hamra,  on  a  pretty  piece  of  acre- 
age property  in  the  woods. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Thorsell 
are  still  living  in  Torshalla,  where 
his  father  has  held  the  office  of 
stadsfiskal  for  more  tlian  thirty 
years. 


GUSTAF    BRAMBERG, 

the  secretary-treasurer  of  the  An- 
derson Tea  Companj-,  was  born 
in  1867,  in  Stockholm,  Sweden, 
where  he,  after  having  finished 
his  schooling,  served  as  clerk  in 
two  of  the  large  retail  stores  in 
that  city  until  1887,  when  he 
came  to  America.  After  having 
tried  his  fortune  in  different  oc- 
cupations, such  as  mining,  paint- 
ing and  clerking  in  a  hotel,  in 
various  parts  of  the  country,  he 
finallj-  concentrated  his  energies 
on  the  tea  business,  serving  first 
as  manager  for  another  house  and 
afterwards  establishing  his  own 
store.  This  he  conducted  until 
the  year  1900,  when  he  joined  in- 
terests with  W.  F.  Anderson  and 


26o 


Cook  County 


incorporated  the  Anderson  Tea 
Company,  which  is  now  one  of 
the  largest  and  best   known  retail 


GUSTAF    BRAMUERC. 

houses  in  its  line  in  Chicago,  with 
sixteen  branch  stores  in  different 
parts  of  the  city. 


C.  F.  KORSSELL, 

physician  and  surgeon,  was  horn 
at  Korsberga  parish,  Smaland, 
Sweden,  April  8,  1863.  Coining 
with  the  family  to  the  United 
States  at  the  age  of  nine  years, 
he  has  since  lived  in  this  city. 
After  attending  the  j  ublic  schools 
he  pursued  studies  at  the  Chicago 
Atheiucnm  and  Rush  Medical  Col- 
lege, graduating  from  the  latter 
institution  in  1886.  Mr.  Korssell 
was  a  practicing  physician  and 
surgeon  until  1900,  when  he  was 
appointed  professor  of  medicine  in 
the  Chicago  College  of  Physicians 
and  Surgeons,  and  in  1902  he  was 
appointed  adjunct  professor  of  op- 
erative   surgery    in    the     Medical 


School  of  the  University  of  Illi- 
nois. Dr.  Korssell  is  chief  med- 
ical examiner  for  Chicago  of  the 
Washington  Life  Insurance  Co., 
the  Bankers'  Life  and  Trust  Co., 
the  Fidelity  Mutual  Life  Insurance 
Co.,  and  also  for  a  number  of 
Swedish  fraternal  societies.  Dr. 
Korssell  at  different  periods  has 
been  connected  as  attending  phys- 
ician and  surgeon  with  the  Cook 
Count>-   Hospital,  the  St.  Joseph's 


C.   F.   KORSSELL 

Hospital,  the  Swedish  Home  of 
Mercy  and  the  Chicago   Hospital. 

FREDRIK  HOGFELDT 

was  born  March  19,  1844.  in  Tis- 
selskog,  Dalsland,  Sweden.  After 
attending  public  school  he  began, 
at  the  age  of  thirteen,  to  learn 
the  tailor's  traile.  At  the  age  of 
twenty  he  went  into  business  on 
his  own  account,  continuing  in 
this  capacity  until  1S91,  when  he 
left  Swedei:,  landing  in  America 
in    September    of    tliat    year    and 


Chicago 


261 


! 


' 


coming  directly  to  Chicago.  For 
two  years  he  was  employed  with 
Carver  &  McCoy,  then    opened    a 


FREDRIK   HOGFELDT 

merchant  tailoring  shop  of  his 
own.  He  continues  in  the  same 
business  at  169  Oak  st. 

In  1870  Mr.  Hbgfeldt  was  mar- 
ried to  Sara  Maria  Jonasson  from 
Rud,  Animskog  parish,  in  Dais- 
land.  They  have  four  sons  and 
two  daughters.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hogfeldt  belong  to  the  Swedish 
Mission  Church,  which  Mr.  Hog- 
feldt for  a  term  of  years  has 
served  in  the  capacity    of  deacon. 


EDWARD  H.   OLSON 

was  born  in  Visby,  Sweden,  April 
21,  1854,  and  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen became  a  clerk  in  a  store  in 
his  native  town.  Two  years  later 
he  went  to  sea  on  a  sailing  ves- 
sel. He  was  on  salt  water  for 
nearly  fifteen  jears,  and  a  few 
years  later  attended  the  navigation 
■school  at  \'isby,   and  at    intervals 


gained  certificates  succe.ssively  as 
second  mate,  first  mate  and  cap- 
tain. He  sailed  as  chief  officer 
in  vessels  for  five  j'ears,  making 
voyages  to  all  parts  of  the  world. 
In  1882  he  was  acting  quarter- 
muster  of  the  British  steamship 
Nothing  Hill,  from  Liverpool, 
which  carried  troops  from  Port 
Natal,  South  Africa,  to  Alexan- 
dria, Eg3pt,  at  the  time  the 
British  bombarded  Alexandria. 
Later  he  became  chief  mate  of 
the  Swedish  ship  Elleholm,  which 
sailed  from  Liverpool,  bound  for 
the  West  Indies,  with  a  cargo  of 
merchandise.  Encountering  .severe 
storms  in  the  Atlantic,  the  vessel 
sprang  aleak  and  sank,  all  of  the 
crew  of  eighteen  men  escaping  in 


liliWAKLi   U.   ULSO.X 

boats,  and  were  afterwards  picked 
up  by  an  English  sailing  vesseL 
In  18S3-1884  he  was  chief  mate  of 
the  Norwegian  mission  ship,  Eli- 
eser,  which  sailed  from  London 
to  Madagascar,   Mauritius,  Bonne- 


262 


Cook  County 


curius,  South  America,  Jamaica, 
West  Indies,  Shields,  England, 
and  from  there  to  Stavanger,  Nor- 
way, his  vessel  lying  in  Tamatave, 
Madagascar,  when  the  French 
men-of-war  bombarded  the  town. 
He  also  served  on  an  Irish  vessel, 
named  Scotsman  of  Londonderry. 
He  met  with  numerous  other  ad- 
ventures, the  narration  of  which 
would    fill    a    good  sized  volume. 

During  a  storm  at  night  he  fell 
from  the  top  of  a  mast,  receiving 
an  injury  to  his  back  which 
caused  him  to  abandon  the  sea. 

In  1885  Mr.  Olson  came  to 
Chicago  to  visit  his  brothers,  and 
being  favorabl}-  impressed,  decided 
to  make  his  home  here.  He 
worked  as  a  painter  in  the  town 
of  Pullman  five  years,  and  clerked 
in  Roseland  for  different  firms. 
In  1895  ^^  ^^'^^  employed  in  the 
city  water  office  and  in  the  .spring 
of  i8g6  was  elected  supervisor  of 
the  Town  of  H3'de  Park,  holding 
the  office  for  two  terms. 

He  now  conducts  a  gentleman's 
furnishing  store  at  11206  Michigan 
ave.,  under  the  firm  name  af  E. 
H.  Olson  and  Co.,  with  his  bro- 
ther-in-law as  partner  in  the 
business. 

In  1904  Mr.  Olson  was  elected 
County  Commissioner  on  the  Re- 
publican ticket. 

He  was  married  in  kS86  to 
Jennie  Sommanson  from  Tingsryd, 
Sweden. 

Mr.  Olson  is  a  member  of  the 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons, Knights  of  Pythias,  North 
American  l^nion,  anil  charter  mem- 
ber   of    Palace    Council    No.    39, 


Royal  League.  He  has  served  as 
treasurer  in  the  South  End  Mer- 
chants' Association  for  a  number 
of  years  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Elim  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  Pullman. 


ERNEST  A.  KOHLER, 

doctor  of  dental  surgerj-,  was  born 
in    Chicago    Sept.     13,     1870,     of 


^^^fA 

P^B 

^E     ^ 

HKNHST    A.    KuHl.liK 

Swedish  parents.  His  father.  At- 
torney John  A.  Kohler,  settled  in 
Chicago  in  186S.  lirnest  secured 
his  elenientar>-  education  in  the 
Chicago  public  schools,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  18S7.  He  then 
began  the  study  of  dentislr.v  in 
the  office  of  Dr.  Kesler.  After  a 
year  and  a  half,  he  tried  other 
occupations,  acting  as  macliinist, 
drug  clerk  and  grocery  sale.snian. 
Subseijuenlly  he  turned  back  to 
dentistry,  and  after  completing  a 
course  was  graduated  in  the  spring 
of  1890  from  the  .American  College 
of  Dental  Surger\-  with  tlie  degree 


Chicago 


263 


of    D.   D.  S.     He  at  once    ojiened      sons,  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  and  of 


an  office  and  has  since  successfull>- 
practiced  his  profession  in  Chicago. 
His  office  is  at  1206  Garfield  boul. 
Dr.  Kohler  keeps  abreast  witli  his 
profession. 

Sept.  26,  1894,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Elizabeth  Hamilton,  born 
in  Canada  Jan.   18,  1872. 


the   Iroquois  Club. 


ANDERS  E.  ANDERSON 

was  born  at  Tranas,  Skane,   Swe- 
den, Jan.    II,    1865.       His    father 


ANDERS    E.  ANDERSON 

was  a  prominent  building  con- 
tractor. After  having  attended 
the  grammar  and  high  school,  Mr. 
Anderson  emigrated  in  1889,  com- 
ming  directly  to  Chicago.  In  1890 
he  started  in  the  real  estate,  loan 
and  investment  business,  in  which 
he  has  prospered.  His  office  is 
in  the  Unity  Building  and  he  re- 
sides at  the  Lexington  Hotel, 
Michigan  ave.  and  22d  st. 

Mr.   Anderson    is  a    member    of 
King    Oscar    Lodge    of    Free   Ma- 


CARL  O.  YOUNGQ\IST 

was  born  Aug.   21,  1872,  in  Oline- 
stad,  Smaland,  a  .son  of  Johannes 


CARL  O.    VOUNGQVIST 

Gustafson,  a  stone  ma.son.  He 
attended  the  public  school  until 
he  was  twelve  years  old,  when 
he  had  to  begin  earning  his  own 
living.  Mr.  Youngqvist  left  Swe- 
den and  went  to  Lafaj-ette,  In- 
diana, in  March,  1893.  Soon  af- 
ter he  came  to  Chicago  where  he 
learned  the  custom  tailor's  trade. 
After  working  two  years  for  C. 
Backstrom  he  went  into  partner- 
ship with  him  in  1900  under  the 
firm  name  of  Backstrom  and 
Youngqvist.  The  shop  is  at  40 
Wendell  st.  Mr.  Youngqvist  was 
married  in  1898,  to  Miss  Emma 
Christina  Wiklund,  with  whom 
he  has  two  children.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Youngqvist  are  members  of 
the  Swedish   Mission  Church. 


264 


Cook  County 


CARL  O.   BERGQUIST 

was    born    in    the    town    of    Mon- 
steras,   Siiialand,  Sweden,  June  9, 


CAKL   OLOI--   BEKGOUIST 

1846.  His  parents  were  Johan 
P.  Bergquist,  a  merchant,  and 
Anna  G.   Bergquist. 

At  the  age  of  sixteen  he  be- 
came a  clerk  in  the  post  office  at 
Mbnsteras.  He  was  twice  ap- 
pointed acting  postmaster,  and 
was  made  a  postal  clerk  without 
the  usual  requisite  of  a  college 
education. 

In  1870  Mr.  Bergquist  emigrateil 
to  the  United  States.  At  first  he 
worked  in  Riverside,  which  was 
then  being  laid  out.  Later  he 
found  employment  in  a  furniture 
.store  on  Randolph  st.  In  January, 
1 87 1,  he  formed  a  partnership 
with  Charles  P.  Holmberg,  in 
the  insurance  business.  Mr.  Berg- 
quist was  a  member  of  the  Swed- 
ish military  company,  formed  just 
after  the  great  Chicago  fire  to  aid 
in  guarding  the  city.      W'lien   Mr. 


Holmberg  with  others,  purchased 
the  book  and  publishing  business 
in  Chicago,  owned  by  the  Au- 
gustana  Synod,  Mr.  Bergquist 
bought  his  interest  in  the  insur- 
ance office.  He  has  since  acted 
as  loan  and  mortgage  broker  as 
well  as  life  and  fire  insurance  agent. 
For  many  years  he  has  had  the 
agency  for  leading  companies. 

Mr.  Bergquist  is  vice-president 
of  the  Kngberg-Holmberg  Pub- 
lishing Co.,  and  also  of  Skandia 
Loan  and  Investment  As.sociation. 

With  bis  wife,  Wendla  A.  Berg- 
quist, he  has  two  daughters, 
Signe  \V.  and  Nanna  G.,  and 
two  sons,  Carl  B.  and  Hjalmar 
E.  Bergquist.  The  sons  are  now 
associated  with  their  father  in  the 
insurance  business,  the  present 
style  of  the  firm  being,  Carl  O. 
Bergquist  and  Sons,  their  office 
being  located  at  213  E.  Chicago 
ave.  Carl  B.  Bergquist  is  also 
a  mining  broker,  with  headquart- 
ers at  Encampment,  Wyoming. 

NILS  BERGMAN. 

physician  and  surgeon,  was  liorn 
April  II,  1862,  in  the  cit\- of  \"e- 
nersborg,  Sweden.  There  he  grad- 
uated with  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
from  tlie  \'enersborg  I\lementary 
School,  and  during  the  following 
three  years  studied  art  subjects 
in  Stockliolm  and  literary  and 
medical  subjects  in  Goteborg.  He 
arrived  in  Chicago  in  the  spring  of 
i88(>,  resuming  medical  stuiiies  in 
various  hospitals  and  at  the  Chi- 
cago Homeopathic  Medical  College, 
which  he  entered  in  iSSij.  The 
following  years  u|>  to  his  gradua- 


Chicago 


265 


tion  in   1892  he    spent    as   interne 
in  liospitals  in  Chicago. 

In   1893   he  went  abroad  to  tlie 
European  medical  centers  to  coni- 


NILS    BERGMAN 

plete  his  medical  education.  Dur- 
ing that  year  he  studied  in  Lon- 
don, Berlin,  Vienna  and  elsewhere. 

During  his  European  sojourn 
he  was  married  in  Florence,  Italj-, 
to  Miss  Tekla  E.  Bjorkman, 
daughter  of  C.  A.  and  Helena 
Bjorkman.  Thej^  now  have  two 
children,  Xorna  and  Eric,  two 
having  died  at  a  tender  age. 

After  returning  to  the  States, 
Dr.  Bergman  moved  to  Dwight, 
111.,  and  settled  down  to  practice. 
In  November,  1900,  he  removed 
to  Joliet,  and  in  the  summer  of 
1904  he  returned  to  Chicago, 
where  he  is  now  practicing,  with 
office  at  319  Winthrop  ave. 

Dr.  Bergman  belongs  to  the 
church  of  the  New  Jerusalem, 
north  side  parish.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of    the  American    Institute  of 


Homeopathy,  the  Illitiois  Homeop- 
athic Medical  As.sociation,  and 
other  professional  organizations. 
He  is  a  member  of  Ashlar  Lodge 
No.  308,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  Dr. 
Bergman  was  assistant  house  phy- 
sician at  the  Lincoln  Park  Sani- 
tarium and  Hospital  18.S9-93  and 
is  now  connected  with  the  Hering 
Homeopathic  Medical  College  as 
professor  and  lecturer  in  theory 
of  practice,  the  appointment  dat- 
ing from   1904. 


C.  A.  TIDEN 

was  born  in  Solleftea,  Anger- 
manland,  Sweden,  on  June  15, 
1850.  At  the  age  of  .seventeen 
years  he  began  to  learn  the  watch- 
maker's trade  with  Alfred    Gron- 


C.    A.   TIMEN 

lund  in  Sundsvall.  After  his  ap- 
prenticeship was  over  he  went  to 
Goteborg  and  was  emplo3-ed  four 
years  by  C.  L.  Malmsjo.  From 
there  he  returned  to  Northern 
Sweden  and  then  went    to    Stock- 


266 


Cook  County 


holm  where  he  was  in  the  service 
of  J.  W.  Gronback.  In  1879  he 
made  a  tour  of  Denmark  and 
Germany  and  continued  his  jour- 
ney until  he  landed  in  New  York 
in  the  latter  part  of  May,  1879. 
After  a  few  months  he  came  to 
Chicago  where  he  has  since  been 
located  with  the  exception  of 
three  years  sf)ent  in  Milwaukee, 
Wis.  Mr.  Tiden  was  seven  years 
in  the  employ  of  J.  S.  Townsend, 
1554  Wabash  ave.  He  sub.se- 
quentl\-  served  ten  years  with  the 
C.  D.  Peacock  jewelrj'  house. 
In  1900  he  obtained  a  position  as 
watchmaker  with  Spaulding  &  Co., 
corner  Jackson  and  State  streets, 
which  position  he  still  retains. 


CARL  M.  ALLSTROM 

was  born  Oct.    18,    1833,    in    Fel- 
lingsbro    parish,    Nerike,  Sweden. 


In  1870  he  came  to  America. 
In  the  city  of  Chicago  he  has 
has  served  as  clerk  in  the  Chicago 
Post-office  and  in  the  Newberry 
Library. 

After  making  researches  for  nine 
years  he  completed  a  genealogj-  of 
all  the  royal  houses  of  Eurof)e 
from  the  earliest  down  to  the 
present  time.  The  title  of  the 
book  is  "Dictionary  of  Royal 
Lineage,"  and  it  was  published 
in  1904,  in  two  volumes,  a  second 
edition  coming  out  in   1907. 

In  1873  Mr.  Allstrom  was  wed- 
ded to  Miss  Olivia  Mathilda  Sund- 
holm,  born  in  1854  at  Ofverum, 
Sweden.  They  have  five  children, 
of  whom  one  daughter,  Delia,  was 
married  in  1903,  to  Rev.  Wilmot 
Colsom  Stone  of  Newport  News, 
\'a.;  a  son,  Oliver,  who  married 
Sarah  Davis  from  Wales,  England, 
in  1904,  is  a  p)oet,  having  had  a 
book  of  poems  published  under 
the  title,  "Chords  from  a  Strange 
Lyre."  Their  other  children  are 
James,  Anna   and  Alice. 


CAKI.    .MACNUS  AI.LSTRDM 

He  attended  school  at  Orebro  and 
Upsala. 


GUSTAF  BERGSTROM 

was  born  in  Ronneby,  Blekinge, 
Sweden,  Sept.  18,  1863.  Emigrat- 
ing from  Sweden  he  came  directly 
to  Chicago,  arriving  here  in  the 
latter  part  of  April,    1886. 

He  enteretl  the  custom  vest 
manufacturing  trade  and  learned  it 
thoroughl> .  Then,  in  1895,  Mr. 
Bergstroni  embarked  in  business 
for  him.self  as  a  custom  vest  maker 
and  has  since  continued  in  that 
line  with  success. 


Chicago 


267 


His    large    establishment,    with 


GUSTAF   BERGSTROM 

its    hundred    busy  workers,  is    lo- 
cated at   157  Gault  court. 


JOHN  G.  PRINCELL 

is  one  of  the  eminent  figures  in 
the  so-called  Free  Church  move- 
ment, whose  adherents  are  gener- 
ally known  as  Mission  Friends. 
Moreover,  he  is  the  virtual  foun- 
der of  that  branch  of  the  Mission 
Church  known  as  the  Swedish 
Evangelical  Free  Mission,  in  con- 
tradistinction to  the  other  groups 
of  Mission  churches,  known  as 
the  Mission  Covenant  and  the 
Swedish  Cong^egationalists.  The 
part  Princell  has  pla3'ed  as  a 
churchman  having  been  dealt  with 
under  its  proper  head  in  the  his- 
torical part  of  the  present  work, 
this  sketch  is  confined  to  the  per- 
sonal features  of  his  eventful 
career. 

John    Gustaf    Princell  was  born 
in  Tolg  parish,  Smaland,  Sweden, 


Sept.  18,  1845.  In  July,  1856, 
he  came  with  his  parents  to  this 
country.  After  a  stay  of  a  year 
and  three  months  in  Chicago,  the 
family  removed  to  Princeton,  III., 
where  they  lived  for  eiglu  years. 
In  the  fall  of  1862,  Princell, 
then  a  youth  of  .seventeen,  went 
to  Chicago  to  enter  the  theolog- 
ical seminary  maintained  by  the 
Augustana  Synod.  This  step  was 
taken  in  connection  with  his  spir- 
itual regeneration,  which  took 
place  the  same  year.  He  preached 
his  first  .sermon  on  the  last  Sun- 
day of  the  },ear  in  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Princeton. 
Shortly    after    his    arrival  in  Chi- 


lOHN   GUST.\F    PRINXELL 

cago  he  undertook  to  teach  a  class 
of  boys  in  the  Sunday  school  of 
the  Immanuel  Church.  With  his 
pupils,  who  were  almost  his  own 
age,  he  succeeded  remarkably  well, 
and  as  a  re.sult  he  was  frequently 
asked  to  preach  or  to  read  from 
the     pulpit    sermons    by    Luther, 


268 


Cook  County 


Rambach  and  others.  Upon  the 
removal  of  the  school  to  Paxton, 
Princell  continued  his  studies  there 
up  to  the  spring  of  1867,  when  he 
obtained  a  situation  in  the  busi- 
ness office  of  Hcmla7idct  and  the 
Lutheran  Publication  Society  in 
Chicago.  At  New  Year's,  1869, 
he  became  associate  editor  of  the 
paper.  He  soon  abandoned  this 
work  owing  to  weak  ej-es,  and 
in  the  fall  of  that  3-ear  he  took 
up  studies  at  the  old  Chicago 
University',  continuing  until  the 
following  summer,  meanwhile  sup- 
plying the  pulpit  of  the  Salem 
Church.  From  the  fall  of  1870 
to  the  spring  of  1872  he  pursued 
studies  at  the  German-American 
Lutheran  theological  seminarj-  in 
Pliiladelphia.  After  graduating 
from  the  latter  institution,  he  was 
ordained  bj'  the  Pennsylvania  Mi- 
nisterium  in  May,  1872,  and  ac- 
cepted a  call  from  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  in  Canipello, 
^Liss.  Besides  his  duties  in  that 
field,  he  carried  on  mission  work 
in  Boston,  preaching  there  every 
Siniday  evening.  In  Januarj',  1873, 
he  a.ssumed  charge  of  the  Guslaf 
Adolf  Church  in  New  York  City, 
where  he  labored  until  the  spring 
of  1879.  Both  of  these  fields  he 
had  visited  frequently  while  a 
student  at  Philadelphia. 

At  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Augustana  Synod  in  1878,  Rev. 
Princell  was  suspended  from  the 
ministry  for  teachings  at  var- 
iance with  I  lie  Lutheran  iloclrine 
of  vicarious  atonement.  As  early 
as  the  later  '60s  he  had  come  into 
intimate  contact  with  the  Mission 


Friends  in  Chicago  and  in  1S77 
had  wholly  endorsed  the  doctrine 
of  atonement,  as  taught  by  Wal- 
denstrom, which  had  created  a 
schism  and  defection  in  the  Luth- 
eran State  Church  of  Sweden. 
Later  he  also  accepted  the  prin- 
ciple to  admit  to  membership  in 
in  the  church  or  participation  in 
the  communion  only  such  persons 
as  confessed  actual  conversion. 

The  suspension  was  for  one 
year,  or  until  the  next  synodical 
meeting.  Princell,  however,  con- 
tinued in  charge  of  his  church, 
maintaining  that  as  no  notice  or 
warning  had  been  given  the  action 
was  illegal,  and,  furthermore,  that 
as  his  church  was  not  an  integral 
part  of  the  synod,  it  had  no  weight. 
The  congregation  was  content  to 
have  him  remain  as  its  pastor.  At 
the  New  Year's  meeting  of  the 
church,  a  resolution  embodying 
Princell's  idea  of  reform  in  the 
matter  of  members  and  communi- 
cants was  submitted  and  carried. 
But  at  an  adjourned  n.eeling  held 
a  month  later  the  same  resolution 
was  reconsidered  and  voted  down 
by  about  70  votes  to  35.  Rev. 
Princell  was  invited  to  retain  his 
position  under  the  old  order  of 
things,  but  this  he  would  not  do, 
so  he  resigned.  When  he  left  the 
church  three  months  later,  42  of  its 
mtnibers  deteimined  to  withdraw, 
and  27  of  these,  with  the  ]iastor, 
organized  the  Belhesda  Church  in 
Brooklyn  on  March  5.  This  action 
marked  the  actual  withdrawal  of 
Rev.  Princell  from  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Augustana  Synod,  nl- 
tlioiigh  he  did  not  preach  his  fare- 


Chicago 


269 


well  sermon  until  two  months 
later. 

He  labored  in  Brooklyn  and 
New  York  that  spring,  also  visit- 
ing Canipello,  where  the  pulpit 
had  been  vacated  and  a  defection 
was  going  on.  Shortly  afterward 
Princell  was  called  to  the  regular 
Lutheran  pastorate  in  Campello 
and  removed  there  just  before 
making  a  summer  visit  to  Sweden. 
On  tiie  first  Sunday  after  his  re- 
turn in  October  he  was  forbidden 
the  pulpit  and  immediately  re- 
paired to  a  hall,  where  the  free 
brethren  met.  Thus,  in  an  irreg- 
ular manner  the  call  was  with" 
drawn.  Princell  continued  to 
preach  alternate  weeks  to  the  sep- 
arated groups  in  Campello-Boston 
and  New  York-Brooklyn  until  the 
summer  of   18S0. 

In  the  meantime  two  calls  had 
been  extended  to  him — one  from 
the  Tabernacle  Mission  Church  in 
Minneapolis,  the  other  from  Ans- 
garius  College  of  Knoxville,  111., 
then  under  the  control  of  an  in- 
dependent association.  The  latter 
he  accepted,  continuing  at  the 
head  of  this  school  until  1884, 
when,  owing  to  the  dissolution  of 
the  Ansgarius  Synod,  the  institu- 
tion ceased  to  exist.  Thereupon 
he  was  editor  of  Chkago-Bladet 
for  five  years.  In  the  fall  of  1889 
he  began  publishing  a  religious 
monthly  entitled  Friliet  och  Frid , 
dividing  his  time  between  that 
publication  and  the  vocation  of  a 
traveling  evangelist.  In  1892  the 
magazine  was  discontinued,  Prin- 
cell pursuing  mission  work  exclu- 
sively until    1894.     Then,   for  two 


years,  he  was  pastor  of  the  Free 
Mission  Church  in  Miinieapolis, 
but  was  compelled  to  al)andon  pas- 
toral work  owing  to  defective 
hearing. 

When  a  Bible  Institute  was 
opened  in  1S97,  under  the  aus- 
pices of  the  Free  Mission,  at  Oak 
St.  Mission  Hall  in  Chicago,  Prin- 
cell was  engaged  as  the  principal 
lecturer,  and  is  still  continuing  in 
this  work. 

Rev.  Princell  is  a  scholarly  gen- 
tleman, who  spends  a  large  part 
of  his  time  in  his  own  well-stocked 
library.  Besides  his  voluminous 
contributions  to  the  columns  of 
C/iicago-Bladet,  he  has  written  a 
History  of  the  Jews  (688  pp.)  and 
translated  into  English  .several  of 
P.  Waldenstrom's  writings,  viz., 
"Jesu  blod,"  "Forsoningens  betj*- 
delse"  and  "Herren  ar  from."  It 
should  be  added  that  Mrs.  Prin- 
cell, who  is  a  woman  of  literan,- 
talent,  has  proved  an  efficient  help- 
meet to  her  husband  in  his  re- 
ligious and  educational  work  as 
well  as  his   literary  pursuits. 

Rev.  Princell  is  a  forceful  public 
speaker  and  is  generally  accorded 
a  place  among  the  foremost  Swed- 
ish-American pulpit  orators  and 
Bible  exponents. 


O.  NELSON  VERENIUS 
was  born  in  Sweden,  June  25, 
1S76.  He  came  to  America  in 
October,  1899,  and  lived  in  Oak- 
land, Cal.,  from  1899  until  1901. 
In  September  of  that  year  he  be- 
gan studying  at  North  Park  Col- 
lege, and  is  a  graduate  of  its 
divinity     school.       Having      been 


270 


Cook  County 


ordained  to  the  ministry  he  as- 
sumed the  pastorate  of  the  Swed- 
ish Mission  Church  of  the  East 
Side  Station,  South  Chicago. 


O.   NELSON    VERENirS 

In  1906,  he  withdrew  from  his 
church  and  in  June,  1907,  was 
ordained  as  minister  in  the  Au- 
gustana  Synod.  Rev.  Mr.  Veren- 
ius  is  pastor  of  the  First  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  at  Racine,  Wis. 

Oct.  12,  1904,  lie  was  married 
to  Miss  Marie  Sorlie  from  Sioux 
City,  Iowa.  She  graduated  from 
the  music  department  of  North 
Park  College. 

ALFRED  A.  NORTON 
was  born  on  his  father's  farm  in 
the  province  of  Vermland,  Swe- 
den, and  came  to  the  United 
Slates  in  the  year  1886.  He  at- 
tended the  Central  High  School 
in  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  and  sub- 
sequently entered  the  Univer- 
sity of  Minnesota,  graduating  with 
the  degree  of  Hachelor  of  Science 
in    1897  and  with  that   of     bache- 


lor of  Laws  two  years  later  from 
the  law  department  of  the  same 
institution.  In  1902,  Mr.  Norton 
opened  an  office  in  Chicago  and 
has  been  engaged  in  the  practice 
of  law  here  since  that  time.  His 
])resent  office  is  at  1518  Ashland 
Block. 

Mr.  Norton  is  well-known  in 
Swedish  fraternal  circles,  being  a 
member  of  the  King  Oscar  lodge, 
A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  the  John  Erics.son 
lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  and  of  the 
Nore  lodge  of  the  Independent 
Order  of    Svithiod. 

He  is  affiliated  with  tlie  People's 
Liberal  Church  of  Englewood. 
For  several  years  past,  Mr.  Nor- 
ton has  taken    an    active    interest 


Al.l-'KHli  A    NOKTON 

in  the  work  toward  the  support 
of  the  Swedish  Old  reojile's  Home 
at  Park  Ridge,  and  he  is  now 
vice-president  of  the  Swedish  So- 
cieties' Central  AssiK'iation,  the 
organization  by  whicli  that  insti- 
tution  is  maintainetl. 


Chicago 


271 


JOSEPHINE  PRINCELL 

was    born    in    Ranea,    Norrbotten, 
Sweden,    C^ct.    12,    1844.      She    is 


JOSEPHINE  PRIXCELL 

the  daughter  of  C.  A.  Lind,  who 
was  an  officer  in  the  Swedish  ar- 
m}',  and  his  wife,  Johanna  Larson, 
both  deceased.  She  attended  a 
private  school  for  girls  in  Stock- 
holm, and  later  completed  the 
course  of  studies  at  the  Royal 
Seminary  for  the  training  of 
teachers  for  higher  schools  for  girls. 
Having  graduated  in  1864,  she 
taught  for  nine  years  in  a  public 
school  in  Stockholm. 

In  1873  she  came  to  the  United 
States  for  the  purpose  of  studying 
the  American  public  school  S3-stem. 
She  vi.sited  Boston,  New  York 
and  Philadelphia,  subsequently  re- 
porting her  observations  to  the 
board  of  public  schools  of  Stock- 
holm, her  report  appearing  in  one 
of  the  principal  newspapers  of 
Sweden . 


She  remained  in  the  I'nited 
States  on  a  two  years'  leave  of 
ab.sence,  and  then  resigned  her 
teacher's  position  in  Stockholm  to 
settle  in  Boston.  There  .she  mar- 
ried Rev.  J.  G.  Princell  and  af- 
terward followed  her  husband  to 
New  York  City,  where  h«  had 
pastoral  charge  of  the  Gu.staf 
Adolf   Swedish   Lutheran  Church. 

When,  in  1880,  Rev.  Princell 
accepted  the  presidency  of  Ans- 
garius  College  at  Knoxville,  111., 
Mrs.  Princell  resumed  her  former 
vocation  and  taught  both  English 
and  Swedish  branches.  Four  years 
later  Rev.  Princell  accepted  the 
position  of  editor  of  Chicago-Dla- 
d(i,  owned  and  published  by  John 
Martenson  of  Chicago,  and  his 
wife  then  became  a  regular  con- 
tributor to  that  paper.  Among 
her  contributions  were  a  "History 
of  the  Martj-rs,"  which  was  pub- 
lished serially  in  weekly  install- 
ments for  more  than  fourteen 
years,  also  notes  on  the  Sunday 
school  lessons,  which  are  still  con- 
tinued. 

Mrs.  Princell  is  a  member  of 
the  Women's  Christian  Temper- 
ance Union  since  1890,  having  re- 
ceived her  impetus  to  that  work 
during  her  residence  in  Evanston, 
where  she  formed  the  personal 
acquaintance  of  Miss  Frances  Wil- 
lard.  For  many  years  Mrs.  Prin- 
cell was  actively  engaged  as  lect- 
urer and  organizer  for  the  union 
among  her  countrj-men  in  the 
Northwestern  states. 

After  the  removal  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Princell  from  Minnesota, 
where  they  resided  for  nine  years 


272 


Cook    County 


or  up  to  eight  years  ago,  she  re- 
signed her  position  as  lecturer  and 
organizer,  but  continues  as  assist- 
ant national  sujierintendent  of 
work  among  the  Scandinavians. 

For  the  past  two  jears  Mrs. 
Princell  has  been  a  contributor  to 
Kvitntan  oc/i  Haiiiiicl,  a  woman's 
home  magazine,  published  in  Ce- 
dar Rapids,  Iowa.  For  a  number 
of  years  past  she  has  edited  and 
published  a  Christmas  annual  in 
book  form,  entitled  Skogsb/oDiiiior, 
which  is  now  circulated  in  about 
3,000  copies  per  year. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  and  Mrs 
Princell  took  place  Sept.  18,  1876. 
Of  five  sons  born  to  them,  four 
are  living.  The  eldest,  Gustave 
Adolph,  born  1877,  died  in  1900 
from  a  disease  contracted  during 
military  service  in  the  Philippines, 
where  he  was  a  corporal  of  the 
13th  Minnesota  Volunteers.  The 
children  now  living  are  Joseph 
Carl,  born  1S80,  married  to  Kllen 
Fredeen  of  Miiuieapolis;  John 
Magnus,  born  1882,  married  to 
Ethel  Currie  of  Merriam  Park, 
Minn.;  Paul  Peter,  born  1885,  and 
Bennie  Htrman,  born   1887. 


CLARENCE  S.  ONGMAN 

was  born  May  31,  1873,  in  St. 
Paul,  Minn.,  where  he  obtained  a 
public  school  education.  Later  he 
moved  to  Pliiladelphia,  where  he 
continued  his  studies  at  Temple 
College.  Mr.  Ongnian  went  to 
Sweden  in  1890,  where  he  studied 
under  a  private  tutor  and  after- 
wards took  a  course  at  tlie  Tecli- 
nical    School    of    Orebro.     He    re- 


turned to  America  in  1893  and 
during  the  World's  Fair  was  a 
corresiX)ndent  for  a  number  of 
leading  Swedish  newspapers.  Up- 
on the  advice  of  Mr.  John  L.  Stod- 


CLAKENCE  SHELUO.N   ONGMAN 

dard  and  Col.  Russell  H.  Conwell 
he  began  to  prepare  for  the  lecture 
platform  in  1896  and  has  since 
become  a  lecturer  of  some  prom- 
inence. 

In  1S97  Mr.  Ongman  went  to 
Cuba  under  the  auspices  of  the 
Ladies'  Cuban  Aid  Society  of 
Pliiladelpiiia,  his  purpose  being  to 
study  the  political  as  well  as  the 
social  conditions  of  the  island. 
I'pon  his  return  to  America  Mr. 
Ongman  gave  a  series  of  interest- 
ing lectures  anent  his  impressions 
of  Cuba,  which  were  very  well 
received.  He  illustrated  his  lect- 
ures with  stereopticon  views. 

The  titles  of  some  of  his  lectures 
follow:  "Sweden,  the  Land  of  tlie 
Midni)^ht  Sun,"  "Washington,  our 
National  Capital,"  "The   Siege  of 


Chicago 


273 


Pekin,"    and    "The    Lutherans  in 
America." 

Of  late  Mr.  Ongman  ha.s  aban- 
doned the  lecture  platform  and  is 
at  work  in  the  engineering  depart- 
ment of  the  citj'  of  Chicago. 


WILLIAM    WESTERLUND 

was  born  in  Orion,   111.,  Nov.    14, 
1863.     His    father,   Peter   Wester- 


WILLIAM   WESTERLUND 

lund,  came  to  Henry  county  as  a 
boy  of  thirteen,  in  1850.  William 
attended  the  Orion  high  school 
and  later  the  Davenport  Business 
College,  Davenport,  Iowa.  After 
returning  to  Orion  he  became  city 
clerk  and  a  justice  of  the  peace. 
In  1882  he  founded  the  Bank  of 
Orion  and  was  its  cashier  for  ten 
years,  or  until  it  was  merged  with 
the  State  Bank  of  Orion. 

In  1896  Mr.  Westerlund  moved 
to  Chicago  to  take  advantage  of 
the  greater  business  opportunities 
offered  in  the  metropolis  of  the 
West.     For    several   vears  he  was 


identified  with  colonization  work 
in  Te.xas  and  Alabama.  In  1904 
he  began  handling  lands  in  the 
Pacific  Northwest  and  in  Nebras- 
ka, and  was  special  land  and  im- 
migration agent  for  the  Northwest 
for  the  L'nion  Pacific  and  South- 
ern Pacific  Railroads.  Shortly  af- 
ter he,  with  his  brother,  John  A. 
Westerlund,  organized  the  West- 
ern Oregon  Orchard  Company,  a 
co-operative  fruit-raising  associa- 
tion, which  is  developing  hund- 
reds of  acres  of  orchard  land  near 
Medford,  Ore.,  and  he  is  now 
treasurer  of  the  company. 

Mr.  Westerlund  is  married  to 
Miss  Minnie  Samuelson,  daughter 
of  Carl  Magnus  Samuelson,  who 
settled  in  Henry  county.  111.,  in 
the  '50s.  Mrs.  Westerlund,  like 
her  sister,  Mrs.  Hannah  Butler, 
is  a  gifted  singer,  who  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  has  been  a  soloist  in 
various  churches.  The  date  of 
their  marriage  was  Maj-  28,  1891. 
Their  children  are  Marjorie,  Lillian 
and  Florence. 

The  family  attends  the  August- 
ana  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in 
Hyde  Park,  where  Mr.  Wester- 
lund is  a  trustee. 


PEHR  W.  NILSSON 
was  born  Jan.  23,  1853,  in  Esphult, 
Skane,  Sweden.  He  came  with 
his  parents  to  America,  landing 
June  8,  1866.  After  taking  a 
course  of  studies  at  the  law  school 
of  Lake  Forest  University,  he  be- 
gan the  practice  of  law.  Mr.  Nils- 
son  was  deputy  Circuit  Court  clerk 
for  four  }-ears  and  was  assistaut 
city  prosecuting  attorney    of    Chi- 


274 


Cook  County 


cago    for    five  years,  having    been      this    country    enjoyed    a    general 
appointed    during    Mayor    Harri-     education    in    the   public   schools. 


son's  administration. 


PEHR    W.   NILSSON 

Mr.  Nilsson  has  never  belonged 
to  the  Republican  party,  but 
claims  credit  for  prompting  the 
recognition  of  his  fellow  coiuitry- 
nien  by  that  party.  In  the  early 
eighties  Mr.  Nilsson,  with  a  hand- 
ful of  Swedish  Democrats,  made 
a  stir  which  caused  the  Republi- 
can press  to  inquire  whether  the 
Swedes  were  deserting  the  Repub- 
lican partj-  and  turning  Demo- 
crats. 

Mr.  Nilsson  has  been  secretary 
and  president  of  the  Swedi.sh  Old 
Settlers'  Association  of  Chicago. 
He  belongs  to  the  Protected  Home 
Circle  and  the  Foresters. 

FREDKRICK  LUNDIN 

was  born  May  i8,  1868,  in  Vestra 
Tollstad  jiarish,  Ostergotland, 
Sweden.  He  came  with  his  ])ar- 
enls  to  Chicago  in     187S,    and    in 


Mr.  Lundin's  successful  career 
in  business  as  a  manufacturer, 
and  in  politics  as  state  senator, 
was  preceded  in  his  early  years 
by  the  hardships  and  struggles 
common  to  most  immigrants  who 
come  to  this  land  of  promise 
empty  of  hand  and  pocket.  Be- 
ginning literally  at  the  bottom, 
he  was  at  first  a  newsboy  and 
bootblack,  then  was  employed  in 
a  clothing  house  in  Chicago. 
Here  he  was  soon  advanced  to  be 
salesman. 

He  and  his  brother,  in  1SS9, 
began  the  manufacture  of  a 
beverage  much  in    favor    and    ex- 


FREIiKKICK    H'NDIN 

tensively  used  in  Sweilcn.  Suc- 
cess crowned  their  efTorls  and 
soon  the  i)usiness  reachetl  such 
proiwrtions  that  it  was  found 
necessary  to  invest  more  cajiital, 
anil  a(.-cor(liugl\-  the  firm  of  I,un- 
din  and  Co.    was    incorjioratcil    in 


Chicago 


January,  1894.  With  a  working 
capital  of  $100,000  it  was  possible 
to  do  business  on  a  large  scale. 
The  Juniperade  put  out  by  the 
firm  has  Ijeen  extensively  adver- 
tised and  is  at  present  sold  to 
almost  every  part  of  the  civilized 
world.  Lundin  and  Company's 
office  and  laboratory  are  at  2443- 
2447  W.  Kinzie  St.,  where,  be- 
sides Juniperade,  several  other 
preparations  and  family  remedies 
are  compounded,  ; 

In  1894,  Mr.  Ivundin  was  ch(i^ph 
state  senator  of  Illinois  with  a 
large  majority  over  his  Democratic 
opponent.  He  has  always  been  k 
stanch  adherent  of  the  Republican 
party. 


OSCAR  E.  WESTERBERG 


was     born 
Rosenborg, 


July     13, 
Vermland, 


1875, 
where 


in 
his 


OSCAR   E.  WESTERBERG 

father,  Carl  P.  Westerberg,  is  a 
farmer.  He  attended  public  school 
in  Sweden  and  came    to   America 


275 

in  1892.  On  coming  to  Chicago, 
Mr.  Oscar  Westerberg  successfully 
engaged  in  the  coal  business.  At 
present  he  and  his  partner,  F. 
Nelson,  deal  in  coal  and  do  fur- 
niture moving.  They  transact 
business  under  the  firm  name  of 
Nelson  and  Westerberg,  at  3569 
N.   Clark  St. 

Mr.  Westerberg  belongs  to  the 
Swedi.sh  Methodist  Church  and  is 
a  member  of  the  Epworth 
League. 


FRED  H.  CARLSON 

was    born    May    9,    1867,     in 
Swedish  city  of    Jonkoping. 


the 
His 


FRED  H.   CARLSDN 

father,  Johan  Carlson,  now  de- 
ceased, was  a  glove  manufacturer, 
from  whom  the  son  learned  the 
trade.  He  later  emigrated  to 
America,  in  June,  18S3,  landing 
at  Boston,  from  whence  he  came 
on  to  Chicago  directly.  After 
working  in  several  factories  he 
engaged  in  the  glove  manufactur- 


276 


Cook  County 


ing  business  with  C.  Skoglof. 
The  firm  makes  fine  kid  gloves 
for  the  trade  and  is  said  to  own 
the  largest  ladies'  and  gents'  kid 
glove  factory  between  New  York 
and  San  Francisco,  employing  over 
fifty  workmen.  The  business  office 
is  at  271   E.   Madison  st. 

Mr.  Carlson  resides  at  1083 
Winona  St.,  Argyle,  with  his 
family,  consisting  of  wife  and 
three  children,  Julia  Carolina  He- 
lena, born  March  11,  1894,  Hil- 
ding  Fred,  born  June  14,  1900, 
and  Theodor  Wilhelm,  born  May 
ID,  1905.  Mrs.  Carlson  was  Ca- 
roline Olsen,  born  Nov.  23,  1870, 
daughter  of  Johan  Olsen.  The 
marriage  took  place  May  6,  1893. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carlson  are  Luther- 
ans. 


of  Music,  where  he  has  been  en- 
gaged as  instructor  after  his 
graduation.     Mr.    Nelson  also  has 


CARL  OSCAR  NELSON 

was  born  in  Chicago  Sept.  2, 
1886.  His  father  is  Police  Officer 
Olof  Nelson  of  the  Attrill  street 
station  and  his  mother  is  Mary, 
n^e  Olson. 

Carl  learned  to  play  a  toy 
violin  given  him  when  he  was  six 
years  old.  Before  he  was  thirteen 
he  had  made  two  violins  with 
his  own  hands,  using  a  pocket 
knife  for  a  tool.  His  first  music 
teacher  was  S.  A.  Hunt,  who 
added  him  to  his  Juvenile  Or- 
chestra. A  year  later  he  became 
the  leader  of  the  orchestra,  which 
is  still  under  his  director.ship. 
At  that  time  he  became  a  pupil 
of  the  late  Signer  Pascjuale  Ca- 
pone,  at  the  Chicago  Conservatory 


CARL   OSC.\R  .NELSON 

conducted  a  violin  school  on  the 
west  side. 

Mr.  Nelson  began  his  career  as 
a  concert  performer  when  a  mere 
bo}-,  attracting  considerable  at- 
tention on  account  of  his  precoc- 
ity, evincing  a  musical  talent 
above  the  ordinary  for  his  years. 
He  has  been  often  heard  at  con- 
certs and  public  entertainments 
in  Chicago  and  el.sewhere  in  the 
West. 

Mr.  Nelson  has  also  tried  his 
talent  at  composing,  two  of  his 
musical  compositions  being  en- 
titled. "The  Beautiful  Rose,"  and 
"Heaven's  Golden  Crown." 

l-k.\XK  A.  BERGMAN 

was  born  in  Arvika,  Vennland, 
Sweden,  Oct.  10,  1845.  His  father, 
who  was  a  master  shoemaker  in 
the  little  citv  above  named,  moved 


Chicago 


277 


to  America  in  1852,  and  three 
years  later  sent  for  his  family. 
They    went    first  to    Detroit,  then 


FRA.NK   A.    BERGMAN 

to  Chicago,  and  finally  located  in 
Red  Wing,  Minn.,  then  a  frontier 
village.  At  the  outbreak  of  the 
Civil  War,  the  elder  Bergman  en- 
listed and  went  to  fight  for  the 
Union  cause.  In  the  meantime 
new  calls  for  volunteers  were  is- 
sued, and  Frank  Bergman,  then 
only  sixteen  years  old,  enlisted  in 
a  company  formed  at  Fort  Snelling. 
This  company-  did  not  then  get  an 
opportunity  to  fight  the  rebels, 
however,  but  was  eraploj-ed  in  a 
campaign  against  the  Indians,  who 
had  just  made  an  uprising  in  the 
Northwest,  and  the  actual  hard- 
ships and  privations  incident  to 
military  life  were  perhaps  no  le.ss 
here.  He  continued  doing  mili- 
tary service  until  November,  1865, 
when  his  father,  who  in  the  mean- 
time had  returned  home  from  the 
war,  and  disapproved  of  his  son's 


enlistment,  secured  his  di.scharge 
on  the  ground  that  he  was  a  mi- 
nor. Later  the  young  soldier  or- 
ganized a  company  of  state  troops, 
of  which  he  was  chosen  a  lieu- 
tenant. 

In  1865  Mr.  Bergman  came  to 
Chicago  and  began  to  work  as  a 
tinner,  and  four  \ears  later  started 
a  business  of  his  own  in  that  line, 
under  the  firm  name  of  F.  A. 
Bergman  &  Co.  In  1876  he  en- 
tered into  partnership  with  E.  T. 
Mason.  The  business  was  con- 
siderably enlarged,  and  the  name 
of  the  firm  changed  to  E.  T.  Ma- 
son &  Co.  They  continued  a 
steadily  growing  business,  until 
1900,  when  the  tin  can  depart- 
ment was  sold  to  the  American 
Can  Companj-,  otherwise  known 
as  the  "Tin  Can  Trust." 

In  1869  Mr.  Bergman  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Elizabeth  F.  Ma.son, 
sister  of  his  business  partner.  They 
have  had  ten  children,  of  whom 
three  sons  and  two  daughters  are 
still  living.  The  three  sons  are 
in  business  with  their  father  at 
193  W.  2ist  St.  in  the  manufac- 
ture of  ice  cream  freezers,  .self- 
heating  sad  irons  and  sheet  metal 
specialties.  One  of  the  daughters, 
Marie  Louise  Bergman,  who  has 
a  beautiful  soprano  voice,  has  stud- 
ied in  London  with  prominent 
English  teachers  for  two  years 
and  later  in  Paris  under  Sbrilja 
and  other  noted  instructors. 

Mr.  Bergman,  formerK'  a  Luth- 
eran, is  now  a  member  of  the 
Ethical  Culture  Society  of  Chica- 
go, of  which  organization  he  has 
served  as  a  trustee.     He   has  also 


278 


Cook  County 


been    treasurer    of    Home    Lodge,  mac  ave.  which  is  still  being  suc- 

Xo.  416,   I.  O.  O.   F.,    and    held  cessfully  operated  by  him. 
other    responsible  positions  in  the  Mr.     Berg    is     a      member      of 

order. 


AMANDUS  N.  ANDERSON 

BENGT  S.   ANDERSON 

Mr.  Amandus  N.  Anderson  was 
born  in  Brusarp,  Nottja  parish, 
Kronoberg  Ian,  Sweden.  He  con- 
ducts a  coal  and  expressing  busi- 
ness at  1421-1425  Belmont  ave., 
together  with  his  brother,  Bengt 
S.  Anderson.  Mr.  Anderson  is 
married  to  Mamie  E.  Newman. 
They  have  two  daughters,  Hazel 
Lillian  and  Bernice  Ellen. 

Mr.  Bengt  Salomon  Anderson, 
also  born  in  Brusarp,  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  in  1888,  two 
years  later  than  his  brother,  and 
located  in  Chicago,  later  forming 
the  firm  of  Anderson  Brothers. 
He  is  married  to  Miss  Hannah 
C.   E.   Anderson. 


ANDREW  GUSTAF  BERG 

was  born  in  Ostergotland,  Swe- 
den, Feb.  19,  1859,  and  came  to 
this  country  in  June,  1.S79.  He 
located  at  Perth  Amboy,  N.  J., 
then  at  Worcester,  Mass.,  and 
finall>  came  to  Chicago.  Like 
most  newly  arrived  foreigners,  he 
had  little  or  no  money  and  at 
first  had  to  work  very  hard  for 
low  wages  as  helper  in  a  rolling 
mill.  Thereafter  he  hail  a  flour 
and  feed  store  for  seven  years, 
and  later  started  a  grocery  store 
and  meal   market  at    718    Wiune- 


AXDKEW  O.fSTAl-    BEKC. 

the  Swedish  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  and  a  trustee  of  his  con- 
gregation. He  has  also  served  as 
steward  of  the  church,  as  Sunday 
school  superintendent  and  class 
leader,  and  has  held  the  offices 
of  secretary,  third  vice-president, 
and  president  of  the  Epworth 
League.  He  was  chosen  delegate 
to  the  International  Conference 
of  the  Epworth  League  at  Chat- 
tanooga, Tenn.,  in    1897. 


EPHRALM  J.  SWANSON 

was  born  Jul\-  4,  1S74,  in  Stock- 
holm. His  father,  Pehr  Swanson, 
a  shoedealer,  removed  to  Upsala, 
where  the  boy  attended  school  and 
then  took  a  five  years'  course  in 
the  high  school.  He  later  studied 
tlic  art  of  decorating  under  Ed- 
ward Bergh  in  Stockholm.  In 
1 89 1      he    came    to    Chicago     to- 


Chicago 


279 


gether  with  the  family.  Here  he 
worked  for  John  A.  Thorsteiison, 
interior  decorator,  for  nine   j-ears, 


EPHRAIM  JOHANNES  SWANSOX 

and  thoroughly  learned  the  paint- 
ing trade  as  practiced  in  America. 
In  1900  the  E.  J.  Swanson  Co. 
was  formed,  with  Mr.  Swanson 
as  president.  He  has  a  well 
equipped  paint  store  and  shop  at 
1883  N.  Clark  st.  Mr.  Swanson 
has  had  many  contracts  for  work 
in  various  public  schools  and 
churches. 

Mr.  Swanson  was  married  Dec. 
17,  1898,  to  Miss  Helga  Goran- 
son,  daughter  of  Carl  Goranson 
of  Motala,  Sweden.  A  son,  Har- 
ry,   was  born  in   1900. 


CARL  GUSTAF  WALLIN 


was  born  in  Askerjd  parish,  Sma- 
land,  Sweden,  Feb.  17,  1863. 
He  came  to  Moline,  III.,  in  No- 
vember, 1 88 1.  Realizing  that  a 
business  education  would  prove 
invaluable     to     him,     he     took    a 


course  at  the    International    Busi-  : 
ne.ss  College  of   Davenport,    Iowa,   ' 
in    1885.     Subsequently  he  worked   | 
in     various     capacities      for    John  ] 
Deere  and    Co.,    of    Moline.     Mr.   | 
Wallin   went  to  Chicago  in    1893,   I 
and    engaged    in    the    real    estate   ' 
business.       He    was    one    of    the   ' 
founders    of    the    Swedish    Home   ' 
Building  Association    of    Chicago 
and  since  1897    has  been  its    sec-   ' 
retary.     He  still  continues  in  the 
real  estate  business  w-ith  office    at 
10 1   Washington  st.  | 

Mr.  Wallin  is  a  member  of  the   ' 
Zion    Swedish     Lutheran     church 


CARL  GUSTAF  WALLIN 

and  is  one  of  its  trustees.     He  is  an 
indef>endent  Republican  in  politics. 


GUSTAF  AARON  YOUNG, 

president  of  the  Swedish  Ev.  Free 
Mission  of  America,  was  born  in 
the  province  of  Vestergotland, 
Sweden,  May  27,  1S65.  He  spent 
his  early  days  working  on  his 
father's    farm,    until    1886,    when 


28o 


Cook   County 


he  emigrated.  After  a  short  stay 
in  Connecticut  he  left  for  the 
western     States.     In     August     of 


GUSTAH  AARON   V(jr.\(; 

that  year  he  preached  his  first 
sermon,  and  since  then  he  has 
proclaimed  the  Gospel  in  many 
of  the  stales  of  the  Union,  having 
had  charge  of  churches  and  mis- 
sions in  Kiron,  Iowa;  Salt  Lake 
City,  Utah;  East  Chain  Lakes, 
Minn.;  Kansas  City,  Missouri, 
and  Boone,  Iowa.  For  six  years 
Rev.  Young  was  pastor  of  the 
Oak  St.  Swedish  Mission  Church, 
Chicago.  In  February,  1907,  he  be- 
came pastor  of  the  Englewood 
Swedish    Free    Church. 

Mr.  Young  has  had  no  college 
education,  but  is  a  gifted  and 
powerful  i)ublic  speaker,  is  natur- 
ally studious,  a  lover  of  l)ooks 
and  an  mitiring  worker. 

Besides  the  duties  of  his  own 
church,  Mr.  Young  takes  an 
active  part  in  other  branches  of 
the  mission  work,    both    at    home 


and  abroad.  He  has  for  several 
years  served  as  chairman  of  the 
Swedish  Ev.  Free  Mission  of  Amer- 
ica and  is  a  member  of  the  Board 
of  Directors  of  the  Scandinavian 
Alliance  Mission,  the  Canton  Mis- 
sion, the  Swedish  Bible  Institute 
of  Chicago,  and  has  held  other  of- 
fices of  a  similar  nature.  Rev. 
Young  is  the  author  of  "Hjalpreda 
for  Bibelskolan,"  a  Bil)lical  cate- 
chism. 

In  18S9  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Ida  C.  Isaacson,  an  Iowa 
school-teacher,  who  has  lieen  of 
immense  help  to  him  in  his 
church  work.  They  have  seven 
children,  viz.,  Eldon,  Edna,  Mil- 
dred, Blanche,  Russell.  Wilbur 
and  Rutherford. 

ANDREW  G.  WILLIN 

was  born  in  Kil  parish,  Yermland, 
Sweden,    Jan.     i,     1867.     Having 


ANUKKW   1'..    Wll.l.lN 

been     eihicated      in      the     Sweilish 
conin\on    school,   he  came  lo    Chi- 


Chicago 


cago  in  1887,  from  his  native 
place.  Since  1892  he  has  been  in 
business  for  himself  as  merchant 
tailor.  His  shop  is  at  1250  East 
Ravenswood  Park,  and  he  resides 
in  Ravenswood.  Mr.  Willin  is  a 
member  of  the  Apostolic  Church 
on  LaSalle  ave. 

GUSTAV  V.  VALENTINE 


was  born    Nov.   22, 
kervd,     Snialand, 


1863,     in 
Sweden. 


As- 
He 


GUST.\V   V.   V.ALE.XTlNIi 

emigrated  to  this  country  in  1870 
with  his  parents,  who  set- 
tled in  Moline,  111.  After  work- 
ing a  few  j-ears  in  the  John 
Deere  plow  works,  he  went  in 
1886  to  Minneapolis  and  associated 
himself  with  his  brother,  Carl 
Vallentin,  as  a  book  and  music 
dealer.  In  i8gi  he  removed  to 
Chicago  and  was  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  business  for  several 
years.  He  then  purcha.sed  from 
C.  A.  Devereaux  the  patent  for 
a     ladies'      dress     cutting     system 


281 

and  after  having  obtained  experi- 
ence, invented  an  original  system 
which  was  patented  in  1902. 
The  system  which  is  called 
Valentine's  New  Self-Calculating 
Ladies'  Tailoring  and  Dress  Cut- 
ting Sy.stem,  is  gaining  favor  with 
professional  and  amateur  dre.ss- 
niakers. 

Mr.  Valentine  conducts  two 
schools  of  cutting,  designing  and 
ladies'  tailoring, one  at  857  N.  Clark 
St.  and  another  at  86  State 
St.  A  number  of  schools  in 
various  parts  of  the  coxuitry  are 
using  the  \'alentine  system. 

In  1886  and  again  in  1893,  Mr. 
\'alentine  visited  the  mother  coini- 
try  and  other  parts  of  Europe. 

He  is  one  of  the  men  who  or- 
ganized the  Svea  Building  and 
Loan  Association,  and  has  served 
as  a  director  and  appraiser  of  the 
as.sociation. 


J.  ERNEST  REHNSTROM. 

doctor  of  dental  surgery,  was 
born  Feb.  15,  1874,  in  New  Swe- 
den, Iowa,  where  his  father,  the 
Rev.  John  E.  Rehnstrom,  was 
pastor  of  the  local  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church.  Dr.  Rehn- 
strom's  early  boyhood  was  spent 
at  Red  Oak,  Iowa.  In  1885  he 
removed  with  his  parents  to 
Alta,  Iowa,  where  he  attended 
high  school.  In  1888-S9  he 
studied  at  Gustavus  Adolphus 
College,  St.  Peter,  Minn.  In  the 
meantime  his  home  was  established 
at  Sioux  City,  Iowa.  Dr.  Rehn- 
strom graduated  from  the  com- 
mercial department  at    Augustana 


282 


Cook  County 


College  in  1893.  After  a  few 
years  spent  at  Sioux  City,  he 
took  a  course  at  the  Northwestern 


JOSEPH    ERNEST   KEHNSTROM 

Dental  School  and  received  his 
degree  in  1900.  Since  then  he 
has  practiced  his  profession  with 
office  at  445  N.  Clark  st.  Dr. 
Rehnstroni  is  on  the  staff  of  Au- 
gustana  Hospital  as  chief  of  the 
department  of  Dental  Surgery. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Illinois 
State  Dental  Society,  the  Chicago 
Odontographic  Society,  and  the 
Scandinavian  -  American  Dental 
Society. 

He  belongs  to  the  Immanuel 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 

Dr.  Rehnstroni  was  married  on 
June  26,  1907,  to  Julia  Augu.sta 
Eckholni. 


1870  he  emigrated  to  the  United 
States,  arriving  May  30.  For  a 
period  of  ten  years  he  was  occu- 
pied in  farming,  near  Galva,  111., 
and  Red  Wing.  Minn.  Mr.  Peter- 
son thereupon  became  a  salesman 
in  the  wholesale  house  of  Marshall 
Field  &  Co.,  Chicago.  Thi.s  posi- 
tion was  retained  from  1880  until 
1895.  He  then  engaged  in  the 
business  of  selling  Chicago  real 
estate  and  farm  lands  in  Minne- 
sota, Dakota,  Wisconsin  and  in 
the  Southern  states.  His  office 
is  at   163   Randolph  st. 

Being  active  in  politics,  Mr.  Pe- 
terson has  been  a  delegate  to  state 
and  county  conventions.  He  re- 
sides at  1 64 1  W.  Ravenswood  Pk., 
Chicago. 

Mr.  Peterson  affiliates  with  the 
Methodists     and     has     served     as 


JOHN  A.  PKTKRSON  j„„:,  ^,  petekson 

was  born  Feb.   18,   1848,  in  Gara-      trustee  and  secretary  of  that  lioard 
hof,   Byarum  parish,  Sweden.    He      j,,  j,;^  ^^^^  church, 
obtained  a  common  school    educa- 
tion   in    his    native    counlrv.       In 


ChicaiJfo 


283 


KARL  F.  OHLSON, 
for  several  years  pastor  of  the 
Swedish  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Mission  Church  on  the  north  side, 
was  born  May  3,  185S,  in  Mister- 
hult  parish,  Snialand,  Sweden. 
He  was  three  years  old  when 
his  father  met  his  death    by  acci- 


KARL   F.   OHLSON 

dent,  leaving  the  wife  and  mother 
in  destitution,  with  seven  children 
to  care  for,  ranging  in  age  from 
18  years  to  six  months.  The  sub- 
ject of  the  present  sketch  began 
his  schooling  at  five.  After  a  brief 
attendance  in  public  school  he  en- 
joyed free  instruction  for  several 
j'ears  as  a  companion  to  a  little 
girl,  for  whom  a  private  tutoress 
was  engaged.  With  the  promise 
of  support  from  a  number  of  char- 
itablj-  disposed  pensons,  the  boy 
was  later  sent  to  a  state  institu- 
tion in  Linkoping. 

After  his  conversion  at  the  age 
of  eighteen,  Ohlson  had  an  ear- 
nest desire  .to  become  a  mission- 
ary to  the  heathen  in  Africa,  and 


on  the  advice  of  a  pastor  entered 
the  mission  school  conducted  by 
the  Mission  Covenant  of  Sweden. 
At  the  completion  of  his  course, 
his  health  was  so  broken  down, 
that  his  plan  to  enter  the  foreign 
mission  field  had  to  he  abandoned. 
Those  who  had  agreed  to  provide 
his  support  while  a  student  seem 
to  have  relied  upon  one  another, 
and  as  a  result  the  poor  young 
man  was  left  without  sufficient 
food  and  clothing  for  months  at 
a  time. 

Leaving  the  in.stitution  he  began 
preaching  in  the  little  city  of  Bala, 
then  took  up  similar  work  in 
Hedemora,  where  he  also  obtained 
a  position  as  instructor  in  a  girls' 
.seminary.  While  here  Ohlson  ob- 
tained from  the  rector  of  Hede- 
mora permission  to  preach  in  ev- 
ery schoolhouse  in  the  parish. 
Finally  tiring  of  the  strife  stirred 
up  over  the  subjects  of  baptism, 
communion  and  atonement,  in 
which  Ohlson  took  the  Walden- 
stromian  view,  he  gladly  accepted 
a  call  to  assume  charge  of  the 
Swedish  Congregational  Church  in 
Worcester,  Mass.  He  came  over 
in  October,  1888,  and  labored  in 
various  Eastern  fields,  viz.,  Wor- 
cester, Campello  and  Brooklyn,  up 
to  May,  1900.  Then  he  came  to 
Chicago  in  response  to  a  call  from 
the  North  Side  Mission  Church. 
This,  the  mother  church  of  the  Mis- 
sion Friends  in  America,  he  served 
until  October,  1903,  when  he  re- 
turned East  to  become  pastor  of 
the  Bethesda  Church  in  New  York, 
the  oldest  Mission  church  in  that 
part  of  the  United  States. 


284 


Cook  County 


Rev.  Ohlson  having  alternated 
between  Congregational  and  Cov- 
enant churches,  it  is  proper  to 
state  that  he  is  a  liberalist  in  de- 
uoniinalional  matters,  a  non-parti- 
san as  regards  the  various  groups 
of  Mission  Friends,  and  stands  for 
the  non-denominational  form  of 
evangelism. 

ERNST  HOLMGREN 

was  born  May  29,  1872,  in  Kropp 
parish,  Skane,  Sweden,    where  he 


ICK.SST    HCJLMCKU.N 

was  reared.  After  having  finished 
his  schooling  in  the  university  town 
of  Lund,  he  learned  his  trade,  that 
of  a  bookbinder.  He  emigrated 
to  America  at  the  age  of  nineteen 
and  settled  in  Chicago.  In  Octo- 
l)er,  1S98,  he  formed  a  copartner- 
ship with  Charles  Kngdahl  in 
a  bookbindery,  located  at  305 
Orleans  .st.  Two  years  later 
they  moved  their  bindery  to 
254-256  Orleans  .st.  By  1907  t la- 
expansion  of   their  business  forced 


them  to  find  more  conunodious 
quarters,  and  they  moved  to  their 
present  location  at  14-28  Michigan 
St.  Simultaneou.sly  the  business 
was  incorporated  as  the  Holmgren, 
Engdahl  &  Johnson  Co..  with  Mr. 
Holmgren  as  president. 

The  firm  executes  edition  bind- 
ing, and  does  stamping  and  em- 
bo.ssing  for  the  trade. 

Feb.  22,  1896,  Mr.  Holmgren 
was  married  to  Charlotta  Swan- 
.son.  They  reside  at  5933  Iowa 
St.,  Austin,  and  are  members  of 
the  local  Swedish  Ev.  Mission 
Church. 


CARL  K.  WESTMAN 

was  born  Sept.  9,  1868,  in  Skara- 
borgs  Ian,  Sweden.  In  his  native 
land  he  passed  through  six  classes 
at  the  elementary  school  in  Skara 
and  spent  two  years  at  the  Carls- 
liorg  military  academy.  He  left 
for  An)erica  in  1890  and  took  up 
his  residence  in  Chicago.  Here 
his  studies  were  continued  at  the 
Hahneman  and  Bennett  medical 
colleges,  graduating  from  the  lat- 
ter with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  in 
1S9S.  In  1903,  after  two  years 
more  of  study  in  Sweden,  Dr. 
Westman  passed  examination  in 
the  Royal  Gymnastic  Central  In- 
stitute in  Stockholm,  receiving  his 
diploma  as  director  of  medical 
gymnastics. 

Returning  to  Chicago.  Dr.  West- 
man  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
medical  gymna.stics  and  ma.s.sage. 
In  1905  he  opened  a  nietl- 
ical  gymnaitium  antl  free  clinic  at 
the  I'laza  Hotel,  where  students 
are    given    instruction   in    massage 


Chicago 


285 


and  medical  gymnastics.  The  year 
previous  Dr.  Westman  became  in- 
structor   in    his    branches    at    the 


C.^RL   K.    WESTMAN 

medical  school  of  the  University 
of  Illinois,  a  position  he  still 
holds.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
editorial  staff  of  the  Jouryial  of 
Physical  Therapy,  and  belongs  to 
the  Chicago  Medical  Society,  the 
Illinois  Medical  Society  and  the 
American  Medical  Association. 


LEONARD  PETERSON 

w^as  born  in  Sweden,  Jan.  4, 
1 86 1.  He  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  his  home  dis- 
trict and  in  1880  came  over  to 
the  United  States.  Mr.  Peterson 
is  president  and  treasurer  of  the 
firm  of  Leonard  Peterson  and  Co., 
51-55  Institute  place.  This  firm 
started  business  in  1891  making 
laboratorj'  wood  work,  such  as 
holders,  clamps,  stands,  etc.  The 
goods  are  used  in  chemical  and 
physical  laboratories  of  schools  and 


colleges,  and  in  jihysicians'  offices 
throughout  the  United  States. 
It  is  the  only  manufactor}'  of  its 
kind   in  the    West. 

Mr.  Peterson  belongs  to  the 
Ethical  Society,  the  Svea  Society 
and  the  Odd   Fellows. 


LEONARD  PETERSON 


GEORGE     E.     Q.     JOHNSON, 

attornej'  at  law,  was  born  July 
II,  1874,  at  Harcourt,  Webster 
county,  Iowa.  His  father  was  a 
farmer  and  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  the  state.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  lived  on  the 
farm  until  he  was  nineteen  j-ears 
of  age,  in  the  meantime  attend- 
ing the  public  school.  In  1894  he 
entered  a  normal  school  at  Fort 
Dodge,  Iowa,  and  graduated 
therefrom  in  1S97.  During  his 
stay  there  he  won  the  gold  and 
silver  medals  successivelj-  in  ora- 
torical contests.  In  1897  he  came 
to  Chicago  and  entered  the  Chi- 
cago College  of    Law,    graduating 


286 


Cook  County 


ill     1900    and    being    admitted    to      ors  of  the  Washington  Park  Hos- 


the    bar    the    same    year.     During 
his     course     at     college     he     was 


GEORGE  E.  Q.  JOHNSON 

president  of  the  Junior  Class. 
Mr.  Johnson  has  a  growing  prac- 
tice; his  office  is  at  120  Randolph 
St.  Since  Febriiarj-,  1905,  he  has 
been  associated  with  another  young 
attorney  in  the  law  firm  of  John- 
son and  Molthrop.  A  Republican 
in  politics,  he  has  taken  active 
part  in  the  1900  and  subsequent 
campaigns.  Mr.  Johnson  was  league 
orator  for  the  Swedish-American 
Republican  League  of  Illinois  at 
the  convention  held  in  Blooming- 
ton,   Illinois,  in  March,    1902. 

Having  been  elected  first  vice- 
president  in  1906  of  the  Swedish 
National  Association,  he  became 
acting  president  of  the  association 
when  Mr.  F.  A.  Lindstrand  re- 
signed the  presidency  shortly 
afterward.  In  1907  he  was  elected 
president.  He  also  holds  the 
presidency  in  the  board  of  direct- 


pital  and  is  a  regent  of  the 
Monitor  Council  of  the  Royal 
Arcanum. 

Sept.  8,  1906,  Mr.  Johnson  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth M.  Swanstrom,  a  graduate 
of  the  Columbia  College  of  Ex- 
pression in  Chicago.  Their  home 
is  at   II 121   Michigan  ave. 


OLENIUS  OLSON 

was  born  Nov.  21,  1859,  in  Ost- 
vallskog,  \'ermland,  Sweden,  where 
he  obtained  his  early  schooling. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-one  he 
emigrated  to  America,  making  his 
home  in  Chicago.  Here  he  fitted 
himself    for    practical    life    by    at- 


OLBNIUS  OI.SOS 

tending  night  school  and  later  the 
Metrojiolitan  Business  College. 
For  the  last  ten  years  he  has 
been  the  jiroprietor  of  a  flourish- 
ing tailoring  estalilishment  at  2S 
Jackson  Houlevard.  Mr.  Olson 
has  spent   much    lime    in    travel — 


Chicago 


287 


in  this  country  as  well  as  in 
Europe.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity. 


FRIDOLF  RISBERG, 

one  of    the    foremost    pastors   and 
educators  in  the   group  of  Mission 


FRIDOLF  RISBERG 

churches  in  this  country,  is  the 
son  of  Jonas  Risberg,  who  was  a 
practicing  phj^sician  at  Nysatra, 
in  Vesterbotten,  Sweden,  until 
his  death  in  18S6,  and  his  wife, 
Catarina  Wilhelmina,  nee  Hamren. 
The  son  was  born  at  Nysatra, 
Nov.  4,  1848.  His  education  was 
obtained  at  the  elementary  school 
and  gymnasium  in  Lulea  from 
1858  to  1868  and  at  the  Upsala 
University  from  1868  to  1874. 
The  last  named  year  he  passed 
the  examination  for  the  holy 
ministry  and  was  subsequently 
ordained  by  Archbishop  Sundberg 
as  minister  of  the  Lutheran  state 
church.     After  having    served    as 


pastor  for  eight  years,  he  resigned 
his  office  and  withdrew  from  the 
state  church  to  join  the  free 
church  known  as  the  Mi.ssion 
Covenant  of  Sweden.  For  the 
ne.xt  three  years  Mr.  Risberg 
labored  in  behalf  of  that  move- 
ment in  Jemtland  and  Angerman- 
land,  the  same  provinces  where 
he  had  been  stationed  as  a  mini- 
ster of  the  established  church. 

At  the  time  of  the  organization 
of  the  Mission  Covenant  of  Amer- 
ica, the  need  of  an  institute  for 
the  training  of  pastors  and  mis- 
sionaries made  itself  felt,  and 
when  the  Chicago  Theological 
Seminar}-  offered  to  accomodate 
the  Covenant  bj-  maintaining  a 
Swedish  department  for  which  it 
might  select  its  own  teacher, 
Risberg  was  called  and  accepted 
that  post.  He  came  over  from 
Sweden  in  1885  and  assumed  his 
new  duties  when  the  school  year 
opened  in  the  fall.  From  that 
time  to  this  Prof.  Risberg  has 
served  his  church  in  the  important 
capacity  of  educator  of  its  mini- 
sters, a  large  number  of  whom 
have  during  the  past  twenty-one 
years  enjoyed  the  benefit  of  his 
instruction. 

Prof.  Risberg  has  been  active 
in  pastoral  and  niissionarj-  work 
in  the  intervals  between  the 
school  j-ears.  As  a  traveling  mis- 
sionary he  has  covered  a  great 
deal  of  ground,  both  in  the  old 
world  and  the  new.  While  a 
pastor  in  Northern  Sweden  he 
made  numerous  missionary  jour- 
neys to  Norway  and  Finland  and 
since  his  coming   to    this   country 


288 


Cook  County 


he  has  made  one  similar  trip  to 
Canada  and  traveled  in  the  States 
from  ocean  to  ocean,  visiting 
twenty-eight  states  to  preach  the 
Gospel. 

His  missionary  zeal  also  extends 
to  heathen  lands.  For  the  past 
fifteen  years  he  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  ))oard  of  the  Scandi- 
navian Alliance  Mission  of  Chi- 
cago, which  at  present  maintains 
one  hundred  missionaries  in  China, 
Japan,  India,  Africa  and  South 
America.  During  the  same  period 
he  has  acted  as  treasurer  of  the 
Mission  funds,  aggregating  $30,000 
per  year. 

Prof.   Risberg  is  a  facile    writer 
on  religious  topics,    and    his   pen, 
like  his  other  faculties,  has    been 
dedicated     to     the     cause    of    his 
church.     He  is    the    author    of    a 
devotional    book    entitled.     "Dag- 
ligt  Manna,"    published    in    1893. 
and  has  written    a    large    number 
of  religious  articles  for  the  church 
press,  a  collection  of  which    were 
published    in    Chicago,    in     1906, 
under  the  common  title  of  "Bibel 
Bilder."     He    was   also    associate 
editor  of  "Sionsharpan,"  publi.shed 
in   1890,  a  hymnal  widely  used  in 
the  Mission   churches    throughout 
the  country. 

Prof.  Risberg  is  affiliated  with 
the  Swedish  Congregational  Church 
and  is  president  of  the  local 
Bethlehem  congregation,  of  which 
he  is  the  founder. 

For  many  years  he  has  been 
financially  and  otherwise  interested 
in  .^/issions-l'diiiKii.  the  news- 
paper   organ     of     the     Covenant. 


and    served    as  a   member  of    its 
board  of  control. 


OLOF  OLSON 

.VND 

LARS    OLSON, 
of    the    firm    of    Olson    Brothers, 
carpentry    contractors,  have    in    a 


01  0 1     01  SON 

short  time  established  a  flourish- 
ing business,  despite  the  intense 
competition  prevailing  here. 

Olof  Olson,  the  elder  brother, 
was  born  in  the  village  of  Siiter, 
Sunne  parish,  Vermland,  Sweden, 
May  29,  1867,  and  was  reared  in 
the  place  of  his  birth,  attending 
high  school  at  Sunne.  In  1SS6 
he   emigrated,  coming  directly    to 

Chicago. 

He  is  married  to  Ida  Anderson 
from  Ostergotland  and  lhv\  have 
one  son. 

Mr.  Olson  is  a  Mast)n  »f  the 
Kenwood  Lwlge  No.  800.  and  be- 
longs   also    to    the  Idnna  Swiety, 


Chicago 


289 


the  National  Union  and  the  Carp- 
enters'  and    Builders'    Association. 
Lars  Olson,  the  younger  brother, 
was    born  in    tiie  same  place  Jan. 


L.\RS    OLSON 

6,  1870,  and  attended  the  same 
school.  He  came  to  America  and 
to  Chicago  in  1891.  Like  his 
brother  he  went  to  work  as  a 
carpenter,  and  in  1899,  after  both 
brothers  had  mastered  the  trade, 
they  established  themselves  as 
contractors  on  their  own  account. 
After  a  couple  of  successful  deals 
they  were  enabled  to  do  business 
on  a  large  scale.  In  the  last  few 
years  they  have  put  up  a  number 
of  buildings,  including  the  Ma- 
sonic Building  at  Grand  Crossing, 
the  Swedish  Episcopal  Church  at 
Garfield  boul.  and  Morgan  St., 
and  dozens  of  apartment  build- 
ing in  size  from  six  to  twenty- 
four  apartments.  They  have  at 
times    had    as    many    as  12   to   15 


buildings  in  course  bf  construction 
at  one  and  the  .same  time.  The 
Olson  brothers  are  young  men  of 
exceptional  capabilities  and  rank 
well  to  the  front  among  the  nu- 
merous builders'  firms  of  the  city. 
Their  office  is  at  6501  S.  Peoria 
street. 

CLAKS  A.   YOUNGQUIST 

was  born  at  Ljungarum,  Smaland, 
Jan.  II,  1859.  In  Sweden  he 
obtained  his  education  in  the 
common  school  and  the  public 
high  school  in  Jonkoping.  He 
left  for  America  and  landed  in 
June,  1875,  with  Chicago  as  his 
destination.  A  course  of  studies 
was  taken  in  a  business  school, 
after  which  he  was  engaged  in 
commercial  life. 

For  some  years  Mr.  Youngquist 
was  connected  with  the  dry  goods 


CL.^ES  .\UGUST  YOl'.SGQUIST 

firm  of  John  }>[.  Lui.dell  and  Co. 
He  is  now  conducting  a  life  and 
fire     insurance     agencv,     and     at 


290 


Cook  County 


present  serves  as  treasurer  of 
the  Swedish  Evangelical  Mission 
Covenant  of  America.  Mr.  Young- 
quist  is  treasurer  and  Sunday- 
school  superintendent  of  the  Swed- 
ish Mission  Church  at  North 
Park,  which  is  in  the  outskirts  of 
Chicago. 

JOHAN    A.    H.     ROSENDAHL, 

minister  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Church,   was  born    April    3,    1871, 


JOHAN   AUGUST   HJAL.MAR  KOSENDAHl- 

in  Bredvik  parish,  Vestergotland, 
Sweden.  He  graduated  from  the 
public  school  at  the  age  of  twelve. 
For  six  years  subsequently  he 
worked  as  florist  and  gardener  in 
Skonnarbo,  Ostergotland,  and  at 
Rosta,  Nerike.  He  secured  em- 
ployment in  the  Skyllbergs  Bruk 
rolling  mill  in  Nerike  and  worked 
there  until  1891.  Enlisting  in 
the  Swedish  army,  he  served  two 
years  in  the  Royal  Gota  Artillery 
regiment  and  was  mustered  out 
as    first    corporal.      After    coming 


to  this  country  in  December, 
1893,  he  secured  work  in  a  shoe 
factory  in  Na.shua,  N.  H.  In 
1895  he  moved  to  Concord,  X. 
H.,  where  he  obtained  employ- 
ment with  the  Boston  and  Maine 
R.  R.  In  1897  he  entered  the 
Swedish  Baptist  Theological  Sem- 
inary and  graduated  from  this 
institution  May  15,  1901.  He 
was  ordained  Aug.  10  following, 
and  was  pastor  of  the  Third 
Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  Chi- 
cago until  1903.  He  then  was 
appointed  missionary  for  Kansas, 
with  headquarters  at  Clay  Centre, 
Kansas. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Rosendahl  was 
married  to  Christina  Swedmark 
on  April   19,    1902. 


EDWIN  SANDBLOM 

was  born  at  Tidaholm.  in  the 
province  of  Ve.stergotland,  Swe- 
den, Nov.  10,  1854.  He  was  an 
ironworker  by  trade  in  the  old 
country.  Coming  to  Chicago  in 
1SS7,  he  was  variously  employed 
up  to  1894,  when  he  engaged  in 
the  manufacture  of  printers'  sup- 
plies, in  which  line  he  has  been 
amplj-  succes.sful,  acquiring  an 
excellent  trade  and  a  most  credit- 
able reputation  because  of  the 
superiority  of  his  work.  E.  Sand- 
blom  and  Co.  manufacture  at  149 
S.  Jefferson  st.  wrought  iron  and 
steel  chases  of  all  styles  and 
sizes  for  printers'  use.  The  goods 
are  sold  to  dealers  in  printers' 
supplies,  and  the  trade  of  the 
house  reaches  all  parts  of  the 
Tnitcil  States  and  Canada. 


Chicago 


291 


In 


1X84     Mr.     Sandbloni     was      his  office  until  it  was  displaced  by 


married  to  Miss  Josephine  Carlson, 
with  whom  he  has  had  two  sons 
and  three  daughters. 

KMIL  A.  W.  JOHNSON 

was  born  Oct.  30,  1S63,  in  Chi- 
cago.      His     mother,     Emma     C. 


E.VIIL  A.  W.  JOHNSON 

Johnson,  emigrated  from  Sweden 
in  1852.  His  father,  John  A. 
Johnson,  who  came  to  this  coun- 
try in  1854,  was  a  Union  soldier 
in  the  Civil  War. 

Emil  received  his  education  at 
the  Franklin  School  in  Chicago 
and  Gustavus  Adolphus  College, 
St.  Peter,  Minn.  For  19  years 
he  was  employed  as  an  accountant 
by  Marshall  Field  &  Co.  After 
having  taken  a  full  course  at  Chi- 
cago College  of  Law  he  was,  in 
1899,  appointed  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  the  town  of  Lake  View- 
by  Gov.  Tanner.  Mr.  Johnson 
was  reappointed  by  Governors 
Yates    and    Deneen    and    retained 


the  .Municipal  Court.  At  present 
he  is  a  deputy  clerk  of  this  same 
Miuiicipal  Court. 

In  1898  he  .served  as  president 
of  the  Swedish-American  Repub- 
lican Club  of  the  26th  ward.  He 
belongs  to  the  following  fraternal 
orders:  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  R.  A. 
M.,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Royal 
League    and  Columbian    Knights. 

June  14,  1888,  Mr.  Johnson  was 
married  to  Bena  S.  Christopher. 
They  have  two  sons  and  a  daugh- 
ter. The  family  lives  at  229  Pot- 
wyn  place,  Ravenswood. 

CARL  A.  CARLSON 

was  born  in  Ostra  Torp  parish, 
Skane,  Sweden,  Jan.  21,  1877. 
After  attending  the  public  school, 
he  worked  at  home  with  his 
father,  Christoffer  Carlson,  who 
was  a  farmer  and  merchant. 


C.\RL  .\.   C.\RLSON 


In  May   1892,  Mr.  Carlson  came 
to  the    United    States.     We    .soon 


292 


Cook  County 


find  him  in  Chicago,  working  at 
the  tailor's  trade.  In  1894,  after 
but  two  years  experience,  Mr. 
Carlson  started  in  business  as 
manufacturing  tailor.  His  busi- 
ness has  acquired  such  dimensions 
that  he  now  employs  more  than 
fifty  workers.  Mr.  Carlson  lives 
at  740  Bryn  Mawr  ave.  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Swedish  Lutlieran 
Church. 


RICHARD  TENNERSTEDT 
was  born  Feb.   7,    1861,    in    Inga- 
torp,  Sweden.     He    emigrated    to 


KICH.VKIl   Tli.N.N'EKSTHllT 

America  in  1868,  attended  the 
])ublic  schools  for  several  years 
and  then  engaged  in  business  as 
manufacturing  tailor.  He  is  pres- 
ident of  the  Tennersledt  Manu- 
facturing Co.,  vest  manufacturers 
at  804-.S06  N.   Winchester  ave. 

Mr.  'IV-iHierstedt  is  a  member 
of  the  Iininanucl  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  and  of  the  Svithiod  Sing- 
ing Club  and  resides  at  2337  N. 
Paulina   St. 


He  is  not  an  active  politician 
and  takes  little  interest  in  parti- 
san struggles,  but  is  regarded  a 
wide-awake  citizen. 

LOUIS   OI^ON 

was  born  in  Skane,  Sweden,  Nov. 
I,    1876.      His    parents    are    Knut 


LOUIS  OLSON 

M.  Olson  and  his  wife,  Kama 
Nelson,  who  came  to  this  country 
in  1888.  The  son  Louis  attended 
the  Harrison  school  in  Chicago, 
where  the  family  located,  after- 
wards going  to  work  for  various 
firms.  For  one  year  he  worked 
as  machinist  for  the  McCormick 
Harvester  Co.,  then  for  nine  years 
as  salesman. 

In  1900  he  started  in  the  livery 
anil  undertaking  business  with  his 
father,  as  junior  partner  of  the 
firm  known  as  K.  M.  Olson  i*t 
Son.  As  funeral  directors  and 
eml)almers    thev    arc    maintaining 


Chicago 


293 


y. 


two  places  of  business,  at  3025 
Weiitworth  ave.  and  at  11 28  S. 
Oakley  ave.  Mr.  Olson,  Jr.,  is  in 
charge  of  the  Wentworth  ave. 
office. 

Mr.  Olson  is  a  member  of  the 
Salem  Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 
He  is  a  very  active  club  and  fra- 
ternit}'  man,  holding  membership 
in  a  large  number  of  organiza- 
tions, including  the  following: 
Lakeside  Lodge,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.; 
Linne  Lodge,  L  O.  O.  F.;  Rising 
Sun  Lodge,  K.  of  P.;  Frithiof 
Lodge,  L  O.  S.;  Empire  Tent, 
Maccabees;  Columbia  Chapter,  O. 
E.  S.;  Angantyr  Lodge,  L  O.  V.: 
■\Ventworth  Camp,  M.  W.  A.;  Ar- 
mour Council,  N.  U.;  Society 
Balder,  Societj-  Nordstjernan,  So- 
ciety Iduna,  Chicago  Svenska  Vasa- 
Forening,  Foreningen  Enighet, 
the  Webster  Improvement  Club, 
the  Webster  Debating  Club,  the 
Chicago  South  Side  Liverymen's 
Association  and  the  Chicago  Un- 
dertakers' Association. 

Jan.  22,  1905,  Mr.  Olson  was 
married  to  Miss  Helen  Johnson 
of  Chicago. 

JOHN  PETERSON 

was  born  in  Asheda  parish,  Sma- 
land,  Sweden,  Dec.  4,  i860,  and 
is  a  Chicagoan  since   1880. 

Here  he  began  work  in  the 
mason's  trade,  and  during  the 
last  twenty'  years  he  has  done  an 
exten.sive  contracting  business  in 
the  city  of  Chicago,  and  has 
erected  a  number  of  large  build- 
ings in  that  citj',  as  well  as  in 
other  cities.  His  office  is  at  153 
La  Salle  st. 


Mr.  Peterson  was  married  in 
18S4,  to  Miss  Chri.stina  Maria 
Carlson,   and  they  reside    at    2835 


JOHN  PETERSO.\ 

Southport  ave.,  Rogers  Park. 
Mrs.  Peterson  is  a  member  of  the 
Ebenezer  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
in  Summerdale.  Mr.  Peterson 
belongs  to  the  order  of  Svithiod, 
the  Odd  Fellows,  and  the  Royal 
Arcanum. 

Politically    Mr.    Peterson    is    an 
independent  Republican. 


HERMAN  CARLSON 

was  born  Dec.  7,  1862,  in  Rums- 
kulla  parish,  Ostergotland,  Swe- 
den. In  1887  he  came  over  and 
located  in  Chicago.  Two  years 
later  he  started  in  the  business 
of  manufacturing  vests  for  mer- 
chant tailors.  His  establishment 
at  present  employs  about  50  men 
and  is  located  at   iSS  Lake  St. 

Mr.     Carlson     belongs     to     the 
Salem  Church,  in   Cuyler.     He  is 


294 


Cook  Countv 


an  active  member  of    Independent      Bachelor     of     Diviuitj'    was    con- 


Order  of  Vikings  and  was  suc- 
cessively vice  grand  chief,  trea- 
surer and  grand  chief. 


ferred  upon  him  and  he  was  or- 
dained June  II,  1899,  at  the 
synodical  meeting  at  St.  Paul, 
Minn.  Rev.  Hult  immediately 
assumed  the  pastorate  of  the 
Messiah  English  Lutheran 
Church  in  Lake  \"iew.  which  he 
had  for  a  year  served  while  a 
student.  During  his  incumbency 
the  membership  of  the  church  in- 
creased from  226  to  over  450, 
making  it  the  third  largest 
English  Lutheran  congregation  in 
Chicago.  Mr.  Hult  pursued  post- 
graduate studies  in  Hel^rcw  and 
Assyriology  at  the  University  of 
Chicago  and  was  for  one  year  in- 
structor in  Hebrew  at  the  Chicago 
Lutheran    Theological    Seminary. 


HBKM.W   CARl.SO.N 

Mr.  Carlson  was  married  in 
1896  to  Amanda  Tennerstedt,  a 
native  Chicagoan,  now  deceased- 
He  had  with  her  a  daughter, 
Florence  Victoria.  Mr.  Carlson 
was  remarried  in  1903,  to  Miss 
Gerda  Stein,  born  in  Alsheda  par- 
ish, Smaland,  Sweden.  The  family 
lives  at  52S  Larchmont  ave. 

ADOLF  HULT, 

minister  of  the  Lutheran  Church. 
was  born  Dec.  24,  1869,  at  Mo- 
line,  111.  His  father  was  Olof 
Hult,  a  blacksniilh,  one  of  the 
early  members  of  the  Swedish 
colony  at  that  jilacc.  The  son  He  is  a  profound  student  of  i>rac- 
was  graduated  from  Augustana  tical  theology  and  of  the  Old 
College  with  the  class  of  '92  and  Testament  and  has  contributetl 
then  entered  Augustana  Theologi  luunerous  articles  to  the  Lutheran 
cal  Seniinarw  Upon  the  coniple-  pres>.  Rev.  Hull  was  in  I'jo.S 
tion  of  his    course    the    degree    of      chief    eililor  of    l\ikt<tini.   a  reiig- 


.\l>Ol.l-    HUl.l 


Chicago 


295 


ions  paper,  published  in  Chicago 
in  1904  and  1905,  and  is  now- 
associate  editor  of  The  }oit)i!; 
l.uihcran  s  Companion,  a  semi- 
monthly, published  at  Rock  Island. 

In  May,  1907,  Rev.  Hull  left 
the  ]),isiorate  of  Messiah  Church, 
pur--uanl  to  a  call  from  the  Im- 
mar.uel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  Omaha.   Nebraska. 

June  28,  1899,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Edna  Blonigren,  daugh- 
ter of  Oscar  X.  and  Emma  Bloni- 
gren, early  Swedish  settlers  in 
Chicago.  In  the  union  there  are 
three  children,  Miriam  Edna, 
born  April  4,  1900,  Adolf  Nathan- 
ael,  born  Jan.  16,  1904,  and 
Evangeline  Christina,  born  April 
6,    1907. 

AXEL  RUDOLPH  ENCxBERG, 
son  of  John  J.,  was  born  in  Chi- 
cago Oct.    19,    1S69.     After  finish- 


ing that  he  had  an  exceptionally 
fine  voice,  he  began  the  study  of 
music.  In  January,  1.S99,  he  mar- 
ried Mrs.  Annie  Nellis  Carter. 
Going  to  Europe  the  same  year, 
he  traveled  extensively.  He  stud- 
ied with  some  of  the  best  masters, 
both  in  Paris  and  in  London. 
Returning  to  America,  he  had 
the  advantages  of  the  best  teach- 
ers in  New  York  and  Chicago. 
In  1904  he  went  again,  for  study, 
in  Europe. 

Returning  in  November,  1906, 
he  has  made  Chicago  his  home. 
His  professional  name  is  Rudolph 
Engberg. 

MATTIS  C.  RANSEEN, 

pastor  of  the  Gethsemane  Swedi.sh 
Lutheran    Church  of    Chicago  for 


B^F^^^Ii^^B 

iiiii  Wii^^^B 

b. 

AXEL   KlDdLPH    E.NGBERG 

ing    school,  he    was    in    the  floral 
business  for  several  years.     Find- 


M.\TTIS    C.    R.\NSEliN" 

tlie  past  twenty-eight  j-ears,  is  a 
prominent  figure  in  the  Augus- 
tana  Synod  and  in  the  Lutheran 
Church  of  America. 

He     was     born     in     Ljungryda, 


296 


Cook  County 


Jemshog,      Blekinge,       April      6, 
1.S45.      His  parents,  both  of  whom 
died  in  Sweden,  were  Carl  M.  Ran- 
seen,  a  farmer,  and  his  wife,  Ka- 
ri!i  Jonsson.     The  son  entered  the 
academic  schbol  at  Jemshog  with- 
out anj-  preliminary  schooling,  and 
after  comi)leting  the  course  in  two 
years,  aided  by  a  thorough    home 
training,  he  obtained  a  position  as 
teacher  in  the  parish  sciiool.   After 
two  years  of  public    teaching  and 
one    of    private    tutorship    he    left 
for    the    I'nited    States    in     1867, 
coming  first  to  Rockford.  111.,  and 
then    going     to    Centralia,     Wis., 
where  he  was  employed  in  a  saw- 
mill.    After  a  few  months  of  man- 
ual   labor,  he  entered    the  Augus- 
lana  Theological  Seininar>-  at  Pax- 
ton  in  the    fall  of    the  same  year. 
In    four    >ears    he    completed    the 
course    of    study    then  afforded  by 
the  Augustana  Synod  at  its  meet- 
ing   in    Chisago    Lake,    Minn.,    in 
1 87 1,    holding    a    call    to    become 
pastor    of    the  church   at    Dayton, 
la.      After    two    years    of   service 
in  that  field  Rev.  Ranseen  accepted 
a  call  from    the  nii.ssion    board    of 
the    Iowa    Conference    to    take  up 
work    at    Keokuk,    la.      Here    he 
labored  for  half  a  year,  meanwhile 
organizing  two  congregations,  one 
at   Keokuk,   and  another  at  Sugar 
Creek.     Late  in  the  year  1S73  he 
became  jiastor  at    Klgin,   111.,  and 
labored  simultaneously  in  the  mis- 
sion field  until    1S75,   when  a  call 
to    Ottumwa,    la.,    was    accejUetl. 
Rev.    Ranseen  served    the  Swedish 
Lutheran     congregation     at      that 
place  for  four  years,  or  until  1.S71), 
when     Ik-    removed    to  Cliicago  on 


a  call  from  the  Gethsemane  Church. 
He  assumed  this  charge  in  May 
of  that  year  and  for  more  than  a 
quarter  of  a  centurj-  has  filled 
that  .same  pulpit. 

In  consideration  of  a  long  and 
distinguished  service  as  a  ciiurch- 
man,  the  board  of  directors  of 
Augustana  College  and  Theological 
Seminary  has  conferred  upon  Rev. 
Ranseen  the  honorar>-  degree  of 
D.  D. 

Dr.  Ranseen  has  filled  a  number 
of  offices  of  trust  and  responsibil- 
ity in  the  Lutheran  Church.  For 
two  years  he  was  i)resident  of  the 
Iowa  Conference,  and  he  has  been 
elected  to  the  same  position  in  the 
Illinois  Conference  repeated  times. 
He  was  one  of  the  men  who  or- 
ganized the  Augustana  Ho.spital 
of  Chicago  in  i8,S2  and  has  served 
on  its  board  of  directors  from  that 
time  to  this,  witli  the  exception 
of  a  single  term  of  three  years, 
and  has  been  president  of  the 
board  nearly  the  whole  of  that 
time.  He  has  been  elected  on  the 
board  of  regents  of  Augustana 
College  time  and  again,  and  has 
often  been  chosen  chairman  of 
that  board.  For  almost  a  decade 
he  was  vice-president  of  the  Au- 
gustana Synod,  and  for  a  term  of 
four  \ears,  1S9S-190J,  he  served 
as  president  of  the  deneral  Coun- 
cil, a  larger  bodv  of  Lutherans, 
of  which  the  Augustana  Syni'xl  is 
a  component  jiart. 

Ne.xt  to  his  own  congregation, 
the  Augustana  Hospital  ]irobably 
owes  the  greatest  debt  of  gratitude 
to   Dr.    Ranseen   for  initiring   serv 


Chicago 


297 


!l 


ices  and  jiersonal  sacrifice  of  lime 
and  labor  in  its  interest. 

Dr.  Ranseen  is  withont  donhl 
one  of  the  most  wideh-  known 
clergj-nien  in  the  city  of  Chicago. 
Mo.st  of  the  public  men  of  the 
community  in  the  last  twenty-five 
years  he  has  counted  as  personal 
acquaintances,  and  his  intimacy 
with  local  affairs  has  cau.sed  him 
to  participate  in  civic  movements 
from  time  to  time,  especially  in 
the  work  carried  on  for  a  number 
of  years   by  the  Civic  Federation. 

Oct.  3,  1872,  the  marriage  of 
Rev.  Mr.  Ranseen  and  Mi.ss  Anna 
Sophia  Anderson  took  place  at 
Elgin.  Mrs.  Ranseen  was  born 
in  Sweden  Oct.  30,  1851.  They 
have  reared  a  family  of  ten  chil- 
dren, five  sons  and  five  daughters, 
viz.:  Arnold  Emanuel,  born  1874; 
Gertrude  Laurentia,  '76;  Anna 
Cora,  '77;  Carl  Matthias,  '79;  Er- 
nest Ephraim,  '80:  Ruth  Aurora, 
'82;  Esther  Theodora,  '84:  Blenda 
Naemi,  '86;  Mauritz  Nathanael, 
'87;  Clarence  Peter,  '92.  The  son 
Arnold  is  married  to  Miss  Agnes 
Wahl,  the  daughter  Cora  to  Dr. 
Henry  George  Johnson  of  Linds- 
borg,  Kans.,  and  the  daughter 
Ruth  to  Mr.  August  Lundquist  of 
Chicago. 

FRED  ANDERSON 

was  born  Dec.  21,  i860,  in  Vis- 
nums  parish,  Vermland,  Sweden. 
He  arrived  in  this  country  at 
twenty,  having  obtained  a  com- 
mon school  education  in  his  native 
country.  He  now  attended  a 
night  .school  in  Chicago  in  pre- 
paring to  enter    business    life.      A 


position  as  shipping  clerk  with 
Helford,  Clarke,  and  Co.  was  soon 
.secured.  With  this  firm  he  re- 
mained for  .seven  years.  In  1887 
he  engaged  in  insurance  as  solicit- 
or for  the  Metro])olitan  Insurance 
Co.   and  advanced   to  the    ])osition 


FREU   ANHERSUN 

of  assistant  superintendent.  The 
po.ssibilities  iu  the  land  business 
next  attracted  him,  and  he  built 
a  hotel  at  the  Svea  Land  Colony, 
located  at  Silverhill,  Alabama,  in 
which  he  was  financially  interes- 
ted. Mr.  Anderson  later  visited 
California  in  the  interest  of  the 
Swedish  land  colony  near  Red- 
lands.  He  then  became  interested 
in  irrigation  and  went  to  Texas 
and  experimented  with  rice  cul- 
ture, demonstrating  that  it  is 
suitable  for  the  farmer  of  limited 
capital,  who  can  sink  a  well, 
pump  his  necessary  supply  of 
water  with  a  steam  or  gasoline 
engine  and  take  care  of  160 
acres,  employing  help  only  at 
harvest    time.      Sub.sequentl>-    Mr. 


I 


298 


Cook   County 


Anderson  went  to  Idaho  and  ex- 
perimented with  irrij^ation  by 
means  of  ditches,  or  canals.  Af- 
ter a  few  years  spent  in  coloniza- 
tion work.  Mr.  Anderson  again 
settled  down  in  Chicago  and  is 
now  condncting  a  real  estate, 
loan,  fire  insurance,  renting  and 
collecting  business  in  partnership 
with  Herman  W.  Hanson  at 
1889  X.   Clark  st. 

NILS  WILHELM  ANTHONY 

was  born  in  the  city  of  Kristian- 
stad.  Sweden.  Nov.  22.  1872.   Hav- 


Nll.S    Wll,Ili;i..\I    .V.NTllll.NV 

ing  finished  his  schooling  in  his 
home  cit\-  he  began  work  as  an 
apprentice  in  a  printing  shop.  He 
worked  at  the  ca.se  there  and  in 
other  cities  in  Sweden  until  1SS9, 
when  he  emigrated,  CDUiing  direct 
to  Chicago. 

In  this  countr\  Mr.  .\nilioii\- 
has  followed  his  old  irade,  work- 
ing as  a  compositor  in  various 
job  ])rinling  offices,     l-'or  a  number 


of  years  he  has  held  the  position  of 
foreman  in  the  well-known  job  of- 
fice of  S.  Th.  Almberg.  Mr.  An- 
thony stands  high  in  the  printing 
trade  and  has  frequently  received 
honorable  mention  in  leading  typo- 
graphical journals  for  exjiertness 
as  a  job  compositor.  He  is  secre- 
tary of  the  Swedish  Typographical 
Union  No.  247,  I.  T.  U. 

He  possesses  a  baritone  voice  of 
fine  timbre  and  is  recognized  in 
musical  circles  as  a  concert  and 
church  soloist  of  ability.  He  is 
often  heard  at  musical  entertain- 
ments and  was  for  several  years 
soloist  of  the  American  Meth- 
odist Church  of  Kenosha.  Wis.  For 
man>-  years  past  he  has  belonged  to 
the  Lyran  and  the  S\ithiod  Sing- 
ing clubs  and  is  now  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Glee  Club  and  the 
Orion  Sextette. 

Dec.  25.  1900,  Mr.  Anthony  was 
joined  in  marriage  to  Miss  Jennie 
Akerson  of  Ong,  Neb.  The  fruit 
of  their  union  is  a  son,  Stellan  Wil- 
helin  Olcott,  born  Nov.  28,  1901. 

JOHN  SIGURD  MECK 
is  the  son  of  Mauritz  H.  Meek,  a 
watchmaker  in  Stockholm.  He 
was  born  Sept.  6,  1.S76.  in  that 
cit\'.  At  the  age  of  five  he  was 
brought  to  the  United  States  by 
his  ]iarents,  who  emigrated  in  i.s.si. 
locating    in    Chicago. 

Young  Meek  at  an  early  age 
took  ui>  the  study  of  music,  pos- 
sessing natural  talent  along  that 
line.  He  was  a  pupil,  successively, 
of  Harbara  Gran,  Prof.  Hyllested 
and  the  Chicago  Musical  College. 
.\l  that  instiliuion   he  studied   har 


Chicatjo 


299 


mony,  ci)UiU<.-ri)oiiU  and  composi- 
tion nnder  Adolf  Weidig  and  or- 
chestralicin   iiniler  Adolf  Roseiibec- 


.[ilHN   SIGURll    MECK 

ker.  Thus  equipped,  Mr.  Meek 
for  the  past  four  years  has  held  the 
position  of  arranger  for  the  Chica- 
go office  of  the  music  publishing 
house  of  J.  H.  Remick  &  Co.,  a 
firm  maintaining  branches  also  in 
Detroit,  New  York  and  London. 

Mr.  Meek  is  a  member  of  the 
Svithiod  Singing  Club  and  is  ever 
ready  to  assist,  as  piano  accompan- 
ist or  orchestral  conductor,  at  the 
musical  entertainments  given  at 
frequent  intervals  by  the  club.  His 
name  is  also  on  the  roster  of  the 
Lincoln  Park  Club,  the  Swedish 
GleeClub  and  the  St.  Cecilia  Lodge 
of  Free  Ma.sonry,  in  which  Mr. 
Meek  has  attained  the  32d  degree, 
as  well  as  bein.g  a  Noble  of  the  Mys- 
tic Shrine. 

A  number  of  compositions  have 
come  from  his  pen,  among  others 
being:  "Barcarolle  in  F;"  "A  South- 


ern Fantasy;"  "]ieaut\-Sleep,"  a 
Serenade;  "On  the  Mediterrane- 
an," a  waltz;  "My  Heart  is  a 
Kingdom"  and  "A  Cigarette  Hal- 
lad,"  songs,  and  a  number  of 
marches,  waltzes,  etc. 

ANDREW  HANSON, 
contractor  and  builder,  was  born  in 
Tyde  j>arish,  Skane,  Sweden,  April 
18,  1855.  After  learning  the  carp- 
enter's trade  he  emigrated  to 
America  in  1878,  reaching  Chicago 
the  same  year.  He  was  first  em- 
ployed by  Bohman  &  Larson,  or- 
gan manufacturers.  The  Carsley 
&  East  Manufacturing  Co.  then 
employed  him  for  six  years.  Mr. 
Han.son  started  in  business  for 
himself  in  1 894' as  a  carpenter  and 
builder,  and  has  since  made  a 
specialty  of  erecting  private  resi- 
dences in  the  northern  suburbs. 

Mr.  Hanson  was  married  in 
1889  to  Miss  Mary  Nelson.  Their 
children  are:  Alice,  born  1890; 
Mabel,  1891;  Ellen,  1894;  Jen- 
nings,   1896,  and  George,  1899. 

Mr.  Hanson  is  a  member  of  the 
L  O.  S. 


P.  WILLIAM  THORELIUS, 
doctor    of     dental     surgery,     was 
born    April     15,     1866,    in    Sodra 
Finnskoga  parish,  Vermland,  Swe-      j 
den,    where    his    father,     Fredrik      j 
Thorelius,    was    a    curate.      Three      ] 
years  later,  the  family   removed  to 
Grava     parish,    where     Thorelius 
Sr.  was   rector  until    his  death  in 
1904.      The    son    attended    school      ! 
in    Karlstad  from   1876  until  1883,      1 
and  went  to  Chicago  in  1886.     En-      i 
tering     the     Chicago     College    of      j 


30O 


Cook  County 


Dental  Surgery  in  1889,  he  was 
graduated  from  that  institution 
March    24,     1891.      Dr.    Tliorelius 


l-KTEK   WIl.l.lAM    THIlRHl.IfS 

opened  an  office  a  few  months 
later  at  1 1 1  E.  Chicago  ave.  His 
dental  office  is  now  at  237  North 
Clark  St.,  cor.   Chicago  ave. 

Dec.  I,  1905,  he  bought  the  old 
Hesselroth  Pharmacy  at  107  E. 
Chicago  ave.  and  incorporated  the 
business  as  the  Hesselroth-Thore- 
lius  Drug  Co.,  with  Hilmer  Hes- 
selroth as  president  and  Dr.  Tho- 
relius  as  secretar>-.  The  latter  is 
a  nephew  of  Hilmer  Hesselroth 
and  of  the  late  Lawrence  Hessel- 
roth,  his  brother. 

On  Sept.  12,  1 89 1,  Dr.  Thore- 
lius  was  united  in  marriage  to  Ida 
Anderson  of  Ivlkhart,  Ind.  Their 
children  with  dates  of  birth  are: 
Hilmer  Fredrik  Lawrence,  Aug. 
4,  1892:  Carl  Ciustaf  I'aulus,  Oct. 
22,  1894;  Alice  Marie,  Oct.  2, 
1896;  Ida  Wilhelmina,  Aug.  22, 
1898;     John      William,     Nov.    30, 


1900:  Bernice  Elizabeth,  June   10, 
1903:    Florence    Helena.   May    14, 

1905- 

Dr.  Thorelius  is  a  member  of 
the  Illinois  State  Dental  Society, 
the  Odontographic  Dental  Society 
and  is  vice-president  of  the  Scan- 
dinavian Dental  Society  of  Chica- 
go. The  family  are  meml)ers  of 
the  Imnianuel  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church. 


NILS  HENNINGS 
was  born  April  i,  1S55.  at  Skofde, 
X'estergotland,  Sweden.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  was  engaged 
in  the  lumber  business  in  Stock- 
holm. In  1893  he  went  to  the 
World's  Columbian  Ex|X)sition    in 


.MI.S   UH.NMNl'.S 

Chicago  as  representative  of  sev- 
eral manufacturers  in  Sweden. 
Subsei|uently  he  was  cashier  for 
the  St.  Louis  N:  Belleville  R.  R. 
Co.  unlil  1901.  Mr.  Hennin^;s 
then  started  the  Swedish  Business 
Men's  Club,  on  Washington  st. 
A  luimbfr    of    Swedish  gentlemen 


Chicago 


belonged  to  the  club  and  took 
their  noonday  meals  there.  The 
food  was  prepared  in  genuine 
Swedish  fashion. 

In  1905  this  club  disbanded, 
and  Mr.  Hennings  shortly  after 
removed  to  St.  Paul  to  become 
manager  of  a  Swedish  club  in 
that  city. 

Mr.  Hennings,  who  was  married 
to  Miss  Bertha  Petersen  in  1881, 
is  the  father  of  three  sons.  His 
wife  died  in   1901. 

BIRGER  F.  LUNDBERG 

was  born  in  Kalmar,  Sweden,  July 
7,    1872.     At   the    age    of    sixteen 


301 

traded  the  attention  of  his  supe- 
riors, and  his  promotion  was  rapid. 
Eor  a  while  he  was  employed  in 
the  office  of  the  same  company  at 
Spokane,  Wash.,  but  after  a  short 
time  he  was  recalled  to  St.  Paul 
to  take  charge  of  the  ticket  depart- 
ment there.  In  1894  he  went  to 
Chicago,  and  having  held  positions 
with  the  White  Star  Line  and  the 
Dominion  Line,  became  the  Chi- 
cago manager  for  A.  Mortensen 
&  Co.,  general  agents  of  the  Scan- 
dinavian-American Line.  When 
in  1905  A.  E.  Johnson  &  Co.  be- 
came the  successors  to  this  firm, 
Mr.  Lundberg  was  recognized  as 
an  invaluable  man  to  the  office 
and  was  retained  as  manager. 


t. 


r. 


BIRGER    F.   LUNDBERG 

he  set  out  to  make  his  own  way 
in  the  world.  Coming  to  this  coun- 
try, he  ultimately  landed  in  Min- 
nesota, where  he  was  engaged  in 
various  employments  in  city  and 
country.  Securing  a  position  in 
A.  E.  Johnson  &  Co.'s  ticket  and 
land  office  in  St.  Paul  he,  by  his 
his    ability    and    energy,   soon  at- 


GUSTAV  THUNANDER 

was  born    Nov.  30,    1869,   in  Jon- 
koping,  Sweden.     After    finishing 


GUST.W  THU.\.\NnER 

the  cour.se  offered  in  the  public 
schools,  he  studied  at  the  Tech- 
nical school  in  Jonkoping.      Emi- 


302 


Cook  County 


grating  to  the  United  States  in 
1 89 1,  he  remained  for  some  time 
in  New  Orleans.  Coming  from 
there  to  Chicago,  he  worked  for 
different  decorating  firms.  In  1898 
he  started  in  business,  with  Chas. 
Nyden,  as  interior  decorator.  The 
firm  employs  30  to  40  men,  and 
is  well-known  to  the  building 
trade.  Their  shop  is  at  76-84  E. 
43d   St. 

Mr.  Thunander    belongs  to    the 
Royal  League. 

CHARLES  JOHN  WILSON, 

professor  of  Latin  and  Natural 
Science     at    North    Park  College, 


C  1 1  A  K  I.  lis   I  c  H I  N    W I  LSI  >N 

was  born  Dec.  4,  1870,  at  New 
Boston,  111.  His  parents,  John 
Johnson,  a  farmer,  and  Jean 
Johnson  lived  in  the  same  place 
until  their  death  in   1880. 

After  attending  the  public  school 
in  Andover,  the  son  passed  a  year 
in  the  Academy  at  Augustana 
College  and  was  graduated  in  1894 


from  Bethany  College  with  the  de- 
gree A.  B.  During  his  last  two 
years  at  this  institution  he  acted 
as  assistant  in  English.  The  sum- 
mer term  in  1 896  was  occupied  in 
the  study  of  chemistry  and  physi- 
ology in  Stetson  I'niversity,  De 
Land.  Florida.  In  the  fall  he  be- 
gan his  present  career  as  professor 
of  Latin  and  Natural  Science  at 
North  Park  College.  He  has  since 
pursued  post-graduate  studies  in 
Latin  at  the  I'niversity  of  Chicago. 

Professor  Wilson  is  a  member 
of  the  Swedish  Ev.  Mission  Church 
of  North  Park  and  is  superintend- 
ent of  the  Sundaj-  school.  He  is 
president  of  the  Bethany  Ahunni 
Association  in  Chicago. 

Prof.  Wilson  was  on  June  7, 
1S99.  married  to  Jetujie  C.  Mo- 
dine  of  Chicago,  born  on  Sept. 
15,  1872.  Mrs.  Wilson's  parents 
are  John  A.  and  Amanda  Mo<line. 

The  Wilsons  have  a  son,  Stan- 
lej'  Raymond,  born  June  22,  1900 
and  a  daughter,  Bernice  Marjorie, 
born  June  7,    1904. 


L.  W.  A.  BJORKMAN 
was  boni  in  Lindesi)erg,  \'estman- 
land,  Sweden,  March  28,  1853. 
He  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
in  1879  and  ten  years  later  entered 
the  ministry.  Mr.  Bjiirkman  was 
onlained  by  an  ecclesiastical  coun- 
cil in  Hartford,  Conn.,  Dec.  26, 
1S90. 

F'or  nine  years  he  was  pastor 
of  the  Swedish  Zion  Congrega- 
tional Church  in  Hartford,  Conn. 
Oct.  I,  1898,  Rev.  Bjiirkman  be- 
came pastor  of  the  Swedish  l\van- 
gelical  Mission  Church  in   Ravens- 


Chicago 


303 


wood,  Chicago,  where  he  remained 
until  1907. 


# 


L.  W.   A.   BJORKMAN 

He  is  now  stationed  at  Burling- 
ton and  West  Burlington,   la. 


MAGNUS  OLSON 

was  born  Jan.  18,  1843,  in  Urasa 
parish,  Smaland,  Sweden.  He 
learned  the  stone  cutting  trade, 
but  forsook  it  when  he  emigrated 
to  America  in  1867.  The  winter 
was  spent  in  a  logging  camp,  and 
then  he  went  to  Minneapolis, 
where  he  lived  for  four  years. 
It  was  just  after  the  great  Chi- 
cago fire  of  1 87 1  that  Mr.  Olson 
was  attracted  to  Chicago  and  took 
part  in  the  rebuilding  operations. 
After  a  few  j-ears  he  established 
a  gentlemen's  furnishing  store, 
which  was  continued  until  a  part- 
ner sold  it  while  Mr.  Olson  was 
on  a  European  trip  in  1886.  On 
his  return  he  engaged  in  the  shirt- 
manufacturing  and  the  laundry 
business    on    N.    Clark    St.,    later 


moving  his  establishment  to  576 
Wells  St.,  where  it  is  still  con- 
ducted by  his  partner,  Henry  P. 
Ruiikel. 

Magnus  Ol.son  was  one  of  the 
organizers  of  Freja,  the  first  large 
Swedish  singing  society  in  Chicago. 
This  later  became  the  Swedish 
Singing  Society  and  in  1889  united 
with  the  Swedish  Club,  a  social 
organization,  and  was  incorporated 
as  the  Swedish  Glee  Club.  Mr. 
Olson  became  president  of  the 
club  and  was  a  second  tenor  in 
its  splendid  chorus.  He  became 
the  first  president  of  the  American 
Union  of  Swedish  Singers  in  1892 
and  contributed  much  to  the  suc- 
cess of  the  festival  at  the  Colum- 


.\1.\GNUS    ciI.SU.N 

bian    Exposition    in    1S93   as  well 
as  the  Swedish  tournee  in  1897. 

It  was  on  the  terrace  of  the 
new  Roj'al  Opera  House  in  Stock- 
holm that  a  public  address  was 
accorded  Magnus  Olson,  recogniz- 
ing his  noble  qualities  and  the  part 


304 


Cook  County 


organization 
choruses   of 


he  had  taken  in  the 
of  the  Swedish  male 
America. 

Mr.  Olson  retired  from  active 
singing  in  the  Swedish  Glee  Club 
in  1900  and  was  elected  an  hon- 
orary member.  He  died  Oct.  4, 
1905,  and  was  buried  in  Graceland. 


OLOF  JOHNSON, 

pastor     of     the     Second    Swedish 
Methodist     Episcopal     Church    of 


OLOF  JOHNSON 

Chicago,  is  the  son  of  John  Nel- 
son, a  contractor,  and  his  wife, 
Maria  Johnson,  who  are  both 
living  and  celebrated  their  golden 
wedding  in  1905.  Their  son  Olof 
was  born  Oct.  11,  1861,  at  Hal- 
laryd,  in  the  province  of  Blek- 
inge,  near  tlie  city  of  Karlshamn, 
Sweden.  The  son  obtained  his 
preliniinarj'  education  in  the  school 
of  his  home  parish.  Having  emi- 
grated in  1S61  to  Chicago,  he 
was  variously  employed  until  he 
entered     the     Swedish      Methodist 


Theological  Seminary  at  Evanston, 
graduating  from  that  institution 
in  1889.  Entering  the  ministry, 
he  has  had  the  following  pastoral 
charges  in  succession:  Englewood, 
two  years;  Des  Moines,  la.;  Vic- 
toria, 111.,  at  the  head  of  the 
pioneer  Swedish  church  of  the 
denomination,  four  years;  Gales- 
burg,  five  years;  Geneva,  four 
years;  and  lastly  the  Second 
Swedish  M.  E.  Church  of  Chi- 
cago,  his  present  charge. 

The  pastor  is  deeply  interested 
in  the  temperance  cause,  having 
often  spoken  on  the  subject  liefore 
different  organizations  and  so- 
cieties. 

In  1888  he  made  a  trip  back 
to  the  old  country,  visiting  his 
parents  in  the  old  homestead  and 
traveling  extensively  throughout 
the  country,  visiting  historic  spots 
and  other  poinls  of  interest. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Johnson  has  been 
twice  married,  first  to  Mi.ss  Selnia 
Hultman,  Feb.  3,  1892,  at  Des 
Moines,  Iowa;  having  lost  her  by 
death  in  1902,  at  Geneva,  he  was 
married  Oct.  4,  1904,  to  Miss  Ina 
Sandborg,  a  daughter  of  Edward 
and  Mary  Sandborg  of  Galesburg, 
111.,  born  Jan.  15,  1867.  There 
are  two  children,  the  issue  of  the 
first  marriage,  viz.  Frances  Linnea. 
born  in  Victoria,  111.,  Feb.,  16, 
1893,  and  Lawrence  Emanuel, 
born  in  Galesburg,  March  26, 
1896. 

The  present  home  of  the  pastor 
and  his  family  is  at  214  N. 
May  street. 


Chicagfo 


9 


WILLIAM    K.    JOHNSON 

was    l)orn    June    5,    1.S61,    in  S61- 
veshora;,    Ulckinge,    Sweden.      His 


WILLIAM    K.  JOHNSON 

parents  were  Jons  and  Pernilla 
Mortenson.  William  went  to 
school  in  his  native  place  until 
1S72  when  he,  together  with  his 
mother,  brother  and  sister  em- 
barked intent  on  rejoining  the 
father  and  three  brothers  who 
had  emigrated  in  1869  and  gone 
to  Chicago.  The  father,  a  car- 
penter, assumed  the  name  John- 
son, for  there  were  few  Johnsons 
in  Chicago  in  those  days.  Wil- 
liam attended  Swedish  and  Ger- 
man parochial  schools  and  the  pub- 
lic schools  until  he  was  fifteen  when 
he  started  in  the  book  binding 
trade.  After  a  few  years  Mr. 
Johnson  had  mastered  the  art  of 
cover  stamping  so  well  that  from 
1880  to  1894  he  was  in  charge 
of  the  stamping  department  at 
Donahue  and  Henneberry.  For 
the    next    ten    }-ears   he    was  fore- 


305 

man  of  the  same  liranch  at 
Rand   McNally    and    C<)nipan\-. 

In  1904  Mr.  Johnson  l)ecame 
a  stamper  to  the  trade  with  quar- 
ters on  Custom  House  place.     June 

1,  1907,  he  became  vice-president 
of  the  Holmgren,  ICngdahl  and 
Johnson  Co.  The  firm  is  located 
at  I4-2.S  Michigan  st.  and  does 
general  bookbinding,  stamping 
and    embossing    for    the    trade. 

Mr.    Johnson    was  married  Aug. 

2,  1.SS4,  to  Anna  Carolina,  daugh- 
ter of  Peter  and  Barbara  Doerr 
of  Kensington.  A  daughter,  Helen 
Gladj-s  was  born  in  1899.  The 
family  is  enrolled  in  the  Lutheran 
Church.  Mr.  Johnson  is  a  mem- 
ber of  Pre.ss  Council  of  the  Na- 
tional   I'nion. 

NILS  ERIC  NILSON 

was  born  in  Neder-Kalix  pari.sh, 
Norrbotten,     Sweden,      Oct.      28, 


NILS   ERIC   NILSON 

1864.     He  emigrated    to    America 
in   1879,  and    worked    at    different 


3o6 


Cook  County 


kinds  of  labor,  such  as  farming, 
contracting  and  foundry  work. 
In  December,  1898,  he  became  a 
fish  dealer  at  1254  Belmont  ave. 
and  the  store  was  known  as  the 
Belmont  Avenue  Fish  and  Oyster 
Market.  He  now  has  a  hotel  at 
Kenosha,   Wisconsin. 

Mr.  Nilson  is  married  since 
1885,  his  wife's  maiden  name  be- 
ing Anna  Carolina  Sundberg. 

I..  G.  ABRAHAMSON. 
pastor     of     the     Salem     Swedish 
Lutheran   Church   of    Chicago,    is 


LAlIRliNTirS  G.   ABKAHA.MSON 

one  of  the  eminent  Swedish 
churchmen  of  the  United  States. 
In  every  phase  of  activity  in  the 
Augustana  Synod  he  has  been  a 
factor  during  the  past  quarter 
century,  demonstrating  executive 
ability  of  a  high  order. 

D"-.  L.  G.  Abraliamson,  was 
born  at  Medaker,  not  far  from 
the  city  of  Arl)oga,  Sweden,  Mar. 
2,     1856.     He    was    reared    on    ;i 


farm  owned  l)y  his  father.  Anders 
G.  Abrahamson.  Being  a  man  of 
literary  tastes,  he  provided  his 
household  with  an  assortment  of 
good  l)ooks  which  early  inspired 
the  son  with  a  desire  for  study. 
In  the  late  fall  of  186S,  the  family 
emigrated  to  tlie  I'nited  States, 
locating  in  Jamestown,  X.  Y., 
where  the  elder  Abrahamson 
passed  away  in   1890. 

At  Bfteen  the  son  conunenced 
to  earn  his  own  living.  In  1872 
he  entered  Augustana  College  and 
Theological  Seminary  and  attended 
that  institution  at  Paxton  and 
Rock  Island  until  1880.  when  he 
was  ordained  minister  of  the  Au- 
gustana Synod,  at  once  assuming 
charge  of  the  congregation  at 
Altoua,  111.  Having  labored  there 
for  six  years,  he  accepted  a  call 
from  the  Salem  Church  in  Chi- 
cago of  which  he  has  been  j  astor 
up  to  the   present  time. 

Dr.  Abrahamson  early  displayed 
exceptional  jjower  both  in  the 
pulpit  and  in  the  field  of  practi- 
cal church  work,  and  his  energy 
was  soon  enlisted  in  the  service 
of  the  church  in  a  more  general 
way.  He  has  served  the  synod 
and  the  Illinois  conference,  gen- 
erally for  long  jieriods.  in  many 
executive  capacities,  among  otliers, 
as  member  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  conference,  tlie  mis- 
sion board  of  the  synod,  the  sy- 
nodical  council,  the  board  of  direc- 
tors of  Angnslana  College  anil 
Theological  Seminar\ ,  the  foreign 
mission  l>oaril  of  the  General  Council 
of  .American  Lutherans,  as  presi- 
<lent  and   treasurer  '>f  the    confer- 


Chicago 


307 


eiice  for  various  terms  and  as 
treasurer  of  tlie  synodical  mission 
board.  He  has  been  a  member 
of  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
Aiigustana  Hospital  for  twenty 
one  consecutive  years.  The  church 
has  few  more  zealous  friends  and 
promoters  of  missionary  work 
than  he,  as  .shown  bj-  him  partly 
in  active  work  in  the  mission  field 
in  Utah,  and  later  for  eleven  j-ears 
in  conducting  the  department  of 
missions  in  Angustana ,  the  officia 
paper  of  the  synod. 

Feeling  the  insufficiency  of  the 
courses  aflforded  by  Augustana  in 
the  '70s,  Dr.  Abraham.son  several 
years  ago  pursued  a  full  course 
as  a  non-resident  student,  earning 
from  his  alma  mater  the  college 
diploma  and  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
Much  of  the  time  not  taken  up  by 
ministerial  duties  he  has  spent  in 
his  librar}',  constantly  augmenting 
his  fund  of  booklore. 

The  honorary  degree  of  A.  M. 
was  conferred  on  him  by  Bethany 
College  and  that  of  D.  D.  by 
Augustana  College  and  Theologi- 
cal Seminary.  Bj-  King  Oscar 
n.  of  Sweden,  Dr.  Abrahamson 
has  been  created  a  Knight  of  the 
Order  of  the  North  Star,  desig- 
nated   by    the    title   of    R.    N.  O. 

His  taste  for  travel  Dr.  Abra- 
hamson has  indulged  to  a  great 
extent.  He  has  visited  all  parts 
of  our  own  country,  made  three 
tours  of  Sweden  and  an  extended 
tour  of  Europe,  preferably  visiting 
the  scenes  connected  with  the  life 
■of  IvUther  and  the  storj'  of  the 
Reformation,  and  other  points  of 
historic  interest. 


At  .secular  as  well  as  religious 
festivals  Dr.  Abrahamson  often 
appears  as  a  speaker.  As  a  writer 
he  is  known  principally  through 
his  contributions  to  the  church 
press,  but  articles  from  his  pen 
have  appeared  also  in  Pidrie- 
blomniaii,  a  Swedish  literary  an- 
nual, and  other  publications.  In 
collaboration  with  the  late  Dr. 
Carl  Swensson  he  edited  and  pub- 
lished "Jubel-Album,"  a  large 
illustrated  volume  recounting  the 
history  and  progre.ss  of  the  Au- 
gustana Synod. 

On  Aug.  24,  1 88 1,  Dr.  Abra- 
hamson was  married  to  Miss  Flor- 
inda  M.  Morris,  a  daughter  of 
Anders  P.  and  Johanna  Morris 
of  Chandler's  Valley,  Pa.,  where 
she  was  born  Aug.  6,  1863.  They 
have  a  family  ef  four  daughters, 
Florinda  Olivia,  born  Feb.  16, 
1885;  Ebba  Valeria,  June  15, 
1889;  Agnes  Winnefried,  Nov. 
II,  1891;  and  Mildred  Genevieve, 
Sept.  19,  1899.  Two  sons  died 
in  infancy.  Mrs.  Abrahamson  is 
an  estimable  and  accomplished 
lady  who  shares  her  husband's 
taste  for  travel  and  heartily  joins 
him  in  making  their  home  one  of 
the  most  hospitable  in  the  city. 
The  parsonage  is  at  2823  Prince- 
ton avenue. 


PETER  MAGNUS  ALFVIX, 
pastor  of  the  Swedish  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  since  the  fall 
of  1889,  is  a  native  of  Alfvesta, 
Smaland,  Sweden,  having  been 
born  there  June  16,  1863.  He 
emigrated  in  i,s,S2,  settling  at 
Stillwater,   Minn.,   and  joined    the 


3o8 


Cook  Count V 


Swedish  M.  E.  church  in  that 
city  the  same  3'ear.  After  work- 
ing as  salesman    in    a    grocery    in 


riCTHK    MAC.NUS  ALFVIX 

St.  Paul,  for  some  time,  he  began 
to  study  for  the  ministry  at  the 
Methodist  theological  seminary  at 
Evanston,  being  graduated  in 
1889  and  ordained  deacon  by 
Bishop  S.  M.  Merrill  of  Rockford 
Sept.  I,  the  same  year.  Sept. 
•7i  1893,  he  was  ordained  elder 
by  Bishop  William  X.  Hinde,  in 
Galesburg.  111.  After  his  ordina- 
tion in  1889  Rev.  Alfvin  has 
.served  the  following  congregations: 
Arlington  Hill,  St.    Paul,    Minn., 

4  years:  Duluth,  Minn.,  i  year: 
Humboldt  Park,  Chicago,  5  years; 
South  Chicago,  3  years.  Rockford, 

5  years.  Rev.  Mr.  Alfvin  is  since 
1907  stationed  at  the  Madison  Av. 
Swedish  M.  Iv  Church  in  Hyde 
Park. 


JAKOB  BOXGGREX 

has  held  an  editorial  position  with 
the  Swedish  weekly  .'^zrnsi-a  .-itiicr- 
ikatiareu  for  twenty-five  years, 
and  during  that  time  has  estab- 
lished his  reputation  as  a  poet, 
critic  and  scholar. 

Olof  Jakob  Bonggren  was  liorn 
at  Bergaue,  Habol  parish,  in  the 
Swedish  province  of  Dal,  Oct.  7, 
1852.  His  father  was  an  old 
soldier  in  modest  circumstances. 
At  ten,  having  .shown  more  than 
ordinary  aptitude  for  study,  he 
was  .sent  to  the  elementarj-  school 
at  Vener.sborg,  friends  providing 
the  funds.  After  graduation  he 
taught  ])rivately  until   1875,  when 


JAKon   IIONGORKN 

he  .secured  a  position  as  clerk  in 
the  jwst  office  at  Mora,  Dalarne. 
Mr.  Bonggren  exhibited  literary 
talent  at  a  very  early  age.  As  a 
boy  of  seven  he  wrote  some  verses 
on  Luther — his  first  poetic  elTort  — 
and  in  1865  followed  jxiems  on 
I'eder     Snunanviider      and      nther 


Chicago 


revolutionists  of  old.  Three  j-ears 
later  he  translated  Goethe's 
"Mignon"  into  Swedish  and  in 
1 87 1  he  became  a  coiitrilnitor  to 
a  Venersborg  paper.  In  1878  he 
published  anonymously  a  transla- 
tion of  Inger.soll's  lecture  on  "Hell 
and  Ghosts;"  in  1879,  under  the 
pseudonj-m  of  Volontaire,  a  book 
entitled  "Bibeln  mot  Bibeln," 
"Lasarelif,"  by  Spectator,  and  in 
1882  a  collection  of  verse,  entitled 
"Forstlingar." 

Resigning  his  position  in  Mora, 
in  June,  1882,  Mr.  Bonggren  left 
Sweden,  destined  for  Chicago  to 
take  a.  position  as  associate  editor 
of  Sveiiska  Amerikaiiaren.  He  has 
remained  with  this  paper  up  to 
the  present  time,  virtually  as 
editor  in  chief  the  greater  part  of 
the  time,  and  on  the  9th  of  last 
July  the  twenly-fifth  anniversai}' 
of  his  connection  with  the  paper 
was  celebrated,  the  publisher  and 
the  entire  force  joining  in  a  dinner 
given  in  his  honor. 

In  this  country  Mr.  Bonggren, 
who  has  for  years  been  a  devoted 
student  of  the  occult  has  published 
a  small  pamphlet  on  the  subject 
entitled,  "Det  hemlighetsfullas 
verld,"  besides  having  written  a 
series  of  articles  on  occultism  for 
his  paper.  He  has  devoted  much 
of  his  time  to  literary  research 
and  possesses  an  exceptional  fund 
of  information  covering  a  great 
variety  of  subjects.  An  enormous 
amount  of  literary  material  on 
every  conceivable  topic  is  the  re- 
sult of  his  activity  as  a  collector 
and    to    him    no    portion  or  phase 


.^09 

of  the  world's  literature  is  un- 
familiar. 

In  iyo2  a  second  collection  of 
Bonggren's  verse  was  published  in 
Rock  Island,  entitled  "Sanger  och 
Sagor."  The  author  admits  that 
the  volume  marks  a  departure 
from  the  realistic  school  of  liter- 
ature in  Sweden  of  which  his 
former  collection  was  one  of  the  fir.st 
fruits,  and  owns  to  a  change  of 
mind  and  heart  from  the  skepti- 
cism and  radicalism  of  that  .school, 
caused  by  "greater  experience  and  a 
deeper  conception  of  life  and  a 
larger  measure  of  faith,  hope  and 
charity." 

His  changed  convictions  in  late 
j-ears  have  not  onh'  affected  his 
Muse  but  also  altered  his  former 
habits  of  life. 

Contributions  in  verse  and  prose 
by  Bonggren  have  appeared  in  a 
number  of  publications,  including 
K'lirre,  K'iirre-K'ah')idcra.\\A  Linnea, 
also  Pmriehlomniaii,  Svca ,  Mnlcr- 
sol  and  other  annuals,  ptiblished 
in  this  coimtrj-  and  in   Sweden. 

Mr.  Bonggren  bears  the  title  of 
Doctor  of  Letters,  conferred  as  an 
honorary  distinction  hy  Bethany 
College. 

Mr.  Bonggren  has  been  twice 
married.  The  three  children  of 
his  first  marriage  are  grown.  Af- 
ter giving  birth  to  a  daughter, 
his  second  wife  died  in    1906. 


PETER  SCHONING 
was  horn  Feb.  5,    1869,  and    hails    j 
from  Ofvanaker,    in    Helsingland,     j 
whence  he  emigrated  in  1S93,  and     | 
came  to  Bloomington.     His  father, 
Pehr    Schoning,    was    a  soldier  in 


3IO 


Cook  Countv 


the  Swedish  ariii\  for  33  years 
and  is  still  living  in  Ofvanaker. 
In  Bloomington  the  son  established 


PBTHR  SCHONING 

himself  as  a  building  contractor. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  local 
Swedish  Mission  Church  and  a 
deacon  of  the  church.  He  has 
recently  moved  to  Chicago  and 
lives  in    Pullman. 

He  is  united  in  marriage  to 
Anna  Charlotta  Classon  from 
ITkna  parish,  Smaland,  with  whom 
he  has  one  child,  Edith  Elizabeth. 
There  are  two  children  from  his 
wife's  former  marriage,  Hjalmar 
and  Florence  Nordin. 

FRANS  A.  IJNDSTRANI), 

editor  and  publisher  of  Str/ishi 
AviiTikaiianii,  a  Swedish  weekly 
newspaper,  was  born  at  Armby, 
in  the  parish  of  Stora  Aby,  Os- 
tergotlaiid,  Sweden,  March  24. 
1847.  His  parents  were  Gustaf 
Joiis.son  and  his  wife,  Eva  Gustaf- 
son.      Hotli  dietl   at  llir  old  home- 


-stead  in  Sweden,  the  mother  in 
1885,  at  the  age  of  75,  the  father 
in  1896,  as  the  oldest  man  in  the 
parish,  aged  88  years.  The  son 
was  born  and  reared  in  extreme 
ix)verty.  Shortly  after  his  con- 
firmation he  went  to  the  city  of 
Vadstena,  determined  to  learn  a 
trade.  There  he  became  appren- 
ticed to  a  jeweler  and  watchmaker 
and  four  years  later  received  his 
trade  diploma  as  journeyman 
watchmaker.  While  learning  the 
trade,  he  employed  his  spare  time 
in  studying  arithmetic,  penman- 
ship and  other  elementary  subjects 
under  private  tutorship,  in  order 
to  supply  the  deficiencies  in  his 
earlv  education,  which  was  limited 


TRANS   .VI.IIIN    I.INHSTK.WII 

to  spelling,  reading  and  catecheti- 
cal instruction.  After  the  manner 
of  journeymen,  he  now  changed 
his  name,  suiistituting  that  of 
Lindstrand  for  Jonsson.  For  the 
next  five  or  six  years  he  worketl 
at  his  trade  in  the  cities  of  Motala, 


Chicag'o 


3" 


Stockholm,  Karlstad  and  Goteborg, 
also  in  Copenhagen  just  prior  to 
his  emigration  to  America  in  the 
spring  of  1S71.  While  in  Gole- 
borg  Mr.  Lindstrand  was  on  the 
point  of  leaving  the  workbench 
to  attend  some  institution  of 
learning  with  a  view  to  entering 
some  learned  profession,  but  he 
was  dissuaded  by  his  employer. 

Coming  to  Chicago,  Mr.  Lind- 
strand continued  in  the  jewelry 
business  for  .seventeen  years,  a 
large  part  of. that  time  as  proprie- 
tor of  a  jewelry  store  on  Twenty- 
second  street. 

In  the  year  1888  he  became 
part  owner  of  Sz't'fishr  .Aiiicrikan- 
aren  and  soon  after  acquired  the 
controlling  interest  in  that  paper, 
which  under  his  management  has 
attained  a  measure  of  success  en- 
joyed by  only  a  few  Swedish- 
American  journals.  To  this  he 
has  greatly  contributed  by  writing 
every  week  editorials,  sketches, 
essays,  fables,  etc.,  first  under  the 
pen  name  Onkel  Ola-,  also  under 
the  pseudonyms  Albin.  Albinus, 
Observator,  — nd,  etc.  About  ten 
years  ago  he  published  a  .small 
comic  paper,  changed  later  into  an 
illustrated  literary  weekly,  entitled 
Idiina.  Since  several  years  back, 
the  weekly  Svcnska  I'diidtii,  a 
companion  newspaper  to  Svcnska 
Aiiicriknuairii,  is  published  from 
the  same  office,  the  two  correspond- 
ing to  a  semi-weekly  newspaper. 
The  office  is  at  35  S.  Clark  st. 

Mr.  Lindstrand  has  traveled 
extensively,  visiting  the  most  in- 
teresting points  in  the  United 
States,   Cuba  and  the  Antilles,  the 


various  countries  of  Europe,  Asia 
Minor  and  North  Africa,  F)gypt 
and  Palestine  in  particular.  For 
his  papers  he  has  written  a  large 
number  of  letters  of  travel,  and 
the  principal  results  of  his  ob- 
servations are  embodied  in  a  book 
of  travel  published  in  1898,  en- 
titled "I  Oster-  och  Vasterland.'* 
He  is  also  author  of  a  book, 
"Pennteckningar  af  Onkel  Ola." 

Mr.  Lindstrand  is  a  public 
spirited  citizen  and  a  man  who 
has  ever  had  the  welfare  of  his 
fellow  countrymen  close  at  heart. 
He  was  the  virtual  organizer  of 
the  original  Svithiod  Society,  a 
forerunner  of  the  Independent 
order  of  Svithiod,  and  the  found- 
ing of  the  Swedish  National  As- 
sociation was  due  chiefly  to  his 
efforts.  For  ten  years  or  over  he 
was  president  of  the  latter  associa- 
tion and  he  has  been  and  is  still 
the  main  backer  of  that  organiza- 
tion in  its  charitable  endeavors. 
He  is  a  popular  fraternity  man, 
being  affiliated  with  the  Masons, 
the  Knights  Templar,  the  Mystic 
Shriners,  as  also  with  the  Svithiod 
Singing  Club.  He  is  akso  director 
in  the  Union  State  Bank  from  the 
time  that  bank  was  organized. 

In  politics  Mr.  Lindstrand  is  an 
Independent  and  his  newspapers 
are  swerved  by  the  same  policy. 
By  appointment  of  Mayor  Harri- 
son he  served  as  a  member  of  the 
Library  Board  of  Chicago  for  three 
years,  1903-05.  Aside  from  that 
he  has  held  no  public  office. 

On  May  4,  1881,  Mr.  Lindstrand 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Selma 
Wennerberg     of     Goteborg,    born 


3" 


Cook  County 


Aug.  29,  1863.  A  daughter,  Hil- 
dur  C,  was  born  to  them  March 
12,  1882.  The  Lindstrand  family 
home  is  a  handsome  and  comfort- 
able residence,  located  at  6200 
Woodlawn    ave.,    in    Hyde    Park. 

WALTER  C.  FOSTER 

was  born  in  Chicago  Oct.  5,  1867. 
His    father,  a    native    of    Sweden, 


VVAl.TliK  CARL    I-'OSTKR 

was  a  prominent  member  of  the 
Methodist  Chnrcli  on  May  st.  .\t 
the  time  of  the  great  fire  in  1871 
he  was  living  on  the  north  side. 
As  a  child  of  four  he  was  carried 
across  the  Chicago  River  by  his 
grandmother  an  instant  before  the 
bridge  fell.  In  earlj*  childhood 
he  attended  tJie  Carpenter  School 
and  later,  the  Metroiwlitan  Busi- 
ness College.  Subsequent!)-  he 
learned  the  art  of  garment  cutting 
and  became  the  head-cutter  of  one 
of  Chicago's  first  tailoring  firms, 
that  of  Edward  El\ .  This  position 
was    retained    for    ten   years,   after 


which  he  became  as.sociated  with 
Haidy  Bros.,  merchant  tailors. 
The  present  title  of  the  firm  is 
Hardy  Hros.,  Foster  ^:  Co.,  located 
at  room  404,  Atwood  Bldg.  Mr. 
Foster's  home  is  at  Ravenswood, 
where  he  has  lived  for  about 
fifteen  years.  He  is  a  meml>er  of 
the  Methodist  Church  at  Ravens- 
wood  . 

Mr.  Foster  is  a  member  of  the 
National  I'nion.  He  has  served 
as  president  of  the  29th  precinct 
club  of  the  26th  ward. 


AUGUSTA  J.  OBERG. 
horn  May  17,  1874,  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  John  Fredrik  Oberg  and 
Mathilda  Larson  Oberg  of  Stock- 
holm. For  the  past  twenty-.seveu 
years  Mr.  Oberg  has  held  the  po- 
sition of  superintendent  of  the 
Reyniersholin  woolen  mills  and  in 
1900  received  a  medal  for  long 
and  faithful  service.     The  daugh- 


AUGUSTA  JOSBPH1NI-:  OBEKG 

tcr  was    born  in    Nykiiping,  from 
which  cit\-  ihc  familv    removcxl  to 


Chicago 


3 '3 


the  capital  in  1880.  Having  at- 
tended common  and  private  schools, 
Miss  Oberg  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1892.  After  a  brief  stay 
in  Cambridge,  111.,  she  came  to 
Chicago  and  in  1894  entered  the 
training  school  for  nurses  at  Au- 
gustana  Hospital,  Chicago.  She 
completed  the  course  in  two  years 
and  upon  her  graduation  in  July, 
1S96,  she  took  a  position  as  su- 
perintendent of  Dr.  Goodsmith's 
private  sanatarium  in    this  city. 

Shorth-  after  the  outbreak  of 
the  Spanish-American  war  Miss 
Oberg  was  sent  to  Cuba  by  the 
National  Emergency  A.ssociation 
of  Women  Physicians,  Surgeons 
and  Nurses.  She  was  stationed 
at  Matanzas,  where  she  served  on 
board  the  American  hospital  ships 
that  brought  in  a  great  number 
of  patients,  chiefly  yellow  fever 
victims,  into  that  port.  She  was 
in  the  emergency  service  up  to 
March,    1899. 

Relieved  from  service  in  Cuba, 
Miss  Oberg  made  a  visit  to  her 
old  home  and  spent  one  year  in 
Stockholm.  She  returned  to  Swe- 
den with  a  view  to  take  up  the 
practice  of  the  professional  nurse, 
but  finding  the  field  closed  to  all 
except  graduates  of  Swedish  train- 
ing schools,  she  came  back  to  the 
United  States  in  September,  1900, 
since  which  time  she  has  been 
engaged  in  private  nursing  in 
Chicago  and  vicinity. 


1862.  His  early  education  was 
obtained  in  the  public  schools, 
supplemented    by    private  in.struc- 


OLIVER  A.  UNDER, 
associate  editor  of  Si'e>/sA-a  Ameri- 
kanareii,   was    born  at  Gylle,   near 
Trelleborg,    Sweden,     March     29, 


OLIVER    .A.    LINDEK 

tion.  At  the  age  of  fifteen  he 
began  to  contribute  to  the  local 
newspapers,  and  the  following  j-ear 
became  the  regular  local  corres- 
pondent to  Allehanda  in  Trelle- 
borg. In  the  early  part  of  the 
year  1880  he  came  to  the  United 
States.  While  variously  employed 
as  a  farm  hand,  a  sawmill  worker, 
etc..  he  kept  up  his  newspaper 
contributions,  which  in  1883  led 
to  a  situation  on  Svoiska  Ameri- 
katiareii.  In  1884  and  1886  he 
made  trips  back  to  Sweden  and  in 
the  intervals  worked  in  the  office 
of  a  steamship  company,  before 
returning  to  journalism  in  1888, 
as  editor  of  Svcnska  Kurin)!.  With 
that  paper  he  remained  onl>-  a  few 
months,  and  next  edited  success- 
ively Roman-Bladct  of  Minneapo- 
lis, in  1S89,  Humoristen  of  Chi- 
cago,  in   1890,   and    Michigan-'Tri- 


3'4 


Cook  County 


bntieii  of  Ironwood,  and  Nva  I'erl- 
diti  of  Story  City,  Iowa,  in  1891. 
In  the  spring  of  the  following 
year  he  again  became  a  member 
of  the  staff  of  Sirtiska  Amerikaii- 
anti,  a  position  since  held  perma- 
nently by  him. 

Mr.  Linder  is  a  practical  jour- 
nalist, whose  arduous  routine  of 
news  writing  has  never  been  per- 
mitted to  choke  his  veins  of  poet- 
ry and  humor,  although  materially 
limiting  their  flow.  As  a  humor- 
ist he  reminds  one  of  Bill  Nye, 
whose  style  he  admits  having  u.sed 
as  a  model.  In  1S90  and  '91  he 
published  a  couple  of  small  collec- 
tions of  humor  in  prose  and  verse, 
entitled  "Glada  Grin."  His  more 
recent  poetical  productions,  how- 
ever, have  been  mostly  in  a  seri- 
ous strain.  His  originaUty  and 
vigorous  diction  give  him  a  place 
among  our  best  writers.  Mr.  Lin- 
der has  contributed  poems  to  vari- 
ous publications  in  book  form, 
including  Pidiiebloiiimau,  but  most 
of  his  verse  is  still  scattered  about 
in  newspapers. 

During  the  years  devoted  to 
journalism  he  has  made  extensive 
literary  collections,  which  are  care- 
fully sy.stemalized  .so  as  to  form 
an  excellent  working  library.  Of 
late  he  has  also  given  some  time 
to  historical  research  relative  to 
early  Swedish  colonization  in 
America.  The  first  result  of  this 
line  of  investigation  is  a  mono- 
graph on  John  Morton,  one  of 
the  signers  of  the  Declaration  of 
IndejK'ndence. 

In   1S91   Mr.  Linder  was  married 
to  Miss  Therese  Sennstrom.   They 


have  an  only  child,  a  .son,   named 
Sven  Cyril. 

Mrs.   Linder.    born    in    Grissle- 


rh 


y 


i 


TlllCKESU    LI.SDliK 

hamn,  Sweden,  Jan.  24.  1866,  also 
has  a  literary  bent.  She  early 
began  writing  little  sketches,  mak- 
ing her  first  appearance  in  Piak- 
likeii.  a  paper  published  in  Kris- 
tineharan.  where  she  attended  a 
girls'  seminary.  From  that  time 
on  she  has  written  a  considerable 
number  of  sketches  and  short  sto- 
ries for  various  new.spapers  and 
periodicals.  During  a  recent  year's 
sojourn  in  Sweden  she  sent  a  ser- 
ies of  letters  of  travel  to  Snnska 
Amerikaminn,  showing  her  to  l>e 
a  close  observer  and  a  clever  and 
witty  narrator. 

HKNXING  JOHNSON, 
veterinary  surgeon,  has  been  a 
Chicago  resident  since  1881.  That 
year  he  came  to  this  country  from 
Jiinkoping,  Sweden,  where  he  was 
born  June  16,  1868,  the  sou  of 
Sven  Johanson,  a  dyer    by    trade. 


Chicago 

Both  parents  are  deceased.  As  a 
boy  of  thirteen  Mr.  Johnson  began 
attending  school  in  Chicago,  short- 


HENNING  JOHNSON 

ly  after  his  arrival,  finishing  gram- 
mar school  in  1884.  Thereupon 
he  entered  the  Chicago  College  of 
Pharmacy,  graduating  in  1886. 
After  completing  the  courses  in 
the  Chicago  Veterinary  College, 
he  graduated  from  that  institution 
in  1892.  Entering  the  employ  of 
Lawrence  Hesselroth.  he  worked 
under  him  as  a  pharmacist  for 
eight  years. 

Dr.  Johnson  in  1895  was  ap- 
pointed City  Veterinary  Surgeon 
by  Mayor  Swift,  and  served  in 
that  capacity  for  two  years.  Sub- 
sequently he  received  the  appoint- 
ment as  veterinary  surgeon  of  the 
Lincoln  Park  Zoo,  an  office  filled 
by  him  up  to  the  prt^ant  time. 
As  far  as  known.  Dr.  Johnson 
was  the  first  Swedish  veterinar>- 
surgeon  graduated  from  an  Amer- 
ican veterinarv  college. 


315 

Dr.  John.son  lives  with  his  fam- 
ily at  526  Fullerton  ave.  His 
wife,  Edith  Lillian  Chaiser,  is 
the  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Lot- 
tie Chaiser,  both  deceased.  There 
are  two  children  in  his  family, 
Henning  Irving  and  Edith  Linnea. 
The  marriage '  of  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Johnsdn  took  place  Oct.  21,    1894. 

Dr.  Johnson  is  a  member  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Svithiod  and 
of  the  Foresters. 


EDWIX  BOVIK 

was  born  June  6,  1870,  in  Lyse- 
kil,  Bohuslan,  Sweden.  In  188S 
he  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
coming  directly  to  Chicago.  Af- 
ter spending    a    few    years    learn- 


ELiWIN    BOVIK 

ing  the  trade,  he  established  him- 
self as  a  merchant  tailor,  a 
business  in  which  he  is  still  en- 
gaged at  311  W.  Garfield  blvd. 
Since  his  coming  to  this  conntrj- 
he  has  always   been    a  Republican 


3i6 


Cook  County 


in  politics.  He  is  a  member  of 
Independent  Order  of  Svithiod. 
Mr.  Bovik  was  married  in 
1.S95  to  Mi.ss  Maria  Holmgren. 
They  have  two  sons,  Lc  Roy  E. 
and    Verner    A.    Kovik. 

WILLIAM  LARSON 

was  born  in  Guldrupe  parish,    on 
the    Island    of    Gotland.    Sweden, 


\V1L1.I.\.M    I..\KSO.\ 

Nov.  30,  1867,  and  was  raised  on 
a  farm  owned  by  his  father,  Lars 
Assarsson.  His  early  education 
and  training  he  obtained  in  the 
common  school  and  a  sloyd  school. 
Having  learned  the  dyer's  trade, 
he  worked  at  that  for  six  years, 
after  leaving  the  farm.  In  1890, 
as  a  yoinig  man  of  twenty-three, 
he  left  home  and  came  to  the 
United  States,  locating  in  Chicago 
from  the  first.  For  five  years  he 
was  employed  in  the  Pullman  Car 
Co's  shops,  putting  his  knuwledge 
of  handicraft  to  good  use. 

Leaving  on  account   of  what   he 


considered  too  arbitrary  restric- 
tions on  the  workmen,  he  obtained 
a  situation  with  a  Swedish  weekly 
newspaper,  Svetiska  .-iiiieri/^atiaien, 
in  the  month  of  August.  1S95. 
In  this  office  he  is  still  a  menilier 
of  the  force,  having  sleadilj-  ad- 
vanced from  "hatidy  man"  al)out 
the  place  to  his  present  position 
of  advertising  manager  of  said 
paper,  together  with  another 
weekh'.  Sveuska  Varlden,  published 
from  the  same  office. 

Mr.  Larson  is  as  clever  with 
the  pen  as  with  the  piencil.  He 
has  written  very  readable  ver.-^e 
and  there  are  many  creditable 
prose  sketches  from  his  hand 
scattered  through  the  file.s  of 
Sirnska  Aiiui ikaniiyen  and  an  oc- 
casional story  or  snatch  of  verse 
in  other  publications,  including 
I'idiitbloiiiiiiaii.  a  Swedish- Ameri- 
can literary  annual.  An  inborn 
talent  for  drawing  and  sketching, 
is  responsible  for  a  number  of 
portraits  and  other  illustrations, 
which  have  apjseared  in  the  public 
prints. 

Mr.  Larson  was  married  Dec. 
22,  1894.  Mrs.  Larson  was  Miss 
Jenny  Gustafson.  born  in  Stora 
Aby,  OstergiUland,  Sweilen.  Of 
four  children  born  to  them,  two 
sons  are  living.  Hirger  Eskil  and 
Carl  Gustaf,  born,  resi)ectively, 
1895  and    1900. 

I'DW.XRl)   k.WMOXD 

was  born  in  Chicago.  Feb.  iS, 
iS7(),  His  father  was  .\dolf  Fa- 
gerlnnd,  but  the  sou  retains  only 
the  baptismal  names.  He  pas.sed 
through     the    jiiiblic    schools    and 


Chicago 


.V7 


soon  after  was  engaged  as  mason 
and  buiUlcT.  When  he  entered 
business    in     i8go    his     enterprise 


EDWARD   RAYMOND 

soon  yielded  liandsonie  returns. 
Besides  contracting  for  work  he 
has  erected  a  number  of  build- 
ings of  his  own. 

In  1S97,  Mr.  Raj-niond  was 
married  to  Miss  Helga  H.  Sheall. 
They  have  two  sons,  and  reside 
at  3957  Ridge  boul. 

Mr.  Raymond  is  a  Knight  of 
Pvthias  and  a  Mason. 


GOSTA  WESTMAN 

was  born  April  i,  1882,  in  Hel- 
singborg,  Sweden.  His  parents 
are  C.  A,  L.  Westman,  former 
director  of  telegraph  at  Malmo, 
and  Mathilda,  nee  Ramberg. 

The  son  enjoyed  a  thorough  ed- 
ucation, fitting  him  for  the  liter- 
ary career  which  he  entered  upon 
at  an  exceptionally  early  age.  He 
was  onlj^  seventeen  years  old  when, 
in   1899,  he  obtained    his  first  sit- 


uation on  a  new.spaper,  and  worked 
for  the  next  four  years  on  differ- 
ent papers  in  Helsingborg  and 
Stockholm. 

In  1903,  Mr.  Westman  visited 
the  Louisiana  Purcha.se  Exposition 
in  St.  Louis  as  the  correspondent 
of  Orcsinuh-J^ostfii  in  Helsingborg. 
At  the  close  of  the  exposition  he 
came  to  Chicago  and  was  persu- 
aded to  remain.  Securing  a  posi- 
tion on  the  SirusA-a  Nylicicr,  as 
associate  editor,  he  remained  with 
that  paper  until  October,  igo6. 
During  this  period  he  contributed 
a  large  number  of  original  sketches 
and  feature  articles  to  the  paper. 
In    1907    he    returned  to  Sweden. 

Two  years  before  Mr.  Westman 
engaged  in  journalism  he  had  had 
his  first  book  publi-shed.  It  was 
an  historical  novel,  entitled  "Ake 
Ulf.sson,"  a  very  fair  effort  on  the 
part  of  an  author  fifteen  years  old. 
This  was  followed  the  next  year 
by  a  collection  of  novellettes,  en- 
titled "Skamt  och  Allvar."  In 
1900  he  wrote  "Alandskungen," 
an  historical  romance,  which  was 
published  the  following  year.  In 
1903  he  brought  out  another  novel, 
"Testamentet,"  and  a  collection 
of  short  stories  under  the  common 
title:  "Ur  en  gammal  stadskrb- 
nika."  The  same  year  he  wrote 
a  humorous  annual  review  for 
stage  production,  dealing  with 
local  affairs  in  Helsingborg.  From 
1902-03  he  published  ''Argus." 
a  comic  paper. 

While  engaged  on  Sveits/ca  A[v- 
hctcr  he  wrote  a  short  novel,  based 
on  the  events  of  the  war  between 
Russia    and    Japan,    entitled    "Pa 


3i8 

lif    och    dod,"  which  ran  as  a  se- 
rial in  that  paper  in   1905. 

A  rich  vein  of  humor,  mixed 
with  a  dash  now  and  then  of  sa- 
tire, flows  from  Mr.  Westman's 
prolific  pen.  The  first  fruits  of 
his  work  are  prophetic  of  greater 
things  to  follow. 


JOHN  F.  LINDQUIST 
was  born  Jan.  28,  1863,  in  Upsala, 
Sweden.  From  his  sixth  year  to 
his  fifteenth  year  he  attended  the 
country  school.  His  father  was  a 
physician  with  an  extensive  prac- 
tice. The  son  often  spent  his 
spare  time  in  visiting  the  sick 
under  his  father's  care.  From  the 
time  of  his  father's  death  until 
1883  he  studied  with  private  teach- 
ers in  Upsala.  On  Aug.  11,  1893, 
he  arrived  in  Chicago  and  here 
began  the  study  of  medicine  at 
Rush  Medical  College  and  Harvey 
Medical  College.  After  securing 
his  medical  diploma  he  took  a 
post-graduate  course  in  the  Chi- 
cago Eye,  Ear,  Nose  and  Throat 
College.  For  several  years  he  was 
connected  with  the  St.  Mary's 
Clinic  in  Chicago,  and  was  ap- 
pointed ear,  nose  and  nose  .special- 
ist at  this  institution.  His  down- 
town ofTice  is  one  of  the  best 
appointed  in  Chicago,  and  contains 
apparatus  with  the  newest  and 
best  improvements  for  the  treat- 
ment   of    his  specialties. 

Dr.  Lindquist  is  widely  known 
as  a  worker  in  the  cause  i>f  tem- 
perance, having  allied  himself  with 
local  and  national  temperance  so- 
cieties after  his  coming  to  Chica- 
go.     He  has  repeatedly  been  elec- 


Cook  County 

ted  chairman  of  the  Illinois  Scan- 
dinavian Temperance  Association. 
He  is  the  official    physician  of  all 


JOHN    TREDKICK     l.INUgUIST 

the  national  Scandinavian  tem- 
perance societies  and  also  of  many 
English,  Swedish  and  Spanish  fra- 
ternal organizations.  Dr.  Lind- 
quist's  principles  forbid  the  use 
of  tobacco  in  any  form.  He  dep- 
recates the  daily  use  of  coffee, 
tea  or  alcoholic  beverages,  although 
he  concedes  their  value  medicin- 
ally. He  has  converted  many 
patients  and  physicians  to  his 
views. 

Dr.  Lindijuist  is  a  memlier  of 
the  Chicago  Medical  Society,  the 
Cook  County  Medical  Society,  the 
Illinois  Medical  Association  and 
the  American  Medical  Association. 

His  religious  home  is  the  First 
Swedish  Kv.  I.ntht-ran  Mission 
Church.  In  this  church  he  taught 
a  large  class  of  young  men  for 
Hible  stud\  for  .some  time,  but 
professional  duties  lateh  com]>elkHl 


Chicago 


3 '9 


I 


I 


him  to  withdraw  from    this  activ- 
ity. 

Sept.  20,  1900,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Agnes  Lin- 
quist,  of  Chicago.  To  them  a 
daughter,  Grace,  and  two  sons, 
Raymond  and  Harry,  have  been 
born. 


NILS  P.  SEVERIN, 

contractor   and    builder,  was  born 
in  Skane,  Sweden,  March  30,  1861, 


ings  here  in  the  fall  of  the  same 
year.  Since  that  time  he  has 
erected  a  large  number  of  build- 
ings in  this  city,  including  several 
large  structures  and  fourteen 
churches. 

He  is  aflfiliated  with  the  follow- 
ing associations  and  business  in- 
terests: the  Carpenters'  and  Build- 
ers' Association;  the  Chicago  Cem- 
etery Association,  as  vice-presi- 
dent: the  Swedish- American  Hos- 
pital Association  as  a  member 
of  the  board  of  directors;  also 
director  in  the  Scandia  Life  In- 
surance Company  and  president  of 
the  Swedish  Baptist  Mutual  Aid 
Association.  His  business  office  is 
at  103  Reaper  Block. 

Mr.  Severin  is  a  man  of  family, 
having  been  married  Dec.  30,  1S85, 
to  Miss  Hanna  Anderson  of  Fren- 
ninge,  in  his  own  native  province, 
where  she  was  born  Jan.  2,  1S60. 
Their  children,  with  year  of  birth, 
are:  Alfred  N.,  18S7;  Esther  I., 
1890;  Enoch  N.,  1893,  and  Clara 
v.,    1895. 


NILS  P.   SEVKRIX 

his  parents  being  Per  Nilsson  and 
Elna  Nilsson,  farmer  folk.  What 
education  the  son  received  was  ac- 
quired in  the  common  schools,  in 
the  intervals  of  farm  work.  At 
.seventeen  years  of  age  he  engaged 
himself  with  a  carpenter  contrac- 
tor to  learn  the  trade.  After  four 
years'  work  he  was  promoted  to 
a  foremanship  of  a  building  crew, 
retaining  that  position  until  he 
Itf;  for  the  United  States  in  1888. 
Mr.  Severin  located  in  Chicago 
and    began  contracting    for    build- 


MARGARET   C.   E.    DAHL- 
STROM, 

well  known  in  musical  circles  as 
a  vocalist  and  teacher  of  brilliant 
attainments,  was  born  May  9,  1873, 
in  Port  Henry,   N.  Y. 

Her  voice,  earlj'  in  life  being 
recognized  as  one  of  great  prom- 
ise, she  was  placed  under  local 
teachers  and  made  rapid  progress. 

After  some  years  of  study  in 
eastern  cities  she  came  to  Chicago, 
to  become  a  pupil  of  John  R. 
Ortengren,     with    whom    she     re- 


.^20 


Cook  County 


niaiiied    for    several    \ears,   eveiil- 
iially  graduating  with  liiKh  honors. 
In    1902    Miss    Dahlstrom   asso- 
ciated   herself    with    the    Balatka 


MAKdAKIiT    CHKISTIXK    li. 
UAHI.STROM 

Musical  College  as  an  instructor 
in  the  vocal  department,  where 
she  has  a  large  class. 

Miss  Dahlstrom  is  a  member  of 
the  Sixth  Presbyterian  Church 
Quartette,  the  Hebrew  Temple 
Quartette  and  also  of  the  Swedish 
Ladies'  Quartette.  Her  voice  is 
a  contralto  of  large  range,  sonor- 
ous and  mellow,  and  capable  of 
interpreting  the  most  tender  feel- 
ing. Her  singing  has  a  charm 
and  resonance  to  which  every 
audience  is  responsive.  She  has 
an  extensive  repertory  of  orato- 
rios and  songs. 

JOHAN    ALFRED    ENANDKR, 

poet,  author,  lecturer,  editor,  and 
historian,  was  born  in  a  peasants 
home  in  Skinmoen,    Hiirja  ])arisli. 


Vestergotland,  Sweden,  May  22. 
1842.  From  his  childhood  he 
manifested  an  eagerness  for  read- 
ing, but  opportunity  for  study 
was  lacking.  He  was  held  to  the 
duties  of  the  average  farmer  boy. 
At  the  age  of  fifteen  he  left  the 
parental  home,  ( the  family  had 
removed  to  Bredgarden,  near  the 
city  of  Boras )  for  a  distant  school, 
where  he  pursued  his  studies  for 
some  time  luider  jirivations  and 
hardships  resulting  from  lack  of 
means.  Leaving  school  at  the 
age  of  nineteen  he  secured  a 
position  in  a  county  office.  See- 
ing no  future  in  that  line  of  work, 
Enander  cast  about  for  other  em- 
ployment. He  tjegan  contributing 
to  local  papers    and  wrote  a  "His- 


JtlllA.N    Al.KRBU   BNANDHK 

tory  of  Mornjonism,"  published 
in  1S65  to  counteract  the  sjiread 
of  that  doctrine  in  tlie  province. 
After  enjoying  private  instruction 
by  several  teachers,  young  Enan- 
der,  in     iS()(>,    cnlereti    the    sixth 


Chicago 


32' 


class  of  the  collegiate  school  at 
Venersborg. 

In  order  to  make  his  way  he 
acted  as  private  tutor  and  as  assist- 
ant teacher  in  the  city's  trade 
school,  besides  continuing  to  write 
for  the  papers.  Per  Wieselgren 
and  Dr.  Peter  P'jellstedt  counselled 
him  to  apply  to  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  Augustana  College 
and  Theological  Seminary  for  free 
tuition  and  maintenance.  This 
advice  was  followed  and  the  request 
was  granted.  He  left  Goteborg  for 
America  Aug.  6,  1869,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Paxton,  111.,  where  the 
institution  was  then  located.  The 
newcomer  gained  entrance  to  the 
highest  class  and  began  his  theo- 
logical studies,  but  continued  onlj- 
to  the  end  of  the  term  when  his 
newspaper  experience  secured  him 
the  position  of  editor  of  Hcmlan- 
det,  the  organ  of  the  Augustana 
Synod.  Accepting  the  place, 
Enander  came  to  this  city  and 
entered  upon  his  life  career. 

In  the  great  fire  of  1871,  En- 
ander lost  all  the  little  he  pos- 
sessed. He  was  appointed  chair- 
man of  the  Scandinavian  Relief 
Committee  and  during  the  winter 
was  tireless  in  his  efforts  for  the 
needy  and  destitute.  His  health 
was  xtndermined  about  this  time 
and  at  the  advice  of  his  physician 
he  took  a  trip  to  Mexico.  Re- 
turning to  Chicago  in  improved 
health,  he  appeared  in  1872  for 
the  first  time  as  political  orator 
making  a  speaking  tour  in  com- 
pany with  Governor  Oglesby  in 
behalf  of  General  Grant's  reelection 
to  the  presidency. 


The  same  year  Enander  entered 
into  partnership  with  G.  A. 
liohman,  purchased  Ihmlandct 
and  made  it  a  political  newspaper, 
Enander  continuing  as  its    editor. 

Besides  his  work  in  Ilcmlandct, 
Enander  exerted  him.self  in  oilier 
directions.  The  first  Swedish- 
American  Voung  People's  Society 
was  organized  by  his  direction 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Imman- 
uel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in 
Chicago.  He  also  developed  con- 
siderable activity  as  writer  and 
publisher.  About  this  time  he 
edited  a  literary  monthh-  of  high 
excellence,  Ndr  ocli  F/crraii,  pub- 
lished by  his  firm.  In  1879-81 
another  publication,  entitled  i'lig- 
doiiis-Vatuieii,  was  edited  by  him. 

In  1876  Mr.  Enander  was 
chosen  bj'  the  festival  committee 
of  the  Centennial  Exposition  at 
Philadelphia  to  deliver  the  ad- 
dress on  the  day  set  aside  for  the 
Swedish  celebration . 

In  187S  Mr.  Enander  accom- 
panied the  American  delegates  to 
the  International  Congress  which 
then     met    in    Stockholm. 

Enander  was  one  the  prime 
movers  in  having  erected  a  monu- 
ment to  Carl  von  Linne  (Linnaeus), 
a  replica  of  a  statue  erected  in 
Stockholm.  The  Linne  Monu- 
ment Association,  formed  for  this 
purpose,  chose  him  as  chairman, 
a  place  which  he  resigned  before 
the  work  was  completed.  On  the 
day  of  unveiling.  May  23,  1891, 
he  delivered    the    festival    oration. 

During  all  presidential  cam- 
paigns for  the  past  thirty  years 
Mr.    Enander    has    been    an    able 


322 


Cook  County 


champion  of  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party.  By  direction 
of  the  Republican  National  Com- 
mittee, he  has  traveled  through 
almost  all  the  states  in  which 
Swedish-Americans  reside,  making 
stiring  political  speeches  to  his 
countrymen.  President  Harrison 
in  18H8  appointed  Mr.  Enander 
American  Minister  to  Denmark, 
but  before  he  could  leave  for  the 
post  untoward  circumstances  cut 
short  his  ambition  to  represent 
the  Republic  in  the  Danish  capi- 
tal, and  another  man  was  selected 
in  his  stead. 

In  1890,  Mr.  Enander  was 
called  by  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  Augustana  College  to  the  chair 
of  Swedish  Language  and  Litera- 
ture. He  .served  until  1893  when 
he  resigned  his  chair.  In  the 
meantime  the  firm  of  Enander 
and  Bohman  had  experienced  fi- 
nancial troubles,  leading  to  the 
dissolution    of    the    copartnership. 

After  a  year  of  literary  work  at 
home,  Enander  for  two  j-ears 
edited  Sfti/sA-ct  'jouiiuileu,  a  Swed- 
ish weekly  published  in  Omaha, 
Neb.  At  the  invitation  of  the 
newl)'  organized  Hemlandet  Com- 
pany in  Chicago,  he  again  assumed 
the  editorship  of  HeiiiUimitt  in 
1896. 

Ivnander  from  the  time  of  his 
coming  to  this  country  has  been 
an  interested  member  of  the  Swetl- 
ish-Anierican  Lutheran  Church. 
The  Augustana  Synod  has  en- 
trusted to  him  many  responsible 
connnissions.  At  an  audience  with 
King  Cscar  II.  in  1878,  he  was 
fortunate    in    obtaining    from    the 


King,  and  later  the  university 
authorities,  permission  for  Swed- 
ish-American college  graduates  to 
enter  the  Swedish  universities 
without  examination.  As  a  mem- 
ber of  the  synodical  assemblies  he 
has  fathered  and  furthered  many 
measures  of  importance  to  the 
church. 

Enander  has  been  much  in  de- 
mand as  orator.  The  principal 
occasions  at  which  he  has  been 
the  speaker  of  the  day,  besides 
the  aforesaid,  are  the  following: 
the  reception  to  the  military 
delegation  from  Sweden  at  the 
Chicago  Semi-Centenary  in  1S87; 
Swedish  Day  at  the  World's  Fair 
in  Chicago  in  1893;  the  King 
Oscar  Jubilee  in  Chicago  in  1S97: 
Swedish-American  Day  at  the  In- 
dustrial Exposition  in  Norrkiiping, 
Sweden  in   1906. 

In  1902  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  Augustana  College  conferred 
on  Enander  the  degree  of  LL.  D.. 
and  in  1905  he  received  from  King 
Oscar  the  "Literis  et  Artibus" 
medal  in  recognition  of  his  author- 
ship. He  is  also  the  posse.s,sor  of 
a  Polisli  honorary  order  given  as 
a  mark  of  gratitude  for  actual 
efforts  in  behalf  of  Poland  at  tlie 
time  of  its  struggle  for  independ- 
ence in  the  '60s. 

Enander' s  published  works  and 
compilations,  besides  the  Mormon 
history  above  mentioned,  arc  the 
following:  "Forenla  Stalcrnas 
Historia,"  (I'nited  States  History), 
a  work  published  in  Chicago, 
1 875- 1 880.  This  work,  has  been 
translated  into  Dano-Norwegian 
and  in   ]iart  into  I'jiglish.      "X'aUla 


Chicago 


323 


Skrifter,"  (Selected  Works),  an 
illustrated  work  published  in  1892 
in  Chicago,  comprising  addresses, 
historical  essays,  narratives  and 
poems.  "Nordmannen  i  Amerika 
eller  Amerikas  upptackt,"  (The 
Northmen  in  America,  or  The 
Discovery  of  America)  an  histori- 
cal dissertation,  published  in  Rock 
Island,  111.,  in  1892.  "Vara  Fa- 
ders  Sinnelag,"  (The  Character 
of  our  Ancestors),  published  in 
Stockholm  in  1S94.  "Ur  Svenska 
Sangen,"  an  anthology  of  Swedish 
poetry  from  1800  to  1850,  published 
at  Rock  Island  in  1901.  "Linna;a," 
a  collection  of  verse  bj'  Swedish- 
American  writers  published  and 
sold  for  the  benefit  of  the  Linn;ean 
monument  fund.  "Eterneller  och 
Varblommor,"  a  collection  of 
standard  religious  and  patriotic 
poems    from    Swedish      literature. 

Enander  has,  besides,  contributed 
to  newspapers  and  literarj-  an- 
nuals in  Sweden  and  the  United 
States,  among  which  may  be 
mentioned  the  annuals  I'iniersol, 
in  Sweden,  and  Prarieblomvtan  in 
this  country. 

Dr.  Enander  is  a  member,  active 
or  honorary,  of  several  civic,  his- 
torical and   literary  societies. 

At  55  Oak  place  in  Lake  View, 
Dr.  Enander  and  his  family  have 
resided  for  many  3-ears  back.  His 
marriage  took  place  June  22, 
1873,  at  Paxton,  111.,  Mrs.  En- 
ander, whose  maiden  name  was 
Melinda  Lawson,  is  the  daughter 
of  one  of  the  earliest  Swedish 
settlers  in  the  West.  There  are 
three  grown  children,  the  daugh- 
ters   Ada    Elvira    Angelika     and 


Hilma    Louise    Alfhild,    and     the 
son,  Johan   Ivinar   Hilding. 

CARL  T.  STRANDBERG 

belongs  to  the  well-known    Swed- 
ish    family     of    this    name.     Mr. 


CAKI,   THORSTEN  STK.X.NIlBERG 

Strandberg  was  born  Jan.  22, 
1S61,  at  Tomta,  Hallsberg  pari.sh, 
Nerike,  Sweden.  After  having 
completed  his  education  in  Swe- 
den, he  went  to  America,  arriving 
in  the  month  of  June,  1888.  He 
soon  obtained  a  position  as  book- 
keeper on  the  Board  of  Trade  in 
Chicago.  In  1890  he  accepted  a 
position  as  chief  clerk  with  the 
large  transportation  firm  of  Peter 
McDonnell  &  Co.,  in  their  Chicago 
offices  and  remained  with  this 
firm  for  more  than  seven  years. 
In  1S98,  Mr.  Strandberg  was  ap- 
pointed business  manager  of  the 
well-known  newspaper  Gain/a  och 
Xva  Hcmlandct,  and  later  was 
elected  its  treasurer. 

Mr.  Strandberg  is  also  an  officer 


I 


324 


Cook  County 


and  director  in  the  Scandia  Loan 
and  Investment  Association,  and 
holds  positions  of  trust  in  several 
other  enterprises. 

In  1889,  Mr.  Strandberg  was 
joined  in  matrimony  with  Miss 
Ellen  Victoria  Pedro,  who  was 
for  many  years  private  secretary 
to  the  renowned  Swedish  novelist, 
Emilie  Flygare-Carlen.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Strandberg  have  one  child, 
a  daughter,  Elsa  Victoria.  The 
family  residence  is  at  1227  North 
Shore  ave.,  Rogers  Park. 


ANNA  C.  FREID 

was  born  March  20,    1848,  at    Pe- 
larne,     Smaland,     Sweden.       Her 


i 

^ 

^ 

If 

1 

r 

^ 

A 

■im^ 

1 

;^^     ^ 

1 

ANNA  CHAKLOTTA   FREIU 

parents,  Johan  Magnus  Freid  och 
.\nna  Helena,  nee  Peterson,  emi- 
grated to  this  country  in  1857 
and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Andover, 
111.,   where  they  died  in   1891. 

The  daughter  was  confirmed  by 
tlic  pioneer,  kev.  Jonas  Swensson, 
and    later    became    a    professional 


nurse.     In   1884  she  was  called  to 

the  newly  established  Augustana 
Hospital  in  Chicago  as  head  nurse 
and  matron  of  the  institution, 
retaining  both  positions  until  she 
resigned  in   1896. 

Miss  Freid  made  a  tour  of  Eng- 
land, France,  Germany,  Sweden, 
Finland  and  Norway  in  1896  and 
and  again  in  1898,  studying  hos- 
pitals and  deaconess  institutions. 
She  was  one  of  the  leading  figures 
in  the  establishment  of  the  Im- 
manuel  Woman's  Home  Associa- 
tion at  577;-'  La  Salle  ave.  and 
is  the  president  and  treasurer  of 
its  board  of  trustees.  Its  object 
is  to  provide  a  home  under  Christ- 
ian influences  for  such  young 
women  as  are  temporarily  out  of 
work  and  also  for  those  who  have 
no  other  home.  It  will  also  be  a 
social  gathering  place  for  such 
members  as  are  emplo\-ed  but  do 
not  live  there.  The  home  was 
opened   Sept.   7,    1907. 

Mi.ss  Freid  is  a  member  of  the 
Inimanuel  Swedish  Luth.  Church 
since  1886  and  is  a  life  member 
of  the  Inimanuel  Deaconess  Insti- 
tute at  Omaha,  Neb.  She  sjkmuIs 
her  summers  at  Pistakee  Bay. 
McHenry  co.,  111.,  where  she  has 
a  .summer  cottage. 

JOHN  A.  SAN  I  )f.  REN, 
high  secretary  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Svithiod,  was  boni  at 
Mortorp,  Smaland,  April  10,  1S71. 
His  father,  C.  A.  Sandgren,  is 
a  leather  manufacturer  and  a 
man  of  consetiuence  in  the  com- 
munity, now  holding  the  oflice  of 
postmaster  at    Mortorp    wIktc    he- 


Chicago 


325 


resides.      He  is  also  the  owner  of  a 

beautiful  farm  at  Kulltorp.     There 
were  ten  children    in   the    faniiK-, 


JOHN   ALBIiRT   SANUGREN 

five  of  whom  survive.  The  elder 
Sandgren  aimed  to  give  his  chil- 
dren a  fair  education,  and  the  son 
John,  after  attending  common 
school  and  enjoying  private  in- 
struction, was  given  a  course  first 
at  a  business  college  in  Kalmar, 
then  at  an  agricultural  school  at 
Applerum,  where  he  studied  only 
the  theoretical  branches.  His  ed- 
ucation finished,  John  Sandgren 
held  a  situation  as  a  bookkeeper 
on  Baron  Stjernstedts  large  estate 
at  Lokene,  Vermland,  until  1891, 
when  he  came  over  to  the  United 
States.  Here  the  newcomer  dur- 
ing the  first  year  worked  at  what- 
ever he  could  find  to  do.  He 
was  at  Sheffield,  Pa.,  Jamestown 
and  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and  elsewhere, 
stopping  a  short  time  in  each 
place.      In    the    fall    of     1S92    he 


came  on  to  Chicago  and  soon  ob- 
tained a  clerical  position  with  the 
Chicago  Title  and  Trust  Company 
and  remained  with  this  firm  for 
eight  years.  In  1902  he  was 
elected  high  secretary  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Svithiod  and 
is  still  in  charge  of  the  head- 
quarters of  that  order  at  525 
Reaper  block. 

Besides  holding  membership  in 
the  Verdandi  Lodge  of  said  order, 
Mr.  Sandgren  belongs  to  the 
King  Oscar  Lodge  of  the  Masonic 
Order.  He  is  also  the  treasurer 
of  the  Swedish  Societies  Central 
Association,  a  charitable  organi- 
zation maintaining  the  Swedish 
Old  Peoples'  -  Home  at  Park 
Ridge,   Illinois. 

Mr.  Sandgren  was  married  Jan. 
II,  1899,  to  Miss  Thekla  C.  Bo- 
gren  of  Chicago.  They  live  in  a 
home  of  their  own  at  3361  North 
Ashland  ave. 


LARS  JOHNSON 

was  born  Dec.   22,    1853,  in    Has- 
selstad,  Ronueby  parish,  Blekinge,  j 
Sweden,   where    he    was    educated  | 
in  the  public,   grammar  and    high  ' 
schools.     Attracted  by  the  greater 
chances  offered  in  the  New  World,  I 
he  came  over  to    this    country    in  I 
September,     1879.     For     the     last  ' 
eighteen   years    Mr.    Johnson    has 
been  engaged  in    the    business    of 
buying  and  selling  of  western  and  ; 
southern    lands.     His    office    is  at  ] 
room   1023,  Chamber  of  Commerce  \ 
Building,  Chicago. 

Mr.    Johnson     was    married     in 


326 


Cook  County 


1889  to  Hilma  L.  Carlson.  They 
have  a  daughter,  Myrtle,  now 
about  fifteen  years  of  age.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Johnson  are  members  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 

ROBERT  ANDERSON 

was  born  Dec.  11,  1870,  in  Gus- 
taf    Adolf    parish,    Vestergotland, 


ROBERT  ANDERSON 

Sweden.  His  earlj'  education  was 
obtained  in  the  public  .schools  in 
Sweden.  He  learned  the  painter's 
trade  in  Jonkoping.  In  1887  he 
emigrated  and  came  directly  to 
Chicago.  He  worked  at  his  trade 
during  the  day,  and  at  night  at- 
tended the  night  school.  After 
three  years  of  intense  application 
he  began  his  own  business.  In 
1895  he  formed  a  ])artnership 
with  E.  Osterholm  with  the  firm 
name  of  Anderson  and  Osterholm. 
Tile  business  started  with  fi\c 
men     and     ,1     business     of    about 


$5,000  a  year.  It  now  requires 
75  men  and  the  volume  of  the 
business  is  more  than  5 100,000  a 
year.  The  firm  was  incorporated 
in  1902  as  the  Anderson  and 
Osterholm  Co.  Paint  stores  are 
maintained  at  1202  W.  59th  st. 
and  3200  N.  Clark  st. 

Mr.  Anderson  has  been  a  trustee 
of  the  Swedish  Mission  Church  in 
Englewood  for  the  past  sixteen 
years,  and  its  Sunday  school 
superintendent  for  many  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  board  of 
directors  of  Englewood  Hospital 
and  man)'  other  organizations. 

In  1890  Mr.  Anderson  entered 
the  matrimonial  state  with  Miss 
Selma  Holtzen  of  Chicago.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Anderson  have  a  pleas- 
ant home  and  are  bles.sed  with 
two  children,  Sigurd,  aged  fifteen 
and  Alice,  aged  five  years. 

GUST AVE  JACOBSON 

was  born  Oct.  13,  1873,  at 
Grangesberg,  Dalarne,  Sweden. 
Emigrating  in  1884  with  his  par- 
ents, he  went  to  Chicago.  After 
attending  the  public  school  he 
started  in  the  printing  trade  at 
the  Engberg-Holmberg  Publishing 
Co.'s.  office  in  1S87.  Since  then 
he  has  worked  in  various  places, 
among  them  J-osleihttuift  and 
Svriiska  Tribuiien  offices.  Since 
1903  he  has  conducted  a  linotyiK- 
office.  He  also  has  charge  of  the 
I Iciiilamifl  printing  department. 

Mr.  Jacobson  is  a  nKini)er  of 
\'erdandi  Lodge  No.  3,  I.  O.  S., 
the  X.  S.  B.  A.  and  of  the  Swed- 
ish Typographical  I'nion   No.   247. 


Chicago 


! 


He  was  married  June  25,  1S96, 
to  Heda  Dorothea  Swanson,  born 
Feb.    5,     1873,    at    Nas,     Dalarne, 


GUSTAVE  JACOBSON 

Sweden.  Their  children  are  Mabel 
D.,  Roswell  G.,  Clifford  A.  and 
Vivian  S.  Jacobson.  The  family 
resides  at  927  Devon  ave.,  Edge- 
water. 

EMIL  SHERMAN 
was  born  Feb.  12,  1S65,  in  Stora 
Forssa,  Hammar  parish,  Nerike, 
Sweden.  His  early  education  was 
obtained  in  the  Swedish  public 
school.  In  18S1  he  emigrated, 
arriving  in  America  in  July.  The 
young  man  here  went  to  work  in 
a  meat  market,  and  finalh'  became 
the  proprietor  of  a  market  at  75 
Sedgwick  st.  In  1907  he  opened 
a  restaurant  next  door  to  his 
meat  market. 

Mr.  Sherman  not  onl>'  has 
pronounced  musical  tastes  but  is 
also  gifted  with  a  talent  for  com- 
position, having  written  several 
pieces     for     the     piano.     Two    of 


327 

the.se  have  been  published,  bear- 
ing the  titles,  "Peace  and  Pros- 
perity to  All  Nations,"  a  march, 
and  "l^ncle  the  Great,"  a  march 
and  two-step. 

A  novel  piece  of  furniture  called 
the  rocking  modore  has  been 
patented  by  Mr.  Shermati  in  the 
United  States,  Canada  and  .several 
Iuirof>ean  countries.  It  is  a  rock- 
ing footrest  on  which  the  feet  are 
elevated  on  a  level  with  the  body 
and  which  swings  with  each  mo- 
tion of  the  occupant  of  a  rocking 
chair. 

Mr.  Sherman  was  married  Nov. 
21,    1885,   to  Clara  Johanson,  born 


EMIL   SHERMAN 


in  Varola  parish,  Vestergotland. 
Their  children  are  Ella  Victoria, 
born  Nov.  5,  1886  and  Gustaf 
William,   born  July  4,    188S. 


AXEL  \V.  AKESSON 

was  born  in  Lund,  Sweden,  March 
22,  1S72.  He  was  educated  in 
the    Lund    Cathedral    School,    and 


328 


Cook  CounU' 


then,  having  obtained  a  stipend 
for  five  years  from  the  Royal  Col- 
lege of  Commerce,  went  to  Berlin, 


AXEL   WICTOR  AKESSON 

where  he  attended  a  technical 
school,  thereupon  going  to  Vienna, 
Ziirich,  Paris  and  l,ondoii  to  va- 
rious schools. 

Returning  to  Stockholm,  Mr. 
Akesson  took  a  thorough  cour.se 
at  the  Kjellberg  Institute.  He 
went  to  Chicago  in  1S91,  and  is 
now  the  proprietor  of  the  Kell- 
berg  Institute  for  massage  and 
medical  gymnastics  at  1107  Cham- 
plain  Building. 

Mr.  Akesson  is  a  member  of 
King  0.scar  Lodge  of  Free  Ma- 
.sons,  the  Oriental  Consistory,  the 
Mystic  Shrine,  the  First  Swedish 
Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Swed- 
ish Glee  Club  and  the  Svithiod 
Singing  Club. 

On  Jan.  17,  1902,  was  celebrated 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  Ake.sson  to 
Aima  Grbncjuist,  who  is  his  alile 
assistant. 


GUSTAF   HOLMQUIST 

was  born  in  the  Swedish  city  of 
Nora,  \'estmanland,  Feb.  14,  1872, 
and  was  reared  there  until  thirteen 
years  of  age,  when  the  family 
emigrated  to  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
The  same  year,  1885,  the  young 
man  joined  a  mixed  choir  as  alto 
singer,  but  his  musical  training 
did  not  begin  until  he  reached 
the  age  of  twenty-one.  Then  he 
became  a  pupil  of  A.  \V.  Porter  of 
Minneapolis,  continuing  under  his 
instruction  for  four  years,  or  until 
1S97,  when  Mr.  Holmquist  inter- 
rupted his  studies  for  a  year  by 
going  to  Alaska  as  the  superin- 
tendent of  a  gang  of  road  build- 
ers.  Returning  in  1898,  he  resumed 


GUSTAF  HOLMUUIST 

his  musical  studies  anil  two  years 
later  came  to  Chicago.  Mere  he 
placed  himself  under  the  direction 
of  \V.  N.  Burritt  and  \V.  1..  Hub- 
bard, who  have  taken  pride  in 
the    training  and   further  ilevelop- 


Chicago 


329 


iiient  of  Mr.  Holiiiquist's  excel- 
lent voice. 

While  in  Minneapolis,  Mr.  Holni- 
quist  was  one  of  the  prominent 
soloists  of  that  city,  .singing  in 
the  Westminster,  the  Pre.sbyterian 
and  other  large  churches.  Since 
coming  to  Chicago,  he  has  been 
a  member  of  the  splendid  quartet 
of  the  Plymouth  Church  for  seven 
j^ears. 

Gustaf  Holmquist,  within  the 
last  few  years  has  made  for  him- 
self an  enviable  place  among  the 
ablest  bassos  of  the  United  States. 
Possessing  a  voice  of  exceptionally 
rich,  sympathetic  quality,  of  great 
power  and  of  wide  range,  he  is 
peculiarly  fitted  for  every  kind  of 
public  concert  work  from  oratorio 
and  festival  performances  to  song 
recitals  and  private  musicales. 

During  the  season  of  i^oi  he 
was  one  of  the  soloists  selected 
for  the  Chautauqua  Assembly  con- 
certs. 

Mr.  Holmquist  has  been  twice 
engaged  as  soloist  for  the  singing 
festivals  of  the  American  Union 
of  Swedish  Singers,  namely  at 
Jamestown  in  1901  and  at  Chicago 
in  1905.  He  was  soloist  at  the  festi- 
vals of  the  Eastern  division  of  the 
above  organization  at  Boston  in 
1903  and  Providence  in  1907,  and 
at  the  Western  division's  festival 
in  Moline  1907.  The  United  Nor- 
wegian Singers  of  America  chose 
him  as  soloist  at  their  festivals  in 
Sioux  Falls  in  1902  and  at  La 
Crosse  in   1905. 

In  1903  he  received  the  flatter- 
ing offer  to  go  to  the  St.  Louis 
Exposition    as    baritone    soloist  of 


the  Evanston  Musical  Club.  There 
he  sang  in  an  oratorio,  the  excel- 
lent rendition  of  which  brought 
the    club    a    competitive    prize    of 

$3.5«>- 

The    Apollo    Club    of     Chicago 

chose  him  as  bass  soloist  in  "Mes- 
siah" and  in  Gabriel  Pierue's 
"The  Children's  Crusade." 

His  successes  with  the  leading 
choral  societies  of  the  country,  as 
the  bass  soloist  in  Handel's  "Mes- 
siah," "The  Creation"  of  Haydn, 
Mendelssohn's  "Elijah"  and  "St. 
Paul,"  Gounod's  "Redemption" 
and  kindred  works  prove  him  an 
oratorio  singer  par  excellence. 

His  song  recitals  have  been  the 
subject  of  most  enthusiastic  ap- 
proval, his  interpretation  of  the 
standard  German  and  English 
songs  winning  him  only  highest 
commendation  and  his  authorita- 
tive rendition  of  the  Swedish  folk- 
and  art-songs  lending  peculiar  in- 
terest and  novelty  to  his  programs. 

May  23,  1893,  Mr.  Holnuiuist 
was  married  to  Miss  Olivia  Ogren 
at  Minneapolis. 


JOHN   A.  WESTERLUND 

was  born  June  10,  1865,  near  Ori- 
on, 111.,  and  is  the  .son  of  Peter 
Westerlund,  one  of  the  earliest 
Swedish  settlers  in  Henry  county. 
Until  he  was  eighteen  years  of 
age  he  worked  on  his  father's 
farm.  Being  desirous  of  a  higher 
education  he  attended  Bethanj- 
College  at  Lindsborg,  Kans.,  for 
six  years  and  was  graduated  in 
1 89 1,  in  the  classical  course,  with 
the  degree  of  A.  B.,  being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  class  sent  out  from 


330 


Cook  County 


the  institution.     In  the  same  year      made    a    tour    through    England, 


he  went    to  Chicago,  engaging   in 
the  real  estate  and  insurance  bus- 


JOHN    A.  WESTERLUND 

iness.  He  also  identified  himself 
with  the  colonization  and  immi- 
gration business  in  the  South  and 
West.  With  the  exception  of  five 
years  spent  in  the  South,  he  has 
been  making    Chicago    his    home. 

Since  1902  he  has  operated  ex- 
tensively in  Oregon  and  Wash- 
ington and  in  western  Nebraska 
acting  as  special  traveling  immi- 
gration agent  for  the  Union  Pacific 
R.  R.  and  as  state  commissioner 
of  immigration  of  Oregon  bj'  ap- 
pointment of  Governor  Chamber- 
lain. In  1903  he  founded  and 
organized  tlie  Western  Oregon 
Orchard  Company,  which  now  is 
one  of  the  largest  fruit  growing 
concerns  of  its  kind  on  the  Pacific 
coast. 

Mr.  Westerlund  has  traveled 
extensively,  having  visited  every 
slate   in  the  Union,    and    in     iSi)7 


Germany  and  the  three  Scandi- 
navian countries. 

Feb.  23.  i89<S,  Mr.  Westerlund 
was  married  to  Miss  lilla  Cornelia 
Holmberg,  adopted  daughter  of 
the  late  C.  P.  Holmberg,  the  vet- 
eran Chicago  publisher.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Westerlund  reside  in  Sheri- 
dan Park,  and  are  members  of 
the  Lutheran  Church.  They  are 
both  active  in  the  church,  Mr. 
Westerlund  serving  as  trustee. 

JOHAN    A.  LINDEBORG 

was  born  Feb.  6,  1835,  in  Kraks- 
hult,  Smaland,  Sweden.  His  fa- 
ther, Johan  Peter  Olofson,  a  far- 
mer, was    born    in    1804  and  died 


JOIIAN    A.   l.l.MHiUlIRi; 

in  1.S90.  His  mother,  Sara  Lisa 
Svensdotter  from  kuniskulla,dieil  in 
1 860, aged  fifty  years.  In  liis  early 
days  he  was  occupietl  in  farming 
and  various  mechanical  pursuits. 
He  studied  four  terms  at  the  ele- 
mentary   school    in    Ahlsborg     in 


Chicago 


.^■5' 


1862-63.  Subsequently  he  was 
engaged  as  assistant  teacher  in 
Rev.  B.  G.  Glasell's  institute  for 
the  deaf  and  dumb  and  tlie  blind 
at  Nya  Varfvet  in  Goteborg.  In 
1 86'/  Mr.  Lindeborg  left  this 
position  to  emigrate,  and  first  lo- 
cated in  La  Porte  and  South 
Bend,  Ind.  where  he  was  em- 
ploj'ed  as  a  cabinetmaker  in 
the  Singer  Sewing  Machine  Co.'s 
factory.  He  was  next  employed 
in  the  Pullman  shops,  and  worked 
for  various  periods  of  time  at  fine 
interior    finishing  in  Chicago. 

Mr.  Lindeborg  was  engaged  as 
a  salesman  in  the  book  store  of 
Enander  &  Bohman  for  six  years 
and  in  that  of  the  Engberg- 
Holmberg  Publishing  Co.  for  two 
years. 

Mr.  Lindeborg  has  been  active 
in  politics,  served  repeatedly  as 
election  clerk  and  was  once  a 
delegate  to  the  count j'  convention. 
He  has  been  an  unswerving 
Republican  since  he  acquired 
American  citizenship,  and  has 
taken  part  by  discussion  and  vote 
in   ever\-  campaign  since  1868. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Im- 
manuel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  Chicago.  He  served  as  secretary 
for  ten  years,  taught  in  the  Bible 
classes  of  the  Sunday  school  for 
twelve  years,  and  as  a  member 
of  the  Imm'anuel  Society  served 
as  secretary  for  a  number  of  years 
and  frequently  took  part  in  its 
literary  programs. 

At  present  he  is  engaged  in  the 
H.  M.  Calile  piano  works  at 
La  Porte,   Ind. 

He  was  married  to  Karolina  Jose- 


finaWiderstrom.  Their  one  daugh- 
ter, Alida,  is  Mrs.  V.  O.  Peterson 
of  Rock  Island. 


SVEN   JOHAN  SEBELIUS, 

minister   of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Auguslana    Synod,   is    the    son    of 


SVEN  JOHA.\  SEBELIUS 

Sebelius  Anderson,  a  carpenter 
of  Tvaaker,  Halland,  Sweden, 
where  he  was  born  April  4, 
1.S74.  The  family  left  the  old 
country  in  i''^79,  stopping  in 
Pennsylvania,  where  they  resided 
at  Clermont,  Mclntire  and  Peale, 
and  finally  settled  at  Du  Bois. 
In  the  public  schools  the  son 
obtained  his  fundamental  educa- 
tion and  after  that  entered  Aug- 
ustana  College.  From  that  insti- 
tution he  graduated  in  1901  with 
the  degree  of  A.  B.  and  from 
Augustana  Theological  Seminary 
three  years  later  as  a  Bachelor 
of  Divinity.  While  at  college 
Mr,  Sebelius  was  an  earnest  stu- 
dent    of     the     literature     of     the 


332 


Cook  County 


mother  country  and  was  one  of 
the  organizers  of  the  Swedish 
Society  of  Belles  Lettres,  becom- 
ing one  of  the  five  charter  meni- 
Ijers  and  serving  one  term  as  its 
president. 

Since  his  ordination  in  1904, 
Rev.  Mr.  Sebelius  has  been  in 
charge  of  the  Siloa  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  at  Blue  Island, 
one  of  the  suburbs  of  Chicago. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Ministerial  Association 
of   Chicago. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Sebelius  was'mar- 
ried  Sept.  25,  1907,  to  Mi.ss  Emily 
Anderson  of  Portland,  Conn. 


MARIE  SW ANSON 

was  born  Aug.  31,   1875,  in    Hiir- 
lof,    Kristianstad,    Sweden.       Her 


MA  Kill  SWANSON 

father  is  Sven  Jolianson,  now  a 
resident  of  Chicago.  She  came  to 
this  country  in  1892.  Having  re- 
ceived her  fundamental  education 
in  her  native  laud,   Miss  Swau.son 


came  to  this  city,  where  she  at- 
tended Harvey  Medical  College 
for  three  years.  Later  on  she 
attended  the  American  Medical 
College  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  gradu- 
ating therefrom  April  21,  1903. 
The  state  medical  examinations 
in  both  Missouri  and  Illinois  have 
been  successfully  passed  by  her. 

Dr.  Swan.son  is  a  member  of 
the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Secur- 
ity, Independent  Order  of  Forest- 
ers and  of  the  Royal  Neighbors 
of  America.  She  is  medical  ex- 
aminer of  Harmony  Council  No. 
928  of  K.  &  L.  of  S.,  of  Com- 
panion Court  New  Monitor  No. 
427  I.  O.  F.  and  of  Ravenswood 
Camji  No.  3053  R.  N.  of    A. 

JOHN  E.  MOHLIN 

was  born  Jan.  18,  1863,  in  Kal- 
mar,  Sweden.     His  early  training 


JOHN    UDVARl)    MOHl.lN 

he  received  in  a  i)usiness  college 
of  his  home  citv.  In  iSSd  he 
emigrated    to    America    and    went 


Chicago 


immediately  to  Chicago,  whicli 
place  has  since  been  his  home. 

After  the  lapse  of  a  few  years 
he  began  business  as  a  mason 
contractor  together  with  John 
Woodstroni.  This  business  was 
incorporated  in  1898  as  the  Lake 
View  Building  Company. 

Mr.  Mohlin  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of 
Ravenswood. 


EUGENE  L.  SWENSON, 

son  of  Carl  Swenson,  a    wholesale 
fish    dealer,  was    born    March   12, 


333 

coloni.sts  to  Bovina,  Texas,  a  new 
settlement  in  the  northwestern  part 
of  that  state.  Farmers  in  the 
northern  states  are  finding  that 
they  can  sell  their  farms  and  ob- 
tain with  the  proceeds  from  five 
to  ten  times  as  much  equally  fer- 
tile land  in  Texas  as  they  origin- 
ally owned.  Mr.  Swenson  is  the 
owner  of  Swenson' s  Hotel  in 
Bovina. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Imman- 
uel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
Chicago. 

In  June,  1906,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Torell,  daugh- 
ter of  Rev.  J.  Torell  of  Swedes- 
burg,   Xeb. 


EUGENE  L.  SWENSON 

1879,  in  Chicago.  After  gradu- 
ating from  the  Franklin  School, 
he  attended  the  English  High  and 
Manual  Training  School  and  the 
Chicago  Athenaeum. 

Having  gained  a  general  busi- 
ness experience  during  the  past 
few  years,  Mr.  Swenson  in  1905 
organized  Swenson's  Land  Agency, 
with  office  at  171  La  Salle  st.,  for 
the  purpose  of  attracting  Swedish 


A.  P.   MARTIN, 

Swedish    Lutheran    minister,    was 
born     Nov.     17,      1858, 


Gud- 


A.   P.   MARTIN 


mundtorp  parish,  Skane,  Sweden. 
When  but  a  child  of  eight  he  was 
deprived  of  a  home  through  the 
sudden    death    of    his  father.     At 


334 


Cook  Count}' 


twelve  he  came  to  America,  and 
after  due  preparation  entered  Au- 
gustana  College  and  Theological 
Seminary,  was  ordained  pastor  of 
the  Augustana  Synod  in  Minne- 
apolis June  27,  1886,  and  entered 
the  service  of  the  church  at  Sioux 
City,   Iowa. 

During  the  summer  of  1900  he 
visited  Sweden,  Norway,  Denmark 
and  England.  In  the  same  year 
he  accepted  a  call  as  a  Lutheran 
missionary  in  Utah.  After  labor- 
ing in  this  field  for  five  j-ears,  he 
served  for  three  j-ears  as  pastor  of 
the  church  at  Eureka,  Cal.  While 
there  he  acted  as  secretary  of  the 
California  Cotiference. 

In  the  fall  of  1898  Rev.  Martin 
removed  to  Blue  Island,  111.,  as 
pastor  of  the  Siloa  Church.  In 
1904  he  accepted  a  cpll  to  Strat- 
ford, la.  Since  September,  1907, 
he  is  stationed  at  Sharon  Springs, 
Kansas. 

Oct.  10,  1894,  Rev.  Martin  was 
married  to  Miss  Ella  Theresia 
Wahlquist.  Their  children  are: 
Daniel  Theophilus,  Helga  Naomi 
and  I'liilemon  Jonathan. 


wife  lieing  Mattie  Surrean,  a  native 
of  Sweden.  They  have  two  sons 
and    two    daughters,    and    live    in 


FRANK  ROSBERG 
was  born  Sept.  29,  1854,  in  Snia- 
laad,  Sweden.  With  his  parents 
he  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
in  1856  and  settled  in  Chicago. 
Frank  attended  the  old  Kinzie 
School  on  the  north  side.  He 
tlien  obtained  enijiloymcnl  in  I  he- 
printing  trade,  and  has  been  a 
cylinder  pressman  for  over  thirt\' 
years,  having  liad  a  press  room 
for  more   than  fifteen  years. 

Mr.     Rosberg     is     married,     his 


FRANK    ROSBBRG 


their  own  residence  at  5251   Arte- 
sian ave. 


FRED  J.  NELSON 

was  born  July  16,  1866,  in  Ostra 
Ny  parish,  Sweden.  Since  his  ar- 
rival to  this  country  in  1877  he 
has  resided  in  Florence,  Wis.,  Iron 
Mountain,  Mich.,  and  Chicago. 
The  parents  are  Nils  J.  Nilson,  a 
merchant  in  Bruiuiby,  and  his 
wife,  Carolina. 

Mr.  Nelson  was  for  four  years 
employed  as  a  switchman  on  the 
Northwestern  Railroad,  later  going 
into  business  as  a  coal  dealer  and 
furniture  mover  in  partnership 
with  Mr.  Westerlierg.  Their  of- 
fice is  at  3569  N.  Clark  st. 

For  many  years  Mr,  Nelson  has 
been  closely  identified  with  churcii 
work,  lie  is  a  member  of  the 
Ivbene/cr  Sweili>li     I.ntli.    Church, 


Chicago 


335 


and  lias  faithfully  served  as  a 
deacon,  Sunday  school  teacher  and 
treasurer  of  the  church. 


FRED  J.   NELSON 

His  marriage  to  Miss  Augusta 
Emelia  Nelson  has  been  blessed 
with  three  children,  Signe,  Harry 
and  Judith. 


ROBERT  UNDBLOM, 
for  thirtj'  years  one  of  the  fore- 
most Swedish-American  citizens 
of  Chicago,  was  born  in  Asker 
parish,  Nerike,  Sweden,  Nov.  17, 
1844.  He  received  his  funda- 
mental education  in  a  school  at 
Hogsjo,  Sodermanland,  and  for  a 
time  was  in  the  service  of  the 
government  survey.  Prior  to  his 
emigration  to  America,  Mr.  Lind- 
blom  had  taken  a  course  in  a 
commercial  school  and  had  learned 
the  rudiments  of  banking  at  Ore- 
bro,  so  that  when  he  came  here 
in  1864,  lie  already  possessed  a 
fair  knowledge  of  business  prin- 
ciples.     The    following    j'ear    we 


find  Liiidbloiii  in  Milwaukee,  as 
an  employee  in  the  grain,  packing 
and  elevator  business  of  the  firm 
of  L.  H.  Higby  &  Co.,  with  whom 
he  advanced  to  the  position  of 
cashier.  In  1873  he  established 
himself  in  the  grain  and  commis- 
sion business  on  his  own  account. 
Four  years  later  he  removed  to 
Chicago,  where  he  was  a  success- 
ful operator  on  the  Board  of  Trade 
for  many  years.  Lindblom  was  a 
veteran  of  many  notable  deals  in 
grain.  During  the  period  of  18S0 
to  1883,  when  speculation  was  at 
its  height,  there  were  few  opera- 
tors who  could  match  him  in 
shrewd  trading,  and  he  frequently 
bought  and  sold  blocks  of    half  a 


ROBERT   LINI>BI.C).M 

million  bushels  of  wheat  and  corn 
at  a  time.  As  indicated  by  his 
huge  financial  operations,  Lind- 
blom  at  this  time  was  a  man  of 
wealth,  but  his  fortune  is  said  to 
have  been  shattered  in  the  famous 
Leiter    "May    corner''     a     decade 


336 


Cook  County 


ago.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
principal  commercial  organizations 
in  the  country,  viz.,  the  Milwau- 
kee and  Minneapolis  Chambers  of 
Commerce,  New  York  Consolidat- 
ed Stock  Exchange,  New  York 
Produce  Exchange,  Pittsburg 
Stock  Exchange  and  St.  Louis 
Merchants'  Exchange,  besides  the 
Chicago  Board  of  Trade  and  Chi- 
cago Stock  Exchange. 

About  eighteen  years  ago  Lind- 
bloni  liecame  closely  connected 
with  the  "farmers'  movement" 
and  contributed  by  speech  and 
pen  in  the  effort  to  bring  about 
a  reform  in  the  .system  of  handling 
farm  products.  He  was  from  that 
time  on  a  constant  advocate  of  the 
abolition  of  option  trading  on 
boards  of  trade,  favoring  trading 
in  actual  grain  instead. 

Lindblom  affiliated  chiefly  with 
the  Democratic  party,  but  on  oc- 
casion gave  his  support  to  the 
Socialists,  without,  however,  parad- 
ing his  friendship  for  the  labor 
element  as  a  device  for  attaining 
political  preferment.  In  1893  he 
was  appointed  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Education,  and  was  chair- 
man of  its  finance  committee  from 
then  until  1896.  In  189S  Mayor 
Harrison  prevailed  ui)on  hini  to 
become  a  member  of  the  Civil 
Service  Comini.ssion  of  Chicago, 
and  Mr.  Lindblom  served  as  pres- 
ident of  that  body  for  four  years, 
until  July,  1902.  During  the  pe- 
riod of  1893  to  1897  he  was  a 
member  of  Go\ernor  John  P.  Alt- 
geld's  staff,  with  the  honorary 
title  of  Colonel. 

We  find    l^indblom    among    tin- 


original  promoters  of  the  World's 
Columbian  Exjxisition.  He  be- 
came one  of  its  thirty-six  direct- 
ors, and  as  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee on  promotion  wrote  the 
first  appeal  to  the  people  of  the 
Mississippi  \'alley.  While  in 
Washington  before  the  Senate,  he 
was  one  of  five  men  to  subscril)e 
the  half  million  dollars  then  lack- 
ing to  complete  Chicago's  pledge 
of  ten  million  dollars.  Mr.  Lind- 
blom served,  besides,  as  acting 
commissioner  of  the  Swedish  ex- 
hibit until  the  arrival  of  Arthur 
Leffler,  the  regular  commissioner. 
For  his  services  to  Sweden  in  that 
capacity  and  otherwi.se  in  con- 
nection with  the  World's  Fair,  he 
was  decorated  by  King  Oscar  with 
the  Order  of  Vasa. 

In  the  early  nineties  Lindblom 
launched  in  the  publishing  busi- 
ness with  a  daily  newspaper,  the 
Chicago  /'nss.  The  entetprise, 
however,  did  not  carry  itself,  and 
the  pai>er  suspended  publication 
after  a  brief  existence.  In  col- 
laboration with  Ira  C.  Emery, 
Lindblom  wrote  a  book,  entitled 
"Unrest,"  a  sociological  novel,  in 
which  his  virile  pen  deals  ingeni- 
ously with  a  number  of  political 
and  .social  problems.  He  was  a 
more  forcible  than  fluent  public 
speaker,  who,  forced  to  the  front 
by  his  personal  prominence  in  the 
conununity,  often  ajipcarcd  before 
his  fellow  countrymen  on  pul>lic 
occasions. 

He  was  a  memlK-r  of  the  Union 
League  Club  ami  the  Swedish 
Glee  Club  and  of  a  number  of 
other    organizations    in    this    city 


Chicago 


321 


class  of  the  collej^iate  school  at 
Veiiersborg. 

In  order  to  make  his  way  he 
acted  as  private  tutor  and  as  assist- 
ant teacher  in  the  city's  trade 
school,  besides  continuing  to  write 
for  the  papers.  Per  Wieselgren 
and  Dr.  Peter  Kjellstedt  counselled 
him  to  apply  to  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  Augustana  College 
and  Theological  Seminary  for  free 
tuition  and  maintenance.  This 
advice  was  followed  and  the  request 
was  granted.  He  left  Goteborgfor 
America  Aug.  6,  1869,  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Paxton,  111.,  where  the 
institution  was  then  located.  The 
newcomer  gained  entrance  to  the 
highest  class  and  began  his  theo- 
logical studies,  but  continued  only 
to  the  end  of  the  term  when  his 
newspaper  experience  secured  him 
the  position  of  editor  of  Hemlan- 
det,  the  organ  of  the  Augustana 
Synod.  Accepting  the  place, 
Enander  came  to  this  city  and 
entered  upon  his  life  career. 

In  the  great  fire  of  1871,  En- 
ander lost  all  the  little  he  pos- 
sessed. He  was  appointed  chair- 
man of  the  Scandinavian  Relief 
Committee  and  during  the  winter 
was  tireless  in  his  efforts  for  the 
needy  and  destitute.  His  health 
was  undermined  about  this  time 
and  at  the  advice  of  his  physician 
he  took  a  trip  to  Mexico.  Re- 
turning to  Chicago  in  improved 
health,  he  appeared  in  1872  for 
the  first  time  as  political  orator 
making  a  speaking  tour  in  com- 
pany with  Governor  Oglesby  in 
behalf  of  General  Grant's  reelection 
to  the  presidency. 


The  same  year  luiander  entered 
into  partnership  with  G.  A. 
Bohman,  purchased  Hcmlandct 
and  made  it  a  political  newspaper, 
Enander  continuing  as  its    editor. 

Besides  his  work  in  Ifciiilatidct. 
Enander  exerted  himself  in  other 
directions.  The  first  Swedish- 
American  Young  People's  Society 
was  organized  by  his  direction 
under  the  auspices  of  the  Imman- 
uel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in 
Chicago.  He  also  developed  con- 
siderable activity  as  writer  and 
publisher.  About  this  time  he 
edited  a  literary  monthlj-  of  high 
excellence,  Nar  ocli  Fjcrran,  pub- 
lished by  his  firm.  In  1879-81 
another  publication,  entitled  I'ng- 
doms-Vdnnen,  was  edited  by  him. 

In  1876  Mr.  Enander  was 
chosen  by  the  festival  committee 
of  the  Centennial  Exposition  at 
Philadelphia  to  deliver  the  ad- 
dress on  the  day  set  aside  for  the 
Swedish  celebration. 

In  1878  Mr.  Enander  accom- 
panied the  American  delegates  to 
the  International  Congress  which 
then    met    in    Stockholm. 

Enander  was  one  the  prime 
movers  in  having  erected  a  monu- 
ment to  Carl  von  Linne  (Linnaeus), 
a  replica  of  a  statue  erected  in 
Stockholm.  The  Linne  Monu- 
ment Association,  formed  for  this 
purpose,  chose  him  as  chairman, 
a  place  which  he  resigned  before 
the  work  was  completed.  On  the 
day  of  unveiling.  May  23,  1891, 
he  delivered    the    festival   oration. 

During  all  presidential  cam- 
paigns for  the  past  thirty  j-ears 
Mr.    Enander    has    been    an    able 


322 


Cook  County 


champion  of  the  principles  of  the 
Republican  party.  By  direction 
of  the  Republican  National  Com- 
mittee, he  has  traveled  through 
almost  all  the  states  in  which 
Swedish-Americans  reside,  making 
stiring  political  speeches  to  his 
countrj'men.  President  Harrison 
in  1888  appointed  Mr.  Hnander 
American  Minister  to  Denmark, 
but  before  he  could  leave  for  the 
post  untoward  circumstances  cut 
short  his  ambition  to  represent 
the  Republic  in  the  Danish  capi- 
tal, and  another  man  was  selected 
in  his  stead. 

In  1890,  Mr.  Enander  was 
called  by  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  Augustana  College  to  the  chair 
of  Swedish  Language  and  Litera- 
ture. He  served  until  1893  when 
he  resigned  his  chair.  In  the 
meantime  the  firm  of  Enander 
and  Bohman  had  experienced  fi- 
nancial troubles,  leading  to  the 
dissolution    of    the    copartnership. 

After  a  year  of  literary  work  at 
home,  Enander  for  two  years 
edited  Svoishi  yonriialen,  a  Swed- 
ish weekly  published  in  Omaha, 
Neb.  At  the  invitation  of  the 
newly  organized  Hemlandet  Com- 
pany in  Chicago,  he  again  assumed 
the  editorship  of  Iltwlaudct  in 
1S96. 

Enander  from  the  time  of  his 
coming  to  this  country  has  been 
an  interested  member  of  the  Swed- 
ish-American Lutheran  Church. 
The  Augustana  Synod  has  en- 
trusted to  him  many  responsible 
commi.ssions.  At  an  audience  with 
King  Oscar  II.  in  1878,  he  was 
fortunate    in    obtaining    from    the 


King,  and  later  the  university 
authorities,  permission  for  Swed- 
ish-American college  graduates  to 
enter  the  Swedish  universities 
without  examination.  As  a  mem- 
ber of  the  synodical  assemblies  he 
has  fathered  and  furthered  many 
measures  of  importance  to  the 
church. 

Enander  has  been  much  in  de- 
mand as  orator.  The  principal 
occasions  at  which  he  has  been 
the  speaker  of  the  day,  besides 
the  aforesaid,  are  the  following: 
the  reception  to  the  military 
delegation  from  Sweden  at  the 
Chicago  Semi-Centenary  in  1887: 
Swedish  Daj-  at  the  World's  ^'air 
in  Chicago  in  1893;  the  King 
Oscar  Jubilee  in  Chicago  in  1S97; 
Swedish-American  Day  at  the  In- 
dustrial Exposition  in  Norrkoping. 
Sweden  in    1906. 

In  1902  the  Board  of  Directors 
of  Augustana  College  conferred 
on  Inlander  the  degree  of  LL.  D.. 
and  in  1905  he  received  from  King 
Oscar  the  "Literis  et  Artibus" 
medal  in  recognition  of  his  author- 
ship. He  is  also  the  po.ssessor  of 
a  Polish  honorary  order  given  as 
a  mark  of  gratitude  for  actual 
efforts  in  behalf  of  Poland  at  the 
lime  of  its  struggle  for  independ- 
ence in  the  '60s. 

Enander' s  published  works  and 
compilations,  besides  the  Mormon 
history  above  mentioned,  are  the 
following:  "Fcirenta  Stalernas 
Historia,"  (United  States  History"), 
a  work  published  in  Chicago, 
1 875-1 880.  This  work,  has  been 
translated  into  Dano-Norwegian 
and  in  [virt  into  luiglish.      "X'alda 


Chicago 


323 


Skrifter,"  (Selected  Works),  an 
illustrated  work  published  in  1892 
in  Chicago,  comprising  addresses, 
historical  essays,  narratives  and 
poems.  "Nordmannen  i  Amerika 
cllcr  Amerikas  upptiickl,"  (The 
Northmen  in  America,  or  The 
Discovery  of  America)  an  histori- 
cal dissertation,  published  in  Rock 
Island,  III.,  in  1892.  "Vara  Fii- 
ders  Sinnelag,"  (The  Character 
of  our  Ancestors),  published  in 
Stockholm  in  1894.  "Ur  Svenska 
Sangen,"  an  anthology  of  Swedish 
poetrj-  from  1800  to  1850,  published 
at  Rock  Island  in  1901.  "Linntea," 
a  collection  of  verse  by  Swedish- 
American  writers  published  and 
sold  for  the  benefit  of  the  Linntean 
monument  fund.  "Eterneller  och 
Varblommor,"  a  collection  of 
standard  religious  and  patriotic 
poems    from    Swedish      literature. 

Enauder  has,  besides,  contributed 
to  newspapers  and  literary  an- 
nuals in  Sweden  and  the  United 
States,  among  which  may  be 
mentioned  the  annuals  I'infersoi, 
in  Sweden,  and  Piariibloiinnan  in 
this  countrj-. 

Dr.  Enander  is  a  member,  active 
or  honorary,  of  several  civic,  his- 
torical and   literary  societies. 

At  55  Oak  place  in  Lake  View, 
Dr.  Enander  and  his  family  have 
resided  for  man}'  years  back.  His 
marriage  took  place  June  22, 
1873,  at  Paxton,  111.,  Mrs.  En- 
ander, whose  maiden  name  was 
Melinda  Eawson,  is  the  daughter 
of  one  of  the  earliest  Swedish 
settlers  in  the  West.  There  are 
three  grown  children,  the  daugh- 
ters   Ada    Elvira    Angelika     and 


Hilma    Loui.se    Alfliild,    and     the 
son,  Johan   Ivinar   Hilding. 

CARL  T.  STRANDBERG 

belongs  to  the  well-known    Swed- 
ish    family     of    this    name.      Mr. 


CAKl.  THURSTEN  STRANDBERG 

Strandberg     was     born     Jan. 


22, 


1861,  at  Tomta,  Hallsberg  parish, 
Nerike,  Sweden.  After  having 
completed  his  education  in  Swe- 
den, he  went  to  America,  arriving 
in  the  month  of  June,  1888.  He 
soon  obtained  a  position  as  book- 
keeper on  the  Board  of  Trade  in 
Chicago.  In  1890  he  accepted  a 
position  as  chief  clerk  with  the 
large  transportation  firm  of  Peter 
McDonnell  &  Co.,  in  their  Chicago 
offices  and  remained  with  this 
firm  for  more  than  seven  years. 
In  1898,  Mr.  Strandberg  was  ap- 
pointed business  manager  of  the 
well-known  newspaper  Gamla  och 
Nya  Hcnilaiidii,  and  later  was 
elected  its  treasurer. 

Mr.  Strandberg  is  also  an  officer 


324 


Cook  County 


and  director  in  the  Scandia  Loan 
and  Investment  Association,  and 
holds  positions  of  trust  in  several 
other  enterprises. 

In  1889,  Mr.  Strandberg  was 
joined  in  matrimony  with  Miss 
Ellen  Victoria  Pedro,  who  was 
for  many  years  private  secretary 
to  the  renowned  Swedish  novelist, 
Emilie  Flygare-Carlen.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Strandberg  have  one  child, 
a  daughter,  Hlsa  Victoria.  The 
family  residence  is  at  1227  North 
Shore  ave.,  Rogers  Park. 


ANNA  C.  FREID 

was  born  March  20,    1848,  at    Pe- 
larne,     Snialand,     Sweden.       Her 


ANNA  CHARLOTTA  FRBID 

parents,  Johan  Magnus  Freid  och 
Anna  Helena,  n6e  Peterson,  emi- 
grated to  this  country  in  1857 
and  settled  on  a  farm  in  Andover, 
111.,  where  they  died  in   1891. 

The  daughter  was  confirmed  by 
the  pioneer.  Rev.  Jonas  Swensson, 
and    later    became    a    jirofessional 


nurse.  In  1884  she  was  called  to 
the  newly  established  Augustana 
Hospital  in  Chicago  as  head  nurse 
and  matron  of  the  institution, 
retaining  both  positions  until  she 
resigned  in   1896. 

Miss  Freid  made  a  tour  of  Eng- 
land, France,  Germany,  Sweden. 
Finland  and  Norway  in  1896  and 
and  again  in  1898,  studying  hos- 
pitals and  deaconess  institutions. 
She  was  one  of  the  leading  figures 
in  the  establishment  of  the  Im- 
manuel  Woman's  Home  Associa- 
tion at  577, 'i  La  Salle  ave.  and 
is  the  pre.sident  and  treasurer  of 
its  board  of  trustees.  Its  object 
is  to  provide  a  home  under  Christ- 
ian influences  for  such  young 
women  as  are  temporarily  out  of 
work  and  also  for  those  who  have 
no  other  home.  It  will  also  be  a 
social  gathering  place  for  such 
members  as  are  employed  but  do 
not  live  there.  The  home  was 
opened   Sept.   7,    1907. 

Miss  Freid  is  a  member  of  the 
Immanuel  Swedish  Luth.  Church 
since  1886  and  is  a  life  member 
of  the  Immanuel  Deaconess  Insti- 
tute at  Omaha,  Neb.  She  spends 
her  summers  at  Pistakee  Bay, 
McHenry  co.,  111.,  where  she  has 
a  summer  cottage. 


JOHN  A.  SANDORKN, 
high  secretary  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Svithiod,  was  born  at 
Mortorp,  Smaland,  April  10,  1S71. 
His  father,  C.  A.  Sandgren,  is 
a  leather  manufaolurer  and  a 
man  of  conse(|uence  in  the  com- 
munity, now  holding  the  office  of 
postmaster  at    Mortorp    where    he 


Chicago 


325 


resides.  He  is  also  the  owner  of  a 
beautiful  farm  at  Kulltorp.  There 
were  ten  children    in   the    faniilv, 


JOHN   ALBERT  SANDGREN 

five  of  whom  survive.  The  elder 
Sandgren  aimed  to  give  his  chil- 
dren a  fair  education,  and  the  son 
John,  after  attending  common 
school  and  enjoying  private  in- 
struction, was  given  a  course  first 
at  a  business  college  in  Kalmar, 
then  at  an  agricultural  school  at 
Applerum,  where  he  studied  only 
the  theoretical  branches.  His  ed- 
ucation finished,  John  Sandgren 
held  a  situation  as  a  bookkeeper 
on  Baron  Stjernstedts  large  estate 
at  Lokene,  \'ermland,  until  1891, 
when  he  came  over  to  the  United 
States.  Here  the  newcomer  dur- 
ing the  first  year  worked  at  what- 
ever he  could  find  to  do.  He 
was  at  Sheffield,  Pa.,  Jamestown 
and  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and  elsewhere, 
stopping  a  short  time  in  each 
place.      In    the    fall    of     1892    he 


came  on  to  Chicago  and  soon  ob- 
tained a  clerical  jiosilion  with  the 
Chicago  Title  and  Trust  Compan>- 
and  remained  with  this  firm  for 
eight  years.  In  1902  he  was 
elected  high  secretary  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Svithiod  and 
is  still  in  charge  of  the  head- 
quarters of  that  order  at  525 
Reaper  block. 

Besides  holding  membership  in 
the  Verdandi  Lodge  of  said  order, 
Mr.  Sandgren  belongs  to  the 
King  Oscar  Lodge  of  the  Masonic 
Order.  He  is  also  the  treasurer 
of  the  Swedish  Societies  Central 
Association,  a  charitable  organi- 
zation maintaining  the  Swedish 
Old  Peoples'  Home  at  Park 
Ridge,   Illinois. 

Mr.  Sandgren  was  married  Jan. 
1 1,  1899,  to  Miss  Thekla  C.  Bo- 
gren  of  Chicago.  Thej'  live  in  a 
home  of  their  own  at  3361  North 
Ashland  ave. 


LARS  JOHNSON 

was  born  Dec.  22,  1S53,  in  Has- 
selstad,  Ronueby  parish,  Blekinge, 
Sweden,  where  he  was  educated 
in  the  public,  grammar  and  high 
schools.  Attracted  by  the  greater 
chances  offered  in  the  New  World, 
he  came  over  to  this  country  in 
September,  1879.  For  the  last 
eighteen  years  Mr.  Johnson  has 
been  engaged  in  the  business  of 
buying  and  selling  of  western  and 
southern  lands.  His  office  is  at 
room  1023,  Chamber  of  Commerce 
Building,  Chicago. 

Mr.    Johnson     was    married     in 


326 


Cook  County 


1889  to  Hilma  L.  Carlson.  They 
have  a  daughter,  Myrtle,  now 
about  fifteen  years  of  age.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Johnson  are  members  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 


ROBERT  ANDERSON 

was  born  Dec.   11,   1870,  in    Gus- 
taf    Adolf    parish,    Vestergotland , 


ROBIJRT  .WDERSON 

Sweden.  His  early  education  was 
obtained  in  the  pul)lic  schools  in 
Sweden.  He  learned  the  painter's 
trade  in  Jonkoping.  Ii;  1.S87  he 
emigrated  and  came  directly  to 
Chicago.  He  worked  at  his  trade 
during  the  day,  and  at  night  at- 
tended the  night  school.  After 
three  years  of  intense  application 
he  began  his  own  business.  In 
1895  he  formed  a  ])artnership 
with  K.  Ostcrholm  with  the  firm 
name  of  Anderson  and  OsltMliolni, 
The  busines.s  .started  with  five 
men     and     a     business     of    about 


55,000  a  j'ear.  It  now  requires 
75  men  and  the  volume  of  the 
business  is  more  than  Sioo.ooo  a 
year.  The  firm  was  incorporated 
in  1902  as  the  Anderson  and 
Osterholm  Co.  Paint  stores  are 
maintained  at  1202  W.  59th  st. 
and  3200  N.  Clark  st. 

Mr.  Anderson  has  been  a  trustee 
of  the  Swedish  Mission  Church  in 
Englewood  for  the  past  sixteen 
years,  and  its  Sunday  school 
superintendent  for  many  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  board  of 
directors  of  Englewood  Hospital 
and  manj'  other  organizations. 

In  1S90  Mr.  Anderson  entered 
the  matrimonial  state  with  Miss 
Selnia  Holtzen  of  Chicago.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Anderson  have  a  pleas- 
ant home  and  are  blessed  with 
two  children,  Sigurd,  aged  fifteen 
and  Alice,  aged  five  years. 


GUST  AVE  JACOBSON 

was  born  Oct.  13,  i''^73,  at 
Grangesberg,  Dalarne,  Sweden. 
Emigrating  in  1SS4  with  his  par- 
ents, he  went  to  Chicago.  After 
attending  the  public  .school  he 
started  in  tlie  printing  trade  at 
the  Ivngberg-Holmberg  Publishing 
Co.'s.  office  in  1887.  Since  then 
he  has  worked  in  various  places, 
among  them  /•'os/crliiiiJti  and 
SiYiiskui  Tribiiiifn  offices.  Since 
1903  he  has  conducted  a  linotyjx; 
ofiice.  He  also  has  charge  of  the 
//tiiilaiidti  printing  department. 

Mr.  Jacobson  is  a  member  of 
\cr<lanili  Lodge  Xo.  3,  I.  O.  S., 
the  N.  S.  H.  A.  and  of  the  Swed- 
ish Typographical  I'nion   No.    247. 


Chicago 


327 


He  was  married  June  25,  1896, 
to  Beda  Dorothea  Swaiisoir,  born 
Feb.    5.    1S73,    at    Nas,     Dalarne, 


GUSTAVE  JACOBSON 

Sweden.  Their  children  are  Mabel 
D.,  Roswell  G.,  Clifford  A.  and 
Vivian  S.  Jacobson.  The  familj- 
resides  at  927  Devon  ave.,  Edge- 
water. 

EMIL  SHERMAN 
was  born  Feb.  12,  1865,  in  Stora 
Forssa,  Hammar  parish,  Nerike, 
Sweden.  His  early  education  was 
obtained  in  the  Swedish  public 
school.  In  18S1  he  emigrated, 
arriving  in  America  in  Juh'.  The 
young  man  here  went  to  work  in 
a  meat  market,  and  finally  became 
the  proprietor  of  a  market  at  75 
Sedgwick  st.  In  1907  he  opened 
a  restaurant  next  door  to  his 
meat  market. 

Mr.  Sherman  not  only  has 
pronounced  nnisical  tastes  but  is 
also  gifted  with  a  talent  for  com- 
position, having  written  several 
pieces     for     the     piano.     Two    of 


these  have  been  published,  bear- 
ing the  titles,  "Peace  and  Pros- 
perity to  All  Nations,"  a  march, 
and  "Uncle  the  Great,"  a  march 
and  two-step. 

A  novel  piece  of  furniture  called 
the  rocking  modore  has  been 
patented  by  Mr.  Sherman  in  the 
United  States,  Canada  and  several 
European  countries.  It  is  a  rock- 
ing footrest  on  which  the  feet  are 
elevated  on  a  level  with  the  body 
and  which  .swings  with  each  mo- 
tion of  the  occupant  of  a  rocking 
chair. 

Mr.  Sherman  was  married  Nov. 
21,    1885,    to  Clara  Johanson,  born 


EMIL   SHERMAN 


in  Varola  parish,  Vestergotland . 
Their  children  are  Ella  Victoria, 
born  Nov.  5,  18S6  and  Gustaf 
William,  born  July  4,    1888. 


AXEL  W.  AKESSON 

was  born  in  Lund,  Sweden,  March 
22,  1872.  He  was  educated  in 
the    Lund    Cathedral    School,    and 


328 


Cook  Count\^ 


then,  having  obtained  a  stipend 
for  five  years  from  the  Royal  Col- 
lege of  Commerce,  went  to  Berlin, 


AXEL   WICTOK  AKIiSSOX 

where  he  attended  a  technical 
school,  thereupon  going  to  Vienna, 
Zurich,  Paris  and  Loudon  to  va- 
rious schools. 

Returning  to  Stockholm,  Mr. 
Akesson  took  a  thorough  course 
at  the  Kjelll)erg  Institute.  He 
went  to  Chicago  in  1S91,  and  is 
now  the  proprietor  of  the  Kell- 
herg  Institute  for  massage  and 
medical  gymnastics  at  1107  Cham- 
plain   Building. 

Mr.  Ake.ssou  is  a  member  of 
King  O.scar  Lodge  of  Free  Ma- 
sous,  the  Oriental  Consistory,  the 
M\stic  Shrine,  the  First  Swedish 
Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Swed- 
ish Glee  Club  and  the  Svithiod 
Singing  Club. 

On  Jan.  17,  1902,  was  celebrated 
the  marriage  of  Mr.  Akesson  to 
Anna  Gromiuist,  who  is  his  able 
assistant. 


GUSTAF   HOLMQUIST 

was  born  in  the  Swedish  city  of 
Nora,  Vestmanland,  Feb.  14,  1872, 
and  was  reared  there  until  thirteen 
years  of  age,  when  the  family 
emigrated  to  Minneapolis,  Minn. 
The  same  year,  1.S85,  the  young 
man  joined  a  mixed  choir  as  alto 
singer,  but  his  musical  training 
did  not  begin  until  he  reached 
the  age  of  twenty-one.  Then  he 
became  a  pupil  of  A.  W.  Porter  of 
Miinieapolis,  continuing  under  his 
instruction  for  four  years,  or  until 
1S97,  when  Mr.  Holmquist  inter- 
rupted his  studies  for  a  year  b\- 
going  to  Alaska  as  the  superin- 
tendent of  a  gang  of  road  build- 
ers. Returning  in  1898,  he  resumed 


GUSTAF  HOI-MUUIST 

his  musical  studies  anil  two  years 
later  came  to  Chicago.  Mere  he 
j)Iaced  himself  umler  the  direction 
of  W.  N.  Burritt  and  \V.  L.  Hub- 
bard, who  have  taken  pride  in 
the    training  and  further  devclo]>- 


Chicago 


329 


menl  of  Mr.  Holniquist's  excel- 
lent voice. 

While  ill  Miiineapoli-s,  Mr.  Holin- 
quist  was  one  of  the  prominent 
soloists  of  that  city,  .singing  in 
the  Westminster,  the  Pre.sb3terian 
and  other  large  churches.  Since 
coming  to  Chicago,  he  has  been 
a  member  of  the  splendid  quartet 
of  the  Plj-mouth  Church  for  seven 
3'ears. 

Gustaf  Holmquist,  within  the 
last  few  years  has  made  for  him- 
self an  enviable  place  among  the 
ablest  bassos  of  the  United  States. 
Possessing  a  voice  of  exceptionally- 
rich,  sympathetic  quality,  of  great 
power  and  of  wide  range,  he  is 
peculiarly  fitted  for  every  kind  of 
public  concert  work  from  oratorio 
and  festival  performances  to  song 
recitals  and  private  musicales. 

During  the  season  of  1901  he 
was  one  of  the  soloists  selected 
for  the  Chautauqua  Assembly  con- 
certs. 

Mr.  Holmquist  has  been  twice 
engaged  as  soloist  for  the  singing 
festivals  of  the  American  Union 
of  Swedish  Singers,  namely  at 
Jamestown  in  1901  and  at  Chicago 
in  1905.  He  was  .soloist  at  the  festi- 
vals of  the  Eastern  division  of  the 
above  organization  at  Boston  in 
1903  and  Providence  in  1907,  and 
at  the  Western  division's  festival 
in  Moline  1907.  The  United  Nor- 
wegian Singers  of  America  chose 
him  as  soloist  at  their  festivals  in 
Sioux  Falls  in  1902  and  at  La 
Crosse  in   1905. 

In  1903  he  received  the  flatter- 
ing offer  to  go  to  the  St.  Louis 
Exposition    as    baritone    soloist  of 


the  Evanston  Musical  Club.  There 
he  sang  in  an  oratorio,  the  excel- 
lent rendition  of  which  brought 
the    club    a   competitive    prize    of 

$3,500. 

The  Apollo  Club  of  Chicago 
chose  him  as  bass  soloist  in  "Mes- 
siah" and  in  Gabriel  Pierne's 
"The  Children's  Cru.sade." 

His  successes  with  the  leading 
choral  societies  of  the  country,  as 
the  bass  soloist  in  Handel's  "Mes- 
siah," "The  Creation"  of  Haydn, 
Mendelssohn's  "Elijah"  and  "St. 
Paul,"  Gounod's  "Redemption" 
and  kindred  works  prove  him  an 
oratorio  singer  par  excellence. 

His  song  recitals  have  been  the 
subject  of  most  enthusiastic  ap- 
proval, his  interpretation  of  the 
standard  German  and  English 
songs  winning  him  only  highest 
commendation  and  his  authorita- 
tive rendition  of  the  Swedish  folk- 
and  art-songs  lending  peculiar  in- 
terest and  novelty  to  his  programs. 

May  23,  1893,  Mr.  Holmquist 
was  married  to  Miss  Olivia  Ogren 
at  Minneapolis. 


JOHN   A.  WESTERLUND 

was  born  June  10,  1865,  near  Ori- 
on, 111.,  and  is  the  son  of  Peter 
Westerlund,  one  of  the  earliest 
Swedish  settlers  in  Henry  county. 
Until  he  was  eighteen  years  of 
age  he  worked  on  his  father's 
farm.  Being  desirous  of  a  higher 
education  he  attended  Bethany 
College  at  Lind.sborg,  Kans.,  for 
six  3'ears  and  was  graduated  in 
1891,  in  the  classical  course,  with 
the  degree  of  A.  B.,  being  a  mem- 
ber of  the  first  class  sent  out  from 


330 

the  institution.  In  the  same  year 
he  went  to  Chicago,  engaging  in 
the  real  estate  and  insurance  bus- 


Cook  County 


JOHN   A.  WESTER  LUND 

iness.  He  also  identified  himself 
with  the  colonization  and  immi- 
gration business  in  the  South  and 
West.  With  the  exception  of  five 
years  spent  in  the  South,  he  has 
been  making    Chicago   his    home. 

Since  1902  he  has  operated  ex- 
tensively in  Oregon  and  Wash- 
ington and  in  western  Nebraska 
acting  as  special  traveling  immi- 
gration agent  for  the  Union  Paciiic 
R.  R.  and  as  state  commissioner 
of  immigration  of  Oregon  bj'  ap- 
pointment of  Governor  Chamber- 
lain. In  1903  he  founded  and 
organized  tiie  Western  Oregon 
Orchard  Company,  which  now  is 
one  of  the  largest  fruit  growing 
concerns  of  its  kind  on  tla-  Pacific 
coast. 

Mr.  Wesltrhmd  has  travck-il 
extensively,  having  visited  every 
state  in   the  Union,    and    in     1S97 


made  a  tour  through  England, 
Germany  and  the  three  Scandi- 
navian countries. 

Feb.  23,  189K.  Mr.  Westerlund 
was  married  to  Mi.ss  Ella  Cornelia 
Holmberg,  adopted  daughter  of 
the  late  C.  P.  Holmberg,  the  vet- 
eran Chicago  publisher.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Westerlund  reside  in  Sheri- 
dan Park,  and  are  members  of 
the  Lutheran  Church.  Thej-  are 
both  active  in  the  church,  Mr. 
Westerlund  serving  as  trustee. 

JOHAX    A.   IJNDEBORG 

was  born  Feb.  6,  1835,  in  Kraks- 
hult,  Smaland,  Sweden.  His  fa- 
ther, Johan  Peter  Olofson,  a  far- 
mer, was    born    in    1804  and  died 


JOIIAN   A.   Ll.NniUtOKf. 

in  1.S90.  His  mother,  Sara  Lisa 
Svensdotterfrom  Kumsktdla,died  in 
1 860, aged  fifty  years.  In  his  early 
days  he  was  occupieti  in  farming 
and  various  mechanical  pursuits. 
He  studied  four  terms  at  the  ele- 
mentary   school     in     Ahl.sborg     in 


Chicag'O 


331 


1862-63.  Subsequently  he  was 
engaRcd  as  assistant  teacher  in 
Rev.  B.  G.  Glasell's  institute  for 
tlie  deaf  and  dumb  and  the  blind 
at  Nya  Varfvet  in  Goteborg.  In 
i86'/  Mr.  Lindeborg  left  this 
position  to  eniigratc,  and  first  lo- 
cated in  La  Porte  and  South 
Bend,  Ind.  where  he  was  em- 
ployed as  a  cabinetmaker  in 
the  Singer  Sewing  Machine  Co.'s 
factor}-.  He  was  next  employed 
in  the  Pullman  shops,  and  worked 
for  various  periods  of  time  at  fine 
interior    finishing  in  Chicago. 

Mr.  Lindeborg  was  engaged  as 
a  salesman  in  the  book  store  of 
Enander  &  Bohman  for  six  years 
and  in  that  of  the  Engberg- 
Holmberg  Publishing  Co.  for  two 
years. 

Mr.  Lindeborg  has  been  active 
in  politics,  served  repeatedly  as 
election  clerk  and  was  once  a 
delegate  to  the  county  convention. 
He  has  been  an  unswerving 
Republican  since  he  acquired 
American  citizenship,  and  has 
taken  part  by  discussion  and  vote 
in   every  campaign  since  i8-68. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Im- 
manuel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  Chicago.  He  served  as  secretary 
for  ten  years,  taught  in  the  Bible 
classes  of  the  Sunday  school  for 
twelve  years,  and  as  a  member 
of  the  Immanuel  Society  served 
as  secretary  for  a  number  of  j'ears 
and  frequently  took  part  in  its 
literary  programs. 

At  present  he  is  engaged  in  the 
H.  M.  Cable  piano  works  at 
La  Porte,   Ind. 

He  was  married  to  Karolina  Jose- 


fina  Widerstrom.  Their  one  daugh- 
ter, Alida,  is  Mrs.  V.  O.  Peterson 
of  Rock  Island. 


SVEN   JOHAN  SEBIvLIUS, 

minister   of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
.\uguslaiia    Synod,   is    the   .son    of 


SVEN  JOHAN  SEBULIUS 

Sebelius  Anderson,  a  carpenter 
of  Tvaaker,  Halland,  Sweden, 
where  he  was  born  April  4, 
1S74.  The  family  left  the  old 
country  in  11^79,  stopping  in 
Pennsj'lvania,  where  they  resided 
at  Clermont,  Mclntire  and  Peale, 
and  finallj-  settled  at  Du  Bois. 
In  the  public  schools  the  .son 
obtained  his  fundamental  educa- 
tion and  after  that  entered  Aug- 
ustana  College.  From  that  insti- 
tution he  graduated  in  igoi  with 
the  degree  of  A.  B.  and  from 
Augustana  Theological  Seminary 
three  years  later  as  a  Bachelor 
of  Divinity.  \\'hile  at  college 
Mr.  Sebelius  was  an  earnest  stu- 
dent    of     the     literature     of     the 


332 


Cook  County 


mother  country  and  was  one  of 
the  organizers  of  the  Swedish 
Society  of  Belles  Lettres,  becom- 
ing one  of  the  five  charter  mem- 
bers and  serving  one  term  as  its 
president. 

Since  his  ordination  in  1904, 
Rev.  Mr.  Seljelius  has  been  in 
charge  of  the  Siloa  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  at  Blue  Island, 
one  of  the  suburl)s  of  Chicago. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Ministerial  Association 
of   Chicago. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Sebelius  was'mar- 
ried  Sept.  25,  1907,  to  Miss  Emily 
Ander.son  of  Portland,  Conn. 


MARIE  SWANSON 

was  born  Aug.  31,    1875,   in    Hiir- 
lof,    Kristianstad,    Sweden.       Her 


.MAKIH  SWANSON 

father  is  Sven  Johanson,  now  a 
resident  of  Chicago.  She  came  to 
this  country  in  1892.  Having  re- 
ceived her  fundamenlal  education 
in  her  native  land,   Miss  Swansoii 


came  to  this  city,  where  she  at- 
tended Harvey  Medical  College 
for  three  years.  Later  on  she 
attended  the .  American  Medical 
College  in  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  gradu- 
ating therefrom  April  21,  1903. 
The  state  medical  examinations 
in  both  Missouri  and  Illinois  have 
been  successfully  passed  by  her. 

Dr.  Swan.son  is  a  member  of 
the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Secur- 
ity, Independent  Order  of  Forest- 
ers and  of  the  Royal  Neighbors 
of  America.  She  is  medical  ex- 
aminer of  Harmony  Council  No. 
928  of  K.  &  L.  of  S.,  of  Com- 
panion Court  New  Monitor  No. 
427  I.  O.  F.  and  of  Ravenswood 
Camp  No.  3053  R.  N.  of   A. 


JOHN  E.  MOHLIN 

was   born   Jan.    18,    1863,   in    Kal- 
niar,  Sweden.     His  early  training 


JOHN     imVAKll    .MOULIN 

he  received  in  a  business  college 
of  his  home  city.  In  1SS6  he 
emigrated    to    America    and    went 


Chicago 


33.^ 


immediately  to  Chicago,  which 
place  has  since  been  his  home. 

After  the  lapse  of  a  few  years 
he  began  business  as  a  mason 
contractor  together  with  John 
Woodstroni.  This  business  was 
incorporated  in  1898  as  the  Lake 
View  Building  Companj-. 

Mr.  Mohlin  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  of 
Ravens  wood. 


EUGENE  h.  SWENSON, 

son  of  Carl  Swenson,  a    wholesale 
fish    dealer,  was    born    March   12, 


EUGENE  L.  SWENSON 

1879,  in  Chicago.  After  gradu- 
ating from  the  Franklin  School, 
he  attended  the  English  High  and 
Manual  Training  School  and  the 
Chicago  Athenaeum. 

Having  gained  a  general  busi- 
ness experience  during  the  past 
few  years,  Mr.  Swenson  in  1905 
organized  Swenson's  Land  Agenc}-, 
with  office  at  171  La  Salle  St.,  for 
the  purpose  of  attracting  Swedish 


colonists  to  Bovina,  Texas,  a  new 
settlement  in  the  northwestern  part 
of  that  state.  Farmers  in  the 
northern  states  are  finding  that 
they  can  sell  their  farms  and  ob- 
tain with  the  proceeds  from  five 
to  ten  times  as  much  equally  fer- 
tile land  in  Texas  as  they  origin- 
ally owned.  Mr.  Swenson  is  the 
owner  of  Swenson's  Hotel  in 
Bovina. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Imman- 
uel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
Chicago. 

In  June,  1906,  he  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Torell,  daugh- 
ter of  Rev.  J.  Torell  of  Swede.s- 
burg,  Neb. 

A.  P.  MARTIN, 

Swedish  Lutheran  minister,  was 
born     Nov.     17,     1S58,     in     Gud- 


A.   p.   M.\RTIN 


mundtorp  parish,  Skane,  Sweden. 
When  but  a  child  of  eight  he  was 
deprived  of  a  home  through  the 
sudden    death    of    his  father.     At 


334 


Cook  County 


twelve  he  came  to  America,  and 
after  due  preparation  entered  Au- 
gustana  College  and  Theological 
Seminary,  was  ordained  pastor  of 
the  Augustana  Synod  in  Minne- 
apolis June  27,  1886,  and  entered 
the  service  of  the  church  at  Sioux 
City,   Iowa. 

During  the  summer  of  1900  he 
visited  Sweden,  Norway,  Denmark 
and  England.  In  the  same  year 
he  accepted  a  call  as  a  Lutheran 
missionary  in  Utah.  After  labor- 
ing in  this  field  for  five  years,  he 
served  for  three  years  as  pastor  of 
the  church  at  Eureka,  Cal.  While 
there  he  acted  as  secretary  of  the 
California  Conference. 

In  the  fall  of  1898  Rev.  Martin 
removed  to  Blue  Island,  111.,  as 
pastor  of  the  Siloa  Church.  In 
1904  he  accepted  a  call  to  Strat- 
ford, la.  Since  September,  1907, 
he  is  stationed  at  Sharon  Springs, 
Kansas. 

Oct.  10,  1894,  Rev.  Martin  was 
married  to  Miss  Ella  Theresia 
Wahkiuist.  Their  children  are: 
Daniel  Theophilus,  Helga  Naomi 
and  Philemon  Jonathan. 

FRANK  ROSBERG 
was  born  Sept.  29,  1854,  in  Sma- 
land,  Sweden.  With  his  jiarenls 
he  emigrated  to  the  United  Slates 
in  1856  and  settled  in  Chicago. 
Frank  attended  the  old  Kinzie 
School  on  the  north  side.  He 
then  obtained  employment  in  the 
printing  trade,  and  has  been  a 
cylinder  pressman  for  o\er  thirtj' 
years,  having  had  a  press  room 
for  more    than  fifteen  years. 

Mr.     Rosherg     is     married,    his 


wife  being  Mattie  Surrean,  a  native 
of  Sweden.  They  have  two  sons 
and    two    daughters,    and    live    in 


IKA.NK    KOSBERG 

their  own  residence  at  5251   Arte- 
sian ave. 


FRED  J.  NELSON 

was  born  Julj'  16,  1866,  in  Ostra 
Ny  parish,  Sweden.  Since  his  ar- 
rival to  this  country  in  1877  he 
has  resided  in  Florence,  Wis.,  Iron 
Mountain,  Mich.,  and  Chicago. 
Tile  parents  are  Nils  J.  Xilson,  a 
merchant  in  Brunnby.  and  his 
wife,  Carolina. 

Mr.  Nelson  was  for  four  years 
employed  as  a  .switchman  on  the 
Northwestern  Railroad,  later  going 
into  business  as  a  coal  dealer  and 
furniture  mover  in  partnershij) 
with  Mr.  Weslerberg.  Their  of- 
fice is  at  3569  X.  Clark  si. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Nelson  lias 
been  closely  identified  with  church 
work.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Ebene/er  Swedish    Lulh.  Church, 


Chicago 


335 


and  lias  faithfully  served  as  a 
deacon,  Suiida\-  school  teacher  and 
treasurer  of  the  church. 


FRED  J.   NELSON 

His  marriage  to  Miss  Augusta 
Emelia  Nelson  has  been  blessed 
with  three  children,  Signe,  Harry 
and  Judith. 


ROBERT  UNDBLOM, 

for  thirty  years  one  of  the  fore- 
most Swedish-American  citizens 
of  Chicago,  was  born  in  Asker 
parish,  Nerike,  Sweden,  Nov.  17, 
1844.  He  received  his  funda- 
mental education  in  a  school  at 
Hogsjo,  Sodermanland,  and  for  a 
time  was  in  the  service  of  the 
government  survey.  Prior  to  his 
emigration  to  America,  Mr.  Lind- 
blom  had  taken  a  course  in  a 
commercial  school  and  had  learned 
the  rudiments  of  banking  at  Ore- 
bro,  so  that  when  he  came  here 
in  1864,  he  alreadj'  possessed  a 
fair  knowledge  of  business  prin- 
ciples.     The    following    year    we 


find  Lindhlom  in  Milwaukee,  as 
an  employee  in  the  grain,  packing 
and  elevator  business  of  the  firm 
of  L.  H.  Higby  &  Co.,  with  whom 
he  advanced  to  the  position  of 
cashier.  In  1873  he  established 
himself  in  the  grain  and  commis- 
sion business  on  his  own  account. 
Four  years  later  he  removed  to 
Chicago,  where  he  was  a  success- 
ful operator  on  the  Board  of  Trade 
for  many  years.  Lindblom  was  a 
veteran  of  many  notable  deals  in 
grain.  During  the  period  of  1880 
to  1883,  when  speculation  was  at 
its  height,  there  were  few  opera- 
tors who  could  match  him  in 
shrewd  trading,  and  he  frequently 
bought  and  .sold  blocks  of    half  a 


ROBERT  LINDBLOM 

million  bushels  of  wheat  and  corn 
at  a  time.  As  indicated  by  his 
huge  financial  operations,  Lind- 
blom at  this  time  was  a  man  of 
wealth,  but  his  fortune  is  said  to 
have  been  shattered  in  the  famous 
Leiter    "May    corner"     a     decade 


336 


Cook  County 


ago.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
principal  commercial  organizations 
in  the  country,  viz.,  the  Milwau- 
kee and  Minneapolis  Chambers  of 
Commerce,  New  York  Consolidat- 
ed Stock  E.xchange,  New  York 
Produce  Exchange,  Pittsburg 
Stock  Exchange  and  St.  Louis 
Merchants'  Exchange,  besides  the 
Chicago  Board  of  Trade  and  Chi- 
cago Stock  Exchange. 

About  eighteen  years  ago  Lind- 
blom  became  closely  connected 
with  the  "farmers'  movement" 
and  contributed  by  speech  and 
pen  in  the  effort  to  bring  about 
a  reform  in  the  system  of  handling 
farm  products.  He  was  from  that 
time  on  a  constant  advocate  of  the 
abolition  of  option  trading  on 
boards  of  trade,  favoring  trading 
in  actual  grain  instead. 

Lindblom  affiliated  chiefly  with 
the  Democratic  party,  but  on  oc- 
casion gave  his  support  to  the 
Socialists,  without,  however,  parad- 
ing his  friendship  for  the  labor 
element  as  a  device  for  attaining 
political  preferment.  In  1893  he 
was  appointed  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Education,  and  was  chair- 
man of  its  finance  committee  from 
then  until  1S96.  In  i.SgS  Mayor 
Harrison  prevailed  upon  him  to 
become  a  member  of  the  Civil 
Service  Commission  of  Chicago, 
and  Mr.  Lindblom  served  as  pres- 
ident of  that  body  for  four  years, 
until  July,  1902.  During  the  pe- 
riod of  1893  to  1S97  he  was  a 
member  of  Governor  John  P.  Alt- 
geld's  staff,  with  the  honorary 
title  of  Colonel. 

We  find    Lindblom    among    the 


original  promoters  of  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition.  He  be- 
came one  of  its  thirty-six  direct- 
ors, and  as  chairman  of  the  com- 
mittee on  promotion  wrote  the 
first  appeal  to  the  people  of  the 
Mississippi  Valley.  While  in 
Washington  before  the  Senate,  he 
was  one  of  five  men  to  subscribe 
the  half  million  dollars  then  lack- 
ing to  complete  Chicago's  pledge 
of  ten  million  dollars.  Mr.  Lind- 
blom served,  besides,  as  acting 
commissioner  of  the  Swedish  ex- 
hil)it  until  the  arrival  of  Arthur 
Leffler,  the  regular  commissioner. 
For  his  services  to  Sweden  in  that 
capacity-  and  otherwise  in  con- 
nection with  the  World's  Fair,  he 
was  decorated  by  King  Oscar  with 
the  Order  of  Vasa. 

In  the  earl}'  nineties  Lindblom 
launched  in  the  publishing  busi- 
ness with  a  daily  newspaper,  the 
Chicago  /'/ess.  The  enterprise, 
however,  did  not  carry  itself,  and 
the  pajier  suspended  publication 
after  a  brief  existence.  In  col- 
laboration with  Ira  C.  Emery, 
Lindblom  wrote  a  book,  entitled 
"Unrest,"  a  sociological  novel,  in 
which  his  virile  pen  deals  ingeni- 
ously with  a  number  of  political 
and  social  problems.  He  was  a 
more  forcible  than  fluent  jniblic 
speaker,  who,  forced  to  the  front 
by  his  personal  prominence  in  the 
connnunity,  often  ajipeared  before 
his  fellow  countrymen  on  public 
occasions. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  Union 
League  Club  and  the  Swedish 
Glee  Club  and  of  a  number  of 
other    organizations    in    this    city 


Chicago 


337 


and  elsewhere.  Of  the  Glee  Club 
he  was  an  active  jironioter  and 
served  repeatedly  as  its  jiresident, 
holding  that  distinction  at  the 
time  of  his  death.  In  him  not  only 
this  singing  aggregation  tnit  the 
united  Swedish-American  male 
choruses  had  one  of  their  best 
friends  and  patrons.  He  will  be 
remembered  as  the  one  who  do- 
nated a  champion.ship  banner, 
valued  at  $500,  for  the  Scandi- 
navian singers'  festival,  held  at 
Minneapolis  in   1891. 

In  1^74  Mr.  Lindblom  was 
married  at  Milwaukee,  to  Miss 
Hattie  Lewis  of  that  city,  who 
died  in  1895.  To  them  were  born 
two  daughters,  Lenore  and  Vesta, 
the  latter  married  to  Clas  Ake 
Mauritz  Pauli,  a  lieutenant  of  the 
Royal  Dragoons  of  Skane,  and 
residing  at  Ystad,    Sweden. 

Robert  Lindblom  passed  away 
Feb.  15,  1907,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
two  years.  He  owned  a  handsome 
residence  at  67S  La  Salle  ave. 
facing  Lincoln  Park,  and  left  an 
estate  valued  at  $15,000,  a  mere 
remnant  of    his  former  fortune. 


of  sixteen  he  entered  the  people's 
school  at  Myssjo,  and  two  years 
later  went  into  the  forests  to  earn 
his  living  as  a   lumberer. 


ERIK  ROSEN, 
who  for  the  past  fourteen  years 
has  been  in  charge  of  the  Swedish 
Baptist  Church  of  Englewood,  was 
engaged  in  evangelistic  work  in 
Sweden  for  a  long  period  before 
coming  to  the  United  States  and 
is  mentioned  among  the  foremost 
workers  in  the  Baptist  Church  in 
the  old  country.  He  was  born  at 
Myssjo,  Jamtland,  Sweden,  Nov. 
8,  1843,  and  had  a  Christian 
bringing  up  at  home.     At  the  age 


ERIK    ROSE.V 

During  a  revival  at  Myssjo  in 
1864  Rosen  became  the  first  con- 
vert to  Baptism  in  that  locality. 
The  following  spring  he  went  to 
Sundsvall  and  became  the  as- 
sistant to  Olof  Engberg  in  col- 
portage  and  mission  work.  This 
work  he  continued,  traveling  in 
the  northern  provinces.  Having 
participated  in  a  course  of  instruc- 
tion in  a  Bible  school  at  Kullsta- 
berg,  he  preached  his  first  sermon 
at  Sonna,  Medelpad.  He  traveled 
afoot  as  an  unsalaried  missionary 
and  made  his  way  by  the  sale  of 
books  and  tracts.  The  following 
summer  he  took  another  course 
at  a  Bible  school  in  Sund.svall  and 
in  1866  entered  the  school  con- 
ducted by  Gustaf  Palmquist  in 
Stockholm. 

At    the    suggestion   of    Rev.   A. 


338 


Cook  County 


Wiberg,  Rosen  in  1870  made  a 
missionary  trip  to  Finland.  Hav- 
ing preached  for  a  month  in  Ja- 
kobstad,  he  was  arrested,  con- 
fronted with  the  rector  of  the 
parish  and  forbidden  to  continue 
preaching.  Disregarding  the  order, 
he  continued  his  labors  until  one 
day  a  mob  threatened  his  life, 
when  he  left  for  Vasa  and  preached 
there  for  a  season. 

In  the  fall  of  i.Sjo  Rosen  en- 
tered the  Bethel  Seminary  in 
Stockholm.  After  two  years'  study 
he  was  called  to  Gefle,  where  the 
Baptist  church  had  been  almost  an- 
nihilated on  account  of  the  burn- 
ing of  the  citj-  in  i.Sjo.  He  col- 
lected the  remnants  of  the  church 
and  opened  missions  in  the  neigh- 
boring parishes,  also  extending 
his  labors  to  the  adjacent  prov- 
inces. 

In  1882  Rev.  Rosen  removed  to 
Falun,  where  he  had  aided  in  or- 
ganizing a  church,  and  labored  as 
its  pastor  for  six  years.  The 
next  five  years  he  jjreached  at 
Hudiksvall.  Through  his  effoits 
the  Gefle  and  Falun  District  Con- 
ference was  formed. 

Emigrating  to  America  in  1892, 
Rev.  Rosen  took  charge  of  the 
church  in  McKeesport,  Pa.,  for  a 
short  period.  The  following  year 
he  accepted  a  call  to  Chicago, 
where  he  has  given  the  Ivnglewood 
church  excellent  pastoral  service 
up  to  the  end  of  the  year  1907, 
when  he  left  this  charge  to  reen- 
ter the  .service  of  the  Baptist 
Church  in  the  mother  country, 
where  he  is  known  among  his 
brethren  as  "the  apostle  of  Norr- 


land,"  owing    to    his  efficient  pio- 
neer   work    in    that    region. 

Mr.  Rosen  was  married  in  Gefle 
Dec.  16,  1876,  to  Helena  Hammar- 
berg,  who  passed  away  in  Hudiks- 
vall Jan.  9,  18.S9.  There  were  in 
this  marriage  three  sons,  of  whom 
one,  Edward  Daniel,  now  25  years 
old,  is  still  living.  Sept.  12,  1901, 
he  married  Maria  E.  Modig,  with 
whom  he  has  three  sons,  of  whom 
two  died.  Theodor  Emanuel  is 
still  living,  4  years  old. 

ALFRED  STROMBERG, 

inventor,  was  born  in    Stockholm, 
Sweden,     March     9,     1861.      His 


Al.l'Klili  STKu.MllUKc. 

early  life  was  spent  in  the  vicinity 
of  that  city.  In  1876  he  began 
work  in  the  electrical  field  and  in 
1S79-S0  had  charge  of  a  large 
part  of  tile  work  of  installing  the 
telephone  exchange  in  Stockholm. 
Later  he  liad  charge  of  the  con- 
struction and  tlie  installation  of 
a     large     number     of     exchanges 


Chicago 


339 


throuj^hout  the  Scandinavian 
peninsula  and    Denmark. 

In  1S85  Mr.  Stroniberg  having 
left  Sweden  for  the  New  World, 
entered  the  employ  of  the  Bell 
Telephone  Co.,  in  Chicago.  He 
remained  in  the  instrument  and 
construction  departments  of  this 
company  until  1S90,  during  which 
time  he  made  a  number  of  in- 
ventions, some  of  which  are  still 
used  by  the  Bell  Company.  Mr. 
Stromberg  then  took  charge  of 
the  practical  work  of  the  Chicago 
Electric  Protective  Co.'s  Burglar 
Alarm  System.  While  in  this 
position  he  made  a  number  of 
improvements  and  inventions,  and 
the  company  is  now  operating 
under  what  is  known  as  the 
"Stromberg  system." 

When  the  fundamental  tele- 
phone patents  expired  in  1894, 
Mr.  Stroniberg  entered  the  inde- 
pendent telephone  field  with  An- 
drov  Carlson,  incorporating  in 
1895  as  the  Stromberg-Carlson 
Telephone  Mfg.  Co.  By  1901, 
they  had  a  force  of  1,200  men 
and  the  business  transacted  a 
month  amounted  to  $200,000. 

In  1903  the  establishment  was 
consolidated  with  .several  large 
eastern  companies,  the  firm  now 
having  $20,000,000  capital  and 
employing  2,500  men.  Mr.  Strom- 
berg has  retired  from  the  firm 
and  is  now  president  of  the  Gold- 
berg Motor  Car  Devices  Mfg.  Co. 
at  1253  Michigan  ave.  His  old 
partner  Androv  Carlson  is  still 
associated  with  him. 

In  1886  Mr.  Stromberg  was 
married  to  Miss  Ella  Johnson,  also 


a  native  of  Stockholm.  They 
have  one  son  and  three  daughters. 
The  family  residence  is  at  2305 
Sheridan  Road. 


OLOF  VALLEY, 

the    well-known    basso,    was   born 
Sept.    27,    1 868    in    Ljusne,     Hel- 


OLOF  VALLEY 

singland,  where  his  father  was 
for  over  40  years  foreman  of  a 
saw  mill.  The  son  came  to  this 
country  in  1887  and  located  in 
Chicago,  where  he  followed  the 
trade  of  a  machinist. 

Joining  the  Swedi.sh  Glee  Club, 
he  contributed  not  a  little  to  its 
superb  singing.  Mr.  Valle>-  went 
with  the  chorus  on  the  trip  to 
Sweden  in  1897.  He  studied  the 
voice  with  prominent  teachers 
in  Chicago.  He  appeared  in 
numerous  concerts  as  bass  .soloist 
and  had  several  appointments  in 
church  quartets.  Entering  the 
Chicago  Conservatory  of  Music 
he  was  graduated  in    1902. 


340 


Cook  County 


In  1904  Mr.  \'alley  accepted  a 
call  as  director  of  music  at  the 
Kansas  State  AKricultural  College 
at  Manhattan,  Kansas.  Prof.  Val- 
ley is  at  the  head  of  the  music 
department  and  is  director  of  the 
college  chorus.  In  the  summer 
of  1907  he  toured  the  states  with 
an  organization  called  "The  Olof 
Valley  Company"  and  met  with 
fine  success. 

Prof.  Valley  is  a  man  of  fine 
physique  and  has  a  splendid  bass 
voice  of  wide  range. 

He  was  united  in  marriage  on 
May  2,  1896  with  Anna  Osthom. 
daughter  of  Lieut.  N.  F.  G. 
Oslbom  of  the  Royal  Svea  Artil- 
lery Regiment.  A  son,  Norman, 
was  born  to  them  July  26,     189.S. 

EMIL  AND  ERIC  WERNER. 

The  elder  brother.  P'mil  Werner, 
was    born    at     Snaflunda     parish, 


Askersund,  he  emigrated  in  1887 
direct  to  Chicago.  Mr.  Werner 
was  married  on  June  29,  1902,  to 
Miss  Cecilia  Carlson  of  Chicago. 
A  son,  Nels,  was  born  to  them. 
Eric  Werner  was  Ixirn  at  Snaf- 
lunda, Dec.  21,  1872.  He  studietl 
at     the     Carolinian      Institute     at 


i:i<IC    A.    WIvKNlik 


Nerike,    June    29,     1862.       .\ftcr 
attending  school  for  some  lime  at 


E.MII-  WERNER 

Orebro  until  1887  when  he  emi- 
grated to  America  together  with 
his  brother.  In  1892  the  two 
brothers  engaged  in  the  expressing, 
storage  and  coal  business  under 
the  firm  name  of  Werner  Bros. 
The  l)eginning  was  modest  but 
with  time  the  business  has  grown 
to  be  the  largest  of  its  kind  on 
the  north  side.  The  firm  has 
one  large  storage  warehouse  at 
18-24  Evanston  ave.,  anotlier  one 
at  266-272  Lincoln  ave.,  a  third 
at  1968-70  Ivvanston  ave.,  Sheri- 
dan I'aik.  The  firm  employs  150 
men,  has  20  moving  vans,  a  large 
ninnlier  of  express  and  heavy 
truck    wagons,    and     125     horses. 


Chicago 


They  have  over  500  fire  proof 
rooms  for  the  storage  of  furnit- 
ure, household  K""''s  ^"<^  works 
of  art. 

Emil  Werner  died  April  19,  lyofS, 
so  that  !io\v  the  nianagenient  de- 
volves ui)oii  the    younf^er  brother. 

Mr.  Mric  Werner  has  twice 
visited  his  old  home  in  Sweden. 
He  also  traveled  through  other 
European  countries. 

Jan.  13,  1904,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Ellen  Nelson,  born  in 
Copenhagen,  of  Danish  parents, 
June  4,  1884,  the  wedding  being 
celebrated  with  splendid  festivities 
at  the  club  house  of  the  Swedish 
Glee  Club,  of  which  Mr.  Werner 
is  a  member.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wer- 
ner have  a  daughter  named  Vivian. 


ANDERS  PRICK, 

doctor  of  medicine,  was  born  in 
the  citj^  of  Malmo,  Sweden,  Jan. 
12,  1868.  He  attended  the  Malmo 
collegiate  school  and  later,  the 
Universit}'  of  Lund.  After  grad- 
uating in  September,  1896,  from  the 
renowned  Carolinian  Medico-Sur- 
gical Institute  in  Stockholm,  he 
came  to  the  United  States  in  the 
following  December. 

Dr.  Frick  is  a  successful  prac 
titioner  enjoying  high  standing 
among  Chicago's  medical  profes- 
sion. He  was  associate  to  the 
chair  of  Therapeutics  at  Rush 
Medical  College  1901-1905  and 
is  a  member  of  the  staff  of  Au- 
gustana  Hospital  since  November, 
1903,  and  is  assistant  chief  of  its 
medical  department . 

Dr.   Frick  is  a    member    of    the 


341 

Illinois  State  Medical  Society,  the 
Chicago  Medical  Society,  the  Amer- 
ican     .Medical      A.ssociation,      the' 


ANDERS  FRICK  ' 

Scandinavian  Medical  Society  of  I 
Chicago,  the  German  Medical] 
Society  of  Chicago,  the  Swedish ' 
Medical  Society  of  Stockholm  and  i 
of  the  Swedish  Glee  Club.  I 


FRITHIOF  V.  HEDEEN 

was  born  Dec.  9,  1875,  in  Stock- 
holm. In  his  home  city  he  at- 
tended the  North  Latin  School, 
his  studies  there  forming  a  good 
foundation  for  his  future  work  in 
America.  In  1891  he  emigrated 
and  several  years  later  became  in- 
terested in  religious  work.  After 
serving  the  Swedish  Baptist  Church 
in  Altona,  111.,  he  entered  the 
Swedish  Theological  Seminary  of 
the  University  of  Chicago.  In 
the  summer  of  1900  he  .served  the 
church  in  Brunswick,    Minn.,  and 


342 


Cook  County 


in  1901  had  a  call  to  become  pas- 
tor at  Evanston.  During  this  same 
year    he    was    ordained    and    two 


FRITIIIOF   V.  HEDEEN 

years    later    graduated    from    the 
University  of  Chicago. 

Rev.  Hedeen  has  done  splendid 
work  in  the  Swedish  Baptist  church 
in  Evanston.  There  has  been 
progress  both  spiritually  and  finan- 
cially during  his  pastorate,  a  large 
part  of  the  church  debt  having 
been  paid  off  and  more  than  one 
hundred  members  added  to  the 
congregation. 

He  has  served  as  vice-president 
of  the  Swedish  Baptist  Young 
People's  Union  of  America.  Mr. 
Frithiof  Hedeen  has  recently  left 
the  ministry,  and  has  now  estab- 
lished himself  as  a  jeweler  at  1595 
35th  street. 

■  In  1897  Mr.  Hedeen  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Emma  Olson,  a  union 
which  has  been  ble.ssed  with  two 
sons. 


JOHN   A.  WALGREN 

was  born  at  Danville,  111.,  Feb.  9, 
1870.  He  was  graduated  from 
the  elementary  school  in  Oskars- 
lianin  with  highest  honors  in  1884: 
from  the  Minneapolis  high  school 
in  1889,  and  from  the  Minnesota 
State  University  College  of  Law 
in  1 89 1,  whereupon  he  entered  the 
law  offices  of  Hon.  John  P.  Rea 
and  Eli  Torrance.  He  engaged  in 
the  practice  of  law,  being  admit- 
ted to  the  Supreme  Courts  of 
Minnesota  and  Illinois. 

In  the  campaign  of  1900,  Mr. 
W'algren  toured  Nebraska  as 
speaker  for  the  National  Repub- 
lican Committee  the  members  of 
which  in  a  letter  to  him  highly 
commended  bis  work  "on  the  firing 
line." 

He  has  devoted  some  of  his 
time  to  literature  and  occult  stud- 
ies, being  the  author  and  pub- 
lisher of  the  periodical,  ('•oldtii 
)'oul/i. 

Mr.  Walgren  is  the  founder  of 
the  Prentice  Mulford  Club  in  the 
Auditorium  Building,  and  is  man- 
ager at  5507  Indiana  ave. 


CHARLES  L.  SW ANSON, 

born  Oct.  31,  1870,  is  a  native 
Chicagoan.  With  a  foundation 
laid  in  the  public  .schools,  ho  ac- 
quired a  legal  education  at  the 
Law  School  of  the  Lake  Forest 
University,  and,  upon  being  ad- 
mitted to  practice,  established  a 
law  office.  At  jiresent,  Mr.  Swan- 
son  holds  the  position  of  assistant 
trial  attorney  in  the  City  .Xtlor- 
ney's  office. 


Chicago 


Mr.  Swansoti  is  identified  with 
a  number  of  orders  and  fraternal 
societies.  He  is  coniinander  of 
the  Norden  Tent;  chaplain  of  the 
John  C.  F'remont  Council,  National 
Union;  president  of  the  Lincoln 
Singing  Club;  member  of  the  K. 
O.  L.  M.,  and  of  the  26th  Ward 
Republican  Club. 

Jan.  9,  1895,  ^Ir.  Swanson  was 
married    to    Miss  Millie   Hegberg. 

CHARLES  S.  PETERSON, 

proprietor   of    the    Peter.son   Lino- 
type Companj',  and  silent  partner 


CHARLES   S.   PETERSON 

in  the  Regan  Printing  Company, 
was  born  at  Dagloseu,  Vermland, 
Sweden,  Aug.  29,  1873.  At  the 
age  of  fourteen  he  came  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  w^as  first  emploj-ed 
on  the  Swedish  weekly  newspaper, 
Hcnilandct.  In  1888  he  went  west, 
stayed  in  Colorado  for  some  time 
and  then  proceeded  to  California. 
Subsequently'  he  made  a  trip  to 
the    Sandwich    Islands,    returning 


.^43 

Id  California  after  two  years.  In 
1895  he  came  back  to  Chicago 
and  became  linotype  oj^erator  for 
the  weekly  Svoiska  Aiiitrikaiiariti, 
continuing  in  that  ]x)sition  until 
1899,  which  year  he  organized  the 
Peter.son  Linotype  Company,  at 
pre.sent  the  largest  concern  of  its 
kind  in  Chicago. 

In  1 90 1  Mr.  Peterson  was  united 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Thyra  Hjert- 
quist,  daughter  of  Gabriel  Hjert- 
quist,  the  veteran  foreman  of  the 
typographical  department  of  Sven- 
ska  .  Iiiunka7taren. 


ANDERS  HE.SSEL, 

grand  secretary  of  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Vikings,  was  born 
Jan.  22,  1872.  His  father,  Ed- 
ward Hessel,  who  was  a  sailor, 
died  in   1904.     After  obtaining  an 


.\NDERS    HIJSSEL 


education  in  a  public  academy 
and  a  manual  training  school  in 
Sweden,  Mr.  Hessel  emigrated  to 
the  L^nited  States  in   1S90  and  lo- 


344 


Cook  County 


cated  in  Chicago  the  following 
year. 

After  coming  to  this  country 
he  supplemented  his  education  by 
a  course  in  a  business  college. 
For  twelve  years  he  was  in  the 
employ  of  Marshall  Field  &  Com- 
pany, as  salesman  in  the  whole- 
sale upholstery  department. 

He  is  a  member  of  Brage  Lodge 
No.  2  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Vikings,  and  was  elected  sec- 
retary of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
Order  in  1905.  Mr.  Hessel  also 
belongs  to  the  Orpheus  Singing 
Club. 


ANDROV  CARLSON 

was    born    May    9,    1854,    on    the 
Tommared     estate,     Karl     Gustaf 


ANDKUV   CAKl.SON 


parish,  VestergiUland.  His  par- 
ents, Carl  and  Aiuia  Hritta  Johan- 
son,  were  farmer  folk  who  died 
on  the  old  estate.  The  son  emi- 
grated in  i«8o,  landing  at  I'hila- 
delphia  and  proceeded  to  Chicago. 


Becoming  restless,  he  spent  three 
years  in  various  parts  of  the  coun- 
try, but  finally  returned  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  has  since  resided. 
Mr.  Carlson  obtained  employment 
at  the  Deering  Harvester  Works 
and  later  with  various  electrical 
appliance  companies,  such  as  the 
Chicago  Telephone  Company. 

In  company  with  Alfred  Strom- 
berg  he  formed  the  Stromberg- 
Carl.son  Telephone  Company, which 
was  incorporated  in  1895.  In  June, 
1 901,  the  firm  purchased  the  seven 
storj'  factory  building  located  at 
the  corner  of  Jackson  and  Clinton 
streets,  which,  together  with  the 
adjoining  four  story  building  which 
had  been  previously  acquired,  gave 
them  superior  facilities  for  meet- 
ing the  increasing  demand  for 
their  products.  The  firm  em- 
ploj-ed  1,200  men  and  had  a  busi- 
ness of  over  $200,000  a  month. 
In  1903  the  business  was  consoli- 
dated with  several  eastern  con- 
cerns. In  1906  the  company  had 
increased  its  capital  to  $20,000,000 
and  now  employs  2,500  men,  truly 
a  marvelous  growth  from  a  small 
hegiiuiing. 

Mr.  Carlson  has  retired  from 
the  telephone  business  and  is  now 
treasurer  of  the  Goldberg  Motor 
Car  Devices  Mfg.  Co.  at  1253  Michi- 
gan ave.  and  is  still  associated 
with  his  old  partner,  Alfred 
Slrombcrg. 

Mr.  Carlson  was  in  iSSd  mar- 
ried to  Christine  Hillstrom,  with 
whom  he-  has  had  eight  children, 
of  whiili  three  boys  and  two  girls 
ari'  still    living.      The    family     re- 


Chicago 


.^45 


sides  in  an  (.-legant  home  at   269,^ 
Sheridan  Road. 

PETRIJS  SWARTZ, 

clergyman  of  the  Swedish   Ikiptist 
Church,   was  born  April    13,  i860, 


P9 

^^ s^ 

1 

IP    ^^ 

^^  m 

1 

[        •■ 

1 

H 

PETRUS  SWARTZ 

in  Ousby  parish,  Skane,  Sweden. 
At  sixteen  years  of  age  he  joined 
the  Gota  Life  Guards,  passed  the 
subaltern  officer's  examination  with 
the  highest  honors  and  resigned 
from  the  regiment  in  1882. 
While  in  the  military  service  he 
became  a  member  of  the  First 
Baptist  Church  of  Stockholm. 

Desirous  of  serving  the  church 
as  a  preacher,  he  entered  the 
Bethel  Seminary  at  Stockholm, 
taking  a  course  of  theological 
instruction  there  until  1885,  when 
he   left  for  the  United  States. 

Coming  to  Chicago,  he  was  in 
charge  of  the  Englewood  church 
and  of  the  Fourth  Swedish  Bap- 
tist Church  for  a  time  and  then 
continued  his    divinity    studies    at 


the  Morgan  Park  seminary,  grad- 
uating in  1889.  He  now  served 
the  churches  in  Rockford,  III., 
and  Omaha,  Neb.,  before  return- 
ing to  Chicago  as  pastor  of  the 
Lake  View  church  in  1S9S.  In 
1907  Rev.  Mr.  Swartz  assumed 
the  pastorate  of  the  Swedish  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Kansas  Cit}-,  Mo. 
In  1895  Rev.  Swartz  was  elected 
secretary  of  the  General  Confer- 
ence and  in  that  c.ipacity  edited 
the  yearbook  of  the  Swedish 
Baptist  churches  for  several  years 
following.  He  also  has  served  as 
chairman  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  Illinois  Conference 
and  as  a  member  of  a  committee 
to  edit  a  new  Swedish  Baptist 
hynnial,  published  some  years  ago. 


CARL  GUSTAF  NORMAN, 

editor  of  Svt-/is/:a  Trii<uiun-Nyhctci\ 
was  born  Oct.    19,    1861,    at    Taf- 


CAKl.   GrSTAK   NOK.MA.N 

velsas,     Smaland,     Sweden.       He 
worked  for  a  time  as   assistant   to 


346 


Cook  County 


a  surveyor  before  emigrating  in 
1879.  The  same  year  he  entered 
Augustana  College  and  pursued 
studies,  with  intervals,  until  1890, 
when  he  was  graduated  from  the 
theological  seminary  and  ordained 
minister  of  the  Augustana  Synod. 
In  1882-8.^  he  was  instructor  at 
Bethany  College,  Lindsborg,  Kan- 
sas, and  in  1887-88  edited  Fraindl, 
a  weekly  newspaper,  published  in 
that  town. 

Mr.  Norman  entered  upon  his 
ministerial  career  as  pastor  in 
Centerville,  R.  I.,  and  Williman- 
tic,  Conn.  After  a  year  he  as- 
sumed a  charge  in  Providence, 
R.  I.,  where  he  edited  a  weekly 
paper,  Fram&t,  1892-95,  having 
resigned  his  pastorate.  He  sub- 
sequently resumed  preaching  as 
pastor  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  Jersey  City,  but  again 
exchanged  the  pulpit  for  the  edi- 
torial chair  in  1897  when  he  left 
the  ministry  and  became  editor  of 
Pohljcrnan,  a  new  journalistic  en- 
terprise in  Brooklyn.  He  worked 
on  different  papers  for  a  time  and 
in  1899  became  editor-in-chief  of 
Svca,  a  weekly  newspaper  in 
Worcester,  Mass.  Mr.  Norman 
left  Worcester  in  1906,  and  came 
to  Chicago,  assuming  a  correspond- 
ing ])osition  with  Svcnsha-  T)ihuiuii- 
Nylnit-r. 

Norman  possesses  a  poetic  talent 
above  the  average  versifier.  In 
the  early  '80s  he  l>egan  to  write 
verse  for  the  papers  and  has  con- 
tinued cultivating  that  form  of 
literature  to  the  j)resent.  Culled 
from  the  indifferent  mass  of  his 
poetic  jiroductions,   his  best  ])0cms 


would  make  a  meritorious    collec- 
tion. 


WALFRID  JOHNSON 

was  born  in    Sweden,    March    22, 
1874,  and  spent  his  boyhood  days 


WALFRID  JOHNSON 

on  his  father's  farm  in  Rudskoga 
parish,  Vermland.  After  finishing 
the  course  offered  in  the  public 
school,  he  decided  to  train  him- 
self for  a  mercantile  career.  With 
a  few  dollars  in  his  pocket,  he 
set  out  for  the  nearest  city.  He 
entered  the  Karlskrona  manual 
training  school,  from  the  mercan- 
tile department  of  which  he  grad- 
uated with  honor  in  1893.  The 
same  year  he  emigrated  and  at 
once  settled  in  Chicago,  where 
he  has  since  resided.  He  secured 
a  position  in  the  wholesale  de- 
partment of  Marshall  Field  and 
Co.,  where  he  was  em]iloyed  luitil 
ten  years  ago,  when  he  accepted 
a  position  with  tlie  Stern  Clothing 
Company.      He  left   the  service    of 


Chicago 


347 


this  house  to  join  with  the  Liud- 
sten  Clothing  Co.,  17 13  North 
Clark  St.,  as  a  member  of  the 
firm. 

Mr.  Joliii.soii  belongs  to  the 
Free  Masons,  Odd  Fellows,  For- 
esters and  the  Vikings.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Messiah 
Lutheran  Church,  Lake  View. 


■     A.  E.  G.  WINGARD, 

one  of  the  proprietors  of  the  Swed- 
ish weekly  S:r)/s/,'a  A»!ei'i/ca?iarc>i, 


A.    EUWIN  G.   WING.\RD 

was  born  Sept,  26,  1841,  in  Snia- 
land,  Sweden,  at  Marieholms  bruk, 
a  large  manufacturing  establish- 
ment owned  b}^  his  father,  A.  Win- 
gard.  In  addition  to  a  common 
school  preparation,  the  son  attend- 
ed the  Jonkoping  elementary  school 
or  college,  which  he  left  before 
completing  the  course  to  assume 
the  duties  of  bookkeeper  in  his 
father's  establishment.  The  j-ear 
1867  was  one  of  great  financial 
depression  in  Sweden,  and  emigra- 


tion to  the  United  States  assumed 
unprecedented  proportions.  Young 
Wingard  followed  the  westward 
current  across  the  Atlantic  and 
located  in  Princeton,  III.  He  was 
employed  in  a  dry  goods  store  in 
that  city  for  the  next  five  years. 
In  1872  he  came  from  Princeton 
to  Chicago.  Two  years  later  he 
secured  employment  as  a  salesman 
in  the  Marshall  Field  retail  estab- 
lishment and  remained  with  this 
house  for  eight  years.  His  sub- 
sequent employment  was  that  of 
advertising  solicitor  for  Svenska 
Amerikanaren.  In  1884  he  pur- 
chased from  Gabriel  Hjertquist 
the  stock  in  the  newspaper,  owned 
by  him,  and  since  18S.S,  when  F. 
A.  Lind.strand  purchased  the  ma- 
jority of  the  stock,  the  two  have 
been  joint  proprietors  and  pub- 
lishers. 

Mr.  Wingard  is  affiliated  with 
no  organizations  other  than  the 
Swedish  Glee  Club. 

Sept.  16,  1897,  Mr.  Wingard 
was  married  to  Miss  Olivia  Swan- 
son  of  Chicago.  Mrs.  Wingard  is 
a  native  of  St.  Charles,  111.  The 
couple  live  comfortably  at  1270 
Sheridan  road. 


NILS  A.  NELSON, 

president  of  the  Scandia  Life  In- 
surance Company  of  Chicago  and 
secretary  of  the  Svea  Loan  and 
Building  Ass' n,  came  to  America  in 
1 88 1  from  Halland,  Sweden,  He 
was  born  in  Hvalinge  Jan.  15, 
i860,  his  father  being  Borge  Nils- 
son,  who  still  lives  on  the  old 
farm. 


348 


Cook  County 


After  about  four  years  in  this 
country.  Mr.  Nelson  entered  the 
Metropolitan    Business   College   of 


NILS    A.   NELSON 

Chicago,  where  he  spent  fifteen 
months  in  preparing  for  commer- 
cial life.  In  the  fall  of  1.S86  he 
obtained  a  position  with  a  large 
Board  of  Trade  firm,  where  he 
continued  for  about  ten  years, 
most  of  the  time  having  charge 
of  the  grain  receiving  department. 
In  1893  the  Svea  Building  and 
Loan  Association  was  organized 
and  Mr.  Nelson  was  elected  pres- 
ident and  in  1896  secretary  of  the 
association.  Resigning  his  posi- 
tion with  the  Board  of  Trade 
firm,  he  has  since  made  Svea  one 
of  the  most  solid  financial  insti- 
tutions in  Chicago.  Mr.  Nelson 
also  deals  in  real  estate,  loans  and 
insurance,  and  has  been  treasurer 
and  is  now  president  of  Scandia 
Life  Insurance  Company,  having 
been  elected  to  tla-  latter  office  in 
.April,    1905.      He    was    tla'   virtual 


organizer  of  the  Chicago  Cemetery 
As.sociation  and  has  constantly 
.served  as  its  secretary. 

While  a  thorough  American  at 
heart,  Mr.  Nelson  take.-;  pride  in 
his  origin  and  retains  a  warm 
love  for  the  mother  country.  He 
is  ever  ready  to  further  the  inter- 
ests of  his  fellow-counlrj'men,  in 
business,  in  politics  and  in  church 
affairs. 

As  a  member  of  the  Bethlehem 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  En- 
glewood.  he  has  held  a  place  on 
its  board  of  deacons  for  ten  years 
past,  and  served  for  three  years 
as  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
.school . 

His  marriage  to  Adelia  H.  M. 
Olson,  daughter  of  Herman  Olson, 
dry  goods  merchant,  took  place 
April  30,  1895.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Nelson's  children  are  Byron  Le 
Roy,  born  1897,  Norman  A.,  born 
1901,  and  Stanley  Everett,  born 
1905.  

G.  EDWIN  SANDSTEDT 

was  born  April  17,  1876,  at  Gow- 
rie,  Webster  co.,  Iowa,  where  his 
father  was  a  farmer.  Voung  Sand- 
stedt  attended  the  public  schools 
of  that  stale  until  he  was  fifteen 
years  old.  In  the  year  1S92  he 
moved  with  the  family  to  Kansas, 
where  they  engaged  in  farming 
and  stock  raising.  He  attended 
the  public  schools  of  that  state 
and  in    1899  came  to  Chicago. 

lintering  the  Teachers'  Review 
School,  he  graduated  in  the  sjiring 
of  1900,  and  subseiiuenlly  attended 
night  school  at  the  Harvey  Med- 
ical Colk-i;c.      In    191x1  he  took  an 


Chicago 


349 


agency  with  the  Prudential  Life 
Insurance  Company,  was  promoted 
to  the    position  of    assistant    local 


G.    EHWIN  SANIISTEDT 

superintendent  and  remained  with 
that  company  until   1902. 

The  last  few  years  Mr.  Sand- 
stedt  has  devoted  to  the  study  of 
medicine,  completing  his  course  at 
the  National  Medical  Universit)- 
in  the  spring  of  1907.  His  ofhce 
is  at   1 74 1   N.  Clark  st. 


ALECK  E.  JOHNSON, 

publisher  of  Cauda  ocli  Xva  Hcm- 
landit,  was  born  July  29,  1840,  in 
Karlskoga,  Vermland,  Sweden.  He 
came  to  America  in  1S54  with  his 
parents.  The  whole  family  became 
afltected  with  the  then  prevalent 
cholera  epidemic,  and  the  father 
died  soon  after  the  train  pulled 
into  Chicago.  The  rest  of  the 
family  were  taken  to  the  hospital 
and  later  assisted  by  an  American 
family.  Aleck  had  four  years' 
schooling  at  Mt.  Carroll  Seminar}' 


in  Mt.  Carroll,  III.,  and  then  began 
the  battle  of  life. 

About  thirt\-  years  ago  Mr. 
Johnson  went  to  St.  Paul  in  the 
capacity  of  commissioner  of  emi- 
gration for  the  St.  Paul,  Minne- 
apolis iS:  .Manitoba  Railway.  In 
1883  he  organized  the  firm  of  A. 
E.  John.son  iS:  Co.,  land  and  immi- 
gration agents,  at  St.  Paul.  Since 
that  lime,  the  firm  of  A.  Iv  John- 
son Company  has  established  head- 
quarters at  Chicago,  Minneapolis, 
St.  Paul,  Seattle,  Boston  and  New 
York  City,  Mr.  Johnson  remaining 
at  the  head  of  the  firm.  For  the 
past  fifteen  j'ears,  Mr.  Johnson 
has  made  New  York  his  head- 
quarters, where  he  is  the  general 


.\I,i;CK    E.  .IOHNSt)N 

passenger  agent  for  the  Scandinav- 
ian-American Line. 

His  career  as  a  publisher  began 
in  1S91,  when  Mr.  Johnson 
purcha.sed  an  interest  in  the  Cam/a 
och  X\a  Hciulaiidct.  forming  the 
firm     of     Johnson    cS:    Soderholm. 


35° 


Cook  County 


Five  years  later  he  hought  his 
partner's  share  and  formed  the 
present  Hemlandet  Co. 

In  1905,  Mr.  Johnson  bought 
an  interest  in  the  only  Swedish 
newspaper  published  at  New  York 
City,   the   A'oidsljcnian. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  the  Swedish  con- 
sul in  New  York,  and  has  been 
an  instrument  of  much  good  to 
Scandinavian  immigrants.  In  re- 
cognition of  this  fact  he  was  dec- 
orated by  King  Oscar  II.  with  the 
order  of  \'asa,  and  in  1906  was 
awarded  the  decoration  of  the  order 
of  Dannebrog  by  King  Fredrik  of 
Denmark.  In  1907  he  was  gi\-en 
the  degree  of  LL.  D.  bj'  Upsala 
College,  Orange,   N.  J. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  a  member  of  the 
council  of  the  Swedish-American 
Historical  Society  and  chairman 
of  its  finance  committee,  chairman 
of  the  Swedish  Chamber  of 
Commerce  of  New  York,  vice- 
president  of  the  Scandinavian  Sail- 
ors' Temperance  Home  in  Brook- 
lyn and  a  trustee  of  the  Swedish 
ho.spital  in  Brooklyn. 


Mr.  Christopher  has  l>een  a 
member  of  the  Apollo  Musical 
Club    for    several  years.     The  ex- 


E.  BERNHARD  CHRISTOPHER 
was  born  April  22,  1866,  at  Domn- 
arfvet,  Dalarne,  Sweden.  After 
obtaining  a  fundamental  education 
he  emigrated  in  1886  and  made 
his  home  in  Chicago.  He  engaged 
in  the  manufacture  of  bicycles 
and;  later,  of  automobiles.  The 
Christopher  Bros,  establishment  is 
at  1049  Sheffield  ave.,  where  is 
built  the  "Triumph,"  a  .self-.start- 
ing  car  of  30  horsepower.  Cieneral 
machine  work  and  rejiairing  is 
also  done  at  the  place. 


E.    BERNHARD  CHRISTOPHER 

perience  thus  gained  has  been  put 
to  good  use,  for  he  has  been  the 
choirmaster  of  the  Swedish  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Lake  \'iew  since 
1S89  and  has  drilled  more  than 
one  Handel  chorus  with  his  choir. 
Mr.  Christopher  was  married  in 
September,  18S7,  to  Miss  Carolina 
Borggren.  Their  children  are: 
Richard  B.,  born  18S8;  Magnhild 
C,  1890;  Gerald  E.,  1892:  Elmer 
J.,   1895,  and  Herbert,   1897. 

OLANDER  E.  WALT). 

physician  and  surgeon,  was  born 
of  Swedish  parents  in  Bagn,  Nor- 
way, Sept.  7,  1868.  His  father 
was  a  timber  dealer  in  Ostersund, 
doing  business  on  both  sides  of 
the  boundary  line  between  Sweden 
and  Norway.  He  came  to  the 
United  States  when  the  son  was 
four     years     of     age,    settling    at 


Chicago 


.■^51 


Grand  Forks,  N.  D.,  wlience  the 
family  removed  toWillapa,  Wash., 
in  1878.    The  son  later  returned  to 


OLANDKR    H.    WAI.D 

Grand  Forks  to  study.  The  higli 
school  course  completed,  he  entered 
the  Universit}-  of  Minnesota,  but 
interrupted  his  studies  to  become 
agent  for  Northern  Pacific  lands 
in  the  state  of  Washington.  In 
1894  Mr.  Wald  entered  the  med- 
ical department  of  the  University 
of  Illinois  and  graduated  with 
high  honors  in  1S98.  Dr.  Wald's 
first  appointment  was  that  of  field 
surgeon  of  the  Scandinavian  regi- 
ment organized  in  Minneapolis  for 
service  in  the  war  with  Spain, 
but  which  did  not  take  the  field, 
owing  to  the  sudden  termination 
of  the  eventful  war.  Subse- 
quently Dr.  Wald  did  post-grad- 
uate work  for  two  years  at  Johns 
Hopkins  Universitj'  under  Dr.  Os- 
ier. During  the  second  j-ear  he 
was  in  charge  of  the  dispensary 
of  the  university.     In  June,   1901, 


he  was  appointed  interne  at  Au- 
gustana  Hospital,  .serving  until 
December,  1903.  Soon  after,  he 
was  made  surgeon-in-chief  of  the 
Bethesda  and  Lincoln  Park  hos- 
[litals. 

In  June,  1905,  Dr.  Wald  and 
others  founded  the  Lake  View 
Hospital  at  1728  Belmont  ave., 
an  institution  headed  by  him  in 
the  capacity  of  chief  surgeon. 

In  1906,  Dr.  Wald  was  appointed 
professor  of  surgery  at  the  Jenner 
Medical  College. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Chicago 
Medical  Society,  of  the  Illinois 
State  Medical  Society  and  the 
Scandinavian  Medical  Society  of 
Chicago;  also  member  and  exam- 
ining physician  of  the  Thor  and 
Vega  societies  and  of  various 
lodges  of  the  Independent  Orders 
of  Svithiod,  Vikings  and  Macca- 
bees, of  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle  and 
the  Royal  Arcanum. 

Dr.  Wald  is  affiliated  with  the 
Lutheran  Church. 


HARRY   OLSON, 

Chief  Ju.stice  of  the  Municipal 
Court  of  Chicago,  was  born  in 
Chicago  Aug.  4,  1867.  His  father, 
Olof  G.  Olson,  was  a  stone  mason 
and  bricklayer,  who  was  born  in 
Filipstad,  Vermland.  The  mother, 
Clara  C.  Okson,  was  born  at  Sock- 
holm.  The  family  came  to  Chicago 
in  1865.  When  the  son  was  three 
years  old,  the  family  removed  to 
Kansas,  where  the  father  died  nine 
j-ears  later.  The  family  then  re- 
turned    to    this     state,    to     Win- 


352 


Cook  County 


nebago  county,  where  Mr.  Olson 
was  graduated  from  the  Pecato- 
nica    high    school    in     1885.     He 


IIAHKV    ciI.SON 


subsequently  taught  school  for  two 
years  in  Kansas,  and  became  prin- 
cipal of  the  public  schools  of  St. 
Mary's,  Kansas,  in  icSSj.  He 
studied  at  Washburne  College,  To- 
peka,  for  a  like  period  and  later 
entered  l^nion  College  of  Law  in 
Chicago,  coni])leting  the  course 
and  being  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1891.  He  was  engaged  in  the 
general  practice  of  law  for  the 
next  five  years  and  in  i8y6  was 
appointed  assistant  state's  attorney 
under  Charles  S.  Deneen.  He  re- 
mained in  that  oflice  for  ten  years, 
having  been  twice  reappointed. 
The  first  important  case  that  Mr. 
Olson  conducted  in  Chicago  was 
the  trial  of  Moran  and  Healy, 
charged  with  the  killing  of  Swan 
Nelson,  in  which  case  he  was  as 
sociated  with  Luther  Lallin  Mills 
for  the  prosecutinii. 


During  the  time  that  Mr.  Olson 
was  assistant  stale's  attorney  of 
Cook  county  he  was  entrusted 
with  the  conduct  of  many  of  the 
most  important  cases  prosecuted 
in  that  office,  some  of  which  at- 
tracted national  attention.  On 
account  of  the  publicity  given  to 
the  great  trials  held  in  the  crim- 
inal court  of  Cook  county,  which, 
because  of  its  extensive  jurisdic- 
tion, is  one  of  the  greatest  criminal 
tribunals  in  the  world,  Mr.  Olson's 
eminent  service  in  that  court  made 
him  widely  known  and  gave  him 
national  reputation  as  a  barrister. 

Mr.  Olson's  last  and  one  of  his 
greatest  services  to  the  people  in 
his  capacit}'  of  assistant  state's  at- 
attorney  consisted  in  apprehending 
in  Morocco  and  returning  to  the 
state  of  Illinois  the  fugitive  bank 
looter.  Paul  O.  Stensland,  former 
president  of  the  Milwaukee  Ave. 
State  Bank,  and  procuring  his 
conviction  and  sentence  to  a  term 
in  the  state  petiitenliary.  It  may 
be  added  that  Mr.  Olson  materially 
assisted  Mr.  Deneen  in  creatii^g 
the  so-called  "Hankers'  Row"  in 
that   institution. 

When  in  1906  Chicago  abolished 
the  justice  court  and  constalile 
system  and  established  in  its  .stead 
the  Municipal  Court,  the  new  sys- 
tem, to  be  an  improvement  on 
the  old,  required  men  of  higher 
legal  standing  and  better  records 
than  the  average  justice  of  the 
jicace.  ICach  of  the  two  dominant 
parties  looked  about  for  a  man 
particularly  well  (|ualified  for  the 
position  of  Chief  Justice  of  llic 
twentvseven   branches  of  the  new 


Chicago 


353 


court,  and  the  Republicans  selected 
as  their  candidate  Harry  Olson, 
who  was  elected  Nov.  6,  1906, 
with  a  plurality  of  31,000  over 
the  opposing  candidates,  one  a 
Republican,  the  other  a  Democrat, 
a  jurist  of  local  eminence.  As  the 
directing  head  of  this  important 
branch  of  the  judicial  system  of 
Chicago,  Mr.  Olson  holds  one  of 
the  foremost  offices  in  the  city. 
The  Municipal  Court  of  Chicago 
is  the  largest  court  in  the  state 
in  the  number  of  judges  and  the 
volume  of  business  tran.sacted. 

In  1891  Mr.  Olson  was  married 
to  Miss  Berenice  Miller  of  Peca- 
tonica,  111.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren,  Harry,  Sauford  and  Jane. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Olson  attend  the 
Presb3-terian  Church. 


graduate  work  at  the  Chicago 
Lying-in  Hospital.  For  one  year, 
1903-04,  she    held  the  position  of 


JOHANNA  E.  T.  DAHLGREN, 
superintendent  of  nurses  at  the 
Swedish  -  American  Hospital  in 
Englewood,  is  a  native  of  Chicago, 
having  been  born  there  Dec.  20, 
1875,  the  daughter  of  Peter  Mag- 
nus Dahlgren  and  Ingrid  Christ- 
ina, nee  Swenson.  The  famih- 
lived  for  a  number  of  j-ears  at 
Des  Moines,  la.,  where  she  re- 
ceived her  early  education,  after- 
ward attending  high  school  in 
Chicago  and  studying  at  Augus- 
tana  College.  At  the  latter  insti- 
tution she  completed  the  normal 
course  and  subsequently  continued 
her  studies  for  two  years  in  the 
college  department. 

In  1901  Miss  Dahlgren  entered 
the  Augustana  Hospital  Training 
School  for  Nurses,  graduating  after 
two    years.     Later    she    did    post- 


JOHANN.\   EMILI.\    THBKIiSIA 
D.VHLC.KE.N 

acting  superintendent  of  the  Bless- 
ing Hospital  at  Quincy,  III.,  and 
the  next  year  was  head  nunse  of 
the  maternity  department  of  the 
Presbyterian  Hospital  of  Chicago. 
From  there  Miss  Dahlgren  was 
called  as  superintendent  of  the 
Englewood  Hospital,  which  po.si- 
tion  she  occupies  at  the  present 
time. 

Miss  Dahlgren  is  an  alumna  of 
the  Augustana  Hospital,  and  a 
memljer  of  the  Illinois  State  Asso- 
ciation of  Graduate  Nurses  and  of 
the  Superintendents'  Society  of 
Illinois. 

She  is  a  Lutheran  in  faith  and 
a  member  of  the  Bethlehem  Church 
of  Englewood.  Her  home  is  at 
6754  Yale  ave. 


354 


Cook  County 


JOHN  J.  ERICKSON, 

proprietor  of  a  miinher  of  restau- 
rants in  different  parts  of  the  city, 


JOHN  JACOB    EKICKSON 

was  born  at  Fensbol,  Vermland, 
Sweden,  Jan.  14,  1865.  He  was 
brought  to  the  United  States  at 
the  age  of  three,  when  the  family 
emigrated  in  1.S68.  They  settled 
at  Dassel,  Minn.,  where  Mr.  Krick- 
.son  lived  until  reaching  the  age 
of  fifteen  years.  lie  tlien  went 
to  work  in  the  printing  office  of 
a  local  newspaper  in  Grove  City. 
In  188,^,  together  with  Lambert 
Gisslow  and  C.  E.  Peterson,  he 
began  the  publication  of  a  news- 
l)aper  named  .Stvvw/v?  /W/ivA  .  ///,■- 
lianda  at  lyitchfield,  Minn.,  but 
retired  from  this  company  a  year 
later.  From  1886  to  1889  he 
worked  as  a  compositor  on  various 
Swedish  new.spapers  in  Minneapo- 
lis. The  latter  year  he  organized 
a  company,  comi)osed  of  Iljalmar 
Bergman,  Gudmund  Akermark, 
Oliver     Skone,    Otto    Oberg     and 


himself,  for  the  publication  at 
Minneapolis  of  Nya  I'erldcn.  In 
1S90  he  .secured  a  position  as  a 
compositor  on  the  Minneapolis 
Times,  remaining  until  1896,  when 
he  came  to  Chicago  and  worked 
at  the  linotype  machine  for  four 
j-ears,  first  for  John  Linden  and 
later  in  the  establishment  of  the 
Peterson  Linotype  Company. 

Changing  his  occupation  in  1900, 
he  engaged  in  the  restaurant  bus- 
iness at  the  suggestion  of  his  wife, 
who  excelled  in  the  art  of  cook- 
ing. They  opened  a  restaurant  at 
130  X.  Clark  St.,  and  succeeded 
so  well  in  the  venture  that  they 
.soon  added  a  .second,  located  at 
No.  8  So.  Clark  st.  Then  fol- 
lowed a  third,  a  fourth,  a  fifth 
and  a  sixth  eating  house  in  their 
respective  locations,  viz.,  230  N. 
Clark  .St.,  234  Wells  St.,  88  East 
Thirty-ninth  St.,  and  428  E.  North 
ave.  The  average  number  of  per- 
sons served  per  day  in  the  six 
restaurants  Mr.  Erickson  estimates 
at  3,000. 

The  marriage  of  Mr.  ICrick.son 
took  place  at  Minneapolis  Oct. 
20,  1897.  His  wife,  who  was  Miss 
Carolina  Ivrikson,  is  also  a  tialive 
of  Fen.sbol,  where  she  was  born 
July   14,    1867. 

Mr.  ICrickson  afliliates  with  no 
fraternal  or  social  associations,  his 
business  occupying  his  entire  time. 
In  the  summer  of  1907,  however, 
he  took  a  vacation  trip  back  to 
the  land  of  his  birth. 

GUSTAF  CARLSON 
was    born    June    8,    1863,    on    the 
Donshults  estate,  ITrshult    parish. 


Chicago 


355 


Smaland.  His  father  died  when 
the  boy  was  two  years  old.  The 
family    moved    the    next    year    to 


to  Hilda  Holm  from  Karlshamn. 
They  have  two  sons  and  one 
danghter. 


GUSTAF    CARLSON 

Karlshamn,  where  Gustaf,  after 
his  school  career,  learned  the  ci- 
garmaker's  trade.  At  sixteen  he 
became  a  sailor  and  shipped  sev- 
eral times  to  the  East  Indies  and 
China.  On  one  voyage  he  stopped 
at  Capetown,  South  Africa,  where 
he  worked  as  a  cigarmaker.  In 
1883  he  shipped  again,  bound  for 
New  York.  He  did  not  remain 
there,  but  soon  went  to  Buflfalo, 
and  finally  to  Chicago.  Here  he 
shipped  on  the  great  lakes  for  a 
season,  and  then  resumed  his  trade. 
After  nine  years  he  began  a  bus- 
iness of  his  own.  A  few  years 
ago  he  moved  his  factory  to  172 
N.  48th  ave.,   Moreland. 

Mr.  Carlson  is  a  member  of  I. 
O.  S.,  Lodge  No.  i,  I.  O.  V.,  Odin 
Lodge  No.  8,  and  the  Swedish  so- 
ciety Kronan. 

Mr.  Carlson  was  married  in  1887 


OLOF    HEDEEN, 

minister  of  the  Swedi.sh  Baptist 
Church  and  professor  of  exegesis 
and  homiletics  at  the  Swedish  de- 
p.irtnroiit  of  the  Union  Theologic- 
al Sc-ininary  at  Morgan  Park,  was 
born  at  Undersaker,  in  the  prov- 
ince of  Jemtland,  Sweden,  June 
19,  i860.  He  began  his  studies 
at  a  collegiate  .school  in  Ostersund 
when  sixteen  years  old.  At  sev- 
enteen, having  been  converted  and 
filled  with  a  desire  to  enter  the 
holy  niinistr}^  he  took  up  studies 
at  the  Fjellstedt  School  in  I'psala, 


OLOF    HEDEEN 

where  the  college  course  was  com- 
pleted, and  afterwards  studied  ex- 
egetical  theologj'  and  Greek  liter- 
ature at  the  Upsala  ITniversity  un- 
til 1883.  Thereupon  he  was  li- 
censed by  the  archbi.shop  of  Swe- 
den to  preach  and  conduct  services 


356 


Cook  County 


in  the  State  Church.  Hedeen, 
however,  had  conscientious  scru- 
ples concerning  certain  institutions 
and  practices  of  the  State  Church. 
Thinking  that  the  Lutheran 
Church  in  America  might  be  more 
evangelical,  he  emigrated  the  same 
year  with  a  view  to  entering  its 
ser\nce.  Most  of  his  near  relatives 
had  preceded  him  across  the  At- 
lantic. Soon  after  his  arrival  in 
this  countrj-  he  assumed  charge 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
in  New  Sweden,  Maine,  then  be- 
longing to  a  German  Lutheran 
synod.  In  1885,  after  having 
passed  a  satisfactory  examination 
at  the  Augustana  Theological  Sem- 
inary at  Rock  Island,  he  was  or- 
dained as  a  minister  in  the  Au- 
gustana Synod  at  its  annual  meet- 
ing in  Rockford.  Having  accepted 
a  call  to  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  Manchester,  N.  H.,  he 
.served  there  until  i8go,  during 
which  time  the  membership  of  the 
church  largely  increased  and  a  new 
edifice  was  built.  Part  of  the  time 
Rev.  Hedeen  served  as  secretary 
of  the  New  York  Conference  of 
the  Augustana  Synod  and  was  as- 
sociate editor  of  Os/cnis  I  'aktare 
and  Kastern  correspondent  of  Au- 
gustana ocli  Missioiniren. 

In  1890  Rev.  Hedeen  withdrew 
from  the  Lutheran  Church  and 
joined  the  Baptist  denomination, 
becoming  a  member  of  the  Tre- 
mont  Temple  Church  in  Boston 
through  baptism.  Subsequently 
he  served  as  pastor  of  the  First 
Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  Brook- 
lyn for  six  years,  meeting  with 
remarkable  success.     In  that  short 


period  he  baptized  237  persons  and 
received  altogether  570  new  mem- 
bers into  the  church.  In  the  mean- 
time a  new  church  edifice,  known 
as  the  Swedish  Tabernacle,  was 
erected  at  a  cost  of  $32,000. 

In  1895  Rev.  Hedeen  was  ten- 
dered the  chair  of  exegetical  the- 
ology in  the  Swedish  department 
of  the  divinity  school  of  the  Chi- 
cago University  at  Morgan  Park, 
but  declined  the  call.  The  fol- 
lowing year  he  was  again  offered 
the  position,  which  he  then  ac- 
cepted and  still  holds,  being  also 
professor  of  homiletics  and  Swed- 
ish literature. 

During  the  past  years  Rev.  He- 
deen has  done  a  considerable 
amount  of  literary  work,  translat- 
ing .several  books  into  the  Swed- 
ish language  and  rendering  a 
number  of  hynnis  and  other  verse 
into  the  same  tongue.  He  has 
been  a  frequent  contributor  to 
newspapers,  periodicals  and  other 
publications,  both  in  Sweden  and 
America,  and  has  preached  and 
lectured  in  many  parts  of  tlie 
United  States. 


CARL  G.  LAGERGRKN, 

dean  of  the  Swedish  Theological 
Seminary  in  Morgan  Park,  was 
born  June  21,  1846,  in  Oslersund, 
Jemtland,  Sweden.  At  two  years 
of  age  he  was  adopted  by  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  G.  P.  Lagergren  of  Indal, 
near  relations,  who  for  fourteen 
years  gave  the  boy  care  and  sup- 
port. At  thirteen  he  was  enrolled 
at  the  lower  elementary  school  of 
Sundsvall.     On  Whitsunday,  iS(i2, 


Chicago 


357 


he  was  converted  to  the  Baptist 
faith  through  a  sermon  preached 
by  J.  A.  Manner  in  the   old    Bap- 


CARL    G.   I.AGERGKEN 

tist  chapel  at  Sundsvall.  The 
change  of  religious  belief  cost  the 
boy  his  home  and  maintenance, 
and  at  the  age  of  sixteen  he  was 
thrown  on  his  own  resources.  By 
securing  a  private  tutorship  he 
was  enabled  to  complete  his  course. 
Having  graduated  in  1S65  from 
the  academy  at  Sundsvall,  he  was 
enrolled  the  same  year  at  the 
higher  elementary  school,  or  col- 
lege, of  Ostersund,  completing  his 
collegiate  course  in  four  years. 

After  a  year's  teaching  in  a 
private  family,  Lagergren  in  1870 
became  assistant  teacher  of  Swed- 
ish, Latin  and  Natural  Science 
in  the  Sundsvall  Academy.  After 
another  j-ear  he  entered  Upsala 
University  and  mapped  out  a 
course  of  study,  leading  to  the 
degree  of  Ph.  D.,  including  anthro- 


pology   and    history  of  philosophy 
under  the  noted    Pontus    Wikner. 

The  struggling  little  Baptist 
church  in  Upsala,  which  had  been 
reorganized  in  1S69  by  J.  A.  Ed- 
gren — also  noted  in  the  history  of 
Swedish  -  American  Baptists  —  in 
1 87 1  called  Lagergren  as  its  pas- 
tor. He  accepted  the  charge  and 
after  the  first  three  years  gave  up 
his  university  studies  to  give  all 
his  time  and  energy  to  the  work 
in  the  church.  The  result  of 
twelve  years  of  earnest  labor  in 
this  field  was  shown  in  an  increase 
in  membership  from  fifty  to  about 
three  hundred. 

In  1873  Rev.  Lagergren  became 
editor  of  Jivanoi/ishn,  the  first 
Baptist  paper  in  Sweden,  at  the 
request  of  Rev.  Wiberg,  its  found- 
er. After  ten  years  it  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Sviinht  ocli  .Vurslefvcn, 
(Sword  and  Trowel,)  which  was 
published  b\-  Lagergren  up  to  1889. 
He  w^as  editor  and  publisher  of 
Predikarcn,  a  religious  monthly,  in 
1878-81.  For  two  years,  1876-8, 
he  also  edited  a  temperance  paf)er, 
entitled  Szrnsi-a  j\yi-/t-r/if/sz'a/iner- 
>ias  Tidning.  There  was  a  lively 
temperance  movement  on  foot  in 
Sweden  at  the  time,  and  Lager- 
gren was  one  of  its  most  active 
promoters.  He  traveled  extensive- 
ly in  central  and  Northern  Sweden 
giving  temperance  lectures  and 
organizing  so-called  absolutist  so- 
cieties. Meanwhile  he  published 
a  number  of  lectures  and  treatises 
on  temperance  and  religious  top- 
ics. His  activity  as  a  temperance 
worker  caused  him  to  be  made  a 
candidate  for  the  riksdag  for    the 


358 


Cook  County 


city  of  Upsala,  and  at  the  election 
a  considerable  number  of  votes 
wtre  cast  for  him. 

In  1S83  Rev.  Lagergren  received 
a  call  from  the  Baptist  church  of 
Sundsvall,  which  had  been  torn 
by  recent  dissensions.  On  the  advice 
of  a  number  of  leading  Baptists 
L,agergren  accepted  the  call. 

On  June  21  of  that  year  Rev. 
Lagergren  was  joined  in  marriage 
to  Selma  Kristina  Konstantia 
Westerlund  of  Strangnas,  a  school 
teacher  who  had  to  give  up  teach- 
ing upon  embracing  the  Baptist 
faith. 

The  following  October  Rev.  La- 
gergren assumed  the  pastorate  in 
Sundsvall,  continuing  in  charge 
until  1889,  the  year  after  the  des- 
truction of  the  city  b}'  fire. 

The  General  Conference  of  the 
Swedi.sh  Baptist  Church  of  Amer- 
ica at  their  meeting  in  Chicago  in 
1 888  issued  a  second  call  to  Rev. 
Lagergren  to  become  dean  of  the 
divinity  .school  in  Morgan  Park. 
In  respon.se,  he  came  over  in  the 
spring  of  1889  and,  after  spending 
the  summer  on  a  tour  of  the  prin- 
cipal Baptist  churches  in  the  United 
States,  entered  upon  his  educa- 
tional duties  the  following  Sep- 
tember. At  this  post  Rev.  Lager- 
gren, through  his  learning  and 
devotion  to  his  church,  continues 
to  exercise  an  influence  broad  and 
deep  on  the  Swedish  Baptist  de- 
nomination. 

Rev.  Lagergren  is  professor  of 
Dogmatics,  Klhics  and  Philosoph- 
ical Propedeutics  in  the  Swedish 
Baptist  Theological  Seminary  of 
which    he    has    been  dean  for  the 


past  18  years.  He  is  the  author 
of  several  books  on  theological 
subjects,  principallj-  the  following- 
"Om  forsoningen,"  "Sma  barns 
dop"  and  "Nytt  och  gammalt." 
He  has  written  a  textbook  in  dog- 
matics, published  in  two  volumes, 
aud  another  in  pastoral  theology 
in  one  volume.  He  is  also  the 
author  of  a  history  of  philosophy, 
not  }-et  published. 

Rev.  Lagergren  has  served  as 
chairman  of  the  executive  board 
of  the  Swedish  General  Conference 
for  a  term  of  j'ears,  and  was  suc- 
cessively elected  president  of  the 
Conference  until  1907.  From  1891 
to  '93  he  served  as  pastor  of  the 
Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  Engle- 
wood,  of  which  he  is  still  a  mem- 
ber. He  has  been  twice  elected' 
chairman  of  the  Swedish-American 
Historical  Society,  organized  in 
1905.  The  title  of  Doctor  of  Divin- 
ity was  conferred  upon  Rev.  Lager- 
gren by  the  Western  University 
of   Pennsylvania  in    1907. 

Rev.  and  Mrs.  Lagergren' s  mar- 
ital union  has  been  blessed  with 
eight  children,  three  of  whom 
are  dead.  Those  living  are,  Zel- 
ma  Maria  Christina  Eufro.syne, 
Gustav  Petrus  Conslantin,  Sigrid 
Anna  Emma  Carolina,  Selma  Gus- 
tafva  Elisabet  and  Anna  Constnntia. 


HENRY  O.  LINDEBLAD, 
minister  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church,  was  born  March  7,  1845, 
in  Bohus  liin,  Sweden.  At  the 
age  of  thirteen  he  entered  the 
tUiteborg  college,  where  he 
studied  for  several  years.  His 
parents    being    poor,    he    suffered 


Chicago 


359 


preat  privations  while  sludying. 
In  I.S66  he  came  to  America  and 
at  once  entered  Augustana   Theo- 


HENRY   O.   LINDEBLAD 

logical  Seminary  at  Paxton,  111. 
He  was  ordained  a  minister  of 
the  Augustana  Synod  June  20, 
1869,  and  was  at  once  engaged 
bj-  the  mission  board  and  stationed 
at  Campello,  Mass.  He  reorgan- 
ized the  congregation  and  built  a 
church  there,  and  then  went  to 
Boston,  where  he  organized  a  new 
congregation. 

In  1871  L,indeblad  removed  to 
Chandler's  Valley,  Pa.  Here  he 
had  under  his  care  two  congre- 
gations and  a  dozen  mission  sta- 
tions in  Warren,  McKean  and  ad- 
jacent counties.  For  several  years 
he  served  as  a  member  of  the 
board  of  education  of  Warren 
county  and  as  president  of  the 
New  York   Conference. 

In  1879  he  accepted  a  call  from 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  church  at 
Moline,  111.,  where  he  labored  for 


thirteen  years.  He  was  for  the 
same  length  of  time  a  member  of 
the  board  of  directors  of  August 
tana  College  and  Theological  Sem- 
inary and  was  successively  secre- 
tary and  president  of  that  body* 
He  was  also  a  member  of  the 
Augustana  Synod's  board  of  mis- 
sions and  for  nine  years  was  a 
member  of  the  board  of  directors 
of  the   Moline  public  library. 

For  a  year  after  leaving  his 
charge  in  Moline,  the  Rev.  Mr.: 
Lindeblad  worked  in  Grand  CrossH 
ing,  Chicago,  as  a  home  mi.ssion- 
ary.  During  this  time  a  church 
was  erected  there.  He  then  be- 
came pastor  of  the  Elim  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Pullman  and 
remained  there  four  and  a  half 
3-ears. 

The  Rev.  Mr.  Lindeblad  next! 
served  for  several  years  at  Augus-I 
tana  Hospital,  Chicago,  as  chap- 
lain and  solicitor.  After  about; 
five  years'  service  in  that  capacity"! 
Rev.  Lindeblad,  in  1903,  accepted' 
a  call  to  the  Swedish  Ev.  Lutheraiii 
Church  at  La  Grange,  111.,  his; 
present  charge. 

Rev.  and  Mrs.  Lindeblad  have^ 
a  family  of  grown  children,  one' 
son,  Luther,  being  an  attorney  at 
law,  and  a  daughter,  Alma,  ai 
teacher  in  the  public  .schools. 


HJALMAR  J.  LIND 

was  born  March  24,  1864,  in| 
Kniitte,  Klfsborgs  Ian,  Sweden. 
While  living  with  his  father,  ]o-, 
seph  Abramson,  on  the  Halm-' 
akra  farm  in  Liared,  he  had  the; 
schooling    of    the  ordinary  farmer  | 


36o 


Cook  County 


boy.  In  1SS2  he  left  home,  emi- 
grating to  America.  Here  he  was 
for  eight  j-ears  emploj-ed  in  the 
grocery  business.  In  1S90  he  be- 
came a  partner  in  the  firm  of 
Sahlen  &  Burkross,  hardware  deal- 
ers, buying  out  Mr.  Sahlen  and 
changing  the  style  of  the  firm  to 
Lind  &  Burkross.  In  189S  Mr. 
Lind  became  sole  owner  of  the 
business,  which  is  still  carried  on 
under  the  name  of  Lind  &  Burk- 
ross at   134  Oak  St. 

Mr.  Lind  was  married  in  1891 
to  Miss  Hulda  Erika  Burkross. 
They  have  five  children,  four  sons 
and  one  daughter. 

Mr.  Lind  belongs  to  the  Swed- 
i.sh  Mission  Church,  where  he  has 
held  the  offices  of  trustee  and 
treasurer. 


ilarly  connected  with  Chicago-Bla- 
det.  Ha\-ing  worked  for  a  short 
time    in    the    draughting    room  of 


HJALMAR  C.  LUNDQUIST 
was  born  at  the  Bofors  mills  in 
Karlskoga,  Sweden,  Oct.  11,  18S3. 
He  is  the  .son  of  K.  J.  F.  Lund- 
quist,  foreman  at  the  Falu  Wagon 
and  Machine  Works  at  Falun, 
and  his  wife,  Hulda  Serafia  Wen- 
nerblad.  The  parents  came  to 
Chicago  in  1886  and  returned  to 
Sweden  ten  3'ears  later.  In  this 
city  the  son  attended  the  common 
schools,  and  in  Sweden  he  stud- 
ied at  the  academic  school  in  Ar- 
boga  and  the  public  college  in 
Orebro,  completing  the  course 
there  in  the  spring  of  1905.  The 
following  October  he  returned  to 
Chicago.  After  two  months  he 
obtained  a  position  witli  Sviinka 
'Ttibitmii  as  associate  editor,  re- 
maining tnilil  June,  1906.  During 
the  next  few  months  he  was  sim- 


HJALM.\K   CARL   LUNDyUlST 

the  National  Coal  Dump  Car  Co.. 
he  returned  to  his  former  position 
with  Tribuncn,  now  consolidated 
with  Mr>tsi-a  Ay/iclt>\  but  left  in 
December,  1907,  to  take  a  position 
with  Hcmlandct. 

Mr.  Luiulquist  is  a  member  of 
the  First  Swedish  Lodge  Xo.  479, 
I.  O.  O.  F.,  the  Verdandi  Lodge 
No.  3,  I.  O.  S.,  and  was  one  of 
the  organizers  of  the  Swedish 
Chess  Club. 

JOHN    A.  SODERSTROM 

was  born  in  Chicago  Oct.  10,  1.S72. 
After  attending  the  public  school 
he  entered  upon  a  business  life, 
at  the  same  time  continuing  pri- 
vate studies.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  firm  of  Soderstrom  Brothers, 
located  at  141-143  So.  Clinton  St., 
where  they  manufacture  sample 
cards  and  sample  book  specialties. 


Chicago 


361 


Tlie   firm    also   deals    in  neckwear 
manufacturers'   supplies. 

Mr.  Soderstrom  is  a  member  of 
the  Second  Swedish  Methodist 
Church. 


AXEL  T.  CARLSON 

was    born  on    the  farm  of    his  fa- 
ther, Nils  Johan  Karlsson,   in  the 


AXEI,   THIiODORE  C.4RLSON 

parish  of  Misterhult,  Smaland, 
Sweden,  Sept.  10,  1875.  His 
father  subsequentlj-  engaged  in 
the  shipping  trade,  owning  two 
sloops  and  holding  part  interest 
in  a  schooner.  Equipped  with  a 
common  school  education,  young 
Carlson  came  to  this  country  with 
his  father  in  1888.  They  located 
in  Axtell,  Neb.,  and  went  to 
farming.  After  spending  two  and 
one-half  years  in  that  vocation, 
the  son  went  to  Omaha  in  1890 
and  secured  a  situation  as  office 
bo3^  with  the  Omaha  Sveiiska  Tri- 
bun.  Subsequently  Mr.  Carlson 
was    for    eleven    years    in    the  art 


busine.ss,  as  local  salesman  and 
traveling  repre.sentative  of  art 
dealers  in  Omaha,  Milwaukee  and 
Chicago,  including  more  than  four 
years  as  traveling  salesman  for 
L.  M.  Johnson,  wholesale  art  dealer 
of  Chicago.  In  1896-97  he  was 
connected  with  Jlinilandcl  as  trav- 
eling agent.  In  1904  he  again 
entered  the  service  of  that  news- 
paper, this  time  in  the  capacity 
of  advertising  manager,  a  position 
still  held  by  him. 

When  Mr.  Carlson  left  his  fa- 
ther's farm  he  was  thrown  en- 
tirely on  his  own  resources  and 
has  since  had  his  own  way  to 
make.  The  elder  Karlsson,  not 
satisfied  with  his  experiment  in 
American  agriculture,  returned  af- 
ter a  few  j-ears  to  the  old  coiui- 
try.  

CARL   O.    F.    BURKSTROM 

is  a  native  of  Stockholm,  Sweden, 
where  he  was  born  July  4,  1852. 
He  emigrated  to  this  country  in 
1869  and  was  employed  as  a 
clothing  salesman  until  1884,  when 
he  secured  a  position  as  a  com- 
mercial traveler,  traversing  the 
countrj'  from  coast  to  coast  and 
from  Winnipeg  to  New  Orleans. 
In  1892  Mr.  Burkstrom  engaged 
in  the  sale  of  woolens  and  ladies' 
dress  goods  at  wholesale,  contin- 
uing until  1897,  when  the  firm 
of  TrielofF  &  Burkstrom  was 
forced  to  suspend  on  account  of 
the  depressed  business  conditions. 
He  is  now  the  sole  distributor  for 
the  United  States  and  Canada  of 
a  proprietar}-  article  known  as 
"Himalaya    Tonic,"    an    employ- 


362 


Cook  County 


ment  in  which    he    has    been    en- 
gaged for  several  years. 

Mr.   Burkstroni  is  a   32d  degree 


CAKL  OSCAR    1".    BURKSTROM 

Mason,  a    Kniglit    Templar  and  a 
Shriner. 


CARL  AXEL  COLSTROM 

.was  born  near  Goteborg,  Sweden, 
March  23,  1866.  His  father,  Carl 
Johan  Colstroni,  was  a  miller  in 
the  old  country  and  later  followed 
the  carpenter's  trade  until  he  emi- 
grated and  .settled  near  Osage 
City,  Kans.,  when  he  engaged  in 
agriculture.  He  helped  to  organ- 
ize the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
at  0.sage  City,  and  has  ahvaxs 
been  one  of  its  leaders  and  most 
faithful  members.  He  is  now  liv- 
ing in  the  city  as  a  retired  farmer 
and  is  the  oldest  living  pioneer  of 
that  place. 

The  son,  Carl  A.  Colslroni,  was 
reared  on  the  farm  and  :it tended 
the  district  school.  In  iS,S4  he 
was    sent    to    ]klhaii>    Academy, 


the  forerunner  of  Bethany  College, 
at  Lindsborg,  Kans.,  and  there 
took  a  two  years'  course  of  study. 
In  1886  he  went  to  Augustana 
College  at  Rock  Island,  111.,  and 
graduated  with  the  class  of  '92 
from  that  institution. 

For  the  next  three  years  Mr. 
Colstroni  held  the  position  of 
principal  of  the  Avon  township 
schools,  in  Baraga  count>-,  Mich. 
While  there  he  was  local  reporter 
for  the  Detroit  Evcnitig  AWr.c. 
This  first  experience  in  newspaper 
work  led  to  direct  connection  with 
other  newspapers,  and  for  the  next 
four  years  he  was  attached  in  a 
business  and  editorial  capacity  to 
\'ya  Prcssen  of  Moline,  111.,  and 
Minnesota  Stats  Tidning  of  St. 
Paul,  Minn.,  both  Swedish  week- 
lies. 

Mr.  Colstroni  in  1S99  accepted 
a  position  as  traveling  passenger 
agent  of  the  Canadian  Pacific 
Railway  Company's  Atlantic  serv- 
ice, with  headquarters  at  Minne- 
apolis. In  January,  1904,  he  was 
appointed  a.ssistant  general  pass- 
enger and  ticket  agent  of  the 
same  line  at  Chicago.  A  year 
later  he  left  the  service  of  the 
Canadian  Pacific  to  become  man- 
ager of  the  Chicago  oflice  of  the 
Then.  F.  Koch  Land  Company, 
and  is  the  local  representative  of 
that  firm  at  the  present  time,  with 
office  at  1025  Unity  Huilding,  79 
Dearborn  st. 


HANS  A.  LEAFGREN 
was  born    Sept.  8,    1866,  in    Far- 
hull,   Skanc,  Sweden.      His  father, 
Aiulers  Lofgren,   was  a  farmer  and 


Chicago 


363 


builder.  The  son  attended  public 
school  until  the  age  of  fifteen, 
when  he  emigrated  to  this  coun- 
try, with  Garfield,  Minn.,  as  his 
destination.  After  living  there  a 
year,  he  moved  to  P'ergns  Falls, 
Minn.,  and  went  to  work  as  a 
mason.  As  a  journeyman  mason 
he  worked  at  his  trade  in  St. 
Paul,  Omaha  and  Denver.  In 
1892  Mr.  Leafgren  went  to  Chi- 
cago and  began  taking  contracts 
for  masonry  work.  In  the  mean- 
time he  took  a  commercial  course 
in  one  of  the  business  colleges. 
At  present  he  has  an  extensive 
business  in  Chicago  and  in  the 
country. 

Mr.  Leafgren  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  order. 

In  1 89 1,  while  in  Denver,  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Julia  Raf 
from  the  province  of  Vestmanland, 
Sweden.  They  have  a  son,  Roy 
Walter. 


ing  and  early  education  had  been 
of  a  Christian  character,  and  in 
Stockholm    the   earnest    preacliing 


JOHN  BENDIX, 
minister  of  the  Swedish  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church  and  financial 
agent  of  the  Bethany  Home,  is  a 
native  of  Smaland,  Sweden,  born 
in  Fiirgaryd  Aug.  13,  1849.  ^^ 
the  age  of  fourteen  he  lost  his 
father,  Sven  Anderson,  by  death, 
his  mother  having  passed  away 
eleven  years  prior.  As  a  youth 
he  went  to  Stockholm  and  was  for 
a  number  of  years  employed  in 
the  home  of  his  cousin,  Carl  Jo- 
han  Jehander,  the  well-known 
Swedish  railwaj-  builder. 

In  1872  he  came  to  the  United 
States,  and  spent  the  next  few 
years  in    Dover,   N.  J.     His  rear- 


JOHN    BENDIX 

of  Rev.  Beskow  had  impressed 
him  deeply.  In  1S73  he  experi- 
enced a  definite  change  of  heart 
and  was  among  the  first  to  join 
the  Swedish  M.  E.  Church  in  Do- 
ver at  its  organization.  In  re- 
sponse to  an  inward  call  to  enter 
the  service  of  the  church,  he  en- 
tered the  theological  seminar}-  upon 
recommendation  in  1S76.  The 
same  year  he  preached  his  first 
sermon,  which  rendered  him  a  few 
kind  words  of  commendation  and 
encouragement  by  the  well-known 
Captain  Lindgren.  In  187S  he 
was  accepted  into  the  Conference 
on  probation,  and  two  \ears  later 
became  a  member  in  full  connec- 
tion. He  was  ordained  deacon  in 
1878,  by  Bishop  Merrill,  and  elder 
in  1880,  bj-  Bishop  Peck.  Subse- 
quently he  was  pastor  at  Moline 
two  years,  at  Andover  three  years, 


364 


Cook  County 


and,  after  having  served  the 
church  at  Bishop  Hill  for  two 
years,  was  appointed  presiding 
elder  of  the  Burlington  district  in 
1887,  and  filled  that  office  for  the 
next  six  j-ears.  In  1893  he  was 
transferred  to  the  Second  Swedish 
M.  E.  Church  of  Chicago  and  had 
charge  until  1896,  when  he  ac- 
cepted the  position  of  financial 
agent  for  the  Bethany  Home,  a 
retreat  for  the  aged.  Rev.  Bendix 
has  given  eleven  years  of  service 
to  this  institution  and  still  remains 
at  its  head. 

Rev.  Bendix  was  married  Oct. 
6,  1880,  to  Alma  Mathilda  Dan- 
ielson  of  Oakland,  Neb.  She  was 
born  on  the  same  date  twenty 
years  before.  Of  seven  children 
born  to  them,  three  are  living. 
The  eldest  son,  Vincent,  born 
Aug.  10,  1881,  is  president  of  the 
Bendix  Co.  of  Cragin,  automobile 
manufacturers,  and  is  himself  the 
patentee  of  a  power  transmission 
arrangement  known  as  the  "turn 
friction  system."  The  shop  em- 
ploys thirty  workmen.  The  daugh- 
ter, Esther  Virginia,  born  May  3, 
1883,  is  a  teacher  in  the  Chicago 
public  schools.  The  second  son, 
Ernest  Oliver,  born  Oct.  10,  1885, 
was  graduated  in  1907  from  the 
Northwestern  University  with  the 
degree  of  A.  B.,  and  is  now  em- 
ployed in  the  land  department  of 
the  N.  W.  Harris  Trust  Company 
of  Chicago. 


his  home  city.  At  the  age  of 
fourteen  he  was  apprenticed  to  a 
carpenter    and    joiner,    remaining 


AXEL  F.  MALMQUIST 
was    l)orn    in   the  Swedish  city  of 
Landskrona    Oct.     i,     1866.       His 
early    education    was    obtained    in 


AXKI.   I'RITHIOK    .\I.\I..\lnllST 

until    he    had    mastered  the   trade 
and  become  a  journeyman. 

In  August,  1888,  he  came  to 
this  country  and  Chicago  and 
here  continued  to  follow  his  trade 
until  1893,  when  he  associated 
himself  with  P'dward  p-jellander 
for  the  purpose  of  publishing  a 
uewspaper,  named  Fiyrskatrii,  at 
Rockford.  Its  first  number  ap- 
peared in  September  of  that  year. 
Malmquist  was  associate  editor  of 
this  pa])er  while  published  at 
Rockford  and  after  its  removal  to 
Minneajiolis  in  1S94.  In  1896  he 
returned  to  Chicago  and  was  eni- 
l)loyed  for  a  time  on  Svtiis/ca  Tri- 
huncn,  first  as  agent  and  later  as 
local  news  reporter,  until  given 
the  position  of  editor-in-chief  of 
Svenska  Nyliclfr  in  1901.  Mr. 
Malm<iuist  directed  the  editorial 
work  on    that  pajH-r  until  its  con- 


Chicago 


365 


solidation  with  S:riiska  Tiibunen 
in  July,  1906,  when  he  resiRned. 
Not  long  after  his  present  position 
of  associate  editor  of  Svenska 
Ainoikatiatru  was    tendered    him. 

Mr.  Malniquist,  althouj^h  essen- 
tially a  self-taught  man,  is  a  cap- 
able writer  with  a  trenchant, 
though  somewhat  rough  -  hewn 
.style.  He  holds  radical  opinions 
and  is  an  extremist  in  the  defense 
of  his  views.  In  Forskann,  under 
the  head  of  "Forskningsproduk- 
ter,"  and  later  in  the  editorial 
columns  of  Svoiska  \y/ietfr  his 
virile  pen  was  principal!}-  em- 
plo)-ed  in  the  cause  of  labor  and 
.socialism  and  ou  the  side  of  ag- 
nosticism   as    against  the  Church. 

Before  engaging  in  journalism 
Mr.  Malmquist  made  poetical  con- 
tributions to  the  newspapers  and 
has  continued  to  develop  his  talent 
in  that  line.  A  collection  of  his 
verse  was  published  in  1899,  bear- 
ing the  characteristic  title  "Tor- 
nen  och  Tistlar"  (Thorns  and 
Thistles) . 

Mr.  Malmquist  is  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Vikings 
and  has  held  the  office  of  Grand 
Chief  of  the  order  for  the  past 
two  years.  He  has  also  taken  an 
active  part  in  the  work  of  the 
Swedish  National  Association  and 
acted  as  secretary  and  held  other 
offices  in  that  organization. 


Illinois  Wesleyan  University  at 
Bloomington.  After  coming  to 
Chicago   he  worked  for  five  years 


FRANCIS  E.  JOHNSON 

was  born  June  17,  1873,  in  Bloom- 
ington, 111.  He  was  educated  at 
Evergreen  City  Business  College 
and  in  the  law  department  of  the 


FRANCIS   EMIL  JOHNSON 

as  mileage  clerk  in  the  account- 
ant's office  of  the  Chicago  and 
Alton  R.  R.  Company.  This  situ- 
ation he  left  to  become  cashier  in 
the  office  of  the  Stromberg-Carlson 
Telephone  Manufacturing  Co. 

Determined  to  start  in  business 
on  his  own  account,  Mr.  Johnson 
entered  into  a  co  -  partnership 
known  as  Weig  &  Johnson,  deal- 
ing in  real  estate,  and  acting  as 
managers  of  the  Lake  View  Safety 
Deposit  Company's  vaults  at  1743 
North  Clark  st.  He  remained  a 
member  of  this  firm  until  Octo- 
ber, 1907,  when  Mr.  Weig  pur- 
chased his  interest. 

On  Feb.  25,  1899,  Mr.  Johnson 
married  to  Miss  Cora  Viola  Wal- 
lace. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  are 
members  of  the  Millard  Avenue 
Presbyterian  Church. 


366 


Cook  County 


HENRY  NELSON 

was    boru    Jan.    14,    1861,  in   Far- 
lof,    Skane,    Sweden.       He    emi- 


HENKY    NELSON 

grated  to  the  United  States  in 
1876.  After  taking  the  course  of 
studies  ofTered  at  tlie  Morgan 
Park  Theological  Seminary  he 
was  ordained  a  minister  of  the 
Baptist  Church  in  America.  He 
has  served  as  pastor  in  Valley 
and  Omaha,  Neb.,  La  Porte,  Ind., 
Grand  Rapids,  Mich.,  and  Chi- 
cago, 111.  F'or  twelve  years  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Nel.son  was  the  official 
representative  of  the  American 
Baptist  Publifation  Society  for 
the  Swedish  Baptist  cliurches  and 
manager  of  the  Swedish  depart- 
ment of  the  society.  He  was  the 
editor  and  manager  of  the  weekly 
Swedish  Sunday  .school  paper, 
Jianicns  '/'idiiiin; .  Rev.  Nelson 
collaborated  in  compiling  the  col- 
lection of  "Valda  Hynnier"  used 
by  the  Swedisli  Baptist  Church  in 
America. 


Since  1907,  Mr.  Nelson  has  been 
president  of  the  Scandia  Loan  and 
Investment  Association. 

BIRGER  A.   PETERSON, 

manufacturer  of  Swedish  snuff, 
was  born  in  Jonkbping,  Sweden, 
Dec.  26,  1868.  After  obtaining  a 
common  and  high  school  education 
in  the  old  country,  he  emigrated 
to  the  United  States  with  his  fa- 
ther, C.  W.  Peterson,  in  1886, 
locating  in  Chicago.  Here  father 
and  .son  immediately  established 
themselves  in  the  tobacco  trade. 
Their  first  location  was  in  Oak 
St.  Two  years  later  they  took 
larger  quarters  at  39  E.  Chicago 
ave.,  where  they  remained  until 
1 89 1,  removing  then  to  1241    Bel- 


BIKOKR  A.   PUTKRSON 

monl  ave.,  where  they  erected  a 
huildinj;  of  their  own.  Charles  IC. 
and  Tobias  T.  Peterson,  younger 
brothers  of  Birger,  joined  the  firm 
u]ion  attaining  their  majority. 
After    the    death  of    the  eldtr  IV- 


Chicago 


367 


terson  in  1899  the  three  brothers 
continued  the  business.  Tobias 
died  July  10,  1905,  and  Charles 
Sept.  20,  1906,  leaving  Birger  in 
charge  of  the  business  as  sole 
proprietor. 

He  owns  two  buildings  at  1241 
Belmont  ave.,  the  rear  one  con- 
taining the  manufacturing  plant. 
Here,  with  the  aid  of  two  men 
and  requisite  machinerj-,  run  by 
steam,  he  manufactures  on  the 
average  3,000  pounds  of  snuff  per 
month.  Mr.  Peterson  sells  his 
output  to  wholesale  dealers  ex- 
clusively. He  also  conducts  a  re- 
tail cigar  and  tobacco  store  on  the 
premises. 

Mr.  Peterson,  who  is  unmarried, 
belongs  to  the  Monitor  Council  of 
the  Royal  Arcanum  and  the  Three 
Links  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows. 


JOHN  S.  ERIKSON  • 

was  born  in  Jonkoping,  Sweden, 
March  i,  1859.  After  his  school 
days  were  over  he  learned  the 
trade  of  a  mason.  Hoping  for  a 
better  [future  in  the  land  of  the 
stars  and  stripes,  he  left  his  na- 
tive city,  emigrating  to  America 
in  1882.  Soon  he  found  himself 
in  .Chicago,  where  for  two  5-ears 
he  worked  as  a  carpenter.  Dur- 
ing the  next  two  years  he  fol- 
lowed his  old  trade.  Mr.  Erikson 
then  ventured  to  make  .some 
building  contracts,  which  he  car- 
ried out  successfully,  and  has 
since  continued  in  the  vocation  of 
a  contractor. 

Mr.   Erikson  is   an    adherent  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  and 


belongs  to  the   Knights  of  Macca- 
bees. 

In  1888  Mr.  Erikson  was  mar- 
ried to  Jennie  E.  Johnson,  who 
was  born  in  Olmstad,  Smaland, 
Sweden.  They  have  three  sons 
and  two  daughters. 


CARL  U.  W.  OTTONIUS 

was  born  Nov.  30,  i860,  in  Adolf 
Fredrik    parish,    Stockholm.      His 


CARL  UNO.WILHELM   DTTOMUS 

parents  were  Otto  Wilhelm  Otto- 
nius,  police  commissioner  in  i\dolf 
Fredrik  parish,  and  Selma  Fred- 
rika,  nee  Phalen.  After  finishing 
the  sixth  form  in  Jonkoping  high 
school,  the  son  took  a  course  in 
Smedman's  business  college  in 
Stockholm.  In  1878  he  entered 
D.  F.  Bonnier's  book  store  in 
Goteborg,  and  for  thirteen  years 
clerked  in  various  book  stores  in 
Sweden. 

In  the  fall  of  1S91  Mr.  Ottonius 
emigrated  to  this  country.  Since 
May,    1892,   he    has    been    in    the 


368 


Cook  County 


employ  of  the  Swedish  M.  E.  Book 
Concern,  where  his  knowledge  of 
the  book  trade  makes  him  inval- 
uable. 

Mr.  Ottonius  was  married  May 
19,  1888,  to  Wilhelmina  Knier- 
entia  Sund,  daughter  of  the  mil- 
itary surgeon  Anders  Sund  and 
Carolina  Sund,  at  Backtorp,  Atorp, 
Verniland,  Sweden. 


OTTO  HOGFELDT, 

editor-in-chief  of  Missions- I'cuiiwn, 
is    the    sou    of    a    farmer  of  Dals- 


OTTO    HOGFKLDT 

land,  who  had  formerly  served  in 
the  Swedish  army.  He  was  born 
Aug.  10,  1 86 1,  the  youngest  of 
eight  children.  The  lad  had  a 
passion  for  reading  and,  when  the 
small  sui)ply  of  reading  matter  in 
the  home  gave  out,  borrowed  from 
the  neighbors.  Having  been  con- 
verted during  the  confirmation 
term,  he  became  a  Sunday  school 
teacher  at  sixteen.  .\hout  the 
same  lime  he  wrote    his  lirst  con- 


tribution to  the  press — a  corres- 
pondence to  a  free  church  paper. 
His  purpose  to  take  a  course  of 
study  having  been  persistently 
thwarted  by  his  father,  he  left 
home  for  America  at  the  age  of 
twenty  in  order  to  pursue  his  own 
course  in  life.  Coming  to  Ish- 
peming,  Mich.,  in  the  fall  of  1.S81. 
he  worked  in  a  mine  for  one  year 
before  being  able  to  realize  his 
desire  to  study.  He  had  affiliated 
with  the  free  church  element, 
known  as  the  Mission  Friends, 
while  in  Sweden,  and  now  entered 
Ansgarius  College,  a  .school  main- 
tained bj-  the  same  denomination 
at  Knoxville,  111.  His  divinity 
cour.se  under  Prof.  Princell  having 
been  completed,  he  was  called  to 
the  church  at  Iron  Mountain. 
Mich.,  where  he  labored  for  the 
next  three  years. 

During  a  trip  to  Sweden  in  1888 
Mr.  Hogfeldt  wrote  a  series  of 
letters  to  Missions- 1  'aiiiicn.  This 
led  to  his  being  called  to  take  an 
editorial  position  on  that  paper. 
After  declining  the  first  offer,  he 
accepted  the  position  a  year  later 
upon  a  rejictition  of  the  call.  His 
first  intention  was  to  go  back  to 
pastoral  duties  after  a  short  time, 
hut  despite  repeated  calls  from 
liifferent  churches,  he  has  remained 
with  the  paper  these  eighteen 
years,  being  of  great  service  to 
his  Church  in  the  able  editorial 
conduct  of  its  leading  organ.  In 
the  meantime,  however,  he  has 
been  in  fre(iuent  demand  as  a 
preacher  or  speaker  at  church 
conventions  anil  other  j>ublic  oc- 
casions.     Since  i8yi    Mr.  Hiigfcldt 


Chicago 


369 


has  published  HctinM,  a  religious 
annual,  in  the  interest  of  the 
Mission  Covenant. 

Rev.  Hogfelclt  is  one  of  the 
most  energetic  workers  in  the 
Covenant,  and  has  served  as  sec- 
retary of  that  church  body  for  a 
Tunnber  of  years. 

He  is  married  to  Augusta  Lind- 
berg  of  Iron  Mountain,  Mich.,  and 
has  a  family  of  eight  children. 

PETER  O.  EKSTROM 

was  born  July  26,  1.S70,  at  Bonis- 
arfvet,     Gagnef     parish,     Dalarne, 


PETER    O.    EKSTROM 

Sweden.  His  parents,  farmer  folk, 
were  Olof  Olsson  and  Christina, 
nee  Jacobson.  He  passed  in  the 
public  schools  and  was  confirmed 
in  1885,  then  for  three  years  en- 
joying private  tuition  with  the 
teacher's  or  the  ministerial  calling 
in  view,  but  which  came  to  naught 
owing  to  religious  dis.sentment. 
During  the  years  1887-90  he  lived 
in  Ejusne,   Helsingland,  and  there 


joined  the  Baptist  denomination. 
In  1 89 1  Mr.  I-'kstrom  emigrated 
to  the  United  States,  partly  to 
avoid  military  .service,  which  he 
considered  wrong,  and  partly  to 
ac<iuire  a  better  schooling  than 
was  possible  in  the  old  country 
for  a  man  in  his  circumstances. 
In  1891-99  he  worked  in  siunnier 
and  went  to  school  in  winter,  part 
of  the  time  at  the  Normal  School 
in  St.  Cloud,  Minn.  The  years 
from  1899-1903  he  spent  in  the 
Swedish  Baptist  Seminary  at  Mor- 
gan Park,  graduating  from  that 
institution  in  the  spring  of  1903. 
During  the  three  latter  years  as 
a  student,  Mr.  Ekstrom  had  pas- 
toral charge  of  the  Swedish  Bap- 
tist congregation  at  Berwyn,  111., 
and  a  pleasant  church  edifice  was 
built.  The  summer  of  1900  he 
spent  in  Kandij'ohi  county,  Minn., 
serving  partly  as  school  teacher 
and  as  a  preacher.  In  1903-04 
he  labored  as  a  missionary  in 
Southern  Michigan  and  as  pastor 
in  Bay  City  of  that  state.  At 
New  Year's  in  1905  he  moved  to 
St.  Cloud,  Minn.,  and  took  charge 
of  the  Swedish  Baptist  church 
there.  Since  Ma\-,  1907,  he 
has  labored  in  the  Red  River 
Valley  as  a  missionary  pastor,  so 
called. 

In  politics,  Rev.  Ekstrom  calls 
himself  a  Prohibitionist  -  Repub- 
lican, but  is  a  liberalist  in  all 
questions  pertaining  to  the  bodj- 
politic. 

The  marriage  of  Rev.  Ekstrom 
to  Miss  Katarina  Mathilda  Boren 
of  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  was  cele- 
brated in  August,    1904. 


370 


Cook  Countv 


CARL   H.   GRUXD 

was  born  April  24,  1864,  in  Karl- 
stad, Sweden.     He  took  the  course 


CARL  HUGO  GRUND 

of  instruction  offered  at  the  colle- 
giate school  in  Karlstad,  spending 
six  3'ears  there.  At  Mellerud,  in 
the  jirovince  of  Dal,  he  was  en- 
gaged as  apprentice  in  a  jjliarinacy 
in  1885,  and  three  years  later 
passed  the  e.xaniination  as  assist- 
ant pharmacist  at  the  Pharma- 
ceutical Institute  in  Stockholm. 
After  serving  for  a  year  he  came 
to  [America  in  Sejilember,  1889. 
A  situation  was  at  once  secured 
in  Chicago.  Four  months  after 
his  arrival  he  passed  the  examina- 
tion as  registered  pharmacist.  Af- 
ter clerking  for  one  year  and  a 
half,  an  opportunity  to  inirchase 
his  employer's  interest  was  taken 
advantage  of,  and  he  became  the 
proprietor  of  the  drug  store  on 
the  corner  of  Hoyne  ave.  and  35 
St.,   which  he  still  owns. 

Mr.   Gruud  is  a  member  of    the 


McKinley  Park  Swedish  M.  E. 
Church  and  has  served  as  treas- 
urer of  its  board  of  trustees  for 
the  past  three  years.  In  politics 
he  is  an  independent  Republican. 
Mr.  Grund  was  married  in  1891 
to  Signe  Brand,  who  died,  leaving 
a  child.  After  her  demise  he  was 
married  on  June  17,  1892  to  her 
sister,  Anna  Brand,  who  bore  him 
three  sons  and  a  daughter.  The 
five  children  are:  Signe  Florence. 
Carl  Hugo,  Roy  Walter,  Esther 
and  Xorman   Lars. 


ANDERS  TOFFT, 
associate  editor  of  Svc/isAa  Tribu- 
nen-Nyheter,  was  born  Sej)!.  28, 
1S61,  at  Bareberg,  Vestergotland, 
Sweden.  After  fini.shing  the  pub- 
lic school  cour.se,  he  continued  his 


ANUBKS  TOI'FT 

studies  at  home.  lunigrating  to 
the  ITnited  Stales  in  iSS;,,  he 
went  to  Red  Wing,  Minn.  The 
following  spring  he  moved  to  St. 
Paul.     After    some   years    he   had 


Chicag'o 


37' 


saved  sufficient  to  enable  him  to 
attend  Gustavus  AdoI])luis  College, 
from  which  he  was  graduated  in 
189,^.  Obtaining  a  position  on 
the  staff  of  MiuHcso/a  S/als  Tiihiing, 
he  remained  with  that  paper  until 
1899,  when  he  became  an  editor 
of  Sveiiska  Fo/krls  Tidiiiiig.  The 
following  year  he  was  attracted  to 
Boston,  but  left  after  a  few  months 
to  become  city  editor  of  Svcnska 
TrihiDioi.  Mr.  Toflft  retains  the 
same  position  on  the  consolidated 
Svenska   Tribuneti-Nyheter. 


JAMES  T.  WIGREN, 

manager    of    the    Swedish    M.    E. 
Book  Concern,  was  born  Jan.    13, 


JAMES    T.    WIGREN 

1854,  in  Attica,  Ind.  He  is  a  son 
of  the  pioneer  preacher,  John  \Vi- 
gren.  He  joined  the  Methodist 
Church  in  1868,  and  five  jears 
later  preached  his  first  sermon  at 
Kewanee,  111.  In  1876  he  was 
ordained  a  deacon  by  Bishop  Wiley 


at  Pekin,  111.,  and  at  the  same 
time  joined  the  Central  Illinois 
Conference.  During  a  long  term 
of  years  he  was  pastor  of  the 
congregations  of  Swedona,  Dono- 
van, Ivvanston,  Geneva  and  Bata- 
via.  111.,  Stratford,  Des  Moines 
and  Keokuk,  la..  Bishop  Hill,  III., 
and  Burlington,  la.  In  1893  Rev. 
Wigren  became  presiding  elder  for 
the  Galesburg  district  of  the 
Swedish  Central  Conference,  re- 
taining this  responsible  position 
for  six  years.  Assigned  to  Evans- 
ton  in  1S99,  he  labored  there  until 
1903,  when  he  removed  to  Chi- 
cago, becoming  pastor  of  the 
Moreland  Swedish  M.   E.  Church. 

In  1906  Rev.  Wigren  was  ap- 
pointed manager  of  the  Swedish 
M.  E.  Book  Concern  and  still  re- 
tains  this  position. 

Rev.  James  T.  Wigren  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Eva  Sandell  of 
Donovan,  111.,  Sept.  19,  1878. 
They  have  two  sons,  \'ictor  Fin- 
gal,  born  in  Batavia  July  27,  iSSo, 
and  John,  born  in  Bishop  Hill 
April    6,    1890. 


FRANK  E.  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  Sweden  Dec.  18,  1873. 
His  father,  Bernhard  Anderson, 
was  a  piano-maker.  His  mother 
was  Inga  Ander.son.  The  family 
emigrated  to  the  United  States  in 
1882  and  settled  in  Chicago. 
Here  the  .son  attended  public 
school  until  his  sixteenth  year, 
when  he  went  to  work.  He  en- 
gaged in  tailoring  and  having 
learned  the  trade,  went  into  busi- 
ness   for    himself    as   a    merchant 


372 


Cook  County 


tailor.     His  place  of  business  is  at 
215  Dearborn  st. 

Mr.  Anderson  is  married  to 
Frida  Kabatek.  They  have  a  son, 
Percival  H.  Anderson. 


CHRISTOFFER   BRUSELL, 

actor  and  theatrical  manager,  was 
born  July  26,  1861,  in  Stockholm, 


CHRISTOFFIiR   BRUSEI.L 

where  his  father  was  the  proprie- 
tor of  the  Kung.sholnien  brewer\-. 
Young  Brusell,  who  had  a  natural 
gift  of  song  and  other  requisites 
for  the  public  stage,  discontinued 
his  college  studies  in  order  to  en- 
ter the  pupils'  class  at  the  Royal 
Opera.  The  dramatic  training 
here  obtained  by  him  was  supple- 
mented by  private  musical  in- 
structiou  by  Anders  Willnian,  a 
noted  o])eratic  singer.  Upon  his 
father's  failure  in  business,  Bru- 
sell entered  the  employ  of  a  mer- 
cantile house  in  Stockholm,  re- 
maining   until    1882,    when,    upon 


attaining  his  majority,  he  left  for 
the  United  States. 

lu  Chicago  he  soon  entered  the 
emplo},-  of  A.  Ellinger  &  Co.,  the 
cloak  firm.  After  five  years  he 
was  made  manager  of  its  factory 
at  Racine,  Wis.  Returning  to 
Chicago  in  1892,  Brusell  secured 
a  situation  with  F.  Siegel  &  Co. 
After  three  years  with  this  firm, 
he  became  foreman  and  examiner 
with  the  Empire  Cloth  Sponging 
and  Refinishing  Co.,  remaining  in 
that  capacity  for  more  than  ten 
\ears. 

During  his  entire  residence  in 
Chicago  Mr.  Brusell  has  been  ac- 
tive in  theatrical  circles.  Of  the 
eighty  odd  parts  taken  by  him  in 
Swedish  pla^s,  many  have  been 
leading  ones,  calling  for  the  high- 
est talent  at  the  company's  com- 
mand. The  introduction  to  Chi- 
cago audiences  of  many  of  the  best 
comedy  dramas  of  Sweden  redounds 
to  the  credit  of  Mr.  Bru.sell  and 
the  meritorious  aggregation  of 
theatrical  people  from  time  to 
time. 

In  1895  he  engaged  the  North 
Side  Turner  Hall  for  a  series  of 
five  plays  there  given  under  his 
direction.  The  Studebaker  The- 
ater was  hired  for  the  season  of 
1901-02,  when  three  plaxs  were 
enacted.  That  season  Mr.  Brusell 
pla>ed  Birger  Jarl  in  "Briillojiet 
pa  Ulfasa,"  and  look  leading  jiarts 
in  two  other  plays.  At  the  Grand 
Opera  Hou.se  the  next  season  he 
put  on  three  plays,  handling  a 
leading  part  in  each.  In  1903 
the  coinpain-  under  his  direction 
gave    "Lifxet     pa     landet,"     and 


Chicago 


373 


during  the  season  of  1907-08  sev- 
eral performances  were  given  by 
the  Swedish  Theatrical  Company, 
headed  by  him.  Part  of  the  time 
Mr.  Brusell  has  been  a.s.sociated 
with  Ernst  Behmer  of  the  Swed- 
Dramatic  Company,  when  the  two 
companies   of    players   cooperated. 

During  his  early  years  in  Chi- 
cago Mr.  Brusell  was  a  member 
of  the  old  Freja  Singing  Society, 
long  dissolved,  and  later  belonged 
to  the  Swedish  Glee  Club  and  the 
Svithiod  Singing  Club.  He  holds 
membership  in  the  Merchants' 
Council  No.  142,  Royal  League. 

In  1883  Mr.  Brusell  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Anna  Palm- 
borg  of  Stockholm.  Of  five  chil- 
dren born  to  them,  the  daughter 
Hedvig  has  inherited  her  father's 
dramatic  talent. 


ment.  Having  served  for  eight 
years,  he  resigned  in  1864  and 
left     for     America.       Landing     at 


CARL  A.  BJORK 
was  one  of  the  founders  of  the 
Swedish  Mi-ssion  Church  in  Amer- 
ica in  the  late  sixties,  and  in  1885 
aided  in  the  organization  of  the 
Swedish  Evangelical  Mi.ssion  Cov- 
enant, of  which  he  has  been  pres- 
ident ever  since. 

He  was  born  in  Lommaryd  pa- 
rish, Smaland,  Sweden,  July  29, 
1837,  on  the  farm  of  his  parents, 
Sven  Svenson  and  Anna  Stina 
Samuelson.  The  mother  pas.sed 
away  in  Lommar3'd  in  1878,  fol- 
lowed two  years  later  by  the 
father.  Having  attended  common 
school,  the  son  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen was  apprenticed  to  a  shoe- 
maker, and  at  nineteen  entered 
military  service  in  the  Xorra  Vebo 
Company  of    the  Jonkoping  Regi- 


CARI.  AUGUST  BJOKK 

Quebec,  he  proceeded  to  Boone 
county,  Iowa,  and  located  at  Min- 
eral Ridge,  where  he  worked  at 
his  trade  until  1868.  When  a 
little  group  of  Mission  Friends 
was  formed  at  Swede  Bend,  he 
would  frequently  conduct  their 
religious  meetings  and  in  the  last- 
named  year  he  was  called  as  reg- 
ular preacher  to  the  little  flock. 
In  1876  he  left  for  Chicago,  ac- 
cepting a  call  to  become  pastor  of 
the  Swedish  Evangelical  Mi.ssion 
Church  on  the  north  side.  Until 
1S94  he  remained  in  charge  of 
this  church,  and  resigned  only  to 
assume  the  more  responsible  posi- 
tion of  mission  superintendent  of 
the  Mission  Covenant,  in  which 
he  still  serves. 

When  the  Evangelical  Lutheran 
Mis-sion  Sj'nod  was  formed  in  May, 
1873,  in  Keokuk,   la..   Rev.  Bjork 


374 


Cook  County 


was  one  of  its  organizers  and  in- 
corporators. Having  been  elected 
its  president  in  1877,  he  served  in 
that  capacity  until  1S85,  when  the 
synod  became  a  component  part 
of  the  Mission  Covenant,  Rev. 
Bjork  being  chosen  head  of  the 
new  body  at  the  time  and  each 
succeeding  year  down  to  the 
present. 

As  president  of  the  Covenant, 
he  has  participated  in  founding 
and  developing  all  the  branches 
of  its  work,  prominent  among 
which  are  the  educational  work 
conducted  at  North  Park  College 
and  the  benevolent  work  carried 
on  by  the  charity  home  and  hos- 
pital maintained  by  the  Covenant 
in  Bowmanville.  Rev.  Bjiirk's 
especial  care,  however,  consists  in 
supervising  and  promoting  the 
Covenant  missions,  comprising  the 
home  and  foreign  fields. 

On  Oct.  24,  1866,  Rev.  Bjork 
was  married  to  Johanna  Christina 
Boman,  who  liore  him  four  chil- 
dren, Ida  Susanna,  i  born  1S67; 
Selma  Amanda,  1869;  Jo.seph  Al- 
bert, 1871;  Victor  Harry,  1875. 
His  first  wife  having  died  in  1876, 
Rev.  Bjork  on  July  6,  1878,  en- 
tered wedlock  anew,  his  second 
wife  being  Augusta  Sophia  Peter- 
son, born  in  Gasborn  parish,  Verm- 
land.  May  8,  1846.  In  the  .second 
union  there  are  three  sons  and 
one  daughter,  to- wit:  August 
Kmanucl,  born  1879:  Theresia  Eli- 
.sabeth,  1880;  David  Theodor,  18S3: 
Carl  otto,  1885.  Ida  Susanna  is 
the  wife  of  August  Stenstrom  and 
Theresia    Klisabcth    died  in    190.^. 

The    Bjiirk    family    residence    is 


at    3297    X.    Saw>er    ave..  North 
Park,  Chicago. 


S.  NILSSON  SWAN, 

president    of    the  Swan  Company, 
manufacturers   of   pianos   and    or- 


S.   NILSSON  SWA.S 

gans  at  Freeport,  111.,  was  born 
June  20,  1844,  in  GJirds-Kopinge, 
Skane,  Sweden.  He  conies  of  a 
long-lived  family,  his  father,  Nils 
Pearson,  a  butcher  and  tanner, 
having  died  at  75  years  of  age, 
and  his  mother,  Kama  Pearson, 
at  72  years. 

After  receiving  such  education 
as  the  local  public  schools  afford- 
ed, he  was  at  fifteen  apprenticed 
to  a  cabinet-maker.  In  1863.  his 
term  of  apprenticeship  being  fin- 
ished, he  became  a  pattern-maker 
at  Krislianstad  and  later  at  Malmd. 
A  year  was  spent  here  at  piano- 
making.  Returning  to  Krislian- 
stad, he  started  in  i8f>7  a  furnit- 
ure factory. 

On   April  S,    1S68,   he  embarked 


Chicago 


for  America,  landing  in  New  York 
on  Easter  Stindaj-.  He  went  to 
Wyanet,  111.,  and  worked  at  cab- 
inet-making for  two  years.  In 
September,  1870,  he  went  to  Men- 
dota,   111.,  where  he  was  employed 


3751 

I 
vemher,  1907,  Mr.  Swan  bought] 
this  plant  and  formed  the  Swan  \ 
Co.,  with  himself  as  president.       j 

The  organ  factorj'  has  a  capacity: 
of  thirty  reed  organs  per  day  and' 
employs  over  one  hundred  work-; 
ers.  The  instruments  are  sold  in: 
Sweden,  Norway,  Denmark,  Ger-| 
many,  England  and  Scotland,  be-; 
sides  all  parts  of  the  United ' 
States. 

Mr.  Swan  is  a  member  of  a 
numlier  of  Ma.sonic  bodies,  such ; 
as  the  Excelsior  No.  97,  A.  F. : 
and  A.  M.,  Chapter  No.  23,  Com- 1 
maiidery  No.  7  and  Freeport  Con-] 
sLstory.  He  is  also  a  member  of! 
the   Modern  Woodmen.  I 

Mr.  Swan  was  united  in  marri- 
age on  July  22,  1S66,  at  Krist- 
ianstad,  to  Ingrid  Carlson.  She 
is    the    daughter    of    Fredrik    and 


MRS.    S.    NILSSON   SWAN 

as  action  maker  bj'  the  Western 
Cottage  Organ  Co.  In  1876  he 
became  a  foreman  contractor  in 
the  fly  finish  and  action  depart- 
ment of  the  factory.  Moving  in 
1887  to  Chicago,  he  purchased  an 
interest  in  the  Chicago  Cottage 
Organ  Co.  and  also  became  a 
foreman  contractor  in  the  Ry  finish 
and  action  department  of  this  fac- 
tory. By  1892  he  employed  ninety 
men  under  his  contracts.  In  April, 
1893,  he  sold  his  holdings  in  the 
Cable  Co.,  as  the  firm  was  then 
styled,  for  $45,000.  At  once  he 
purchased  stock  in  the  Hobart  M. 
Cable  Co.  and  entered  upon  the 
position  of  manager  and  superin- 
tendent of  the  Burdett  Organ 
Factory  in  Freeport,   III.     In  No- 


UAVin   l-;iiWAKll  SWAN  i 

Anna  Hokenson  Carlson,  and  was 
born  at    Broby,   Sweden,   Dec.    10,  ] 
1842.       To    Mr.    and    Mrs.    Swan 
have    been    born    seven    children. 


376 


Cook  County 


viz.:  Anna  J.  C,  May  9,  1867; 
David  E.,  Aug.  15,  1869;  Gustaf 
A.  E.,  Sept.  II,  1 871;  Amanda 
A.  (Mrs.  Harry  H.  Loomis),  Aug. 
8,  1873;  Ingrid  Matilda  (Mrs. 
Frank  Reinhardt),  May  15,  1875; 
Hulda  O.  (^Mrs.  Arthur  H.  An- 
derson), June  4,  1877;  Minnie  V., 
Aug.  23,   1879. 

The  Swans  are  members  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church.  The 
familj'  home  is  at  3415  CaUunet 
ave. ,    Chicago. 

DAVID  E.  SWAN 

was  born  Aug.  15,  1869,  at  Wya- 
net,  111.  His  father  is  the  veteran 
organ  builder,  S.  Nilsson  Swan. 
When  fourteen  years  of  age,  Da- 
vid left  school  and  since  then  has 
had  a  practical  training  in  organ 
factories,  becoming  an  expert  or- 
gan builder.  From  1888  until 
1903  he  was  a  foreman  at  the 
Cable  Co.  plant  in  Chicago.  He 
then  transferred  his  activities  to 
the  Burdette  organ  factory  at 
Freeport  in  the  capacity  of  assist- 
ant superintendent.  Since  the 
incorporation  of  the  Swan  Co., 
he  is  also  manager  of  the  sales 
department. 

Mr.  Swan  is  an  Elk  and  also  a 
32d  degree  Ma.son,  Rockford  Shri- 
ner,  White  Shriner,  Chaldean  and 
an  Eastern  Star  Ma.son.  He  is 
further  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America,  the  Royal 
League,  the  Columbian  Knights, 
as  well  as  the  Freeport  Club  and 
the  Germania  Society  of  Freeport. 

His  marriage  to  Hilda  L.  An- 
derson of  Chicago  took  place 
Feb.  27,  1895.     Mrs.  Swan,  daugh- 


ter of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  P.  An- 
derson, was  born  Oct.  29,  1S70. 
They  are  members  of  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church,  and  reside 
at  156  West  St.,  Freeport,   111. 

GISTAF  A.  E.  SWAN 
was  born  Sept.    11,    1871,  at  Men- 
dota.   111.,  a  son  of  the  well-known 


GUSTAP  A.    K.   SWAN 

organ  manufacturer,  S.  Nilsson 
Swan.  He  attended  the  public 
school  until  sixteen  years  of  age, 
when  he  began  work  in  the  organ 
factory.  At  the  early  age  of 
twenty-two  years  he  became  a 
foreman  in  the  Cable  Co.'s  factory 
in  Chicago.  After  ten  years'  .serv- 
ice he  moved  May  i,  1903,  to 
Freeport,  111.,  where  he  continued 
in  the  same  capacity  in  the  Bnr- 
dett  organ  factory.  Since  the 
formation  of  the  Swan  Company 
he  has  also  been  vice-prcsiiicnt  of 
the  firm. 

Mr.  Swan  was  elected  alderman 
for  West  Freeport  in  1905  and 
served    one    term.      He  is  a  mem- 


Chicago 


377 


her  of  Ben  Hur  Lodge,  Columbian 
Knights,  and  of  the  Royal  Arca- 
num. 

Nov.  14,  1900,  Mr.  Swan  cel- 
ebrated his  marriage  to  Esther 
M.  Johanson  of  Chicago.  She 
was  born  May  22,  18/8,  to  John 
and  Christina  Johanson. 

The  Messrs.  S.  Nilsson,  David 
and  Gustaf  Swan  are  men  of  un- 
usual ability,  with  a  record  in 
business  and  inventive  fields  plac- 
ing them  in  the  front  rank  as 
organ  builders  and  factory-  man- 
agers. 


ELLYN   MARIE  SWANSON 

is  a  young  singer,  who  was  bare- 
1}'    out    of    her    'teens    before    .she 


ELLYN    .NrARIE    SWANSON 

acquired  recognition  on  the  con- 
cert platform.  Her  voice  is  a  rich 
and  full  soprano,  susceptible  to 
the  highest  development. 

Miss  EUyn  Swanson  is  the 
daughter  of  Adolph  Swanson,  a 
machinist,  and  his  wife,  Ida  Fred- 


rika,  nee  Rhenborg.  She  was 
i)orn  in  Chicago  Jan.  i,  1884.  At 
the  age  of  five  she  evinced  musical 
talent  and  sang  with  a  voice  of  a 
musical  (juality  unusual  in  a  child. 
Having  studied  privately  from  her 
early  years,  she  entered  the  Chi- 
cago Musical  College  at  the  age 
of  eighteen,  continuing  for  a  pe- 
riod of  four  years.  She  there 
received  four  free  scholarships  and 
has  been  awarded  no  less  than 
three  diamond  medals.  Miss  Swan- 
-son  also  has  studied  with  Herman 
De\'ries,  the  baritone,  taking  sev- 
enth grade  in  the  teachers'  class, 
and  a  post  graduate  course  lead- 
ing to  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of 
Music. 

Miss  Ellyu  Swanson  is  now 
connected  with  two  institutions, 
namely  the  Central  College  of 
Music  and  the  Balatka  College, 
as  instructor  in  voice.  For  several 
years  back  she  is  soloist  of  the 
First  Congregational  Church  of 
Oak  Park.  Since  she  entered  the 
field  as  a  professional  singer  not 
long  ago,  she  has  become  one  of 
the  favorite  vocalists  of  Chicago. 
She  is  doing  both  concert  and 
operatic  work,  is  a  member  of 
the  Balatka  Concert  Company  and 
has  appeared  at  the  Auditorium 
in  local  productions  of  "Faust" 
and  "Samson  and  Delilah,"  also 
in  a  Swedish  country  pla\-. 


WILLIAM  A.  PETERSOX, 

minister  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
denomination  and  ex-professor  at 
the  theological  seminary  in  Mor- 
gan   Park,    was    born    March    24, 


378 


Cook  County 


i860,  at  Arila,  Siidennanland. 
Sweden.  He  completed  the  course 
in  the  people's  schools  at  the  age 


WILLIAM    A.    PETERSO.X 

of  fourteen.  At  eighteen,  while 
on  a  hunting  trip  of  a  SuiKla\- 
afternoon  with  a  friend,  he  had  a 
hair-breadth  escape  from  being 
killed  by  the  premature  discharge 
of  a  gun.  This  accident  deeply 
stirred  the  young  man's  mind  and 
marked  the  turning  point  in  his 
.spiritual  life.  Having  come  under 
Baptist  influence  prior  to  this,  he 
joined  the  ]5aptist  Church  at  Arila 
through  immersion  in  January, 
1879.  On  the  advice  of  his  ])astor 
he  decided  to  devote  himself  to 
evangelistic  work,  and  began  as  a 
missionary,  engaged  by  the  Mis- 
sion  Union  of  vSiidermanl.ind. 

Having  labored  in  the  mission 
field  during  the  years  1 88 1-8;,,  and 
feeling  the  need  of    further    train- 


ing, he  entered  the  Bethel  Semi- 
narj-  at  Stockholm,  where  he  pur- 
sued studies  for  the  ne.xt  three 
years.  From  1886  to  1888  he  was 
pastor  of  the  church  in  Sala,  a 
charge  which  he  left  to  go  to  the 
United  States.  A  few  months  af- 
ter his  arrival  in  this  country  he 
entered  the  Swedish  department 
of  the  Baptist  Union  Theological 
Seminarj'  at  Morgan  Park,  from 
which  he  was  graduated  the  fol- 
lowing spring.  He  preached  in 
Iron  River  during  the  ensuing 
summer,  then  returned  to  the 
seminarj-,  entering  the  American 
department.  Not  satisfied  with 
the  course  leading  to  the  degree 
of  B.  D.,  which  he  earned  in  a 
j-ear,  he  pursued  post-graduate 
studies  until  the  spring  of  1891, 
meanwhile  .serving  as  assistant  in- 
structor in  Greek,  Hebrew  and 
Swedish. 

He  was  ordained  and  served  as 
pastor  of  the  church  at  Sioux 
Falls,  S.  D.,  for  one  year.  After 
that  he  spent  three  years  at  the 
University  of  Chicago  as  a  post- 
graduate student.  In  1895  he 
was  called  as  regular  profes.sor  in 
the  Swedish  department  of  the 
Morgan  Park  institution,  accepting 
the  chair  of  universal  and  church 
history,  and  the  Greek  and  Swed- 
ish languages.  In  1907,  having 
acciuired  \iews  at  variance  with 
his  denomination,  he  resigned  and 
went  to  Sweden,  settling  in  the 
vicinity  of  l-'skilstuna. 

CHARLKS  H.  JOHNSTON 
was  born  in  Kroppa  parish,  \'erm- 
land,   Sweden,   Nov.   6,    i860.      He 


Chicago 


379 


learned  the  iron  worker's  trade  in 
his  father's  shop.  Five  years 
were  then  spent  working  in  the 
Nordenfelt  Galling  Gnn  Factory. 
Leaving  Sweden  in  1886,  he  first 
settled  in  Piltshnrgh.  By  the 
next  year  he  was  in  Chicago, 
where  he  worked  in  various  shops. 
In  1S89  he  ojiened  a  shop  on  In- 
diana St.  for  the  manufacture  of 
all  kinds  of  ironwork  for  building 
purposes.  In  1902  he  removed 
his  shop  to  110-112  E.  Ohio  st. 
The  jiresent  location  of  the  John- 
ston Iron  Works  is  257-259  E. 
Division  st.  The  work  here  turned 
out  ranges  from  fire  escapes,  stand- 
pipes  and  iron  beams  to  small 
castings  and  forgings. 

Mr.  Johnston  belongs  to  the 
Masonic  order  and  to  the  National 
Union. 

In  1887  Mr.  Johnston  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Sophia  NeLson,  also 
from  Vermland.  They  have  a 
.son  and  a  daughter.  The  family 
residence  is  at  3023  N.  Ashland 
avenue. 


ticket  and  defealetl  by  the  narrow 

margin    of    a    few    hundred  votes. 

In   1897  he  attended  the  Stock- 


CHARLES  F.  ERIKSON, 
publisher  of  Sir/isA-a  TiUnincn- 
Nyhcter,  was  born  March  6,  1866, 
in  Vestergotland,  Sweden.  He 
came  to  the  United  States  in  1887, 
making  his  home  in  Marinette, 
Wis.,  for  a  time.  From  there  he 
came  to  Chicago  and  was  employed 
as  advertising  solicitor  of  Skandia, 
a  Swedish  daily  published  at  that 
time.  In  1891-92  he  was  an  em- 
ployee of  the  Chicago  Herald.  Go- 
ing to  Omaha,  Xeb.,  he  engaged  in 
politics  there,  was  nominated  for 
city  comptroller  on  the  Democratic 


CHARLES    F.   ERIKSON 

holm  Exposition  as  special  com- 
missioner in  behalf  of  the  man- 
agement of  the  Trans-Mississippi 
Exposition,  which  was  to  take 
place  at  Omaha  the  following  year. 
While  at  Omaha  Mr.  Erikson 
conducted  a  newspaper  advertising 
agency. 

Returning  to  Chicago  in  1899, 
he  became  advertising  manager  of 
Si'cnska  Tridiimii,  and  when 
this  paper  was  sold  in  1900  to 
John  E.  Norling  and  Samuel  E. 
Carlsson  he  secured  a  like  position 
with  Siriiska  Xylictcr.  In  May, 
1905,  he  purchased  the  first-named 
paper  and  in  July  of  the  follow- 
ing year  it  was  consolidated  with 
the  latter,  which  was  named  Szen- 
ska  Tribiiiu'n-A'vfu-ttr.  Since  March, 
1907,  Mr.  Erikson  has  been  sole 
jiroprietor  of  the  paper,  which  is 
said    to    have  the  largest  clientele 


38o 


Cook  County 


of  any  Swedish  weekly  in  the 
world. 

Mr.  Erikson  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Glee  Club,  the  Chicago 
Advertising  Association  and  the 
Illinois  Athletic  Club.  He  is  a 
Knight  Templar,  a  Noble  of  the 
Mystic  Shrine,  a  member  of  Me- 
dinah  Temple  of  Chicago  and  of 
Chicago,  of  King  Oscar  Lodge  A. 
F.  and  A.  M.,  and  affiliates  with 
.several  other  Ma.sonic  organiza- 
tions. 

Feb.  27,  1895  Mr.  Erikson  was 
married  to  Miss  Selnia  Dahlstrom 
of  Omaha.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren, two  sons  and  a  daughter. 


LUTHER  P.  FRIESTEDT 

is  a  typical  Chicagoan.  He  was 
born  April  30,  i860,  at  Water- 
town,  Wis.,  of  Swedish  parents, 
and  was  brought  here  by  them  in 
1 86 1,  since  which  time  Chicago 
has  been  his  residence.  Beginning 
his  education  at  the  old  Skinner 
School,  he  continued  his  studies 
until  graduated  from  the  old 
Washington  High  School.  At  the 
age  of  sixteen  he  went  on  a  farm 
near  Wheaton,  111.,  where  he  re- 
mained until  he  attained  his  ma- 
jority, attending  Wheaton  College 
during  the  winter  months  and 
giving  particular  attention  to  ci\il 
and  mechanical  engineering. 

Shorth-  after  his  twenty-first 
birthda>-  Friestedt  arranged  to  go 
to  Oregon  for  the  jturpose  of  en- 
gaging in  the  cattle  business,  but 
while  in  Chicago  purchasing  his 
outfit  liL-  was  asked  by  Robert 
McAuley,     a     house     rai.ser     and 


mover,  to  assist  him  in  raising  a 
building,  a  small  brick  structure 
in  Indiana  street.  In  this  work 
he  applied  his  engineering  theories 
to  such  advantage  that  McAuley 
insisted  that  he  enter  his  employ, 
promising  him  a  partnership  at 
the  end  of  the  year.  Friestedt 
accepted  his  offer,  abandoned  his 
western  trip  and  buckled  down  to 
work.  McAuley 's  business  pros- 
pered and  within  six  months  Frie- 
stedt was  taken  into  partnership, 
the  firm  being  called  McAuley  & 
Friestedt.  At  the  end  of  a  year 
the  junior  partner  embarked  in 
business  for  himself  as  L.  P.  Frie- 
stedt &  Co.  The  firm  is  still  in 
business,  the  largest  of  its  kind 
in  the  world. 

A  rapidly  increasing  business 
was  Friestedt' s  portion,  but  it  was 
not  until  1893  that  he  sprang  to 
the  front  rank  as  an  engineer. 
During  that  year  he  was  awarded 
a  contract  for  5 100,000,  engaging 
to  clear  the  right  of  way  of  the 
Metropolitan  Elevated  Railway 
Conipan\-  from  Western  ave.  to 
Halsted  St.,  salvaging  all  build- 
ings and  holding  the  company 
harmless.  It  was  his  work  on  the 
Normandie  apartment  building 
during  this  time  that  brought  him 
prominenth'  to  the  fore.  This 
granite  front,  three-story  .struct- 
ure, KK)  by  75  feet,  faced  Laflin 
street.  To  enable  the  elevated 
road  to  properly  extend  its  tracks 
it  was  necessary  to  raise  and  back 
this  building  and  then  turn  it 
around  so  that  it  would  face  on 
\'an  Huren  st.  This  work  l-'rie- 
stcdt  acconiplisheil,  and    the  work 


Chicago 


381 


was  visited  by  government  engi- 
neers and  commissioners  from 
different  countries,  resulting  finally 
in  his  being  engaged  by  the  Aus- 
tro-Hungarian  government  to  un- 
dertake a  series  of  works  in  Buda- 
pest, which  firmly  established  his 
fame  as  an  engineer. 

It  was  in  1896  that  the  Austro- 
Hungarian  government  appoint- 
ed a  commission  to  consider  the 
possibility  of  widening  the  thor- 
oughfare in  Budapest,  intersected 
by  the  Danube  River,  in  order 
that  a  cantilever  bridge  might  be 
constructed.  The  commission  de- 
cided upon  Friestedt,  and  he  was 
awarded  a  contract  to  widen  Louis 
Kossuth  boulevard  22  meters,  or 
73.26  feet.  In  the  prosecution  of 
this  undertaking  it  was  necessary 
for  him  to  move  the  Drear  Palais, 
a  new  structure  of  stone  and  con- 
crete costing  1,500,000  florins,  a 
distance  of  seventy  feet.  This  he 
did  without  accident.  A  church, 
built  in  the  twelfth  century,  was 
successfullj'  moved,  as  well  as  five 
government  buildings,  and  all  this 
was  accomplished  without  disaster. 

During  the  three  years  required 
for  the  work  Mr.  Friestedt  spent 
much  time  in  Budapest,  was  reg- 
istered under  the  law  as  a  busi- 
ness man,  carried  a  cash  balance 
in  bank  of  200,000  florins  and  em- 
ployed thousands  of  laborers.  He 
afterward  executed  several  com- 
missions for  the  Archduke  Joseph 
and  operated  in  Austria- Hungan- 
as  the  Friestedt  Company  of  Bu- 
dapest for  a  time. 

While  the  L.  P.  Friestedt  Co. 
of  Chicago  is  the  headquarters  of 


Mr.  Friestedt,  he  is  largeh  en- 
gaged in  other  activities.  He  is 
heavil>-  interested  in  the  Friestedt 
Interlocking  Channel  Bar  Com- 
pany, which  makes  an  interlock- 
ing steel  i)iling  of  his  invention, 
and  it  is  used  by  all  railways  and 
governments  of  the  world.  The 
company  has  executed  immense 
contracts  in  the  harbor  of  Naga- 
saki, Japan,  and  at  the  Mersey 
docks  of  Liverpool.  He  is  a  stock- 
holder in  the  Columbia  Tool  Steel 
Company  of  Chicago  Heights,  in 
the  British  Steel  Piling  Company 
of  London,  and  owns  real  estate 
in  almost  every  part  of  Chicago. 
His  fortune  is  estimated  at  six 
figures. 

Mr.  Friestedt  was  a  member  of 
the  conunission  appointed  by  the 
sanitary  district  of  Chicago,  the 
city  and  the  government  to  esti- 
mate the  cost  of  deepening  and 
widening  the  Chicago  River  so  as 
to  meet  the  requirements  of  the 
projected  ship  canal. 

In  1902  Mr.  Friestedt  was  elected 
to  the  cit\'  council  as  an  alderman 
from  the  Thirteenth  ward  by  the 
largest  majority  ever  given  in  that 
ward,  and  was  re-elected  in  1903. 
He  resigned  in  1905,  owing  to  the 
demands  upon  his  time  by  his 
business  interests. 

In  1906  Mr.  Friestedt  waged 
the  hottest  kind  of  a  fight  with 
Congressman  William  Lorimer  for 
the  Republican  nomination  for 
representative  in  congress  from 
the  sixth  district  of  Illinois,  and 
was  defeated  by  a  small  margin 
at  the  primary-  election. 

In    reliajion    Mr.   Friestedt  is  an 


382 


Cook  County 


Episcopalian  and  a  member  of  St. 
Andrew's  Church.  His  fraternal 
affiliations  include  membership  in 
the  Masonic  order,  he  being'  a 
member  of  Union  Park  Lodge, 
York  Chapter,  Chicago  Command- 
ery  and  Medinah  Temple.  He  is 
a  Knight  of  Pj-thias,  a  Son  of  the 
American  Revolution  and  his  list 
list  of  clubs  includes  the  Meno- 
ken,  Chicago  Athletic,  Chicago 
Automobile,  Horican  Gun,  Eagle 
River  Fishing  and  Hunting.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Western  Soci- 
ety of  Engineers. 

When  he  was  22  Mr.  Friestedt 
married  Dora  M.  Huyer  of  Chi- 
cago. To  them  have  been  born 
five  sons:  Arthur,  George,  Her- 
man, Luther  and  Willis.  The 
three  eldest  boys  are  associated 
with  their  father  in  business,  and 
all  live  at  the  homestead  at  170 
Central  Park  ave. 


service  in  Batterv  H,  First  Illinois 
Light  Artillery.  After  eighteen 
months    of    actual    service   in    the 


ANDREW  L.  ANDERSON, 
who  was  a  man  of  prominence  in 
Henry  county  before  removing  to 
Chicago  a  few  j-ears  ago,  was 
born  in  \'estergotland,  Sweden, 
Oct.  26,  1S42.  He  grew  up  and 
obtained  his  essential  education  in 
the  place  of  his  l)irth.  In  1S60 
he  emigrated  to  America,  making 
a  nine  weeks'  voyage  on  board  a 
sailing  vessel.  After  reaching  the 
port  of  New  York,  he  proceeded 
to  Geneseo,  and  from  there  to 
the  townshi])  of  Andoxer,  where  he 
worked  on  a  farm  through  the 
summer  and  attended  .school  the 
following  winter. 

In    Januarj',     1.S62,     the    young 
newcomer     enlisted     for     militarj- 


.\.\iiKi;w  I,.  .\niii:kson 

field  he  received  honorable  dis- 
charge for  disability.  Returning 
home,  he  passed  some  months  in 
recruiting  his  strength,  putting 
in  most  of  the  time  at  .school, 
perfecting  his  knowledge  of  the 
English  language.  As  soon  as 
his  health  permitted,  he  went  to 
work  for  Mr.  P.  P.  Allen,  remain- 
ing in  his  employ  for  seven  years, 
the  first  two  or  three  years  as  a 
farmhand  and  afterward  in  the 
capacity  of  buyer  of  stock — cattle, 
hor.ses  and  sheep, — spending  one 
year  in  Missouri  for  that  purpose. 

Subsequently,  Mr.  Anderson 
rented  land  until  if^So,  when  he 
bought  a  farm  in  Mun.son  town- 
ship, devoting  himself  successfully 
to  farming  anil  stockraising  there 
for  niauN'  years. 

In  public  afTairs  locally  and 
nationally   Mr.  Anderson  has  taken 


Chicago 


383 


a  deep  interest.  In  1872  he  vig- 
oroush-  opposed  the  movement 
headed  l)y  Capt.  Ivric  Johnson  and 
Jonas  W.  Olson  to  round  up  the 
Swedish  voters  of  Henr>-  county 
for  Greeley,  and  at  that  juncture 
organized  the  Swedish-American 
Republican  club  of  the  county. 

Prior  to  1885  he  .served  as  as- 
sessor for  two  terms  and  for  sev- 
eral years  as  a  school  director.  In 
time  he  acquired  a  dominant  influ- 
ence in  county  politics,  was  entrust- 
ed with  the  county  treasurership 
and  held  various  other  offices  with- 
in the  gift  of  his  constituents. 
He  did  much  to  gain  for  the 
people  of  his  nationality  due  re- 
cognition in  county  affairs.  IMr. 
Anderson  was  one  of  the  active 
organizers  of  the  Swedish-Amer- 
ican Republican  League  of  Illi- 
nois and  served  as  its  treasurer 
during  the  preliminary  period  and 
for  the  first  two  regular  terms  of 
one  year. 

Having  retired  from  agricultural 
pursuits  and  politics,  Mr.  Ander- 
son in  1903  removed  to  Chicago 
and  owns  a  home  at  6505  Green 
St.,   Englewood. 

March  16,  1871,  Mr.  Anderson 
was  married  to  Miss  Amanda 
Wallin,  a  member  of  a  well-known 
family,  most  of  whose  members 
are  living  in  Iowa.  To  the  An- 
dersons have  been  born  eight  chil- 
dren:  Hilda  H.,  Alvin  E.,  de- 
ceased, John  Albert,  Eugenia  L., 
James  Elmer  and  Andrew  Wen- 
dell, deceased,  George  A.  and 
Gilbert  C. 


HENRY  STRUVE 

was  born  in    Kristianstad,  Skane, 
Dec.  9,   1857.      His   parents    were 


HENRY  STRUVE 

the  military  surgeon  Henry  Struve 
and  Dorothea  Struve.  After  hav- 
ing passed  through  four  classes  of 
the  local  collegiate  school  he  ob- 
tained a  position  as  clerk  in  Hjal- 
mar  Moller's  bookstore  in  Krist- 
ianstad, remaining  there  eleven 
years. 

Mr.  Struve  emigrated  in  1887 
and  came  at  once  to  Chicago. 
For  a  number  of  years  he  has 
been  in  the  emplo}-  of  the  Eng- 
berg-Holmberg  Publishing  Co. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Skane 
Provincial  Lodge  of  A.  F.  and  A. 
M.  in  Sweden  and  also  of  Lodge 
No.    I,  I.  O.  S. 


ANTON   C.  ENGBERG 

was  born  May  20,  1877,  in  Chi- 
cago, and  is  the  son  of  John  J. 
and    Marie  S.  Engberg.     He    was 


384 


Cook  County 


educated  in  the  public  schools  and 
at  the  Metropolitan  Business  Col- 
lege, where  he  completed  a  course 
in  bookkeeping. 


ANTON    CARL    ENGBERG 

Learning  the  printers'  trade,  he 
has  worked  in  various  offices  in 
the  city.  For  a  number  of  years 
he  has  been  employed  at  the  es- 
tablishment of  the  Engberg-Holm- 
berg  Publishing  Company. 

Mr.  Engberg  is  a  member  of 
the  Twenty-Third  Ward  Repub- 
lican Club  and  resides  at  458 
Cleveland  ave. 


JOHN  J.  ENGBERG 

was  born  in  Berg.sjo,  Norra  Hel- 
singland,  one  of  the  most  beauti- 
ful spots  in  the  kingdom  of  Swe- 
lien,  Jan.  8,  1846.  His  father, 
Jonas  (Jonson)  Engberg — a  farmer 
and,  in  fact,  a  carpenter  and  a 
blacksmith,  as  he  performeil  all 
such  work  required  on  the  farm- 
became  weary  of  paying  fines  for 
being    a    dissenter    or    separatist, 


and  decided  to  seek  a  home  in 
the  land  where  religious  liberty 
prevails.  In  1856  he  cro.s.sed  the 
Atlantic  and  settled  in  Goodhue 
county,  Minn.  The  following 
\ear  the  son,  John,  who  had  ac- 
•luired  an  education  in  the  old 
home  public  .school  and  in  a  sep- 
aratist school  under  the  tuition  of 
Rev.  Peter  Beckman,  commenced 
learning  the  printer's  trade,  "the 
black  art."  as  it  was  formerly 
called,  on  Minnesota  -  Postcn,  a 
Swedish  weekly,  published  in  Red 
Wing  hy  his  cousin,  Rev.  Eric 
Xorelius,  and  his  eldest  brother, 
Jonas  Engberg.  Aug.  8,  1858, 
the  mother,  Brita,  nee  Larson, 
accidentalh-  lost  her  life  in  cross- 
ing Cannon  River  on    her  way  to 


JOHN   .1.   ENGHKRG 

church,  the  father  passing  away 
in  1862.  That  same  year  the 
\outh  journeyed  back  to  Chicago 
and  had  a  year's  schooling  with 
Prof.  L.  P.  Esbjorn,  the  founder 
of    Augustana    Theological    Semi- 


Chica<ro 


385 


nary,  at  that  time  located  in  Chi- 
cago. In  November,  1863,  he  en- 
listed in  the  89th  111.  Vol.  Inf  try, 
Co.  D,  and  took  part  in  General 
Sherman's  operations  in  Tennessee 
and  Georgia.  Having  successfully 
"dodged  the  bullets"  for  one  year 
at  the  front,  as  he  expresses  it, 
sickness  laid  him  low,  and  upon 
convalescing  later  in  the  fall  of 
1864,  he  was  transferred  first  to 
the  59th  111.  and  a  short  time  af- 
terward to  the  8th  Regt.  \'eteran 
Reserve  Corps  at  Camp  Douglas, 
Chicago,  where  he  served  guard 
ing  rebel  prisoners,  until  mustered 
out  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War 
in  the  fall  of  1865.  Since  then  he 
has  mostly  been  employed  as  a 
"tj'pe-sticker  '  in  different  parts 
of  the  Western  states,  occasion- 
ally doing  a  little  writing  for 
newspajiers  here  and  there.  He 
was  among  the  thousands  who 
in  1 87 1  lost  their  all  of  worldly 
possessions  in  the  Chicago  fire  in 
that  year.  In  1S72  he  added  the 
knowledge  of  music  type  setting 
to  his  craft.  At  present  he  is 
"setting  up"  books  and  music  for 
the  Engberg-Hohnberg  Publishing 
Company. 

J.  J.  Engberg  is  affiliated  with 
the  Swedish  Typographical  Un- 
ion No.  247,  of  which  he  was 
the  first  president,  the  North  Star 
Lodge  No.  2393  Knights  of  Hon- 
or, in  which  he  served  as  presi- 
dent for  several  terras,  and  is  also 
a  member  of  the  grand  lodge  of 
that  order,  and  of  the  G.  A.  R. 

Nov.  7,  1868,  Mr.  Engberg  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Marie  S. 
Agren     from     Kristianstad,    Swe- 


den, the  issue  of  the  union  being 
nine  children,  si.^c  of  whom  sur- 
vive, namely:  Axel  Rudolph,  Mrs. 
Ro.se  E.  S])oor,  Alma  B.,  Anton 
C,  Ruth  E.  and  Walter  L.  luig- 
herg.  

ERNST  W.  OLSON 

was  born  March  16,  1870,  in 
Finja      parish.      Sk.-ine,      Sweden. 


IIKNST    WILHE1..M     llI.Sn.S 

His  parents  were  Johannes  Olson 
(deceased)  and  Johanna  Olson, 
nee  Grahn.  There  are  eleven 
children  in  the  family,  and  it  was 
chiefly  on  their  account  that  the 
father,  although  a  well-to-do 
farmer,  determined  to  emigrate  to 
the  country  whose  name  stands 
for  opportunit}-.  The  family  came 
over  in  May,  1878,  and  located 
on  a  farm  near  Wahoo,   Neb. 

When  in  the  fall  of  1SS3  Luther 
Academy  was  opened  at  Wahoo, 
Ernst  was  one  of  the  first  half 
dozen  students  enrolled.  He  con- 
tinued   his    studies    at    Augustan  a 


386 


Cook  County 


College,    Rock    Island,  graduating 
with  the  class  of  '91. 

With    some   experience  in    edit- 
ing college  papers,   including  Cen- 
sor, Bald,)-  and  the  Lyceum  .-liniual, 
he  took  a  position  with  the  week- 
ly FosUiiaiidci  of    Chicago  shortly 
after    leaving    college.      One    year 
afterward    he    returned    to     Rock 
Island  to  edit  the  English  monthly 
Observer,  and    later    became  editor 
of  the  Swedish  weekly  Nya  Presseii 
of    Moline,   handling    the   two    pa- 
pers   simultaneously    for    a    time. 
He  was  one  of  three  persons  who 
purchased  the  latter  paper  in  Jan- 
uary,   1894,    and    published    it    at 
Moline    for    the  next    three  years. 
The  ])lant  was  removed  to  Chica- 
go early  in   1896  and  two  editions 
were  published,  one  for  each  city. 
In  December,  1896,  a  consolidation 
with   Foster/cDidet  was  effected,  and 
Mr.  Olson    became    editor  of    that 
paper,   also    acquiring    an    interest 
in   the  plant.      In   1900,   when    the 
paper  passed  under  the  control  of 
the  publishers  of  Sveiis/ca   Tribiinen, 
he    was    given    editorial  charge  of 
both.     He  remained  editor-in-chief 
of    Tribiinoi    until    1905,  when    a 
change    in    ownership  and    jiolicy 
caused    his    retirement.     Save    for 
occasional  news  stories  contributed 
to    the    l\t(ord- Herald  of  Chicago, 
the  illustrated  weekly  IJvarS  Dag 
of    Goteborg,  and    other   journals, 
he  has  since  been  out  of  the  field 
of  journalism   from  choice,  ha\ing 
declined  offers  from  several  Swed- 
ish   newsi)apers,   and    has   devoted 
his  lime  to  editorial  work   for  the 
luigbcrg  -   Hiilmbcrg      Publishing 
Compau)-. 


Besides  writing  original  verse, 
Mr.  Olson  has  turned  a  number 
of  jxjetic  masterpieces  from  Swed- 
ish into  English,  and  vice  versa. 
Among  his  translations  may  be 
mentioned  "Angelika,"  by  Malm- 
strom,  and  a  portion  of  Tegner's 
"Frithiof's  Saga."'  Competitive 
prizes  were  won  by  him  for  a 
college  song,  dedicated  to  his  Al- 
ma Mater,  and  for  a  short  storj', 
submitted  to  the  Rani's  Horn. 
To  Bethany  College  he  is  indebted 
for  the  honorary  degree  of  A.  M. 

Mr.  Olson's  marriage  to.  Miss 
Anna  Strand  of  Des  Moines,  la., 
took  place  Dec.  20,  1899.  Their 
children  are:  Eugene  Wilfred 
Irving,  born  1901,  Adele  Eugenia, 
1903,  Eunice  Elizabeth,  1905,  and 
Herbert  William  Leroy,  1907. 
Mrs.  Olson  is  a  graduate  of  the 
Augustana  Conservatory  of  Music. 

The  family  attend  the  Geths-em- 
ane  Swedish  Lutheran  Church, 
Mr.  Olson  at  present  serving  as 
its  secretary  and  chairniati  of  its 
board  of  trustees.  He  is  secretary 
of  the  Western  Oregon  Orchard 
Company  and  member  of  the 
Swedish  Historical  Society  of 
America. 


OSCAR    ENGBERG, 

in  point  of  >ears  of  service  the 
oldest  Swedish  -  American  book 
publisher  and  bookseller,  was  born 
Dec.  6,  1863,  in  the  parsonage  of 
the  Inunamiel  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church,  Chicago,  which  at  that 
time,  together  with  the  church, 
was  located  on  Superior  st. ,  between 
Wells  St.  and  La  Salle  ave.,  on 
the  site  now  occupied  by  the  Pas- 


Chicaj>'o 


387 


savant  Memorial  Hospital.  Hu 
has  ever  since  had  his  name  011 
the  rolls  of  this  con.ijregatioii. 

After  attending  parochial  and 
public  schools  as  well  as  studying 
jirivately,  young  Ivngberg  passed 
an  apprenticeship  of  several  j-ears' 
duration  in  the  ])rintiug  office  of 
luigherg  &  Holmberg,  thereby 
la\ing  the  foundation  for  the  gen- 
eral   knowledge    of    jmlilishing    in 


OSCAR     BNGBERG 

its  various  branches  which  he 
possesses. 

Having  served  as  salesman  with 
the  same  firm  for  several  j-ears, 
Mr.  Engberg  was  placed  in  charge 
of  a  branch  established  in  St. 
Paul,  Minn.,  in  the  fall  of  1881, 
remaining  there  for  six  years, 
when  he  returned  to  the  parent 
establishment  in  Chicago. 

Since  1S87  Mr.  Engberg  has 
been  secretary  of  the  Engberg- 
Holmberg  Publishing  Co.  As  he 
has  made  a  study  of  the  business 
and    his    memory   is  excellent,  his 


head  is  crammed  with    knowledge  i 
of    book    titles    and   prices  as  well  I 
as  names  of   authors  and  publish- 
ers.     Heing    exceedingly    fond    of  ' 
reading,    he    has  "devoured"    vol- 
umes  innumerable. 

During  his  thirty  vears  of  ,serv-  | 
ice  in  the  book  business  he  has  | 
made  the  acquaintance  of  residents  i 
tlirougliout  the  northern  half  of  | 
the  states.  He  has  the  reputation  '• 
of  being  an  energetic,  indefati-  i 
gable  toiler.  Mr.  Engberg  has  1 
edited  a  number  of  publications, 
and  under  a  nom  de  plume  made  ' 
occasional  contributions  to  the  | 
Swedish-American  press,  in  verse  ■ 
form. 

Nov.    24,     1885,     Mr.     Engberg 
was  married  to  Anna  Christian  of 
Winona,   Minn.,    born    March     19,    i 
1864.      They    have    a     daughter,    j 
Helen,    born    June    3,    1887.     For 
the    past    fifteen    years  they    have   ] 
been  residents  of  Ravenswood.  I 


JOSEPH   G.  SHELDON 

was  born  July  29,  1868,  in  Karls- 
krona,  Sweden,  where  his  father 
was  cashier  of  the  state  peniten- 
tiary. He  went  to  private  school 
at  the  age  of  five  years  and  con- 
tinued there  until  he  was  nine 
years  old.  In  January,  1878,  he 
began  to  attend  the  elementary 
school,  where  he  remained  until 
the  summer  of  1884,  when  be  was 
a  member  of  the  seventh  class. 
His  father  having  died  two  years 
previously,  young  Slieldon,  accom- 
panied by  his  mother,  emigrated 
to  America.  He  came  to  Chicago 
in  August,  1884,  and  has  since 
resided    here.      He    soon    obtained 


388 


Cook  County 


employment  with  A.  H.  Andrews 
&  Co.,  manufacturers  of  school 
furniture,  and  remained  with  this 
firm  until  i8S6.  In  the  fall  of 
that  year  he  connnenced  work  as 
a  drj-  goods  clerk,  and  continued 
in  that  vocation  until  January, 
1889,  when  he  took  a  course  in 
bookkeeping  at  the  Metropolitan 
Business    College.       After    having 


JOSEil'lI    ('.ll.IiliKT    SHi;i,IJON 

completed  his  course  he  obtained 
employment  as  a  bookkeeper,  and 
in  February,  1891,  secured  a  po- 
sition as  receiving  teller  and  gen- 
eral bookkeeper  in  the  Dime  Sav- 
ings Bank,  where  he  remained 
until  the  summer  of  1895.  In  the 
fall  of  that  year  he  matriculated 
with  the  Northwestern  University 
Law  School,  from  which  he  grad- 
uated in  June,  1.S97,  at  the  head 
of  a  class  of  eighty.  He  secured 
the  scholarship  prize,  consisting  of 
a  series  of  thirty  volumes  of  law. 
He  has  since  practiced  law  in  the 


state     and     federal     courts     with 
marked  success. 

In  April,  1902,  he  was  appointed 
a  justice  of  the  peace  to  succeed 
Clias.  H.  Hoglund,  deceased,  and 
served  in  that  capacity  until  De- 
cember, 1906,  when  that  office 
was  abolished,  and  he  then  re- 
sumed the  practice  of  law. 

Mr.  Sheldon  became  a  member 
of  Svithiod  Lodge  No.  i,  I.  O.  S., 
in  1898,  was  elected  chairman  of 
the  lodge  in  January,  1900,  and 
chairman  of  the  grand  lodge  in 
1906,  being  reelected  in  1907. 

Since  1907,  Mr.  Sheldon  is  pres- 
ident of  the  Hngberg-Holmberg 
Publishing  Company.  lit  was  in 
1 90S  elected  secretary  of  the  Swed- 
ish Historical  Society  of  America. 
Mr.  Sheldon  is  known  as  a  flu- 
ent sjK-aker  in  both  Swedish  and 
English  and  has  appeared  as  ora- 
tor on  many  public  occasions. 

Mr.  Sheldon  traces  his  ancestry 
back  to  Bishop  Gilbert  Sheldon, 
who  was  Dean  of  the  University 
of  Oxford  in  the  early  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century  and  who  do- 
nated the  funds  necessary  to  erect 
the  Sheldonian  Theater  at  Ox- 
ford, whicli  is  still  in  existence. 
In  consideration  of  this  gift,  his 
lineal  descendants  are  entitled  to 
a  free  education  at  the  I'niversity 
of  Oxford.  The  sons  of  Bishop 
Sheldon  were  adherents  of  Charles 
I.,  and  hence  were  ft)rced  to  llee 
the  country  after  Cromwell's  ac- 
cession to  power.  All  but  two 
went  to  America.  Gilbert  and 
Francis  in  1650  found  a  home  in 
Sweden,  where  the>-  followe<l  their 
trade,      that      of      ship      builders. 


Chicago 


389 


Francis  iie\er  married.  Gilbert's 
desceiulaiils  up  to  the  present  gen- 
eration have,  with  few  excep- 
tions, also  l)een  ship  builders  and 
taken  a  i)roniinent  part  in  build- 
ing the  Swedisli  navj-.  C.ilberl's 
son,  Charles  Sheldon,  was  born 
Sept.  29,  1666,  and  died  Aug.  10, 
1739.  His  sou,  Gilbert  Sheldon, 
was  born  Feb  21,  17 10,  in  Karls- 
kroiia,  where  the  family  resided  un- 
til 1SS4.  He  died  April  20,  1794. 
Both  he  and  his  father  were  chiefs 
of  construction  in  the  Swedish 
navy.  Although  the  family  was 
numerous  at  one  time,  the  only 
male  representatives  of  the  pres- 
ent generation  are  Joseph  G.  and 
his  elder  brother,  Adolf  Ulric 
Sheldon,  a  retired  ship  builder, 
now  residing  in  Schloss  Raudegg, 
Baden.  There  are  no  Sheldons  in 
Sweden  at  the  present  time. 

On  Aug.  20,  1903,  Mr.  Shel- 
don was  united  in  marriage  with 
Sigrid  Engberg,  daughter  of  the 
late    Jonas    Engberg. 


MARTIN  J.  ENGBERG 

was  born  Sept.  4,  1872,  in  Chicago. 
His  parents  were  Jonas  and  Eliza- 
beth Engberg.  He  was  graduated 
from  the  North  Division  High 
School  in  1SS9,  and  then  spent  a 
j^ear  in  the  Eiigberg-Hohnberg 
Pub.  Co.'s  office.  In  the  fall  of 
1890  he  entered  the  University  of 
Illinois,  taking  a  scientific  course, 
and  making  a  specialtj'  of  chemistry. 
Graduating  in  1S94  with  the 
degree  Bachelor  of  Science,  he 
was  a  technical  chemist  for  sever- 
al years.  Since  [900  he  has  been 
identified  with  the  Engberg-Holm- 


berg  Publishing  Co.  in  the  capac-| 
ily  of  tre;isurer.  He  is  one  of 
the  cilitors  of  this  work  and  hasi 
uncovered  .some  historical  material! 
before  iniknown  to  Swedish-Amer- 
ican annals.  He  was  for  some' 
years  actively  identified  with  several; 
Swedish  musical  organizations. 

Mr.     Pjigberg    is    a    member  of 
the  Swedi>h  Historical  Society   of 


.MAKTl.N-  J.   ENC.BBRi; 

America,  the  Illinois  State  Histor-  1 
ical  Society  and  of  the  Illinois  | 
Academy  of  Science.  i 

On  Aug.    17,  1904,  Mr.  Engberg 
was     united     in     marriage     with  ! 
Elizabeth  Hoflfsten  of  Philadelphia,  I 
Pa.     Mrs.   Engberg  is  the   daugh- 
ter of  Aaron  and  Sophie  HofTsten,  , 
and    was    born    Nov.   4,    1873,    ^t 
Wilkesbarre,    Pa.     She    graduated 
from    the    Girls'    High    School    in 
Philadelphia  in  1891  and  later  from 
the  Girls'   Normal  School  and  has 
taken  special  studies    in    the    Uni- 
versity    of     Pennsylvania.       Miss 
Hoffsten     was    a    teacher    in     the 


390 


Cook  County 


Robert     Morris     School     in    Phil- 
adelphia for  several  years. 

Since  coming   to   Chicago,   Mrs. 
Engberg   has  compiled  a  Swedish 


i;lizabi;th  hoi-i'sticn  knghekg 

primer  entitled,  "Min  forsta  lase- 
bok,"  which  is  founded  on  the  most 
advanced  American  pedagogical 
thouglit,  coupled  with  many  new 
ideas  devi.sed  for  the  book.  It  has 
cast  aside  the  traditional  methods 
heretofore  used  in  the  Swedish 
primers  both  in  Sweden  and  this 
country. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  liiigberg  are 
members  of  the  Immanuel  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church.  They  have  two 
sons,  Roljert  Martin,  born  Jan.  17, 
1906,  and  Paul  Richard  Hoflfsten, 
born  Aug.  20,    1908. 


CARL  H.   F.  BKRGQUIST 

was  born  Feb.  12,  1H74,  in  Chi- 
cago. He  is  the  eldest  .son  of 
Carl  O.  and  Wendla  A.  Berg(iuist. 
After  finishing  his  public  school 
course,    he    engaged    in    ihe    rtal 


estate  and  insurance  business, 
eventually  entering  into  partner- 
ship with  his  father  and  younger 
brother,  Hjalniar,  under  the  firm 
title  of  Carl  O.  Bergquist  and 
Sons. 

In  1902  he  removed  to  Kncanip- 
ment,  Wyo.,  where  he  is  growing 
up  with  the  country.  Mr.  Berg- 
cjuist  is  connected  with  a  number 
of  mining  companies  operating  in 
the  camp.  He  is  vice-president 
and  general  manager  of  the  Wyo- 
ming Finance  Co.,  president  of 
the  Big  Butte  Copper  Co.,  and 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  The  In- 
vestors Mining  and  Prospecting 
Co.  The  property  of  the  company 
last  named  is  at    Rambler,  Wyo., 


CAKi.  11.  r.  miur.DiisT 

near    the    I)oane-Ranil>ler  and   the 
Ferris- Haggert>    mines. 

Mr.  Berg(iuist  is  further  identi- 
fied with  several  of  Kncampnieiit's 
industries  and  activities. 


Chicajyo 


391 


EOS  HEGSTROM 

was  born  Jan.  7,  1854,  in  Herg- 
sjo,  Helsinfjlanil,  Sweden,  where 
liis  father  was  scliool   teaclier    and 


EOS   HEGSTROM 

parish  clerk.  He  came  to  America 
in  1869  a'"A  spent  the  first  two 
years  in  Andover  and  Victoria, 
111.,    where  he  attended  school. 

In  the  spring  of  1872  he  entered 
the  emplo_v  of  the  Swedi,sh  Luther- 
an Publication  Society  in  Chicago. 
When  Hevilatidct  wa.s  sold  to 
Enander  and  Bohman  in  1873,  he  be- 
came their  accountant,  remaining 
in  this  capacity  for  nine  j-ears. 
In  1882  he  went  to  Anoka,  Minn., 
where  he  spent  two  years  in  the 
mercantile  business  of  O.  Norell. 
He  entered,  in  18S4,  the  banking 
house  of  Haugan  and  Lindgren, 
later  styled  the  State  Bank  of 
Chicago,  and  remained  with  the 
bank  twenty  years  Mr.  Hegstrom 
was  one  of  the  promoters  of  the 
Union     Bank    of     Chicago     which 


was  organized  in  the  spring  of 
1905  and  has  been  vice-president 
from  the  start.  On  July  16,  1908, 
the  bank  had  a  capital  stock  and 
surplus  of  5225,000.00  and  depos- 
its amounting  to  $818,288.18. 
Mr.  Hegstrom  is  at  the  head  of  the 
real  estate  loan  department  and 
is  one  of  the  exjiert  real  estate 
valuators  of  the  city. 

Mr.  Hegstrom  is  not  married. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Elim  Swed- 
ish  Lutheran   Church  of    Pullman- 

V.   HARALD  HEGSTROM, 

pastor  of  the  Augustana  Sw  edish 
Lutheran  Church  in  Hyde  Park, 
was  born  Jan.  11,  1869,  in  Berg- 
sjo,  Sweden,  where  his  father, 
Erik  Hogstrom,  was  a  teacher 
and  parish  clerk.     The  son  attend- 


V     H.\KALU    HEGSTROM 

ed  public  scliool  and  enjoyed  pri- 
vate instruction  in  Sweden.  Not 
long  after  his  immigration  to  this 
country  in  1884,  he  was  enrolled 
as  a    student    at    Augustana    Col. 


392 


Cook  County 


lege,  where  he  studied  from  1885 
to  1890,  graduating  the  latter  year 
with  the  bachelor's  degree.  Mr. 
Hegstrom  next  pursued  jiostgrad- 
uate  studies  at  Yale  1890-91  and 
'92-94,  whereby  he  earned  the 
degree  of  Pli.  D.  He  continued 
higher  studies  at  Columbia  Uni- 
versitj'.  New  York,  1895-97,  was 
a  non-resident  student  of  Cliicago 
University  1902-0^^  and  a  resident 
student  for  four  quarters,  1903-04. 

In  1892  Dr.  Hegstrom  took  a  posi- 
tion as  teacher  at  I'psala  College, 
Brooklyn.  In  1S98  he  accepted  a 
call  to  become  president  of  Jewell 
College,  Jewell,  la.,  and  remained 
at  the  head  of  that  institution  un- 
til 1903,  when  he  exchanged  the 
profes.sor's  chair  for  the  pulpit, 
taking  charge  of  the  .\ugustana 
Church  in  Chicago  as  acting  pas- 
tor. Having  completed  a  divinity 
course  at  Augustana  Theological 
Seminary  in  1905-06,  Dr.  Hegstrom 
was  graduated  with  the  degree 
of  B.  D.  and  subsequently  ordained 
to  the  ministry.  In  the  Augus- 
tana Church,  which  he  still  .serves, 
he  has  laid  down  great  effort 
in  securing  a  $20,000  church 
as  well  as  in  the  inner  upbuilding 
of  the  congregation.  Dr.  Heg- 
strom is  a  director  of  the  Chicago 
Inner  Mission  Society. 

June  I,  1898,  Dr.  Hegstrom  was 
married  to  Ada  Matilda  Swanson, 
born  July  ir,  1877,  the  daughter 
of  S.  A.  and  Bettj'  Swanson  of 
Des  Moines,  la.  Of  three  chil.iRn 
born  to  them,  two  are  living: 
Harald  litigcnc,  born  Aug.  S, 
1901,  and  Ada  Inez  Sarah  Doro- 
thea,  born   I<\-b.  22,    1904. 


FRANK  L.  HELANDER 

was  born  in  Sjotofta,  Elfsborgs 
Ian,  Sweden,  Jmie  29,  1870.  and 
emigrated  to  America  in  1886, 
coming  to  Chicago,  where  he  has 
resided  ever  since.  He  first  se- 
cured   employment    in    the    Rock 


KUANK    L.    I1I;L.\.\LiER 

Island  railroad  shops,  where  he 
worked  for  three  years.  He  then 
worked  for  several  clothing  lirms, 
staying  with  one  firm  six  years, 
in  the  same  place  that  he  now 
occupies  for  his  own  business,  at 
5122  Wentworlh  ave.  In  1897  he 
opened  a  clothing  and  men's  fur- 
nishing house,  and  has  succeeded 
well. 

Mr.  Helander  is  a  Lutheran  by 
faith.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
I.innc  Societ\',  Kiinan  Lodge,  I. 
().  \'.,  Court  Stockholm  No.  16, 
h'oresters  of  America,  the  John 
I'!ricsson  Lodge  No.  3(11,  I.  O.  O. 
!•■.,  the  Mystic  Star  Lodge  No. 
75S,    A.   F.   and   A.    M.,    the    Ori- 


Chicago 


ental  Coiisistor>-,  S.  P.  R.  S.,  and 
of  the  Medinah  Temple,  Mystic 
Shrine. 

In  1894  Mr.  Helander  wa.s  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Clara  Johnson  of 
Chicago,  and  the>-  have  estab- 
lished a  pleasant  home.  Their 
children  are;  Alice,  Mabel,  Clara 
and   Frank. 


AUGUSTA  SOFIA  KHEIRALLA 

was    born    Jan.   21,    1854,    in    Fin- 
land,  near  tlie    citv  of    Vasa.      At 


Al'GUSTA   SOFIA    KHEIRALLA 

the  age  of  ten  ^-ears  she  began 
her  studies  at  a  girls'  seminary  in 
Vasa,  from  which  she  graduated 
in  1870.  The  same  year  she  emi- 
grated to  America,  taking  up  her 
residence  in  Chicago.  In  the  j-ear 
1888  she  began  the  study  of 
medicine,  graduating  from  the 
Hahnemann  Medical  College  in 
1892.  Later  on  she  took  up  a 
course  of  study  at  the  Harvey 
Medical  College,  from  which  she 
graduated  in  1896.     She  practiced 


393 

her  proff.ssion  in  the  city  of  Chi- 
cago until  1904,  when  she  was 
married  to  Dr.  Ibrahim  G.  Khei- 
ralla,  a  Syrian  scholar. 

Mrs.  Kheiralla  is  a  sister  of  the 
late  C.  G.  Linderborg,  formerly 
editor  and  publisher  of  Szri/shi 
TribuHoi . 


JOHN  H.   ROSBERG 

was  born  in  Reslof  parish,  near 
Malmo,  Skane,  Nov.  23,  1856. 
He  was  apprenticed  at  the  age  of 


JOHN   HENKV    ROSBERG 

sixteen  to  one  Plantiii,  a  cabinet- 
maker in  Malmo,  and  became  a 
journeyman  in  1S77.  After  work- 
ing in  Copenhagen  for  a  year  and 
in  Stockholm  for  four  j-ears  he 
emigrated  to  this  countrj-  in  1882. 
After  a  short  stay  in  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  he  came  to  Chicago,  and 
after  working  for  various  firms, 
he  entered  in  1885  into  partner- 
ship with  Hans  Jessen  and  started 
a  cabinet-maker's  shop  in  Jeffer- 
son St.    A  later  shop  having  burned 


394 


Cook  County 


in  1 90 1,  they  moved  to  their 
present  quarters  at  405  W.  Kinzie 
St.,  where  they  occupy  six  floors 
and  employ  about  ninetj-  workmen. 
Jesseu  &  Rosberg  make  benches 
and  cabinets  for  dentists,  watch- 
makers' benches  and  the  like.  Mr. 
Jessen  having  died  in  1902,  Mr. 
Rosberg  is  now  sole  proprietor, 
having  purchased  his  partner's 
interest  in  the  business. 

Mr.  Rosberg  is  a  member  of 
King  Oscar  Lodge  No.  855,  A.  F. 
and  A.  M.,  Oriental  Consistory, 
Wa.shington  Chapter  No  43,  Co- 
lumbia Commandery  No.  63,  and  is 
a  Noble  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  as 
member  of  Medinah  Temple,  of 
Atlas  Lodge  No.  261,  L  O.  O.  F., 
and  of  Svithiod  Lodge  No.  i,  L 
O.  S.,  of  which  he  was  treasurer 
for  three  years. 

Mr.  Rosberg  was  married  in 
1882  to  Kerstin  Holmgren  from 
Arlof,  Skane.  They  have  six 
sons:  Charles  Henr^',  George  Au- 
gust, Alfred  Victor,  Rudolf  Wal- 
demar,  Harry  Emil  and  Elmer 
Gustaf. 

The  home  is  at  1S32  Hum- 
boldt boulevard. 


AXEL  LUDVIG  HVASSMAN 

was  born  in  Habo  parish,  Vester- 
gotland,  Sweden  on  April  24, 
1863.  At  an  early  age  he  moved 
to  Jiinkiiping  and  thence  in  18S1 
to  Stockholm.  He  was  there  en- 
gaged with  Jan.son  and  Wallgren, 
court  tailors.  While  in  the  capi- 
tal he  sang  in  choruses  directed 
by  Berg,  Albert  Lindstn'im,  Krueg- 
er  and  others.  In  1886  Mr.  Hvass- 
inan    emigrated    with    Chicago    as 


his  goal.  He  there  was  employed 
with  prominent  tailoring  firms  like 
John  and  Henry  Stevenson.  Since 
1896  he  has  had  his  own  business. 
He  is  now  established  at  352-354 
N.  Clark  st. 

Ever    since   coming    to    Chicago 
Mr.    Hvassman  has  been  active  in 


AXEI.    I.VDVK".    HV.\SSM.\.\ 

Swedish  musical  circles.  Choir 
leader  at  Lake  View  Swedish 
Mission  Church  1S90-93,  he  has 
held  the  same  position  twice  each 
at  the  Tabernacle  Swedisli  Mission 
Church  and  the  Nortli  Siile  Swed- 
ish Mission  Church.  He  has  served 
continuously  al  the  latter  church 
since  1902.  Besides  leading  the 
church  choir,  he  directs  the  Asaph 
male  chorus.  In  addition  he  is 
director  of  the  Swedish  Mission 
Festival  Chorus,  organized  in  1892. 
Mr.  Hvassman  was  on  Aug. 
27,  1907  united  in  marriage  witli 
Alma  lunma  Ivlizabcth.  born  in 
Chicago,  July  16,  1879  to  Carl 
and    Sarah     Anderson.     She    is    a 


Chicago 


395 


};ra(liiale     of     Hyck-     I'arU      HIkIi 
School. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs,  Ihasstnan 
was  born  on  Jiil\'  4,  190.S  a 
daughter. 


SWEN  LINDEROTH 

was  horn  Oct.  14,  1859,  in  Skane, 
Sweden.  The  parents  in  i860 
moved  near  Eskilslnna,  wliere  the 
father  became  a  farmer.  Swen 
finislied  the  course  in  the  public 
school  at  the  age  of  twelve  )-ears. 
Soon  after,  he  was  apprenticed  to 
a  wood-turner,  but,  treated  cruelly 
by  him,  the  lad  was  then  made 
errand  boy  to  a  shoemaker.  Tiring 
of  this,  he  left  ICskilstuna  and  went 
to  Stockholm  where  he  became  a 
clerk.  His  evenings  were  devoted 
to  study.  At  the  age  of  seventeen 
he  obtained  a  good  position  in  a 
planing  mill  where  houses  were 
planned  and  manufactured  ready 
for  domestic  and  foreign  shipment. 
Two  years  after,  he  became  assist- 
ant superintendent  in  a  planing 
mill  in  Eskilstuna.  Returning 
to  Stockholm  he  worked  in  an 
architect's  office  during  the  win- 
ter and  in  the  different  build- 
ing trades  during  the  summer, 
thereby  gaining  the  all-round 
experience  he  would  have  attained 
in  a  technical  school  and  at  the 
same  time  earning  his  living. 
As  junior  partner  of  an  architect- 
ural firm  Linderoth  engaged  in 
his  profession  until  the  fall  of  1884, 
when  he  left  Sweden.  Arriving 
at  Chicago  he  had  to  grapple 
with  new  architectural  methods 
and  a  new  language.  He  made 
good    progress,     and    in     1S87    he 


was  invited  to  become  a  member 
of  the  Illinois  cha])ler  of  llie 
American  Institute  of  Arcliitects. 
In  1S91  a  severe  illness  almost 
cost  him  liis  life.  He  was,  in 
fact,  given  up  for  dead,  but  revived 
miraculouslv    after    the    lime    for 


SWnX   I.I.NDEROTH 

his  funeral  had  been  set.  He 
required  nine  months  to  recuper- 
ate. In  the  meantime  his  former 
good  business  was  .so  badlj'  con- 
ducted by  his  subordinates  that 
he  decided  to  al)andon  his  profes- 
sion. 

Mr.  Linderoth  now  essayed  the 
manufacture  of  enameled  brick, 
which  had  heretofore  been  import- 
ed from  England  at  high  prices. 
A  factory  was  built  at  52nd  and 
Wallace  sts.,  and  men  were  en- 
gaged who  had  made  a  similar 
product  abroad.  After  a  Swedish, 
a  German  and  an  English  super- 
intendent had  in  turn  failed  in 
the  attempt  to  produce  enameled 
brick,  the  Linderoth  Ceramic  Co. 
was  forced    to  the  wall. 


396 


Cook  County 


Mr.  Liiuleroth  sold  his  house, 
and,  under  the  assignee,  con- 
tinued to  experiment  until  he 
finally  succeeded  in  producing 
a  real  enamel  on  clay.  But 
being  financially  ruined,  it  was 
inii)ossible  for  him  to  continue 
operations.  A  small  shed  was 
finally  secured  in  Hnglewood,  in 
which  porcelain  filler  tubes  were 
made.  The  demand  for  his  product 
was  so  great  that  he  soon  occupied 
larger  quarters.  In  1900  a  second 
factory  was  built.  Two  years  later 
an  addition  was  built  and  more 
ground  purchased  to  provide  for 
future  extensions.  The  establish- 
ment is  now  incorporated  as  the 
Alhambra  Ceramic  Works,  with 
Mr.  Linderoth  as  its  ])resident. 
Among  the  products  are  enameled 
and  glazed  tile,  terra  cotla  statuettes 
and  placcjues,  porcelain  filter  lubes 
and  potterj-  for  u.se  in  schools 
as  drawing  models  ;  also  under- 
glaze  decorated  ware,  as  yet 
quite  new  in  the  I'nited  States. 
A  ceramic  school  has  been  started 
in  connection  with  the  enterprise, 
in  which  art  students  are  taught 
various  branches  of  the  potter's 
art,  including  the  purely  decora- 
tive branches  as  well  as  ceramic 
chemistry.  Samples  of  their  work 
was  exhibited  at  the  World's 
Exposition  at  St.  Louis  by  the 
firm.  When  the  ceramic  .school 
was  to  be  started  at  the  I'niver- 
sity  of  Illinois,  Mr.  Linderoth  was 
offered  the  position  of  director, 
but  declined  the  appointment. 

His  clients  have  persuaded 
him  to  again  enter  the  jirofes- 
sional  field  again,  and    he  is    now 


actively    engaged    in    the    practice 
of  architecture. 

Mr.  Linderoth  was  married  to 
Sophie  Johnson  in  1SS7  and  his 
children  are  Ruby,  Samuel,  Irene 
and  Edna.  He  is  a  member  of 
ceramic,  architectural,  literary, 
and  temperance  societies.  He  has 
been  major  of  the  Swedish- 
American  Guards  ami  first  vice- 
president  of  the  Swedi.sh  National 
Association.  Mr.  Linderoth  pos- 
sesses marked  ability  as  a  writer 
and  his  contributions  to  technical 
and  trade  journals  are  many  and 
valuable. 


CHARLES    JOHN    ANDERSON 

was  born  July  20,  1880,  in  the 
parish  of  Viby,  Ostergotland,  Swe- 
den, where  his  father,  Anders 
Gustaf  Peterson,  was  a  carpenter. 
I'j)  to  his  fifteenth  year  he  re- 
ceived his  training  and  educa- 
tion in  his  native  place.  Com- 
ing to  this  country  in  May,  1895, 
he  worked  on  a  farm  near  Oak- 
land, Neb.  four  years,  attending 
public  .school  in  winter.  Going 
from  there  to  Omaha,  he  took  a 
two  years'  course  at  the  Omaha 
Connnercial  College  and  then  was 
in  the  employ  of  tl'.e  Western 
Paper  Co.  in  that  city  a  short 
time  before  leaving  for  Chicago 
in    1901. 

After  being  connected  with  the 
house  of  Carson,  Pirie,  Scott  and 
Co.  for  a  year,  Mr.  Anderson  was 
engaged  as  advertising  manager 
for  J/tiiiiiiels  I  an,  a  Swedish 
illustrated  magazine,  which  ]>roved 
short-lived.      He  next   held  a  sini- 


Chicago 


397 


ilar  position  willi  Srt//shi  7'ri/>itii- 
en,  which  lie  left  Fi-h.  i,  iyo6, 
to  eugafje  in  the  priiiliiig  husiiiess 


CHAKLES  JOHN   AXUERSOX 

on  his  own  account.  Embarrassed 
by  lack  of  sufficient  capital,  he 
gave  up  the  business  and  is  now 
a  member  of  the  firm  known  as 
the  Gorham  Printing  Company-, 
besides  handling  advertising  for 
several  Swedish  newspapers. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  married  Aug. 
26,  1903,  to  Mamie  Johnson, 
daughter  of  Julius  Johnson,  born 
at  Kiron,  la.,  Aug.  6,  18S0. 
Their  home  is  brightened  bj-  the 
presence  of  their  first  born,  a  son, 
"\'incent  Gaj-lord. 


MARTIN  ANDERSON 

was  born  Nov.  11,  1859,  in  Tan- 
urn  parish,  Bohuslan,  Sweden. 
At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  went 
to  Christiania  where  he  learned 
the  baker's  trade  from  his  uncle. 
After    a    period    of    five    years    he 


became  a  journeyman  and  then 
emigrated  to  this  country,  arriv- 
ing in  Chicago  in    18.S0. 

After  working  four  years  for 
a  German  baker,  he  formed  a 
jiartnership  with  Hans  Lyslad,  a 
comrade  from  his  Christiania  days. 
Their  liakery  was  at  115  Sedgwick 
St.,  where  they  had  a  force  of 
four  men.  Before  long  the  bu.si- 
ness  grew  to  such  projiortions 
that  they  moved  to  296-29S  E. 
Division  st.,  where  about  fifty  men 
are  emjiloyed.  Mr.  Lystad  died 
about  1 90 1  and  Mr.  Anderson  pur- 
chased his  share  in    the    business. 

In  1890  Mr.  Anderson  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Emma 
Lystad,    a    sister    of    his    j)artner. 


MAkTl.N   A.Nl'KKSON 

Mr.  Anderson  is  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  King  Oscar  Lodge  of  Ma- 
sons. 


AXEL  MELLANDER 

was     born     March     26,      i860,    in 
Bronnestad,  Skane,  Sweden, wlience 


398 


Cook  County 


his  parents  moved  the  year  follow- 
ing to  Mellbj-  parish.  At  his 
tenth  vear  he  had  to  leave    home 


AXlil,    MEi.l.A.NtJKK 

and  earn  his  own  living.  Convert- 
ed at  the  age  of  fifteen  years,  he 
was  enabled  by  the  aid  of  Christ- 
ian friends  to  stndj-  and  then  be- 
came a  primary  school  teacher. 
Continuing  his  studies  at  the  nor- 
mal school  in  Lund  1S77-78,  he 
could  not  reconcile  himself  to  the 
religious  views  taught  there.  He 
thereupon  studied  with  private 
tutors  in  the  same  city  until  1S79 
when  he  emigrated  to  America. 

After  having  resided  with  rela- 
tives in  Fremont,  la.,  Mr.  Mellan- 
der  .secured  admittance  the  next 
year  to  the  theological  class  in 
Ansgarius  College  at  Knoxville, 
III.  In  1S81  he  was  ordained  to 
the  ministry  in  the  Swedish  Mis- 
sion Covenant.  Rev.  Axel  Mell- 
ander  had  pastorates  in  I.owell, 
Mass.,  in  1881,  in  Hoslon,  18S2,  in 
Fresvsl)urg,    N.    \'.,  anil    Scandia, 


Pa.,  1883.  In  the  fall  of  18S4  he 
accepted  a  call  to  the  Mission 
P'riends  congregation  in  North 
Kaston.  Mass.  Two  years  later 
Rev.  Mellander  became  editor  of 
Afinmapolis  I'eckoblad,  a  post  he 
retained  for  three  years.  During 
1889-92  he  was  pastor  of  the 
Iron  Mountain,  Mich.,  Mission 
Friends  church.  In  the  fall  of 
1892  he  became  a  teacher  in  the 
Mission  Covenant's  theological 
school,  then  in  Minneapolis.  Wlien 
the  seminary  removed  to  Chicago 
in  1894  and  became  North  Park 
College,  Prof.  Mellander  went 
with  it  and  has  since  been  one  of 
the  leading  members  of  the  faculty. 

For  several  years  he  edited  the 
covenant's  newspaper  Misiioiiiiitii, 
now  defunct.  In  1901  Professor 
Mellander  traveled  through  south- 
ern Europe,  Ivg>pt  and  Palestine. 
The  results  of  his  observations  and 
studies  on  that  trip  are  laid  down 
in  a  book,  "Genom  bibelns  lan- 
der." Besides  the  above,  he  has 
written  the  following  books  and 
pamphlets:  "Lifvet,  doden  och 
evigheten,"  "Profetskolorna  i  Is- 
rael," and  "Betankande  i  kongre- 
gationalistfragan." 

Rev.  Axel  Mellander  was  mar- 
ried Aug.  22,  1884,  to  ICrika  A. 
(jarberg.  The\-  have  had  four 
children  of  whom  one  son,  Knoch 
Theophilus,    born    1890,    survives. 

I11;R.MAX   WILLIAM   HANSON 

was  born  on  Tjiirn,  an  island  in 
the  Kattegat,  Bohusliin,  Swe<len, 
on  May  7,  1847.  His  parents 
were   Hans  Antleison  and    .\nnika 


Chicago 


399 


Johansdolter.  After  stiulyiriK  the 
rudiments  at  public  school,  he 
went  at  the  age  of  twelve  years 
to  Goteborg  in  order  to  earn  his 
living.  Four  years  later  he  went 
to  Stockholm  where  he  had  a 
place  in  the  office  of  his  brother, 
a  baker  by  trade. 

In  1S67  \\'illiani  emigrated  to 
America  and  came  to  Chicago, 
where  he  learned  the  machinist's 
trade  which  he  followed  until 
1872.  Mr.  Hanson  opened  a  store 
where  he  sold  sewing  machines 
and  tailors'  trimmings,  remaining 
in  this  business  a  quarter  of  a 
century.  In  1899  he  went  into 
the  real  estate  and  insurance 
business,  entering  into  partnership 
with  Fred  Anderson  in  1904.  He 
is  now  in  business  for  himself  at 
1S89    N.   Clark  st. 

Mr.  Hanson  is  a  well-known 
man  among  the  Mission  Friends, 
having  joined  the  North  Side 
Mission  Church  in  1875.  F'or  the 
last  seven  years  he  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Lake  View  Swedish 
Mission  Church.  He  has  been  a 
member  of  the  board  of  trustees 
of  the  Swedish  Home  of  Mere}' 
for  three  j'ears.  He  is  a  stalwart 
i^epublican  and  was  active  in 
politics  in  the  old  23d  ward  for 
fifteen   years. 

Mr.  Hanson  was  married  June 
16,  1872,  to  Mathilda  Gustafson, 
born  Dec.  19,  1851,  at  Kilaberg, 
Ostergotland,  Sweden.  They  have 
been  blessed  with  five   children. 


where  his  father,  a  mason  con- 
tractor, is  still  living.  When  a 
boj-  he  sold  newspapers  and  period- 
icals after  school  hours,  thereby 
earning  enough  money  to  jiay  his 
fare  to  the  ITnited  States.  He 
came  to  Chicago  as  a  youth  of 
sixteen,    and     was    first    employed 


ERNEST  GEORGE  DAHL 

was  born  Sept.   30,     1870,    in    the 
town  of  Halsberg,  Nerike,  Sweden, 


ERNEST  GEORGE   DAHI, 

as  a  rattan  and  reed  worker. 
After  four  years  he  was-  given 
charge  of  a  department  of  seventy 
workmen  in  the  plant  of  the 
McKinley  Manufacturing  Com- 
pany,  Hoyne  ave.  and  Van  Buren 

St. 

Shortly  after  the  outbreak  of 
the  war  with  Spain,  in  May, 
1898,  Mr.  Dahl  enlisted  in  the 
Astor  Battery  of  New  Vork  City. 
During  the  war  he  saw  active 
service  in  the  Philippines,  partici- 
pated in  the  capture  of  Manila, 
and  served  through  the  campaign 
until  the  balterj-  was  mustered 
out  of  service  the  following  year. 
ITpon    his    return    and    honorable 


400 


Cook  County 


discharge  he  made  a    visit    to    liis 
old  home  in  Sweden. 

From  that  time  Mr.  Dahl  has 
been  engaged  as  a  commercial 
salesman,  traveling  through  many 
of  the  leading  states  in  the  Union 
for  three  of  the  largest  concerns 
in  their  line,  including  the  Pacific 
Coast  Borax  Company.  When 
this  company  some  years  ago  sent 
its  famous  "twenty  mule  team" 
through  the  country  on  an  adver- 
tising campaign,  it  was  Mr.  Dahl, 
who  directed  the  movements  of 
the  unicjue  expedition. 

In  1899  he  was  the  promoter 
and  organizer  of  the  Swtdi.'-h 
American  Veterans  Association, 
which  was  chartered  by  the  state, 
and  for  four  successive  years  he 
was  elected  its  commander.  Dur- 
ing the  presidential  cain])aign  of 
1900  he  organized  and  was  chosen 
captain  of  a  comjjany  of  Republic- 
an veterans  of  the  Spanish-Ameri- 
can war  in  a  regiment  organized 
by  Gen.   Ed.  C.   Young. 

Mr.  Dahl  was  married  on  Dec. 
24,  1903.  He  is  now  conducting 
an  office  as  a  manufacturers' 
agent  at  43  South   Water  st. 

OSCAR  G.  OLSON 

was  horn  March  24,  1864,  in 
Stockholm,  Sweden.  When  he 
was  two  years  of  age  his  parents 
came  to  this  country  and  .settled 
in  Chicago.  The  .son  received  liis 
early  training  here  and  subseipient- 
ly  a  medical  education  in  the 
Kentucky  School  of  Medicine.  Dr. 
Olson  is  now  following  the  pro- 
ession  in    Ciiicago    where    he    has 


lived  for  the  past  fourteen  years. 
He  was  county  physician  of  North 
Chicago  from  1894  to  1898  and 
has  also  been  on  the  staff  of 
the  Swedish  Mercy  Hospital  at 
Bowmanville.  His  office  is  at 
3616  N.   Clark  st. 


CARL   LUNDBKRG, 

state  senator  from  the  eleventh 
district  of  Illinois,  was  born  in 
Kalmar,  Sweden,  May  20,  1S68. 
He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools    in    the    cilv  of    his  birth. 


CARI.   l.lXUIUiRG 

and  then  learned  the  trade  of 
carpentry.  When  eighteen  years 
old,  he  came  to  Chicago  from 
Sweden.  Before  long  he  became 
active  in  labor  circles  and  joined 
the  Carpenters'  I'nion  No.  28. 
Later  he  went  into  the  real  estate 
business  in  partnership  with  his 
brother,  Gust.  Lundherg,  former 
county  commissioner,  and  since 
the  hitter's  death  he  has  carried 
on  the  business  alone.     He  is  also 


Chicago 


401 


a  director  of  the  Englewood  Build- 
ing and  Loan  Association. 

Mr.  Lundherg  has  taken  an  ac- 
tive interest  in  politics  and  repeat- 
edly been  honored  with  public 
office.  In  1896,  when  Republican 
success  seemed  hopeless  in  the 
town  of  Lake,  he  was  nominated 
for  supervi.sor  and  elected.  As 
his  acquaintance  increased,  he  con- 
tinued to  grow  in  public  favor, 
until  in  1902  he  was  made  the 
choice  of  his  party  for  state  .sen- 
ator, was  elected  bj^  an  over- 
whelming majority  and  is  serving 
in  that  capacity  with  credit  to 
himself  and  his  party. 

Mr.  Lundberg  is  a  member  of 
the  order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Cook  County  Rebecca  Society,  the 
North  American  Union,  the  Iduna 
Society,  the  North  Star,  and  the 
Masonic  Order,  being  a  thirty- 
second  degree  Mason.  He  also 
belongs  to  the  Hamilton  Club, 
the  Englewood  Men's  Club  and 
the  Swedish-American  Republican 
Club  of  his  ward,  of  which  latter 
he  is  the  president.  He  lives  at 
5951   Sangamon  st. 


i 


LOUIS  J.  LUNDAHL 

was  born  in  Moline,  111.,  April  18, 
1869,  and  spent  his  early  youth 
in  that  vicinity.  After  finishing 
the  studies  offered  by  the  public 
schools,  he  took  a  course  at  Au- 
gustana  College  in  the  adjacent 
city  of  Rock  Island.  At  the  age 
of  seventeen  he  devoted  himself 
to  the  trade  of  a  painter  and  dec- 
orator, in  which  his  brother,  F. 
A.  Lundahl,  was  already  engaged. 
Accompanying  his  brother,  he  has 


assisted  in  decorating  a  large  nuni 
ber  of  Swedish  Lutheran  churches 
throughout  the  United  States. 

Mr.  Lundahl  is  a  member  of 
the  Evangelical  Lutheran  Church, 
and  also  has  a  membershi])  in  the 


LOUIS   J.    LUNDAHL 

Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  the 
Improved  Order  of  the  Red  Men, 
and  the  Royal  League. 

OLOF  A.  TOFFTEEN, 

professor  of  Semitic  Languages  and 
Biblical  Literature  at  the  Western 
Tlieological  Seminary,  was  born 
at  Hexarfve,  on  the  island  of 
Gotland,  June  26,  1863.  Having 
finished  at  the  common  school,  he 
entered  the  public  college  at  \'isbj'- 
in  1 88 1,  completing  the  course 
in  half  the  time  usually  required. 
In  1885  he  took  up  university 
studies  at  Upsala  and  before  long 
passed  the  preliminary  examina- 
tion in  Semitic  and  Classical 
languages,  philosophy  and  history, 
as    a    candidate    for    the   doctor's 


402 


Cook  County 


degree.  After  two  years  he  inter- 
rupted his  philosophical  and  theo- 
logical    studies     by     accepting     a 


oLOl-     A.   Tul-FTEliN 

position  as  adjunct  pastor  at  Haf- 
deni,  CTOtland,  and  in  i88S  left 
for  the  Ignited  States.  He  then 
entered  Augustana  Theological 
Seminary  at  Rock  Island,  hut  did 
not  long  remain  there.  He  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry  of  the 
American  Episcopal  Church  in 
1893,  in  Gale-sburg,  111.  The  year 
prior  he  had  assumed  pastoial 
charge  of  and  founded  the  Swedish 
Episcopal  Churches  of  Minneapo- 
lis, where  he  labored  for  several 
years.  At  the  state  university,  in 
the  meantime,  he  continued  his 
studies  of  oriental  languages,  is- 
sued several  minor  religious  pub- 
lications, a  voluminous  work  en- 
titled "Vara  Fiiders  Kyrka"  and 
"Myths  and   Hible." 

In  1902  Rev.  Toff  teen  came  to 
Chicago  and  took  up  .studies  at 
the  University  of  Chicago,  while  en- 


gaged in  pastoral  work.  The  de- 
gree of  Ph.  D.  was  conferred  upon 
him  in  1905  by  that  institution. 
The  same  summer  he  was  elected 
profe.s.sor  of  Semitic  Languages 
and  Biblical  Literature  at  the 
Western  Theological  Seminary  in 
Chicago,  and  the  next  sunnner  he 
was  appointed,  in  the  absence  of 
Robert  Francis  Harper,  to  conduct 
his  classes  in  Assyriology  at  the 
University  of  Chicago. 

There  was  published  recently 
from  the  University  of  Chicago  Press 
the  first  volume  of  a  work  by  Dr. 
Toffteen,  entitled,  "Ancient  Chro- 
nology" and  also  Volume  \".  of 
"Ancient  Records  of  Egypt,"  both 
of  which  are  scholarly  results  of 
the  author's  researches.  He  has 
this  year  published  the  first  vol- 
ume of  a  third  orientalist  work, 
"Researches  in  Assyrian  and  Baby- 
lonian Geographj-." 

Dr.  Toffteen  is  the  foiuider  of 
the  Oriental  Society,  comprising 
.seventy  members,  and  is  curator 
of  the  same.  The  Hibbard  Egyp- 
tian Library,  worth  approximately 
$20,000,  has  been  collected  largely 
through  his  efforts,  and  at  the 
seminary  a  post-graduate  depart- 
ment has  been  established  by  him. 

In  the  year  1891  Dr.  Toffteen 
was  married  to  Maria  Nitilia  Rus- 
sell. 


WILLIAM  HENSCHEN, 

editor  of  SamifbiiJt-l,  was  born 
April  II,  1842  in  I'psala.  Sweden. 
His  parents  were  district  ad- 
ministrator Lars  Wilhehn  Hen.schen 
and  his  wife  Augusta  Munck 
af  Rosen.schokl. 


Chicago 


403 


After  several  j-ears  of  private 
instruction,  he  was  entered  at  the 
cathedral  school  at  Upsala  in 
1850.  He  Rradnated  from  the 
Ihiiversity  of  ITpsala  on  Dec.  9, 
1857,  finislied  his  doctorate  stud- 
ies in  1862,  and,  after  a  defense  of 
his  thesis  in  May,  1863,  he  was 
awarded  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Piiilosopliy.  Dr.  Hen.schen  sub- 
setjuenlly  pursued  scientific  and 
medical  studies  for  three  3'ears  at 
the  universities  of  Upsala  and 
Berlin.  In  1866  he  was  appointed 
special  teacher  at  the  Lund 
collegiate  institute  and  in  1867 
he  became  an  instructor  in  the 
Helsingborg  collegiate  institute. 


WILLIA.M    HBNSCHEN 

Emigrating  in  September,  1S70, 
to  the  United  States,  he  settled 
in  Florida.  After  two  years  he 
went  to  New  York,  where  he 
became  in  October,  1873,  editor 
of  A^ordsljfniaii.  From  June,  1874, 
until  August,  1875,  Dr.  Hen.schen 
was  editor  and  part  owner  of 
Norden . 

Dr.  Henschen  joined  the 
Methodist  Church  in  the  spring 
of     1875.       The     following     Sep- 


tember, the  moved  to  Chicago.  He 
now  became  a  teacher  in  the 
Swedish  M.  IC.  Theological  Seini- 
iKiry  and  also  editor  of  Saudchudel, 
the  church  organ,  serving  in  the 
latter  position  until  Sei)tember, 
1882,  when  he  resigned.  A  year 
later  he  withdrew  from  the  semi- 
nary and  became  pastor  of  the 
Jamestown,  N.  V.,  church.  He 
pa.ssed  the  winter  of  1884  in  south- 
ern Florida.  The  next  spring  Dr. 
Henschen  left  for  Sweden,  where 
he  labored  as  editor  and  teacher 
in  Stockholm  and  Up.sala  until 
1889.  Returning  to  this  country, 
he  has  ever  since  been  editor  of 
Siindebudet y  with  the  exception  of 
four  years,  when  he  was  pastor 
of  the  Swedish  M.  E.  Church  at 
Galva,   111. 

Dr.  Henschen  was  in  1868 
united  in  marriage  with  Hilda 
Johanna  Maria  Liljebjorn.  Thej- 
have  had  eleven  children,  of  whom 
the  .seven  surviving  ones  are: 
Henry  Samuel  Henschen,  cashier 
of  the  State  Bank  of  Chicago, 
Gustave  Iv  Henschen,  a  physician 
in  Georgetown,  Tex.,  Mrs.  Signe 
Elizabeth  Reese,  Mrs.  Ellen 
Augusta  Herbert,  Mrs.  Haiina 
Linnea  Grant,  Agnes 
Henschen  and  Hilda 
Henschen. 


Lillian 
Irene 


SAMUEL  E.  CARLSSON 

was  born  Feb.  10,  1864,  in  Chi- 
cago. He  is  the  younger  son  of 
Rev.  Erland  Carlsson  and  Eva 
Charlotta  Carlsson,  nee  Anderson. 
His  mother,  who  came  from  Tim- 
melhed,  Sweden,  in  1851,  was 
married    in    1855,  and    is    still    in 


404 


Cook  County 


vigorous  lieallh.  His  father,  of 
whom  a  sketch  is  given  in  this 
work,  died  Oct.    19,    1893. 


SAMUEL   K.   CARI,SSI)N 

Samuel  went  to  Andover  in  1875 
with  his  parents.  After  a  prepar- 
ation of  three  years  he  entered 
Augustana  College  in  1878.  Dur- 
ing the  3'ear  1881-82  he  taught 
public  school  at  Andover.  Grad- 
uating in  1883,  he  continued  as  a 
post-graduate  until  the  spring  of 
1884,  when  he  moved  to  Liiids- 
borg,  Kansas.  Here  he  served 
for  a  time  as  a  bookkeeper  at  the 
First  National  Bank  of  Lindshorg, 
and  then  became  assistant  cashier 
and  a  stockholder  in  the  Farmers' 
State  Bank  in  the  same  town. 

Mr.  Carl.sson  in  1887  left  for 
Chicago,  where  he  was  employed 
by  the  Pullman  Company  in  the 
capacity  of  department  chief  in 
charge  of  bank,  pay-roll  and  rent 
accounts.  The  following  year  he 
went  to  Rock  I.sland,  assisting  his 
father    in    his    work    as    business 


manager  of  Augustana  College 
from  January,  1888,  until  June, 
1889.  After  a  short  visit  to  Liuds- 
borg,  he  returned  to  Chicago, 
where  from  1890-97  he  held  the 
same  position  as  before  with  the 
Pullman  Co. 

Mr.  Carlsson  was  married  in 
1888  to  Mathilda  M.  Edberg. 
Mrs.  Carlsson  died  July  10,  1897, 
in  Chicago. 

In  1898  Mr.  Carl.sson  Ijecanie  a 
stockholder  in  1-osUrlaudct  and  also 
its  manager.  Two  years  later  he. 
together  with  John  E.  Norling, 
bought  Svonka  'Tribiouit  and  be- 
came the  president  of  the  Swedish 
Pul).  Co.  In  1901  he  sold  his  in- 
terests and  engaged  in  the  lino- 
type composition  business.  Chang- 
ing to  the  piano  trade,  he  was  the 
secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  I. 
O.  Nel-son  Piano  Co.,  sub.sequenlly 
going  to  the  Cable-Nelson  Piano 
Co.  in  the  capacity  of  manager. 

Mr.  Carlson  is  an  enthusiast, 
who  has  been  active  in  Swedish 
and  other  musical  circles.  He 
was  the  first  director  of  the  Au- 
gustana Orchestra  ( 1880-84) .  tli*-> 
first  director  (  1884  )  of  the  Linds- 
borg  Orchestra,  which  sub.secjuent- 
ly  became  the  Bethany  College 
Orchestra,  director  of  the  Inunau- 
uel  Church  Orchestra,  director  of 
the  Innnanuel  Church  Choir  1890 
-98,  and  first  violinist  for  three 
years  in  a  string  quarletle.  Mr. 
Carl.sson  is  violinist  of  the  Carls- 
son Trio,  founded  in  1907.  Since 
the  fall  of  1904  he  has  been  leader 
of  the  Rogers  Park  Kuglish  Luth- 
eran Church  Choir.  In  1907  he 
directed    the    choir's    performance 


Chicapfo 


405 


of  the  cantata  "Faith  and  Praise,"  born.  He  was  for  some  time  iiiial)le 
by  Caleb  West.  He  is  also  leader  to  follow  his  studious  bent,  but 
of  the  Male  Chorus  of  the  Ini-  inanafjed  ultimately  to  take  a 
niatutel  Swedish  Lutheran  Church,      .seminary    course    fittinR    him    for 

On  June  10,  1898,  Mr.  Carlsson  teaching.  In  188,^  he  obtained 
was  united  in  marriage  with  I'earl  his  first  position  as  teacher  in  a 
B.  Lockwood,  daughter  of  J.  I'.,  primary  school  and  three  years 
Curtis,  a  physician  of  Lindsborg. 
Mrs.  Carlsson's  children  i)y  a  for- 
mer marriage  are:  Lillian  Minnie 
Carlsson,  born  Dec.  17,  1S92, 
and  Mavy  Maud  Carlsson,  born 
July  2,  1895.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Carlsson  have  been  born  Ethel 
\'ivian  Carlsson,  May  8,  1901,  and 
Edith  Audrey  Carlsson,  June  23, 
1907. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carlsson  are  mem- 
bers of  the  English  Evangelical 
Lutheran  Church  of  Rogers  Park. 


ANDERS  SCHON, 

journalist,  historian  and  biograph- 
er, was  born  Nov.  17,  1864,  in 
Regnsjo  parish,  Gefleborgs  Ian, 
Sweden.  In  both  of  his  ancestral 
families  there  were  military  men 
for  several  generations  back,  some 
of  whom  were  non  commissioned 
ofiScers  in  the  Helsing  regiment. 
On  the  father's  side  there  were 
several  teachers  of  the  public 
.schools.  The  great-grandfather, 
Johan  Schon,  fought  with  distinc- 
tion in  the  battle  of  Oravais,  Sept. 
14,  1808,  received  a  medal  for 
bravery  and  was  promoted  ser- 
geant. He  died  at  a  ripe  old  age 
in  the  early  sixties.  The  parents 
were  Jonas  Schbn,  schoolmaster 
and  organist,  and  his  wife  Mar- 
gareta,  nee  Westling.  The  son 
was  reared  in  povertj-,  his  father 
having  died  before  the  child    was 


,\niii;ks  sciiux 
later  was  promoted  to  an  advanced 
grade  of  the  people's  schools.  On 
spare  time  he  acted  as  extra  clerk 
in  the  office  of  the  lansman  and  as 
assistant  teacher  of  an  evening 
school  for  the  study  of  political 
economy  and  civil  government. 
About  that  time  he  became  a  con- 
tributor to  the  newspapers  and 
served  as  local  correspondent  to 
Xo>T/a/ids-/'os/,it  of  Oefle.  The 
cleikship  gave  him  a  taste  for  the 
public  .service,  and  to  obtain  the 
training  required  for  the  position 
of  crown  bailiff,  or  lansman,  he 
entered  the  police  service  of  Stock-, 
holm  in  1887.  He  was  promoted 
from  extra  officer  to  the  regular 
service,  but  disliking  the  duties 
of  a  policeman,  he  shortly  resigned. 


4o6 


Cook  County 


The  outlook  for  advancement 
either  in  the  schools  or  in  the 
government  service  being  far  from 
alluring,  he  abandoned  both  fields, 
determined  to  brave  fortune  in 
the  New  World  and  emigrated  in 
the  fall  of  1889,  reaching  New 
York  on  the  221KI  of  September. 
During  his  first  two  years  in  the 
United  States  he  was  employed 
as  a  common  laborer  in  various 
trades,  often  at  meager  wages, 
and  was  put  to  the  test  in  the 
manner  customary  to  emigrants. 
In  the  meantime  he  studied  Eng- 
lish and  sought  to  familiarize  him- 
self with  the  country  and  the  con- 
dition of  his  fellow  countrymen 
here.  His  first  impressions  were 
described  in  a  series  of  letters  to 
Sve?iska  Trihuncn.  He  came  to 
Chicago  in  July,  1891,  and  worked 
here  for  three  months  at  phj-sical 
labor,  until  accepting  a  situation 
on  the  staff  of  Hcmlandct,  offered 
him  on  the  strength  of  certain 
contributions  of  his  to  the  paper. 
He  has  been  connected  with  this 
same  paper  since  Oct.  28,  1891, 
and  has  been  acting  editor-in-chief 
since  the  spring  of  1903,  Dr.  luian- 
der  remaining  only  noininalK-  at 
the  head  of  the  editorial  depart- 
ment after  his  physical  disabilitj'. 

As  a  newspaper  man  Mr.  Schon 
is  conservative.  Alive  to  the  re- 
sponsibility resting  on  organs  of 
public  utterance,  he  avoids  news- 
l)ai)er  fights  and  aims  to  promote 
unity  and  enlightenment  among 
his  countrymen  and  teach  them  lo 
conser\e  their  interests  and  treas- 
ure tlu-ir  national  heiita^je.  lie 
dares   l)elii.\e  that   I  la-  Swedes  are 


destined  lo  make  a  specific  con- 
tribution to  the  cultural  develop- 
ment of  this  nation. 

Aside  from  his  work  on  the 
paper,  Mr.  Schon  has  done  ex- 
tensive literary  work,  made  possible 
only  by  husbanding  his  time  and 
denj-ing  himself  almost  all  social 
pleasures.  In  1895  he  made  a 
Swedish  translation  of  W.  H.  Har- 
vey's famous  campaign  book,  en- 
titled "Coin's  Financial  School," 
and  in  1897  he  tran.slated  Frederick 
Davis  Greene's  work  on  the  Turk- 
ish atrocities  in  Armenia,  the 
Swedish  title  being  "Korset  och 
halfmanen."  The  same  year  he 
edited  "liilder  fran  Gamla  Hem- 
landet,"  a  book  of  views  of  Swe- 
den, the  next  year  a  book  of 
Spanish-American  war  pictures, 
with  de.scriptive  text,  and  in  1900, 
"Panorama  tifver  Amerika,"  the 
three  being  published  by  the  Hem- 
landet  Company.  He  was  one  of 
the  members  of  a  literary  society 
who  originated  the  annual  Prarie- 
bloitimaii  and  has  edited  a  series 
of  nine  volumes  of  this  publica- 
tion, himself  contributing  several 
historical  articles  and  a  large  num- 
ber of  biogra])hies. 

In  the  monthly  Ungdonisvaniifn , 
of  which  Mr.  Schon  has  been  as- 
sociate editor  since  igcKi,  ajijMjared 
in  1901-3,  in  serial  form,  the  first 
and  second  parts  of  his  history  of 
the  New  Sweden  colony,  under 
the  ca|)tion:  "Svenskarne  i  Dela- 
ware. De  fiirsta  svensk-amerika- 
nernas  ])olitiska  och  kyrkliga  his- 
loria  samt  deras  seder  och  heni- 
lif.  '  This  work  Prof.  George  T. 
l-'loin    of    llie    State  I'niversitv  of 


Chicago 


407 


Iowa  has  characterized  as  "the 
most  thoroiifjhgoiiig  investigation 
of  the  later  history  of  the  colony 
that  we  have."  Mr.  Schon  has 
a  fair-sized  Swedish-American  his- 
torical collection.  He  has  rendered 
valuable  service  as  one  of  the  com- 
pilers of  the  "History  of  the 
Swedes  of  Illinois."  Mr.  Schon 
was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Swedi.sh  Historical  Society  of 
America  and  served  as  its  secre- 
tary the  first  two  years. 

For  six  years,  1897-1903,  he  was 
a  member  of  the  executive  com- 
mittee of  the  Illinois  Conference 
and  served  for  three  years,  1905- 
190S,  on  the  board  of  directors  of 
the  conference  orphanage  at  Joliet. 
In  1899  he  was  chosen  one  of  the 
directors  of  the  Augustana  Book 
Concern  and  still  serves  by  dint 
of  successive  reelections.  He  has 
served  as  secretary  of  the  board 
since  1901.  He  was  one  of  the 
Swedish- American  members  of  the 
Swedish  exposition  committee 
which  promoted  the  erection  of 
Sweden's  building  at  the  Louisi- 
ana Purchase  Exposition  in  St. 
Louis  in  1904,  and  personally  he 
raised  Si,  100  for  the  care  and 
maintenance  of  said  building.  He 
has  been  elected  honorary  member 
of  several  societies. 

On  Nov.  12,  1892,  Mr.  Schon 
was  married  to  Miss  Anna  Nils- 
son,  a  native  of  Vermland,  Swe- 
den. They  have  a  daughter  and 
two  sons.  One  son  died  in  in- 
fancy. The  living  children  are: 
Inez  Maria  Eleonora,  Einar  Bengt 
Valdemar  and  Birger  Erik  Engel- 
brekt. 


SIGNE  ANKARFELT 

was  born  at  Hof,  near  the  city  of 
Vexii),  Sweden,  April  5,  1H58. 
The  parents  were  Johan  Olof 
Liedberg  and  his  wife  Louise,  n€e 
Ruuth.  As  a  young  man  her 
father  came  to  this  country  in 
1843,  settling  near  Jefferson,  Wis- 
consin,  where  he  engaged  in  farm 


SIGNE  ANKARFELT 

ing  and  lumbering,  .subsequently 
locating  in  New  Orleans  as  a 
lumber  merchant.  In  1848  he 
joined  a  party  bound  for  Oregon. 
In  I'tah  they  learned  of  the  dis- 
covery of  gold  in  California.  The 
hardships  of  the  journey  caused 
them  to  abandon  the  original  plan. 
After  crossing  the  Sierras  the 
party  scattered,  and  Liedberg  was 
one  of  the  first  to  engage  in  "gold- 
picking,"  as  it  was  first  called, 
after  the  discovery  of  the  precious 
metal  had  been  reported.  He  re- 
turned to  Sweden,  via  Panama, 
Cuba  and  Philadelphia,  in  1852, 
but  came  l)ack  to  this  country  in 


4o8 


Cook  County 


1875  and  located  in  Chicago,  where 
he  died  in    1886. 

The  daughter  Signe  was  given 
a  thorough  education  from  child- 
hood. As  a  young  girl  she  was 
thrown  largelj'  u])on  her  own  re- 
sources, owing  to  the  financial 
reverses  of  her  father.  Resolved 
to  become  a  teacher,  she  went 
to  Germany  and  Switzerland  for 
study.  After  two  years  spent 
mostly  at  a  school  in  St.  Blaise, 
Neuchatel,  she  went  to  Paris 
and  thence  to  Rugb\-,  England. 
Through  the  influence  of  friends 
she  obtained  a  position  as  teacher, 
first  at  Boroughbridge  and  later 
at  Helen.sburg,  near  Glasgow. 
Failing  health  compelled  her  to 
leave  the  rugged  Scotch  climate, 
and  after  some  time  spent  in 
Switzerland  and  Italy  and  with 
friends  in  Sweden,  she  joined  her 
parents  in  Chicago  in  July,  1882. 
After  six  j-ears,  she  became  the 
wife  of  F.  W.  Ankarfelt,  a  printer 
by  trade,  and  then  publisher  of 
K'lnrc,   a  comic  weekly. 

While  Mrs.  Ankarfelt  modestly 
disclaims    the    title    of  authoress, 


stating  that  she  has  done  some 
writing  for  pastime  rather  than  as 
a  literary  vocation,  yet  the  prod- 
ucts of  her  leisure  hours  betray 
talent  of  no  inferior  order.  She 
has  been  a  contributor  to  new.s- 
papers  in  Sweden,  including  /dim, 
the  woman's  journal,  and  to 
Swedish  newspapers  and  periodi- 
cals in  this  coiuitry,  chiefly  Pra- 
y'ublommati ,  I'alkyrian  and  Ung- 
domsvamien.  Her  knowledge  of 
English,  first  acquired  during  her 
residence  in  Great  Britain,  enables 
her  to  handle  that  language  with 
skill  in  prose  and  verse.  When 
the  Linne  moniunent  was  unveiled 
she  wrote  a  festal  ode  upon  which 
she  was  highly  complimented  in 
the  press.  Mrs.  Ankarfelt  has  a 
profoiuid  love  of  nature,  and  this 
characteristic  is  revealed  especially 
in  her  verses  and  in  a  niunber  of 
fascinating  prose  sketches  in  fable 
and  fairy-tale  form.  In  Priiric- 
bloviDiau  for  1906  there  is  an  ex- 
tremely interesting  sketch  by  her 
of  her  father's  adventures  and 
experiences  as  a  pioneer. 


INDEX 


411 


INDEX 


PART    II- 

Abraliamsoii,   Dr.   I.aiirfiilius  (1 306 

Ackerhurj;,  J.  Allxjrl 12 

Ackerbiirji,  Henry  E •'' 

Ahlfjren,  John  S 19 

Ahlfjren,   Olof  II 77 

Akerlind,  ("jiistaf   A 152 

Akesson,  Axel   \V 327 

Alfvin,   Rev.    I'eter  M 307 

Allen,   Charles  T 20 

Allstroni,   Carl   M 266 

Alniherg,  Peter  11 254 

Alnicrantz,  Aug.  Gerhard 131 

Almgren,   Ksperance  F 40 

Alt|vist,  John    N 154 

-Vncierson,   .\aron    W 169 

-Anderson,   Adolf    V 97 

Anderson,   Alexander So 

Anderson,  Rev.  .\lfred 41 

Anilerson.   Atnandus    N 278 

Anderson,   Anders  E 263 

Anderson,  Andrew  I, 382 

Anderson,  Benj^t  S 27S 

Anderson,    Carl ^io 

.\nderson,  Carl   F 96 

.\nderson,  Charles  A 131 

Ander.son.   Charles   J 396 

Anderson,  Charles  T.  A .     96 

Anderson,  Erik 121 

Anderson,  Frank  E 371 

Anderson,  Fred 297 

Ander.son,  G.    Bernhard 34 

Anderson,  Gustavus 88 

.\nderson,  Johannes 171 

Anderson,  John  E 196 

Anilerson,   Martin 396 

Anderson,  Nelson    A 222 

.\nderson,   Robert 326 

Ander.son,    Samuel 59 

Anderson,  William  F 109 

.\nderson,   William  R 191 

.\nkarfelt,  Signe 407 

.Anthony,  Nels  William 29.S 

Appell,  Carl  J 198 

.\xberj;,  John   A 109 

Axell,   Charles 93 

Barquist,  Charles  H  196 

Behnier,  Ernst  H 140 

Belmont,  John  W 119 


-CHICAGO 

PnKc 

Reiulix,  Rev.  John 363 

Berg,  Andrew  G 278 

Berg,   John   135 

Berglxjni,  Adolf  V 142 

liergengren,  Anders  O.  R 209 

Bergling,  John   M 245 

Bergman,  Frank  .\ 266 

Bergman,   Dr.  Nils 264 

Bergqnist,  Carl   B.   F 390 

Bergquist,  Carl  0 264 

Bergquist,  John  G 90 

Bergstrom,  Gustaf 266 

Bernhardt,  Adolf  P 248 

Bihl,  Ernest 122 

Bjork,   Rev.  Carl   .\ 373 

Bjork,   Rev.  Carl  J 67 

Bjorkman,   Rev.   i,.   W.  A 302 

Blomfeldt,   P.   Axel 188 

Blomgren,  William  .\ 105 

Bloomquist,  Rev.  Wilhelm  C 81 

Boberg,  N.  Gunnar  E 88 

Homan,  Charles  H 29 

Bonggren,  Jakob 30S 

Bostroni ,    C  harles 243 

Bovik.  Edwin 315 

Bovik,  Victor  .V 246 

Bramberg,  Gustaf 259 

Broberg,  (iustaf  C 178 

Brunner,  John 117 

Brusell,  ChristofFer 372 

Brusdn,  Carl  Fr. 180 

Burkstrom .  Carl  O .  V 36 1 

Carlenian,  Charles   B 224 

Carlson,   .\dolph  .\ 41 

Carlson,  Alexander  F 18 

Carlson,  Androv 344 

Carlson,  Axel  T 361 

Carlson,  Carl  A 291 

Carlson,  Charles 26 

Carlson,  Charles  G 251 

Carlson,  Edward  T 224 

Carlson,   l'"red   H 275 

Carlson,  Gustaf 354 

Carlson,  (iustaf  H i  lo 

Carl.son,  Herman 293 

Carlson,  Rev.  John  A 17 

Carlson,  John  Gottfrid 173 

Carlson,    Otto  C.  J 15S 


412 


INDEX 


rage 

Carlson.  William  P 21S 

Carlsson,  Saimiel  E 4"3 

Carlstedt,  Axel  B.  C I55 

Carlstein,  Dr.  John  A 9S 

Carson,  Charles  E 211 

Carson,  Louis 245 

Cederlof,  (Uistaf  T 223 

Chindblom.  Carl  R 162 

CliinluncI,  Charles  G iqo 

Clirislenson.  August 113 

Christenson.  Rev.  Carl    H.  J 244 

Christopher,  E.  Bernhard 350 

Chytraus,   .A.xel 219 

Colstroni,  Carl   A 362 

Creutz.  Stephen 72 

Cronholni,   Neander   N 183 

Crounborg,   I'reilerick  T 201 

Dahl,   Krne.st  G 399 

Dahlgren.   Charles   J 52 

I  )ahlgren.  Johanna   E.  T 353 

Dahlquist,   Charles   J 186 

Dahlstroni,  Margaret  C.  E 319 

Davicl.son.  Dr.  Eric  A 49 

Ivdgren,   Rrick 35 

Ivilstrand,  John  P 70 

Ivlstroni,   Aron 10 

IChnborn,   Clemens 104 

Ekbloni,  C.   Philip 53 

Ekenberg,  Wilhelni 1 70 

Ekstroni,  Rev.  Peter  0 369 

Ellstrom,  Charles   0 43 

I-nmstroin,  Rev.  Karl   11 177 

Ivnander,   Johan   .\ 321) 

Ivngberg,   Antun  C 383 

I'Jigberg,   .\.\el    Rudol])li 295 

I'jigberg,   Eli/abelh   lloffslen 3S9 

I'Jigberg,  John  J 384 

Ivngburg,  Martin  J 389 

Engberg,  Oscar 386 

I'jigdahl,  Charles 113 

luigelbrectson,  Ferdinand 175 

luigwall,  .Vxel    G    76 

luigwall,  John   H 28 

Engwall,  Oscar  F 144 

I'>ick.sc>n,   Charles  J 157 

ICrickson    John 157 

Ivrickson,  John   J 354 

Ericson,  John  E 172 

ICrik.son,  Charles  !•' 379 

I'.rikson,  John   S 367 

Ivvald,  Dr.  Carl  A 126 

ICvald,   lunniy 238 


Page 

Flo<lin,  Claes 181 

Fogell>erg,  Peter 21 

Fors,  Dr.  Andrew  I' 13 

Forsell,  Eric 23 

Foster,  Walter  C 312 

Franson,  Fred   R 257 

Fredrickson,  Prof.  Andrew 73 

Fredrickson,  l.ars  E 192 

Freid,  Anna  Charlotla 304 

l"rick.  Dr.  Anders. ...    341 

l"riestedt,  Luther  P 3S0 

Gordon,  Rev.  Gustaf  E 15 

(irund,  Carl    H 370 

(iustaf.s<m,  Frank   G 189 

Gustafson,  John  G 38 

Gustafson,   Pchr  E 205 

Hagglund.  Hans   E 129 

Hagstrom,  Rev.  G.  Anid 50 

Ilakan.scm.    Dr.   Alfred 58 

Hall,   Martha   Setlcrgren 248 

Hallberg,  Dr.  Carl  S.  N 106 

Hallberg,  Charles  E 256 

I  lallberg,  Lars  Gustaf 194 

Hallberg.   Lydia  H 152 

Hallslrom,  Charles  E 84 

Hanson,   .\ndrew 299 

Hanson,  Herman    M 39S 

Hedbcrg,   Clara  F^ 161 

Hcdbcrg,   Fredrik  G 161 

Hedeen,  Frithiof  V 341 

Hedeen.  Rev.  Olof 35s 

I  leden wall,  Joseph  M 48 

lledslrom,  C.  Bernhard 203 

Hegstroin,  F^os 391 

Ilegslroni,  Dr.  Harald  V 391 

Helander,   Frank 392 

Henilrickson,   Frank    H 54 

Hennings,   Nils 300 

Henrickson,  John  H 206 

Henschen,  Henry  S 183 

Henschen,  Dr.  William 402 

Herst,  Charles    G 104 

Hessel,    .\nders 343 

Hesselboni,  Johan   .\ 133 

Ilosselroth,   Lawrence 255 

Ilighfield,  John 197 

I  Ijerlstrom,   Rev.  John    W 103 

Hofvander,  Charles  A 151 

Hogfeldt.   Fredrik 260 

HogfehU,   Rev.    Otto 36S 

Holmes,  .\.   Alfred 203 

Holmes,   Alfred    E 132 


INDKX 


413 


P..KC 

Ilolninreii,   l-Tiist 2.S4 

ll«)liii}4n.Mi,  Joliii    II 91 

IloliiKiuisl,   Ciuslaf ,?2S 

II<)lin<|iiisl,   I'etir  () 711 

Ilolt,   luiiil    J 54 

Ilu^htimrk,  Alfred 91 

Hull,   Rev.    Ailolf 294 

Iliiltiii,  N.  Iljniniar icxi 

Ilvassinaii,  Axel   1 394 

Ilvitfeldt.  C.   Robert 16 

IreiKuus,  Dr.  Carl   I.  J 22.S 

Isberj;,   I'raiik    W iSo 

Jacohsoii,    CViistave 326 

Jans.soii,   Alfreil .S4 

Jochnick,  -Vxel  af 13S 

Jolianson,   .\nton   \V 97 

JohansDii,   .\xel 167 

Jolinson,   .\leck   IC 349 

Joliiisoii,   Alex   J 252 

lohiisoii,  .\iulre\v  G 13;, 

Johnson,  Carl    .\ 11  1 

Johnson,  Charles  I-; 22 

Jolinson,   Kdwanl 137 

John.son,    Hlof 258 

John.son,  Eniil  A.  \V 291 

John.son,  Francis  E 365 

Johnson,   Frank   A 47 

Johnson,   Rev.   Fred   M I2[ 

Johnson,  Geor};e  E.  y 285 

Johnson,  Giislaf 241 

Johnson,  Guslaf  I, J2 

John,son,  Gustaf  \V 44 

Johnson,  Hennin.n 314 

Johnson ,  John 40 

Johnson,  Johan  A 106 

Johnson,  Johan  F 55 

Jolinson,  John  N 159 

Johnson,  J.   Win 147 

Johnson,  Lars 323 

Johnson,  Nels  R 31 

Johnson,  Nels  J 53 

Johnson,  Rev.   Olof 304 

Johnson,  Theodore 38 

John.son,   \'ict(>r  K 15S 

Johnson,  Walfrid 346 

Johnson,  William  K 305 

Johnston,  Charles  H 37S 

Johnston,  Rev.  Theodore   S 249 

Jo.sephson,  Aksel  G.  S 163 

Kheiralla,  Augusta   S 393 

Klaesson,  Lars  N.  S 209 

Klaus,  Dr.  Carl  F 87 


Koliler,   lirnesl    A 262 

Kohler,  John  A 210 

Korsell,   Dr.  C.   F 260 

l.a^;i-r).;ren.   Dr.  Carl  G 356 

Laii<lj;reii,  .\nilrew 93 

Larson,   ICrland 214 

Larson,   John 21.S 

Larson,   Martin 139 

Larson,    William 316 

Leaf>;reii,   I  lans   .\ 362 

Lejoiistein,  Sven  () 1J5 

Lenherj;,  Arthur  C 160 

Levin,  Louis  A i^i 

I.ieilherj;,  Hugo  J 4^ 

Liljeiicrantz,  Gustave  A.  M 35 

I.iljencrantz,   Ottilie 227 

Liiid,  Iljahnar  J jjo 

Lindidil,  John    H 69 

Liiidahl,  Josua 233 

I.iiidlierg,   P.  A 30 

I.inilbloni,   Robert 335 

Lindeblad,  Rev.  Henry  0 35S 

I.indeborg,  Johan  A 330 

Lindeen,  Ernest  W n6 

Lindell,  Gustaf 169 

Linden,  Charle.s  J 205 

Linder,  Oliver  A 313 

Liniler,  Therese.  314 

I.iiiderholin.  John 32 

I.iiidyreii,  John   R 7 

Linderoth,   Swen 395 

Liiiilh,   Frank  C 204 

Lindholin,  Carl   G 208 

LiiKlholin,   Frank  A 215 

I.indliolni,  John  T ...     25 

I.iiidqnist,   Anton    F 75 

I.indfiuist,  Dr.  John  F 318 

I.indskoj;,   Rev.  C.  G.   Herman 16 

Lindstedt,  John  A 37 

Liiidslrand,  Frans  A 310 

I.indstrom,  A.  G.  Ernest 242 

Liudstrom,   Ellen 221 

LiiiniJ,  Ragna 135 

Lofgren,  Rev.  Anders  J 160 

I^ofstrom,  .\nders 57 

Lonn,    Frank 168 

Lonnerblad,  Carl  G 220 

I.orentz.,  John 83 

Lorent/,  Nels  M 120 

Lothgren,  Carl  A 208 

Lund,  Anders  G 112 

Lnndahl,  Louis  J 401 


414 


INDEX 


Luinl'>er>;,   Birjjer  T 301 

Luii(ll)cr)i,  Carl 400 

Lun<ll)la<l,  Charles  \V 116 

Luiideen,  Andrew  M 115 

Lundin,  Carl  ( ) 137 

I.uiidiii,  Frederick 274 

Luiiilquist,  Frank  A 145 

Lundquisl,   Hjalniar  C 360 

I.undslroni,    John 101 

Malniherji.  Oscar  F 213 

Mahnquisl,   Axel    Frilhiof 364 

Martenson,  John 179 

JIartin,   Rev.   A.    I' 333 

Meek,  John  S 298 

Melander,  Silas  1' 246 

Melangtuii,  John 136 

Mellander,   I'rof.   Axel 397 

Mohlin,  John    H 332 

Morris,  Alfred  I, 2 1 7 

Mosshern,  Joel 46 

M yhrinan,   ( )thelia 36 

Nelson,  Carl  0 276 

Nelson,  Rev.  Carl   J 112 

Nelson,  Charles  R 1.S2 

Nelson,  Charles  W 7.S 

Nel.son,   Ivngelhrecht 243 

Nelson,   I'red    J 334 

Nelson,   Rev.  Gottfred 202 

Nelson,   Gustave 215 

Nelson.   Henry 366 

Nelson ,  John 66 

Nelson,  John loi 

Nel.son,   Lawrence 19 

Nelson,  Marlin  V. 240 

Nelson,  Nels 184 

Nelson,  Nels 130 

Nelson,  Nels 99 

Nelson,  Nils   A 347 

Nelson,   Olof   1' 147 

Newman,  Charles  \V .S6 

Newman,  Guslave  R 56 

Nilson,  Nils  E 305 

Nilsson,  I'chr  W 273 

Nord,  Mons  S 6.S 

Niirlier;;,  Herman  G 125 

Nordenslam,   t)tho  M 247 

Norlin,   I''red 29 

Norlinj;.  John   Iv 63 

Norniaii,  .\ndrew  !•" 2ui 

Norman,  Carl  G 345 

Norslroin,  John  K 167 

Norton,  .Mfred  .'\ 270 


Xve,  John    \ 124 

Nvlunil,   Oscar   C 51 

Nyslrom,  Rev.  .\xel  1 176 

Oljern,  .\uj{i:sta  J 312 

Ohlson,  Rev.  Karl    F 283 

Olil.s.son,  Swaiile  Win 24 

Oldberji,  I'rof.  Oscar 21 

OldenlKjfg,  Hugo  A 156 

Olin,  Samuel  0 95 

Oliver.  .Mbert 94 

Olson.  FMwaril  H 261 

Olson,  Ivlwin  \         207 

( )lson.  Ernst    \V 385 

Olson,    Harry 351 

Olson.  John   \V 134 

Olson,  Lars 288 

Olson,  Louis 292 

Olson,  Magnus 303 

Olson,  Nels  J 11 

Ol.son,  Nils 67 

Olson,  Nils  F 250 

Olstm,  Olenius 2.S6 

( >lson,  Olof 28S 

t)lson,  Oscar  1) 141 

Ols'in,  Dr.  Oscar  G 400 

Olson.  Rev.  O.scar  N 141 

Olsson,  .\xel  E 82 

Onelius,  Martin  R 25 

Onginan,  Clarence  S 272 

Ortengren.  John    R 230 

Osterholm,  lunanuel 176 

Ottonius,  Carl  T.  W.  367 

I'alm,  Rev.    Chas 32 

I'alm,  RoI)ert  Hj 64 

Pearson,   Olof 36 

I'ear.son,  Peter  C 42 

Peterson,  .Vxel ,S6 

Peterson,  Kirger  .•K 366 

Peterson,  Charles  G 149 

Peterson,  Charles  S 343 

Peterson,  Claes  V 43 

Peterson,  John 293 

I'etersou,  John  A a8a 

Peterson,   Leonard ...   285 

Peterson,  Oscar  Chas  ■  ■     7i 

Peterson,  Pehr   S 8 

Peterson,  Prof.  William    \ 377 

Peterson,   Dr.  William  .X 124 

Petterson,  Charles  G,  46 

Pelterson,   I\riok    G  ,  .  f>2 

Pihlgard,  .\nders  Fr 20 

Pilo,  Axel    0 27 


1 


ixnF.x 


4'5 


Pngc 

riaiitiii,  Peter   J 52 

rrincell,  John  f. 267 

rrincell,  Josephine 271 

Ranseen,  Dr.  Mattis  C 295 

Rapp,  Oscar 4S 

Raymond,  K<lward 316 

Reese,  Rev.  .\n<Irew 150 

Rehnstroui,  J.  Ernst 281 

Reihiner,   Nils 94 

Risherg,   Prof.  Fridolf 287 

Roberg,  Dr.  Oscar  T 199 

Rocine,  Victor 143 

Ronberg,   Peter 39 

Rosberg,   I-'rank 334 

Rosberg,  John   H 393 

Rose,  Frank   A 128 

Ros^n,  Rev.  Erik 337 

Rosendahl.  Rev.  Johan  A.  H 290 

Rosengren,    Frank 1S9 

Ross,  Oscar  A 74 

Rudelius,   Gustaf 95 

Rundblad,  Albert 55 

Ryden,  Otto   G 237 

Rydin,  .A.dolph 200 

Sandberg,  John  P 114 

Sandberg,  William  K 44 

Sandblom,  Edwin 290 

Sandblom,  John  N 65 

Sandegren,  Andrew 79 

Sandell,  Rev.  Eric 45 

Sandgren,  John   A 324 

Sandstedt,  G.  Edwin 34S 

Scherstrotn,  Rev.  Eric 69 

Schlytern,  Charles   E . .  1S6 

Schmidt,  Prof.    Emanuel 118 

Schon,  Anders 405 

Schonbeck,  Albert 92 

Schoning,  Peter 309 

Schoultz,  Fritz 129 

Schuch,  Rev.  Edward 148 

Schycker,  Carl  J.  M 25 

Seaquist,  Gustaf 28 

Sebelius,  Rev.  Sven  J 331 

Sellstroni,  Alfred 20 

Settergren,  Chas.  G 87 

Severin,  Nils  P 319 

Sheldon,  Joseph  G ....  387 

Sherman,   Emil 327 

Sjoholm,  Peter 195 

Skoglund,  August  H 79 

Soderstron' ,  John  A 360 

Soderstam,  Julius 66 


Page 

Sorlin.   Kt-v.  .\rvid  N 206 

Spaak,  Charles   E rSi 

Spann,  John    E ico 

Stille,  Carl  A 146 

Stone,  Charles  J 12 

Strandberg,  Carl   T 323 

Strandl)erg,   Erik   P 77 

Strandell,   Charles  A ,S6 

Strom.   P>ic   Gustaf 89 

Stromberg.   .\lfred . .    .   338 

Stromberg.   Charles   J 75 

Struve,   Henry 3S3 

Sundberg,  Gustav 71 

Sundquist,  John .     85 

Sundsten,  Knut 150 

Swan,  David  E 376 

Swan,  Rev.  Eric  P 85 

Swan,  Gustaf  A.  E 376 

Swan ,  S.  Nilsson 374 

Swanlund,  Swan 71 

Swanson,  Andrew .    191 

Swanson,  Frank  A 128 

Swanson,  Charles  F 115 

Swanson,  Charles  L 342 

Swan.son,  Ellyn  M 377 

Swanson,  Ephraim  J 278 

Swanson,  Dr.  Marie 332 

Swanson,  Swen  P 187 

Swartz,  Rev.  Petrus 345 

Swenson,  Axel  E 132 

Swenson,  Dr.  Carl   G 161 

Swenson,  Eugene  L 333 

Swenson,  John  L 164 

Tallberg,  Andrew 223 

Tengwald,  Rev.    Victor 166 

Tennerstedt,  Richard 292 

Thelander,   Andrew 170 

Thelin,  Edward  J loS 

Thompson,  Axel    E 151 

Thorelius,  P.  William 299 

Thorsell,  Waldemar  G 259 

Thunander,  Gustav 301 

Tiden,  C.  A 265 

Tofft,  Anders 370 

Toffteen,  Dr.  Olof  A 401 

Tunelius,  Charles   E loi 

Tj'den,  John   E 242 

I'relius,  Peter  E 27 

Valentine,  Gustav  V 2S1 

Vallentin,  Carl 185 

Valley,  Olof 339 

Verenius,  Rev.  O.  Nelson 269 


4i6 


INDKX 


Page 

Walilquisl,    Kuilwij; I  '4 

Walilslroiii,  Dr.    Matthias 174 

Wal.l,   Dr.  Dlaiider  E 35" 

WalKreii,  Juliii    A 342 

Walliii,  Carl  C. 279 

Wattiiian,  Knie.st  () 83 

Welaiuler,  Aiijiust    W |>S 

Weiinerskold,  Klvira  M 144 

Werner,  Kiiiil 340 

Werner.   P^ric 34" 

Westerberjj,  Oscar  E 275 

We.sterholni,  Charles   A 199 

Westerluiid,  John    A 329 

Westerhinil.  William 273 

Westtnaii,  .Mfred  H 231 

Westnian,  Carl  K :^!^  t 

Weslnian,  Gosta 317 

Wevdell,   1*.  Oscar 103 


Page 

Wevdell,  K.  All)ert 217 

Wiclie,   Waldeinar    W II7 

Wi).;ren.   Rev.  James  T 371 

Williamson,   Wahlfrid 31 1 

Willin.   Andrew   C, 280 

Wilson.  I'rof.  Charles  J 302 

WiMt;ren,  Rev.  Erik 60 

Winjiren,  William  B 232 

Wingird,  .\.  Edwin  G 347 

Younj;,  Dr.  Carl  0 216 

Younj;.  Rev.  Gustaf  A 279 

Young.  Sophia  C 251 

Younjjherj;.  John  E 253 

Younjjdahl,   .\lfre<I  J 220 

Younjigren,   Ernest  H.   M 240 

Voungquist,  Carl  0 263 

Youngquist,  Claes  .\ugiist 289 


HISTORY 


OF  THE 


Swedes  of  Illinois, 

I 

I 

I 

PART    III 

Biographical   SKetches 

WITH    PORTRAITS 


C0UNTIE:S    AT    LARGE 


Edited  by 

ERNST  W.  OLSON  and  MARTIN  J.  ENtiBERIi 


'^»- 


CHICAGO 
The  Engberg=Holmberg  Publishing  Company 

1908 


Copyright  lyOS 
by  The   Enj^bcr.ii-HolinhiT;;  Publishing  ConipJiny 


HENRY   COUNTY 


\ 


ANDOVER-CAMBRIDGE-GALVA-GENE- 

SEO-KEWANEE     OPHIEM 

ORION    WOODHULL 


CARL  P.  EDBLOM, 

pastor    of    the    Augustana    Synod 
and  now  in  charge  of    its    church 


CAKL    PETER   EDBLOM 

at  Audover,  was  born  at  Stam- 
aren,  Dais  Ed,  Sweden,  Sept.  14, 
1862.  His  father,  who  was  a 
farmer  and  miller,  moved  to 
Knipan  and  died  there  May  24, 
1897,  'I's  mother,  Kajsa  Jo- 
hansson, having  gone  before,  on 
Sept.  9,  1891.  His  early  school- 
ing was  obtained  in  the  old  coun- 
try. In  May,  1882,  the  young 
man  of  twenty  landed  as  an  im- 
migrant at  Pliiladelphia  and  pro- 
ceeded to  Minneapolis,  where  he 
lived  for  a  year  and  a  half  At 
New  Year's,  1884,  he  was  matric- 
ulated   as  a   student    at    Gustavus 


Adolphus  College  at  St.  Peter, 
Minn.,  graduating  in  May,  1891, 
with  salutatorian  honors  with 
the  college  class.  Thereupon  he 
took  up  the  study  of  theology 
at  Augustana  Theological  Semi- 
nary, from  which  he  graduated 
in  the  spring  of  1893  as  a  candi- 
date for  the  ministry.  I'pon  be- 
ing ordained  shortly  afterward, 
he  began  his  pastoral  labors  in 
Aurora.  In  December,  1894,  he 
removed  to  Escanaba,  Mich.,  in 
May,  1898,  to  Batavia,  and  in 
January,  1906,  to  Andover,  where 
he  is  now  stationed. 

While  in  Batavia,  Rev.  Edblom 
served  on  the  board  of  the  West 
Batavia  public  schools  for  six 
years.  He  has  been  for  five  years 
a  member  of  the  board  of  direct- 
ors of  the  Illinois  Conference  Or- 
phans' Home  at  Joliet  and  now  at 
Andover  Orphans'  Home.  Always 
a  Republican,  Rev.  Edblom  cast 
his  first  vote  for  James  G.  Blaine. 

Rev.  Edblom  entered  matrimo- 
ny Jan.  I,  1895,  the  Ibride  being 
Miss  Anna  Gustava  Cliallman, 
daughter  of  Rev.  Andrew  Chall- 
man  of  Batavia.  To  Rev.  and 
Mrs.  Edblom  have  been  born  six 
children,  five  of  whom  survive, 
viz.,  Carl  Gustav,  born  1897,  Es- 
ther Dorothy  Charlotte,  1898,  An- 
drew Theodore,    1901,   David  Rob- 


Henn'  County 


ert,   1902.  and    Evelyn    Elizabeth, 
1904-  

JOHN   A.   FAIR 

was    born    Feb.   27,    1858,  in    An- 
dover.     He    is    a   farmer,  the  son 


JOHN  AUGUST    FAIR 

of  a  farmer.  His  father,  Gustaf 
Fair,  one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in 
Audover,  having  arrived  there  in 
1854,  was  known  as  the  "farmer 
poet,"  and  contributed  to  some  of 
the  Augustana  church  papers. 
The  son  has  inherited  his  father's 
taste  for  church  work. 

Mr.  John  August  Fair  belongs 
to  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
and  has  served  as  a  deacon  for 
many  years.  He  has  also  been 
organist  of  the  church. 

In  local  public  affairs  he  is  also 
active,  having  been  a  school 
trustee  for  a  long  time. 

Mr.  Fair  is  married  to  Mi.ss 
Hulda  Carlson.  They  have  two 
children,  Joseph  .\rnold  and  Lil- 
lian  M. 


FRANK  O.  S.\NDSTEN 

was  born  Feb.  9,  1844,  in  Mister- 
hult  parish,  Kalmar  Ian,  Sweden. 
He  emigrated  in  1867  and  settled 
in  Moline.  During  the  past  twen- 
ty-three years  he  has  resided  in 
Andover,  111.,  and  there  has  suc- 
cessfully engaged  in  the  business 
of  a  building  contractor.  Other 
places  in  which  he  has  done  con- 
tract work  are  Woodward,  Iowa, 
and  Waj'ne,  Xeb.  He  has  now 
retired . 

Mr.  F.  O.  Sandsten  is  the  son 
of  Samuel  Sandsten,  a  farmer 
of  Misterhult,  and  his  wife,  Cath- 
arina  Sandsten.  He  has  visited 
his  old  home  once  since  his  emi- 
gration. 

Mr.  Sandsten  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 


I'KA.NK    nSCAK   SA\liSri:\ 

Hi;  has  .served  in  the  capacity 
of  a  justice  of  the  peace  of  An- 
dover. 


Andover 

VICTOR  SETTERDAHL, 

who   was    for    many    years   pastor 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran    Church 


VICTOR    SETTERUAHL 

in  Andover,  was  born  in  Oppb}-, 
Sweden,  Jan.  20,  1844.  His  par- 
ents, M.  Anderson  and  his  wife 
Catharina  Larson,  were  farmers. 
At  twenty  j'ears  of  age,  Mr. 
Setterdahl  emigrated  and  lived 
for  a  year  in  Andover,  then  en- 
tered Augustana  College  and 
Theological  Seminary  at  Paxton, 
studying  there  1865-68  and  1870-73 
and  was  graduated  as  a  candidate 
for  the  ministrj'  the  year  last 
named.  After  his  ordination  the 
same  year  he  served  as  pastor  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  churches 
in  Rock  Island, Orion, Lockport  and 
Joliet,  before  accepting  a  like 
charge  in  Andover.  His  longest 
terms  of  service  have  been  at 
Orion,  for  ten  years,  and  at  An- 
dover, for  over  seventeen  years. 
In  the  year  1905  Rev.  Setter- 
dahl resigned  the  Andover  pastor- 


ate to  assume  charge  of  the 
church  at  Chesterton,   Indiana. 

May  5,  1874,  Rev.  Setterdahl 
was  married  to  Mi.ss  Albertina 
Larson,  of  Swedona,  111.,  a  daugh- 
ter of  Gustaf  and  Catharina  Lar- 
son, born  March  16,  1853.  They 
have  a  family  of  five  children: 
Victor  E.,  born  May  30,  1875, 
married  to  Miss  lulith  Hanaway 
of  Meadville,  Pa  ,  Etta  C,  born 
Oct.  2,  1877;  Fred  N.,  born  Dec. 
7,  1884:  Violet  E.,  born  May  8, 
18S7,  and  Naomi  C.  A.,  bom 
Aug.  5,    1889. 

Rev.  Setterdahl,  during  his  long 
service  as  a  minister  of  the  Gos- 
pel in  the  Augustana  Synod,    has 


ALBERTIN.\    SETTERUAHL 

l)een  elected  to    various    offices    of 
honor  and  trust  in  the    church. 


JONAS  M.  ANDERSON 

was  born  April  20,  1S57,  in  Skep- 
perstad  parish,  Smaland.  He  came 
to  this  country  in  1872  and  settled 
on  a  farm    in    La  Porte  co.,   lud. 


8 


Henrv  County 


In  1890  he  went  to  Cambridge, 
111.,  where  he  engaged  in  business 
with  the  firm  of  H.  M.  Wier,  at 
which  place  he  still  remains. 

Mr.  Anderson  has  recei%ed  pub- 
lic recognition  in  Cambridge,  hav- 
ing been  chosen  alderman,  in 
which  capacity  he  has  served  for 
many  years.  He  is  a  director  of 
the  First  National  Bank  of  Cam- 
bridge and  also  a  director  of  the 
Electric  Light  and  Power  Co.  of 
the  same  place.  He  is  likewise 
secretary  of  the  Citizens'  Mutual 
Telephone  Co.  For  thirteen  years 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  has  be- 
longed to  the  Illinois  National 
Guard,  in  | which  1  he  has  served 
as  a  lieutenant  for  three  years 
in  Co.   D,  6th  Regiment. 

Mr.  Jonas  M.  Anderson,  son  of 
Johannes  Anderson,  a  farmer  in 
Sweden,  was  married  at  Andover 
April  5,  1S83,  to  Miss  Mathilda 
Sophia  Lyon,  the  daughter  of 
Andrew  Lyon,  a  farmer  of  Ando- 
ver. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ander.son  have 
three  children,  Ivar  T.,  Henry  S. 
and  Eva  Elizabeth. 

Mr.  Anderson  is  a  member  of 
the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

SVEN  J.  CHILBERG 
was  born  Oct.  6,  1843,  in  Kisa, 
Sweden.  When  but  a  mere  child 
of  scarcely  six  years  his  parents, 
Nils  M.  and  Margaret  Elizabeth, 
emigrated  to  this  country.  Then, 
in  1849,  the  sea  voyage  was  quite 
an  undertaking,  and  their  party 
required  two  months  for  the  trip. 
The  family  was  bound  for  the 
West  and  reached  what  is  now 
known  as  Swedona  by  river,  canal 


and  wagon.  They  were  the  first 
Swedes  to  settle  in  Mercer  co., 
Illinois. 

Mr.   Sven  Chilberg  received  his 
early  training  in  the  county  public 


svi;.\  j.vcon  ciiili'.i;ko 
schools.  In  the  summer  of  1861 
he  enli.sted  in  Co.  C,  43d  111.  Vol. 
Infantrj',  returned,  and  was  dis- 
charged at  Little  Rock.  Ark., 
Sept.  30,  1865,  reaching  home 
Christmas    eve   of    the  same  year. 

He  was  appointed  postmaster  at 
Cambridge  by  President  Benjamin 
Harrison  and  served  for  four 
years.  His  present  appointment 
as  postmaster  was  made  by  Pres- 
ident William    McKinle>'. 

He  belongs  to  the  Oriler  of  Ma- 
sons, the  O.  A.  R  Luul  the  A. 
O.  U.  W. 

Mr.  Chilberg  married  Mi.ss  Mar- 
garet Lafferlv  in  1S70.  Their 
daughter,  Martha  P.,  is  assistant 
])osiniaster  in  Cambridge,  ami  their 
son.  Nelson  Guy,  is  an  artist  with 
the  Illinois  luigraving  Co.  in 
Chicago. 


I 


Cambridge 


NICHOLAS  A.  HAGG 

was  born  Sept.  22,  1851,  in  Hjelni- 
seryd,  Stnaland,  Sweden.  He  came 


NICHOLAS    A.   HAGG 

to  this  countrj-  in  1871  and  settled 
in  Henry  co.,  111.  His  early  train- 
ing, received  in  the  public  school 
of  his  fatherland,  was  thorough, 
and  hence  he  had  a  good  founda- 
tion for  prosperity  in  his  adopted 
country.  At  present  he  success- 
fully conducts  a  real  estate  and 
loan  business,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  State  Bank  of  Cambridge. 

Mr.  Hagg  organized  the  first 
Swedish  "marknad"  or  county  fair 
held  in  Cambridge.  He  himself 
lives  on  a  farm  and  owns  much 
land    to    the  south  of  Cambridge. 

In  politics  Mr.  Hagg  is  a  Dem- 
ocrat and  a  strong  believer  in  free 
trade.  He  belongs  to  many  dif- 
ferent societies. 

JOHN  L    HULL 
was  born  Nov.  3,  1850,  in  Hults 
fred,    Sweden.      He    attended    the 


public  schools  there.  In  1.S69  he 
emigrated  and  settled  in  Cam- 
bridge, 111.  Shortly  after  his  ar- 
rival in  this  country  he  began 
work  in  a  brick  and  tile  factory, 
which  had  recently  been  estab- 
lished. He  soon  became  manager 
of  the  plant  and  in  1.S90  purchased 
a  half  interest  in  the  business, 
which  now  continued  under  the 
firm  name  of  Cook  iS:  Hull.  In 
1891  Mr.  Hull  became  sole  owner. 
From  small  beginnings  and  hand- 
power,  an  engine  of  80  horsepower 
and  other  improvements  have  been 
introduced.  The  product  of  the 
factory  is  superior  and  finds  a 
ready   market. 

Mr.   Hull    is    a    member  of    the 
Swedish      Lutheran      Church,      in 


jOH.N    L.   HULL 

which  he  has  served  as  trustee 
and  treasurer  for  twenty  years. 
He  has  held  several  positions  of 
public  trust:  supervisor  of  Cam- 
bridge township  for  ten  years; 
school  director  of  the  Public  School 


lO 


Henrv  County 


for  the  same  period,  and  has 
served  on  the  town  and  county 
committees  of  the  Republican  party 
for  a  number  of  years.  At  the 
present  time  he  is  vice-president 
of  Cambridge  State  Bank  and  vice- 
president  of  Henry  County  Agri- 
cultural Board. 

Oct.  12,  1875,  Mr.  Hull  was 
married  to  Miss  Josephine  C. 
Lyons,  born  in  America.  Their 
four  children  are,  Lettie  V.,  Ed- 
win C,  Emeline  S.  and  Ernest  L. 
Mr.  Hull  belongs  to  the  I.  O. 
O.  F.,  the  Mystic  and  Fraternal 
Tribune  and  North  Star. 

FRANK  H.  STREED 

was   born    March  2,    1857.  in  An- 
dover  township.     The  parents  are 
Sven  P.  Streed,  a    farmer  in  An- 
dover  township,  and  his  wife  An- 
na  S.     (Nelson)    Streed.       Frank 
remained  at  home  as  a  farmer  until 
1890,  when  he  went  to  Ulah.    He 
there   engaged    in   the  grain  busi- 
ness for  thirteen  years,  after  which 
he  settled  in  Cambridge,   111.,  was 
engaged    by    the    New  York  Life 
Insurance    Co.  and    became  inter- 
ested   in    the  real  estate  business. 
He   is   also   land   and    emigration 
agent  of  the  C,  R.  I.  and  P.  R.  R. 
and  a  justice  of  the  peace  of  Cam- 
bridge. 

Mr.  Streed  belongs  to  the  order 
of  Odd  Fellows. 

He  married  Miss  Julia  GrilTen, 
a  daughter  of  Henry  Griffen,  a 
farmer  of  Andover  township.  The 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Streed 
are   Henry   C   and   Eugene   F. 


NELS  F.  ANDERSON 

was  born  Feb.  u,  1858,  in  Ystad, 
Sweden.  He  emigrated  in  No- 
vember, 1872,  and  settled  in  Gales- 
burg,  111.,  where  he  attended 
Knox  College  from  which  he 
graduated  in  1882.  Some  time 
was  spent  in  Chicago,  and  in 
1S86  Mr.  Nels  Anderson  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  at  Ottawa,  111. 
He  is  now  one  of  the  prominent 
lawyers  of  Galva  and  at  present 
is  city  attorney  of  that  place. 

Mr.  Anderson  belongs  to  the 
Masonic  lodge  of  Galva  and  the 
Kewanee  Club  of  Kewanee,  Illi- 
nois.   

ALBERT  ERIC  BERGLAND 

was  born  Nov.  9,  1869.  in  Henry 
CO.,  111.  The  father,  Jonas  Berg- 
land, emigrated  with  his  own  father, 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Andrew  Bergland, 
who  was  one  of  the  first  pioneers 
of  the  Bishop  Hill    Colony. 

Mr.  Albert  Eric  Bergland  is  a 
prominent  lawyer  of  Galva.  His 
professional  training  was  received 
in  Knox  College,  in  Galesburg, 
and  in  the  law  department  of  the 
University  of  Maryland,  from 
which   he  graduated  in    1894. 

On  March  14.  '^^S.  ^^  was 
married  to  Miss  Pearl  Hendricks, 
daughter  of  Dr.  William  Hen- 
dricks, formerly  of  Galva.  Their 
one  child  is  Martha  Helen. 

Since  his  graduation  in  1S94, 
Mr.  Bergland  has  been  practicing 
law  in  Galva.  He  belongs  to  the 
Ivlks. 


Galva 


II 


NELS  AUGUST  CARLSON 

was    born    Dec.     22,     1863,    near 
Ystad,  Sweden.     He  emigrated  in 


NELS  AUGUST  CARLSON 

1882  and  immediately  settled  in 
Galva,  111.,  where  at  present  he 
is  engaged  as  manager  of  a  lum- 
ber yard.  Besides  his  regular 
business  he  has  many  other  in- 
terests, that  of  writing  poetry 
being  foremost.  In  1893  he  pub- 
lished a  volume  of  poems  entitled 
"Hoppets  behag  och  andra  dik- 
ter."  Some  years  ago  he  secured 
prizes  in  a  poetical  contest  insti- 
tuted   by     Minneapolis     Veckoblad. 

Although  Mr.  Carlson  has  at- 
tended no  school  in  this  country, 
he  has  through  indefatigable  ef- 
forts so  far  mastered  the  English 
as  to  make  successful  transla- 
tions from  Swedish  into  English 
and  \'ice  versa.  Among  his  trans- 
lations is  one  of  Thomas  Camp- 
bell's "Pleasures  of  Hope." 

Mr.  Carlson  is  a  member  of 
I.  O.    O.    F.    Lodge  and   Valhalla 


Lodge  No.  31,  Independent  Order 
of  Svithiod,  of  which  he  is  presi- 
dent since  its  organization,  also  of 
the  Encampment  and  Rebekha 
branches  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 

He  has  been  town  clerk  of  Galva 
township  for  four  years  and  has 
been  elected  to    the    city    council. 


EBEN  OSCAR   ENGSTRAND 

was  born  Nov.  17,  1867,  in  Mon- 
mouth, 111.  He  is  the  son  of 
J.  M.  Engstrand,  a  shoedealer  in 
Galva.  Mr.  Eben  Engstrand  has 
steadilj-  been  gaining  promi- 
nence, both  in  business  and  muni- 
cipal affairs.  He  is  now  manager 
of  the  E.  W.  Houghton  Lumber 
Yard  Co.  and  has  been  city  clerk 
of  Galva  for  several  years  and  vil- 
lage trustee  for  six  j-ears. 

Mr.  Eben  Engstrand  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Jessie  Arvidson, 
daughter  of  a  retired  farmer  of 
Galva,  on  Sept.  15,  1892.  Their 
two  children  are,  Neal  L.  and 
Charles  L. 

Mr.  Engstrand  is  a  member  of 
the  Modern  Woodmen. 


JONAS  M.  ENGSTRAND 

was  born  Feb.  15,  1 841,  in  Tveta 
parish,  Smaland,  Sweden.  He  en- 
joyed practically  no  schooling  and 
in  1852,  when  his  father,  N.  P. 
Anderson,  died,  the  son  was  ap- 
prenticed to  a  shoemaker,  to  help 
earn  a  livang  for  the  family  which 
was  left  almost  destitute.  He 
emigrated  in  1864,  reaching  Cas- 
tle Garden  on  Aug.  15,  destined 
for  Galesburg.  111.  He  left  a 
few     davs     later     for     Blockfield, 


12 


Henry  County 


Missouri,  but  soon  returned  to 
this  state,  settling  permanently 
at  Galva,  in  1871,  after  living  in 
turn  at  Galesburg  and  Monmouth. 


JONAS   MAGNUS   ENGSTRANIl 

Since  his  arrival  in  this  coun- 
try Mr.  Engstrand  has  been  in 
the  shoe  business,  meeting  with 
success  in  a  mercantile  way,  bar- 
ring the  misfortune  of  being 
burned  out  three    different    times. 

Mr.  I^ngstrand  was  married  to 
Miss  Anna  I^undquist  in  1S67. 
Of  their  .seven  children  but  five 
survive:  Eben  Oscar,  born  1S67; 
Esther  M.,  born  1S73;  Lillie  O., 
born  1S75;  Annette,  born  1.SS3: 
and    Ernest    I^eRoy,     born     1.SS7. 

Mr.  Engstrand  figures  promi- 
nently ill  church  work.  In  the 
Swedish  IvHtheran  congregation  to 
which  he  belongs  he  acted  as 
Sunday  school  su])eriiiteiideiit  and 
treasurer   for  >ears. 

The  son  Eben  Oscar  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Jessie  Arvidson  in 
1892,      the     daughter     l^sther     to 


Byron  Kennedy  in  1902.  and  the 
second  daughter  Lillie  to  L.  W. 
Barlow  in   1899. 

JOHN  A.  LARSON, 

secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
Herdien  Coal  Company,  Galva, 
111.,  was  born  in  Friiinaryd  parish, 
Smaland,  Sweden,  Sept.  27,  1857. 
He  came  with  his  parents  to 
America  in  1868  and  had  the  ad- 
vantage of  fifteen  months  instruc- 
tion in  the  public  .schools  of  this 
country.  He  studied  and  mas- 
tered book-keeping  a)id  has  held 
a  position  in  the  office  of  the 
aforesaid  coal  company  since  its 
organization   in   1S77. 

He  is  an  exj^ert  checker  player, 
having    won    second    prize    in    the 


JOHN   A.    I, ARSON 

state  tournamenl  at    Decatur,   111., 
in    1906. 

In  1903  he  was  marrieil  to 
Miss  Amelia  Aniierson.  They 
have  two  tlaughters,  Jennie  Ame- 
lia and   I{va  Margaret. 


Gal 


va 


13 


OSCAR  WILLIAM  LARSON 

was     horn     March    21,     1872,     in 
Galva,   111.      He  attended  the  pub- 


OSCAR  WILLIAM    LARSON 

lie  schools  in  his  home  district. 
At  present  he  is  engaged  in  the 
manufacture  of  cigars.  He  be- 
longs to  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
and  M.  W.  A.,  and  is  a  member 
of  the  city  council  of  Galva. 


OSCAR  M.  PETERSON, 

born  Oct.  30,  1871,  in  Galva, 
111.,  is  the  son  of  Olaf  L.  Peter- 
son, a  furniture  dealer  of  Galva, 
and  Betzie  Han.son  Peterson.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  of 
Galva  and  the  Metropolitan  Busi- 
ness College  of  Chicago.  At 
present  he  is  bookkeeper  with 
Wistrands  Manufacturing  Co.  in 
Galva  and  is  town.ship  clerk. 

Mr.  Oscar  Peterson  belongs  to 
Odd  Fellows  and  Modern  Wood- 
men. He  married  Miss  Anna 
Johnson     and     they     have      been 


blessed  with  three  children:    Flor- 
ence, Joseph  and    Ada. 

I 
JOHN  WILLIAMS  | 

was  born  Aug.    15,    1862,   in  Dais 
land.     He  emigrated  in    1877    and 


JOHN   WILLIAMS  ' 

settled  in  Clinton,  Iowa.  His 
education  was  received  in  the 
public  schools.  Being  of  a  prac- 
tical turn  of  mind  and  possessing 
fine  business  ability  Mr.  William.' 
has  been  enabled  to  bring  to 
a  point  of  succe.ss  the  dr\-  good.' 
and  clothing  business  of  which 
he  is  the  proprietor.  He  ha^- 
one  of  the  leading  stores  in  that 
line  in  Galva. 

In  religious  belief  Mr.  Williams 
is  a  Lutheran  and  is  a  member 
of  I.  O.  O.  F.,  K.  of  P.,  and 
M.  W.  of  America. 


VICTOR  L.    HEDMAN        , 

was  born  in  Ostra  Fernebo  parish, 
Gestrikland,  Sweden,  March  10, 
1 86 1.       He    is    the   son    of    Jonas 


H 


Henrv  County 


Hedman,  a  smelter  at  the  Gysinge  been  a  trustee  and  treasurer  of 
Works.  In  1880  he  emigrated  to  the  church  for  years.  He  is  also 
America    and    .settled     in     Henry      a  director  of   the  Augustana  Syn- 

odical  Mission  Board. 

In  municipal  matters  he  has 
taken  active  part,  ser\-ing  as  a 
school  director  for  nine  years  and 
as  road  commissioner  for  six  years. 


VICTOK    I,.   HEI).M.\N 

count}',  III.,  where  he  has  since 
resided.  Mr.  Hedman  attended 
the  public  schools  of  Sweden  and 
spent  two  terms  in  the  Collegiate 
Institute  at  Geneseo.  By  occupa- 
tion he  is  a  farmer,  having  spent 
the  last  eighteen  years  on  a  farm, 
but  recently  he  has  retired  with 
the  intention  of  going  into  the 
lumber   business. 

Mr.  Hedman  has  large  interests 
in  land  in  Munson  townshiji  and 
in  Canada. 

He  was  married  March  13,  18SS, 
to  Mi.ss  Lovisa  Wallin,  daughter 
of  Sven  Wallin,  from  Kiimeved 
parish,  Vestergotland.  Tlieir  two 
children  are  Hikla  W.  h.,  born 
May  3,  1889,  and  Harold  W.  Iv, 
born  July   13,    1891. 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  Geneseo  Has  an  invaluable 
member  in   Mr.  Hedman.     He  has 


GUNNER  A.  JOHNSON 

was  bom  May  7,  1863,  in  the  city 
of  Halmstad,  Sweden.  He  emi- 
grated in  1880,  and  soon  after  his 
arrival  in  America  obtained  em- 
ployment near  Geneseo  as  a  farm 
hand.  He  worked  on  the  farm 
three  years,  attending  the  village 
.school  during  the  winter  months. 
In    the    fall    of    1S83    he  began  a 


lU'NNKK    .\.  JOll.NSD.N 

course  of  instruction  in  Prof.  Wal- 
do's school,  after  the  completion 
of  which  he  obtained  a  clerkship 
with  the  grocery  firm  of  Green  & 
Trauger  of  Geneseo,  where  he 
remained  four  years.  Next  Mr. 
Johnson    was     offered    a     jHisilion 


Geneseo 


15 


with  Diedrich  iS:  Lawrence,  also 
ill  the  grocery  business.  Here  his 
energies  made  him  iiivahiahle  to 
the  firm,  and  after  several  changes 
he  became  a  member  of  the  well- 
known  John  Diedrich  Co.  He 
holds  the  position  of  vice-president. 
In  1900  a  complete  line  of  dry 
goods  was  added  to  the  already 
large  stock  of  groceries  and  queens- 
ware.  More  room  was  needed  and 
accordingly  an  adjoining  building 
was  rented.  The  business  was 
again  enlarged  in  1904  by  the 
addition  of  a  complete  shoe  de- 
partment. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  married  in 
Geneseo,  111.,  June  ,^,  1887,  to 
Miss  Emma  Engdalil,  born  Oct. 
20,  1866.  Of  their  four  children 
but  two  survive:  Aline  Victoria 
Constance,  born  1889,  and  Wen- 
dell Gunner,   born   1901. 

In  politics  Mr.  Johnson  is  a 
Republican,  in  religion,  a  Luth- 
eran. He  and  his  family  belong 
to  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church, 
where  he  has  served  as  a  trustee 
since  1892. 

Among  the  public-spirited  men 
of  Geneseo,  Mr.  Johnson  is  one 
of  the  foremost.  He  is  ever  ready 
to  join  in  any  movement  calcu- 
lated to  be  of  public  benefit.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  town  central 
committee  and  of  the  public  school 
board. 


at  Lonsas,  then  heli>ed  his  father 
at  tailoring  and  at  seventeen  years 
of     age     emigrated     to     America, 


CARL  J.  LAGER, 

son  of  John  Lager  and  Maja 
Greta  Swenson,  was  born  in  Lons- 
as pari.sh,  Sweden,  April  23,  1854. 
He    attended    the    people's   school 


CARL  J.   LAGER 

first  settling  in  Princeton,  111., 
afterward  removing  to  Geneseo  in 
1875.  Here  on  May  30,  1878, 
he  married  Miss  Dora  Larson, 
born  Nov.  9,  1858.  They  have 
one  child  living,  a  daughter 
named  Florence  Ruth,  born  in 
1891. 

Mr.  Lager  is  a  clothing  mer- 
chant, and  head  of  the  firm  of 
Lager,  Offerle  &  Co. 

He  is  a  Mason,  a  Knight 
Templar,  an  Odd  Fellow,  a  Knight 
of  Pythias  and  a  Mystic  Shriner. 
He  holds  the  rank  of  Major  in  the 
Patriarchs  Militant  and  has  re- 
ceived the  grand  decoration  of 
chivalry  in  the  order.  Mr.  Lager 
is  connected  with  the  Unitarian 
Church,  in  which  body  he  serves 
as  treasurer.  Politically  he  is  a 
Democrat. 


i6 


PETER  A.  LARSON 


was  born  Aug.  3,  1863,  in  Fro- 
dinge  parish,  Snialand,  Sweden. 
Since    his   emigration    to  America 


PETKR  A.   LAKSD.N 

in  1868,  he  has  resided  success- 
ively in  Genesee,  Orion,  Omaha, 
and  again  finally  in  Geneseo. 

Perhaps  instincts  inherited  from 
his  father,  Lars  Lar.son,  who  was 
a  cabinet  maker,  led  him  to  learn 
the  carpenter's  trade.  In  1882 
he  began  working  for  the  firm  of 
Munson  and  Olson,  at  Geneseo, 
after  which  he  went  to  Omaha, 
Neb.,  and  worked  with  the  huikl- 
ing  contracting  firm  of  John  Hart 
for  five  years.  Returning  to 
Geneseo,  he  engaged  in  business 
as  building  contractor  with  Mr. 
(iuttorm  Olson  as  his  partner. 
Among  the  larger  contracts  un- 
dertaken by  the  firm  of  Larson 
and  Olson  are,  the  L.  and  O. 
lilock  and  the  Hammond  Library 
building  of  Geneseo.      In    11)05  1"-' 


Henry  County 

bought  G.  Olson's  interest  in  the 
business. 

Mr.  Larson  was  married  to 
Miss  Christina  Gustus  in  Omaha, 
June  4,  18S9.  Their  children  are: 
Clara  L.  A.,  Esther  Helen,  So- 
phia Ruth,  Fred  E.,  and  Hazel 
Hildur. 

Mr.  Larson  belongs  to  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
Geneseo  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Yeomen  of  America. 


FRANK    AUGUST   PETERSON 

was  born  Dec.  3,  1S66,  in  Gene- 
.seo,  ni.  He  is  the  son  of  Jonas 
Peterson,  a  blacksmith  of  Gene- 
seo, and  his  wife,  Johanna  Bengts- 
son.  Hesides  attending  Augus- 
tana  College  in  Rock  Island,  Mr. 
August  Peterson  took  the  Normal 


I-KANK    All-.l-ST   rKTEKSON 

School  cour.se  at  Geneseo.  At 
present  he  is  a  druggist  and  has 
been  in  the  drug  business  for 
.some  thirteen  years.  His  one 
sister,    Jose])liine,     is    marrieil    to 


Kewanee 


17 


Mr.  A.  E.  Norliiig  of  Geneseo; 
his  only  brother,  Albert,  is  a 
druggist  at  Fort  Dodge,   Iowa. 

Mr.  Frank  Peterson  belongs  to 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at 
Geneseo. 


The    faniil\-    residence    is   at    809 
Willow  St. 


JOHN  ().   ANDERSON 

was     born     March     10,    1S59,    in 
Hbgbo     parish,      Gefleborg      Ian, 


JOH.N   O.   .\NI)ERSON 

Sweden.  He  emigrated  in  1888, 
settling  in  Menominee,  Michigan, 
and  since  1893  has  lived  in  Ke- 
wanee, 111.  He  is  a  building 
contractor  by  vocation.  His  par- 
ents are  Anders  John.son,  a  calv 
inet  maker  of  Hogbo  and  Karin 
Johnson. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a 
member  of  the  Swedish  Methodi.st 
Episcopal  Church  in  which  body 
he  serves  as  trustee  and  treasurer. 

Mr.  John  Anderson  married 
Miss  Ida  Stam  in  1890  in  Nor- 
way, Mich.  Their  children  are 
Lillie  E.,  John  H.  and  Carl  N.  A 


SWAN  A.   ANDERSON 

was  born  Dec.  9,  1869,  in  Lode- 
rup  pari.sh,  Skane,  Sweden.  He 
arrived  in  this  country  in  1890, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  a 
building  cotitractor  at  Kewanee. 
He  is  the  son  of  Anders  and 
Bella  Jonson. 


SWAN   A.   ANDERSON 

Mr.  Anderson  has  been  ver3' 
successful  as  contractor  and,  con- 
templating retiring  from  business, 
several  years  ago  bought  land  in 
North  Dakota,  with  a  view  to 
settling  there.  In  1895  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Anna  Swanson 
of     Galva. 


ALFRED  BURGQVIST 

was  born  April  21,  1857,  at  Stor- 
fors  iron  mills,  \'ermland,  Swe- 
den, where  his  father,  Nils  Berg- 
q\ist,    was    a    master    blacksmith. 


i8 


Henrv  Countv 


He  emigrated  in   1881     and    made     ents     both     passed     away    in    the 

Kewanee    his    home.     In    Sweden      latter  '90s. 

he  had  attended   a   school    of   ar- 

FRITZ  GAFVERT 

was  born  June  19,  1865,  in  Gus- 
tafsfors,  Vermland,  Sweden.  In 
1893  he  emigrated  to  America 
and  settled  in  Kewanee,  111. 
Here  he  soon  established  a  lucra- 
tive business  as  contractor  and 
builder,  his  success  being  the  re- 
sult of  good  practical  training  in 
Sweden . 

Mr.    Gafvert    is    a    member    of 


ALFRED  BURGQVIST 

chitecture  and  on  reaching  this 
country  he  chose  the  vocation  of 
building  contractor.  He  has  been 
engaged  in  that  business  in  Ke- 
wanee ever  since. 

Mr.  Burgqvist  is  a  firm  adher- 
ent of  the  Swedish  Mission  church, 
having  been  connected  with  it 
for  the  past  thirtj'-oiie  years, 
here  and  in  the  old  country. 

Mr.  Burgqvist  established  a 
family  Feb.  24,  1883,  by  marry- 
ing Miss  Kmma  Charlotta  Lof- 
gren,  born  at  Grythyttehed, 
Vermland,  Oct.  27,  i860.  Four 
sons  and  one  daughter  have  been 
born  to  them,  to  wit:  G.  Alfred 
Mf(|uiu,  born  1883;  Kmma  Idalla 
Olivia,  born  1887;  A.  R.  I'aul, 
born  1890;  Sjiencer  G.  Kmanuel, 
horn  1894;  F".  A.  Nathaniel, 
l)<)ni    1897.     Mr.   Burgqvisl's    par- 


KKITZ  (JAI-VEKT 

M.  U.  O.  A.  and  Indejiendent 
Order  of  Svithiod. 

ERNEST  A.  LAGERSTROM, 

minister  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Church,  was  born  Sei)t.  7,  1S77, 
in  I'psala,  Sweden.  His  parents, 
Ivriclc  and  Margaret  rehrson  I.a- 
gerstrom,  went  to  Chicago  in  iSSi. 
The  boy  attended  the  public  school 
for  a  short  while,  but  had  to  leave 
when  his  father  died  in  1885.    He 


Kewanee 


19 


helped  support  the  family  by  sell- 
ing newspapers,  and  later  became 
a    cash    boy    and    then     auditing 


ERNEST   A.    LAGERSTROM 

clerk  at  Mandel  Bros.  Ten  years 
were  then  spent  as  a  printer  with 
Rand,  McNally  &  Co.  During 
this  period  he  united  with  Moo- 
dy's Church  and  became  president 
of  the  Y.  P.  S.  C.  E.  and  had 
charge  of  the  open  air  meetings 
of  that  church.  After  three  years 
he  joined  the  First  Swedish  Bap- 
tist Church  and  was  president  of 
the  B.  Y.  P.  Union  and  assistant 
superintendent  of  the  Junior 
League  and  of  the  Sunday  school. 

Mr.  Lagerstrom  then  entered  the 
Morgan  Park  Academy  and  later 
the  Swedish  Baptist  Seminary  at 
Morgan  Park,  where  four  years 
were  spent.  While  yet  a  student 
he  was  a  missionary  at  Akely, 
Nevis  and  White  Oak,  Minn., 
serving  American   missions. 

After  ordination,  he  became 
pastor    of     the     Swedish     Baptist 


Church  at  Kewanee,  where  he  re- 
mained for  a  year.  Since  June, 
1905,  Mr.  Lagerstrom  has  been 
pastor  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Church  at  Springfield,  Mass.  He 
is  vice-president  of  New  England 
Baptist  Young  People's  Union. 

Rev.  Lagerstrom  was  married 
June  7,  1905,  to  Augusta  8. 
Myhrman  of  Chicago,  born  Jan. 
4,    1878. 

EMIL  NEWMAN 

was  born  May  30,  1861,  in  Bjur- 
karn,  Vermland,  Sweden.  He 
emigrated  in  1886  and  settled  in 
Kewanee.  Here  he  is  engaged 
in    business    as    a    carpenter    and 


E.MIL    NEWMA.N 

contractor.       In     1905    he    retired 
from  that  business. 

He  belongs  to  the  Swedi.sh  Con- 
gregational Church. 

GUNNAR  P.  NOREN 

was  born  Dec.  21,  1862,  in  Ansas, 
Skane,   Sweden.     He  emigrated  in 


20 


Henry  County 


1886,  with  Minneapolis,  Minn.,  as 
his  destination.  After  clue  prepara- 
tion   in    private    schools    here    in 


(U'NN.\R   p.   NOKKN 

America,  he  entered  the  Emanuel 
Acadeni)'  and  later  continued  at 
Augustana  College.  Then  he  took 
up  medical  studies  at  the  Keokuk 
Medical  College,  West  Pennsylva- 
nia University,  and  in  three  dif- 
ferent hospitals.  He  now  practices 
his  profession  in  Kewanee,  111. 

Dr.  Noren  was  married  in  1.S99 
to  Miss  Knima  Johnson  of  Minne- 
apolis. Minn.  Both  are  members 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 

Dr.  Noren  is  connected  with 
many  medical  societies,  such  as 
the  Physicians'  Club  of  Kewanee, 
of  which  he  has  been  i>resiileut, 
the  Galva  District  Medical  Society, 
Henry  Co.  Medical  Association, 
the  Illinois  State  Medical  Society, 
and  the  American  Medical  Asso- 
ciation. 


CARL  A.  NVSTROM 

was  born  Jan.  26,  1869,  in  Tjell- 
mo  I  ari.sh,  Ostergotland,  Sweden. 
He  came  to  America  in  1892,  and 
after  residing  at  different  places 
finally  settled  in  Kewanee,   111. 

Mr.  Nystrom  is  at  present  in 
the  business  of  manufacturing  and 
selling  heaters. 

He  belongs  to  the  Masons,  the 
Knights  of  Macabees,  the  Good 
Templars,  the  Amalgamated  Asso- 
ciation of  Iron  and  Steel  workers, 
of  which  he  has  been  president 
for  two  terms,  and  also  has  been 
president  of  the  local  lodge  of  the 
Svithiod  order. 

In  March,  1898,  Mr.  Nystrom 
was  married  to  Miss  Jennie  John- 


CAKl,  A.  .wstrOm 

son.     Their    one    child    is    a    sou, 
Carl    Forest. 


(UTST  STONKRKRC. 

was  born   Dec.     14,     iSdo,    in    I  he 
city     of      l'"alun,      Sweden.       He 


Kewanee 


emigrated  in  iS8o  aiul  went  di- 
rect to  Kewanee,  111.,  where  he 
has  since  resided.  He  is  by  trade 
a  molder  and  since  1 893  has  been 
foreman  of  Peter's  Pnmp  Co. 

Mr.  Stoneberg  was  elected  al- 
derman of  the  4th  ward  in  1903. 
In  the  local  lodge  of  the  Svithiod 
order  he  has  filled  the  office  of 
treasurer.     He     was     married     in 


GUST  STONEBERG 


1882    to    Miss    Kristina     Oslund. 
They  have  four  children. 


PETER  SW ANSON 

was  born  Feb.  8,  1861,  in  Skane, 
Sweden.  He  emigrated  in  1889 
and  spent  one  year  in  Michigan. 
The  following  year  he  moved  to 
Kewanee  since  when  he  has  been 
a  permanent  resident  of  that  city. 

Mr.  Carlson  is  a  carpenter 
contractor.  He  belongs  to  the 
Swedish  Mission  Church. 


PETER  SW.\NSON 


OSCAR  T.  GUSTUS 

was  born  Sept.  27,  1864,  in  Lynn 
tp.,  near  Ophiem.  His  father,  Nel- 
son Gustus,  born  in  Hvena,  Sma- 
land,  came  to  America  in  1S54, 
being  among  the  emigrants  of  the 
first  decade.  His  mother,  Clara 
MagTiuson  Gustus,  born  in  Sun, 
Ostergotland,  emigrated  to  this 
country  in  1S51.  She  was  a  .sis- 
ter of  Mrs.  L.  P.  Esbjorn.  After 
being  bedridden  for  ten  years  she 
died  Aug.  3,  1888.  at  her  home 
near  Ophiem.  Mr.  Oscar  Gustus 
took  a  two  years'  course  in  West- 
ern Normal  College  at  Bushnell 
111.,  in  1883-84.  In  1S87  he  be- 
came part  owner  of  Orion  Mer- 
cantile Co.  Moving  to  Denver, 
he  went  into  the  real  estate  busi- 
ness. Thence  he  removed  to  Page 
City,  Kansas,  where  for  seven 
years  he  was  engaged  in  selling 
lands  for  the  Union  Pacific.  Part 
of  that  time    Mr.   Gustus  was  the 


22 


Henrv  County 


publisher  and  editor  of  the  Page 
City  Messenger.  During  his  stay 
in    Kansas    he   was  also  employed 


OSCAK    THEOUOKE    GUSTUS 

by  the  Southwestern  Swedish 
Town  Site  Co.  and  by  Victor  Ry. 
lander  in  handling   real  estate. 

Returning  to  Illinois  in  1896, 
he  moved  on  his  father's  farm  near 
Ophiem,  where  he  has  since  been 
engaged  in  farming. 

He  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Churches  at 
Ophiem,  Page  City  and  Swedona, 
generally  serving  as  a  trustee  and 
frequently  as  secretary. 

An  independent  Republican,  he 
was  the  first  secretary  of  the  first 
Swedish-American  Republican  club 
organized  in  Henry  county.  He 
has  repeatedly  refused  nominations 
for  local  political  offices,  except 
that  of  school  director,  which  he 
has  filled  for  a  number  of    years. 

Mr.  Gustus  was  married  July 
25,  1889,  to  Miss  Clara  C.  John- 
son   of    Page    City,    Kans.,    born 


June  23,  1865,  at  Berwick,  War- 
ren CO.,  111.,  whose  parents,  John 
G.  and  Karin  Johnson,  lx)th  died 
at  their  home  in  Page  City  dur- 
ing 1906,  the  mother  on  her  eight- 
ieth birthday,  Jan.  6,  and  the 
father  in  his  .seventy-ninth  j'ear, 
Jul>  9.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gustus 
have  three  children,  to-wit,  Reuel 
Theron,  1890;  Lyman  EUory, 
1893;  Gladys  Opal,  1896. 

With  his  brother,  Prof.  J.  Ed- 
win Gustus  of  Moline,  he  has  re- 
cently purchased  land  near  the  city 
of  Calgary,  in  Alberta,  Canada, 
a  territory  now  attracting  many 
Swedish  .settlers,  and  later  in  the 
Pan  Handle  of  Texas,  near  the 
citv  of  Amarillo. 


HANS  P.  OTTOSON, 

Swedish    Lutheran    minister,    now 
in  charge   of    the  Ophiem  congre- 


llANS    PHTBK  (ITTl)SON 

gation,   was    born    on   the  farm  of 
his    father,  Otto    Johannesson,    at 


Ophiem 


23 


Nosseniark,  Dalsland,  Sweden, 
March  15,  1864.  In  the  year  1888 
Mr.  Ottoson  left  his  old  home  to 
strike  out  for  himself  in  the  New 
World.  He  lived  at  first  in  Chi- 
cago and  then  at  Iron  Mountain, 
Mich.  Not  long^  afterwards  we 
find  him  as  a  student  at  Augus- 
tana  College,  Rock  Island,  where 
he  was  graduated  from  the  theo- 
logical seminary  in  the  spring  of 
1S97,  being  ordained  minister  a 
few  days  later,  at  the  meeting  of 
the  Augustana  Synod  held  at  Mo- 
line.  For  nine  years  from  the 
time  of  his  ordination  Rev.  Otto- 
son was  in  charge  of  the  old  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church  of  Knox- 
ville.  In  1906  he  resigned  this 
pastorate  to  take  up  that  of 
Ophiem. 

Rev.  Ottoson  was  married  Nov. 
17,  1897,  to  Clara  Amalia  Lander, 
bom  June  5,  1868,  daughter  of 
J.  O.  Lander,  one  of  the  early 
Swedish  settlers  of  Knoxville.  The 
union  has  been  blessed  with  four 
children,  viz.,  Julia  Magdalena, 
born  1900;  Viola  Georgiana,  1902; 
Ruth  Linnea  Elizabeth.  1904  and 
James  Erland  Gezelius,    1905. 


latter  position  he    has    held    since 
1887. 

Mr.    Stephen.son    is    a    member 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran    Church 


CARL  A.  STEPHENSON, 

the  son  of  Stephen  and  Maria 
Stephenson,  was  born  July  9, 
1859,  in  Henry  co..  III.  Having 
attended  the  public  schools  of 
Ophiem,  he  entered  Augustana 
College  and  later  studied  at  a 
Business  College  in  Galesburg. 
Mr.  Stephenson  now  conducts  a 
general  mercantile  business  in 
Ophiem  and  is  at  the  same  time 
postmaster     of     the     town.     This 


CARL  A.  STEPHENSON 

at  Ophiem  and  in  this  congregation 
he  has  served  for  many  years  as 
trustee  and  treasurer.  He  mar- 
ried Miss  Hilda  Carolina  Peterson, 
daughter  of  C.  J.  and  Maria  Peter- 
son. Their  one  child  is  Clarence, 
born  April  6,    1892. 

The  familj-  worships  in  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in 
Ophiem.  Mr.  Stephenson  has  been 
a  trustee  and  the  treasurer  for 
man}'  years. 

PER  JOHAN  BRODINE 

was  born  in  Hjelmsryd,  Smaland, 
Sweden,  Oct.  12,  1846.  He  ar- 
rived in  America  together  with 
his  father,  Carl  Johan  Brodine, 
in  1853,  his  mother  having  died 
while  on  the  voyage  across  the 
ocean.  They  settled  in  Andover, 
Illinois. 


24 


Henrv  Coiintv 


In  1865  he  enlisted  in  the  U. 
S.  army  and  was  honorably  dis- 
charged in  1866.     He  entered  Au- 


PEK  JOHAN    BRODINB 

gustana  College,  at  Paxton,  in  1S69, 
the  Augustana  Theological  Semi- 
nary in  1874  and  was  ordained  in 
1875.  In  1902  the  degree  of  D. 
D.  was  conferred  on  him  by  his 
Alma  Mater. 

Dr.  Brodine  lias  been  pastor  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  churches  of 
Varna,  111.,  1 875-1 879,  of  Gene- 
sec,  111.,  1879— 1887,  of  Hol- 
drege,  Neb.,  1887- 1900  and  of 
Orion,  111.,  from  1900  until  the 
present  time. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  board 
of  directors  of  Luther  Academy 
in  Wahoo,  Neb.,  1888-1900  and 
president  of  the  Nebraska  Con- 
ference 1 889- 1 893  and  1 897- 1 90 1, 
a  member  of  the  board  of  direct- 
ors of  Augustana  College  and 
Theological  Seminary  1900-1904, 
member  of  the  Orphans'  Home 
board  and  of  the  mission  board  of 


the  Nebraska  Conference  in  1S89 
-90,  member  of  the  mission  board 
of  the  Illinois  Conference  in  1904 
-1905,  and  has  setved  on  the 
board  of  directors  of  the  Or- 
phans' Home  at  Andover,  111., 
from  1 901  to  the  present,  since 
1905  in  the  capacity  of  chairman. 

In  1885  Brodine  toured  England 
and  Sweden  for  study  and  recrea- 
tion. 

Dr.  Brodine  was  married  to  Miss 
Lovisa  Nordling  July  8,  1S75. 
Their  children  are:  Petrus  Eman- 
uel, born  1877:  Anna  Paulina  Lo- 
visa, 18S0:  Carl  August  Philemon, 
1 881;  Ellen  Theodora  and  Gustaf 
Axel  Theodor,  18S5,  and  Signe 
Victoria  Josephina,  1S87.  The 
eldest  daughter  is  married  to  Mr. 
Elmer  Theodor  Anderson. 


PETER  WESTERLUND. 

who  has  been  a  resident  of  Henry 
county  .since  1850,  was  born  in 
the  parish  of  Hassela,  Helsing- 
land,  Sweden,  Aug.  21,  1839. 
His  father,  Eric  Westerlund,  and 
his  mother,  Elizabeth  Johnson, 
were  among  the  early  Swedish 
settlers     in     this     locality. 

The  journey  from  Gefle,  Swe- 
den, to  Andover  consumed  about 
six  months'  time.  The  voyage 
across  the  ocean  was  made  in 
six  weeks  by  sailing  vessel.  The 
party  went  from  New  Vork  to 
.-\lbany  bj-  steamboat,  iheiice  to 
Ihiffalo  in  freight-cars,  to  Chicago 
by  steamt>oat,  to  I'eru  by  canal- 
boat  and  from  tliere  on  to  An- 
dover in  wagons.  Traveling  by 
sea  or  land  in  those  days  was 
fraught     with     great      i>eril      and 


Orion 


25 


privation.  W'liile  on  the  Atlan- 
tic the  mother  and  the  youngest 
child  of  the  family  died  and  were 


PETER    WESTERLUND 

buried  at  sea.  The  father  with 
the  five  remaining  children  reached 
Andover  in  November,  having 
started  on  the  journey  on  the 
25th  of   May. 

Peter,  then  a  bo\-  of  eleven, 
was  hired  out  by  his  father  to  a 
farmer  near  Galesburg  for  four 
years,  but  at  the  end  of  two 
years  he  broke  the  contract  and 
returned  home. 

Peter  Westerlund  was  one  of  a 
partj'  of  seven  Swedes  who  in 
1859,  at  the  time  of  the  Pike's 
Peak  gold  craze,  started  out 
from  the  Andover  neighborhood 
in  quest  of  the  precious  metal. 
They  visited  the  site  of  Denver 
when  it  was  marked  by  onlj^  two 
small  houses  of  frame,  named  re- 
spectively Aurora  and  Denver. 
Xot  finding  what  they  sought, 
four  of  the  party,  including  Peter 


Westerlund,  proceeded  southward 
to  Albuquerque  by  oxteani,  thence 
by  boat  to  Kl  Paso.  These  four, 
Andrew,  Kric  and  Peter  Wester- 
lund and  Peter  Hall,  are  thought 
to  have  been  the  first  white  men 
to  traverse  this  stretch  of  the 
Rio  Grande  River  with  its  eight 
rapids  and  other  jjerilous  passages. 

This  was  in  1S60.  Peter  Wes- 
terlund remained  for  some  time  in 
the  South,  working  in  a  lumber 
yard  in  El  Paso.  During  this 
time  he  found  that  all  through 
the  southern  states  secret  prepara- 
tions for  war  were  going  on  and 
so  concluded  to  go  back  North, 
where  he  was  struck  with  the 
unpreparedness  of  this  section  of 
the  countr}-  for  the  coming  conflict. 

In  1S65  Mr.  Westerlund  pur- 
chased his  first  So  acres  of  land 
and  went  to  farming  on  his  own 
account.  In  time  his  farm  was 
increased   to  one  half  section. 

On  Feb.  17,  1863,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Elnora  C.  S.  Hult- 
man.  The  six  children  born  to 
them  are:  Oscar  William,  John 
A.,  Augur,ta  Melinda,  Emma  E., 
deceased,  Luther  A.  and  Peter  E. 

In  1897  Mr.  Westerlund  re- 
tired, leaving  the  management  of 
the  farm  to  the  two  youngest 
sons,  and  made  his  home  in 
Orion,  where,  with  his  son  Wil- 
liam, he  founded  the  State  Bank 
of  Orion  in  1SS2.  He  was  vice- 
president  from  its  inception  and 
continues  in  that  capacity  since 
the  bank  has  been  merged  with 
another  similar  institution  in 
Orion. 

For  two  terms   Mr.   Westerlund 


26 


Henry  County 


has  held  the  presidency  of  the 
village  board.  He  has  served 
some  eight  years  as  a  member  of 
the  board  of  directors  of  Augus- 
tana  College.  For  the  past  twenty 
years  he  has  been  treasurer  of 
the  Svea  Mutual  Protective  In- 
surance Co.  of  Henry,  Knox  and 
Mercer  counties,  of  which  he  was 
one  of  the  organizers.  He  has 
also  held  different  township  offices, 
as  school  trustee  and  road  com- 
missioner. While  a  member  of 
the  old  Andover  church  he  served 
for  eleven  years  as  deacon  and 
of  the  Orion  church  he  has  been 
a  trustee  for  the  past  ten  years. 
The  family  to  which  Mr.  Wes- 
terlund  belongs  is  one  of  the  most 
numerous  in  the  state.  From 
Eric  Westerlund,  now  deceased, 
the  family  tree  has  branched  out 
so  as  to  comprise  at  present  some 
175  persons.  A  family  reunion 
was  celebrated  at  Orion  in  1905, 
attended  by  125  descendants. 
Mr.  Westerlund  is  preparing  the 
story  of  his  early  western  trip 
and  other  reminiscences  for  pub- 
lication. 


graduated  with  the  college  class 
of  '89.  In  the  fall  he  entered 
Augustana  Theological  Seminar}-, 


GUSTAF  A.   SWANBURG, 

pastor  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  in  Woodhull,  was  born 
April  23,  1857,  at  Nasby,  Sma- 
land,  where  his  parents,  Carl  Gus- 
taf  and  Anna  Maria  Swanburg, 
lived  on  a  farm.  The  son  emi- 
grated from  Sweden  in  1870  and 
followed  various  occupations  up 
to  1882,  when  he  began  his  stud- 
ies at  Augustana  College  at  Rock 
Island.       After     seven    years     he 


GUSTAF  ALFRED  SWANBURG 

completed  the  divinity  course  in 
two  years'  time  and  was  ordained 
to  the  ministry  in  the  Augustana 
Synod  at  the  synodical  meeting 
in  Chisago  Lake,  Minn.,  June  21, 
1 89 1.  Having  accepted  a  call  to 
the  churches  in  Lucas  and  Belinda, 
Iowa,  he  assumed  his  pastoral 
duties  there  the  following  month. 
His  next  field  of  activity  was 
Chariton,  Iowa,  whence  he  re- 
moved to  Woodhull  in  the  year 
1900. 

WALTER  A.  OLSON 

was  born  Sept.  2,  1872,  in  Wa- 
taga,  Knox  co..  111.  His  father, 
I,.  W.  Olson,  emigrated  from 
Sweden  in  1849  at  the  age  of  ten 
with  his  parents.  Me  l)ecaine  a 
farmer  and  a  merchant  in  Wataga, 
lielil  .several  public  ofticcs  and 
died  there  Aug.  17,  1907.    Waller 


Woodhull 


27 


attended  Wataga  High  School, 
Knox  College  in  Galesburg  and 
Augustana  College  in  Rock  Island. 
After  Mr.  Olson's  graduation 
from  the  last  named  college  in 
1895,  he  temporarily  engaged  in 
mercantile  business  in  Oneida. 
After  eighteen  months  he  pur- 
chased the  Pike  co.  Republican  of 
Pittsfield,  of  which  he  was  editor 
and  publisher  for  three  years. 

He  was  secretary  for  the  Re- 
publican Central  Committee  of 
Pike  CO.  for  two  years.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1899,  he  left  Pike  co.  for 
Woodhull  where  he  became  editor 
of  the  Woodhull  Dispatch.  This 
position  he  still  holds.  Mr.  Wal- 
ter Olson  is  an  interested  partici- 
pant in  local  and  county  politics. 
He  was  mayor  of  Woodhull  for 
one  term  and  has  served  as  presi- 
dent    of     the     Swedish-American 


Republican  Club  of  Henry  co. 
Besides  his  strong  political  bent, 
he  has  literary  aspirations  and  so, 
in  company  with  two  or  three 
others  successfully  conducted  a 
lecture  course  for  four    seasons. 

Mr.  Olson  was  married  in  1896 
and  has  a  family  of  two  children, 
De  Forrest,  a  son  of  nine,  and 
Ruth,  a  daughter  of  seven.  Mr. 
Olson  and  family  are  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church.  He 
belongs  to  the  Order  of  Masons 
and  Modern  Woodmen  in  both  of 
which  he  has  held  important 
offices. 

It  may  be  here  noted  that  the 
introduction  of  electric  lights  and 
a  water  works  system  in  Wood- 
hull  was  due  to  the  agitation  of 
these  matters  through  the  Dis- 
patch since  Mr.  Olson  assumed 
editorial  charge. 


KNOX    COUNTY 


GALESBURG    ONEIDA-  VICTORIA 


A.  W.  BERGGREN 

is  emphatically  a  self-made  man, 
having  risen  bj-  his  own  efforts 
from  an  apprenticeship  to  exalted 
stations  of  honor  and  trust.  He 
was  born  in  Ockelbo  parish,  Swe- 
den,   Aug.   17,    1840,    and    is    the 


AUGUST  WERNER    BERGGREN 

son  of  John  and  Karin  (Hanson) 
Bergg^en.  His  father,  a  self-edu- 
cated man,  held  several  minor 
offices  and  looked  after  cases  in 
courts,  administering  estates  and 
the  like.  For  thirteen  years  he 
ran  a  flouring  mill.  Afterwards 
he  purchased  a  farm,  on  which 
he  lived  until  he  emigrated  to  this 
country  in    1856. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  an 
example  of  the  accomplishment  of 
much  in  spite  of  limited  educa- 
tional advantages.  He  attended 
the  village  school  in  Sweden  until 
he  was  fourteen  years  of  age,  liv- 


ing at  the  .same  time  on  a  farm. 
Then  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn 
the  tailor's  trade.  When  the  father 
decided  to  emigrate  to  this  coun- 
try he  was  obliged  to  pay  the 
master  tailor  fifty  riksdaler  for 
the  release  of  his  son  from  the 
apprentice's  contract. 

Mr.  Berggren  first  came  to 
Oneida,  Knox  county,  and  then 
went  to  Victoria,  where  he  found 
employment  in  the  tailoring  estab- 
lishment of  Jonas  Hallstrom.  He 
then  came  to  Galesburg  and 
worked  at  his  trade,  where  oppor- 
tunities were  presented.  In  i860 
he  moved  to  Monmouth,  Warren 
county,  and  worked  for  Captain 
Denman,  a  merchant  tailor  of  that 
place. 

About  the  close  of  the  war  he 
returned  to  Galesburg  and  became 
a  solicitor  of  life  insurance.  Dur- 
ing these  years  he  devoted  consid- 
erable attention,  with  fair  success, 
to  music.  He  played  the  violin, 
became  a  leader  of  string  bands 
in  Galesburg  and  Monmouth,  and 
arranged  music  for  them. 

Mr.  Berggren,  for  no  fault  of 
his,  lacks  a  military  record.  At 
the  first  call  for  volunteers  to  put 
down  the  Rebellion  he  went  to 
Knoxville  and  joined  the  Swedish 
company,  commanded  by  Captain 
Holmberg.  Two  companies  were 
there:  one  composed  of  Americans; 
the  other,  of  Swedes.  The  former 
was  mustered  into  service;  the  lat- 
ter disbanded.  He  then  went  back 
to  Monmouth,  where  he  remained 


32 


Knox  County 


until  his  return  to  Galesburg  in 
1864. 

Mr.  Berggren  has  held  nianj- 
important  offices.  In  1869  he  was 
elected  justice  of  the  jieace  in 
the  city  of  Galesburg.  While 
holding  that  office  he  was  nomi- 
nated b}-  the  Republican  conven- 
tion for  the  office  of  sheriflf,  and 
elected  in  the  fall  of  i<S72.  With 
great  credit  he  held  the  office  for 
four  terms.  In  1880,  while  yet 
sheriff,  he  was  nominated  and 
elected  senator  from  the  Twenty- 
second  district,  composed  of  Knox 
and  Mercer  counties.  Four  years 
afterwards,  he  was  reelected  from 
the  new  district,  composed  of 
Knox  and  Fulton  counties.  When 
the  senate  was  organized  in  1887, 
he  was  chosen  president  pro  tem- 
pore of  that  body.  On  Ma\-  i, 
1889,  the  governor  appointed  him 
warden  of  the  Illinois  State  Peni- 
tentiarj'  at  Joliet,  which  position 
he  resigned  in  1891,  to  take  active 
supervision  of  the  Covenant  Mut- 
ual Life  Association  of  Illinois, 
with  principal  offices  in  Galesburg. 

His  public  spirit  is  fully  shown 
by  his  connection  with  various 
public  enterprises,  such  as  the 
Galesburg  Stoneware  Companx-; 
the  National  Perefoyd  Company; 
the  Galesburg  Paving  Brick  Com- 
pany. He  was  a  member  of  the 
firm  Berggren  and  Lundeen,  later 
the  J.  A.  Lundeeii  Company,  and 
still  later  the  Berggren  Clothing 
Company.  I-Voni  its  organi/ation, 
for  twenty  years,  he  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Covenant  Mutual  Life 
A.ssociation,  and  after  that  its 
treasurer,  until  it  was  merged  with 


the  Northwestern  Life  Assurance 
Company  of  Chicago  in  Dec.,  1899. 
He  was  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  C.alesburg  National  Bank 
in  1884;  continuously  one  of  its 
directors  and  at  present  its  \-ice- 
president. 

Mr.  Berggren  is  both  an  Odd 
Fellow  and  a  Mason,  joining  the 
former  order  in  1868,  the  latter 
in  1869.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
several  Masonic  bodies  in  Gales- 
burg, and  in  the  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  has  taken  a  very  active 
interest,  filling  every  office  of  the 
subordinate  bodies,  and  the  prin- 
cipal offices  of  the  Grand  Lodge. 
He  was  Grand  Master  and  pre- 
sided over  the  deliberations  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  at  Danville,  111.,  in 
1880,  and  represented  the  Grand 
Lodge  in  the  Sovereign  Grand 
Lodge  at   Baltimore,   Md. 

Mr.  Berggren  has  broadened  his 
life  and  added  greatl\-  to  his  store 
of  information  by  quite  extensive 
travel.  He  has  visited  almost  ev- 
ery state  in  the  Union,  and  in 
1882  took  an  extensive  trip  through 
England,  France,  Belgium,  Ger- 
many, Denmark.  Sweden.  Scotland 
and   Irelaiui. 

His  charities  have  been  of  a 
practical  kind.  He  has  given  to 
the  Swedish  M.  K.  Church  and 
parsonage;  to  several  other  church- 
es: to  Knox  College,  Lombard 
Gynuiasium  and  Cottage  Hospital. 

His  religious  affiliations  are  with 
the  Swedish  M.  K.  Church,  al- 
though in  1856  he  was  confirmed 
in  the  Lutheran  Cliurch  in  Sweden. 
He   served  as   lay-delegate  in  the 


Galesburg 


33 


General  Conference  at  Cincinnati 
in  1880. 

In  politics,  he  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican. He  is  not  only  a  worker, 
but  has  been  one  of  the  leaders 
in  his  party. 

Mr.  Berggren  was  married  March 
8,  1866,  to  Christina  Naslund, 
born  Feb.  10,  1845,  whose  parents 
came  to  this  country  in  1854,  join- 
ing the  Bishop  Hill  colony.  Six 
children  were  born  to  them:  Cap- 
itola  Maud,  married  to  Rev.  F.  E. 
Jefferey,  a  missionary  to  India; 
Guy  Werner,  married  to  Minnie 
Belle  Flanders;  Ralph  Augustus, 
killed  in  a  railroad  accident  in 
1887;  Claus  Eugene;  Jay  Valen- 
tine, married  to  Bessie  Sears,  and 
Earl  Hugo. 

Jan.  I,  1900,  Mr.  Berggren  with- 
drew from  active  life  and  has  since 
lived  in  retirement  at  his  home, 
529  Losey  st. 


nineteen  years  he  was  in  partner- 
ship with  his  brother-in-law,  Swan 
Johnson.     The  firm  owned  a  large 


NELS  M.  BURGLAND 
was  born  in  Gammalstorp,  Blek- 
inge,  Sweden,  Dec.  25,  1846. 
Emigrating  in  1867,  he  landed  in 
America  Sept.  i,  destined  for 
Galesburg  which  has  ever  since 
been  his  place  of  residence.  His 
education  was  limited  to  that 
acquired  in  the  common  school 
in  his  home  district  in  Sweden. 
In  Galesburg  Mr.  Burgland  em- 
barked in  business  as  the  proprie- 
tor of  a  meat  market  which  with 
time  has  gained  an  extensive 
patronage.  He  learned  the  meat 
cutter's  trade  while  in  the  employ 
of  his  uncle,  Henry  Burgland, 
for  five  years  following  his  com- 
ng  to  Galesburg.     For    the    next 


NELS  M.   BURGLANIl 

farm,  on  which  were  raised  most 
of  the  cattle  which  they  butchered 
and  shipped.  In  1892  Mr.  Burg- 
land, severing  the  partnership, 
engaged  in  the  same  line  of  busi- 
ness independently  and  continues 
to  the  present  time. 

Jan.  7,  1873,  Mr.  Burgland  was 
married  to  Jennie  Jacobson,  a 
daughter  of  Jacob  Nilson,  of 
Jemshbg,  Blekinge,  who  operated 
a  flour  mill  there.  Mrs.  Burg- 
land was  born  May  14,  1852. 
Their  children  are,  Charles  M., 
George  H.  and  Arthur  T. 

Mr.  Burgland  has  served  the 
communitj'  as  a  member  of  the 
citj-  council.  In  politics  he  is  a 
strong  Republican.  He  is  a  stock- 
holder and  director  of  the  Bank 
of  Galesburg,  the  Galesburg  Tele- 
phone Co.  and  the  Illinois-Cana- 
dian Land  Co.     He    has    likewise 


34 


Knox  County 


served  on  the  board  of  the  Gales- 
burg  Business  Association. 

JOHAN  ENWALL 

settled   in  Galesbiirg  in  the  spring 
of     1868,     immediately     after  his 


lie  school,  he  was  sent  to  Knox 
Academy  where  his  schooling  was 
completed. 


JOUAN    IvNWAI.L 

arrival  from  Vestra  Eneby,  Swe- 
den, where  he  was  born  Nov. 
4,  1833.  In  this  city  he  has 
plied  his  trade  as  a  tailor  for  a 
Ions  term  of  years. 

He  is  a  devoted  Lutheran  and 
is  one  of  the  oldest  living  mem- 
bers of  the  First  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  the  city.  He  has 
given  his  services  to  the  congre- 
gation for  many  years  past  as  a 
member  of  the  board  of  deacons 
of  the  church.  All  his  interests 
have  centered  around  his  family, 
his  church  and  his  trade. 

PHILIP  N.  ORANVILLIv 

is  a  native  of  Knox  county,  hav- 
ing been  horn  and  raised  at 
Abingdon.      Having   finislied    ])uti- 


PlllI.II'   N.   GRANVILLE 

When  the  Bank  of  Galesburg 
was  organized  in  1889,  Mr.  Gran- 
ville was  selected  as  assistant 
cashier.  In  1892  he  became  cash- 
ier and  still  retains  that  important 
position.  Mr.  Granville  has  been 
a  director  of  the  bank  since  its 
incorporation  in   1891. 

In  18S7  Mr.  Granville  was  elect- 
ed treasurer  of  the  city  of  Gales- 
burg, serving  in  that  capacity 
until  1SS9,  and  at  the  spring 
election  in  1906,  the  citizens  of 
the  Second  ward  elected  him  with 
a  handsome  majority  to  represent 
I  hem  in  the  city  council. 

Mr.  Granville  is  ]>romincnl  in 
fraternal  circles.  hoKling  member- 
ship and  office  in  the  following 
orders:  Prelate  of  Galesburg  Com- 
mandery  of  Knights  Tenii>lar, 
P.  G.  of  First  Scandinavian  lodge 
of  the  I.  O.  O.   F.:   P.   H.    P.    of 


Galesbiirg' 


35 


theCoIfax  Encampment,  I.  O.  O.  K. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Gales- 
burg   Business  Association. 

In  1903,  Nov.  I,  Mr.  Granville 
was  married  and  the  union  has 
been  blessed  with  a  son,  born  in 
1904,  and  a  daughter,  born  Nov. 
24,  1906.  The  familj-  attend  the 
Swedish  M.  E.  Church,  of  which 
Mr.  Granville  is  a  respected  mem- 
ber. 


WESLEY  HOLT 
was  born  on  a  farm  near  Swedes- 
burg,    Henry    co.,    Iowa,    May  3, 


WESLEY   HOLT 

1874.  There  he  spent  his  early 
years  assisting  in  the  work  on  the 
farm  in  summer  and  attending 
the  public  school  in  winter.  De- 
sirous of  a  general  education,  he 
entered  the  State  University  of 
Iowa,  from  which  he  graduated 
in  1899,  receiving  the  degree  of 
A.  B.  Having  decided  upon  the 
law  as  his  vocation  he  pursued 
the  study  of  it  in  the  College  of 
Law  at  the  same  institution.   The 


following  year  he  received  the 
degree  of  LL.  B.  and  was  admit- 
ted to  practice  in  the  state  and 
federal   courts. 

While  in  college,  Mr.  Holt  early 
exhibited  marked  abilities  as  a 
debater  and  speaker.  He  was 
cho.sen  to  participate  in  the  Inter 
Society  Debate  and  the  University 
oratorical  contest.  His  ability  as 
a  writer  was  recognized  in  his  se- 
lection as  editor-in-chief  of  the 
State  University  of  Iowa  Quill, 
and  staff  representative  on  the 
Western  College  Maga-Jnc.  He 
was  looked  upon  as  a  leader  among 
the  students. 

At  the  outbreak  of  the  Spanish- 
American  war,  Mr.  Holt  was  just 
entering  upon  his  life  work.  For 
him  to  enlist  at  that  time  was  no 
small  sacrifice,  but  no  selfish  in- 
terest deterred  him.  As  a  true 
patriot  he  heard  his  country's  call. 
He  enlisted  and  served  through 
the  war  with  Co.  I,  50th  Iowa 
Regt.  Volunteer  Infantrj-,  a  part 
of  the  7th  Army  Corps  under  Gen. 
Fitzhugh  Lee's  command. 

Mr.  Holt  came  to  Galesburg  in 
the  spring  of  1901  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  Illinois  in 
the  autumn  of  the  same  }-ear.  He 
opened  an  office  in  partnership 
with  Walter  C.  Frank  under  the 
firm  name  of  Holt  &  Frank  im- 
mediatel}'  after  admission  and  was 
the  only  Swedish  lawyer  in  Gales- 
burg. ■         ■ 

Mr.  Holt  was  active  in  religious 
work,  being  a  member  of  the  First 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  and  one 
of  the  members  of  its  board  of 
trustees. 


36 


Knox  County 


In  politics  Mr.  Holt  was  a  zeal- 
ous Republican.  He  took  an 
active  part  in  the  campaigns  of 
the  party  on  the  stump  and  other- 
wise. He  made  his  first  political 
speech  in  1896  for  \Vm.  McKinley. 

In  1903,  although  he  had  lived 
but  a  short  time  in  Galesburg,  he 
had  already  gained  the  confidence 
of  the  community,  as  e\-idenced 
by  his  election  to  the  office  of  city 
attorney  in  the  spring  of  that 
year. 

Mr.  Holt's  creditable  and  highly 
promising  career  was  cut  short  by 
his  untimely  death  July    8,    1904. 


CHARLES  F.  HURBURGH 

was    born    in     Sweden,     Jan.     10, 
1872.     A    year    later    his    parents 


CllAKI.HS   I'.    IIHUIUIKI'.II 

emigrated,  settling  at  Altona,  111., 
where  the  boy  was  raised.  After 
finishing  public  school,  he  ob- 
tained a  liberal  education  at 
Abingdon  Normal  College  and 
Knox    College,    institutions    both 


situated  in  his  home  comity. 
From  the  former  institution  he 
was  graduated  in  1892  and  from 
the  latter  in    1895. 

Mr.  Hurburgh  has  served  his 
county  in  the  capacity  of  sheriff 
for  the  official  terms  of  1902-04 
and  1904-06,  having  acted  as 
deputj-  sheriff  for  two  years,  1900 
to  1902.  Prior  to  entering  the 
service  of  Knox  county,  he  held 
the  position  of  principal  of  the 
public  schools  of  Maquon,  111., 
from  1895  to  1900.  In  1906  Mr. 
Hurburgh  was  elected  a  memljer 
of  the  state  legislature  and  took 
an  efficient  part  in  railway  legis- 
lation last  winter. 

Aug.  6,  1903,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Anna  Scott  at 
Duncan,  111.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hur- 
burgh are  members  of  the  Con- 
gregational Church.  He  is  a 
popular  member  of  the  Gales- 
hurgh  Business  Association. 


CARL  G.  JOHNSON, 
ph>sician  and  surgeon,  was  born 
in  the  city  of  Oscarshamn,  Swe- 
den, Jan.  5,  1865.  As  a  young 
boy  he  accompanied  his  parents, 
C.  X.  and  Helena  S.  Johnson,  to 
this  country  in  the  spring  of  1869. 
The  family  located  in  Galesburg, 
;ind  here  the  boy  obtained  his 
pul)lic  school  education.  After 
that  he  worked  in  a  boiler  factory 
and  at  fifteen  he  went  to  work 
on  farm  for  three  j'ears.  At 
the  opening  of  the  school  year  in 
1S83  he  was  matriculated  at  Au- 
gustana  College,  Rock  Island,  and 
graduated  with  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Science  in  June,  1889. 


Galesburg 


37 


In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he 
entered  the  Long  Island  College 
Hospital      medical     school,     from 


CARL    G.  JOHNSON 

which  he  graduated  with  the  de- 
gree of  Doctor  of  Medicine  in 
March,  1892.  Then  he  accepted 
an  appointment  as  interne  and 
ambulance  surgeon  to  the  Eastern 
District  Hospital  in  Brooklyn,  re- 
maining until  the  following  Sep- 
tember, when  he  resigned  to  be- 
come house  physician  and  surgeon 
to  the  Minneapolis  City  Hospital. 
Having  served  in  that  capacity 
for  one  year,  Dr.  Johnson  passed 
the  state  board  examination  in 
Minnesota  in  October,  1893,  and 
engaged  in  private  practice  in 
Minneapolis. 

In  January,  1895,  he  moved 
back  to  his  old  home  city  of 
Galesburg  to  take  up  practice. 
Just  after  having  established  him- 
self, he  was  honored  by  an  ap- 
pointment on  the  staff  of  the 
Galesburg  Cottage  Hospital.  This 
position  he  has  retained  by  reelec- 


tion up  to  the  present  time,  and 
in  October,  1901,  was  elected  chief 
of  the  medical  staff.  He  is  now 
commissioner  of  health  of  Gales- 
burg. 

In  1897  Dr.  Johnson  made  a 
European  trip  for  the  purpose  of 
observing  the  hospital  systems  of 
England,  Sweden,  Denmark  and 
Germany.  He  improved  the  op- 
portunity bj'  taking  post-graduate 
courses  at  Brunswick  and  Berlin. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  American 
Medical  Association,  the  Illinois 
State  Medical  Society  and  the 
Knox  County  Medical  Society. 

Aug.  5,  1896,  Dr.  Johnson  was 
married  to  Mi.ss  Hannah  Larson 
of  Moline,  born  Sept.  i,  1863. 
There  is  one  child,  Helena  Kath- 
arine, born  in  1900.  They  are 
active  in  church  work,  being 
members  of  the  First  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church.  The  doctor 
gives  much  time  to  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  Association,  and 
has  been  one  of  its  directors  for 
se\-eral  years  past. 

The  Augustana  Synod  in  1899 
elected  Dr.  Johnson  on  the  board 
of  directors  of  Augustana  College 
and  Theological  Seminary  for  a 
term  of  four  years,  at  the  expira- 
tion of  which  he  was  again  elected 
for  a  like  term.  In  1904  he  was 
chosen  a  member  of  the  board  of 
Augustana  Hospital  in  Chicago 
for  a  term  of  three  j-ears. 

CHARLES  J.  JOHNSON 

was  born  July  11,  18/ 1,  in  Vill- 
stad  parish,  Smaland,  Sweden. 
Emigrating  in  1S89,  he  came  to 
Galesburg    as    a    young    man    of 


38 


Knox  County 


eighteen,  equipped  with  a  coiunion  iiig.  Dec.  6,  1900,  he  founded  a 
and  high  school  education  from  familj-  of  his  own  by  marrying 
the    old    country.     He    continued      Miss  Elfrida  Moller  from  Kristian- 

stad,     Sweden.      They    have    two 

children. 


C.  T.  E.  JOHNSON 

was  born  and  bred  in  Galesburg. 
The  date  of  his  birth  was  Feb. 
3,  1865.  Having  finished  his 
education  in  high  school  and 
business  college  he  turned  his 
attention  to  the  machinist's  trade. 
For  seventeen  years  he  was  in 
the  employ  of  Frost  Manufactur- 
ing Co.,  the  last  ten  being  .spent 
on  the  road,  erecting  machinery 
for    the    firm.     In     1903    he    was 


CHAKLUS  J.  JOHNSON 

his  studies  here,  however,  to  ac- 
quire the  language  of  the  land, 
and  graduated  in  Brown's  Business 
College  in  Galesburg.  Subsequent- 
ly entering  the  empio}-  of  the 
Chicago,  Burlington  and  Quincj' 
Railway  Co.,  he  has  risen  in  their 
service  to  the  position  of  foreman 
of  the  fuel  department  at  the  shops 
in  Galesburg.  Some  seventeen 
years  ago  he  went  to  work  in  the 
car  department  of  the  company, 
and  was  promoted  to  the  afore- 
said foremanship  al)out  eight  years 
ago. 

A  leading  member  of  the  local 
lodges  of  the  Masonic  order,  the 
Svithiod  order  and  the  A.  O.  U. 
W.,  Mr.  Johnson  has  filled  various 
offices    in    all    three  organizations. 

Mr.  Johnson's  parents,  Johan 
and  Anna  I'ehrson,  remained  in 
Villstad,  where    they  are  still  liv- 


C.   T.   E.  JOHNSON 

apjxjinted    superintendent    of    the 
city  water  works. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  a  loyal  and 
u.seful  member  of  the  t'lrst  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church.  He  was 
elected  several  years  ago  on  the 
board  of  deacons  and  also  made 
assistant     superintendent     of     the 


Galesburg 


39 


Sunday  scliool.  He  is  active  in 
the  Mens'  Luther  League  of  the 
church. 

JOHN  J.  JOHNSON, 

clergyman  of  the  Mission  Cove- 
nant, was  born  in  Grasniark  par- 


JOHX  JONAS  JOHNSON 

ish,  Vermland,  Sweden,  July  3, 
1867.  At  the  age  of  twentj'-one 
he  arrived  in  America.  His  par- 
ents, Jan  Jonsson  and  his  wife 
Birgitta,  who  were  industrious  far- 
mer folk,  brouglit  up  their  chil- 
dren in  the  Christian  faith.  The 
son,  soon  after  his  arrival,  decided 
to  prepare  for  the  ministry  of  the 
Gospel,  and  for  that  purpose  came 
from  Fort  Waj-ne,  Ind.,  where  he 
had  settled,  to  Chicago,  entering 
the  Chicago  Theological  Seminary. 
After  having  completed  the  course, 
he  was  stationed  as  pastor  at  Ode- 
bolt,  la.,  before  coming  to  Bata- 
via.  111.,  were  he  labored  for  many 
years.  Since  1907  he  is  pastor  of 
the   Swedish    Mission    Church    at 


Galesburg,  which    has  a   member- 
ship of  230  people. 

Rev.  Johnson  was  married  Sept. 
8,  1894,  to  lunma  Josephine  Blom, 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andrew 
Blom,  who  came  to  this  country 
in  1S70  and  had  got  settled  in 
Chicago  just  before  the  great  fire. 
Re\'.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  have  five 
children,  Ruth  Victoria,  born  1895; 
Judith  Delphine,  1897;  \'ernon 
Emanuel,  1899:  Dagmar  Naomi 
and  Hilding  Nathanael,  twins, 
born  in   1903. 


NELS  O.   G.   JOHNSON 

was  born  in  Mollegarden,  Skane, 
Sweden,  Jan.  10,  1844,  but  grew 
up  in  Maglarod  in  that  province, 
whither  his  father  removed  short- 
ly afterward.  Both  parents  died 
there  in  recent  years.  The  elder 
Johnson    was    a    merchant     in    his 


NELS  OLOF  GOTTFRID  JOHNSON 

younger  days  and  in     later    j'ears 
operated      a      large      farm, 
owned  by  his  youngest  son 


now 
Mr. 


40 


Knox  County 


N.  O.  G.  Johnson  "smother,  Bengta 
Pehrson,  was  the  daughter  of 
Nels  Pehrson  of  Skeinge,  Skane, 
who  owned  a  large  dairy  farm 
and  also  traded  in  gfrain  and  iron. 
The  son  was  educated  in  private 
and  public  schools  and  grew  to 
manhood  in  Sweden,  which  he 
did  not  leave  until  1869.  In 
May  of  that  year  he  landed  in 
New  York,  proceeding  thence 
direct  to  Galesburg  where  he  has 
been  a  resident  since  that  time. 

After  his  arrival  in  Galesburg, 
Mr.  Johnson  farmed  for  the  first 
three  years,  then  engaged  in 
business  as  a  partner  in  the  gro- 
cery firm  of  Clarkson  and  John- 
son. Then  after  nine  years,  the 
partnership  was  dissolved,  Mr. 
Johnson  engaged  in  milling  in 
partnership  with  a  Mr.  Anderson. 
The  Anderson  and  Johnson  mill 
was  profitably  operated  bj'  them 
for  a  number  of  years;  after  that 
Mr.  Johnson  made  heavy  real 
estate  inveslnients  and  has  been 
dealing  in  realtj-  to  the  present 
time.  He  is  treasurer  and  one 
of  the  directors  of  Illinois-Canad- 
ian Land  Co.  and  jjrominently 
connected  with  other  commercial 
interests,  being  director  and  vice- 
president  of  the  Bank  of  Gales- 
burg and  sustaining  the  same  re- 
lations  to  the  Commercial   I'nioii. 

His  prominence  and  influence 
as  a  citizen  and  Republican  has 
never  induced  him  to  seek  public 
preferment.  To  the  local  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  he  has  given 
his  services  for  a  number  of  years 
as  a  trustee. 

The    liberal    education    afforded 


by  travel  Mr.  Johnson  has  en- 
joyed in  full  measure.  By  exten- 
sive tours  in  the  United  States, 
Canada  and  Mexico  he  has  thor- 
oughly informed  himself  on  con- 
ditions in  these  countries,  besides 
what  he  has  learned  of  old  world 
conditions  by  travels  in  England, 
Scotland,  Ireland,  Denmark,  Nor- 
way and  Sweden. 

Mr.  Johnson  has  been  twice 
married.  His  first  wife  was  So- 
phia Anderson  of  Galesburg,  whom 
he  married  in  1878  and  lost  by 
death  in  1S82.  There  were  in 
this  union  two  children,  Blenda 
Amelia,  now  Mrs.  Charles  E. 
Johnson  of  Galesburg,  and  Arthur 
Newton.  On  June  11,  1890,  Mr. 
Johnson  took  for  his  second  wife 
Miss  Anna  Bennett,  of  Galesburg, 
born  May  6,  1865,  daughter  of 
Bengt  P.  Bennett.  To  them  have 
lieen  born:  Frances  Evangeline, 
born  1892;  Ruth  Genevieve,  bom 
1896:  Aldis  Bennett,  born  1900; 
Craig  Russell,  born  1901:  \'ivian, 
born  1904,  and  a  daughter  who 
died  in  infancy.  The  familj-  resi- 
dence is  at  527  E.   Main  st. 


HAROLD  L.  LINDQUIST, 
minister  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal Church,  was  born  at  Beaver, 
Iroquois  comity.  111.,  Oct.  12,  1859. 
His  father  came  over  from  Swe- 
den in  iSs2  and  became  one  of 
the  jiioncer  Swedish  settlers  in 
Jamestown,  N.  \'.  Ki\e  years  later 
he  entered  the  ministr\-,  serving 
various  churches  in  this  state  up 
to  1867,  when  he  removed  to 
Minnesota.  The  son,  Harold,  after 
attending  Folsom's  Academy,  Min- 


Galesburg 


41 


neapolis,  determined  on  following 
in  his  father's  footsteps  and  began 
fitting  himself  for  the  ministry  at 


HAROLD    L.   LINDQUIST 

the  Swedish  Theological  Seminary 
in  Chicago.  The  course  completed, 
he  was  ordained  and  has  since 
labored  in  the  following  fields: 
Oakland,  Neb.,  1881-82;  Stronis- 
burg,  Neb.,  1883;  Des  Moines,  la., 
1884;  Red  Oak  and  Essex,  la., 
1885-87;  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  1888-92; 
Burlington,  la.,  1893-97;  Keokuk, 
la.,  1898-99;  Galesburg,  1900  to 
the  present.  As  pastor  at  these 
places  Rev.  Lindquist  has  been  in 
the  service  of  the  Central  Swedish 
Conference  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church. 


ANDREW  O.  LINDSTRUM 

is  one  of  the  representative 
Swedish-Americans  of  Galesburg. 
He  was  born  on  a  farm  near 
Bishop  Hill,  Henry  county,  on 
the   2gth  of  May,    1873,  his  father 


being  a  member  and  one  of  the 
founders  of  the  15ishop  Hill  Colony. 
At  the  age  of  thirteen  years, 
he  lost  his  mother  and  before  he 
had  .seen  his  si.xtcenth  summer, 
he  was  also  bereft  of  his  father. 
He  left  the  farm  in  the  fall  of 
1890  in  quest  of  an  education. 
He  had  cho.sen  Knox  College, 
located  at  Galesburg,  for  his 
Alma  Mater,  and  from  that  in- 
stitution he  was  graduated  in  the 
.spring  of  1895  when  he  received 
the  degree  of  B.  S.  He  was 
business  manager  of  the  College 
Annual  of  1893;  was  president 
of  the  Gnothautii  Literarj-  So- 
ciety; vice  -  president  of  the 
National      Republican     League    of 


.\NLIREW    O.   l.I.Nll.STRUM 

college  clubs;  major  of  the  cadet 
corps,  and  commissioned  brevet- 
major  of  the  Illinois  National 
Guards  by  Governor  Altgeld. 
He  early  identified  himself  with 
the  Republican  party  and  served 
as  president  of  the  Knox    College 


42 


Knox  County 


Republican  Club  in  the  fall  of 
1894. 

Mr.  Lindstrum  is  a  32d  degree 
Mason,  Knijjhl  Templar  and 
Shriner. 

Mr.  Lindstrum  is  a  young  man 
of  keen  intelligence  and  naturally 
the  field  of  journalism  early  be- 
came attractive  to  him  as  it  af- 
forded a  splendid  opportunity  for 
the  development  of  native  ability 
along  lines  in  perfect  harmony 
with  his  tastes.  Upon  the  com- 
pletion of  his  college  course,  he 
became  an  assistant  in  the  organ- 
ization of  the  (icneseo  Daily  Arena. 

His  residence  in  Geneseo  was 
brief  and  he  soon  severed  his 
connections  with  the  Daily  Are- 
ola to  promote  the  organization 
of  the  Kewance  Daily  Courier. 
In  1897  he  accepted  the  position  of 
business  manager  of  the  Galesbiirg 
Eveiiitiff  ."i/ail.  This  position,  he 
filled  acceptably  for  four  years  and 
then  resigned  to  accept  the  ap- 
pointment of  Deputy  Clerk  of  the 
County  Court  of  Knox  County. 
At  present  he  is  manager  and 
part  owner  of  the  Calesbiirir  Eve- 
7ii?ig  Mail. 

He  was  appointed  one  of  the 
directors  of  the  Galesburg  Public 
Library  in   1907. 

He  was  married  on  the  3d  day 
of  October,  1898  to  Miss  S. 
Winifred  Chaiser.  They  have 
cue  son,   Herbert  James. 

Mr.  Lindstrum  is  a  young  man 
of  sterling  character  and  is  a 
recognized  leader  among  the 
younger  element  of  the  Swedish- 
Americans  of  Galesburg.  He 
stands  high  in  his   community    in 


point  of  energy,  honesty,  and 
integrity.  He  is  a  young  man 
of  force,  who  has  forged  to  the 
front  and  achieved  his  success  at 
every    stage   of   his   career. 


PETER  TRUED  OLSON. 

the  son  of  Trued  Olson  of   Hast- 
\-eda,    Skane,    Sweden,    was   bom 


PETER   TRUED  OLSON 

there  Feb.  10,  i860.  His  father 
died  in  the  old  homestead  in 
1902.  The  son  has  enjoyed  no 
education  beyond  that  obtained 
in  the  common  school  of  his  na- 
tive place,  supplemented  bj-  a 
couple  of  years  in  our  public 
.schools  subsequent  to  his  arrival 
in  America  in  1879.  For  three 
years  he  lived  in  Henry  co.,  Iowa, 
then,  in  18S2,  located  in  Gales- 
burg, which  became  his  perma- 
nent home.  The  same  year  he 
adopted  the  brick  ma.son's  trade, 
which  he  followed  for  the  next 
ten  years. 


Galesburg" 


43 


Having  become  familiar  with 
the  various  phases  of  building 
construction  Mr.  Olson  in  1892 
embarked  in  business  on  his  own 
account  as  contractor  and  builder. 
Since  then  a  number  of  the  large 
buildings  in  Galesburg  have  been 
erected  under  his  supervision, 
bearing  te.stimony  to  his  practical 
skill  in  his  chosen  vocation. 
Among  these  are  several  public 
buildings  including  a  half  dozen 
school  houses,  bank  and  office 
buildings    and    private   residences. 

Mr.  Olson  is  devoted  to  the 
Lutheran  faith  and  for  a  number 
of  years  has  served  as  a  trustee 
of  the  First  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church.  He  is  not  active  in 
politics  aud  has  never  sought 
public  office,  but  his  citizenship 
is  unimpeachable.  He  has  found 
no  time  to  devote  to  fraternal 
societies  and  orders,  living,  as  he 
does,  for  his  business  and  his 
family.  The  latter  consists  of  a 
wife  and  five  children.  Carolina 
Charlotta  Edoff,  daughter  of  Per 
August  and  Maria  Charlotta  Edoff 
of  Galesburg,  born  April  16, 
1865,  became  his  wife  in  Novem- 
ber, 1889.  The  children  born  to 
them  were  seven  in  all,  viz.: 
Oscar  Mauritz,  1890;  Agnes  Mil- 
dred, born  1892;  Carl  Nathan, 
born  1894;  Hilda  Maria,  born 
1896;  Ernst  Joshua,  bom  1898, 
deceased;  Ellen  Olivia,  born  1901; 
Ruth  Carolina,  born   1903. 


wife,  Marit  Bengtson,  who  were 
tenants  on  an  estate.  The  family 
caihe  to  America  in  the  summer 
of  1869  and  located  in  Meeker  co., 
Minn.  Six  weeks  after  reaching 
this  place,  the  father  was  acci- 
dentally drowned  while  fishing  in 
Lake  Collin  wood,  and  the  mother 
was  left  in  destitute  circumstances, 
to  raise  a  family  of  .seven  children. 


PETER  PETERSON 

was  born  in  Frj-ksande,  Vermland, 
Sweden,  Nov.  21,  1866.  His  par- 
ents   were    Per    Person    and     his 


PETER    PETERSON 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  at- 
tended the  country  school  and  pa- 
rochial school  at  Moore's  Prairie, 
and  was  confirmed  in  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  this  latter 
place  in  1882.  From  high  school, 
at  the  age  of  nineteen,  he  entered 
the  academical  department  of  Gus- 
tavus  Adolphus  College,  St.  Peter, 
Minn.,  and  graduated  from  the  col- 
legiate department  of  that  insti- 
tution in  1892  with  the  highest 
honors  of  the  class,  and  from 
Augustana  Theological  Seminary 
in  Rock  Island  in  1894.  After  his 
ordination    on    June    10,    1894,  he 


44 


Knox  County 


ser\-ecl  the  Mission  Board  of  the 
Augustana  S3'nod  as  missionarj- 
in  Ogden,  Utah,  for  one  year. 
He  then  accepted  a  call  to  the 
St.  John's  Swedish  Luth.  Church 
of  Essex,  Iowa,  and  remained 
there  over  three  years.  On  Nov. 
I,  1898,  he  entered  upon  his  duties 
as  pastor  of  the  Fir.st  Swedi.sh 
Lutheran  Church  of  Galesburg. 

Rev.  Peterson  was  married  Oct. 
17,  1894,  to  Miss  Mathilda  John- 
son of  Vermillion,  S.  Dak.  Three 
children  have  been  born  to  them: 
Elmer  Petri  Theodor,  Aug.  5,  1896; 
Mildred  Mathilda  Ingeborg,  Dec. 
8,  1897;  Ruth  Sigrid  Marie,  Aug. 
26,    1902. 

Dec.  I,  1905,  Rev.  Peterson  re- 
moved to  St.  Paul  to  a.ssume  pas- 
toral charge  of  the  First  Swedi.sh 
Lutheran  Church  in  that  city. 

Rev.  Peterson  is  at  present  a 
member  of  the  executive  commit- 
tee of  the  Minnesota  Conference 
and  serves  on  the  board  of  direct- 
ors of  Minnesota  College  at  Min- 
neapolis, and  on  that  of  the  Dea- 
coness'   Institute  at  Omaha. 


PETER  F.  SWANSON 
was  born  in  Gumlosa,  Skane, 
Sweden,  Jan.  12,  1866.  He  grad- 
tiated  from  high  school  at  the  age 
of  fourteen  with  highest  honors  in 
a  class  of  50.  The  father  died 
when  Peter  was  only  a  child  not 
yet  a  year  old.  After  leaving 
.school  at  the  age  of  fourteen  he 
had  to  work  for  a  living,  and  for 
three  years  was  engaged  in  farm 
labor,  also  learning  the  butcher's 
trade.  As  his  father  had  been  a 
carpenter    and    builder,    the    son, 


however,  inclined  to  artisanship 
and  began  to  work  for  P.  Ljung- 
berg  in  Hessleholm,  then  operat- 
ing a  large  wagonshop.  After 
serving  his  apprenticeship  as  a 
wagonmaker,  he  continued  in  this 
shop  until  he  was  seized  with  a 
desire  to  emigrate  to  America. 
Leaving  Sweden  in  March,  18S6, 
he  went  to  Gale.sburg,  which   has 


I'HTHK    F     SW.\NS(>N 

since  l)een  his  home.  After  work- 
ing on  a  farm  for  four  years,  he 
again  turned  to  carpentry  and 
affiliated  him.self  with  the  Carpen- 
ters' and  Joiners'  Union,  .soon 
becoming  one  of  the  leading  mem- 
bers of  that  body,  and  for  four 
successive  terms  held  the  office  of 
financial  .secretary.  He  also  rep- 
resented this  body  for  two  terms 
in  the  Trades  and  Labor  assembly, 
hoUling  the  same  office  there. 
Having  had  no  .schooling  in  this 
country-  and  desirous  of  a  business 
education,  he  joined  the  night 
.scliool  of  IJrown's  Husine.ss  College 


Galesburg 


45 


in  the  fall  of  1893.  ^'ot  satisfied 
with  night  school,  he  entered  for 
the  full  business  course,  which  he 
did  not  complete  owing  to  the 
opening  of  the  spring  work.  A 
year  later  he  started  in  business 
for  himself  as  general  contractor 
and  builder.  He  employs  only 
skilled  labor  and  pays  good  wages, 
believing  that  to  his  employes  he 
owes  much  of  his  success. 

Mr.  Swanson  was  married  Nov. 
27,  1895,  to  Miss  Aima  Nielen  of 
Sioux  City,  Iowa,  and  thej-  reside 
at  146  N.  Whitesboro  st. 

In  politics  Mr.  Swanson  is  a 
strong  Republican  and  has  repre- 
sented his  ward  at  a  number  of 
conventions.  He  has  served  on 
the  central  committee  for  two 
terms,  and  at  the  last  McKinley 
election  was  vice-president  of  a 
McKinleN-  club.  He  represented 
the  Fourth  ward  in  Galesburg  City 
Council  in   1901-02. 

Mr.  Swanson  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish-American  Republican 
League  of  Illinois,  and  of  a  num- 
ber of  social  and  fraternity'  socie- 
ties; he  is  a  prominent  Odd  Fel- 
low, holding  the  post  of  secretary 
of  the  Joint  Board  of  Odd  Fellows 
and  executive  committee  of  Gales- 
burg. 


JOHAN  SALLSTROM, 

clergy-man  of  the  Swedish  Evan- 
gelical Mission  Covenant,  was  born 
March  12,  1866,  in  Grasmark  in 
the  province  of  Vermland,  Sweden. 
He  is  of  mixed  Norwegian  and 
Swedish  stock,  his  father  being  a 
Norwegian    and     his     mother     a 


Swede.  His  education  was  obtained 
in  the  common  schools  and  later 
supplemented  by  private  study. 
In  1883  Mr.  Sallstrom,  having  af- 
filiated himself  with  the  Mission 
Covenant  of  Sweden,  became  one 
of  its  preachers.  Two  years  later 
he  came  over  to  this  country,  en- 
tering at  once  the  service  of  the 
Mission  Covenant  of  America.  In 
1898  he  became  pastor  of  its  church 


JOH.\N  SALI-STRO.M 

in  Galesburg,  %vhere  he  has  since 
been  stationed,  except  for  a  recent 
journey  to  the  Holy  Land  and  a 
protracted  sojourn  in  Sweden,  un- 
til the  present  year,  when  he  re- 
moved to  Ishpeming,   Mich. 

Rev.  Sallstrom  was  married  at 
Tacoma,  Wash.,  in  November, 
1S98.  His  wife,  Julia,  was  born 
in  Wose  parish,  Sweden,  Feb.  16, 
1873.  They  have  four  sons,  Hjal- 
mar  Ferdinand,  Enoch  Ludvig, 
Paul  Ansgarius  and  Bertel  Me- 
lanchton. 

His    observations    in    the    Holy 


46 


Knox  County 


Land  Rev.  Sallstroni  has  embodied 
in  an  attractive  volume,  published 
in  1907,  entitled,  "Med  Penna  och 
Kamera  genom  Loftets  Land." 
Rev.  Sallstrom  has  given  interest- 
ing lectures  on  Palestine  and  the 
manners  and  customs  of  the 
Orient. 


MOSES  O.  WILLIAMSON 
was   born    on    the  Atlantic  ocean, 
July   14,    1850,  of  Swedish  parent- 


MOSKS   O.    WILLIAMSON 

age.  His  father,  William  (Olson) 
Williamson,  was  a  farmer  bj'  oc- 
cupation. He  and  his  family  came 
direct  to  Illinois  and  settled  in 
Sparta  township,  near  Wataga,  in 
Knox  county,  where  the  father 
died  in  1853  and  the  mother  in 
1885.  Here  the  boy  grew  to  man- 
hood and  has  since  resided. 

When  a  lad  of  fourteen  he 
learned  the  harnessmaking  trade 
with  Olson  &  Gray  at  VV'ataga, 
served  an  ajjprenticeship  of  three 
years    and    worked   at    the    bench 


more  than  twenty  \ears  thereafter. 
He  attended  the  district  school  up 
to  the  age  of  thirteen,  with  a 
term  of  six  months  in  the  village 
.school  at  the  age  of  seventeen. 

Mr.  Williamson  was  married 
Oct.  18,  1871,  to  Mary  A.  Driggs 
of  Wataga,  111.  There  were  born 
to  them  one  son,  who  died  in  in- 
fancy, and  two  daughters,  Ade- 
laide F.,  born  April  22,  1878,  mar- 
ried May  13,  1902,  to  Edward 
Cl.\de  Slocumb,  division  civil  en- 
gineer on  the  C.  B.  &  Q.  R.  R.  for 
the  St.  Louis  division,  their  home 
being  at  Beardstown,  111.:  and 
Nellie  M.,  born  May  6,  1SS3,  who 
is  unmarried  and  lives  at  home. 
Mr.  Williamson  is  a  church  at- 
tendant, without  being  aflfiliated 
with  any  one  denomination. 

Mr.  Williamson  was  elected  and 
served  as  town  and  city  clerk  for 
seventeen  years,  alderman  and 
justice  of  the  peace,  was  elected 
county  treasurer  of  Knox  county 
in  1886,  was  elected  county  clerk 
in  1890-94-98,  was  elected  treas- 
urer of  the  state  of  Illinois  in 
1900.  He  has  been  a  member  of 
of  the  Republican  county  central 
committee  for  twenty-three  years, 
.serving  as  chairman  or  secretary 
most  of  the  time.  He  was  one 
of  the  organizers  and  an  active 
member  of  the  Swedish-American 
Republican  League  of  Illinois  and 
was  its  president  in    1S97. 

He  is  a  Knight  Tem]>lar  Mason, 
an  Odd  F"ellow  and  Knight  of 
Pythias.  In  i8yo  he  with  his 
family  removed  to  Galesburg,  111., 
which  has  since  been  his  home. 
He  is,   at  present,  jin-sident  of  the 


Oneida 


47 


Swedish  Old  Settlers  of  Knox 
county.  He  has  held  membership 
in  the  Business  Men's  Club  of 
Galesburg  and  in  the  Hamilton 
and  Marquette  Clubs  of  Chicago. 
For  two  years  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Lincoln  Monument  Associa- 
tion of  Illinois,  and  it  was  during 
his  term  that  the  rebuilding  of 
the  Lincoln  monument  at  Spring- 
field, 111.,  was  completed  and  the 
remains  of  the  martyred  president 
were  laid  in  their  final  resting 
place  in  the  monument. 

Mr.  Williamson  is,  at  this  time, 
president  of  the  People's  Trust 
and  Savings  Bank  of  Galesburg, 
one  of  the  largest  and  most  suc- 
cessful financial  institutions  in  the 
state  outside  of  Chicago. 


from  iij(>2  to  1904  he  served  on 
the  Republican  central  committee 
of  Knox  county.      From    1897     to 


LARS  EUGENE  OLSON 

was  born  in  Sparta  township,  near 
Wataga,  111.,  Sept.  16,  1862. 
He  attended  district  school  and 
took  a  short  course  in  a  commer- 
cial college  at  Galesburg.  L'ntil 
1885  he  worked  in  a  store  owned 
bj-  his  father,  Lars  W.  Olson, 
now  retired,  and  then  engaged  in 
farming  for  the  next  ten  j-ears. 
In  August,  1S95,  he  bought  out 
a  grocer  in  Oneida,  where  he  has 
since  carried  on  a  thriving  grocerj- 
business. 

Mr.  Olson  is  a  Republican  and 
a  man  of  public  spirit  who  has 
given  his  services  to  the  commun- 
ity in  several  official  capacities. 
For  eight  successive  years  from 
his  first  election  in  1898  he  has 
been  a  member  of  the  aldermanic 
council  of  the  citv  of  Oneida  and 


LARS   EUGE.NE   OLSON 

1907  he  held  the  office  of  as.se.s- 
sor  of  Ontario  township.  He  is 
affiliated  with  the  Swedish  Luther- 
an church  of  the  adjoining  city 
of  Wataga,  and  with  the  local 
lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 
Mr.  Olson  was  married  in  1891, 
to  Miss  Minnie  C.  Danielson, 
whose  death  cut  short  the  union. 
One  son,  Robert  E.  was  born  to 
them.  Sept.  21,  1896,  Mr.  Olson 
entered  into  a  second  matrimonial 
union,  with  Miss  Christina  E. 
Nelson  of  Soperville,  111.,  daugh- 
ter of  Xels  P.  and  Brita  N.  Nel- 
son. The  second  Mrs.  Olson  has 
presented  her  husband  with  six 
children,  as  follows:  Helen  M., 
born  1900;  Laura  L.  and  Law- 
rence E.,  born  1901:  O.  Raymond 
and  Paul  W.,  born  1903,  and 
Charles  Leo,  born  1906.  Four  of 
these  survive. 


48 


Knox  County 


HJALMAR  W.  WILLING 

clergj'man  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  was  born  in  Hel- 
singborg,  Sweden,  March  21, 
1 87 1.  He  came  over  from  Sweden 
with  his  parents  in  1880  and  they 
settled  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 
He  afterwards  entered  the  Swed- 
ish Theological  Seminary  in 
Evanston  in  1901  and  was  ordained 
in  1904  as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel 


in  the  Methodist  Church.  He 
preached  for  three  years  at  Joliet, 
111.,  four  years  at  New  Windsor, 
111.,  and  then  at  Aurora,  111.,  before 
being  stationed  in  Chicago,  where 
he  became  pastor  of  the  Emanuel 
Swedish  M.  E.  Church  and  where 
he  remained  four  years. 

His  present    charge    is    at   \'ic- 
toria,    Knox  countj-.   111. 


KANE     COUNTY 


AURORA    BATAVIA-ELGIN    GENEVA 
ST.   CHARLES 


ANDREW  M.  ANDERSON 

was    born    in    Smaland,    Sweden, 
Aug.  i6,  1864.   He  emigrated  from 


ANDREW    M.  AXDERSON 

his  native  land  at  the  age  of 
seventeen,  landing  in  America  in 
June,  1982,  and  first  located  in 
Galesburg,  removing  later  to  Au- 
rora, where  he  has  since  had  his 
abode.  For  j^ears  past  he  has 
been  an  emploj'ee  of  the  Chicago, 
Burlirtglon  &  Quinc}-  R.  R.  Com- 
panj-  and  holds  the  position  of 
mason  foreman. 

Mr.  Anderson  has  always  taken 
a  live  interest  in  political  and 
church  affairs,  and  he  is  an  active 
fraternity  man.  The  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church,  of  which  he  is 
a  member,  has  profited  by  his 
services  on  its  board  of  trustees 
for  many  years,  part  of    the  time 


as  secretary  of  the  church.  Mr.  I 
Anderson  was  elected  alderman ' 
from  the  Fir.st  ward  in  1903,  and  I 
as  a  public  .servant  he  is  a  zealous ; 
promoter  of  public  improvements,  j 
He  was  returned  to  the  city  coun- 1 
cil  in  1905  without  opposition  and 
in  1907  was  reelected  with  a  large 
majority.  He  was  vice-president  for ' 
Kane  county  of  the  Swedish- Amer- ' 
ican  Republican  League  of  Illinois  ; 
in  1897  and  1898,  and  is  in  hearty' 
accord  with  the  purpose  of  that 
organization,  namely  to  bring  the! 
Swedish-Americans  into  evidence' 
and    .see    to    it    that    tliev    receive ' 

I 

their  just  share  of  recognition  and  ' 
political  preferment.  ' 

The  fraternal  orders  of  which  ' 
Mr.  Anderson  is  a  member  are,  ] 
the  Modern  Woodmen,  Fraternal ' 
Tribune  and  the  local  lodge  of  1 
Nordens  Soner.  1 


JOHN    ALFRED    BENANDER,  | 

pastor    of    the   Swedish    Lutheran  1 
Church  of    Aurora,    was    born    in  ] 
Hogsiiter    parish,    Dalsland,    Swe-  j 
den,   Feb.  6,    1872.     Being  one  of  ! 
five  children  in  a  family    of    very 
limited  means  he    was    obliged    to 
begin  bread  winning  at  the   early 
age   of    nine,    and    his    schooling 
was  limited   in    consequence.     He  1 
came  to  this  countr\-  as    a    j'oung  i 
man    of    twenty,  lived    in    Moline 
and    Sherrard,    111.,    tried    factory! 
work,      carpentry     and     painting, 
attended  public  .schools  during  one  ' 


52 


Kane  County- 


winter,  then  entered  Augustana 
College  in  accordance  with  a  long 
cherished  desire    to    prepare    hini- 


JOHX   ALFKED    lUJNANDER 

self  for  the  ministry.  He  was 
enrolled  in  the  fall  of  1893  and 
graduated  from  the  acadenn-  in 
1896,  from  the  college  in  1900 
and  from  the  theological  seminary 
in  1903.  He  made  his  wax- 
through  school  by  his  own  efforts, 
his  parents  lieing  unable  to  assist 
him.  While  a  student  he  taught 
parish  school  and  supjilied  vacant 
charges  in  Chicago,  McKees[)ort, 
Pa.,  Cumberland,  Wis.,  San 
Francisco  and  Des  Moines.  Af- 
ter his  ordination  to  the  ministry 
in  June,  1903,  Rev.  Benander 
made  a  tour  of  Europe,  visiting 
Sweden,  Norway,  (jermanx ,  Swit- 
zerland, Ital\,  I'VancL-  and  Eng- 
land. His  first  regular  charge 
was  Kiron  and  Odebolt,  la., 
where  he  labored  from  ii>o3  to 
1906.  His  pastorate  in  Aurora 
(]ate.s  from  the    last    named    year. 


June  22,  1904,  Rev.  Benander 
was  married  at  Harcourt,  la.,  to 
Miss  Minnie  Joanna  Engquist, 
born  Jan.    19,    1878. 

While  at  school  Rev.  Benander 
was  active  in  a  numljer  of  socie- 
ties, was  treasurer  of  the  Au- 
gustana Foreign  Mission  Society 
for  three  years,  and  was  presi- 
dent of  his  class  in  the  seniinan,- 
for  a  like  term.  While  in  Iowa, 
he  was  .secretary  of  the  Sioux 
Citj-  district  of  the  Iowa  Confer- 
ence and  president  of  the  Luther 
League.  He  is  now  secretary  of 
the  Rockford  district  of  the  Illi- 
nois Conference  and  a  member  of 
the  Chicago  Lutheran  Iiuier  Mis- 
sion Societ}-. 

JOHN  A.  FREEMAN, 

who  is  engaged  in  the  business  of 
floriculture  in  Aurora,   is  a  native 


JOHN    A.    !■•  K  1: 1;  .\l  A  \ 

of    the    Swedish  province  of    Hal- 
laml,   where  he  was  born  in  iSss. 


Ivniigrating 


he    landed  at 


Aurora 


53 


Boston  and  proceeded  thence  to 
Leniont,  111.,  where  he  remained 
only  two  years.  His  next  resi- 
dence was  at  Batavia,  where  he 
lived  from  1874  to  1880,  when  he 
located  permanently  at  Aurora. 
Five  years  later  he  started  in  busi- 
ness as  a  florist  and  now  owns 
large  greenhouses  on   N.  Lake  st. 

Mr.  Freeman  was  elected  to  the 
city  council  from  the  First  ward 
in  1896  and  twice  reelected,  serv- 
ing for  six  con.secutive  years.  As 
a  member  of  the  board  of  alder- 
men Mr.  Freeman  was  chairman 
of  the  Licen.se  Committee  and  also 
served  on  the  Sidewalk,  Street 
and  Alleys  and  other  committees. 

July  10,  18S3,  Mr.  Freeman  was 
married  to  Miss  Christine  Ander- 
son. Tliey  are  the  parents  of  four 
sons  ani.1  one  daughter.  The 
faiiiih-  are  members  of  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  CIuiilIi. 


lican  Club  and  has  served  as  a 
deputy  sheriff  of  the  county.  Of 
fraternal    orders,    he    is    affiliated 


PETER  A.  FREEMAN 

was  born  in  the  province  of  Hal- 
land,  Sweden,  July  16,  1861. 
Eighteen  years  later  he  came  to 
Chicago  as  a  young  immigrant, 
equipped  with  ordinary  schooling 
offered  in  the  common  schools  of 
Sweden.  He  then  went  to  Auro- 
ra where  he  located  permanently 
and  is  now  engaged  in  business  as 
a  florist. 

Being  an  active  member  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  he  has 
been  elected  on  its  board  of  trust- 
ees. Equally  active  in  politics, 
he  has  been  for  some  time  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Kane  County  Repub- 
lican Central  Committee,  president 
of    the  Swedish-American    Repub- 


I'ETER    A.   FREi;.M.\N  I 

I 

with  the  Modern  Woodmen  ancj 
the  Yeomen  of  America.  | 

Mr.  Freeman  in  1S84  was  mar-j 
ried  to  Augusta  Anderson.  The 
couple  have  two  sons.  W'illiaml 
and  Edward.  I 

JOHN  GUSTAVE  IVARSON   ' 

was  born  in  Ljunga  parish,  in 
Smaland,  Sweden,  Feb.  27,  1859. 
His  parents  were  Peter  Johanson, 
a  farmer,  and  his  wife,  Maria 
Christina,  nee  Gustafson.  Both 
parents  died  in  the  old  country,! 
the  mother  in  1865,  the  father; 
ten  years  later.  The  boy  attended! 
common,  or  people's  schools  up 
to  1876,  when  he  came  to  Geneva,i 
111.,  as  an  immigrant.  In  that 
locality  he  worked  on  a  farm  for 
two  years  and  then  went  to  Ba- 
tavia, remaining  until  July,  1881, 
when   he    removed  to    Aurora  and 


54 

obtained  eniploj'iuent  in  the  shops 
of  the  Chicago,  Burlington  and 
Quincy  Ry.,  as  a  car  tniilder.   After 


Kane  County 


JOHN  GUSTAVE   IVAKSON 

eight  years  he  left  to  accept  a 
position  as  mail  carrier,  which 
has  since  been  his  vocation. 

Mr.  Ivarson  has  always  taken 
an  interest  in  local  political,  fra- 
ternal and  church  affairs.  He  is 
vice-president  of  the  Swedi.sh- 
Anierican  Republican  Clul>  and 
secretary-  of  the  First  Ward 
Swedish  Republican  Club;  presi- 
dent of  the  Nordeus  Soner  .society 
and  of  the  Nordens  Soner  central 
a.sseiubly  of  Kane  county,  with 
headquarters  in  Batavia;  member 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church, 
and  chairniaiu  of  its  board  of 
trustees.  Being  endowed  with  a 
good  voice,  Mr.  Ivarson  for  many 
years  sang  in  the  church  choir 
and  is  now  a  member  of  the 
Swedish   Male  Sextette  of  Aurora. 


Mr.  Ivarson  was  married  Sept. 
i6,  18S2,  to  Miss  Bessie  L.  Olson, 
born  in  Torpa,  Halland,  Dec.  26, 
i860.  Four  daughters  have  been 
born  to  them:  Anna  Marie,  born 
1883,  Clara  Josephine,  born  1S87, 
Emma  Nora,  born  1889,  Mildred 
Matilda,  born  1892. 

EUGENE  MALMER 

has  been  a  resident  of  Aurora 
from  the  day  of  his  birth,  March 
25,  1873.  He  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  here  and  subsequently 
graduated  from  the  Aurora  High 
School.  After  that  he  entered 
the  Chicago  School  of  Architect- 
ure, completing  the  course  and 
receiving  his  diploma  in  1S94. 
Obtaining  a  place  with  archi- 
tect    \V.     A.      Otis     of     Chicago 


iuu;i-;.\i-;  .\iai..mi':k 

he  soon  advanced  to  the  place  of 
head  draughtsman.  After  hold- 
ing this  position  for  a  nunil>er  of 
years  he  passed  the  stale  archi- 
tectural examination  and   left    the 


Aurora 


5S| 


office  to  assume  charge  of  the 
construction  of  the  new  iniblic 
lihrar>-  huihling  at  Aurora.  Af- 
ter completing  the  work  Mr. 
Maimer  opened  his  own  office  in 
Aurora,  where  he  is  now  one  of 
the  leading  architects. 

As  a  member  of  the  local  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  church  Mr.  Maimer 
has  been  elected  on  the  board  of 
trustees  and  is  now  serving  as 
church  treasurer. 


FRANZ  OSCAR  PETERSON 

was     born      Jan.       i8,       1841,    in 
Norrkoping,  Sweden,    whence    he 


FR.\NZ  OSCAR  PETERSON 

emigrated      in      May,      1868, 


to 


Chicago.  After  a  year's  stay 
in  that  cit\-  he  went  to  Aurora, 
but  left  that  place  for  Springfield 
a  year  and  a  half  later.  Finallj-, 
after  six  years  in  the  state  capi- 
tal, Mr.  Peterson  returned  to 
Aurora,  which  since  then  has  been 
his  permanent  home.  He  is  a 
book-binder  bv  trade    and    in    re- 


cent years  has  been  engaged  in! 
the  manufacture  of  binders'  glue.i 
A  comj)any  has  been  formed  for| 
the  manufacture  of  the  None  Such' 
Flexible  Glue,  known  as  F.  Oj 
Peterson  and  Co.,  with  Mr.  I 
Peterson  as  president.  I 

Such  has  been  his  devotion  tO; 
his  work  and  business  that  he; 
has  never  affiliated  with  any; 
church  or  fraternal  order,  or  en-! 
gaged  in  political  activitj-.  In! 
1872  he  was  married  to  Miss; 
Edla  Sophia  Engmark  with  whom- 
he  has  four  sons  and  a  daughter,  j 


ADOLF  I.  ANDERSON 
was  born  Oct,  27,  1837,  in  Orme- 
valla  parish,  Halland,  Sweden,' 
where  he  began  work  as  a  tailor's' 
apprentice  at  the  age  of  twelve.  ■ 
Having  mastered  the  trade  at: 
eighteen,  he  worked  on  his  own- 
account  as  a  journeyman  tailor 
until  1873.  That  year,  with  hisi 
family,  he  emigrated,  landing  at^ 
Quebec  in  July.  After  a  stay  of; 
several  months  in  the  Canadian  j 
city  he  came  on  to  Batavia  the] 
following  October.  Here  he  wasj 
employed  in  the  tailor  shop  of  A.J 
P.  Anderson  for  the  next  eightj 
years.  Then  he  formed  a  part-j 
nership  with  J.  E.  Wallen  and  the; 
two  started  a  tailoring  businessj 
on  Batavia  ave.,  of  which,  after; 
three  years,  Mr.  Anderson  becamej 
sole  proprietor.  In  1893  the  es-; 
tablishment  was  removed  to  the) 
Anderson  Bros.  Block  on  Wilson: 
St.,  where  it  is  located  at  the] 
present  time.  i 

In   1866  Mr.  Anderson    lost   hisi 
wife,  Carolina  Gustafva  BorgesonJ 


56 


Kane  Count}'^ 


to  whom  he  was  married  in  i860. 
Of  their  two  children,  a  son  died 
in  infancy.     The  daughter  died  in 


ADOLF   I.    .\NIiliKS()N 

Green  Baj^  Wis.,  in  1895,  as  the 
wife  of  Cliarles  S.  Addison  and 
the  mother  of  eight  children.  In 
1S97  he  took  a  second  wife,  Anna 
Stina  Anderson,  who  bore  him 
five  children.  The  famih"  are 
meml^ers  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  Batavia,  where  Mr. 
Anderson  lias  served  many  years 
in  the  church  council. 


24,  1850.  His  parents  were  Magiius 
Anderson  and  Anna  Nils.son.  His 
father  died  in  the  old  country, 
and  the  mother  in  Batavia.  With 
the  ordinary  schooling  offered  in 
a  country  district,  the  boy  grew 
to  manhood.  Arriving  at  the  age 
of  twenty-two  he  decided  to  quit 
the  old  .soil  and  came  over  here 
in  April,  1872,  spending  seven 
months  in  Lemont  before  settling 
permanently  in  Batavia. 

When  he  first  came  there  he 
did  not  have  capital  enough  to 
pay  a  week's  board  in  advance. 
He  at  once  got  employment  in  a 
manufacturing  shop,  laying  by 
enough  to  purchase  an  interest  in 
a    small    stock    of    merchandise   in 


JOHN  AARON  ANDERSON 

is  one  of  the  most  enterprising 
merchants  and  business  men  of 
Batavia,  and  he  is  given  credit  for 

,  .  ,1,1  ,  .1  lOllN   A.\KO.\   .\Nhi;i;SciN 

havnig    contributed    more    to    the 

growth    and    development    of    the  i88o.     After  a  little    over    a   year 

city    than    any    other  man  during  he    sold    out    to   one    Nelson,   but 

the  thirty-five  years  he  has  resided  six  months  later  formed  a  copart- 

there.  nership    with    his    brother-in-law, 

Mr.   Anderson    is    a   farmer  hoy  Oscar  .Anderson,  and    repurchased 

from    Siillstorp    parish,     Halland,  the     slock.      He     still     continued 

Sweden,  where  he  was  born  Nov.  working    in    the    shops    by    day. 


Bata 


via 


57 


helping  in  llie  store  evenings.  Af- 
ter two  years,  however,  the 
business  required    his  whole  time. 

This  copartnership  existed  for 
twenty  years  or  up  to  1903.  when 
he  and  his  sons,  John  A.  Jr.  and 
W'ni.  R.,  purchased  the  grocery 
department,  one  of  the  largest 
stores  of  its  kind  in  the  city. 

In  1892,  their  quarters  having 
grown  too  small  to  accommodate 
their  extensive  trade,  the  old  firm 
put  up  the  Anderson  Block,  one 
of  the  most  substantial  buildings 
in  Batavia,  located  at  Batavia  ave. 
and   Wilson  st. 

The  present  name  and  style  of 
the  business  headed  b\-  Mr.  An- 
derson, is  John  A.  Anderson  >S: 
Sons. 

Mr.  Andenson  has  been  inter- 
ested in  two  additions  to  the  city, 
he  being  instrumental  in  .selling 
all  of  the  lots,  on  which  up 
wards  of  a  hundred  snug  and 
commodious  houses  have  been 
built.  He  owns  a  fine  residence 
in  the  city  and  also  a  large  farm 
in  the  vicinity. 

When  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
church  was  erected,  of  which  Mr. 
Anderson  had  been  a  member  since 
1872,  he  lent  an  active  hand,  serving 
as  treasurer  during  its  construction . 
For  a  dozen  }ears  or  more  he 
was  a  member  of  the  church  coun- 
cil. He  has  twice  served  the  city 
as  an  pklerman,  four  years  in  all, 
and  is  a  director  in  the  First  Na- 
tional Bank  of  Batavia. 

Mr.  Anderson's  business  career 
is  an  honorable  one  throughout, 
and    has   won  for   him  the  respect 


and  esteem  of  his  fellow-townsmen 
in  full  measure. 

He  entered  wedlock  in  1875  with 
Anna  L.  Anderson,  daughter  of 
.Anders  Borgesen  and  his  wife, 
.\nna  Oleson,  of  Batavia.  Of  a 
family  of  six  children  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Anderson,  fi\e  are 
living.  A  .son  and  a  daughter  are 
married,  the  latter  to  Charles  A. 
Pierce  of  Batavia. 

OSCAR  ANDERSON 

was  born  at  Idala,   Halland,  Swe- 
den,  Dec.   25,    1S45.     In    1869    he 


OSC.VR   A.NllERSON 

came  to  the  United  States  and 
resided  in  Batavia  for  more  than 
twenty-five  years.  Prior  to  that 
he  worked  twelve  years  as  a  com- 
mon laborer,  mostly  on  railroads, 
in  Illinois,  Iowa  and  Michigan. 
By  rigid  economy  he  saved  enough 
to  start  a  general  merchandise 
business  on  a  small  scale  with  his 
brother-in-law,  John  A.  Anderson. 
Year    by    year  the    business  grew 


58 


Kane  County 


and,  althou>jh  various  changes 
have  been  made  in  the  firm,  Mr. 
Anderson  is  still  at  the  head  of 
it.  In  1902  the  old  building  was 
removed  and  the  firm  purchased 
more  ground  and  erected  a  hand- 
some two-story  brick  block  50x80 
feet.  The  firm  is  now  known  as 
Anderson  &  Sevetson,  Mr.  Sevet- 
son  having  become  a  partner  in 
November,  1903.  Up  to  this  time 
the  firm  of  Anderson  &  Anderson 
had  handled  dry  goods  and  gro- 
ceries, but  now  the  grocery  de- 
partment was  taken  over  b\-  Mr. 
John  A.  Anderson  and  his  son, 
Mr.  Oscar  Anderson  and  his  firm 
continuing  to  deal  in  dry  goods, 
clothing  and  men's  furnishing 
goods. 

Mr.  Anderson  has  served  the 
city  as  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Education  for  a  dozen  years  or 
more.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican. He  is  a  devoted  member 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church, 
it  being  the  only  organization 
claiming  him  as  a  member. 

In  i,S75  he  was  married  to  Anna 
L.  Samuel.son  of  Frillesas,  Hal- 
land,  who  has  presented  him  with 
two  children,  a  son  in  1S7S  and 
a  daughter  in  1885.  The  .son  is 
married  and  holds  a  jiosition  in 
the  P'irst  National  Bank  of  I5ata- 
via.  The  daughter  is  attending 
college. 

Besides  his  business  and  a  .snug 
home  Mr.  Andcr.son  owns  consid- 
erable jjroperty  in  his  home  city 
and  elsewhere. 


NELS    PETER  GUSTAFSON 

was   torn  at    Kristdala,  Snialand, 
Sweden,     Nov.      14,      1854.       His 


.SEL^   PETER   GUSTAFSON 

father,  Gustaf  Petterson,  an  under- 
farmer,  died  in  the  old  countrj- 
in  1874.  His  mother,  Kajsa  Elisa, 
nee  Samuelson,  lives  at  the  home 
of  her  son  in   Batavia. 

Mr.  Gustafson's  schooling  was 
limited  to  a  brief  attendance  at 
the  Normal  School  in  Sugar  Grove, 
111.,  in  1874-5,  about  one  year 
after  his  arrival  in  the  I'nited 
States. 

Mr.  Gustafson  stands  high  in 
the  communit>-  and  lias  been  for 
years  past  a  prominent  factor  in 
Swedish  American  activities.  He 
was  the  organizer  of  the  benefi- 
ciary society  known  as  Nordens 
Soner,  which  now  has  five  branches 
and  some  600  niembers  in  Kane 
county.  In  the  organization  of 
the  Swedish-American  Re]>ublicau 
Club  of  Batavia  he  was  also  tlie 
prime  mover  and    became  its  first 


Bata 


via 


59 


presiding  officer.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Modern  Woodmen. 

In  1896  Mr.  Gustafson  was 
elected  to  the  office  of  county  tax 
collector. 

Dec.  30,  1887,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Alice  Butcher,  born  in 
Hyth,  England,  Feb.  12.  1866. 
They  have  seven  living  children; 
John  A.,  born  1890;  Alice  Ottilia, 
'92;  Nellie  Grace,  '94;  Edna  Ro- 
sita,  '96;  Stella  Marie,  '98;  Oscar 
Arnold,  1900;  Ada  Lucile,  '03.  A 
daughter,  bom  in  1888,  died  at 
the  age  of  two  years.  The  familj- 
are  members  of  the  Congregational 
Church. 


OSCAR  \V.   HUBBARD 

is  a  native  of   Batavia,    where    he 
has   been    established    in    medical 


OSC.\R   WILHELM   HUBBARD 

practice  since  1899.  He  is  the 
oldest  son  of  Gustaviis  Hubbard 
who  came  to  America  from  Hiir- 
lunda,  Smaland,  in  1853,  and  was 
the  first  Swede    to    locate    perma- 


nently at  Batavia,  where  he  en- 
gaged in  timber  contracting.  He 
was  united  in  marriage  by  Rev. 
Erland  Carl.s.son,  to  Katharina 
Sven.sson,  daughter  of  a  school- 
master from  Hjort.sberga,  Sma- 
land, who  came  over  from  Swe- 
den in  1854  and  .settled  at  St. 
Charles.  The  couple  were  pioneer 
members  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  Geneva.  Here  three 
sons  were  born  to  them.  Oscar 
Wilhelm,  July  23,  1864,  Gustaf 
Hldmund,  now  owner  of  a  cattle 
ranch  in  Kansas,  and  Levi  Henry, 
a  profe.ssional  musician  of  Chicago. 

In  1876  the  family  removed  to 
Salina,  Kan.sas,  and  late  in  the 
.same  year,  to  Fremont.  In  1899, 
the  family  made  their  home  in 
Lindsborg,  Kans.,  where  the  elder 
Hubbard  now  lives,  his  wife  hav- 
ing died  in  June,    1906. 

Dr.  Oscar  \V.  Hubbard  received 
his  preliminary  education  in  pub- 
lic and  Swedish  parochial  schools 
at  Batavia,  Geneva  and  St. 
Charles,  111.,  and  Salina  and  Fre- 
mont, Kansas.  On  the  day  of 
the  opening  of  Bethany-  Academy, 
the  forerunner  of  Bethany  Col- 
lege, Oct.  12,  1881,  he  was  ma- 
triculated as  a  student,  and  was 
graduated  from  the  academy  in 
1885.  After  having  spent  the 
next  four  years  at  Augustana 
College  he  was  graduated  with 
the  degree  of  A.  B.  in  '89.  Having 
engaged_'in  educational  work  until 
1S95,  he  then  took  up  the  study 
of  medicine  under  the  preceptor- 
ship  of  Dr.  William  P'rancis 
Waugh,  Dean  of  the  Illinois 
Medical    College    in    Chicago.     In 


6o 


Kane  Countv 


March  of  the  following  year  he 
was  matriculated  at  that  school, 
graduating  in  the  fall  of  1898, 
with  the  degree  of  M.  D.  and  the 
word  of  the  president  that  "the 
college  had  never  had  a  more  all- 
round  satisfactory  student. 

Dr.   Hubbard  in   the  same    year 
located  in  Chicago  as  a  practitioner 
of  the  regular  school,  serving  one 
year  in   the  Illinois    Medical     Col- 
lege   Hospital    and    completing    a 
post-graduate   course  in   dissection 
and  demonstration  at  the  Chicago 
School    of    Anatomy  and    Physiol- 
ogy.     Thus    equipped     Dr.    Hub- 
bard  in   1899  moved    back    to    his 
old   home   town  of  Batavia,  where 
a  lucrative  practice  was  built    up. 
Besides    his    general    practice    Dr. 
Hubbard  acts  as    examiner    for    a 
large    number   of    insurance    com- 
])aiiies  and    fraternal    orders.     He 
is    a    member     of     the     following 
bodies,   organizations  and    associa- 
tions;  the  American  Medical  Asso- 
ciation,    the     Fox     River    Valley 
Medical   Association,   Illinois  Med- 
ical College  board  of  cen.sors,  Bata- 
via Board  of  Education,  the  Betlia- 
nv   Lutheran    church    at    Batavia, 
Nordens    Soner    and     the    alumni 
a.ssociations    of     Illinois     Medical, 
Bethany  and  Angustana  Colleges. 

In  Sept.  1902,  Dr.  Hubbard 
was  married  to  Ida  Harleen,  daugh- 
ter of  IVr  J.  Harleen,  a  rural  fur- 
niture maker  of  llnilunda,  Sma- 
a  nd. 

To  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Hubbard  liave 
been  born  two  daughters,  Svca 
Katharina  in  1904  and  \endcla 
Iduna  in    1906. 


JOHN  MICHOLSON 

was  born  in  Halland,  Sweden,    in 
1S60,  and  with  his    parents   came 


JOHN    .MICHOLSON 

to  Batavia,  111.,  in  the  year  1S69, 
and  has  been  a  resident  of  that 
city  since. 

He  attended  the  public  schools 
of  Batavia  and  after  leaving  school 
learned  the  trade  of  molder  which 
he  followed  a  few  years  and  then 
abandoned  to  take  up  the  trade 
of  butcher.  After  successfully 
a  meal  market  for  a  number  of 
years  he  .sold  out  the  business  to 
engage  in  the  wholesale  and  retail 
ice  business,  in  which  he  is  en- 
gaged at  the  present  time. 

He  early  took  an  interest  in 
politics  and  has  always  been 
identified  with  the  Republican 
party.  Kor  eight  years  he  served 
his  fellow  citizens  ;is  alderman  of 
his  ward  and  he  served  a  longer 
])eriod  as  county  supervisor  repre- 
.senting  the  township  of  Hatavia. 
His    long    and    continued    services 


Batavia 


6r 


ill  this  capacity  speaks  vohinies 
for  the  estimation  in  which  he 
is  held  l)y  his  fellow-citizens. 

He  has  taken  an  active  interest 
in  the  Swedish-American  Repub- 
lican Leajjne  of  Illinois  havinj; 
served  as  president  of  the  Kane 
Count\-  branch  for  eight  years, 
president  of  the  local  club  for 
three  years  and  treasurer  of  the 
State  League  for  one  year. 
Wherever  the  interests  of  the 
Republican  part\-  can  best  be 
served  there  can  Mr.  Micliolson 
alwaj's  be  found. 


GUSTAF    NELSON 

was    born    Ma\-    26,    1861,    in  Fle- 
ninge,    Skane,    Sweden.      On    the 


IVUSTAI-    -NELSON 

same  date,  twenty  years  after,  he 
landed  in  America  and  proceeded 
to  this  state,  where  he  first  located 
in  Geneva.  With  a  common  .school 
education  from  the  old  country-, 
he  went  to  work  on   the    farm    of 


Kdgar  Bartlett,  near  Geneva.  Suh- 
seiinently  he  became  coachman  for 
Rev.  Dr.  Ganunen,  a  Methodist 
minister  interested  in  the  Marsh 
Harvester  Works.  ILaving  sa\ed 
a  portion  of  his  small  earnings  in 
these  years,  Mr.  Nelson  launched 
into  business,  opening  a  grocery 
store  at  Batavia.  Here  he  has 
enjoyed  a  good  trade  up  to  the 
present  time  and  is  to-day  one  of 
the  well-to-do  merchants  of  the 
city.  He  deals  now  in  general 
merchandise,  meats,  flour  and  feed, 
having  added  new  lines  from  time 
to  time. 

Mr.  Nelson,  who  is  unmarried, 
has  made  two  European  tours, 
visiting  the  principal  cities,  his 
objective  point,  however,  being 
his  old  home  in  Fleninge,  where 
his  father,  Nils  Jonsson,  is  a 
Iniilding  contractor. 


MATTHL\S  LETHIN, 

who  has  been  established  as  a 
merchant  tailor  in  Elgin  since  1875, 
was  born  at  Jemshbg,  Blekinge, 
Sweden,  Oct.  10,  1843.  In  the 
spring  of  1868  he  landed  in  Amer- 
ica, coming  to  Elgin  to  locate  the 
following  fall.  Elquipped  with  a 
common  school  education  and  hav- 
ing learned  the  tailor's  trade,  he 
opened  a  shop  and  is  still  doing 
business  under  the  firm  name  of 
Lethin  Bros.,  his  brother  Swan 
being  his  partner. 

On  the  same  occasion,  Dec.  29, 
1 87 1,  the  brothers  were  married 
to  two  sisters,  the  bride  of  Mat- 
thias Lethin  being  Miss  Carolina 
Gustafva  Samuelson,  born  Oct. 
22,    1846,  in    Vestergotland.      Mr. 


62 


Kane  County 


and  Mrs.  Lethin  have  seven  chil- 
dren, whose  names  are  here  given 
in  the  order  of  their  birth:  Theckla 


MATTHIAS  I.ETHIN 

Maria,  Agnes  EHzabeth,  Rnlli 
Liniiea,  Emanuel  Matthens,  El- 
mer Samuel,  Waller  Tiniolheus, 
and  Anton  Nathanael. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Lethin  have  e\-er 
been  active  workers  in  the-  local 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church.  Mr. 
Lethin  serving  at  various  periods 
as  trustee,  deacon  and  superintend- 
ent of  the  Sunday  school.  He 
also  takes  an  interest  in  general 
affairs  and  has  been  elected  a 
director  of  the  local  Young  Men's 
Christian  Association. 


SWAN  LETHIN, 
a.ssociated  with  his  brother,  Mat- 
thias, in  the  merchant  tailoring 
firm  of  Lethin  Bros.,  was  born 
Feb.  12,  1848,  at  Jenishog,  Blek- 
inge,  Sweden.  In  1869  he  came 
over  to  the  United  States,  whither 
liis  brother  had  preceded  him  the 


year  Ijefore.  He  rejoined  his 
brother  in  Elgin,  where  he  has 
since  resided  continuously.  He 
was  married  Dec.  29,  1871,  to 
Miss  Mathilda  Sophia  Sarauelson, 
the  occasion  being  a  double  wed- 
ding, at  which  the  grooms  were 
brothers  and  the  brides  sisters. 

Mr.  Lethin  has  served  as  organ- 
ist of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
for  more  than  twenty  years  and, 
like  his  brother  Matthias,  he  has 
taken  a  prominent  part  in  the 
affairs  of  the  church  in  the  capaci- 
ties of  trustee  and  deacon. 

In  Mr.  Lethin's  family  there 
are  six  grown-up  children;  Hulda 
Carolina,  born   1872:   Paul   Walter 


SWAN    I.liTlllN 

Victorius,  1874;  Leojwld  Nathan- 
ael, 1875;  Dell  Emanuel,  1S76; 
Ro.sa  Johanna,  18.S0,  and  .\lbin 
Samuel,    1884. 

WILLIAM     Rl'NDyl'IST 

was  liorn  May  2(>.  1S42,  in  Stock- 
holm,  where  his  father.   Per  Gus- 


Elgin 


63 


laf  Ruii(l(iiiist,  was  a  jeweler  bj- 
trade.  Having  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  in  the  Swedish  capi- 
tal, young  Rundqnist  worked  as 
a  jeweler's  apprentice  from  1856 
to  i860.  The  latter  year  he  went 
to  sea  as  a  member  of  the  crew 
of  the  mission  brig  Hiram,  from 
Gefle.  This  mission  ship  was  fit- 
ted out  by  Ahlberg,  the  eminent 
Swedish  divine,  known  as  the 
founder  of  a  divinity  school  bear- 
ing his  name.  The  plan  was  to 
carry  on  shipping  between  Sweden 
and  foreign  ports  in  support  of 
missions  in  heathen  lands.  After 
a  few  years'  trial  the  project 
failed  and,  returning  home  in  1863, 


W1LLI.\.\1    RINDyUlST 

Mr.  Rundqnist  went  back  to  the 
jeweler's  workbench  and  the  fol- 
lowing year  became  a  journeyman 
jeweler. 

In  1S65  he  decided  to  emigrate 
to  the  United  States,  and  at  first 
located  in  St.  Charles.  The  fol- 
lowing   year   he   lived  in  Geneva, 


and  in  April,  1S67,  removed  to 
Klgin,  where  he  obtained  employ- 
ment in  the  watch  |factory.  He 
continued  with  the  Klgin  National 
Watch  Company  for  more  than 
twenty-six  years,  leaving  in  June, 
1893.  For  years  subsequently, 
Mr.  Rundqnist  was  engaged  in 
making  inventions  and  improve- 
ments in  machinery  and  tools,  and 
in  manufacturing  several  articles 
patented  by  him.  Among  these 
are  the  Elgin  lawn  .sprinkler  and 
the  Elgin  screw  driver.  For  six 
years  from  1897  Mr.  Rundquist 
was  city  superintendent  of  streets, 
retiring  from  active  work  at  the 
end  of  that  time. 

Since  the  organization  of  the 
Bethlehem  Swedish  Luth.  Church 
of  Elgin  in  1871,  Mr.  Rundquist 
has  been  affiliated  with  that  con- 
gregation, serving  it  all  these 
years  in  the  capacity  of  either 
trustee  or  deacon. 

Sept.  15,  1867,  William  Rund- 
quist and  Miss  Sophia  Samuelson 
were  married  at  Geneva.  They 
have  raised  a  family  of  seven 
children,  four  others  having  died. 
A  daughter,  Amalia,  is  the  wife 
of  Mr.  Alfred  Anderson  of  St. 
Charles,  and  a  son,  Gustaf  Ruben, 
is  married  to  Miss  Jennie  Johnson 
of  Chicago. 

For  the  past  thirty  years  Mr. 
Rundquist  has  been  active  as  a 
lay  preacher,  frequently  conduct- 
ing divine  services  in  \-arious 
places  in  the  absence  of  regular 
pastors. 


64 


Kane  County 


THEUDURH  X.  PETERSON. 

Methodist  Episcopal  clergyman, 
was  born  in  Sweden,  July  4, 
1873.  Since  his  coming  to  the 
United  States  in  1881,  his  time 
was  divided  between  attending 
public  school  and  other  occupa- 
tions until  he  determined  upon 
entering  the  service  of  the  church. 
Matriculating  at  the  Swedish 
seminary  at  Evanston,  111.,  he 
completed  the  divinity  cour.se  and 
was  graduated  in  1895.  After 
studying  for  another  year  at  the 
Northwestern  University  he  was 
ordained  a  minister  of  the  Swed- 
ish M.  E.  Church  in  1896.  Sub- 
sequenth-  he  labored  with  success, 
three  years  at  Braddock,  Pa.,  four 
years  at  Falconer.  N.  V.,  and 
for  a  number  of  \'ears  at  \'ictoria. 
the  cradle  of  Swedish  Methodism 
in  the  United  States.  He  is  now 
in  charge  of  the  Swedish  Method- 
ist Church  in  Geneva. 

Rev.  Mr.  Peterson  was  married 
at  Chicago,  Sept.  27,  1899,  to 
Miss  Clara  O.  Thorson,  born  in 
that  city,  April  25,  1876.  Her 
parents'  home,  which  was  spared 
in  the  great  fire  of  1871,  was 
opened  as  a  place  of  refuge  for 
many  a  homeless  countryman  who 
had  lost  everything  in  that  terrible 
disaster.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  Peterson 
have  two  sons,  Keith  Ambrose, 
born  in  1900,  and  Boyd  Newton, 
born  Nov.  3,  1906. 


moved  to  Moline,  where  he 
passed  away  in  February,  1904. 
She  was  born  in  Paxton.  Having 
completed  her  studies  under  Dr. 
Gustav  Stolpe  at  the  Augustana 
Conservatory  of  Music  at  Rock 
Island,  she  was  among  the  first  to 
graduate  from  that  institution. 
Accepting  the  position  as  organist 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
in  Des  Moines,  Iowa,  she  served 
in  that  capacity  for  a  number    of 


WILHELMIXA  C.  WISTRAND 

is  the  daughter  of  J.  H.  Wistrand, 
one  of  the  early  Swedish  .settlers 
of  Paxton,   who    sub.se(|uentl.\'    re- 


WII.HEL.MINA   C.VTllliKlNB  WISTRANU 

years,  meanwhile  teaching  piano, 
organ  and  harmony  and  studying 
at  the  Des  Moines  Musical  Col- 
lege, the  American  School  of 
Methods  at  Boston,  and  the  Amer- 
ican School  of  Methods  at  Chi- 
cago, being  a  graduate  of  the 
last  named    school. 

From  De  Moines  she  went  to 
Jewell  College,  at  Jewell,  Iowa., 
wiiere  she  was  for  one  year  lii- 
rector  of  the  musical  department. 
From  September.  1904,  to  the 
end    of    1906,    she    has   served    as 


St.  Charles 


65 


organist  of  tlie  Swedish  Lutheran 
Churcli  at  Geneva,  occup>-ing 
simultaneously  the  position  of 
principal  of  the  Geneva  Conserva- 
tory of  Music  and  that  of  super- 
visor of  music  in  the  city  public 
schools.  At  the  beginning  of  the 
year  1907,  she  removed  to  Denver 
to  take  the  position  of  organist 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church 
in  that  city. 

CLArS    ALFRED    ANDERSON 

is  a  native  Illinoisan.  born  at  St. 
Charles,     Oct.      i^.       1873.       His 


CL.^US  .\LFREU  .\NUERSO.\ 

education  was  obtained  in  the 
local  public  schools.  His  father 
was  a  carpenter,  and  when  the 
son  reached  mature  \-ears  he  went 
into  the  business  of  building  con- 
tractor, in  which  line  he  has 
achieved  a  goodly  measure  of 
success.  Among  the  more  im- 
portant structures  erected  bj'  him 
may  be  mentioned  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  church  edifice  at  Geneva. 


On  May  18,  1901,  .Mr.  Ander- 
.son  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mi.ss  Mollie  Rundquist,  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  G.  W.  Rund- 
quist, a  prominent  Swedish  family 
of  Elgin.  A  child,  Ivan  Le  Roy, 
was  born  to  the  Andersons  in 
1903.  The  family  belongs  to  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of  St. 
Charles. 


PETER  CARLSON 

was  l)orn  at  Langelanda,  Bohus- 
lan,  Sweden,  Feb.  28,  1842,  and 
has  been  a  resident  of  St.  Charles, 
since  June,  1871.  When  seven- 
teen years  of  age  he  learned  the 
shoemaker's  trade  and  worked  at 
that  in  Goteborg  and  Stockholm. 
In  1865,  he  was  married  to  Mag- 
dalena  Erickson,  born  April  3, 
1 84 1 .  Two  children  have  been 
horn   to  them,    Fritz    Gerhard,    in 


I'HTER  CARL.-iON 


1866, 
1879. 

In 


and     Oscar    Ainbrosius,  in 


two  rears  after    local- 


66 


Kane  County 


ing  in  St.  Charles,  Mr.  Carlson 
there  established  his  present  busi- 
ness as  manufacturer  and  dealer 
in  boots  and  shoes. 

In  j)olitics  a  Repulilican.  Mr. 
Carlson  is  a  member  of  the  local 
Swedish  Republican  Club.  He 
has  served  as  a  member  of  the 
aldermanic  council.  In  church 
matters  he  affiliates  with  the 
Lutherans,  and  has  served  the 
local  Swedish  church  for  various 
terms  as  trustee  and  deacon. 

The  eldest  son  of  Mr.  Carlson 
is  now  engaged  in  the  clothing 
business  in  St.  Charles.  The 
j'ounger,  who  was  educated  at 
Augustana  College  and  at  the 
Metropolitan  Husiness  College,  has 
served  three  terms  as  engrossing 
and  enrolling  clerk  of  the  State 
senate,  and  is  now  in  the  U.  S. 
treasury  department  at  Washing- 
ton,  D.  C. 


and  other  piano  factories  in  New 
York,  learning  the  trade  in  all 
its  branches. 


THURE  A.  JOHANSON 

was  born  in  the  Swedish  city  of 
Kalmar,  June  25,  1869.  He  at- 
tended common  school  and  finished 
three  clas.ses  in  the  higher  ele- 
mentary school  in  Kalmar  before 
emigrating  to  this  country.  Land- 
ing in  New  York  City,  Ma\-  i , 
1887,  he  e.xperienced  the  u.sual 
hardships  of  the  newcomer,  l)e- 
fore  obtaining  satisfactory  employ- 
ment. After  working  for  six 
months  in  an  architect's  office,  he 
began  learning  the  trade  of  piano 
making  in  the  Conover  factory. 
Later  he  practiced  piano  making 
in  the  Weber,    the    Decker    Ihos. 


THCKli   .-MiKI.i.N  JoH.^NSO.V 

In  1 89 1  he  came  to  Chicago  to 
work  for  the  Cable  Piano  Co., 
and  gradually  worked  himself  up 
to  his  ]>resenl  ])osition  as  su]«r- 
intendent  of  their  extensive  piano 
factory  at  St.  Charles. 

While  living  in  Chicago,  Mr. 
Johan.son  was  for  eleven  years  a 
very  active  member  of  tlie  Swed- 
ish Glee    Club. 

Mr.  Johanson  is  married  to  Miss 
Maria  P'reeljerg  and  tliey  have 
two  children.  They  attend  tlie 
I'jnaiUK'l  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
ill  St.   Charlfs. 


NELS  T.  JOHANSON 

was  born  May  1(1,  1875,  in  Kal- 
mar, Sweden.  He  attended  public 
school   ill    his  native  city. 

When  twciit\'  years    of    age    he 


St.  Charles 


67 


eniiKriiled    to    the     I'liited     States 
and  landed  July  4,    I'Sq^. 

Goinji    to    Chicago,   he  was  eni- 


NELS   T.  JOHANSON 

ployed  as  a  pianoniaker  by  the 
Cal>le  Piano  Co.  In  1903  he  re- 
moved to  St.  Charles  and  is  now 
employed  as  a  foreman  in  the 
Cable  Piano  Works  at  this  place. 
Mr.  Johanson  is  a  member  of 
the  local  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
and  of  the  beneficiary  society  Led- 
stjarnan. 

NELS  M.  LILJEGREN 

was  born  Dec.  9,  1S46,  in  Karla- 
by,  Skane,  Sweden.  He  attended 
the  elementary  school  in  Goteborg, 
from  which  he  graduated  in  1868. 
His  hope  of  becoming  a  Lutheran 
minister  was  frustrated  by  finan- 
cial troubles.  Eventually  a  change 
in  his  religious  belief  in  1869 
caused  him  to  join  the  Methodist 
Society  in  Goteborg.  He  labored 
in  this  church  bodj'  for  seventeen 
years  and  emigrated  in    1S86.     In 


America  he  has  been  stationed  as 
pastor  in  Chicago,  Moliiie,  Rock- 
ford,  Aurora,  Marinette,  Wis., 
Minneapolis,  Minn.,  Hishop  Hill, 
111.,  Racine,  Wis.,  Andover  and 
St.   Charles,    III. 

Rev.  Liljegren  is  an  indefatig- 
able worker  and  liesides  his  reg- 
ular duties  finds  time  for  literary 
work.  He  has  contributed  (juite 
extensively  to  Saiititi'initl  and  other 
papers.  Of  the  books  he  has  pub- 
lished may  be  mentioned:  "John, 
Whom  Jesus  Loved,"  "Where  and 
What  is  Heaven?"  "Once  More 
the  Question  of  Baptism." 

In  1876  Rev.  Liljegren  was  mar- 
ried to   Miss  Sopliie  Witting.     Of 


NEI.S    M.    LILJBOREX 

their  six  children  but  three  survive, 
viz.,  Alice,  Aiuiie  and  Nels 
Victor. 

JOHN   F.    MON'GERSOX 

was  born  in  Sweden  Ajiril  7,  1866, 
and  came  to  the  United  States  as 
a  child  five    years  old.     The  fam- 


68 


Kane  County 


ily  located  in  St.  Charles,  where 
the  boy  attended  the  public  schools. 
At  fifteen  >ears  of    age    he  began 


JOHN"   FKEIIERICK    MIIXCERSON 

work  as  a  clerk  in  a  grocer}^  store. 
After  having  gained  .se\-en  years' 
experience  in  that  line,  he  went 
into  the  grocerx'  business  on  his 
own  account  in  18.SS,  continuing 
as  a  grocer  up  to  the  present 
time. 

Mr.  Monger.son  has  been  elected 
to  the  office  of  trustee  in  the  lo- 
cal Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  of 
which  he  is  a  member  of  long 
standing.  In  1905  his  fellow 
town.smen  gave  him  their  tril)Ule 
of  confidence  by  electing  him  to 
the  office  of  city  treasurer.  Prior 
to  that.  Mr.  Mongerson  had  l)een 
honored  by  being  chosen  to  fill 
various  local  offices,  having  .served 
as  alderman  for  two  years,  as 
town  clerk  for  a  like  term,  and 
as  trustee  of  .schools  for  nine  >ears. 

His  marriage  to  Miss  Mathilda 
M.   Peterson  of  Geneva  look   place 


April  30,  1890.  The  fruit  of  thi^ 
union  is  a  daughter,  Valeda  L., 
born  in    1893. 

CHARLES  OLSON 
born  at  St.  Charles,  Dec.  3,  1857, 
is  one  of  the  earliest  native 
Swedes  of  the  locality.  He  was 
educated  in  the  district  schools. 
His  >outh  u])  to  the  age  of 
twenty- two  was  spent  on  the 
farm.  Subsequently  he  worked 
in  a  foiuidry  for  four  years,  af- 
terward engaging  in  merchandis- 
ing as  dealer  in  groceries  and 
hardware.  He  was  in  that  line 
of  business  for  more  than  a  score 
of  years.  Aug.  i,  1904,  Mr.  Ol- 
son sold  his  mercantile  business 
and  engaged  in  the  real  estate  and 
fire  insurance  business. 


CHAKI.HS  (I I. SON 

Mr.  Olson  serve<l  as  town  clerk 
for  nine  years  and  has  iK-en  a 
member  of  the  Hoard  of  I<Muca- 
tion  for  a  considerable  jieriod. 
He  is  an  active  Republican,  tak- 
ing  the  lead   in    Swedish    ])olitical 


St.  Charles 


69 


circles  and  serving  for  various 
periods  as  president  of  the 
local  Swedish-American  Republi- 
can Club  and  secretary  of  the 
Kane  County  Swedish-American 
Republican  Central  Club.  He 
has  taken  interest  in  the  work  of 
the  Swedish-American  Republican 
League  of  Illinois  and  in  1902 
was  elected  vice-president  for 
Kane  county.     In  April,  1905,  he 


was  elected  justice  of  the  peace, 
which  office  he  still  holds. 

Reing  a  member  of  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church  of  St.  Charles, 
he  has  .served  it  in  two  capacities, 
as  deacon  and  as  secretarv  of  the 
church  council  for  many  years 
past . 

In  1888  Mr.  Olson  was  married 
to  Ida  T.  Schoberg.  There  are 
four  children  as  the  issue  of  the 
union,  two  sons  and  two  daughters. 


Rock   Island   County 


i 


MOLINK    ROCK  ISLAND 


WILLIAM     A.     ALST1-;kH'ND 

was  born  April  9,  1X70,  in  Chi- 
cago where  his  parents,  John 
Frederick  and  Elizabeth  (  Hock ) 
AlsterUmd  resided  before  removing 
to  Moline.  The  elder  Alsterlund, 
who  died  at  Battle  Creek,  Mich., 
April  30,  1897,  was  an  engineer 
who  for  a  long  term  of  years  was 
at  the  head  of  the  Moline  water 
works.  Mrs.  Alsterlund  died  in 
Moline,   Dec.    7,    1875. 

The  son  William  had  his  gen- 
eral education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Moline  and  by  a  course 
in  business  college  in  Davenport, 
la.,  prepared  for  his  future  work. 
For  fifteen  years  he  has  been 
with  the  firm  of  Diinock,  Gould 
and  Co.  where  he  is  employed  as 
lumber  salesman. 

In  1893  Mr.  Alsterlund  married 
Daisy  P.  Cleland  who  died  after 
two  years.  Seven  years  afterward 
he  married  Louise  J.  Jamieson. 
A  daughter  was  l)orn  to  them  on 
June  4,    1905. 

Mr.  Alsterlund  is  a  member  of 
the  First  Baptist  Church  and  has 
been  one  of   its  trustees. 

O.     FREDERICK    ANDERSON, 

cashier  of  the  Moline  Trust  &  Sav- 
ings Bank,  was  born  at  Trehorna, 
Ostergotland,  Sweden,  July  i, 
1866.  His  parents  were  Alfred 
Anderson,  a  miller,  and  his  wife 
Anna  Greta  Johanson.  The  elder 
Mr.  Anderson  passed  away  in 
Moline  in  1881,  having  come  over 


to  this  country  with  his  family 
in  1S6.S.  They  first  located  in 
Aurora,    111.,   but  shortK  afterward 


O.  KKEHHRICK  .\.\iii;ksox 

settled  permanently  in  Moline. 
Here  the  son,  Otto  Frederick, 
received  his  preliminary  education 
in  the  public  schools.  He  worked 
as  apprentice  to  a  machinist  for 
two  3'ears,  upon  leaving  school, 
then  was  salesman  in  a  clothing 
store  for  a  time.  Determined  to 
obtain  better  training  for  a  busi- 
ness career,  he  took  a  course  in 
a  business  college  in  Davenjiort, 
Iowa. 

At  seventeen  he  was  emploj-ed 
as  messenger  in  the  Moline  Na- 
tional Bank,  beginning  May  i, 
1883.  Passing  through  the  grades, 
he  was  promoted  to  bookkeeper. 
In  1S91,  he  accepted  the  position 
of  teller  in   the   Moline   State  Sav- 


, 


74 


Rock  Island  County 


in^s  Bank,  afterwards  known  as 
the  Moline  Trust  and  Savings 
Bank,  then  just  organized,  and 
held  that  position  until  June 
30,  1900,  when  he  was  elected 
acting  cashier  of  the  bank.  The 
following  January,  Mr.  Anderson 
was  regularly  elected  ca.shier.  In 
this  capacity  he  still  serves.  The 
assets  of  the  bank,  with  which 
he  is  connected,  have  increased 
from  $700,000  to  one  and  one- 
half  million  dollars  since  he 
assumed  the  aforesaid  office. 

Mr.  Anderson  is  not  connected 
with  any  religious  denomination, 
but  attends  the  Unitarian  church. 
He  is  a  public  spirited  citizen 
and  takes  an  active  part  in 
all  matters  of  interest  to  the 
city  and  public  in  general. 
He  is  prominent  in  fraternal  and 
club  circles,  stands  high  in  the 
Masonic  brotherhood  and  has  been 
vice-president  of  the  Moline  Club. 
Three  times  1893,  1899  and  1903, 
he  has  been  elected  treasurer  of 
the  city  of  Moline  and  has  served 
continuously  since  1895  on  the 
public  lil)rary  board,  having  been 
twice  elected  to  the  presidency. 
He  is  a  Republican  and  has 
always  affiliated  with  that  party, 
still  he  is  not  a  man  that  would 
hesitate  to  vote  for  a  good  man 
on  any  other  ticket  in  the  event 
that  the  corresponding  Republican 
candidate  in  his  opinion  were 
unworthy  of   trust. 

Dec.  16,  iSyi,  Mr.  Anderson 
was  married  to  Miss  Sena  Nielsen, 
daughter  of  Lars  Peter  Nielsen, 
a  well  known  real  estate  dealer 
of    Moline.     The    home     of     Mr. 


and  Mrs.  Anderson  is  brightened 
by  the  presence  of  a  son,  Frederic 
Nielsen,   born  in   1903. 


CARL  PETER  BOHMAN 

was  born  in  Morhmda,    Smaland, 
Sweden,     Aug.      19,      1847.       His 


C.\KI,    PETEK   BOHM.\.N 

parents,  C.  M.  Carlson,  a  laborer, 
and  his  wife,  Clara  Peterson,  l)e- 
stowed  on  their  son  the  ordinary 
.schooling. 

Mr.  Bohman  emigrated  in  1S67, 
going  to  Rockford,  where  he 
lived  for  si.>c  years,  subsequently 
locating  permanently  in  Moline. 
in  1873.  Here  his  parents  pa.ssed 
awa\-,  the  father  in  1887  and  the 
mother  in   1896. 

Shortly  after  removing  to  Mo- 
line, Mr.  Bohman  obtained  em- 
ployment in  the  hardware  store 
of  Reid  and  Witter,  anil  has  re- 
mained with  that  same  firm  for 
thirty  years. 

Nov.  18,  1 87 1,  Mr.  Bohman 
was  married  to  Maria  L.  Carlson, 


Moline 


7S 


horn  in  Smalaiul,  Sweden,  May 
22,  1S50.  Their  children  are: 
William  R.,  Imrii  in  1S7;,;  Selnia 
I.,,  horn  in  1S75;  Carl  I'...  horn 
in  1S78;  Esther  E.,  horn  in  1.SS2; 
Oscar  T.,  horn  in  1884,  and  Clar- 
ence, born  in  1893.  Mrs.  Boh- 
man  passed  away  at  Moline,  Jan. 
25,  1901,  and  one  son,  Josejih  G., 
died  in  December  of  the  same 
year.  William  R.  Bohman  was 
employed  at  the  Augnstana  J?ook 
Concern  in  Rock  Island  for  seven- 
teen years  and  is  now  a  success- 
fnl  farmer  at  Oakland,  Xeh.  He 
is  married  to  Miss  Kllen  Lindhlom. 
Carl  li.  is  manager  of  the  New 
York  City  branch  of  the  same 
publishing  house.  His  wife's 
name  was  Emily  Lilja.  Oscar  T. 
is  teller  and  bookkeeper  in  the 
Moline  Trust  and  Savings  Bank. 
The  elder  Bohman  is  a  member 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
and  has  served  on  its  board  of 
deacons  for  eighteen  years  and 
taught  in  its  Sunday  school  for 
three  decades.  Mr.  Bohman  is  a 
property  owner  in  both  Moline 
and  Rock   Island. 

GUST  ED, 
a  prominent  contractoi  of  Moline, 
was  born  in  Sweden,  Dec.  s,  1S50. 
Emigrating  in  1872,  he  .settled  in 
Moline,  where  he  has  lived  ever 
since.  Twenty-two  years  ago  he 
engaged  in  the  business  of  build- 
ing contractor  and  since  then  has 
erected  most  of  the  large  buildings 
in  the  city.  At  times  he  has  had 
as  high  as  two  hundred  men  in 
his  employ.  Of  late  years  his 
sons  have    been    associates    in    the 


business.  Mr.  Ed  is  financially 
interested  in  various  enterprises, 
including     the     Moline     Furniture 


Companj-  and  the  East  Moline 
Brick  Company,  and  is  president  of 
the  Moline  Manufacturing  Com- 
pan}-.  He  was  married  Aug.  30, 
1873,  to  Miss  Helen  Christine 
Anderson.  The  family  belongs  to 
the  Mission  Tabernacle. 


EMIL  ALEXIUS  EDLEN, 

phj-sician  and  surgeon,    was   born 
July     14,      1859,     at     Kungslena,  1 
\'esterg6tland,   Sweden,  where  his 
parents,     Anders    Fredrikson    and  : 
Anna    Maria    Bengtson,    are    still 
living  on  their  farm.     In  Sweden, 
after  finishing  common  school,   he  . 
entered  nulitary  service  and    after 
two  years  was  graduated  in  iSSo, 
with  the  highest  honors,  from  the  : 
Karlsborg    military     school.     The  I 
same  year  he  left  for  the    United 
States,    and    lived    in    Moline    for  ' 
four    years.     In    1884    he    entered  j 


76 


Rock  Island  County 


Auj^ustaiia  College  and  graduated 
with  tlie  class  of  iS.SS.  As  a 
student  be  was   flutist    and    clari- 


EMII,  ALEXIUS   EDLKN 

netist  of  the  college  band  and  or- 
chestra, conducted  the  college  choir 
for  one  year  and  for  five  years 
before  and  after  graduation  was 
instructor  in  gymnastics  at  the 
institution. 

From  Augustana  Mr.  Edlen 
went  to  the  State  Universitj*  of 
Minnesota.  After  taking  one  year 
in  the  medical  department,  he 
spent  a  year  studj'ing  the  sciences 
at  Augustana,  then  returned  to 
the  university,  graduating  in  June, 
1892.  Having  been  admitted  to 
practice,  he  located  in  St.  Paul, 
but  in  December  of  the  same  year 
removed  to  Moline,  where  he  has 
been  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
medicine  and  surgery  for  upwards 
of  fifteen  years. 

Dr.  lullcn  is  a  nKiiil>i.i  of  the 
staff  of  the  Moline  Public  Hos- 
pil;il  and  of  the    adjunct    stafT    of 


St.  Anthony's  Hospital  in  Rock 
Island  and  the  Mercy  Hospital  iii 
Davenport,  Iowa.  He  belongs  to 
the  Rock  Island  County  Medical 
Association,  the  Illinois  Slate 
Medical  Society  and  the  American 
Medical  Association.  He  is  chief 
medical  director  of  the  North  Star 
Benefit  Association  and  examiner 
for  a  number  of  insurance  companies 
and  societies,  .serves  on  the  pub- 
lic library  board,  for  three  years 
was  connnanding  officer  of  the 
Moline  Naval  Reserves  and  is 
first  vice-president  and  a  director 
of  the  Rock  I.sland  Tropical 
Plantation   Company-. 

Dr.  Edlen  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Miss  Hulda  Lindgren  of 
Minneapolis,  July  2.  1892.  They 
have  two  daughters,  Anna  \'iola 
Carolina,  born  1893,  and  Olga 
Elizabeth  Wilhelmina,  born  1897. 
The  family  is  coiniected  with  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 

Dr.  Edlen  early  showed  lilerarj* 
ability,  freijuenlly  contributing 
verse  to  newspapers  and  periodi- 
cals. As  a  medical  man  he  has 
written  a  number  of  treatises, 
many  of  which  have  apj^ared  in 
scientific  journals,  for  instance:  in 
the  AVrr  }'orA-  .^/rditat  yoiinial — 
"Tuberculosis,  with  Special  Refer- 
ence to  Its  Prevention  and  Treat- 
ment," and  "I'lcers  of  the  Leg:" 
in  the  Mfdiml  Ai^c — "Observa- 
tions on  Influenza,"  being  a 
pa])er  read  liefore  the  Iowa  and 
Illinois  Central  District  Medical 
Association;  in  the  llliiioh  Midkal 
7'""""/— "Diptheria  and  Its  Man- 
agement," "P.sychotherajieutics," 
a    i>ai)<.'r    read    iK-fore    the     Illinois 


Moline 

State  Medical  Society,  and  "Col- 
les's  Fracture;"  in  the  A'cr  .U/'diiy 
(/W. )  Medical  JoKina/ — "Sum- 
mer Diarrliea  in  Children."  Sev- 
eral of  these  articles  have  been 
reprinted  or  commented  upon  in 
scientific  journals  in  Kurope,  such 
as  f.a  /'re'ssi-  .Ucdica/c  and  I\-Htschc 
Medkhiisclu ■    1 1 W///  //si  //  >  i/'l . 

Hulda  C.  Ivllcn,  wife  of  Dr. 
Edleii,  was  Iwrn  in  Skin")  i)arisli, 
Smaland,  Sweden,  Oct  27,  1.S64. 
She  was  given  careful  traininjr 
and  a  good  education  bj-  her  par- 
ents, Carl  A.  Lindgreii,  a  gentle- 
man farmer  and  grain  merchant, 
and  his  wife  Alhertina,  nee 
Oijstrom.  Besides  public  school 
she  was  taught  languages  and 
music  by  private  teachers  and 
later  took  general  studies  at  a 
private  boarding  school  for  girls. 
She  came  to  the  Ihiited  States  in 
1886  and  the  following  >ear  ob- 
tained a  position  as  copyist,  trans- 
lator and  interpreter  in  the  office 
of  the  register  of  deeds  in  the 
Hennepin  county  court  house  at 
Minneapolis.  This  position  she 
held  until  a  short  time  before  her 
marriage  in  1892.  Mrs.  Edlen 
possesses  literarj-  talent  and  has 
contributed  occasionally  to  Hxrl- 
laiid-Postcn  in  Sweden  and  to 
Svenska  holkcts  Tidning,  d/.i,''- 
domsvaiDuii  and  other  newspapers 
and  periodicals  in  this  country. 
She  is  a  member  of,  and  has  held 
various  offices  in  the  following 
societies:  the  ^'eronica  Society  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
Moline,  the  Ladies'  Foreign  Mis- 
sionary Society,  the  Swedish  Liter- 
arv  Club,   the  North  Star    Benefit 


771 

Association,  tin-  Court  of  Honor,  < 
The  Loyal  Americans  and  the; 
Ladies'  Independent  Order  of  | 
of  Svilhiod.  She  is  also  a  mem- ■ 
ber  of  the  Woman's  Club  of  Mo-  i 
line,  and  has  served  for  some 
time  on  the  Woman's  Hospital; 
Board. 

i 

JAN   .MAC.XrS  BONOGRKN     | 

i 
was  born  Aug.  26,  1862,  Habol,  , 
Dalsland,  Sweden.     He   was   edu- ! 


.I.\N  .MACNIS  bon(;(;ren 

cated  at    a    teacher's    seminary,    a! 
military    academ\-,    and    a    school' 
of  technology.     He  is  a  photogra-  \ 
plier  by    occupation    and    has    de- 
voted   some     time    to    journalism, 
and  writes    occasional    correspond- 
ences    to     the     newspapers.       He. 
has  no    affiliations    with    churches 
or     fraternal    organizations.       Mr. 
Bonggren  is    a  brother     of    Jakob, 
Bonggren,      editor      of      Svenska, 
Amerikanaren. 


78 


Rock  Island  County 


fki;di;i<ick  c.rafund, 

who  was  the  first  Swedish  dentist 
ill  the  Tri-Cities,   located    in    Mo- 


fki;i)i;kick  ckaflund 

line  in  Jan.  1903,  and  opened  a 
dental  office  here  April  i,  the 
same  j'ear.  He  is  a  native  of 
Karlstad,  Sweden,  where  he  was 
born  Nov.  26,  1877.  On  his  six- 
teenth birthday  in  1S92,  he  came 
to  the  United  States,  after  having' 
attended  elementary  schools  in 
Kristiiiehamn  and  Kristianslad. 
He  started  workinjj  in  the  dental 
office  of  Dr.  P.  W'm.  Thorelius 
ill  Chicaga,  in  November  of  that 
\ear,  remaining  as  his  assistant 
till  May  i,  1900,  when  he  opened 
his  own  office  in  Lake  \'iew, 
having  ])revionsly  compleleil  the 
conr.ses  at  the  Northwestern  I'ni 
versity  Dental  School,  formerl\- 
American  College  of  Dental  Snr- 
gery,  which  he  entered  in  tin.- 
fall  of  1S95,  graduating  in  i.SijS 
with  high  standing  in  a  class  of 
177   nieinliers.      He  is  of  the    I'lo- 


testant  I{piscopal  faith  and 
served  for  some  \ears  as  secre- 
tary of  the  St.  Aiisgar  Church  of 
Moline.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Royal  Arcanum  and  was  guide 
in  the  Monitor  Council  1414  of 
that  order  in  1900,  while  living 
in  Chicago. 

CARL  A.   HEMBORG. 

pastor  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  Moline  for  a  long  term 
of  years  before  his  removal  to 
Nebraska,  was  born  in  Hemsjo. 
Smaland.  Sweden.  Feb.  3.  1S47. 
His  father,  Anders  Jbnsson,  was 
a  farmer.  The  son  jmrsued  col- 
legiate studies  at  Vexio  from  1.S65 
to  1.S70  and.  emigrating  in  1S71, 
continued  his  studies  at  Auirustana 


CAKI.    All'.lST    lll':.MIU>Ki; 

College,  iIkii  located  at  I'axton, 
111.,  from  1S71  to  1S74,  taking  a 
theological  course  fitting  him  for 
the  ministry  in  the  .\uguslana 
Synod.  He  was  ordained  in  RtK-k- 
ford  June  jS,    1S74,   and    ha.s    had 


Moline 


79 


charge  of  congre};alioiis  in  Dayloii, 
Iowa,  1874-92,  in  Gowrie,  Iowa, 
1874-77,  in  Moline  from  1892  to 
1904,  when  he  resigned  to  assmne 
pastoral  charge  at  Stronisburg, 
Neb.  While  in  Iowa,  he  served 
as  president  of  the  Iowa  Confer- 
ence for  six  years  from  1886  ami, 
after  coming  to  Moline,  was  elected 
president  of  the  Illinois  Conference 
in  1903.  The  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity  was  conferred  ni^on  him 
in    1902  by  Augustana  College. 

Dr.  Hemborg  is  a  devoted  ama- 
teur astronomer  and  is  the  author 
of  two  books,  "Ord,  Verk  och 
Hvila,"  and  '•Glimpses  of  the 
Stars,"  consisting  of  original 
thoughts  and  phantasies,  partis- 
scientific,  partly  devotional,  based 
on  astronomical  and  biblical  data. 

Feb.  2,  1877,  Rev.  Hemborg 
married  Miss  Jennie  Ryden,  of 
Bernadotte,  Minn.,  born  Fel).  8, 
1S59.  She  is  the  daughter  of  Rev. 
and  Mrs.  CM.  R\den.  Of  seven 
children  born  to  Dr.  and  Mrs. 
Hemborg,  the  following  six  are 
living:  Constans  Alexis,  born  1877; 
Carl  Robert  Philip,  1884;  Claudia 
Sophia,  1886;  Emma  Evelyn,  1896; 
Harold  Benjamin,  1899;  Richard 
Edwin,    1904. 


left  for  America  and  came  to  Chi- 
cago to  live.  Entering  the  North- 
western Academv  at    Evan>itoii  he 


ANDREW  G.  JOHNSON 
was  born  in  Ljungby  parish,  Sma- 
land,  Sweden,  Dec.  25,  1857,  the 
son  of  Johannes  Jon.sson,  a  farmer. 
His  father  died  in  1889  and  his 
mother,  Anna  Christina  Anders- 
son,  in  1904,  both  in  Sweden. 
The  .son  enjoyed  instruction  pri- 
vately and  in  a  pension  school  up 
to  fifteen  A-ears   of    age,   when    he 


A.NliKUW   c;.    IdHNSiiN 

continued  through  the  Swedish 
M.  E.  Theological  Seminary, 
graduating  from  the  latter  in  1878. 
After  his  ordination  he  has  been 
stationed  in  the  following  places, 
viz  .  Minneapolis,  187S:  New 
York,  1S81:  St.  Paul,  18S5;  Gales- 
burg,  1890;  Bethany  Church,  Chi- 
cago, 1892-93;  Moline,  1901-04: 
St.   Paul,    1904-07. 

When  transferred  to  Chicago  in 
iSg2,  Rev.  Johnson  was  chosen 
financial  agent  of  the  Bethany 
Home,  erected  in  Ravenswood  the 
same  year  with  money  solicited 
by  him.  In  July,  1.S93.  he  took 
charge  of  the  Swedish  M.  E. 
Book  Concern  as  publishing  agent 
and  manager  and  filled  that  posi- 
tion for  eight  years,  ridding  the 
busine-ss  of  debt  and  conducting 
it  in  a  successful  manner. 

After    leaving    Moline    in    igo4. 


8o 


Rock  Island  County 


Rev.  Johnson  has  traveled  exten- 
sively in  tlie  states  and  preached 
wherever  opportunity  offered.  He 
is  now  the  publisher  and  editor 
of  the  Nova/  Slar,  a  monthly  mag- 
azine, with  office  at  St.  Paul, 
Minn. 

Wherever  Rev.  Johnson  has  had 
pastoral  char^^e,  he  has  put  forth 
great  effort  to  increase  his  flock 
and  place  the  property  and  church 
finances  in  good  shape,  with  very 
satisfactory-  results  in  everj'  in- 
stance. 

The  family  of  Rev.  Johnson 
consists  of  a  wife,  Selma  C.  John- 
son of  Chicago,  born  Aug.  12, 
1867.  and  the  children,  Roy  D.  G., 
born  1S90:  Clarence,  "189 1 ;  Walter 
L.  Y.,  1899;  Paul  Wesley,  1902, 
and  Evelyn  Phoebe  Maj-,  1906.  • 

During  the  twenty-eight  years 
Rev.  Johnson  has  been  a  member 
of  the  Central  Swedish  Confer- 
ence, he  has  been  secretary  or 
trea.surer  almost    the   whole    time. 

GEORGE  W.  JOHNSON, 

president  and  treasurer  of  the 
Moline  Furniture  Works,  is  a 
native  of  Henry  county.  111., 
where  his  parents,  Sven  P.  John- 
.son  and  Christina  Peterson,  were 
early  settlers.  He  was  born  Oct. 
9,  1857,  and  received  his  early 
education  in  the  common  schools. 
In  September,  1889,  his  father, 
who  was  a  prosj)erous  farmer, 
died,  and  not  long  afterward  the 
.sons,  George  and  Julius,  began 
to  devote  themselves  to  other 
pursuits  than  agriculture.  George 
soon  made  his  home  in  Moline 
and  engaged  in  business.     He  be- 


came interested  in  the  manufact- 
ure of  furniture  by  associating 
himself  with  other  of  his  countrv- 


GEORGU   W.  JOH.NSOX 

men  in  a  cooperative  plant  now 
known  as  the  Moline  Furniture 
Works.  The  concern  for  several 
years  led  a  precarious  existence, 
but  by  the  substantial  financial 
backing  furnished  by  Mr.  John- 
son and  others  the  enterprise  was 
put  on  its  legs  and  is  now  in  a 
prosperous  condition  and  enjoying 
constant  growth,  due  in  great 
measure  to  the  business  acumen 
and  intelligent  management  of 
Mr.  John.son  who  is  the  executive 
head  of  the  estaV)lishment. 

Taking  an  active  interest  in 
political  affairs,  Mr.  Johnson  has 
won  preferment  at  dilTerent  times. 
During  Pre.sident  Harri.son's  ad- 
minstration  he  held  the  office  of 
liostmaster  at  Orion,  111.  and  by 
the-  ]ieople  of  his  present  district 
he  was  twice  elected  to  the  state 
legislature,  serving    in    the    forty- 


Moline 


8i 


first  and  forty-second  General  As- 
sembly. 

May  31,  1882,  Mr.  Johnson  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Caroline  V. 
Hagg  of  Henry  county,  horn  Nov. 
21,  185S.  In  the  family  four 
children  have  been  born,  a  daugh- 
ter, who  died,  and  the  three  sons: 
C.  Mauritz,  born  July  11,  1885, 
Estey  E.,  Dec.  21,  1887,  aiul 
George  Franklin,  May  29,  1895. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson  are  devoted 
members  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church   of  Moline. 


LAWRENCE  A.  JOHNSTON, 

minister  of  the  Augustana    Synod 
and  present  pastor  of  the  Swedish 


L.^WRENCE   .\LBERT  JOHNSTO.V 

Lutheran  Church  of  Moline,  is  a 
nati\-e  American  of  Swedish  des- 
cent. His  parents,  Fredrick  J. 
Johnson,  a  carpenter  and  build- 
ing contractor,  and  Charlotte 
Johnson,  both  from  He.ssleby, 
Smaland,  Sweden,  were  among 
the   earliest    settlers    in    the  East. 


They  emigrated  to  America  in 
1S46,  bound  for  New  Sweden, 
la.,  but  lack  of  funds  cut  their 
journey  short  at  Huffalo,  where 
the>-  remained  two  years  before 
locating  permanently  at  Sugar 
Grove,   Pennsylvania. 

Here  Rev.  L.  A.  Johnston  was 
born  Aug.  12,  1855.  He  attended 
the  public  school,  had  private  in- 
struction in  music  during  four 
years,  and  attended  high  sciiool 
for  three  years  before  entering 
Augustana  College  (at  Paxton) 
in  1874,  graduated  from  that  in- 
•stitution  (at  Rock  Island)  in 
1S79,  and  was  the  valedictorian 
of  his  class.  As  a  student  he 
gave  private  lessons  in  music  and 
earlier  served  as  organist  of  tlie 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
Chandlers    Valley,     Pennsylvania. 

After  two  years  of  study  in  the 
theological  seminarj-  of  the  same 
institution,  he  was  ordained  min- 
ister in  the  spring  of  iSSi.  His 
first  pastoral  charge  after  ordina- 
tion was  at  Des  Moines,  1881- 
1886;  the  next  at  Rockford,  1886- 
1S94:  the  third  at  St.  Paul,  1894- 
1904,  and  the  last  at  Moline, 
1904  to  the  present. 

Rev.  Mr.  Johnston  has  fre- 
quently been  called  to  positions 
of  trust  and  responsibility  in  the 
church  he  serves  and  has  been 
active  in  varied  fields,  as  shown 
by  the  following  list  of  offices 
held  by  him:  president  of  the 
Bethania  Pub.  Co.  and  as.sociate 
editor  of  Bethania,  bi-monthly  re- 
ligious organ  of  the  Iowa  Con- 
ference: vice-president  of  that 
conference  in   1886:    vice-president 


82 


Rock  Island  County 


of  the  Illinois  Conference  1S91- 
94;  elected  president  the  latter 
j'ear,  but  resigned  on  leaving 
Rockford;  member  of  the  board 
of  directors  of  the  Augustana 
Hospital  1905-1908,  of  the  Au- 
gustana Book  Concern  contin- 
uouslj-  from  its  organization,  of 
Auj^nstana  College  since  1893, 
being  chairman  1S93-94  and  1905, 
of  Gustavus  Adolphus  College, 
St.  Peter,  Minn.,  and  president 
of  the  board,  1895-98,  again  a 
member  1902-04,  of  the  Bethesda 
Hospital  in  St.  Paul,  1895-98  and 
chairman  of  the  board  for  three 
years,  vice-president  of  the  Minne- 
sota Conference  1902- 1904  and  of 
the  deaconess  Institute  of  Omaha 
1904-05.  Furthermore,  he  has 
served  on  the  mission  board  of  the 
Augustana  Synod,  has  acted  as 
associate  editor  of  (  'iiiidonisvaiiiu-ii 
for  several  years,  and  is  at  present 
vice-president  of  the  Augustana 
Synod  and  Swedish  secretary  of  the 
General  Council  of  the  Lutheran 
Church  of  America  for  a  two  year 
term,    1905-07. 

In  1 90 1  the  board  of  directors 
of  Augustana  College  and  Theo- 
logical Seminary  conferred  upon 
Rev.  Johnston  the  honorary  de- 
gree of  I),  n.  In  1903  he  pub- 
lished a  little  book  entitled,  "Be 
Thou  Faithful,  Words  of  Advice, 
Comfort  and  Cheer  to  the  Con- 
firmed." 

Dr.  Johnston  is  often  hearil 
from  the  i)ublic  platform.  He 
has  made  a  large  number  of  ad- 
dres.ses  on  t(.in])erance  and  on 
topics  of  especial  inti.resl  to 
yointg   ])eo])le,   and   has  s])oken    at 


numerous  church  conventions  and 
public  meetings,  also  lecturing  on 
historical,  patriotic,  social  and 
economic  subjects.  One  of  his 
most  notevi'orthy  discourses  was 
on  "The  Swedish  Flement  in 
American  Civilization."  delivered 
before  the  General  Synod  Chau- 
tauqua Assembly-  at  Dixon,  111. 
Dr.  Johnston  has  perfect  mastery 
of  both  the  Swedish  and  the  Eng- 
lish languages  and  is  held  one  of 
the  foremost  Swedish-American 
pulpit   orators. 


JOHN   A.  JADKR, 

former  pastor  of  the  local    Baptist 
church,  was  born  in  Rytterne,  Swe- 


ji.n.s  .\.  .i.\iii;u 

den,  Nov.  2,  1849  aiul  came  over 
to  this  coinitry  and  to  Moline,  in 
1902.  r  He  served  for  thirteen 
years  as  a  non-conunissioned  offi- 
cer in  the  Swedish  armv.  After 
studying  theology  at  a  Baptist 
seminary  he  w:is  ordained  minis- 
ter and   h.is  MTveil   in   that  capac- 


Moline 


83 


ity  in  Sweden  and  the  United 
States.  Since  lyos  lie  has  been 
stationed  at  Lindsborg,  Kansas. 
He  has  published  several  works 
and  has  contribnted  lartjely  to  the 
relijjious  press.  He  was  married 
in  1870,  to  Charlotta  Ohlson,  the 
fruits  of  the  union  beinx  nine 
children,  seven  sons,  Carl,  Axel, 
David,  Edwin,  Filip,  Fabian  and 
Gustaf,  and  two  dauirhters,  Ainia 
and   Maria. 


FRANK  A.  LANDEE, 

well-known  merchant  and  a  mem- 
ber    of     the     Fortv-fifth    General 


I'R.VNK.   .\.   L.\NUEE 

Assembly  of  Illinois,  was  born  in 
Smaland,  Sweden,  Aug.  11,  1852. 
Both  parents  having  died,  Frank, 
with  a  younger  brother,  emigrated 
in  1.S66.  He  worked  on  the  farm 
in  Knox  county  for  the  next  three 
years,  attending  school  in  the 
winter  months,  then  took  a  course 
at  a  business  college  in  (lalesburg. 
In    1S69    he    w;nt    to    Peoria  and 


was  in  the  employ  of  the  Western 
Union  Telegraph  Co.  there  for  two 
years,  uj)  to  the  time  of  the  great 
fire  in  Chicago,  when  he  was 
transferred  to  that  city  and  soon 
made  foreman  of  telegraph  con- 
struction. After  holding  a  posi- 
tion with  the  Atlantic  and  Pacific 
Telegraph  Co.  for  one  year,  Lan- 
dee  returned  to  his  former  posi- 
tion with  the  Western  Union 
in  1S74.  In  1876-77  he  was  their 
office  electrician  in  Chicago  and 
in  the  next  two  years  built  tele- 
phone exchanges  for  the  company, 
which  was  then  al.so  in  that  line 
of  business.  It  was  Landee  who 
put  in  the  first  half  a  hundred 
telephones  in  Chicago.  He  also 
built  exchanges  in  Peoria,  Spring- 
field, Quincy,  Rock  Island,  Mo- 
line, Dubuque,  Davenport  and 
Keoktik,  being  one  of  the  pioneers 
in   that  line  of  work. 

In  18S0,  Mr.  Landee  was  ap- 
pointed superintendent  of  con- 
struction of  the  Mutual  Union,  a 
new  telegraph  company,  and  the 
Baltimore  and  Ohio  Telegraph 
Co.  He  .served  as  joint  superin- 
tendent for  a  year,  then  remained 
two  years  more  with  the  former. 
When  that  concern  sold  out  to 
the  Western  Union  in  1883,  Lan- 
dee became  joint  general  foreman 
of  the  telegraph  and  electric  de- 
partment of  the  C.  R.  I.  &  P. 
Railway  Co.  and  the  Western 
Union,  with  8,000  miles  of  rail- 
road, e.xtending  into  i  i  states  and 
3  territories.  He  remained  with 
them  until  1903,  when  he  resigned 
to  devote  himself  entirely  to  pri- 
vate business. 


84 


Rock  Island  County 


He  is  the  proprietor  of  a  large 
grocer)-  store:  interested  in  the 
Moline  Furniture  Works,  being 
vice-president  of  the  conipanj-; 
also  vice-president  and  treasurer 
of  the  Moline  Stone  Co.,  and 
director  of  the  People's  Savings 
and  Trust  Co.  of  Moline. 

In  1906,  Mr.  Laudee  was  elected 
to  repre.sent  the  33d  district  in 
the  state  senate,  having  earned 
the  distinction  bj-  unrewarded  po- 
litical activity  for  manj'  years. 
He  has  held  the  office  of  president 
of  the  Swedish-American  Repub- 
lican League  of  Illinois. 

Mr.  Landee  is  chairman  of  the 
board  of  trustees  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Moline,  and 
was  a  meml)er  of  the  board  of 
directors  of  Augustana  College  for 
eight  years.  He  is  chairman  of 
the  trustees  of  the  Court  of  Honor 
Lodge,  a  leading  member  of  the 
Swedish  Olive  Lodge,  I.  O.  O.  F., 
and  chairman  of  the  connnittee 
in  charge  of  the  construction  of 
its  $50,000  building,  and  was 
chairman  of  the  trustees  of  the 
Olive  Lodge  for  several  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Moline 
Club,  .Moline  Busine.ss  Association, 
MoliuL-  Retail  Merchants'  A.ssocia- 
tion,  the  Telegraphers'  Mutual 
Association  and  the  North  Star 
Benefit  Association,  of  which  he 
was  chief  treasurer  for  six   years. 

Five  patents  have  l^een  granted 
on  electrical  devices  invented  by 
Mr.  Landee  and  are  now  in  ])raclical 
use.  Several  inventions  and  im- 
provements made  by  him  but 
not  ])atented  are  generally  used 
by    tclegra])li   ami    tflv])hone   com- 


panies. Two  of  these,  in  particu- 
lar, ought  to  have  brought  their 
inventor  substantial  returns. 

In  1879,  April  9,  Mr.  Landee 
married  Miss  Hanna  Johnson, 
born  March  9,  185S,  daughter  of 
A.  M.  and  Charlotte  Johnson, 
of  Knoxville.  The  children  in 
the  Landee  family  are:  Effie  L., 
born  in  1S80,  deceased:  George 
Edward,  born  in  18S2:  Frank  J. 
born  in  1884:  Marion  H.  C,  lK)rn 
in  1886;  Anna  Irene,  born  in 
1892.  George  Edward  is  married 
to  Alma  Swen.son  of  Moline. 
The  Landees  reside  at  1207  Fifth 
avenue. 

ALBERT  J.  LYDEHN, 
who  has  been  established  in  Moline 
for  eight  years  as  a  druggist,  is  a 
native  of  the  city,  being  bom  here 
July  7,  1S76.  His  father,  Andrew 
P.  Lydehn,  died  in   1900. 

Albert  attended  the  public  school : 
later  he  took  a  course  in  chemistry 
at  Augustana  College  and  com- 
pleted his  studies  with  a  regular 
counse  in  pharmacy  at  the  North- 
western I'niversity,  being  grailu- 
ated  from  that   institution. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Moline 
Naval  Militia  and  the  apothecarv 
of   that  organization. 

Mr.  Lydehn  has  traveled  exten- 
sively in  Sweden,  Norway,  Den- 
mark, FVance,  Germany  and  Eng- 
land. 

ANDRI'W    .1     l.VON 

was  born  in  Torjja  parish,  tister- 
giitland,  Sept.  12,  iS(m.  Coming 
to  America  in  18S2  he  lived  for 
live    vears   near  (lalesburg,   where 


Moline 


85 


he  worked  on  a  farm.  From  there 
he  came  to  Moline  and  was  em- 
ployed   as    a    mason's    apprentice 


ANDREW   J.   LVON 

until  he  had  mastered  the  trade, 
when  he  started  in  business  for 
himself  as  a  brick  and  stone  nia- 
sonrj-  contractor.  Since  the  .spring 
of  1907  he  has  been  farming  in 
Illinois  City,  Rock  Island  county. 
Mr.  Lyon  was  married  in  May, 
1S90,  in  Moline,  to  Maria  Gustaf- 
va  Anderson,  who  is  now  the 
mother  of  seven  children,  three 
sons  and  four   daughters. 

JOHN  P.  MILLER, 
piesent  pastor  of  the  Swedish  M. 
E.  Church  of  Moline,  was  born  in 
Sjosater,  Ortomta  pari.sh,  Oster- 
gotland,  Sweden,  Sept.  4,  1866. 
Equipped  with  a  common  school 
education,  he  left  his  home  for 
America  at  the  age  of  twent}-. 
His  parents,  Jonas  Pehrsson,  a 
farmer,  and  his  wife,  Anna  Lovisa 
Johnson,  are  still  living  in  the  old 
countrv. 


Mr.  Miller  lived  in  Des  Moines, 
la.,  for  the  next  three  years,  hold- 
ing a  position  with  the  F.  O. 
W'ennerberg  grocery  firm.  He  left 
there  in  1S89  to  pursue  studies 
fitting  him  for  the  ministry.  En- 
tering the  Swedish  Theological 
Seminary  at  Evanston,  he  contin- 
ued there  for  three  years,  and  af- 
terward took  one  year  at  Knox 
College,  Galesburg.  Having  grad- 
uated from  the  Evanston  institu- 
tion in  1892,  he  was  ordained  min- 
ister of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church  in  Moline  in  September 
of  that  year,  by  Bishop  R.  S.  Fos- 
ter.       His      subsequent      jiastoral 


JOHN    p.    MILLER 

charges  have  been  at  Kewanee, 
Victoria  and  Bloom  ington,  before 
coming  to  Moline. 

Rev.  Miller  was  married  Oct.  3, 
1S94,  to  Mi.ss  Hilda  S.  Eklund  of 
Kewanee,  born  Nov.  10,  1872,  in 
the  city  of  Boras,  Sweden,  where 
her  parents  are  still  living. 


86 


Rock  Island  Countv 


ADOLPH  G.   XELSOX, 

pastor      of      the       Free       Mission 
Church,     was     born     at     Bomala, 


AIlOLPH   (■.()TTFRn>  XliLSUN 

Morlunda  parish,  Smaland,  Aug. 
22,  1870.  The  parents  were  farm- 
ers. His  father.  Nils  Fredrik 
Hogren,  died  in  the  old  home  in 
1882.  The  son  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  in  the  spring  of 
1888  and  located  in  Beresford, 
S.  D.,  whither  his  mother  followed 
him,  passing  away  at  that  place 
in   1898. 

Having  obtained  an  elementary 
education  in  the  school  of  his 
native  place  Mr.  Nelson,  after 
working  some  time  as  a  wage 
earner  in  this  country,  began  to 
fit  him.self  for  the  Ciospel  ministry. 
After  coiiijjleling  a  course  of  study 
he  became  a  preacher  of  the  h'rec 
Mi.ssion  church.  Since  that  time 
he  has  hceii  stationed  at  15eres- 
ford,  S.  I).,  for  three  years,  at 
Onialia   for  a    like  ])eri(>d,    and    at 


Moline  for  the  past  three  years 
and  over.  Prior  to  that  Rev. 
Nelson  labored  for  seven  years  as 
a  traveling  evangelist. 

Oct.  10,  1895,  Rev.  Nelson 
was  married  to  Miss  Alma  Young 
of  Cherokee,  Iowa,  born  Nov. 
28,  1 87 1.  A  son.  Elving  Abra- 
ham Emanuel,  was  born  to  them 
at    Beresford,  in  1897. 


JOHANNES  PETERSON, 

manufacturer  of  pianos  and  organs, 
was    born    iji    Grasmark     parish, 


J()llAN.\i;S   riCTlCKSoN 

Vermland,  Sweden,  and  emigrated 
in  1868.  After  his  arrival  in  this 
country  he  at  first  lived  in  Linds- 
l)org,  Kas.,  before  coming  to 
Moline.  Having  studied  for  three 
years  at  Augustana  College,  he 
entered  practical  life.  We  soon 
find  him  engaged  in  the  manu- 
facture of  reed  organs,  a  business 
which  has  gratluall\-  grown  to  large 
proportions.  Not  manv  \ears  ago 
the   firm   of  J.    lVtci>-oii   Co.    took 


Moline 


87 


up  the  manufacture  of  pianos. 
While  the  hulk  of  the  trade  is  in 
the  United  States,  yet  they  have 
quite  an  extensive  foreign  trade, 
shipping  instruments  to  the  Scan- 
dinavian countries,  all  Kurope, 
East  India.  China,  Africa  and 
South  America.  The  company 
takes  pride  in  the  fact  that  the 
first  parlor  organs  ever  used  in 
Porto  Rico  were  of  their  make.  A 
few  years  ago  the  growth  of  busi- 
ness made  extensions  to  the  factory 
necessary  and  the  company  now 
has  a  three  story  structure  covering 
one  quarter  of  a  block.  Mr. 
Peterson  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 


bcr  of  positions  of  trust  to  which 
he  has  been  chosen.  Thus  he 
was  for  a  term  of  years  secretary 


G.  LEANDER  PETERSON, 

president  of  the  North  Star  Bene- 
fit Association,  with  head  office 
at  Moline,  was  born  on  a  farm 
in  Henry  county,  near  Swedona, 
Dec.  24,  1864.  His  grandparents 
were  the  third  Swedish  family 
that  settled  in  Mercer  county. 
He  has  studied  at  Augustana  and 
at  the  Davenport  Business  College. 
In  the  early  nineties  he  was  as- 
sociated with  Ernst  W.  Olson, 
G.  A.  Gustafson  and  Julius  John- 
son in  publishing  iVj'a  Prcsstii, 
a  Swedish  weekly  new.spaper,  at 
Moline  and  later  at  Chicago. 
For  two  terms  he  served  as  as- 
sistant clerk  of  the  House  of 
Representatives  at  Springfield. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Emanuel 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at  East 
Moline,  having  acted  as  secretary 
and  trustee. 

Mr.   Peterson  is  a  man  of  varied 
activities  as  shown    h\    the    num- 


G.    LE.AXDER  PETERSON 

and  later  president  of  the  North 
Star  Benefit  Association,  a  fraternal 
insurance  association;  is  pre.sident 
of  the  Svea  Male  Chorus  of  Moline; 
has  been  president  of  the  Western 
Division  of  the  American  I'nion  of 
Swedish  Singers;  has  served  on  the 
board  of  directors  of  Augustana 
College  and  Theological  Seminary; 
has  served  for  a  number  of  years 
as  president  of  the  board  of  trustees 
of  the  Augustana  University  As.so- 
ciation;  has  been  \-ice-president  for 
Rock  Island  county  of  the  Swed- 
ish-American Republican  League 
of  Illinois,  besides  being  one  of 
its  organizers,  and  secretary  of  the 
Rock  Island  County  Central  Com- 
mittee. Mr.  Peterson  is  now 
president  of  the  Rock  Island 
Tropical  Plantation  Companj'. 


88 


Rock  Island  Count}- 


FRANK  W.  SHALLENE, 
senior  member  of  the  firm  of  Shal- 
lene   Bros.,  furniture  dealers,  was 


FKANK;    WILCOT  SHALLENB 

born  April  7,  1867,  at  Kotorp, 
Kinneved,  Skaraborgs  Ian,  Sweden, 
where  his  father,  Johannes  Carl- 
son, was  a  farmer.  He  died  at 
the  old  homestead  in  1882,  where- 
upon the  mother,  Charlotta,  nee 
Back,  joined  her  sons  in  Moline, 
where  she  died  in   1902. 

Frank  Shallene  worked  for  his 
father  on  the  farm  in  early  life, 
attending  the  common  school  of 
the  jiarish  less  than  one  calendar 
year.  When  seventeen  years  of 
age,  he  left  the  old  home,  destined 
for  America,  arriving  in  Moline 
on  Midsummer  Day,  18H4.  The 
first  sunnner  he  worked  on  a  farm 
near  Geneseo  ami  later  obtained 
em])I()ymeiit  at  common  labor  with 
the  Moline  Wagon  Co.  The  next 
year  he  got  work  at  tin.-  I'nion 
Malleable  Iron  Works  and  soon 
after  began    learning   the  niolder's 


trade.  The  summer  of  1889  was 
spent  in  Denver,  where  he  worked 
on  the  construction  of  a  cable 
street  car  line.  Returning  to  Mo- 
line he  was  employed  as  a  inolder 
in  various  shops  until  1903,  when, 
with  a  little  accumulation  of  sav- 
ings as  a  capital,  he  embarked  in 
the  furniture  business  in  partner- 
ship with  his  younger  brother, 
John  N.  Shallene.  In  1906  they 
abandoned  their  old  quarters  and 
moved  into  a  new  four  story  build- 
ing, 1513-15  Fifth  ave.,  where 
they  carry  a  large  stock  of  fur- 
niture, carpets,  rugs  and  stoves, 
and  have  the  largest  furniture 
store  in  the   city. 

Sept.  23,  1S96,  Mr.  Shallene 
married  Miss  Almina  Engdahl,  a 
young  lady  of  Geneseo,  bom  Jan. 
27,  1S72.  Her  parents  are  John 
and  Anna  Engdahl.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Shallene  have  three  sons,  Wilbert 
Engdahl,  born  1S97,  Milton  Lin- 
neus,  1901,  and  Bertel  Rudolph, 
1904.  Milton  L.  died  Dec.  15,  1906. 

The  family  is  connected  with 
the  Swedish  Luth.  Church,  and 
Mr.  Shallene, besides,  belongs  to  the 
Swedish  Olive  Lodge  of  I.  O.  O.  F. 
and  the  King  Philip  Tribe  of  Red 
Men.  He  has  alwaj-s  been  a 
Republican. 

JOHN    N.  SHALLENE, 

junior  member  of  the  firm  of 
Shallene  Bros.,  dealers  in  furni- 
ture, was  born  Dec.  27,  1S70,  in 
Kinneved  parish,  Skaraborgs  Ian, 
Sweden.  I'p  to  the  age  of  four- 
teen he  attended  the  ]>arish  school. 
Then    he    accompanied    his    eUler 


Moline 


89 


brother  to  the  United  States,  and, 
like  him,   located  in  Moline. 

After  learning  the  niolders'  trade 
at  the  Union  Malleable  Iron  Co.'s 


JOHN  NATHANAEL  SHALLENE 

plant,  he  was  employed  at  their 
works  and  also  by  the  Barnard  & 
Leas  Manufacturing  Co.  of  Moline 
and  by  the  Forbes  Manufacturing 
Co.  of  Rockford  for  various  peri- 
ods, until  he  engaged  in  the  fur- 
niture business  in   1903. 

Mr.  Shallene  has  shown  his 
public  .spirit  by  active  affiliation 
with  a  number  of  fraternal,  polit- 
ical and  industrial  organizations. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 
In  1900  he  was  chosen  Sachem  of 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men, 
after  having  held  other  offices  in 
the  local  lodge,  and  he  is  now  a 
member  of  the  Past  Sachems'  As- 
sociation. Of  the  Union  Protective 
Aid  A'^sociation  he  was  the  presi- 
dent in  1899  and  has  served  four 
}-ears  on  its  board  of  directors. 
He    belongs    to    the    North    Star 


Benefit  Association,  was   Astrono-  1 
mer    of    the    local    observatory   in  j 
1903  and  member  of  the  board  of  j 
directors    for    three  years.     He  is  ! 
an  honorary  member  of    the    Iron 
Molders'     Union     and     served     as 
trustee  for  three  years  from  1900.  I 
He  is  a  member  of    the    Swedish- 
American    Republican    Club     and 
has    served    as    its    vice-president 
and  treasurer.     In  the  Svea  Male 
Chorus  he  is  a  passive  member. 

His  marriage  took  place  June 
15-  1905.  Ihe  bride  being  Minnie 
Eveline  Nelson,  daughter  of  Peter 
N.  Nelson  of  Moline.  Mrs.  Shal- 
lene was  born  Feb.  28,  1877.  They 
are  members  of  the  Swedish  Luth- 
eran Church. 

FRED  SUNDEEN 

was     born     Sept.     23,     i860,     at 
Bergsjonas,     Vermland,     Sweden, 


FRED  SU.NHEES 

where  his  parents,  Olof  and  Kajsa 
Stina  Olson,  lived  on  a  farm. 
In  1875  his  father  died,  followed 
by  his  wife  in  1888.  The  son 
was  put  to  work  at  an  earh-    age 


90 


Rock  Island  County 


and  was  permitted  to  attend  school 
onl\-  a  few  weeks  out  of  the  year. 
At  twenty-two  he  left  home  bound 
for  America  and  came  to  Daven- 
port, la.,  in  the  spring  of  1SS2, 
locating  pernianentlj-  at  Moline 
in  October  of  the  same  j'ear. 
Here  he  conducted  a  grocery  store 
for  fourteen  years,  whereupon  he 
changed  his  line  of  business  and 
for  over  four  years  has  been  a 
clothing  merchant. 

Mr.  Sundeen  has  served  two 
terms  on  the  board  of  supervisors 
of  Rock  Island  county.  He  is 
well-known  in  fraternal  circles, 
being  a  niemher  of  the  local  lodges 
of  the  orders  of  Svithiod,  the 
Vikings,  the  Odd  Fellows  and  the 
Modern  Woodmen.  He  is  trea- 
surer of  the  Freja  lodge  of 
Svithiod  and  of  the  Mutual  In- 
surance Company. 

On  May  27,  i,S86,  Mr.  Sundeen 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Maria 
Hirsch,  born  Ajiril  7.  1S63,  daugh- 
ter of  Sven  Johan  Hir.sch  of 
Hvetlanda,  Smaland.  Three  daugh- 
ters have  been  born  to  them, 
namely,  Ruby  Maria,  1.SS7,  E.s- 
tlier  Louisa,  1889,  and  Elvira 
Almida,    1S92. 

In  1901  Mr.  Sundeen  took  a 
vacation  from  liis  steadj-  occu])a- 
tion  as  storekeeper  and  went  on 
a  three  months'  visit  to  lijs  na- 
tive land. 

JOHN  SUNDINE, 
business  manager  of  the  Moline 
Daily  niif^attli  and  Moline  Kevitxc- 
/>ispal(/i  is  a  native  of  Moline, 
vviiere  he  was  born  July  20,  1S76. 
His  parents    were    Carl    Siuulin..', 


who  was  for  many  years  engaged 
in  mercantile  business,  and  Au- 
gusta (Johnson  i  Sundine,  who 
passed  away  in  Moline  Oct.  17,1887. 


JOHN    Sl'.NlH.Si; 

After  having  obtained  an  edu- 
cation in  the  graded  and  high 
schools,  being  employed  meanwhile 
as  a  newspaper  carrier  and  gro- 
cerj-  clerk  in  his  father's  store, 
he  began  work  as  a  news  reporter, 
first  on  the  Moline  'Joiinia/,  then 
on  the  Disfiali/i.  After  a  time  he 
became  circulation  manager  on  the 
last  named  daily,  and  was  later 
promoted  to  the  position  of  busi- 
ness manager,  which  be  now  holds. 

During  the  Spanish-American 
War  Mr.  Sundine  served  in  the 
na\y  as  fleet  printer  under  Ad- 
miral Remey,  on  board  the  V.  S. 
S.  Lancaster,  stationed  at  Key 
West.  He  was  also  assistant  to 
Flag  Secretary  Belkna]i,  in  the 
government  otlice  at  thai  point. 

Mr.  Sundine' s  career  has  lieen 
rapid    and    his  rcconl   is  clear-cut. 


Moline 


91 


He  has  been  active  in  politics,  hut 
not  as  yet  held  any  public  office. 
Since  he  reached  the  voting  age 
he  has  been  a  member  of  the  Re- 
jiublican  city  central  committee, 
of  which  he  is  now  chairman.  He 
has  been  a  delegate  to  every  Re- 
publican county  convention  and 
has  served  as  sergeant-at-arms  at 
the  last  two  Republican  national 
conventions. 

He  is  connected  with  the  fol- 
lowing organizations:  the  Swedish 
Olive  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Elks,  the  Svilhiod  order,  the  X. 
S.  B.  A.,  the  Moline  Club  and  the 
Chicago  Press  Club. 

The  parents  of  Mr.  Sundine  are 
old  and  devoted  members  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 


SWAN    TROPP, 

president  of  the  Moline  Stone  Co., 
was  born  in   Grenna  parish,   Sma- 


try.  He  emigrated  in  186S,  com- 
ing first  to  Rockford.  From  there 
he  moved  to  Moline,  where  he 
engaged  in  the  ice  and  stone  bus- 
iness on  a  small  scale.  Together 
with  Andrew  Shalll^erg  he  opened 
a  stone  quarry  in  1874,  drilling 
by  hand  and  employing  two  teams 
in  hauling.  Shallberg  subsequently 
sold  out  his  share  in  the  business 
to  J.  W.  Atkinson,  he  and  Tropp 
now  being  the  sole  owners  of  the 
Moline  Stone  Company,  which  at 
this  time  employs  steam  drills  and 
ships  about  200  carloads  per  month 
besides  all  material  used  in  Moline 
and  neighboring  cities.  The  pay- 
roll amounts  to  $3,500  per  month. 
Mr.  Tropp  also  continues  in  the 
ice  business  on  his  own  account. 
He  is  married  and  the  jiair  are 
members  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  in    Moline. 

Mr.  Tropp  has  served  as  alder- 
man in  the  cit\-  council  of  Moline 
for  four  vears. 


SWAN  TROPP 

land,  Sweden,    Nov.   7,    1S41,  and 
had  his  schooling  in  the  old  coun- 


JOHN  ALFRED  GODEHX, 
assistant  postmaster  of  Moline,  was 
born  i  Drengsered  parish,  Halland, 
Sweden,  July  7,  1853.  His  father, 
John  J.  Godehn,  who  was  a  farmer 
and  a  carpenter,  came  to  America 
in  1870,  and  was  joined  by  his 
son  John  the  following  year.  They 
located  in  Moline,  where  the  father 
died  in  187S  and  the  mother  in 
1904.  Mr.  Godehn's  schooling  was 
limited  to  the  common  branches 
taught  in  the  country  schools  of 
Sweden.  At  thirteen  he  began 
work  on  the  farm,  and  since  com- 
ing to  this  country  he  has  had 
no    opportunity    for    study  except 


92 


Rock  Island  County 


in  the  school  of  actual  life.  He 
began  as  a  comniou  laborer  in 
Moliiie,   then    obtained  a  situation 


JOHN    AI.FKHO    r.illiEUN 

as  a  coachman  in  Rock  Island. 
Returning  to  Sweden  in  1874,  he 
brought  back  with  him  his  mother 
and  his  brother,  Carl  Heniiing,  in 
May,  1875.  For  the  next  two 
j'ears  he  was  emploj-ed  by  S.  H. 
YeWc  as  a  coachman,  and  for  three 
summers  as  a  gardner,  the  win- 
ters being  spent  in  the  Deere  Plow 
Works.  For  five  years  more  he 
had  steady  employment  in  this 
factory,  being  in  charge  of  the 
machinery  and  store  supply  liouse 
in  1884-7.  After  working  as  a 
grocery  salesman,  Mr.  Godchn  was 
for  three  years,  18.S7-90,  manager 
of  a  cooperative  grocery  store 
owned  l)y  the  Swedish  Association 
Kronan.  For  the  same  length  of 
time  he  was  associated  with  C.  C. 
Thulin  and  John  A.  I'"recman 
in  the  retail  grocery  business. 
Selling  his  interest   to    his  copart- 


ners in  1893,  he  next  became  sec- 
retary and  collector  of  the  Twin 
City  Ice  Co.  In  1S99  he  purchased 
an  interest  in  the  Sylvan  Ice  Co. 
and  the  Moline  Ice  Co.,  and  held 
the  office  of  secretar>'  and  treasurer 
until  April,  1906,  when  he  entered 
upon  his  present  duties  as  assist- 
ant postmaster.  He  still  retains 
his  interest  in  the  ice  business. 

Mr.  Godehn  is  a  Republican  in 
politics  and  is  one  of  the  original 
members  of  the  Swedish-. American 
Republican  Club  of  Moline,  in 
which  he  has  served  two  terms  as 
president  and  three  as  secretary. 
In  1S87  he  was  elected  to  the 
city  council  and  in  1904  on  the 
board  of  supervisors. 

In  the  Swedish  Luth.  Church, 
of  which  he  is  a  member,  Mr. 
Godehn  has  been  one  of  the  trust- 
ees for  1 1  3'ears  and  is  now  ser\'- 
ing  his  twentieth  year  as  secretary. 
Since  1S72,  when  he  joined  the 
church,  he  has  taken  an  active 
])art  in  the  work  of  its  various 
organizations. 

On  Nov.  7,  1 888,  Mr.  Godehn 
married  Miss  .\nna  Mathilda  Fred- 
rickson  of  Ciiicago,  born  March 
7,  1S62.  The>-  have  a  family  of 
six  children:  Johanna  Irene  Doro- 
thea Ruth,  l)orn  1S89;  .\nna  Ma- 
ria Alina,  '91:  Ruehl  .\riel,  '92; 
I^sther  .Agatha,  '95:  Hedvig  Cath- 
arina,  '97;   Sclma   .Mfrida,    1900. 

ANDRKW  G.  ANDKRSON 
was  born  in  Sweden,  Dec.  4, 
1S57,  the  son  (if  Olof  .\nderson, 
a  farmer,  who  with  his  family 
emigrated  in  1S70,  .settling  at 
Red  Wing,    Minn.     The    son    ob- 


Rock  Island 


93 


tained  his  first  sclioolinR  in  the 
old  country,  continuing  his  studies 
in    Red   Wing.      In     iSy-^,    he    se- 


ANDREW   i;.   ANDERSON 

cured  a  position  in  the  office  of 
Litthcrsk  Kyrkotid)iing  where  he 
remained  until  the  next  year 
when  he  went  to  Rock  Island  at 
the  time  the  Aiigustana,  the 
church  organ  of  the  Augustana 
Synod,  was  removed  from  Chicago 
to  the  Swedish  Lutheran  seat  of 
learning.  When  his  first  employer 
sold  his  business,  Mr.  Andenson 
continued  with  his  successors  and 
became  a  member  of  the  firm  of 
Wistrand,  Timlin  and  Anderson, 
of  Moline.  After  two  years  the 
firm  sold  out  to  the  publishing 
board  of  the  Augustana  Synod. 
Mr.  Anderson  continued  as  fore- 
man of  the  printing  department 
until  1SS9,  when  he  became  man- 
ager and  treasurer  of  the  Au- 
gustana Book  Concern,  an  office 
he  has  held  ever  since.  Mr. 
Anderson  has  served  on  the  board 


of  directors  of  Augustana  College 
for  years,  and  has  been  appointed 
to  various  other  positions  of  trust. 
He  is  a  member  of  Zioii  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church,  where  he  has 
served  as  a  deacon  and  Sunday 
.school    superintendent. 

On  Oct.  26,  1880,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Hilda  L.  Lindstrom, 
daughter  of  Johan  V.  Lindstrom 
of  Moline.  Two  .sons  and  three 
daughters  have  been  born  to  them. 
His  political  support  Mr.  Ander- 
son gives  to  the  Republican  party. 
He  has  .served  as  alderman  of  the 
seventh  ward  for  several  terms  and 
his  \vord  carried  weight  in  the 
city  council. 

CARL  JOHAN  BENGSTOX, 

as.sociate  editor  of  Auguslaua, 
was  born  July  22,    1862,    at    Sta 


C.\KL  lOHAN   BENGSTON 

singe,   Sweden,   where   bis    father, 
Sven  Johan   Bengtson  followed  the  ; 
tailor's  trade.     In   1S75  the  family  1 
came  to    this    coinitrx-    and     lived  ! 


\ 


94 


Rock  Island  County 


two  years  in  Corry,  Pa.,  after- 
wards settling  in  Titusville,  where 
they  Hved  until  1899,  when 
they  removed  to  Jamestown,  N.  Y. 
There  his  mother,  Neta  Christina, 
nee  Andreasson,  died  in  Nov.  1901. 

C.  J.  Bengston  attended  public 
school  in  Sweden  and  the  United 
States  before  going  to  Augustana 
in  1880.  He  entered  the  second 
class  of  the  academic  department 
in  January  of  that  year  and  grad- 
uated with  the  college  class  of 
'88  with  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
Two  years  later  he  had  completed 
the  courses  in  the  Theological 
Seminary  of  the  same  institution 
and  after  his  ordination  became 
pastor  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
church  at  Hartford,  Ct.  In 
August,  1893,  he  assumed  charge 
of  the  churches  at  New  Sweden 
and  Upland,  in  Jefferson  co.,  la., 
remaining  in  their  service  until 
1900. 

Rev.  Bengston  was  secretary  of 
the  Iowa  Conference  1S9S-1900, 
has  served  as  secretary  of  the 
Church  Extension  Society  since 
1 90 1  and  as  treasurer  of  the  Au- 
gustana Synod  since   1902. 

In  December,  1900,  he  assumed 
his  pre.sent  position  as  associate 
editor  of  .luffiislana,  the  official 
paper  of  the  Synod.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Zion  Church  of 
Rock  Island,  is  now  serving  on 
the  church  council  and  as  super- 
intendent   of    the    Sunday   school. 

Rev.  Bengston  was  a  member 
of  the  28th  General  Assembly  of 
Iowa,  from  Jefferson  county,  in 
lyoo.  He  was  married  June  4, 
1891,    lo  Miss  Ivmilie  Otilia  Swan- 


son    of  Jamestown,     N.    V 

July   IS,    1866. 


born 


CARL    AUGUST    BLOMGREN, 

jirofessor  of  Hebrew  at  Augustana 
Theological    Seminary,    was    born 


C.\KI,   AUGUST   BLDMC.REN 

April  I,  1S65,  at  the  Solstad 
mine,  in  the  parish  of  Mislerhult, 
Smaland,  Sweden.  When  he  was 
ten  years  old  the  family  emigrated, 
.settling  in  Calumet,  Mich.,  where 
he  attended  inihlic  schools  for  the 
next  five  winters.  In  1880  he 
entered  the  third  class  of  the 
academic  department  of  Augus- 
tana and  in  1885  graduated  from 
college  with  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
From  that  time  until  1SS7  Mr. 
Blomgren  supplied  the  [lulpit  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in 
Lowell,  Mass.,  also  ]nnsuiug 
higher  studies  at  Harvard  during 
the  school  year  of   18S6-87. 

The  following  fall  lie  eutere<1 
the  Senior  class  of  Augustana 
Tiieological  Seminary,  was  gradual- 


Rock  Island 


95 


ed  in  the  spring  of  iSSS  and 
ordained  to  the  ministry  in  June 
24,  the  same  year,  at  the  synodi- 
cal  meeting  in  Galesburg.  Rev. 
Blomgren  then  took  pastoral 
charge  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
churches  at  McKeesport,  and 
Braddock,  Pa.  In  1S90  he  as- 
sumed the  pastorate  of  Bridgeport 
and  Stamford,  Ct.  For  the  next 
three  years,  along  with  his  pas- 
toral work,  he  pursued  studies  at 
Yale  University-,  receiving  the 
degree  of  Ph.  D.  from  that  insti- 
tution in  1893.  The  following 
year  Dr.  Blomgren  left  his  charges 
in  Connecticut  to  become  pastor 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church 
in  Philadelphia  where  he  served 
from  1S94  to  1904.  During  the 
years  1S95  to  1S9S  he  attended 
lectures  in  the  Semitic  department 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
subseqnenth'  serving  as  instructor 
in  Hebrew  at  the  Mt.  Airy  Theo- 
logical Seminar}-  until  1904,  when 
he  left  Philadelphia  to  assume  a 
similar  position  at  Augustana 
Theological  Seminary.  In  1905, 
after  one  year's  service  to  his 
Alma  Mater,  Dr.  Blomgren  was 
called  to  occupy  the  chair  of 
Hebrew  as  permanent  professor. 
His  other  subjects  are  Theological 
Propaedeutics  and  Biblical  Intro- 
duction. Dr.  Blomgren  has  written 
a  work  entitled  "The  Elements  of 
the    Christian  Religion." 

At  Lowell,  Mass.,  Feb.  13, 
1889,  Dr.  Blomgren  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  Sigrid 
Amalia  Soderberg.  Their  chil- 
dren are  three  in  number:  Sigfrid 
Ltither,  born  1892,  Svanhild  Anna 


Margareta,      1895,     and 
Hildegard  lone,    1899. 


Mildred 


ANDERS  OLOF  BERSKLL 

Prof.     A.     O.     Ber.sell,    deceased, 
occupied  j  the    cliair    of    (ireek  at 


A.NLiEKS  OLOF  BERSELL  I 

Augustana  College  from  the  year  j 
1880  until  his  death.  He  was; 
born  in  the  village  of  Utnieland,  1 
Mora  parish.  May  16,  1853.  His! 
first  instruction  was  received  in 
the  public  .school  of  the  parish,  j 
In  1 868  he  took  a  course  in  a 
normal  school,  subsequently  teach-' 
ing  for  four  years  in  his  honiei 
districts.  At  nineteen  he  resumed: 
his  studies  and  was  graduated; 
from  college  at  Upsala  in  1877.' 
After  serving  as  tutor  for  a  year; 
he  returned  to  Upsala  in  order  toi 
pursue  philosophical  studies.  He; 
took  the  degree  of  Ph.  Cand.,; 
after  two  years  at  the  university,; 
whereupon  he  became  instructor; 
in  a  mi.ssion  school  in  Stockholmi 
conducted    by    "Evangeliska    Fosh 


96 

terlanclsstiftelsen."  In  iSSo  he 
received  two  calls  from  America 
simultaneously,  one  from  Gustavus 
Adolphus  College  at  St.  Peter, 
Minn.,  the  other  from  Augustana, 
to  become  professor  of  Greek  and 
German.  He  accepted  the  latter, 
and  entered  upon  his  duties  in 
the  fall  of  the  same  year.  Be- 
sides Greek  and  German,  he  taught 
at  different  times  Swedish,  Latin, 
Philosophical  Propaedeutics  and 
religious  subjects,  his  main  sub- 
ject, the  Greek  language  and 
literature,  eventually  demanding 
a  monopoly  of  his  time  and  energy. 
He  is  the  author  of  a  Greek  text- 
book, entitled,  "Notes  to  Greek 
Grammar,"  also  a  first  and  second 
reader  for  the  Swedish  parochial 
schools,  besides  having  done  much 
literary  work  in  the  way  of  edit- 
ing or  contributing  to  the  news- 
papers Augusta7ia,  Cii^domsrainicii 
and  Hcmvlimicn,  editing  Christmas 
books  for  the  young  and  translat- 
ing juvenile  stories  from  the  Swed- 
ish and  German  languages.  In 
1894  the  degree  and  title  of  Ph. 
D.  was  conferred  on  Prof.  Bersell 
by  the  institution  he  so  long 
served.  He  was  a  devoted  church- 
man and  served  as  a  deacon  in 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  church  of 
Moline  and  afterwards  for  maii>- 
j'ears  in  the  Zion  Church  of  Rock 
Island.  He  died  Dec.  16,  190,^, 
leaving  a  wife,  Uma  Ber.-ell,  nee 
La.i;erlund,    and    12    cliiKlicn. 

OLOF    Z.   Cl'RVlN, 
architect      of        (lit-       Augustana 
Synod,   was  born   in     Pa.xton,    III., 
Oct.    18,    1868.     His    father    was 


Rock  Island  County 

Rev.  A.  R.  Cervin,  Ph.  D.,  fo"^ 
manj-  years  professor  of  Greek  and 
mathematics  at  Augustana  College 


(ll.Or    ■/..   CEK\1.\ 

and  a  pioneer  in  the  spiritual  and 
intellectual  work  among  the  Swedes 
of  America.  His  mother's  maiden 
name  was  Emma  Timlin,  sister  to 
C.  G.  Thulin,  treasurer  of  tlie  Au- 
gustana Synod  for  a  long  term  of 
years. 

In  1887  Mr.  Cervin  graduated 
from  Augustana  College,  and  there- 
after spent  a  year  on  the  actual 
construction  of  buildings  in  Ish- 
peming  and  Houghton,  Mich. 
After  training  for  a  few  years 
with  architects  in  Chicago  and 
Rock  Island,  he  entered  Columbia 
College  and  in  1904  took  the  de- 
gree of  Master  of  Arts,  having 
written  a  "History  of  Colonial 
.Vrchiteclure."  This  has  been 
I)rinteil  in  two  difleicnl  publica- 
tions. 

After  sjtetuling  a  year  in  a  New 
York  oflice  he  located  in  the  twin 


Rock  Island 


97 


cities  of  Rock  Island  and  Moliiie, 
111.  Here  he  has  erected  a  large 
number  of  buildings,  among  which 
are  the  Augustana  Book  Conrern, 
a  fireproof  building,  and  the  D., 
R.  I.  &  N.  \V.  Ry.  station  of 
Moline  and  Rock  Island,  also  the 
Industrial  Home,  the  Tabernacle 
of  the  Mission  Friends,  three  large 
school  buildings,  Moline  Wagon 
Co.'s  warehouse  and  a  number  of 
factories  and  business  buildings  as 
well  as  residences  in  Moline  and 
elsewhere,  including  specimens  of 
Mexican,  colonial  and  other  st)-les 
of  architecture.  A  six-story  fire- 
proof reinforced  concrete  office 
building  has  been  erected  in  Rock 
Island  from  the  plans  of  Mr.  Cer- 
vin,  being  the  first  of  its  kind  in 
that  part  of  the  country. 

In  1896  he  was  appointed  official 
church  architect  of  the  Augustana 
Synod.  Since  this  time  he  has 
planned  many  churches,  among 
which  are  those  of  Lake  Park, 
Minn.,  Orion  and  Belvidere,  111., 
Savonburg,  Kans.,  Worcester, 
Mass.,  and  Wausa,  Neb.  He  has 
also  planned  the  Orphans'  Homes 
or  additions  to  their  old  buildings 
in  Andover,  111.,  Vasa,  Minn., 
Omaha,   Neb.,  and  Stanton,  la. 

Besides  the  history  mentioned, 
he  has  written  a  historical  sketch  of 
the  Spanish- Mexican  Mission  in 
California,  which  was  published  in 
an  architectural  journal  in  Sep- 
tember, 1903,  and  a  review  of  the 
church  architecture  of  the  Swedes 
in  America,  published  in  Pidric- 
blomman  for   1902. 

It  is  needless  to  add  that  with 
such    antecedents   and    a    training 


of  the  kind  his  parents  gave  him, 
Mr.  Cervin  is  deejily  interested  in 
the  spiritual,  intellectual  and  ma- 
terial prosperity  of  the  Swedes  in 
this  country,  wherever  they  may 
be  located. 

In  recent  years  Mr.  Cervin  has 
made  two  European  trips,  prin- 
cipally for  the  study  of  architect- 
ure in  Italy,  but  also  visiting 
France,  Germany,  Holland,  Den- 
mark,  Norway  and  Sweden. 

JOHN   V,.   DAHLBKRO 

came  to  the  United  States 
at    the    age    of    twenty-two    from 


JOHN   G.   DAHLBERG 

Hvetlanda,  Smaland,  Sweden  where 
he  was  born  March  28,  1862. 
Having  worked  as  a  farmhand  for 
a  couple  of  years,  he  was  enrolled 
at  Augustana  College  in  1882  and 
graduated  with  the  class  of  1889. 
Two  years  later  he  was  graduated 
from  the  Augustana  Seminary  and 
ordained  as  a  minister  of  the  Gos- 
pel   at    the    sj-nodical    meeting   at 


98 


Rock  Island  Countv 


Cliisago  Lake,  Minn.  His  first 
pastoral  charge  was  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Altona,  IlL, 
where  he  served  1891-99.  He  was 
then  elected  pastor  of  the  Zion 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of  Rock 
Island  in  1899  and  served  untili905. 

In  1 891  he  married  Miss  Kniilia 
C.  Envall  of  Galesburg,  who  died 
in  November,  1892,  after  giving 
l)irth  to  a  son,  Carl  Johan  Emil. 
In  1S98  Rev.  Dahlberg  married 
Miss  Josephine  Nelson,  daughter 
of  Swan  Nelson  of  Altona.  In 
this  union  he  has  two  daughters, 
Florence  Emilia  Josephine,  and 
Mildred  Clara  Olivia. 

During  the  academic  year  of 
1889-90,  Rev.  Dahlberg  was  assist- 
ant teacher  of  Swedish  at  his  Al- 
ma Mater  and  was  called  to  the 
chair  of  Swedish  Language  and 
Literature  in  1893,  but  declined. 
The  institution  later  conferred  on 
him  the  degree  of  A.  M.  He 
was  elected  professor  of  Christian- 
ity at  Augustana  College  and 
.served  for  a  short  period,  resign- 
ing in   1906. 

Rev.  Dahlberg  is  a  member  of 
the  board  of  directors  of  Angus 
tana  College  and  has  served  several 
years  as  .secretary  and  one  year 
as  president  of  that  body;  he 
was  secretary  of  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference 1 897- 1 902,  member  of  the 
board  of  missions  of  the  Augus- 
tana Synod  1899- 1902,  acting  as 
its  treasurer  in  1 899-1 900  and 
secretary  in  1901,  and  was  elected 
secretary  of  the  Synod  in  1903, 
being  reelected  in  1905  and  1907. 
Since  1901  he  has  edited  A'orsfia- 
mitt,  a  devotional    and    historical 


annual  publication  of  the    Augus- 
tana  Synod. 


NILS    FORSANDER, 

profes.sor  of  Church   History,  Sym- 
bolics, etc..    in    Augustana    Thto- 


NILS   FORSANDER 

logical  Seminary,  was  born  at 
Gladsax,  Skane,  Sweden,  Sept.  11, 
1S46.  He  first  studied  at  the  pub- 
lic college  at  Lund  and  subse- 
quently at  a  private  college  in  the 
same  city.  During  the  summer 
of  1S70,  he  met  Rev.  T.  N. 
Hasselquist,  who  was  visiting 
Sweden,  and  the  following  fall 
accompanied  him  to  Paxton, 
111.,  where  he  complele<l  the  theo- 
logical course  retjuired  for  enter- 
ing the  ministry  of  the  Augustana 
Synod.  During  the  illness  of  Prof. 
A.  J.  LiiulstnWn  in  the  -sjiring  term 
of  1 87 1,  For.sander  taught  his  Lat- 
in and  Greek  clas.ses.  He  was  or- 
dained minister  in  1S73  and,  since 
that  time,  has  had  charge  of  the 
Swedish    Lutheran     congregations 


Rock  Island 


99 


in  Aledo,  Sagetown  and  Rarilan, 
111.,  1873-75,  Kossuth,  la.,  1S75- 
80,  and  the  Bethesda  Church  in 
Page  county,  la.,  1S80-90.  At 
different  times  during  this  period 
he  acted  as  secretary  of  the  Illi- 
nois and  Iowa  Conferences  and  of 
the  Augustana  Sxnoil  in   1887-90. 

In  the  fall  of  1 889  he  was  called 
as  acting  professor  in  the  Au- 
gustana Theological  Seminary  and 
in  the  following  year  was  made 
regular  professor,  in  which  capac- 
ity he  haV  taught  and  lectured  in 
Church  History,  Symbolics,  Isa- 
gogics,  Homiletics,  Pastoral  Theol- 
ogy and  Apologetics.  In  1894 
Rev.  Forsander  was  given  the 
honorary  degree  of  D.  D.  by  the 
trustees  of  the  institution  with 
which  he  is  connected.  In  1907, 
King  Oscar  II  conferred  upon 
him  the  order  of  the  North  Star. 
Upon  his  60th  birthday  anniver- 
sary, Dr.  Forsander' s  former 
students  presented  him  with  a 
bust  of  Olaus  Petri,  by  Jean  Le 
Veau. 

As  a  theological  writer  Dr.  For- 
sander has  contributed  both  to  the 
Swedish  and  the  English  literature 
of  the  Lutheran  Church.  While 
a  young  man  he  began  by  trans- 
lating hymns  from  German  to 
Swedish.  Since  then  he  has  writ- 
ten for  .Aui;iista?ia,  /.iit/icrsk  Ovar- 
falskri/f,  ( '>igdo?i!S'L'ii)n!C!!,  h'oisba- 
nerct.  The  Luthctan,  The  Lii/heraii 
Church  Review,  The  Independent  and 
other  periodicals.  He  is  one  of 
the  editors  of  a  Swedish-English 
theological  quarterly,  '"Tidskrift 
for  tt-olos;i  och  kvrklii^a  frdgor."  For 
K'yrkohistorisk  drsskrift  he  has  writ- 


ten a  historical  sketch  of  the  Au- 
gustana Synod  and  for  the  "Luth- 
eran luicyclopredia"  most  of  the 
articles  on  the  Lutheran  Church 
in  Sweden.  As  a  member  of  the 
editorial  staff  of  .lm;ustana  and 
Hemviinnin  he  contributed  articles 
and  stories  to  these  papers.  From 
the  German  he  has  translated  (luite 
extensi\-ely  and  has  written  a  com- 
mentary on  the  unaltered  Augs- 
burg Confession,  which  has  been 
jiublished  in  two  editions. 

Dr.  Forsander  is  a  diligent  stu- 
dent and  has  accumulated  an  ex- 
tensive library,  especially  rich  in 
theological  literature. 

Jan.  6,  1875,  Dr.  Forsander,  then 
pastor  of  the  Sagetown  church,  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Jo- 
hanna Charlotta  Ahlgren  of  Bur- 
lington, la.,  born  Aug.  4,  1852. 

CLAUDE  W.  FOSS, 

professor  of  History  at  Augustana 
College,  was  born  in  Geneva, 
Kane  county.  111.,  Aug.  28,  1855. 
His  parents,  Carl  Johan  and  Char- 
lotte Christine  Foss,  arrived  in 
Chicago  from  Habo  parish,  Vester- 
gotland,  Sweden,  in  the  summer 
of  1S54.  They  settled  in  Geneva, 
111.,  but  removed  to  Goodhue  co., 
Minn.,  in  1858.  His  early  train- 
ing was  obtained  in  the  public 
schools  and  at  the  Red  Wing  Col- 
legiate Institute.  After  having 
engaged  in  the  work  of  a  public 
school  teacher  for  four  years,  he 
entered  Augustana  College  in  the 
the  fall  of  1879.  Here  he  was 
graduated  with  the  degree  of  B.  A. 
in  June,  1883,  having  also  pursued 
studies  of  the  scientific  course. 


lOO 


Rock  Island  Countv 


In  1884  lie  was  called  to  the 
chair  of  History  and  Political  Sci- 
ence   at    Angustana    College.      In 


CLAUDE  W.   FOSS 

1888  he  was  elected  vice-president 
of  the  institution,  serv'ing  in  that 
capacitj-  until  1900.  On  the  death 
of  Dr.  Hasselquist,  he  served  as 
acting  president  until  the  election 
of  Dr.  Olsson  as  president  in  1S91. 
He  continued  to  hold  the  position 
of  vice-president  under  the  entire 
presidency  of  Dr.  Olsson,  and  upon 
the  death  of  the  latter,  he  was 
again  appointed  acting  pre.sident, 
which  position  he  held  until  June, 
1901,  when  Dr.  Gustav  Andreen 
was  elected  president.  Since  that 
time  he  has  devoted  himself  more 
exclusively  to  his  chair  and  liter- 
ary work. 

The  degree  of  Ph.  D.  was  con- 
ferred on  him  by  Augustana  Col- 
lege in  I9(X).  He  is  a  member  of 
the  American  Institute  of  Civics, 
the  American  Academy  of  Political 
and  Social  Science,   the   American 


Historical  Association  and  the 
Sw. -American    Historical    Society. 

In  politics  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  takes  a  lively  interest  iu  all 
political  matters,  local,  state  and 
national. 

Aug.  2,  1887,  Dr.  Foss  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Sarah 
Margaret  Shuey  of  Augusta  co., 
\'irginia,  born  Feb.  14.  1S63. 
They  have  no  children,  but  an 
orphan  niece,  Martha  Foss,  fills 
the  place  of  a  daughter  in  their 
home.  They  are  members  of  Grace 
Evangelical  Lutheran  Church  of 
Rock  Island. 


JOHN  P.  ENGSTROM. 
manager  of  the  Rock  Island  Wood 
Works,  was  born  in  Floda  parish, 
Dalarne,  Sweden,  Aug.  4,  1859. 
At  the  age  of  twenty  he  came  to 
the  United  States,  locating  first 
in  Minneapolis.  After  working  for 
a  time  as  a  cabinetmaker,  he  be- 
came foreman  of  the  Bardwell  &. 
Robinson  factory,  a  po.sition  he 
was  able  to  fill  creditably  by  rea- 
son of  having  taken  a  course  in 
the  sloyd  school  at  Falun,  Swe- 
den. F'rom  Minnea|x)lis  he  re- 
moved to  Rock  Island  to  become 
the  mechanical  head  of  the  Wood 
Works  in  this  city. 

Mr.  Engstroni  was  married  in 
1884  to  Lizzie  Engstroni;  they 
have  two  daughters,  FMitli  Eleo- 
nora  and  Maria  Victoria,  and  a 
.son,   Frans  Waldemar. 

Mr.  Engstriim  is  a  member  of 
the  order  of  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  the  Ivlks.  and  the  Iiuic- 
pendeiit  Order  of  Svitliiod. 


Rock   Island 


CARL  OTTO  GRANKRE, 

librarian    of    Angiistaiia    College, 
was    born    in    Granhult,      H(")gsby 


CARL  OTTO   GRANERE 

parish,  Smaland,  Sweden,  Sept. 
27,  1844.  Having  begun  his 
studies  at  a  preparatory  school  in 
Morlunda,  he  later  pursued  a 
classical  college  course  first  in 
lyinkoping  and  then  in  Stockholm, 
where  he  was  graduated  in  1S70. 
In  compliance  with  a  special  in- 
vitation or  call,  he  came  to  Au- 
gustana  College  and  Theological 
Seminary,  at  that  time  located  at 
Paxton,  111.,  in  the  fall  of  1870, 
arriving  there  on  the  anniversary 
of  his  birthday.  Under  the  in- 
struction and  guidance  of  Dr.  T. 
N.  Hasselquist,  he  completed  the 
prescribed  theological  course  and 
graduated  in  May,  1871.  At  this 
time  he  was  called  as  assistant 
professor  at  Augustana  College 
and  entered  upon  his  duties  as 
such  the  following  September. 
He  was  ordained  at  Galesburg  in 


1872,  and  was  called  as  regular 
professor  of  Latin  and  Swedish 
in  1873.  During  the  years  1872- 
1S76  he  served  also  as  assistant 
instructor  iii  Church  History  and 
Doctrinal  Theology  at  Augustana 
Seminar\-.  He  was  regular  pro- 
fessor of  the  Latin  language  and 
literature  at  Augustana  College 
during  the  years  1873-189H,  in 
the  meantime  also  serving  for 
many  years  both  as  .secretary  of 
the  Faculty  and  as  vice-president. 
In  June,  1896,  the  Board  of 
Directors  conferred  upor.  him  the 
degree  of  Ph.  I).,  and  in  iSg.S 
they  appointed  him  librarian  of 
the  institution. 

Having  lost  his  first  wife,  So- 
phia Albertina  Wiborg,  who  died 
in  May,  1883,  Dr.  Granere  mar- 
ried his  .second  wife,  Marie  Tho- 
mason,  the  25th  of  Dec,  1S87, 
and  has  had  with  her  five  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  are  still  living: 
Ruth  Mirjam,  Carl  Emanuel, 
Helga  Johanna  and  Hortensia 
Linnea. 

OLOF  GRAFSTROM, 

head  of  the  art  department  of 
Augustana  College,  is  a  painter  of 
international  renown.  Both  as  a 
teacher  of  art  and  as  a  creative 
artist  he  has  done  much  to  develop 
the  art  instinct  of  the  Swedish- 
American  public.  Grafstrom  hails 
from  the  northern  part  of  Sweden. 
This  might  almost  be  inferred 
from  the  stern  and  serious,  not  to 
say  majestic  tone  of  his  land- 
scapes. The  never  to  be  forgotten 
memories  of  the  grandeur  of  the 
north    have    impressed    their   hall- 


I02 


Rock  Island  County 


mark  upon  his  art.  In  the  south- 
ern part  of  the  province  of  Me- 
delpad    Olof   Grafstroni   was   born 


OLOF   GRAFSTRDM 

June  II,  1855;  here  he  imbibed 
with  the  very  atmosphere  his  great 
love  of  that  land  whose  beauties 
he  never  tires  of  reproducing  on 
canvas.  Prof.  Grafstrbm  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  same  familj-  that  has 
given  Sweden  two  poets  of  renown. 
He  is  the  son  of  the  late  C.  P. 
Grafstroni  of  Attmar,  who  was 
judge  of  the  district  court  and  a 
man  of  oldfashioned  integrity  and 
honor.  The  son  at  an  early  age 
showed  a  talent  for  drawing  and 
sketching,  but  took  no  interest 
whatever  in  the  contents  of  the 
traditional  green  bag.  Regardless 
of  the  boy's  proclivities,  the  par- 
ents predestined  him  to  the  occu- 
pation of  a  farmer  and,  in  onler 
to  give  him  an  education  beyond 
that  bestowed  by  the  common 
school,  he  was  sent  to  the  high 
.school  at   Niifsta.     There    his    tal- 


ents were  noticed,  and  Dr.  Olof 
Wikstroin,  then  chairman  of  the 
school  board,  prevailed  upon  his 
the  father  to  let  the  son  devote 
himself  to  that  career,  for  which 
he  was  most  fitted.  This  letl  to 
his  enrollment  in  1875,  at  the  age 
of  19,  in  the  Academy  of  Fine 
Arts  at  Stockholm.  His  studies 
completed,  he  was  graduated  with 
the  class  in  painting  in  1882. 
Among  his  contemporaries  at  the 
art  academy  were  many  Swedish 
painters  who  subsequently  won 
fame,  such  as  Zorn,  Liljefors, 
Bergh,  Tiren,  Kindborg  and  von 
Saltza. 

From  now  on  Grafstroni  devoted 
himself  to  landscape  studies,  es- 
pecialh-  in  northern  Sweden,  where 
he  and  a  number  of  other  artists 
made  sketching  tours  throughout 
Dalarne  and  Lapland.  Many  can- 
vases were  the  result  of  his  trip, 
one  being  a  landscaj)e  from  the 
Qvickjock  valley,  purchased  by 
King  Oscar  II.  Having  thus  ob- 
tained recognition  in  Sweden,  Ciraf- 
strom  in  1886  went  to  the  United 
States,  locating  in  Portland,  Ore. 
Here  he  .soon  made  a  success  with 
his  fine  reproductions  of  the  mag- 
nificent sceneries  of  the  far  North- 
west, man\'  lieing  purchaseil  at 
high  prices  for  private  collections 
or  for  jniblic  buildings  and  insti- 
tutions. After  three  years  in  Port- 
land he  moved  to  Spokane  in  1889, 
meeting  with  equally  good  fortune 
here.  .At  an  exhiliilion  held  at 
Spokane  in  1890  and  also  at  the 
annual  exhibitions  in  Portland, 
Mr.  Grafstroni  showed  some  splen- 
did    picture^i,     chiefly     landscajHJS. 


Rock  Island 


'03 


One  of  the>i.-,  with  a  motif  from 
Lapland,  won  the  large  silver 
medal  awarded  al  Portland.  The 
press  of  the  West  Coast  had  ()nl\- 
praise    for    Mr.  Grafstrom's  work. 

Thus  it  will  he  seen  that  Prof. 
Grafstrom  has  accomplished  not  a 
little  in  the  field  of  American  art. 
Kut  more  is  yet  to  be  expected  of 
this  powerful  wielder  of  the  hnisli, 
and  his  past  achievements  warrant 
the  belief  that  by  his  art  he  will 
contribute  largely  toward  the  art 
education  of  his  nationalit\-  in  this 
country. 

Prof.  Grafstrom  was  married 
June  15,  1904,  to  Miss  Anna  Nel- 
son of  Galesburg,  herself  a  skillful 
painter. 


OSCAR  V.  HOLMGRAIN 

was    born    in    Simtuna,     Upland, 
Sweden,     March     11,      1852      His 


kJf^ 


OSCAR  V.   HOLMGRAIN 

father  was  C.  A.  Holmgren, 
musical  director.  The  son  studied 
at       the       Hudiksvall      collegiate 


school  and  graduated  in  the  spring 
of  1 87 1.  He  went  to  I'psala  in 
the  fall  of  the  same  jear,  for  the 
purpose  of  entering  the  university. 
I'ailing  to  secure  the  needed  funds, 
in  January,  1872,  he  entered  as 
clerk  se%'eral  of  the  government 
departments  at  Stockholm,  it 
being  customary  to  register  in 
two  or  more  departments,  thus 
getting  an  opportunity  to  make 
the  best  choice.  The  income  be- 
ing small,  he  decided  to  emigrate 
to  America  and  arrived  in  New 
York  in  May,  1872,  secured  a 
position  in  a  wholesale  hou.se  in 
Philadelphia,  and  later  in  a 
jewelr)-  store  in  Pittsburg,  Pa. 
In  the  spring  of  1879,  he  removed 
to  Rock  Island,  and  served  as 
assistant  teacher  in  Augustana 
College,  while  simultaneously 
studying  theology  in  the  Semin- 
ary. He  was  ordained  a  minister 
of  the  Lutheran  Church  in  1882 
and  has  served  the  following 
churches:  Beaver  and  Rankin, 
111.,  1882-85;  Worcester,  Mass., 
1S85-87;  Farmersville,  Ford  co., 
111.,  1887-96;  Chesterton,  Ind., 
1 896-1900.  Since  April,  1900,  he 
has  been  office  editor  of  the  Au- 
gustana Book  Concern,  at  Rock 
Island.  Rev.  Holmgrain  was 
county  treasurer  of  Ford  county, 
111.  1890-1894,  secretary  of  the 
Illinois  Conference  1889-91  and 
was  treasurer  of  the  same  Con- 
ference 1 896- 1 906. 

June  24,  1882,  Rev.  Holmgrain 
was  married  to  Jennie  Christina 
Linderholm  of  Sterling,  111.,  born 
April  25,  i860.  Their  two  sons, 
Elmer   Fredrick    and    Eric   Oscar, 


104 


Rock  Island  County 


were  born,  respectively,   1888  and 
1891.  

C.  EMANUEL  HOFFSTEX. 

former    pastor    of    Grace    English 
Lutheran  Chnrch  of  Rock  Island, 


CUNKAl)   EMANUEL    HDFFSTEN 

was  born  March  26,  1876.  When 
he  was  two  years  old,  his  parents 
removed  to  Philadelphia,  where 
he  obtained  his  public  school  and 
high  school  education,  being  grad- 
uated from  the  Central  High  School 
of  Philadelphia  in  1894  with  the 
degree  of  A.  B.  In  the  fall  of 
the  same  year  he  entered  the  So- 
phomore class  of  Augustana  Col- 
lege, Rock  Island,  from  which 
institution  he  was  graduated  in 
1897,  also  with  the  degree  af  A. 
B.  Mr.  Hoffsten  was  valedictorian 
and  was  one  of  the  highest  honor 
men  of  his  class.  During  the  year 
1897-8  he  served  as  assistant  to 
Dr.  C.  A.  Evald,  ])astor  of  the 
Swedish  Liith.  Immanuel  Church 
of    Chicago.      In   the  fall    of    1898 


he  entered  the  Divinity  Depart- 
ment of  Augustana  College  and 
was  graduated  from  that  institu- 
tion with  the  highest  honors  in 
1901,  receiving  the  degree  of  B. 
D.  He  was  ordained  by  the  Au- 
gustana Synod  at  Jamestown,  N. 
Y.,  the  same  year.  At  once  he 
assumed  charge  of  Grace  Luther- 
an Church  of  Rock  Island,  one  of 
the  few  churches  of  the  Augus- 
tana Synod  in  which  the  English 
language  is  exclusively  used.  He 
became  known  as  an  eloquent 
preacher  and  as  an  indefatigable 
and  successful  worker  in  the 
church.  The  heavy  debt  of  the 
congregation  was  wiped  out  dur- 
ing his  incumbency. 

Since  Juh',  1907,  he  has  been 
pastor  of  the  Harlem  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  New  York 
City. 

The  Rc\-.  .Mr.  Hoffsten  was 
united  in  n)arriage  May  11,  1904. 
to  Anna  Fidelia  Christina  F'vald. 
daughter  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Carl  A. 
Evald  of  Chicago.  They  have  a 
(laughter,  Beatrice  Frances  Eliza- 
beth,  born    Feb.  25,  1905. 

ELOF  KARDELL  JONSON. 

pastor  of  the  Zion  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Rock  Island, 
was  born  on  the  farm  of  his 
father,  Carl  Jonson,  at  Kantebo, 
Tveta  parish,  Smaland,  Sweden, 
June  23 ,  1878.  His  early  school- 
ing was  obtained  in  his  native 
land  up  to  1891,  when  he,  with 
his  j)areuls,  brothers  and  sisters, 
came  to  the  Ignited  States.  Tlie 
family  located  at  Cedarville, 
Minn.,   as  farmers.     Tluv  are  now 


Rock   Island 


'05 


living  in  Porllaiul,  Ort-.  ,  having'  ciittriiiK'  tliL-  ministry  at  twenty 
removed  to  Kockford  in  i.SgS  and  and  served  as  jiastor's  assistant 
from  Rockford  in  i<)<\s.  Tlie  son  in  the  Imnianuel  Church  of  Chi- 
cago in  1901-1902,  before  taking 
tip  divinity  studies. 

May  21,  1907,  Rev.  Jonson  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Miss  Eliza- 
beth Anderson  of  Rockford,  111. 

LINUS  WARNER  KLING, 

profes-sor  of  Latin  at  Augustana 
College,  was  born  in  Rockford, 
111.,  Sept.  14,  1872.  His  parents 
were  Johan  August  Kling,  a 
mechanic,  who  died  in  1874,  and 
his  wife,  Anialia  Carolina  Leijon. 
After  graduating  from  the  Rock- 
ford High  School  in  188S,  he 
continued  his  studies  at  Augus- 
ELcir  KARiiELL  jo.Nso.v  tana     and     graduated     from    that 

Elof  left  the    work    on    the    farm  

in  1895  and  entered  Augustana, 
graduating  with  the  college  cla.ss 
of  1901,  with  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
The  same  year  he  took  first  prize 
ill  the  annual  oratorical  contest  at 
the  institution. 

During  1902-1904  Mr.  Jonson 
did  post-graduate  work  at  the 
University  of  Chicago  in  the  sub- 
jects of  New  Testament  and 
Church  History.  Returning  to 
Augustana,  he  completed  the 
theological  course  in  1905,  ob- 
tained his  diploma  as  Bachelor 
of  Divinity  and  was  ordained 
minister  by  the  Augustana  Sjnod 
June  II  that  summer.  Thereupon 
he  took  pastoral  charge  of  the  Zion 
church  whose  pulpit  he  still  sup- 
plies. Rev.  Jonson  preached  his 
first  sermon  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen,  began  actual  preparation  for 


LINCS  WAKNHK    KLI.SO 

institution  with  the  class  of  '92. 
During  the  school  years  1893-96 
Mr.  Kling  was  instructor  in  Latin 
and  English  at  Hope  Academy, 
Moorhead,   Minn.,   prior    to   which 


io6 


Rock  Island  County 


time  he  was  for  one  year  assist- 
ant principal  of  the  high  school 
at  Stanton  Iowa. 

Leaving  his  position  as  teacher, 
Mr.  Kling  took  up  higher  studies, 
first  at  the  University  of  Nebraska, 
where  he  held  a  fellowship  in 
1898-99  and  in  the  latter  year 
took  the  degree  of  Master  of  Arts. 
Further  studies  were  pursued  in 
the  Yale  University  Graduate 
School  for  two  years,  1902-04, 
during  the  latter  of  which  Mr. 
Kling  held  a  scholarship. 

After  acting  as  assistant  pro- 
fessor of  Latin  and  Modern 
Languages  at  Augustana,  from 
1899  to  1902,  Mr.  KHng  was 
called  to  the  chair  of  Latin, 
which  he  now  occupies.  He  is 
connected  with  the  Zion  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Rock  Island. 


tal  musical  education.  Oliver, 
one  of  the  older  brothers,  became 
a    singer    and    organist,    and    was 


EMIL  LARSON, 

Director  of  the  Augustana  Con- 
servatory of  Music,  was  born  at 
Ahus,  Skane,  Sweden,  Aug.  27, 
1861.  He  was  the  youngest  of 
seven  sons  of  the  local  school- 
master, John  Larson,  and  his  wife 
Gunilla.  In  1863  the  family 
emigrated,  settling  in  Chicago, 
where  Mr.  Larson,  Sr.,  was  one 
of  the  first  men  engaged  as 
teacher  of  the  parish  school  of 
the  Immanuel  Church.  Among 
the  earliest  investments  of  the 
family  after  reaching  this  country 
was  the  purchase  of  a  melodeon, 
the  precursor  of  the  modern  reed 
organ.  With  the  aid  of  this  in- 
strument the  children  in  turn 
endeavored  to  obtain  a  fundamen- 


i;.MIl.    l.ARSll.N 

in  fact  a  pioneer  in  Swedish- 
American  music,  making  a  concert 
tour  among  the  Swedish  settle- 
ments in  Illinois  and  Minnesota 
as  far  back  as  the  '60s. 

The  son  Emil  acquired  his 
musical  education  under  difficult- 
ies. The  family  having  lost 
everything  in  the  great  fire  of 
1 87 1,  he  was  obliged  to  begin 
work  to  help  earn  their  living  at 
an  early  age.  The  only  time 
left  him  for  study  was  after  a 
ten  hour  working  day  in  a  book 
bindery.  In  the  course  of  time 
he  became  a  partner  in  the  bind- 
ery business  of  John.son  and 
Larson. 

In  1S93  he  sold  his  interest 
in  the  book  bindery  and  thence- 
forth devoted  himself  entirely  to 
the  musical  profession.  Mr.  Lar- 
son's    studies      were      prosecuted 


Rock   Island 


107 


under  the  direction  of  the  follow- 
ing teachers,  J.  F.  Ring,  Arthur 
J.     Creswold,     Giistavus   Johnson 


VENDELA   E.    U.   LARSON 

of  Minneapolis,  W.  S.  B.  Mat- 
hews, Clarence  Eddj'  and  Wm.  H. 
Sherwood.  In  1888  Mr.  Larson, 
after  due  examination  by  the 
American  College  of  Musicians, 
was  given  the  degree  of  A.  A.  C. 
M.  (Associate  American  College  of 
Musicians).  In  1885  he  had  taken 
the  position  of  organist  of  the 
Immanuel  Church,  which  he  re- 
tained until  1897  when  he  resigned 
to  accept  a  similar  position  in  the 
Union  Park  Congregational  Church. 
In  1901  he  was  recalled  to  the 
Immanuel  Church,  where  he 
continued  as  organist  another 
three  years.  In  1899  he  was 
called  to  instruct  in  piano  at 
North  Park  College,  Chicago,  and 
taught  there  until  January,  1905, 
when  he  accepted  a  call  from  the 
Augustana  Conservatory  of  Music 
and     removed     to     Rock     Island. 


There  he  is  teacher  of  Organ, 
Piano  and  Theory  of  Music,  be- 
sides conducting  the  Wennerberg 
Male  Chorus,  the  Handel  Oratorio 
Society,  and  the  Svea  Male  Chorus 
of  Moline.  Since  September,  1906, 
Prof.  lyar.son  occupies  the  position 
of  Director  of  the  Conservatory. 
He  has  composed  several  works 
for  piano,  organ  and  mixed 
chorus,  some  of  which  have  been 
published  in  Stockholm  and 
Chicago.  Among  them  are:  Kon- 
sertfantasie  ofver  Svenska  Folk- 
visor,  Second  Fantasia  on  Swedish 
Folksongs,  and  Variations  on  an 
Old  Swedish  Lullaby,  all  written 
for   piano. 

Mr.  Larson  was  married  Jan.  3, 
1894,  to  Vendela  E.  B.  Engberg, 
born  March  22,  1870,  in  Chicago, 
a  daughter  of  the  late  publisher 
Jonas  Engberg  and  his  wife,  Eliza- 
beth. Their  children  are,  Harold 
Arthur,  born  Oct.  14,  1894;  Edith 
Elizabeth,  born  Aug.  21,  1896; 
Gilbert  Emil,  born  April  2,  1898, 
and  Alice  Vendela  Barbara,  born 
Aug.    16,    1904. 


SIGFRID  LAURIN,  ' 

pianist,  teacher  and  composer,  is  • 
one  of  the  most  eminent  figures 
in  Swedish-American  musical  life.  | 
The  sketch  of  his  life  here  given  | 
is  supplementary  to  what  has 
been  said  of  his  art  in  another  j 
part  of  this  work.  < 

Sigfrid  Laurin  was  born  April 
18,  1867,  at  Hoganas,  Skane, 
Sweden,  where  his  father,  N.  A.  ^ 
Laurin,  was  minister  of  the  par- 
i.sh.  His  mother  was  Emilia 
Ahnfelt-Laurin,  daughter  of  P.  G.  I 


io8 


Rock  Island  County 


Ahnfelt,  a  well-known  writer,  tem- 
perance speaker  and  divine,  and 
a  niece  of  Oscar  Ahnfelt,  the  noted 


SIGFRID    LAUKIN 

singing  evangelist  of  Sweden.  Mrs. 
Ahnfelt-Laurin  herself  was  a  lady 
of  culture  and  an  authoress  of 
some  note.  Her  published  works 
are,  a  collection  of  verse  entitled 
"Klocktoner  i  hemmet:"  "Sanger 
till  kyrkoarets  evangelier;"  "Peter 
Fjellstedt,  hans  verksamhet  i  fos- 
terlandet  1843-1881,"  also  several 
translations,  among  which  is  "100 
psalmer  af  N.  F.  S.  Grundtvig," 
translated  from  the  Danish.  Rev. 
Laurin  died  in  1896  and  his  wife 
two  years  prior. 

The  son  began  his  studies  in 
Kristianstad  and  continued  at 
Linid,  where  he  graduated  from 
tlic  Carolinian  Cathedral  School 
in  1H85.  His  early  musical  edu- 
cation was  begun  in  the  home, 
partly  luider  the  direction  of  his 
mother,  herself  a  talented  pianist. 
I/iter      he     studied     music     with 


Augusta  Kiellander,  a  pupil  of 
Edmund  Xeupert  and  Frans 
Neruda. 

Having  finished  the  course  at 
the  Cathedral  school  Laurin  en- 
tered the  Royal  Conservatory  at 
Stockholm  the  next  fall.  After 
three  months  he  passed  the  organist 
examination  at  Christmas  and  the 
following  spring  he  was  graduated 
both  as  church  cantor  and  music 
teacher. 

Joining  the  piano  class  of  the 
Conservatory  at  New  Year's,  1886, 
Laurin  studied  with  Hilda  The- 
gerstrom,  a  pupil  of  Liszt,  among 
others,  till  the  close  of  the  year  1890. 
In  the  meantime  he  took  lessons  in 
voice  from  Prof.  Julius  Giinlher 
and  in  counterpoint  and  composi- 
tion from  Josef  Dente,  and  at  his 
graduation  Laurin  won  the  medal 
of  the  Royal  Conservatory,  awarded 
for  "remarkable  advancement"  in 
his  studies. 

During  the  season  of  1893-4 
Laurin  studied  with  Richard  An- 
derson, a  piano  teacher  and  head 
of  a  private  music  school  in  Stock- 
holm. A  call  to  become  head 
professor  of  piano  at  Bethany  Con- 
servatorj-  of  Music  at  Lindsborg, 
Kaus.,  brought  Mr.  Laurin  to  that 
institution  in  1894.  He  went  back 
to  SwedfU  three  years  later,  re- 
maining for  two  years,  but  returned 
again  in  1899  and  held  the  same 
position  at  Hethany  till  the  spring 
of  1903,  when  he  revisited  the 
fatherland.  Coming  again  to  this 
country  in  1905,  Prof.  Laurin  was 
placed  in  charge  of  the  depart- 
ment of  piano  instruction  at  North 
Park    College,    Clii<.ago.      In    An- 


Rock  Island 


lo 


gust,  1906,  he  was  engaged  as 
professor  of  piano  at  the  Augus- 
tana  Conservatory  of  Music  at 
Rock  Island,  111.,  a  position  he 
still  holds. 

Prof.  Laurin  has  been  heard  in 
a  number  of  recitals  and  concerts 
in  this  country  and  in  Sweden, 
his  masterful  execution  on  his 
chosen  instrument  earning  him 
the  admiration  of  his  auditors  and 
the  unstinted  praise  of  many  able 
critics. 

As  a  composer  Prof.  Laurin  is 
known  to  the  public  only  as  far 
as  he  has  rendered  his  own  com- 
positions, with  a  few  exceptions 
only  in  manuscript.  His  works 
consist  of  songs,  romances,  and 
ballnds  for  voice  and  several  solos 
for  the  piano. 

A  great  part  of  his  time  is  given 
to  the  study  of  Chopin,  whom 
Prof.  Laurin  considers  his  favorite 
composer. 

Prof.  Laurin' s  rearing  in  a 
Christian  home,  under  the  influ- 
ence of  a  father  who  was  a  learned 
divine  of  the  Lutheran  faith  and 
a  mother  of  equally  strong  relig- 
ious convictions,  left  a  deep  im- 
pression upon  his  character  and 
personality.  A  deep  religious 
strain  is  also  predominant  in  his 
musical  renditions  as  well  as  his 
writings. 


graduate  of  Augiistana  Collegi 
and  also  of  Auguslana  Theologica 
Seminary.     In  harmony  with    tin 


CONRAD  EMIL  LINDBERG, 
D.  D.,  R.  N.  O.,  was  born  in 
Jonkoping,  Sweden,  "June  9,  1852. 
He  received  his  first  college  edu- 
cation in  the  college  and  gy^mnasium 
of  his  native  city,  and  arrived  in 
this    countrv    in    1S71.     He    is    a 


CONRAD   EMIL   I.I.\I)BERG 

wish  of  the  Augustana  Synod  h' 
also  entered  the  Theological  Seni 
inarj-  at  Philadelphia  in  187; 
and  was  graduated  there  thre^ 
years  later.  He  was  ordained  i: 
1874,  but  continued  his  studies  ii 
Philadelphia.  In  the  year  i87( 
he  was  tendered  the  pastorate  o 
the  Sw.  Luth.  Church  of  Minne 
apolis,  but  declined  and  acceptec 
the  call  to  Zion  Church  in  Phila 
delpliia.  One  of  the  reasons  wa 
the  excellent  opportunities  fo 
continued  studies  in  Philadelphia 
In  1879  he  accepted  the  pastoral 
of  Gustaviis  Adolphus  Church  ii 
New  York  City,  where  he  labore( 
with  great  success.  During  hi 
incumbency  the  congregation  bull 
a  beautiful  church  which  cos 
$67,000.  The  same  year  he  wa 
elected  president  of  the  Nev 
York    Conference   of    the    Augus 


I 


RoL^k  Island  Coiintv 


tana  Synod  and  served  in  this 
capacity  for  ten  years.  When  Dr. 
Lindberg  arrived  in  the  East  there 
were  few  churches  there.  But 
by  his  efforts  and  travels  in  the 
mission  field  many  congregations 
were  organized.  He  was  the 
recognized  leader  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  in  the  East. 

In  1890  he  was  unanimously 
elected  professor  in  Augustana 
Theological  Seminary  at  Rock 
Island.  He  has  at  different  times 
been  chairman  and  secretary  of 
the  Theological  Faculty.  In  his 
instruction  and  lectures  he  uses 
both  Swedi.sh  and  English.  His 
present  subjects  include  S)'stematic 
Theology,  Hermeneutics,  Apolo- 
getics. Dogmatics,  Ethics  Litur- 
gies and  Church   Polity. 

In  1893  the  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinit}'  was  conferred  upon  him 
by  Muhlenberg  College,  the  lead- 
ing Lutheran  college  in  the  East, 
and  in  the  year  igoi  the  King 
of  Sweden  made  him  a  Knight 
of  the  Royal  Order  of  the  North 
Star,  the  insignia  of  the  order 
being  conferred  by  the  Right  Rev. 
K.  H.  G.  von  Scheele,  Bishop  of 
Gotland.  Dr.  Lindberg  was  elected 
vice-president  of  the  Augustana 
Synod  at  the  .synodical  convention 
at  St.  Paul,  in  1S99,  and  was 
four  times  reelected.  The  Board  of 
Directors  of  the  Augustana  Col- 
lege and  Theological  Seminary 
elected  him  vice-president  of  the 
institution  in  1901.  During  the 
ab.sence  of  Dr.  Andreen  in  Swe- 
den Dr.  Lindberg  was  acting 
president  of  the  institution. 

Dr.     Lindberg    lias    contributed 


largelj-  to  church  literature.  Be- 
sides valuable  articles  in  news- 
papers, magazines,  theological  re- 
views and  journals  he  has  writ- 
ten four  books,  his  principal  sci- 
entific work  being  a  text  book  in 
dogmatics,  which  has  won  recog- 
nition among  reviewers  and  lead- 
ing educators  both  in  this  coun- 
try and  in  Sweden.  The  other 
books  are  Betraktelser  bfver  Jo- 
hannes I'ppenbarelses  tre  forsta 
kapitel,  Om  dopet  and  Syllabus 
i  konstruktiv  luthersk  kyrkoratts- 
lara. 

Dr.  Lindberg  is  a  successful 
teacher,  an  interesting  lecturer 
and  a  talented  pulpit  orator. 

EDLA  LUND, 
nee  Ferngren,  a  singer  of  repute, 
has  for  many  years  taught  in  the 


.\ugnstana  Conservator)-  of  Music. 
iMoni  Stockliolm.  where  she  was 
born  Aug.  8,  1S67,  she  came  to 
this  country  in    I.'^S7.      Mrs.  Lund 


Rock  Island 


1 1 


studied  for  more  than  two  years 
at  the  Royal  Academy  of  Music 
in  Stockholm,  taking  vocal  train- 
ing with  Prof.  Giinther,  also  stud- 
ying piano  and  organ.  She  was 
for  one  year  a  pupil  of  Dina  Ed- 
ling,  Prima  Donna  of  the  Royal 
Opera,  and  studied  for  two  years 
under  the  direction  of  Mr.  D. 
A.  Dnvivier  of  Chicago.  She  was 
married  to  Prof.  Victor  Lund  of 
the  Bethany  Con.servatory  of  Music 
at  Lindsborg,  Kans.,  in  1S87. 
After  the  death  of  her  husband 
in  August,  1893,  she  was  herself 
engaged  as  profe.<sor  of  vocal 
music  in  the  same  institution  until 
1S94,  when  she  went  back  to  Swe- 
den pursuing  higher  musical  studies 
until  the  fall  of  1S95,  when  she 
accepted  a  position  as  teacher  of 
voice  at  the  Augustana  Conserva- 
tory of  Music.  Mrs.  Lund  is  en- 
dowed with  a  rich  and  fascinating 
soprano  voice,  which  is  often 
heard  in  concert  in  various  parts 
of  the  United  States.  She  is  a 
proficient  conductor,  as  shown  in 
her  direction  of  the  Augustana 
Cliapel  Choir, the  Choir  of  the  First 
Congregational  Church  of  Moline, 
and  the  Choral  L'nion  of  Moline. 
At  the  Kansas  Musical  Jubilee 
held  in  Hutchinson  May  8-1 1 
1894,  Mrs.  Lund  passed  the  com- 
petitive examination  in  organ  and 
was  awarded  a  prize  certificate  by 
Frederic  Archer,  musical  director 
and  adjudicator.  She  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Etude  Club  of  Daven- 
port and  of  the  Woman's  Club  of 
Moline.  Mrs.  Lund  has  been  solo- 
ist of  the  Congregational  Church 
of  Moline  since  1902. 


Mrs.   Lund    has   participated    in 
a  number  of  concert  tours  in  this 
country.     In   1896  she  toured  the 
central  West  with  the  Apollo  Club 
of    Augustana    College.     In     1902     ' 
she,    together    with     Prof.    Franz    j 
Zedeler,  gave  a  dozen  concerts  in    ' 
Pennsylvania  and  New  York,  and 
in     1905    she    toured    the    Pacific 
coast  and  was  one  of    the  .soloists    ' 
taking    part  in    the  celebration  of    ' 
Swedish    Day    at    the    Lewis   and    ] 
Clark  Exposition  at  Portland.    By    j 
the  press  everywhere  she  has  been    | 
accorded    fulsome   praise    for    the    | 
charm  and  finish  of  her  vocalism.     ' 

Mrs.    Lund    is    the    mother    of 
two  sons,  Carl    Edward  and  Sven    j 
Joseph,  both    of    whom    are    now    I 
attaining  to  manhood.    They  have 
received    part    of    their    education 
in  Sweden. 


SVEN  P.  A.  LINDAHL 

was  born  Nov.  8,  1843,  in  Krist- 
dala,  Smaland,  Sweden.  His 
parents,  Olof  Nilsson  and  Stina 
Ersson,  passed  their  lives  on  a 
small  farm  in  their  native  land. 
His  father  died  in  1854,  aged  52 
years,  and  his  mother  passed 
away  in  1878,  at  the  age  of  77 
years.  The  son  attended  the 
common  school  in  his  native  place, 
afterward  studying  for  three  years 
in  the  Ahlberg  School.  Deter- 
mined to  seek  a  career  in  America, 
he  emigrated  in  1865  and  went 
direct  to  Paxton,  111.,  where  he 
entered  Augustana  College  the 
same  j-ear. 

In  1869  he  was  graduated  and 
shortly  afterwards  was  ordained 
to    the    ministry    in    the    Swedish 


- 


I  12 


Rock  Island  Count}- 


Lutheran  Church.  His  first  pas- 
torate was  at  Woodhull,  where 
he  remained  a  year.     In  1S70  and 


SVE.N   PETER   AUGUST   LI.Nli.\III, 

1 87 1  he  served  as  travehng  mis- 
sionary in  the  states  of  Iowa, 
Nebraska,  Kan.sas,  Missouri  and 
Dakota.  He  was,  during  1S72 
and  1873,  assistant  pastor  of  the 
Imnianuel  Church  in  Chicago. 
From  November,  1873,  until  1885, 
he  was  pastor  in  charge  of  First 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at 
Galesburg.  From  1886  to  1890 
he  was  stationed  at  Altona,  111. 
He  then  accepted  his  present 
position  as  editor  of  Aii};uslaua, 
the  organ  of  the  Swedi.sh  Lutheran 
Church  in  America.  In  1894  tiie 
honorary  degree  of  Doctor  of 
Divinity  was  conferred  upon  him 
by  the  Angustana  College  and 
Theological  Seminary. 

On  May  20,  1875,  the  Rev. 
Mr.  Lindahl  was  married  to  Miss 
Clara  .Anderson  of  Galesburg,  who 
died     in      1877.      He     was      remar- 


ried, July  I,  1885  to  Miss 
Hannah  Johnson  of  Galesburg. 
They  have  one  daughter.  Alberta 
Christina,  born  in   18S7. 

Since  1879  Dr.  Lindahl  has 
l)een  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  Augustana  College 
and  also  served  as  chairman  and 
director  of  the  board.  He  or- 
ganized and  was  for  many  years 
president  of  the  Scandinavian 
Mutual  Aid  Association  of  Gales- 
burg. Dr.  Lindahl  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Augustana  Synod 
1S87-1891  and  secretary  of  the 
s>nod  for  seven  years  prev- 
iously. With  the  Augustana  Book 
Concern,  the  publishing  house  of 
the  Augustana  Synod,  Dr.  Lin- 
dahl has  l)een  prominently  con- 
nected ever  since  its  organization 
in    1884. 

In  his  capacity  as  mis.sionary 
and  synodical  president  or  repre- 
sentative as  well  as  on  his  private 
account,  Dr.  Lindahl  has  traveled 
extensively  in  this  countr>-  and 
in  Europe.  He  visited  Sweden 
and  Norway  in  1872;  England, 
France,  Denmark  and  Sweden  in 
1878,  England,  Holland,  Belgium 
and  the  land  of  Luther  in  1S84; 
explored  the  mission  field  in  the 
Southern  states  and  started  mis- 
sion work  in  Texas  in  1874,  and 
in  i9tK),  in  behalf  of  Augustana 
S\nod  board,  traveled  through 
.\laska,  al.so  oiiening  mission  work 
there.  Dr.  Lindahl  is  one  of  the 
dominating  figures  in  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  church  in  this  country, 
and  as  editor  of  the  ofVicial  organ, 
wields  a  telling  influence  ihrongh- 
onl   the  Augustana  Svnod. 


Rock  Island 


"3 


ANNA  UI.SSOX 

is  a   popular   story    writer,  whose 
pen    name,    Aina,    is    familiar    tci 


ANNA    DI.SSdN 


Swedish-American  readers.  She 
is  the  daughter  of  Dr.  O.  Olsson, 
former  president  of  Augustana 
College,  and  his  wife,  Anna  Lisa 
Jonsson,  both  deceased,  the  mother 
having  passed  away  in  Rock  Island 
March  i8,  1887,  and  her  father 
May  12,    1900. 

Anna  Olsson  was  born  in  the 
province  of  Vermland,  Sweden, 
Aug.  19,  1866.  The  family  emi- 
grated in  1869  and  lived  in  Linds- 
borg,  Kans.,  until  1876,  after 
which  their  home  was  in  Rock 
Island.  She  studied  at  Augustana 
College  from  the  fall  of  1883  to 
the  end  of  the  school  j'ear  in  1888, 
when  she  graduated  with  the  de- 
gree of  B.  A. 

From  1895  t^o  1900  Miss  Olsson 
held  the  position  of  principal  of 
the  Ladies'  Hall  at  Augustana 
College.     About    the    end  of    that 


time  she  began  to  devote  herself 
to  authorship.  In  the  fail  of  lyoi 
her  first  story  was  published  with- 
out signature  in  the  SeptemlKir 
number  of  (  'ngdotiisvatinen.  Her 
sketches  in  Swedish-American  dia- 
lect began  to  appear  in  the  sjjring 
of  1903.  In  these  sketches  there 
is  added  to  the  droll  humor  of  the 
dialect  sparks  of  wit  and  the 
charm  of  clever  story-telling,  mak- 
ing them  popular  with  almost  any 
class  of  readers. 

In  1903  a  collection  of  sketches 
and  stories  by  her  were  published 
in  a  book,  under  the  common  title, 
"Fran  Solsidan."  Other  products 
of  her  pen  appeared  in  Foslcrlaiidet 
and  in  the  literary  amuials,  Prii- 
ri('-/y/o>iii>ia>i,  Julruiian  and  Jiil- 
graiu)!.  Miss  Olsson  also  has  es- 
sayed similar  work  in  English, 
having  a  number  of  sketches  in 
readiness  for  publication. 

In  1889  the  Olsson  family  went 
abroad  and  spent  a  year  in  Europe. 
During  the  six  njonths  silent  in 
Germany,  five  in  Zurich,  Switzer- 
land, and  one  in  Rome  and  other 
parts  of  Italy,  they  accumulated 
a  wealth  of  observation  and  knowl- 
edge of  the  Old  World  which  on 
the  part  of  Dr.  01s.son  was  em- 
bodied in  a  volume  entitled,  "Till 
Rom  och  hem  igen,"  while  Miss 
01s.son  has  heretofore  only  spar- 
ingly turned  her  information  to 
account  in  a  literary  way. 


OLIVER  P.  OLSON, 
who  has  been  assistant  postmaster 
of    Rock    Island    since    1899,  was 
born  in  Rinkaby,  Skane,  Sweden, 
March    26,     1852.       He    came    to 


114 


Rock  Island  County 


America  at  the  earlj-  age  of  four,      Conference:  member  of  the  county 

the  family  locating  at  Moline.  board  of  supervisors:  chairman  of 

Having  in  turn  been  a  resident      the    local    Civic    Federation     and 

chairman    of   the    Republican  club 
of  his  ward. 

He  belongs  to  the  Zion  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church,  and  is  active  in 
politics  and  in  the  commercial 
advancement  of  Rock  Island. 

He  was  appointed  assistant  post- 
ma.sier  of  the  city  of  Reck  Island 
Oct.  5,  1897,  and  reappointed  in 
1900  and    I 90 I. 


OLIVUK    p.   OI.SDN 

of  Cordova  for  6  j-ears,  Paxton 
for  14  years,  Moline  for  2  years, 
and  Varna  for  2  j'ears,  Mr.  Olson 
in  1885  removed  to  Rock  Island, 
where  he  was  employed  from  1889 
to  1897  '"  Ihe  book  store  of  the 
Augustana  Book  Concern  as  assist- 
ant manager.  His  education  was 
obtained  in  the  public  schools  and 
at  Augustana  College,  where  he 
.studied  in  1870  and  1871.  Mr. 
Olson  for  a  long  term  of  years 
has  been  su])erintendent  of  various 
Sunday  schools:  member  of  dilTer- 
eut  church  councils;  member  of 
the  board  of  directors  of  the  Home 
Building  and  Loan  Association  of 
Rock  Island:  member  of  the  board 
of  directors  of  the  Orphanage  ;>t 
Andover;  treasurer  of  the  Churcli 
Extension  Society  of  the  Augus- 
tana Synod;  member  of  the  exec- 
utive   committee    of     the     Illinois 


LOUIS  OSTROM. 
.\.  B.,  M.  D..  was  born  in  Helsing- 
land,   Sweden.    May    i,    1S74,   and 
came    to  America  when  six    years 
old.     His    father    is  a    pipe-organ 


l.oriS   (ISTHIIM 

builder,  known  among  hundreds 
of  churches  all  over  the  countrj-. 
Young  Ostrom  attended  public 
schools,  and  as  .soon  as  he  was 
able  to  work,  was  at  one  time  or 
another  employed  during  vacations 
in  nearly  ail  the  shops  of   Moline. 


Rock  Island 


"5 


i 


After  becoming  a  student  at  Au- 
gust ana  College,  he  worked 
during  the  different  vacations  as 
section  hand  on  the  street  car  line, 
printer  in  a  job  office,  and  press- 
man to  the  Moline  Daily  Dispatih, 
etc.  While  a  student,  he  also 
studied  music  under  Dr.  Gustav 
Stolpe;  was  director  of  the  band, 
orchestra  and  mandolin  clubs,  cor- 
netist,  and  later  clarinetist  with 
the  6th  Regiment  Band,  I.  N.  G., 
of  Moline,  and  Strasser's  2d  Regi- 
ment Band  of  Davenport,  Iowa. 
He  also  took  active  part  in  all 
college  athletics,  being  a  member 
of  both  base  ball  and  foot  ball 
teams.  He  graduated  from  Au- 
gustaiia  College  in  1895,  in  the 
English  classical  course  receiving 
the  degree  of  A.  B.  During  the 
summer  before  graduation  he  was 
assistant  organist  to  Dr.  Stolpe  in 
the  Moline  Lutheran  Church,  and 
after  graduation  was  at  Moore's 
Prairie,  Minn.,  as  organist  and 
music  teacher.  While  there  he 
received  a  call  from  Augustana 
College  to  become  professor  of 
wind  and  stringed  instruments  in 
the  Con.servatory  of  Music,  but 
declined  because  of  intended  med- 
ical study.  He  studied  medicine 
at  the  State  University  of  Iowa, 
at  Iowa  City,  where  he  earned 
his  way  through  by  playing  with 
orchestras  and  in  churches,  caring 
for  a  doctor's  office  for  his  room 
rent,  and  earning  his  board  by 
.serving  as  waiter  at  a  restaurant 
until  the  end  of  his  course.  After 
leaving  Iowa  City,  he  was  em- 
ployed by  the  State  Hospital  at 
Independence,   Iowa,   but    wishing 


to  continue  his  medical  studies, 
he  resigned  and  went  to  St.  Louis 
to  the  Missouri  Medical  College 
and  Policlinic.  During  his  medi- 
cal studies  he  paid  most  particular 
attention  to  the  eye  and  ear,  but 
after  his  course  at  St.  Louis,  lo- 
cated in  1899  at  Leonardville, 
Kans.,  and  engaged  in  general 
practice.  While  there,  he  received 
a  call  from  the  Kansas  Medical 
College  at  Topeka,  Kans.,  to  the 
Chair  of  Chemistry,  and  as  direc- 
tor of  the  chemical  laboratories, 
a  position  he  held  for  one  year, 
but  as  this  interfered  with  private 
practice,  he  resigned  and  located 
in  Rock  Island,  111.,  as  a  special- 
ist, devoting  all  his  profe.ssional 
attention  to  diseases  of  the  eye, 
ear,  nose  and  throat.  In  the 
spring  term  of  1903,  he  was  acting 
professor  of  Botany  at  Augustana 
College,  during  the  absence  of 
Prof.  J.  A.  Udden,  and  later 
was  professor  in  anatomy,  physi- 
ology and  histologj-  in  the  pre- 
medical  department.  While  doing 
post-graduate  work  at  New  York, 
he  was  professor  of  natural  history 
at  Upsala  College,  Kenilworth,  N. 
J.  Dr.       Ostrom       is       adjunct 

to  St.  Anthony's  Hospital  and 
examiner  for  more  than  a  dozen 
insurance  companies.  Since  his 
graduation  in  medicine,  he  has 
taken  post  graduate  courses  with 
some  of  the  most  noted  specialists 
in  America. 

In  the  spring  of  1907,  Dr. 
Ostrom  was  elected  alderman  of 
the  '/th  ward. 

In  1899  Dr.  Ostrom  was  married 
to    Miss    Sophia     Hult,     formerly 


ii6 


Rock  Island  County 


secretar\-  to  the  business  manager 
of  Aiigustana  College.  They  have 
one  child,   Meredith. 


ANDREW  PETERSON. 

building    contractor,  was    born   in 
Gesater  parish.  Dalsland,  Sweden, 


ANIlREW    PETERSON 

Dec.  31,  1839,  and  emigrated  at 
the  age  of  thirty.  He  arrived  in 
Chicago  in  1870  and  joined  the 
Ininianuel  Swedish  Luth.  Church. 
After  the  great  fire  he,  together 
with  Peter  Colseth,  took  active 
part  in  the  rebuilding  of  the  church 
edifice  destroyed  in  the  fire.  Mr. 
Peterson  removed  to  Rock  Island 
in  1875,  and  helped  to  put  up  the 
first  main  building  of  Augustana 
College  at  Rock  Island  in  that 
3'ear;  he  also  contracted  for  part 
of  the  woodwork  in  the  new  build- 
ing erected  in  1884.  He  was  one 
of  the  contractors  for  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  church  in  Moline.  Peter 
Colseth  and  J.  A.  P.  Herg  being 
the  otiier  two,  and  built  the  stee- 


ple of  that  edifice  in  1881.  He 
erected  the  Zion  Swedish  Luther- 
an church  in  1S91,  the  gymnasium 
at  Augustana  College  in  1894, 
and  has  built  some  sixty  private 
dwelling  houses  in  East  Rock 
Island  and  West  Moline.  He  has 
lived  for  over  a  score  of  years  at  4425 
Sixth  ave.,  and  is  still  engaged  in 
building  and  contracting.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Swedish  Luther- 
an Church  of  Moline  and  has 
.served  as  a  deacon  for  more  than 
a  dozen  years.  Since  1904  he  has 
served  as  a  trustee.  Mr.  Peterson 
has  been  teaching  in  Sunday 
schools  continually  since  his  ar- 
ri\al  in   America. 

Aug.  10,  1S72,  at  Chicago,  he 
was  married  to  Elsa  Christina  Pe- 
terson, and  their  children  are: 
Anna  C  died  in  1895:  Mathilda, 
died  in  1884;  Fred  B.,  married  to 
Theresa  Matson  and  now  living  at 
Oakland,  Cal.,  John  P.,  Amalia 
C,  and  Carl  E.  Mr.  Peterson 
has  been  a  stanch  Republican 
ever  since  he  was  naturalized  as 
a  citizen. 

In  1S94  Mr.  Peterson  was  elect- 
ed trustee  of  the  Civic  Federation 
in  Rock  Island,  and  in  1905  a 
director  of  Augustana  College. 


\ICTOR  OLOF  PETERSON, 
who  for  fifteen  years  occupie<l  the 
chair  of  Physics  and  Chcmistrv 
at  Augustana  College,  was  born 
in  Solberga,  Skede  parish,  Sweden, 
Sept.  24,  1S64.  At  the  age  of  three 
he  came  with  his  parents  to  Amer- 
ica. The  family  settled  on  a  farm 
near  Stanton,  la.,  where  he  was 
reared.      In      1881     both     parent.s 


Rock  Island 


117 


died,  and  after  working  as  a  farm 
hand  in  1882,  the  son  began  his 
studies    at    Augustana   College   in 


VICTOR   OLOF  PETERSON 

January,  1SS3,  completing  his  col- 
lege course  in  1889.  In  1890  he 
took  a  special  course  in  chemistry 
at  Harvard  Universitj-  and  was 
called  to  the  chair  of  Physics  and 
Chemistry  at  his  Alma  Mater  in 
the  following  year,  a  position 
which  he  held  until  1905,  when 
he  resigned  his  chair  to  engage 
in  a  commercial  enterprise,  known 
as  the  Rock  Island  Tropical  Plan- 
tation Company',  and  is  at  present 
secretary  of  that  corporation. 

He  was  married  in  1891  to  Miss 
Jenny  A.  Lindeborg  of  Chicago. 
They  have  five  children:  Edith 
Alida  Victoria,  Harald  \'ictor, 
Olof  Reuben,  Oliver  Herbert  and 
Rolf  Leonard. 

Mr.  Peterson  is  a  member  of 
the  Grace  English  Luth.  Church 
of  Rock  Island,  in  which  he  has 
served  as  a  deacon  for  vears.     He 


is  chairman  of  the  iKXtftl  of  direc- 
tors of  the  North  Star  Benefit 
A.ssociation  and  takes  active  in- 
terest in  politics,  having  often 
served  as  a  judge  of  election  and 
sat  in   Rejniblican  conventions. 

FRANK  EDWARD  PETERSON 

was  born  at  Andover,  111., 
Jan.  31,  1865.  In  early  boyhood 
he  manifested  a  love  of  music 
and  picked  his  way  through  a 
number  of  melodies  unaided. 
When  he  had  invented  a  holder 
for  his  mouth  organ  so  that  he 
was  able  to  play  that  juvenile 
instrument  and  accompany  him- 
self on  the  family  cabinet  organ 
his  parents    finally  permitted   him 


KR.\NK  EDW.\K1>  PETERSON 

to  take  lessons  in  music.  In 
1885  he  left  high  school  and  was 
enrolled  in  the  academic  depart- 
ment at  Aug^istana  College.  Hav- 
ing finished  the  Freshman  year, 
he  entered  the  conservatory  de- 
])artnient  under  Dr.   Gustav  Stolpe 


ii8 


Rock   Island  County 


and  was  graduated  in  1891  with 
the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Music. 
The  next  year  he  accepted  a 
position  as  organist  of  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church  in  Boston, 
and  took  up  studies  at  the  New 
England  Conservatory.  In  the 
fall  of  1893  he  resigned  his  posi- 
tion and  in  November  entered 
the  Roj-al  Conservatory  at  Leipsic 
and  studied  piano  under  Profs. 
Krause  and  Zwintscher  and  theory 
under  Prof.  Guslave  Schreck, 
cantor  of  tlie  Thomas  school. 
Returning  home  in  1897  he  ac- 
cepted the  proffered  position  of 
instructor  of  the  department  of 
piano  in  the  Augustana  Con- 
servatory. Prof.  Peter.son  thor- 
oughly studied  the  Virgil  clavier 
system  and  applied  that  silent 
practice  method  in  his  depart- 
ment. He  was  for  a  time  con- 
ductor of  the  Augustana  Silver 
Comet  Band  and  waschosen  director 
of  the  Handel  Oratorio  Society 
in   1900. 

July  6,  1898,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Amanda  C.  Hult  of  Mo- 
line,  born  July  19,  1872,  a  musi- 
cian and  singer,  with  a  high 
soprano  %'oice  of  good  quality. 
She  has  been  director  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  church  choir 
of  Moline  and  is  a  capable  vocal 
teacher. 

In  tiie  spring  of  1906,  Prof. 
Peterson's  connections  with  the 
Augustana  Conservatory  were 
severed  and  tlie  following  fall  he 
took  charge  as  director  of  the 
dei)arlment  of  music  at  Minnesota 
College,  at   Minneapolis. 


JOHAN  AUGUST  UDDEN, 

Ph.   D.,  who    became  professor  of 
Geology    and    Natural    History   at 


JOHA.N  AUGUST  UKllE.N 

Augustana  College  in  1888,  was 
born  in  Uddabo,  Lekasa  parish, 
Vestergotland,  Sweden.  March  19. 
1859.  His  parents  were  Andreas 
Larson,  whose  ancestors  had  for 
several  generations  lived  in  Qvista- 
garden  in  the  same  parish,  and 
Inga  Lena,  born  Anderson,  from 
Haradsberget.  They  emigrated  to 
America  in  1861  and  settled  near 
Carver  in  Carver  county,  Minn. 
His  education  was  begun  in  the 
parochial  anil  in  the  public  .schools 
of  the  new  settlement.  At  the 
age  of  fourteen  he  entered  St. 
Ansgar's  Academy  at  East  I'liion, 
and  in  1876  he  was  enrolled  as  a 
member  of  the  third  class  in  the 
academic  department  of  Augusta- 
na College.  He  graduateti  from 
the  college  iie])artment  in  iSSi, 
and  after  attending  the  Teachers" 
Slimmer    Normal    in    McPherson, 


Rock  Island 


iiy 


Kaiis.,  lie  was  the  same  year  en- 
gaged as  teacher  for  a  new  private 
school,    Bethany    Academy,    after- 


JOHANNA    K.RISTINA  UUUEN 

ward  Bethany  College,  at  Linds- 
borg,  Kans.  He  continued  teach- 
ing in  this  institution  for  seven 
years,  pursuing  natural  history 
studies  during  vacations,  and  be- 
ing away  on  a  leave  of  absence  at 
the  University  of  Minnesota  in  the 
winter  of  1886.  In  iSSS  he  was 
called  to  his  present  position. 
During  the  summer  of  1892  he 
served  as  assistant  to  the  state 
geologist  of  Illinois,  preparing  a 
collection  for  the  stale  exhibit  at 
the  World's  Fair  in  Cliicago.  The 
following  year,  during  a  leave  of 
absence,  he  spent  some  months  in 
Baltimore,  Md.,  analyzing  soils, 
and  the  following  summer  he  was 
engaged  as  special  field  assistant 
on  the  United  States  geological 
survey,  to  examine  the  drift  in 
the  Green  River  ba.sin  in  Illinois. 
From    1S98    to    1902    he  was    em- 


ployed (luring  the  sununers  as 
special  a.ssistant  on  the  Iowa  geo- 
logical survey,  and  he  has  mapped 
and  reported  on  six  counties  in 
that  state.  In  1903  he  was  en- 
gaged by  the  Texas  Mineral  Sur- 
vey to  examine  the  Shafter  area 
in  Presidio  county,  and  in  1904 
he  was  in  charge  of  a  party  of  the 
the  same  organization  making  a 
survey  of  the  geology  of  the  Chisos 
country  in  Brewster  county.  In  the 
sunnner  and  fall  of  1905  the  New 
York  and  Texas  Land  Co.,  Ltd., 
engaged  his  services  for  making  an 
examination  of  the  mineral  resour- 
ces of  theirlands  in  the  Upper  em- 
bayment  of  the  Rio  Grande,  and  a 
report  on  the  geology*  of  this  region 
has  recently  been  published  in 
number  6  of  the  Augustana  Library 
Publications.  In  1906  he  was  en- 
gaged as  geologist  on  the  Illinois 
Geographical  Survey.  During  the 
last  two  s\mniers  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  work  on  the  Peoria  and 
the  Belleville  coal  districts  in  this 
state. 

His  most  important  scientific 
work  has  been  some  investigations 
bearing  on  the  wind  as  a  geolog- 
ical agent.  On  this  subject  he 
has  published,  "Erosion,  Trans- 
portation and  Sedimentation  per- 
formed by  the  .\tmosphere."  "Dust 
and  Sandstorms  in  the  West," 
"Loe.ss  as  a  Land  Deposit,"  and 
"The  Mechanical  Composition  of 
Wind  Deposits."  A  number  of 
other  papers  from  his  pen  have 
appeared  in  various  scientific  jour- 
nals, in  the  proceedings  of  scien- 
tific societies,  and  in  the  reports 
of  the  official  survevs  with  which 


i 


I20 


Rock  Island  County 


he  has  been  connected.  In  "An 
Old  Indian  Village"  he  has  de- 
scribed some  prehistoric  remains 
in  Kansas.  While  in  Kansas  he 
.served  as  editorial  writer  on  K'aii- 
sas-/'osten,  a  Swedish  weekly,  in 
1888,  and  edited  the  Liudsborg 
Ncifs  in  1888.  He  has  been 
elected  to  membership  in  the  Dav- 
enport Academy  of  Science,  in  the 
Iowa  Academy  of  Science,  in  tlie 
National  Geographic  Society,  and 
he  is  a  Fellow  of  the  Geological 
Society  of  America  and  of  the 
American  A.s.sociation  for  the  Ad- 
vancement of  Science. 

Aug.  27,  1882,  Prof.  Udden  was 
married  to  Johanna  Kristina  Davis 
of  Carver  county,  Minn.,  whose  par- 
ents came  from  Ljuuga,  Krono- 
bergs  Ian,  and  settled  near  Carver 
in  1856.  Mrs.  Udden  was  born 
there  Sept.  13,  1858.  She  attended 
the  public  schools  and  later  studied 
at  St.  Ansgar's  Academy  and  in 
Gustavus  Adolphus  College  in  St. 
Peter,  Minn.  Their  marriage  has 
been  blessed  with  four  children, 
three  of  whom  are  living:  Jon 
Andreas,  born  in  Lindsborg,  Kan., 
May  19,  1885;  Anton  David,  born 
in  Lindsborg,  Kan.,  Dec.  28,  1SS6, 
and  Svante  Mauritz,  born  in  Rock 
Island,  111.,  June   16,    1892. 


for  two  years  more.  He  came 
to  this  countrj-  in  1886  and  en- 
tered   Augustana    College,    gradu- 


SVEN  G.  YOUNGERT 
was     born     April     27,      1861, 


at 


Ljunget,  Algutsrum,  on  the  Island 
of  Oland,  Sweden.  The  >onth 
studied  at  Mannheni's  pri\ate 
school  in  Vestergbtland  and  then 
attended  the  Fjellsledt  School  in 
Upsala  for  two  years  and  i-ontinued 
in     tli.it    lity    studying     jirivately 


SVIJN  C.USTAF   YOUNGERT 

ating  after  two  years.  Entering 
Augustana  Theological  Seminary 
in  1S90  he  completed  the  course 
and  was  ordained  to  the  holy 
ministry  in  1892  at  Lindsborg, 
Kan.  He  pursued  a  course  in 
philosophy  and  psychology  at  the 
Univer.sity  of  Iowa   1903-07. 

Rev.  Voungert  had  charge  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  congrega- 
tion at  Kewanee,  111.,  1892-96, 
the  greater  part  of  the  time  serv- 
ing as  secretary  of  the  Illinois 
Conference.  In  1S97  he  removed 
to  Oltumwa,  la.,  and  was  pastor 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  church 
there  until  i9i.x>,  when  he  accep- 
te<l  a  call  to  a  professorship  in 
theology  at  Augustana  Theological 
Seminary.  The  next  year  he  was 
elected  secretary  of  tlie  theological 
faculty  and  has  since  retained  this 
oflice.      He    now    gixts  instruction 


Rock  Island 


121 


n  philosophy,  (".reek  New  Testa- 
ment exegesis,  New  Testament 
introduction  and  catechetics. 

For  several  years  Prof.  VoutiR- 
ert  has  been  an  associate  editor  of 
Tidskrift  for  Kvrkliga  fr&gor.  He 
is  editor  of  ( 'ngdoiiisriiiiiifii  and 
has  contributed  quite  freely  to 
other    magazines   and  newspapers. 

In  1S97  Rev.  Voungert  obtained 
the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Divinity 
for  post  graduate  studies.  In  1900 
he  received  the  degree  of  Master 
of  Arts  and  in  the  .spring  of  1902 
he  offered  final  examinations  for 
the  degree  of  Candidate  of  Sacred 
Theology  and  was  accordingly 
promoted  by  Augustana  College 
and  Theological  Seminary,  receiv- 
ing the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Sacred 
Theology  in  1905.  The  degree 
of  Doctor  of  Philosophy  was 
conferred  upon  him  bj-  Bethany 
College. 

Dr.  Youngert  is  a  member  of 
the  following  learned  bodies:  the 
American  Geographical  Associa- 
tion, the  American  Forestry  Asso- 
ciation, the  Religions  Education 
Association,  and  the  American 
Association  for  the  Advancement 
of  Science. 

Dr.  Youngert  visited  Sweden  in 
1907  as  the  representative  of  Au- 
gustana College  at  the  celebration 
held  at  Upsala  University  and  at 
the  Royal  Academy  of  Sciences  at 
Stockholm,  of  the  two  hundredth 
anni versar}-  of  the  birth  of  Carl 
von  Linne,  receiving  the  Linnean 
medal  from  the  Royal  Academy  of 
Sciences. 

The  marriage  of  Dr.  Youngert 
with     Hannah    Alfrida    Shoberg, 


daughter  of  A.  P.  Shoberg  of  Chi- 
cago, took  place  April  27,  1894. 
Their  children  are:  Eugene  Fer- 
nando, Elvira  Olive,  Oliver  Gus- 
tavus  Ludvig,  Eunice  Antonia, 
Ilian  Beatrice  Caroline  and  Arnold 
Edward. 

Dr.  Youngert  is  a  man  of  .schol- 
arly attainments,  deeply  devoted 
to    education    and  to    the  Church. 

GUSTAV  ALBERT  ANDREEN, 

president  of  Augustana  College 
and  Theological  Seminary,  was 
born  at  Porter,  Ind.,  March  13, 
1864.  His  parents  were  Rev.  A. 
Andreen  who  died  in  Rock  Island, 
Feb.  10,  1880,  and  his  wife  Hilda 
Esping,  who  pas.sed  away  in  Au- 
gust, 1S78.  From  Porter  Rev. 
Andreen  removed  to  Swedona, 
and  here  the  son  attended  the 
public  and  parochial  schools. 
Aged  eleven  years,  he  entered 
Augustana  College  at  Rock  Island, 
and  was  graduated  at  the  head  of 
the  college  class  of  1881. 

Having  taught  at  Augustana 
in  1 882-04,  studying  law  in  the 
meantime,  and  at  Bethany  Col- 
lege, at  Lindsborg,  Kan.sas,  from 
1S86  to  1893,  he  entered  Yale 
University,  doing  post  graduate 
work,  which  led  to  the  degree  of 
Ph.  D.  in  1898.  From  1894  to 
1 90 1  he  was  instructor  at  the  uni- 
versity. After  his  appointment 
to  the  chair  of  Scandinavian 
languages,  he  went  to  Eurojje 
for  more  thorough  study  of  the 
old  Norse  and  Scandinavian  lan- 
guages and  spent  two  years  at 
Upsala  University  and  the  Uni- 
versity    of     Christania      for     that 


Rock  Island  County 


purpose.  He  returned  in  the  fall 
of  1900  and  assumed  his  new 
duties  at  Yale.  When,  upon  the 
death  of  Dr.  O.  Olsson  in  1900, 
a  new  president  of  Augustana 
College  and  Theological  Seminary 
was  to  be  chosen,  the  Augustana 
Synod  Er.st  turned  to  that  emi- 
nent educator.  Dr.  Carl  Swensson 
of  Bethany  College,  with  a  request 
that  he  fill  the  vacant  presidential 
chair.  Being  too  closely  attached 
to  that  institution  of  his  own  mak- 
ing,he  declined  the  call, and  Dr.  C. 
W.  Foss  continued  as  acting  pre- 
sident until  the  clo.se  of  the  fol- 
lowing school  year.  At  the  annual 
meeting  of  the  Augustana  Synod 
at  Jamestown,  N.  Y.,  in  June, 
1901,  after  a  year's  casting  about 
for  a  man  for  the  place.  Dr. 
Gustav  Andreen  was  elected  to 
the  presidency,  the  choice  being 
influenced  to  a  marked  degree  by 
Dr.  Andreen's  efforts  to  enlist 
the  interest  of  prominent  men  of 
Sweden  in  behalf  of  the  Swedish- 
American  institution  of  learning. 
The.se  efforts  later  bore  fruit  in 
a  contribution  of  100,000  crowns 
from  the  old  country  toward  an 
endowment  fund  for  Augustana. 
As  the  head  of  this  institution 
Dr.  Andreen  has  continued  liis 
efforts  to  put  it  on  a  firmer  finan- 
cial basis,  a  task  still  far  from 
completed. 


Dr.  Andreen  recently  completed 
a  course  in  theology  begun  while 
a  teacher  at  Augustana  in  the 
'80s  and  was  ordained  to  the 
ministry  in   1905. 

Dr.  Andreen  has  done  much 
public  speaking,  principally  in 
behalf  of  the  institution  he  rep- 
resents. He  addressed  the  Chau- 
tauqua Assembly  on  Swedish  Day 
in  1905  and  has  appeared  as 
speaker  on  other  occasions  of 
moment.  On  the  platform  he 
handles  the  two  mother  tongues 
of  the  Swedish-Americans  with 
like  fluency.  His  published  writ- 
ings heretofore  are  confined  to  his 
doctoral  thesis  entitled  "Studies 
in  the  German  Idyl"  1  Rock  Is- 
land, 1902)  and  a  treatise  on 
"Svenska  Spraket  i  Amerika" 
(Upsala,    1900). 

On  Aug.  7,  1890,  Dr.  Andreeu 
was  joined  in  wedlock  to  Miss 
Maria  Augusta  Strand  of  Junction 
City,  Kans.,  a  lady  of  Norwegian 
descent.  The  following  children 
have  been  born  to  them:  Paul 
Harold,  1891,  Marion  Albert, 
1894,  Ksther  Miriam,  1896,  Gus- 
tav Strand,  1901,  Margaret  Doro- 
thy, 1903,  Signe  Marie,  1904,  and 
Carl  O.scar,  1906.  Signe  died  Jan. 
2.  1906,  and  Dorothy  Sept.  22. 
1906.  Mrs.  .\ndreen  was  born 
Aug.    17,    1870. 


BUREAU  COUNTY 


\ 


PRINCETON 


JOHN    A.   BKRG. 

minister  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church,  was  born  in  Sjosas  parish, 


JOHN   Al'OUST    BERC, 

Smaland,  Sweden,  Aug.  i6,  1863. 
His  father  was  a  mason  and  the 
son  learned  the  same  trade.  Later 
he  studied  at  a  private  Bible  school 
in  Nye,  Smaland,  where  he  com- 
menced to  preach  in  18.S5.  Two 
years  later  Mr.  Berg  came  to 
America  and  was  matriculated  at 
Gustavus  Adolphus  College,  St. 
Peter,  Minn.,  where  he  studied  a 
short  time.  Thereafter  he  went 
to  the  Chicago  Theological  Sem- 
inary, graduating  in  1892.  He 
has  since  been  pastor  of  the  Swed- 
ish Evangelical  Mission  Churches 
of  Mankato,  Minn.,  Iron  Mountain, 
Mich.,  Kewanee,  HI.,  and  of 
the  Swedish  Mission  Church  of 
Humboldt    Park,  Chicago,  having 


served  there  from  1899  to  1905, 
when  he  left  the  Mission  Church 
for  the  Augustaiia  Synod.  He 
then  accepted  charges  at  Hobart 
and  Miller,  Ind.,  and  from  Novem- 
ber, 1906,  is  pastor  of  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church  in  Prince- 
ton,  III. 

Rev.  Berg  has  been  a  member 
of  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
Swedish  Home  of  Mercy  in  Chicago. 

He  is  married  since  May  23, 
1900,  his  wife's  maiden  name  be- 
ing Hanna  Swan.  She  is  a  native 
of  Ramq  villa,  Sweden.  They 
have  two  children,  Margaret  Ama- 
lia,  born  Dec.  9,  1901,  and  Carl 
Johan  Sigfrid,  born  July  i.s,  1905. 

CHARLES  T.  DAHLGREN 

was  born  in  Locknevi  parish,  Sma- 
land, Sweden,  Dec.  5,  1858.  His 
early  education  was  obtained  in 
the  public  schools  of  Sweden.  He 
emigrated  to  this  country  in  June, 
1880,  both  parents  having  died  a 
number  of  years  before.  Princeton 
has  been  his  residence  since  that 
time.  The  trade  of  a  harness- 
maker  was  learned  by  him  in  the 
old  country,  and  in  1S82  he  em- 
barked in  that  line  of  business, 
in  which  he  has  been  uniformly 
successful. 

Mr.  Dahlgren  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in 
Princeton,  which  he  has  served  as 
trustee,  secretary  and  treasurer 
for  various  periods.  He  was  city 
treasurer  for  four  years  in  the  '90s 


126 


Bureau  County 


and    has    been    president    of    the      eran    Church,    of    which    he    is   a 

Swedish- American  Republican  Club      member. 

of    Bureau  county.     He    has   also  Mr.     Eckdahl    is    married     and 


CHARLES  TIIEOUOR   UAHLGREN 

held    office    in  a  ininiber  of   other 

organizations,  to  which  he  belongs. 

Mr.  Dahlgreuis  the  vice-president 

of  the  First  State  Bank  of  Princeton. 


FRANK    L.  ECKDAHL 

is  a  native  of  Princeton,  having 
been  born  there  March  iS,  KS74. 
Having  taken  a  course  in  Prince- 
ton Business  College,  he  entered 
on  his  business  career  as  a  cloth- 
ing merchant  in  the  fall  of  1897, 
in  i)artnership  with  F.  IC.  Peter- 
son, tnider  the  firm  name  of  Eck- 
dahl &  Peterson.  Three  years 
later  he  opened  a  .second  clothing 
store,  with  A.  C.  Carl.soii  as  special 
partner.  Marcli  1,  1403,  the  co- 
partnershi])  of  PX'kdahl,  Peterson 
&  Co.  was  dissolved,  Mr.  Ivckdahl 
succeeding  tin.-  tirni. 

He    has    served    for    some  \ears 
as  a  deacon  in  the  Iviiglish   I<utli- 


FRANK     1,.    HCKDAHL 


there    are    two     children    in 
familv. 


the 


C.  A.  HELLERSTEDT. 

wagon  and  carriage  manufacturer, 
was  born  in  Kiillstad,  Ostergot- 
land,  Sweden,  Sept.  18,  1848. 
In  May,  1.S68,  he  emigrated  to 
Chicago.  He  graduated  from  the 
jJryant  and  Stratton  Business 
College  of  Davenport,  Iowa,  in 
1875,  then  went  to  California, 
where  he  worked  in  San  Franci.sco, 
in  the  (iUailaloii])e  quicksilver 
mine  and  in  Stockton  for  two 
years.  In  1877  and  1S7S  he  at- 
tended the  University  of  the  Pa- 
cific in  SaiUa  Clara.  Returning 
to  Illinois  in  i.S7g  he  joined  his 
brother  Peter  F.  Ilellerstedt  in 
business  in  Morrison,  wiiere  they 
had  a  wagon  shop.  A  year  later 
they     brancheil    out     and    C.     A. 


Princeton 


127 


HelltTslwU  ran  another  shop  in 
Sterling  in  i8S-^,  wlicii  the  site 
was    sold    to    a    railway    company 


C.   A.   HEI.LERSTEUT 

company  for  depot  purposes. 
Then  he  moved  back  to  Morrison 
and  three  years  later  sold  his 
interest  to  his  brother  to  engage 
in  the  same  line  of  business  for 
himself  in  Vinton,  la.  After  a 
year's  time  this  venture  was  given 
lip  and  Mr.  Hellerstedt  removed 
to  Princeton,  where  he  was  en- 
gaged in  the  manufacture  of 
vehicles  of  various  types  until 
his  death  in  February,    1907. 

In  1888  Mr.  Hellerstedt  was 
married  to  Hattie  Teller  Barnum, 
of  Union  Grove,  111.,  who  on  her 
father's  side  is  related  to  P.  T. 
Barnum,  the  great  circus  man, 
and  on  her  mother's  side  is  a 
niece  of  ex-senator  Teller  of 
Colorado. 

Mr.  Hellerstedt  was  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  faith  and 
served     his     church     as     trustee, 


Sunday  school  teacher  and  choir- 
master. 

JOHN  HED 

was  born  in  Kafsjo  parish,  Sma- 
land,  vSweden,  Dec.  22,  1S44.  He 
came  to  America  in  1865.  His 
wife,  Eva  Christina,  was  born  Sept. 
14,  1847,  in  the  .same  parish.  ,  Mr. 
Hed  is  a  contractor  and  builder 
by  vocation.  He  has  six  sons, 
Carl  O.scar,  married  to  Emma  Ma- 
ria, Emil  Godtherr,  John  Clarence, 
married  to  Ida,  Arthur  Wilbur, 
Lawrence  Robert,  Reuben  David, 
and  two  daughters,  Hilda  Elizabeth, 
now  Mrs.  John  Skorherg  of  Rock- 
ford,  and  Alma  Josephine,  now- 
Mrs.   Marcus  Kissick, 


jdii.N  Hi-:i) 

The  family  are  members  of   the 
Swedish   I'"ree  Mission  Church. 

JOHN  ALBERT  HIXQUIST 

was  born  in  Mossebo  parish, 
Elfsborgs  Ian.  Sweden,  June 
12,     1864.      He    has    been     living 


128 


Bureau  Countv 


in  Princeton  since  March,  1884, 
when  he  came  to  the  United 
States.     After    obtaining    a    com- 


JOHN   ALBERT   HINQUIST 

nion  school  education  he  began 
working  and  is  now  foreman  of  a 
lumber  yard.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
which  he  has  .served  in  the  office 
of  trustee  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  belongs  to  the  Swedish  Sick 
Benefit  Society,  the  Modern  Wood- 
men, and  the  Mystic  Workers  of 
the  World  and  has  occupied  the 
highest  offices  in  the  three  organ- 
izations. I'OT  several  years  Mr. 
Hin(iuist  has  been  president  of 
the  Bureau  County  Republican 
Club  and  vice-president  and  mem- 
ber of  the  executive  committee 
for  the  county  in  the  Swedish- 
American  Republican  League  of 
Illinois.  He  has  been  rejieatedly 
elected  commissioner  of  highways 
in  Princeton  township.  In  1890- 
91  he  spent  nearly  a  year  on  a 
visit  to  his  old    home    in    Swe<ien 


and  Dec.  6,  1893  he  wedded  Miss 
Jennie  Colberg  of  Princeton. 

PETER  JOHNSON 

was  born  in  \'enestad,  Skane, 
Sweden,  April  11,  1826.  He  was 
in  the  van  of  Swedish  emigration 
to  this  country  coming  here  in 
1856.  He  located  at  once  in 
Princeton.  When  Abraham  Lin- 
coln called  for  volunteers  in  April, 
1 86 1,  Peter  John.son,  who  had  been 
quickly  Americanized,  at  once 
responded.  He  enlisted  in  Co.  I., 
1 2th  Illinois  RegimeiU  and  fought 
through  the  war.  Returning  to 
the  peaceful  occupations  of  life, 
he  resumed  his  old  trade  of  car- 
pentry  at  which  he  has    acquired 


/^\ 

r^  "^   #, 

i2te 

PETBR  JOHNSON 

a    fair    comj^etence.     He    has    re- 
mained unmarried. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in 
Princeton  and  was  for  fifteen 
years  one  of  its  tru.stees.  He  is 
a  meml)er  of  tin.-    Swetlish- Ameri- 


Princeton 


129 


can    Republican  Club    and    of    the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 


CARL  JACOB  LEDIX, 

minister  of  the  Mission   Covenant 
of    America,    and    now    in  charge 


CARL  .lACOB  LEDIN 

of  its  church  in  Princeton,  was 
born  in  Eskelhem  parish,  on 
the  island  of  Gotland,  Dec.  13, 
1864.  His  parents  were  Thomas 
Christian  Ledin,  a  farmer,  and 
his  wife,  Charlotta  Liffdell,  who 
died  in  1903  at  New  Haven,  Ct. 
He  finished  the  common  .school 
before  the  family  emigrated  in 
1883.  Coming  to  this  country 
they  lived  in  Greenwich  and  New- 
ington  before  settling  in  New 
Haven,  Ct.,  in  1886.  After  at- 
tending public  school  young  Ledin 
in  1 888  entered  the  Swedish  de- 
I  artment  of  the  Chicago  Theolog- 
ical Seminarw  After  graduation 
in  1 89 1  he  retn-'iied  to  Sweden 
where  he  was  traveling  missioii- 
arv  for  one  vear  and  had    charge 


of  the  Mi.ssion  church  in  Xas.sjo 
for  two  and  one-half  >ears.  Com- 
ing back  to  the  United  States  in 
1894,  he   assumed   charge   of   the 

Swedish  Congregational  Church 
at  New  Haven,  remaining  until 
1898.  His  subsequent  fields  of 
labor  have  been:  Ishpeming, 
Mich.,  1898-1900;  Tabernacle 
Church  in  Chicago,  1900-1904: 
I'rinceton,  1905  to  the  present 
time. 

Rev.  Ledin  in  1903  was  sent 
to  Sweden  to  distribute  the  funds 
rai.sed  by  the  Mission  Friends  in 
America  for  the  famine  sufferers 
in  Northern  Sweden,  and  also  to 
study  conditions  in  the  famine 
stricken  districts.  On  this  tour 
he  went  as  far  north  as  Jukkos- 
jiirvi,  situated  120  miles  beyond 
the  arctic  circle.  Besides  travel- 
ing extensively  in  Norrbotten  and 
Vesterbotten,  he  visited  Dalarne, 
Vermland,  Smaland,  and  Gotland, 
returning  in  September  of  the 
same  year.  Rev.  Leclin  is  the 
author  of  a  catechism  for  Bible 
.schools. 

Sept.  10,  1896,  Rev.  Ledin  was 
married  to  Miss  Sara  Charlotta  Ol- 
son, born  in  Daretorp,  Sweden,  Oct. 
8,  1870.  Of  five  children  born  to 
them  only  two  survive,  namely 
Sara  Lydia  Theodora,  born  1904, 
and  Aina  Carola  Elisabeth,  1906. 


ANDREW  E.  NELSON 
was  born  on  a  farm  at  Stenstorp, 
Skaraborgs  Ian,  Sweden,  March 
3,  1864.  His  parents  were  Nels 
J.  and  Sara  Anderson.  In  18S6 
he  emigrated  to  America  and 
went    to    -Lincoln,     Nebr.      After 


'30 

learning  the  building  trade,  he 
erected  by  contract  a  number  of 
houses  in  that  citv.     A  few  years 


ANDREW    i:.   NUI.SON 

latei  Mr.  Nelson  removed  to 
Princfc;on,  111.,  where  he  con- 
tinued in  the  same  business. 
Among  the  many  buildings  erected 
by  him  may  be  mentioned  the 
elegant  residence  of  Col.  Paddock. 

Mr.  Nelson  was  a  trustee  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in 
Princeton  for  several  years.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  order  of  Mo- 
dern Woodmen  and  was  chairman 
of  the  Swedish  Sick-Iienefit  Associa- 
tion of  Princeton  for  several 
terms. 

In  1 891  Mr.  Nelson  was  mar- 
ried to  Ivllen  C,  a  daughter  of 
Andrew  and  Bengta  Thulen  of 
Princeton,    born    Nov.    30,     1869. 


Bureau  County 

son    moved    on    a    farm     in     New 
Boston.   Mo.,   where  he  still  lives. 


CLAUS  J.  OBERG 

was  born  in  Sweden  Jan.  23,  1849. 
After  having  had  a  coninion  school 
education  in  Sweden,  he  emigrated 
to  the  United  Slates  in  1867, 
landing  at  Castle  Garden  June  3. 
At  once  he  went  to  Princeton  and 
worked  on  Eaton's  farm  until 
1870.  On  Feb.  26  of  that  year 
he  married  Jennie  Fogelberg.  He 
rented  a  farm  for  two  years,  after 
which  he  bought  one.  He  tilled 
the  soil  for  twelve  years,  and  tlien 
sold  his  latest  acqnired  farm  and 
went  into  the  grocery  business 
with  Andrew  Johnson.  This  en- 
terprise was  sold  three  years  later. 


Cl,.\lS  J.  (lltKKO 

Mr.  Oberg  tiiereupon  rented  a  240 
acre    farm    for    several  veurs,  and 


Their  eldest    children  are    Mildred  subsequently    bought  a  farm   near 

Eveline,    Walter     V.,     Ivlkn     Ma\-  Princeton,  which  he  cultivateil  for 

and    Elorcnce     Margaret.  five  years.      In    1S98  he    bought   a 

In  tjie  spring   of   1404   Mr.  Nel-  meat   m.\ikvl   in    I'rinceloii,  wliicli. 


Princeton 


'31 


with  the  aid  of  his  son,  C.  K. 
Oberg,  has  been  conducted  with 
marked  success. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Oberg  belong  to 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church. 
They  have  two  daughters  and 
one  son. 

Mr.  Oberg  Iielongs  to  the  Swed- 
ish Republican  Club  of  Bureau 
county. 

C.  ENOCH  OBERG 

was  born  in  Princeton,  111.,  July 
15.    '''^77-      His    parents    are    Mr. 


C.   ENOCH    OBERG 

and  Mrs.  Claus  J.  Oberg  of  that 
city.  He  attended  school  until 
fifteen,  after  that  he  assisted  on 
the  farm.  During  the  winter 
months  he  attended  the  Princeton 
Business  College.  When  in  the 
spring  of  1898  his  father  bought 
a  meat  market,  the  son  learned  the 
trade  of  meat  cutting  and  has  now 
been  admitted  to  a  partnership, 
the  name  of  the  firm  being  Oberg 
&  Son. 


C.  Enoch  Oberg  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Ivdith  Wright  on  Jan. 
I,  lyoo.  A  daughter  was  born  to 
them  on  May   17,    1902. 

Mr.  Oberg  belongs  to  the  Swed- 
ish Republican  Club  of  Princeton. 

GUSTAF  PETERSON 

was  born  Dec.  9,  1844,  in   Kafsjo, 
Smaland,    Sweden.       His     father, 


GUST.iF  PETERSON 

Peter  Magnus  Peter.son,  was  born 
in  1S05  and  died  in  1852.  His 
mother,  Stina  Bengtson,  was  born 
in  1S04  and  died  in  1.S54.  Gus- 
taf's  earlj'  education  was  obtained 
in  the  Swedish  public  schools.  He 
emigrated  to  America  in  i''^69, 
landing  on  June  2.  For  a  time 
he  lived  in  Chicago,  but  moved 
in  1S76  to  Princeton,  where  he 
has  been  successful  as  a  carpenter 
contractor  and   builder. 

Mr.  Peterson  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Alma  Larson  on  Dec. 
26,  1884.  She  was  born  in  Borgs- 
tina    parish,   Vestergotland,    Aug. 


'32 


Bureau  Countv 


31,  1857.  A  daughter,  Hulda 
Christina,  was  born  to  them  March 
18,  1886,  and  died  Aug.  15.  1906. 
The   mother   died  Sept.  29,   1887. 

On  Aug.  28,  1895,  Mr.  Peter- 
son was  married  to  Maria  Carolina 
Erickson,  born  in  Hadinge,  Kaf- 
sjo  parish,  Snialand.  Three  chil- 
dren resulted  from  this  union. 
Ernest  Caleb  Adolphus,  born  May 
5,  1896,  Alice  Elizabeth.  Oct.  22, 
1897, and  Maria  Carolina  Ruth,  July 
14,  1900.  Their  mother  died  Nov. 
4,   1900. 

Mr.  Peterson  belongs  to  the 
Swedish  Congregational  Church, 
in  which  he  has  held  several  of- 
fices of  trust.  He  has  been  a 
citizen  since  1876  and  is  a  Repub- 
lican. 


He  has  always  been  a  straight 
Republican  in  jwlitics  and  is  proud 
of  the  fact.     He   has    been  assist- 


CHARLES  G.  SWANSON, 
born  in  Vestergotland,  Sweden, 
Sept.  24,  1832,  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  in  the  spring  of 
1864  and  settled  in  Princeton, 
where,  after  having  been  in  busi- 
ness as  a  boot  and  shoe  dealer, 
he  later  engaged  in  fruit  rais- 
ing. He  is  a  member  of  the  Mis- 
sion Church,  in  which  he  has 
served  successively  as  president, 
treasurer,  trustee,  and  deacon. 


CHARLES  G.  SWANSON 

ant  supervisor  of  Princeton  town- 
ship for  more  than  fourteen  years. 
Mr.  Swanson  was  married  Dec. 
23,  1855,  to  Miss  Mary  Johnson, 
the  union  having  been  blessed  with 
five  children,  all  living.  The  three 
sons  are  now  living  in  Aurora, 
Hamilton  co..  Neb.,  one  daughter 
is  married  and  lives  on  a  farm 
near  Princeton,  while  the  other 
daughter  lives  at  home  with  the 
parents. 


Winnebago   County 


ROCKFORD 


ANDREW    J.   ANDERSON 
was  born  in  the  city  of   Rockford 
June  7,    1S62,   and    has    made  tliis 


ANDREW    J.   ANDERSON 

city  his  home,  with  the  exception 
of  one  year,  spent  in  Texas.  He 
is  of  Swedish  descent,  his  father, 
Jonas  P.  Anderson,  being  a  native 
of  Rydaliolni,   Sweden. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  educated  in 
the  city  schools  and  took  a  course 
in  the  Rockford  Business  College. 
He  was  first  employed  in  the 
mechanical  department  of  the 
Rockford  Watch  factory,  where 
he  remained  .several  years. 

In  18S1  the  Excelsior  Furniture 
Co.  was  organized  with  a  cap- 
ital of  $50,000,  and  Mr.  An- 
derson was  made  its  secretary  and 
treasurer,  which  position  he  held 
for  eight  years. 

In  iSgo  he  opened  an  ofBce  at 
421    E.   State    St.,   where    he  con- 


ducted a  real  estate,  loan  and  in- 
surance business. 

In  January,  1898,  he  was  made 
.secretary  and  treasurer  of  the 
Union  Overalls  Co.,  which  position 
he  has  filled  with  marked  succe.ss 
and  still  holds.  He  had  charge 
of  a  large  manufacturing  plant  in 
Texas  during  the  year  1.S96,  after 
which  he  returned  to  Rockford. 

He  served  in  the  city  council 
as  alderman  of  the  2d  ward  dur- 
ing the  years  i 890-1 895,  and  was 
reelected  again  in   1903. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  a  member  of 
the  Republican  State  Central  Com- 
mittee of  Illinois  1903-1904. 

In  1904  he  was  elected  to  the 
state  senate. 

He  is  a  Knight  of  Pythias. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  married  to 
Miss  Hilnia  Johnson  Dec.  30,  1896, 
and  has  one  child,  a  son,  Howard 
Edmund.  The  famil}-  resides  at 
942  Kishwaukee  st. 

OSCAR  B.  ANDERSON 

hails  from  Kinna,  Vestergot- 
land,  Sweden,  where  he  was  born 
Sept.  6,  1S62.  He  emigrated 
from  Sweden  in  1888  and  came  to 
Chicago,  obtaining  employment  as 
a  carpenter  in  the  Deering  Har- 
vester Works.  In  1S89  he  went 
to  work  as  a  stone-cutter,  a  trade 
more  to  his  liking.  In  the  fall 
of  1892  he  visited  his  old  home 
in  Sweden,  where  his  mother  and 
brother  were  still  living.  Return- 
ing to  Chicago  the  following  year 


136 


W'innebatio  County 


he  conducted  a  grocery  for  seven 
months,  but  a  preference  for  his 
old    business  reassjted  itself.     In 


OSCAR    B.    ANDERSON 

1895  he  established  himself  at 
5834  May  St.  as  a  cut-stone  con- 
tractor, removing  in  1901  to  5830 
-34  Centre  ave.  In  1904  he  re- 
moved to  Rockford,  where  he  is 
continuing  in  the  same  line  of 
business. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  married  Jan. 
12,  1895,  to  Aima  Ottilia  Seger- 
hammar,  born  Nov.  28,  1870,  in 
^"assemala,  \'immerby,  Snialand, 
her  father  being  John  I.  Seger- 
hamraar.  They  have  two  sons 
and  three  daughters,  born  as  fol- 
lows: Carl  Reinhold,  Oct.  22, 
1896;  Oscar  Wilhelm,  May  8,  1898; 
Ivdith  Sophia,  July  22,  1900;  Vio- 
let Ottilia,  Nov.  22,  1903,  and 
Alice  Enielia  Josephina,  April  26, 
1907. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  ,\n(lerson  arc 
active  workers  in  the  Zion  Swi-d- 
i.sli  Lutheran  Cliuixh. 


ALFRED  APPELL 

was  born  in  Lynn  township.  Knox 
county,  111.,  Jan.  12,  186.S.  He 
was  reared  on  the  farm  and  at- 
tended public  and  parochial  school, 
when  farm  work  permitted.  After 
his  confirmation  in  1SS3  he  was 
.sent  to  Augustana  College,  where 
he  matriculated  in  the  academic 
department.  Continuing  his  stud- 
ies for  seven  years,  he  graduated 
with  the  college  class  of  1890. 
He  then  went  to  Yale,  where  he 
took  up  the  study  of  political 
economy  and  sociology  under  the 
direction  of  Professors  William  G. 
Sunnier  and  Arthur  T.  Hadley 
and  philosophy  and  petlagogy  un- 
der Prof.  George  T.  Ladd.      In  ad- 


Al.l'KHIl  AIM'lil.l. 

dition,  he  attended  the  instruclion 
in  biblical  exegesis  \n  Dr.  W.  R. 
Harper  and  the  John  Hall  lectures 
at   the  Vale   Divinity  School. 

Returning  to  Augustana  College 
in  1S91  he  i)iusued  theological 
studies,  also  taking  a  post-graduate 


Rocklord 


'.u 


course  in  economics,  United  States 
History  and  German.  In  1H92  he 
presented  his  thesis,  on  "The  The- 
ory of  Value,"  and  was  awarded 
the  master's  degree.  His  theolog- 
ical studies  completed  the  follow- 
ing year,  he  was  ordained  to  the 
ministry  on  a  call  from  the  Salem 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
Peoria. 

While  a  student,  he  preached 
and  taught  Swedish  parochial 
school  in  various  localities  and  at 
college  was  frequently  called  upon 
to  assist  in  teaching  Prof.  William- 
son's classes  in  mathematics. 

At  Peoria  Rev.  Appell  took 
charge  of  a  church  of  75  members, 
which  has  since  grown  to  about 
315  communicants  and  530  mem- 
bers all  told.  During  his  tenure 
an  attractive  church  edifice  was 
erected  at  a  net  cost    of    $15,000. 

In  1906  Rev.  Appell  accepted  a 
call  from  the  Illinois  Conference 
Board  to  take  up  missionary  work 
at  South  Park,  Rockford.  He 
organized  the  Salem  Swedish  Luth- 
eran Church,  which  now  numbers 
over  200  communicants. 

In  1895  Rev.  Appell  was  offered 
the  chief  editorship  of  Hemlaudet, 
which  he  declined,  not  desiring  to 
change  his  calling.  He,  however, 
about  the  same  time  became  finan- 
cial editor  of  Nya  Picsscn,  pub- 
lished in  Moline  for  the  campaign 
of  1895-96,  a  work  that  did  not 
interfere  with  his  pastoral  duties. 
In  the  spring  of  1896  he  pul)li.shed 
a  64-page  booklet  on  "The  Monej- 
Question,"  which  was  put  out  in 
both  a  Swedish  and  an  English 
edition. 


In  local  politics  Rev.  Appell 
takes  an  active  part  and  has  fre- 
quently served  as  a  delegate  to 
city  and  coiuity  conventions.  He 
aided  in  the  organization  of  the 
Swedish  -  American  Repulilican 
League  of  Illinois,  has  been  chosen 
one  of  its  vice-presidents,  and  was 
a  member  for  years  of  the  Kicka- 
poo  Club,  a  Republican  organiza- 
tion in  Peoria. 

As  a  churchman  his  activity  has 
brought  him  forward  at  various 
points.  He  has  served  as  chair- 
man of  the  Peoria  Ministerial  As- 
sociation, embracing  all  Protestant 
clergymen  in  the  city:  in  1902  he 
was  elected  secretary  of  the  Illi- 
nois Conference,  twice  reelected 
and  subsequentlj'  made  vice-pres- 
ident of  the  Conference  in  1905, 
being  reelected  in  1906.  He  is 
one  of  the  editors  of  the  l.iilhcran 
Lesson  Quarterly,  issued  by  the 
General  Council,  which  in  1905 
elected  him  its  Swedish  corres- 
ponding .secretary  and  reelected 
him  in  1907.  He  was  also  chosen 
a  member  of  its  board  of  "Sunday 
school  work."  He  has  made 
niunerous  contributions  to  the 
churchlj^  as  well  as  the  secular 
press.  In  1892  he  was  chosen 
councilor  of  the  American  Insti- 
tute of  Civics. 

June  6,  1906,  Rev.  Apjjell  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Miss  Alice 
Rohlen  of  Rockford,  who  is  a 
graduate  of  the  high  school  of 
Rockford  and  the  normal  depart- 
ment of  Augustana  College  and 
who  taught  for  three  years  in  the 
Brown  public  school  in  Rockford. 


138 

AUGUST  E.  BARGREN. 

Chief    of    Police    of    the    city    of 
Rockford.    came    to    that    city    in 


AUGUST   E.   BARGREN 

i86S,  when  five  years  of  age,  and 
has  resided  there  ever  since.  He 
vras  bom  March  i,  1S63.  His 
father,  John  Peter  Bargren,  died 
in  Rockford  in  1894.  After  at- 
tending the  graded  schools  until 
twelve  years  old,  young  Bargren 
worked  in  a  candy  factory  until 
the  age  of  twenty,  then  opened  a 
confectionery  store  of  his  own  and 
conducted  the  business  for  two 
years.  He  next  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  the  United  States  Express 
Co.,  remaining  for  three  >ears, 
and  was  tlien  with  the  Adams 
Express  Co.  for  two  years.  When 
he  quit  their  service  as  messenger 
he  joined  the  police  department  as 
a  patrolman.  In  1894,  after  four 
years  of  service  on  the  force,  he 
was  apjjointed  Chief  of  Police,  a 
position     he    still    retains,    hiving 


Winnebago  County 

Ijeen  reappointed  by  ever\-  succeed- 
ing administration. 

Mr.  Bargren  is  a  member  of  the 
First  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
Rockford  and  of  a  number  of  fra- 
ternal orders,  including  B.  P.  O. 
Elks,  the  Modern  Woodmen, 
Royal  Arcanum,  Arclucan  Union 
No.  I,  Rockford  Germania  Turn- 
Verein  Club,  the  Red  Men  and 
the    Svea    Soner    Singing  Society. 

May  2.S,  1883,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Josephine  Spencer,  daugh- 
ter of  Alexander  and  Mary  Will- 
iams Spencer  of  Beloit,  Wis.  Their 
children  are  Howard  Spencer,  born 
1886,    and     Lucile  ^Isabelle,     boni 

FREDERICK  BENGTSON. 

dealer  in  men's  furnishing  goods, 
was  born  near   Goteborg,  Sweden, 


kki;iii;rick  bengtson 

April  2,  1 866.  When  he  was 
one  year  old  his  parents,  Andrew 
A.  Bengtson,  deceased  March  1, 
1887,  and  Lottie  I.,  emigrated  to 
America  settling  in  Rockford. 
After  attending  public  .school  Mr. 
Bengtson  for  his  busine.ss  train- 
ing took  a  course  in  a  commercial 
college,  before  engaging  in  actual 
business.  His  fraternal  afliliations 
are  with  the  Knights  of    Pythias. 


Rockford 


'39 


In  the  late  nineties  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Hattie  L.  Huldt, 
who  was  born  in  Rockford,  Nov. 
23,  1872.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren. 

NEI.S  J.   HILLSTROM, 
inventor     and      foreman      of      the 
East    Rockford    Machine    Works, 


^■fl^R 

NELS  J.   BILI.STRO-M 

was  born  in  the  city  of  Malmo, 
Sweden,  Dec.  15,  1856.  In  1880, 
at  the  age  of  twenty-four,  he 
came  to  the  United  States  after 
having  received  an  elementary- 
schooling  in  the  old  country. 
His  father,  Nels  Billstrom,  is  a 
building  contractor  of  Malmo. 
Mr.  Billstrom  located  in  St.  Paul, 
but  has  lived  in  Rockford  the 
greater  part  of  the  time  since 
emigrating.  For  more  than  six- 
teen years  he  has  been  foreman 
of  the  aforesaid  machine  works. 
During  this  time  he  has  employed 


great    improvement    on    the    older  1 
ones     and     requires     less     motive  | 
power.     Another  invention  of    his  I 
is  a  glueing  plant  carrier  for    use  ] 
in  furniture    factories.     He    holds  i 
patents  for  both  machines,    which  1 
are    manufactured     at     the     East  , 
Rockford     works     and      both      in 
actual    use.     Mr.     Billstn'im     was  | 
married  at   Rockford,   in   1881,    to 
.Anna  Mathilda  OLson.     They  have 
four    children,     Emma,     Gunhild, 
F'lorence  and  Edna.  ; 

CARL  O.  CARLSON 

was  born  July    12,    1865,    in  Sjoa- 
malen,   Askeryd  parish,    Smaland. 
Sweden.    Finishing  common  school 
at  the  age    of    fifteen    he    worked  1 
for  five  j'ears  in  Sweden  at   home  ' 
on    the    farm     and    as    carpenter. 


C.\RL  O.   CARL.SON 


He  came  to  this  country  in  18S5, 
and  worked  for  a  time  in  the 
his  inventive  talent  to  good  pur-  Wells  and  France  car  shops  in 
pose.  He  has  invented  a  new  Chicago.  Thereafter  he  was  farm- 
barb    wire    machine    which    is    a      ing     near     Marathon,     Iowa,    for 


I40 


Winnebago  County 


two  years,  but  returned  to  Chi- 
cago in  1.SS7,  and  took  an  agency 
for  real  estate.  When  the  Svea 
Building  and  Loan  Association 
was  organized,  he  became  one  of 
the  charter  members,  and  accepted 
the  position  of  general  agent. 
He  worked  in  that  vocation  for  a 
number  of  years,  and  was 
one  of  the  directors  of  the  as- 
sociation. He  also  was  one  of 
the  organizers  of  the  Svea  Land 
Colonj',  whose  principal  land- 
holdings  are  at  Silverhill,  Ala- 
bama. 

Now  he  resides  at  Rockford 
where  he  is  in  the  real  estate 
and  land  business.  He  is  a  nieml)er 
of  the  First  Lutheran  Church 
of  Rockford. 

Mr.  Carlson  was  married  Oct. 
26,  1889,  to  Miss  Kaller,  born  in 
A.skeryd,  Smaland,  June  5,  1866. 
Their  children  are:  O.scar  Arthur, 
born  1 89 1,  and  Alfhild  Eliza- 
beth,   1894. 

AUGUvST   P.    FLOBERG, 

l)ank  cashier  and  well-known  as 
a  business  man  and  churchman, 
was  born  at  Hellestad,  Vester- 
gbtland,  Sweden,  Oct.  5,  1856. 
In  July,  1868,  he  came  to  Rock- 
ford from  his  native  land  and 
has  made  this  city  his  home 
ever  after.  He  obtained  his  ed- 
ucation in  the  Rockford  .schools. 
From  his  >'outh  a  member  of 
the  First  Swedish  Lutheran  Church, 
he  has  served  that  church  as 
trustee  and  treasurer  continuous- 
ly .since  1876.  When  the  Manu- 
facturers' National  Hank  was  es- 
tablished   in     1889,   Mr.     Floberg 


became  its  cashier.  This  bank  is 
now  one  of  the  strongest  in  the 
cit\\  its  dejKJsits  aggregating  over 


Ar.-.rsr  i-.  1  1.1  miiKr. 

one  million  dollars.  Mr.  Flol>erg 
is  affiliated  with  no  organizations 
l)esides  his  church  and  his  busi- 
ness connections. 

CHARLES   A.  FORSBERG, 

proprietor  of  the  East  Rockford 
Machine  Works,  hails  from  Skar- 
hult,  Skane,  Sweden,  where  he 
was  born  Sept.  2,  185(1.  His  par- 
ents were  Gustaf  Forsl>erg,  a  black- 
smith, and  his  wife  Carolina,  nee 
Lindstedt.  After  attending  public 
schools  in  his  home  parish  he 
learned  the  machinist's  tratle  and 
worked  at  it  in  Sweden  and  later 
in  Chicago,  where  he  located  after 
emij^rating  in  i8,So.  Having  lK.-vn 
employed  in  different  inacliine 
shops  in  Chicago  for  a  nunilK-r  of 
years,  lie  came  to  Rockford  in  1S.S7 
and  here  started  the  ICast  R<x'k- 
ford  Machine  Works.     This  plant 


Rock  lord 


141 


has  now  some  thirty  workmen  and  as  a  Mission  preacher  in  Rot-kford. 
makes  a  specialty  of  hij;h  grade  After  two  years'  service  here,  he 
barl)ed  wire  and  wire  netting  ma-      went  in  turn    to    Paxton,   Moline, 


CHAKI.ICS    A.    FORSBERG 

chinery.  Their  goods  are  in  use 
in  all  parts  of  the  country.  Mr. 
Forsberg  is  an  al)le  machinist,  who 
has  made  and  patented  se\'eral  val- 
ual)le  inventions.  He  was  married 
in  Rockford  Oct.  S,  18.S1,  to  Emma 
Anderson,  born  in  Orebro,  Sweden, 
Oct.  9,  1S5S.  Tiiej-  have  six 
children,  Gerda,  Gustaf,  PVitz,  Ol- 
ga,   Mary  and  Edith. 

JOHN  GUSTAFSON 

was  born  April  15,  1828,  in  Sma- 
land,  Sweden.  The  circumstances 
in  his  home  compelled  him  at  an 
early  age  to  earn  his  own  li\ing. 
He  learned  the  carpenter's  trade, 
at  which  he  worked  until  emi- 
grating to  this  country  in  1871, 
and  continued  here  for  eight  years 
more.  His  special  talent  as  a  Gos- 
pel teacher  and  the  demand  for 
ministers  cau.sed  him  to  be   called 


JOHN  GUSTAFSON 

and  Muskegon,  and  finalh-  to  Ev- 
anston,  where  he  closed  his  career 
as  a  pastor.  He  is  now  retired 
and  lives  with  his  children  in 
Rockford. 

CHARLES  A.  HADDORFF 

was  bom  in  Sweden  Feb.  2,  1S64. 

May  28,  1892,  he  landed  on  Amer-  , 

ican    .soil,  fitted    for    practical    life  ] 

by  good  training  in  several  schools  I 

in    the    land  of   his  birth.     Before  ; 

locating  permanently  in  Rockford,  , 

he  lived  for  some  time  in  each  of  | 
the  cities   of    Miiuieapolis  and   St. 
Paul,   Minn.,   and  Oregon,    111. 

Mr.  Haddorff  is  a  piano  manu-  1 
facturer  and  has  been  successful  , 
in  his  line,  as  the  Haddorff  Piano 
Co.  is  one  of  the  large  industries  | 
of  Rockford.  He  is  a  Baptist  in  j 
faith    and    belongs    to    the    First  j 


142 


Winnebago  Count}^ 


Swedisli   Baptist  Cluirch.  in  which 


CHARLES  A.    HAUDOkFF 

he    has    served    maiij-    \ears    as    a 
deacon  and  trustee. 


CHARLES  W.  HOLMgUIST, 
dealer  in  coal  and  wood,  was  horn 
in    Rockford    June    3,    1S75.     His 


business  training  in  the   Rockford 
Business  College. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Eman- 
uel Lutheran  Church,  and  of  the 
Rockford  lodge  of  the  Order  of 
Columbian   Knights. 


GIDEON    A.  HOLMQl'IST, 

coal  merchant,  is  a  native  of  the 
city,  being  born  in  Rockford  Nov. 
10,  1S73.  He  is  the  son  of  John 
Holinquist  and  his  wife,  Julia. 
The     elder     Holniquist    came     to 


c-.IIiEON  AMANDUS  HOLMQITIST 

Rockford  36  years  ago.  He  l)e- 
canie  a  coal  dealer  and  succeeded 
in  building  up  a  comfortable  bu.s- 
incss,  which  is  now  conducted  by 
the  son. 

('..  .\.  Holniquist  is  married  to 
Maude  .Mmeda,  daughter  of  Mal- 
colm Carlson.  She  was  lM)rn  Nov. 
?,,  '•'^jy.  '"  I'eKalb.  Having  fin- 
ished high  .school  there,  she  pur- 
CHAK1.15S  w.  iiDi.Mui'isT  sued  tlic  studv  of  miisic  at  Water- 

elementar\-  education  was  obtained      man      Hall.     S>camore,     and     has 
in    tin-    common    schools    and    his      given  nutsic    lessons    herself    from 


Rockford 


'43 


her  sixtet-iitli  year.  The  faiiiilv 
belongs  to  the  First  Lutheran 
Church. 

ANDREW  C.  JOHNSON, 

the  first  Swedish  furniture  manu- 
facturer of   Rockford,    was  born  in 


ANDREW   C.    loHNSilX 

Tornerj'd,  Blekinge,  Sweden,  Aug. 
1 6,  1836.  His  parents  were  Carl 
Jonsson,  a  farmer,  and  his  wife, 
Lena  Persson.  The  parents  with 
their  four  sons  emigrated  in  1854, 
and  after  living  for  a  few  months 
at  St.  Charles,  settled  permanent- 
ly in  Rockford  in  June,    1855. 

In  1865,  ISIr.  Johnson,  who  had 
learned  the  cabinetmaker's  trade 
after  coming  to  Rockford,  went 
into  partnership  with  John  Nel- 
son, the  inventor,  and  Gustaf 
Hollem,  for  the  manufacture  of 
sash,  doors  and  blinds.  After 
four  years  Mr.  Johnson  bought 
out  his  partners  and  conducted 
the  business  as  sole  proprietor. 
At    this    juncture    he    began    in  a 


small  way  to  make  furniture,  and 
in  1871  as.sociated  himself  with 
J.  P.  Anderson,  this  firm  devel- 
oping the  furniture  branch  of  the 
business  so  as  to  enter  the  general 
market.  In  1873  L.  D.  Upham 
was  taken  into  the  firm  and  a 
factory  was  erected  on  the  pre.sent 
site  of  the  Central  Furniture  Com- 
pany's plant.  In  1874  Mr.  John- 
.sold  his  interest,  his  successor 
being  E.  L.  Herrick.  The  .same 
year  the  late  Mr.  Cuthbert  Wood- 
ruff became  interested  in  this  in- 
dustry and  in  1875  the  Forest  | 
City  Furniture  Co.  was  organized, 
with  Mr.  Johnson  as  superintend- 
ent. This  was  the  pioneer  fur- 
niture factorv  in  Rockford  and 
■ 

Mr.  John.son    remained    as    super-  1 
intendent     for     a      long      period.  I 
When  he  retired  from  active  work 
he  still   retained  a  financial    inter- 
est in   the  plant. 

Mr.  John.son  was  first  married 
in    i860.      From  that    union    there 
survives  a  son,  Theodore,  married 
to  Miss  Jennie  Lindstrom  of  Rock-  I 
ford.      Mr.     Johnson     was      again 
married  June  4,     1S75,    to    Hilma  1 
Augusta  Zellen  of    Rockford.     In  1 
this     marriage     there     are      three 
daughters.    Alma     Olivia,     Mabel 
Frances    Dorothea    and    Winifred 
Eugenia. 

Mr.   Johnson  has  been  connected 
with  the    First    Lutheran    Church 
of  Rockford  since   1.^55  and  served 
several  years  as  a    member    of    its 
board  of  deacons.     In    the   seven- 
ties he   was  elected  supervisor     of  j 
the  city.     He  lives    in    retirement  | 
and    with    his    famil>-    occupies    a  1 
comfortable  home  at   100  Sixth  st. 


144 


Winnebago  Countj'" 


WILLIAM  JOHNSON,  has    served    eiKht    years     in     the 

who    carries    on    a    lucrative    real      "^o""*^"'   '^'^^■■"S    l^en  elected   four 
estate  business,  was  born  in  Odes-      '""^^'^  '"  "^"ccession. 

GUSTAF  E.  JOHNSON. 

jiartner  of  his  younger  brother  in 
the  law  firm  of  Johnson  &  Johnson, 
was  born  in  Chicago  Nov.  i,  1874. 
He  spent  his  boyhood  on  his  fa- 
ther's farm  in  Champaign  county, 
111.,  working  during  the  summer 
and  attending  public  school  in  the 
winter  months.  In  the  spring  of 
1S99  he  entered  the  law  offices  of 
Kerr  and  Lindley  at  Paxton  and 
was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  May, 
1902.      In    the    fall    of    the    same 


\VI1.1.1.\.\I    JOH.\S(I.N 

hog,  Linkopings  Ian,  Sweden,  Ma>- 
I,  1849.  On  his  2ist  birthday  he 
landed  in  this  country,  and  lived 
for  some  time  in  New  York  and 
Chicago  Ijefore  settling  in  Rock- 
ford.  His  education  was  acquired 
in  the  public  schools  of  Sweden 
and  in  an  American  commercial 
college. 

Mr.  JolinsDH  has  been  active  in 
church  and  political  circles  alike, 
being  a  trustee  of  the  l'"irst  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church  for  a  number 
of  years  and  having  served  several 
terms  in  the  city  council.  He 
was  first  elected  alderman  of  the 
Second   ward    in   .April,    1S99,   and 


l.USTAK    K.  JdH.NSO.N 

year  he  formed  a  law  partnership 
with  his  brother  William  at  K<K"k- 
ford,  where  the  latter  had  opened 
a  law  office  the  year  before.  Mr. 
Johnson  is  a  Lutlieran  in  faith. 

NILS  r.  JOHNSON, 

merchant  tailor,  was  Ixirn  at  Hjorts- 
hilg,    Sk:\ue,    Sweden,    Marcli    22, 


Rockford 


'45 


i860.  He  came  over  to  this  coun- 
try in  May,  iSSi,  and  settled  in 
this  city.      He  has  a  pulilic  scliool 


NILS   PETER  JOHNSON 

education,  acquired  in  the  place 
of  his  birth.  May  <S,  1S.S3,  four 
years  after  his  arrival  in  Rockford, 
he  was  married  here  to  Ingrid 
Lindstrom  from  Hjerup,  Skane, 
born  April  2,  1S63.  The  couple 
have  two  sons,  George  Algot  and 
Albin  Leonard.  Mr.  Johnson  has 
conducted  a  tailoring  establishment 
for  a  number  of  3'ears.  In  his 
religious  convictions  he  is  a  Meth- 
odist, and  has  served  the  local 
Swedish  M.  E.  church  for  some 
time  as  a  trustee. 


WILLIAM  JOHNSON, 

member  of  the  law  firm  of  John- 
sou  &  Johnson,  was  born  in  Chi- 
cago Oct.  23,  1876.  While  he 
yet  was  of  tender  age,  his  parents 
moved  to  a  farm  in  Champaign 
county.  111.,  where  he  grew  to 
rugged    manhood    performing    the 


duties  incumbent  on  tlie  boy  of 
the  farm  and  attending  the  ]niblic 
.scliools  in  winter. 

He  matriculated  in  the  law  clas.s 
of  the  Northern  Illinois  College  of 
Law  at  Dixon,  111.,  Sept.  i,  1897, 
and  successfully  pursued  the  course 
of  legal  study  prescribed  by  the 
college  and  graduated  with  honor 
in  the  post-graduate  class  in  May. 
n)<x),  receiving  the  degree  of  LL. 
M.  (Master  of  Laws).  In  con- 
junction with  his  law  course  he  was 
under  the  instruction  and  in  the 
law  office  of  H.  A.  Brooks,  a  prac- 
ticing attornej'  of  Dixon.  111.  for  a 
period  of  two  years. 

While  attending  college  he  took 
a  ver\-  prominent    part    in   society 


WI1,I,I.\.\I   JOHNSON 

work,  debating  and  parliamentarj- 
law,  is  a  ver^^  fluent  speaker  and 
has  a  diploma  from  the  Dixoti 
College  of  Oratory. 

He  successfullj-  passed  his  ex- 
amination for  admission  to  the 
bar    held   at    Mt.   Vernon,    111.,  in 


146 


Winnebago  County 


December,    1900,  and    was   during     and  express  service  in    1.S77.     He 
that    month    admitted    to    practice      has  Ijeen  a  member  of  the  Rcpiih- 


law  at  the  bar. 

During  the  latter  part  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1901,  he  opened  a  law  office 
at  527  Seventh  St.,  Rockford,  and, 
although  a  stranger  in  the  city, 
managed  from  the  start  to  build 
up  a  satisfactory  law  practice,  and 
in  September,  1902,  formed  a  law 
partnership  with  his  brother  under 
the  firm  name  of  Johnson  &  John- 
son, who  are  at  present  enjo>ing 
a  good  practice. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  and  of  the  orders 
of  Odd  Fellows  and  Knights  of 
Pythias. 

GUSTAF  JOHNSON, 

Chief  Deputy  Sheriff  for  more 
than  ten  years,  was  born  in  the 
pari.sh  of  Rydaholm,  Smaland, 
Sweden,  Sept.  26,  1852.  His  par- 
ents were  Johannes  Gabrielson 
and  Martha  C.  Anderson,  farmer 
folk  of  Rydaholm.  After  some 
schooling  in  Sweden  he  continued 
his  studies  in  the  public  .schools 
and  at  Arnold's  Business  College 
in  Rockford  where  the  family 
located  after  emigrating  in  1.S6S. 
He  is  married  to  Anna  C.  John- 
son, born  Oct.  S,  1856,  daughter 
of  Olof  John.son,  a  farmer  of 
Mjelldrunga  parish,  VcstergiJtland, 
their  wedding  being  celebrated 
Sept.  19,  1877.  The  couple  have 
had  four  children,  William  C>. 
and  F>nest  V.,  twins;  Arthur  L. 
and  Edna  B.,  deceased.  Mr.  John- 
son carries  on  a  large  express 
business,  l)egun  in  a  small  way 
when    he   established    a    bus    line 


lican  county  central  committee  for 


r.rsT.vF  luHSSOS 
more  than  fifteen  years  and  has 
often  been  a  delegate  to  state 
conventions.  From  its  organiza- 
tion until  1902,  when  he  declined 
the  place,  he  was  an  officer  of 
the  Swedish-.\merican  Republican 
State  League  of  Illinois.  Mr. 
Johnson  is  financially  inlerestetl 
in  man>-  business  concerns.  lH.Mng 
a  stockholder  and  director  in  the 
Swedish  Building  and  Loan  .Vs- 
sociation,  the  Tnioii  C.nx-erx  Com- 
pan>-,  Scantlia  Hardware  Company 
and  Rockford  Furniture  and  Un- 
dertaking Conipiiny.  He  Ik-Iouj;-. 
to  the  First  Lutheran  Church  .iml 
to  the  Modern  VVootlmen  of 
.\nierica. 

i>f:r  gottfrid  laon 

was  born  in  Alsjiter,  Siiderman- 
land,  NLarch  6,  1S67.  He  was 
educated  at  the  Carolinian  medical 
institute  <if  Stoikliiilm  and    sul>se- 


Rock  ford 


'47 


qiiciilly  was  assistant  at  the  Sera- 
timer  Lasarc'tt.  Having  also  stud- 
ied    dental     su\[gery     in    the    old 


PKR   GOTTFKlIi   l.AON 

couutrj-,  he  came  to  Chicago  i" 
iSg3  and  here  coiitimied  his  stud- 
ies at  the  Xortluvestern  School  of 
Dental  Surgery,  ijraduating  in 
1S95.  Prior  to  graduation  he  was 
assistant  in  the  dental  office  of 
Dr.  P.  Win.  Thorelius.  In  1.S97 
he  located  in  Rock  ford,  where  he 
is  the  only  Swedish  dentist  and 
enjoys  an  e.Klensive  practice.  In 
1895  li*^  was  married  to  Miss 
Hattie  Anderson  of  Marinette, 
Wisconsin. 


ALFRED  G.  LARSON, 

mason  contractor  and  builder, 
came  to  the  United  States  in  iSy.S 
from  Sweden,  where  he  was  horn 
Sept.  5,  1857,  in  Warnum 
parish,  in  the  Ian  of  Elf.sborg. 
His  father  had  gone  to  the 
United  States  in  1S66  and  three 
years    later    .sent     for     his     wife, 


leaving  the  boy  of  twelve  to 
shift  for  himself  among  relatives 
and  strangers  for  nine  years. 
He  learned  the  stonecutter's  trade 
in  the  ineanliiue,  and  in  October, 
iSj.s,  rejoined  his  parents,  arriv- 
ing at  their  home  in  Walnut, 
Hureau  county,  111.  In  issi  he 
removed  to  Rockford  to  take  up 
his  trade.  After  five  years  he 
engaged  in  general  contracting 
and  l)uilding,and  is  still  pursuing 
this  line  of  business.  He  was  mar- 
ried Oct.  6,  18X3.  to  Selma  J. 
Peterson;  they  have  had  in  all 
five  children,  the  oldest  two  d>- 
ing  in    infancy. 

Mr.  Larson  has  been  a  trustee  of 
the  First  Lutheran  Church  and   for 


.M.FKEli   C.    L.VKSON 

more  than  fourteen  years  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Svea  Soner  Singing 
Society:  has  been  a  menilK.'r  of  the 
Hoard  of  Supervisors  of  Winne- 
bago comity;  member  of  the  city 
council  of  Rockford  in  iSg.s-^g; 
member     of    the    executive     com- 


148 


Winnebago  County 


mittee   and    treasurer   of    the     Re-      decided  to   emigrate    to    America, 
publican  CountyCentral  Committee;      there  being  nothing  to    keep   him 


member  of  tlie  Librarv-  "Board, 
and  superintendent  of  streets,  ))Oth 
by  appointment,  and  secretarx- 
of  the  local  board  of  improve- 
ments. He  has  always  been  a 
Republican  and  takes  a  lively 
interest    in    public   afTairs. 

When  the  Scandia  Life  Insur- 
ance Co.  was  removed  from 
Galesburg  to  Chicago,  Mr.  Lar- 
son was  chosen  a  director:  in 
1905  he  was  elected  member  of 
the  board  of  managers  and  re- 
elected in  1906  for  a  three  j-ear 
term. 

ALBERT  LAWSON 

was  born  in  Rudskoga,  \'erm- 
land.  Sweden,  in  September,  1.S66, 
his  parents  then  being  farmers. 
When  he  was  three  years  old, 
his  mother  died.  The  father 
then  lost  interest  in  farming, 
sold  his  farm  and  went  back  to 
his  early  trade  as  house  builder. 
The  mechanical  trails  of  the 
father  manifested  themselves  early 
in  his  son  when  at  the  age  of 
six  years  he  was  found  working 
at  the  bench.  At  an  early  age, 
Mr.  Lawson  entered  the  Stenb\- 
sloyd  .school  in  X'estmanland  and 
there  took  up  a  course  of  sloyd. 
While  there  he  entered  the  em- 
ploy of  the  Stockholm,  \'esteras 
and  Bergslagen  Railway  Company 
and  worked  in  their  .shops  at  \'es- 
teras  between  terms  of  school.  In 
1879  he  was  confirmed  under  age  bj' 
sjjccial  pernii.ssioii  his  father  hav- 
ing been  dead  for  three  years. 
Shortly  after  the  confirmation    he 


in  his  native  land  after    both    his 


.\i.bi-;k  1   i,.\wsii.\ 

parents  were  gone.  Arriving  in 
this  country  in  1879,  he  went  to 
Perth  Amboy,  N.  V.  where  he 
remained  for  some  time  and  worked 
at  anything  he  could  get  to  do 
to  earn  a  living.  In  iSSo  he 
went  to  Minneapolis,  Mimi.,  where 
he  worked  in  different  capacities 
but  remained  in  the  employ  of 
the  D.  M.  Oillmore  Furniture 
Mfg.  Co.  for  over  six  years, 
which  was  the  real  beginning  of 
his  present  career.  He  also 
worked  for  the  Barnard  Coop. 
Furniture  Co.  of  the  same  place.  In 
iSSS  he  was  offered  a  position  as 
general  foreman  of  the  machine 
and  woodworking  liepartments  in 
the  factory  of  Muskegon  \'allcy 
F'urnilure  Co.,  Muskegon,  Mich., 
which  he  accepted  and  held  for 
eight  years.  From  that  ]>lace  he 
hireil  out  to  the    Michigan    Trust 


Rockford 


149 


Company  of  Grand  Rapids  Mich., 
which  at  that  time  oi)erated  a 
furniture  factory  at  Ionia,  Mich., 
where  Mr.  Lawson  held  the  po- 
sition a.s  general  foreman.  Ht 
next  took  a  position  with  tin- 
Connersville  Furniture  Mfg.  Co. 
of  Connersville,  Ind.  and  served 
in  the  capacity  of  superintendent 
for  the  machinery  and  woodwork- 
ing departments  in  their  large 
factory.  About  eight  years  ago 
Mr.  Lawson  received  an  offer  to 
go  to  Rockford,  111.,  to  become 
general  superintendent  and  de- 
signer for  the  large  factories  of 
the  Forest  City  Furniture  Co. 
This  position  Mr.  Lawson  still 
holds  and  it  is  probable  that  he 
will  make  Rockford  his  home  for 
the  future  as  he  has  acquired  a 
home  there,  the  comforts  of 
which  he  enjoys  together  with 
his  devoted  wife  and  one  son. 


discontinued  his  studies  and  went 
to  Cuba  and  Forto  Rico  as  a 
member    of    the   hospital  corps  of 


CARL  O.  E.  LOFGREN, 
established  in  Rockford  since  1901 
as  a  phj^sician  and  surgeon,  is  a 
native  of  this  state.  He  was  born 
in  Chicago  Feb.  27,  1874,  but  the 
j-ear  of  his  birth  the  family  moved 
to  Rockford,  where  his  father. 
Otto  Lofgren,  became  a  furniture 
factory  worker.  As  a  boy  he  at- 
tended public  school  and  was  em- 
ployed during  vacations  in  various 
stores  and  factories  here.  In  1891 
he  was  enrolled  at  Augustana  Col- 
lege. After  graduation  from  the 
college  he  taught  at  the  orphan- 
age in  Andover  for  a  year,  and  in 
1897  took  up  the  study  of  medi- 
cine at  the  University  of  Iowa. 
During    the    war    with    Spain    he 


C.\RL  OTTO   EMIL  I.OFGRES 

the  Sixth  Illinois  regiment.  After 
his  return  he  sf)ent  another  year 
in  the  medical  department  of  the 
University  of  Iowa,  but  completed 
the  course  at  the  Northwestern 
l^niversity  Medical  School.  After 
graduation,  he  returned  to  Rock- 
ford and  began  a  medical  and 
surgical  practice  in  his  home  city, 
meeting  with  eminent  success. 
May  4,  1893,  Mayor  C.  A.  Jack- 
son appointed  him  commi-ssioner 
of  health  for  the  city  and  he 
.ser\ed  until  May  4,  1907.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Spanish-Ameri- 
can War  Veterans'  Association, 
and  was  elected  department  sur- 
geon for  Illinois  in  1907,  and  is 
al.so  post  surgeon  of  the  Arthur 
E.  Fisher  Camp  No.  5  of  that 
organization.  Dr.  Lofgren  is  a 
member  of  the  Zion  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  and  of  the  Svea 


I50 


Winnebago   County 


Seiner    Sinjj'ing    Societ}-.     He  is   a 
Republican  but  no  j)olitician. 

On  June  7,  1905,  Dr.  Lofgren 
wedded  Miss  Alma  Kathrina, 
daughter  of  Nels  P.  and  Johanna 
Bengtson,  born  in  Sweden  Feb. 
'9.  '•'^73-  The}-  had  a  daughter. 
Kathrine  Eleonora,  born  on  June 
18,   1906,  but  died  Aug.  19,  1906. 


burg,  which  he  retained  until  his 
removal  to  Rockford  in  January, 
1890. 


ALFRED  T.  LINDGRKN, 
secretary-  of  the  Swedish  Building 
and  Loan  Association  and  organist 
of  the  First  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church,  is  a  native  of  Vestergiit- 
land,  Sweden,  where  he  was  born 
Jan.  15,  1852,  at  Lindasen,  Helle- 
stad  parish.  His  father,  Johannes 
Jonsson,  was  a  landowner  and  a 
clothing  merchant.  Both  ])arents 
passed  away  in  Sweden. 

Mr.  Lindgren  attended  public 
school  and  had  private  tuition  in 
Sweden  until  sixteen  years  old, 
when  he  came  to  the  United 
States,  locating  in  Galesburg.  By 
self-study  lie  acquired  English, 
then  took  a  business  course  and 
finall_\-  obtained  his  musical  edu- 
cation ill  the  Kiio.x  College  Con- 
servatory. I-'rom  186S  to  1890 
he  lived  in  Galesburg,  save 
for  the  year  187 1,  spent  in  Chi- 
cago as  a  grocer}'  salesman,  and 
two  years'  emploj-ment  iS!S7-S8 
in  the  office  of  the  general  super- 
intendent of  the  C.  B.  &  y.  R.   R. 

He  began  as  ofHce  l)oy  in  the 
office  of  the  division  superintend- 
ent at  Gale.sburg  in  1872  and  ad- 
vanced to  chief  clerk.  In  1S73 
he  assumed  llit-  ijosiliim  of  organ- 
ist and  choirmaster  of  the  l-'irsl 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in  Gales- 


AUFRED  THOHSTEX   LINDGREN 

In  Rockford,  Mr.  Lindgren  at 
once  took  the  position  of  secretary 
of  the  Swedish  Building  and  Loan 
Association,  which  he  has  held 
these  eighteen  years.  Simultane- 
ously he  accepted  a  call  to  become 
organist  of  the  First  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  in  this  city,  a 
position  also  retained  by  him  up 
to  the  pre.sent.  In  his  church  he 
has  been  a  meml)er  of  the  boarti 
of  trustees  since  1 896. 

Mr.  Lindgren  is  a  meml)er  of 
the  state  conunittee  inspecting 
alms  houses  and  jails  in  Winne- 
bago county. 

He  has  sought  recreation  and 
instruction  in  extensive  travel  in 
this  country  and  Knro]K\  Sweden 
in  jiarlicular. 

Mr.  Lindgren  is  a  man  of  be- 
nevolent spirit.  To  his  native  pa- 
rikh  he    has  donated  a  fund,   now 


Rock  ford 


15' 


exceeding  700  crowns,  toward  the 
purchase  of  an  organ  for  its  newly- 
erected  church  edifice.  More  than 
that,  lie  granted  the  parish  a  loan 
of  4,000  crowns  without  interest 
bj'  way  of  aiding  in  the  comple- 
tion of  the  structure. 

Jan.  25,  1882,  Mr.  Lindgren 
married  Miss  Nellie  Fredrika  Ol- 
.son,  daughter  of  Anders  and  Iiiga 
Ol.son  of  Knoxville,  111.,  born  Sept. 
19,  1 86 1.  They  have  an  only 
child,  Caroline.  She  is  a  devoted 
student  of  the  organ  and  of  sacred 
music  and  is  now  organist  of  the 
Centennial  M.  E.  Church  of  Rock- 
ford. 


Maria  Albertina  Lindstrom,  born 
Feb.  19,  1870,  at  Dunkahalla,  Jon- 
koping,  Smaland.      Their  children 


SWAN  O.  WIDELL, 

real  estate  dealer  and  justice  of 
the  peace,  has  lived  in  Rockford 
since  July  7,  1887,  when  he  came 
there  from  Sweden.  He  was  born 
in  Jarsnare  parish,  Smaland,  Dec. 
2,  1866,  and  attended  public 
.school  in  the  old  country,  where 
he  also  learned  the  cabinetmaker's 
trade.  His  father,  Sven  A.  Skarp, 
until  his  death  belonged  to  the 
Jonkoping  regiment  of  the  stand- 
ing army  of  Sweden.  He  died  in 
Forserum,  Smaland,  in  1891,  leav- 
ing a  widow  who  still  resides 
there.  When  Mr.  Widell  first 
came  to  Rockford  he  began  work 
as  cabinetmaker  at  the  Central 
Furniture  Company's  plant  and 
later  worked  at  the  Scandia  Fur 
niture  factory  until  1890  when  he 
engaged  in  the  realty  and  loan 
business  which  has  proven  more 
profitable. 

He   married  May     14,     1891,    to 


SWAN    O.   WIDIiLL 

are:  George  O.scar  Clarence,  Burt 
Leonard  and  Edna  Dorothea. 
The  family  are  members  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  and 
Mr.  Widell  is  a  singer  in  the 
Svea  Siiner  Singing  Society  and  of 
many  other  organizations.  He 
was  elected  justice  of  the  peace  in  I 
1900.  re-elected  in  1904  and  still 
holds  the  place,  with  his  office  at 
52.S  Seventh  st. 

JOHAN  V.  LUXDHOLM, 

proprietor  of  the  North  Star  Phar- 
macy, was  born  in  the  parish  of 
Morlunda,  Smaland,  Sweden,  Sept. 
II,  1S56.  At  nine  years,  he  lost 
his  father  by  death.  Having 
studied  at  the  collegiate  school  of] 
Kalmar  he  was  registered  as  a  | 
student  of  pharmacy  with  the  offi- 
cial apothecary  at  Hiigsby  in  1873. 


152 


Winnebago   County 


He  passed  the  examination  in 
1876  and  in  1X81  entered  the 
Pharmaceutical   Institute  of  Stock- 


JOllA.N    VICTOR   LUNDHOL.M 

hohn  and  there  graduated  as  a 
dispenser  and  pharmacist  in  1883. 
Finding  the  outlook  dark  owing 
to  the  slow  system  of  advance- 
ment prevalent  in  the  old  coun- 
try, he  left  Sweden  for  the  United 
States  in  1887.  For  a  short  time 
he  was  employed  at  Paxton,  then 
had  various  situations  in  Chicago. 
In  1S91  he  removed  to  Rockford 
and  the  following  year  he  pur- 
chased the  drug  store  known  as 
"Apoteket  Nordstjernan."  By 
hard  work  and  strict  business 
methods  he  has  succeeded  in  es- 
tablishing one  of  the  leading 
pharmacies  in  the  cil\-. 

Mr.  I.nndholm  has  been  twice 
niarried.  His  first  wife  was  Al- 
frida  Wirstedt  of  Chicago,  who 
died  there  in  1895.  There  were 
in  this  union  three  children,  of 
whom     two,     Sonja     Alfrida    and 


Joseph  Sebastian,  survive.  On 
June  19,  1901.  he  was  married  to 
Miss  Hilma  Esterquist  of  Chicago, 
born  May  17,  1S70.  Their  chil- 
dren are,  Stanley  Victor  Emanuel, 
born  1902,  and  Camilla  Ruth  Inge- 
borg,    1904. 

XELS  P.  NELSON, 

attorney  and  memlier  of  the  city 
council,  was  born  in  the  parish  of 
Eldsberga,  Halland,  Sweden,  Oct. 
23,  1S65.  His  parents.  Nils  and 
Petronella  Bengtsson,  who  were 
farmer  folk,  both  died  in  the  old 
country.  The  son  emigrated  in 
1885,  having  enjoyed  an  element- 
ary education  in  the  Swedish  com- 
mon schools. 

Mr.  Nelson    located  at  Putnam, 
111.,  and    there  worked  on  n  farm 


Nlil.S   rUTlik    NliLSON 

for  five  years.  Then  he  went  to 
the  state  of  Washington  and  for 
three  \ears  was  emploved  in  a 
sawmill,  of  wliich  his  brother, 
John    Nelson,     was     purl     owner. 


Rockford 


'53 


After  that  he  spent  a  year  in  the 
mountains  of  Idaho,  riding  the 
range.  While  occupied  as  a  covv- 
l)oy  and  rancher  he  also  tried  pros- 
pecting, but  with  indifferent  suc- 
cess. He  returned  to  Illinois  in 
1893  to  get  a  glimpse  at  the 
World's  Fair  at  Chicago,  then 
went  back  to  Putnam  and  farmed 
for  another  year  in  that  locality. 
Ill  January,  1895,  he  entered  Au- 
gustana  College  and  pursued  an 
eclectic  course  there  until  the 
spring  of  1.S99,  when  he  assumed 
temporary  charge  of  a  church  in 
Buffalo,  N.  v.,  for  one  year.  Mr. 
Nelson,  having  settled  on  the  law 
gs  his  future  profession,  began 
preparation  at  the  Drake  Univer- 
sity law  school.  The  second  year 
in  the  course  he  spent  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Nebraska,  where  he  ob- 
tained his  diploma  in  June,  1902, 
and  was  subsequently  admitted  to 
the  bar.  He  did  not  engage  in 
legal  practice  at  once,  but  coming 
to  Rockford  secured  a  position  as 
foreman  of  the  stock  room  of  the 
Illinois  Sewing  Machine  Company. 
Leaving  that  position  after  three 
years,  he  took  up  the  practice  of 
law  at  Rockford  in  January,  1906, 
having  passed  the  bar  examination 
in  Springfield  in  October,   1903. 

In  the  spring  election  of  1907 
Mr.  Nelson  entered  the  aldermanic 
contest  in  the  Second  ward  and 
came  out  victorious  in  the  fight, 
being  elected  to  the  city  council 
April   16. 

His  marriage  took  place  Oct. 
12,  1903.  His  bride  was  Miss 
Caroline  B.  Norlin,  a  daughter  of 
Charles   and  Betsv  Norlin  of  Put- 


nam. .Mr.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  have 
had  a  son,  who  died  in  infancy. 
A  second  .son,  Carroll  Homer,  was 
born  June  15,  1907.  They  are 
members  of  the  Zion  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church,  which  Mr.  Nel- 
son has  served  as  a  trustee  since 
1903.  He  belongs  to  the  North 
Star  and  Modern  Woodmen  orders. 

WILLIAM    NKLSON, 
one    of    the  most  eminent  citizens 
of    Rockford,  was    born    at    Syca- 


WILLIA.M     NELSON 

more,  111.,  Oct.  29,    1S57.     His  fa-      ^ 
ther  was  John  Nelson  from  Kiirr- 
akra,  Vestergotland,   the    inventor      ; 
of  a  knitting  machine    which    has      | 
played    an    important    part   in  the 
industrial  development  of  the  city 
of    Rockford.     After    many    years 
of  e.xperimental  work  he  succeeded      1 
in    making    a    practical    machine,      | 
which    was    subsequently  brought 
nearer  and  nearer  to  perfection  by 
the  inventor  and    his   sons.     Wil-      j 
Ham   Nelson,   who    became  a  part-      | 


154 


Winnebago  County 


ner  of  his  father  at  an  early  age, 
has  steadily  developed  the  knit- 
ting factory  founded  by  the  elder 
Nelson,  until  it  is  now  one  of  the 
largest  of  its  kind  in  the  United 
States. 

As  a  youth,  Mr.  Nelson  attended 
the  public  and  high  school  of  his 
home  city.  He  is  married  and 
has  a  family  of  five  children, 
named  Lovisa,  Elsie,  Dorothy,  Hil- 
ding  and  William.  Mrs.  Olivia 
Nelson  was  born  July  20,  1867, 
at  Bokhillsater,  Vermland. 

Mr.  Nelson  has  extensive  man- 
ufacturing and  business  interests: 
he  is  the  president  of  the  Forest 
City  Knitting  Company,  vice-pres- 
ident of  the  Nelson  Knitting  Com- 
pany, president  of  the  Nelson  Ho- 
tel Company,  and  vice-president 
of  B.  F.  Barnes  6t  Co.  He  is  a 
a  member  of  the  following  Ma- 
sonic bodies,  viz.:  F^reeport  Con- 
sistory, Shriner  of  Tebala  Temple, 
Rockford,  and  Knight  Templar  of 
the  Crusade  Commandery  of  thai 
city. 

On  Jan.  28,  1901,  he  was  ap- 
pointed one  of  the  aids  of  Gov- 
ernor Ricliard  Vates,  with  the 
rank  of  Colonel.  Not  long  after- 
ward. Col.  and  Mrs.  Nelson  enter- 
tained Gov.  and  Mrs.  Vates  at 
their  l)eautiful  home  on  North 
Main  si.,  together  with  a  number 
of  other  distinguished  guests,  the 
occasion  being  one  of  the  most 
splendid  in  the  social  atTairs  of 
Rockford. 

AUGUST  NYLANDER, 

born  at  Nye  in  the  Ian  of  J(>nki)- 
ping,  Sweden,  Oct.  ift,  1861)  came 


over  to  this  country  in  1888  and 
lived  in  Sycamore  and  Aurora  be- 
fore eventually  locating   in    Rock- 


AL'tUST    .\VI..\NliEK 

ford.  During  his  first  two  years 
in  the  United  States  he  worked 
on  a  farm  in  Wiimebago  county, 
afterwards  plying  the  carpenter's 
trade  until  1S95,  when  he  went 
into  the  grocery  business  in  part- 
nership with  Charles  Castenson, 
continuing  until  1901.  In  the  fol- 
lowing year  Mr.  Nylander  was 
appointed  overseer  of  the  jnior. 
F'or  three  years  from  the  year 
igtx),  inclusive,  he  was  superin- 
tendent of  Postal  Station  No.  2. 
F'or  various  periods  he  has  been 
a  member  of  the  County  Board, 
of  the  School  Board  and  of  the 
Republican  County  Central  Com- 
mittee. 

Mr.  Nylander  belongs  to  the 
First  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  Rockford. 


Rock  ford 


•55 


PHHR     AUGUST     PETlvRSON 

is    the    recognized    leading    manu- 
facturer of  the  city    of    Rockford. 


PEHR   AUGUST   PETERSON 

He  is  the  organizing  genius  of 
the  great  furniture  and  piano 
industry  of  that  cit\-.  Following 
out  the  cooperative  sj-stem  of 
production,  he  has  been  instru- 
mental in  establishing  the  major 
part  of  the  furniture  factories  for 
which  Rockford  is  justly  famous. 
He  is  now  and  during  the  past 
thirty  3-ears  has  been  directly  or 
indirectly  interested  in  more  in- 
dustrial enterprises  than  an>-  other 
man  in  Rockford  and,  we  daresay, 
any  other  Swedish-American  in 
the  United  Slates.  His  career  is 
a  highly  interesting  one. 

Pehr  August  Peterson  was  born 
in  Ving,  Vestergotland,  Sweden, 
Sept.  8,  1848.  In  1852  his  par- 
ents, P.  A.  Peterson,  Sr. ,  and 
wife,  emigrated  to  America,  des- 
tined for  Chicago.  Learning  there 
that     the    country    offered    better 


opportunities  for  newcomers,  they 
proceeded  to  Rockford,  then  but 
a  small  town.  Tlie  Peterson  family 
were  anions  the  first  Swedish 
settlers  in  Winnebago  county. 
They  located  on  a  farm  on  which 
the  son  grew  up  inider  none  too 
favorable  conditions  incidental  to 
the  life  of  pioneer  farmers.  His 
earlj-  training  consisted  of  years 
of  hard  work  on  the  farm  and 
not  much  schooling. 

At  about  twent>-seven  j-ears  of 
age  he  entered  a  business  college, 
determined  to  remedy  the  defects 
in  his  education.  When  in  March, 
1876,  the  Union  Furniture  Com- 
pany was  organized,  the  young 
commercial  student  was  given  the 
position  of  secretary  of  the  com- 
panj-,  the  first  step  in  a  business 
career  that  was  to  become  re- 
markable. He  .soon  realized  the 
excellent  outlook  for  the  furniture 
manufacture  in  the  West,  the 
favorable  conditions  obtaining  in 
Rockford  and  the  advantages  of 
the  cooperative  system  to  all  in- 
terested, whether  managers  and 
directors  or  workmen.  During 
the  next  few  years  company  after 
company  was  organized  on  this 
plan,  and  almost  invariably  Mr. 
Peterson  was  one  of  the  promot- 
ers, became  financialh'  interested 
and  was  chosen  president,  vice- 
president  or  director. 

The  great  panic  of  1893  and 
the  resultant  business  depression 
played  havoc  with  the  industries 
of  Rockford.  Several  establish- 
ments went  down  in  the  general 
crash,  but  the  stronger  ones 
weathered   the  storm.     New  plants 


156 


Winnebago  County 


had  been  built  largely  on  credit 
and  on  the  most  unbounded  con- 
fidence of  moneyed  men  in  Mr. 
Peterson  and  those  interested  with 
him.  The.se  naturally  suffered 
worst  and  the  difficulties  that  he 
had  in  his  efforts  to  keep  his 
"infant  industries"  alive  would 
have  driven  most  men  to  despair. 
He  drew  on  every  resource,  but 
without  avail,  and  more  than  one 
of  the  enterprises  that  he  had 
fathered  went  by  the  board.  But 
a  man  of  his  stamp  was  not  to 
be  downed.  With  the  revival  in 
business  following  the  crisis,  Mr. 
Peterson  rallied ,  and  he  is  now  a 
greater  industrial  captain  than  be- 
fore. He  rehabilitated  himself  in 
a  manner  that  does  credit  to  his 
head  and  heart  alike — not  bj' 
wiping  out  old  scores  and  opening 
new  books,  but  by  conscientiously 
paying  up  old  accounts  as  fast  as 
his  new    resources    would    permit. 

In  one  way  or  another  Mr. 
Peterson  has  been  connected  with 
sundry  enterprises,  besides  indus- 
trial ones,  among  his  fellow  coun- 
trymen in  Rockford.  Prior  to  the 
panic  he  had  large  investments  in 
realty  and  in  1890-91  built 
about  one  hundred  houses  in  east 
Rockford,  thereby  materially  aid- 
ing in  the  development  of  that 
quarter  of  the    city. 

In  1906  Mr.  Peterson  was  chosen 
president  of  the  Swedish-American 
RL|)nbIican   League  of  Illinois. 

CHARLES   J.    LUNDHKRt;, 
furniture  manufacturer, was  born  of 
Swedish  parents  at  Kirklaud,  Ills., 
De  Kalb   co.,    Oct.    2S,   1S71.      He 


attended  the  country  mtIiooIs,  af- 
terwards removing  to  the  city  of 
Rockford    and    attended  the  Rock- 


CH.ARl.ES  I.   LtNUBKKC. 

ford  Business  College,  completing  a 
business  course  in  a  very  short 
period  of  time.  He  then  became 
a  teacher  of  book-keeping  in  the 
evening  .school  at  the  college, 
but  resigned  his  position  to 
l)ecome  book-keeper  for  the  Star 
Furniture  Co.,  in  which  capacity 
he  .served  for  some  time,  after- 
wards being  elected  secretary  and 
treasurer  of  the  com]iau\-  which 
position  he  held  for  a  period. 
Mr.  Lundberg  sold  his  interest 
in  the  company  and  started  on 
the  road  selling  furniture  for  the 
Rockford  Desk  Co.,  in  which 
compaiiN-  he  was  president  and 
heavily  interested  financially,  and 
traveled  for  three  years.  He 
later  sold  his  interest  to  Oscar 
Bergquist,  the  present  secretary 
and  treasurer,  and  ])urciiased  the 
plant  now  known  as  the  CoOper- 


Rockford 


'?<7 


ative  Kiirniture  Co.,  from  the 
assignee,  F.  F.  Wormwood.  All 
the  capital  he  had  at  that  time 
was  accmmilaled  by  himself 
through  hard  manual  labor,  iluring 
his  first  three  years  in  the  cit>-. 
He  had  worked  at  the  different 
furniture  factories,  starting  at  the 
Forest  City  Furniture  Co., working 
in  the  machine  room  at  75  cents  per 
day.  Mr.  Lundberg  was  in  1907 
reelected  to  the  office  of  vice- 
president  of  the  National  Furniture 
Association  of  America. 

He  was  appointed  the  pur- 
chasing agent  for  Rockford,  all  the 
purchases  for  the  entire  cit>' 
being  placed  in  his  hands.  Mr. 
Lundberg  was  elected  alderman 
of  the  first  w^ard  in  1903  and  still 
holds   the  position. 

At  present  he  is  .secretary, 
treasurer  and  general  manager  of 
the  Co-Operative  Furniture  Co., 
owning  the  controlling  interest 
in  the  compan}^  with  a  capital  of 
$50,000.00  paid  in,  $45,000.00 
.surplus,  and  doing  a  business  of 
$150,000.00     per      annum. 

Mrs.  Olga  Olive  Lundberg  is  of 
Swedish  descent  and  was  born 
Sept.  2.S.  1S76  and  was  married  on 
her  birthday  in  1898.  She  attended 
Augustana  College,  taking  the 
mu.sic  cour.se.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Lundberg  are  members  of  the 
Zion  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
in  which  Mr.  Lundberg  has 
been    a    trustee. 


city  the  last  da>-  of  the  year  1^79. 
He  then  entered  the  employ  of 
George    Mills.     Half  a  year    later 


C.  G.  W.  SANDEHN, 
member  of  the  firm  of  D.  J.  Stew- 
art &  Co.,  the    largest    dry  goods 
house    in    Rockford,  came    to    the 


CH.\RLES  G.   W.  SA.NKEHX 

he  was  employed  in  the  dry  goods 
house  of  S.  Wilhrow,  remaining 
until  September,  1881,  when  he 
changed  to  C.  W.  Brown  &  Co. 
and  next  to  Stewart  &  Co.,  where 
he  continued  until  May,  1896, 
when  he,  together  with  L.  K. 
Ross,  opened  a  dr^-  goods  house 
on  Seventh  st.  under  the  firm 
name  of  Sandehn  &  Ro.ss.  Sept. 
I,  1901,  Mr.  Sandehn  became  sole 
owner  and  continued  the  business 
alone  until  the  following  February, 
when  he  closed  out  and  became  a 
stockholder  and  director  in  the 
firm  of  D.  J.  Stewart  &  Co. 

In  1 888  Mr.  Sandehn  was  mar- 
ried to  Carolina  Johnson,  daughter 
of  A.  C.  John.son,  the  pioneer  fur- 
niture maker  of  Rockford.  They 
have  had  five  children,  three  boys 
and  two  girls,  one  boy  dying  in 
infancv.       Mrs.    Sandehn    died    at 


158 


Winnebago  County 


Upland,  Cal.,Feb.  5,  1906.  In  1907 
Mr.  Sandehn  married  Celia  \". 
Beckstrand,  daughter  of  O.  A. 
Beckstrand,  deceased   1895. 

Mr.  Sandehn  is  a  native  of  Swe- 
den, being  born  in  Jonkoping  on 
June  3,  1861.  In  that  city  he 
attended  the  collegiate  school. 
After  emigrating  in  September, 
1876,  he  entered  public  school  at 
Galva.  continuing  his  studies  dur- 
ing that  winter.  The  following 
spring  he  obtained  employment 
with  R.  R.  Cable  &  Co.  at  Cable, 
111.,  and  left  there  for  Rockford 
in   1879. 

He  is  a  Lutheran  and  has  been 
a  trustee  of  the  First  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  for  twelve  years. 
He  has  served  three  terms  as 
supervisor    of    Winnebago  county. 

NILS  P.  SJOSTROM, 
pastor  of  the  Zion  Swedish  Luth- 
eran Church  of  Rockford  since 
1901,  was  bom  in  Amas,  Vester- 
norrlands  Ian,  Sweden.  July  i, 
1866.  He  is  the  son  of  Olof  Lar- 
son, a  farmer,  and  his  wife.  Anna 
Margareta  Johanson.  At  the  age 
of  nineteen  he  emigrated,  going 
first  to  Denver.  Colo.  He  studied 
for  three  years  at  Bethany  College, 
Lindsborg,  Kan.,  and  at  Augus- 
tana  College  for  four  years,  grad- 
uating in  1893.  The  same  year 
he  was  sent  as  the  representative 
of  the  students  of  Augustana  Col- 
lege to  attend  the  300th  anni\-ers- 
ary  of  the  introduction  of  Luther- 
anism  in  Sweden.  After  his  re- 
turn he  entered  the  theological 
school  at  Augustana,  was  gradu- 
ated   two  years   later  and  was  or- 


dained a  Lutheran  minister  of  the 
Gospel  at  the  meeting  of  the  Au- 
gustana Synod  at  Chicago  in  the 
summer  of  1895. 


.MLS    P.  SJiiSTkii.M 

His  first  pastoral  charges  were 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  churches 
at  Spting^eld  and  E.  Long  Meadow 
Ma.ss.  After  5'.-  years  of  service 
in  this  field,  he  accepted  a  call 
from  the  Zion  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  at  Rockford,  taking  charge 
Jan.    I,    1901. 

As  a  preacher  and  pastor.  Rev. 
Sjostriim  is  successful,  and  he  is 
held  in  high  esteem  by  his  par- 
ishioners. 

June  5,  1907,  Rev.  Sjostrom 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Anna 
C.  Ekfelt  from  Chariton,  la. 

CARL  E.  STROMBERG. 

established  in  Rockford  since  1897 
as  a  fresco  painter,  was  born  at 
Tengelsas,  Holmby  parish.  Skane, 
Sweden,  Dec.  31,  1S71.  When 
the    son    was    two    vears    old,  his 


Rock  ford 


•59 


father,  Carl  Johan  StromherR,  a 
miller,  was  killed  in  the  machin- 
ery.   The  boy,  however,  was  given 


CARL   EDWARU  STRO.MBEKO 

a  good  education  along  artistic 
lines.  He  received  his  first  in- 
struction from  Professor  Borggren 
in  the  art  department  of  the  tech- 
nical school  of  Malnio.  Later  he 
studied  under  Professor  Thulin  of 
the  Lund  LTniversity,  known  all 
over  the  Scandinavian  countries 
for  his  Gothic  church  decorations. 
Mr.  Stromberg  has  traveled  ex- 
tensivelj'  in  Europe,  especially  in 
Germany  and  France,  studying 
and  making  technical  observations. 
In  1 89 1  he  returned  to  Sweden, 
and  in  1893  he  came  to  the  United 
States  after  having  again  visited 
Berlin  and  Paris. 

He  executes  artistic  nuiral  dec- 
orations and  frescoes  in  churches, 
theaters  and  other  public  build- 
ings as  well  as  interior  decorations 
of  fine  private  dwellings. 

Mrs.  Stromberg' s  maiden    name 


was  Hilma  Eiida  Akes>on.  She 
is  tiie  daugliter  of  Kernhard  Krist- 
ian  .\kes.son,  who  is  superintend- 
ent of  the  celebrated  Kochum 
wharf  and  shipbuilding  establish- 
ment at  Malmii.  The  pair  have 
a  daughter,    Rulh   Elizabeth. 

CARL  W.   SrNDMARK. 

pastor  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Church,  was  born  at  Smedjebac- 
ken.  Dalarne,  Sweden,  Dec.  16, 
1S65.  In  early  life  he  had  a  great 
desire  for  an  education,  which, 
however,  was  limited  to  that  ac- 
quired in  the  connnon  school, 
supplemented  by  a  little  private 
instruction.  He  was  employed  at 
the    Fagersta  factory  in  Vestman- 


CAKI-   WII.HELM    SUNDMARK 

land,  where  he  learned  the  black- 
smith's trade.  He  emigrated  in 
1 886,  locating  in  Xorthern  Mich- 
igan. While  in  Sweden  he  had 
often  conducted  religious  meetings 
and  this  he  continued  among  his 
brethren    in    faith  in    these  locali- 


l6o 


Winnebago  County 


ties,  subsequently  accepting  a  call 
to  preach  temporarily  in  the  Bap- 
tist Church  at  Ludington  and  later 
to  become  its  regular  pastor.  He 
was  ordained  in  iS88  for  the  said 
charge.  The  following  year  he 
entered  the  Swedish  Department 
of  the  divinity  school  of  the  Uni- 
versity of  Chicago,  and  was  grad- 
uated in  the  spring  of  1893,  when 
he  assumed  charge  of  the  Salem 
Baptist  Church  of  Chicago.  Al- 
though serving  only  a  year,  the 
number  of  members  through  his 
efforts  was  increased  from  40  to 
more  than  So.  He  next  took 
charge  of  the  church  at  Stroms- 
burg,  Neb.,  where  he  had  .served 
while  a  student,  and  now  served 
from  1894  to  1897  as  its  pastor, 
afterwards  .serving  the  Harlem  St. 
Baptist  Church  of  Worcester, 
Mass.,  for  an  equal  period.  In 
1900,  hearkening  to  a  call  from 
his  birth- place,  he  returned  to 
Sweden  and  .served  for  two  j'ears 
as  pastor  of  the  Baptist  flock  in 
Smedjebacken,  Dalarne.  After 
laboring  a  .short  time  in  James- 
town, N.  Y.  he  removed  to  Rock- 
ford,  and  since  April  i,  1903,  has 
served  as  pastor  of  the  Swedish 
Baptist  congregation,  which  was 
organized  in  1880  and  now 
has  a  member.shiji  of  270. 

Sept.  6,  1 89;,,  Rev.  Sundmark 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Ida  Johnson,  born  in  Mead,  Neb., 
Sept.  5,  1 87 1.  They  have  four 
children,  born  in  the  order  named: 
Ruth  Kthel  W.,  1897;  K.  Adelia, 
1899;  Florence  Dorothy,  1904,  and 
Roger  William,    1906. 


J.  E.  SWANSOX 

was  born  in  the  parish  of  Tutaryd, 
Smaland,  Sweden,  Jan.   19,    1864. 


J.   E.  SWANSON 

Emigrating  in  1880,  he  came  to 
De  Kalb  and  ultimately  to  Rock- 
ford  ten  years  afterward.  He 
received  his  education  at  the  city 
schools  and  the  Rockford  Business 
College,  after  which  he  engaged 
in  commercial  pursuits  with  suc- 
ce.ss.  He  is  now  .secretary  and 
treasurer  and  general  manager  of 
the  Rockford  Standard  Furniture 
Company.  Mr.  Swanson  is  a 
member  of  the  First  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Rockford. 

Sept.  22,  1897,  Mr.  Swar.son 
was  married  to  Hannah  C.  Gus- 
stafson.  Three  children  have 
been  born   to  them. 

OSCAR  A.  THOI.IX, 

who  for  eighteen  years  has  been 
in  the  painting  and  decorating 
trade  with  his  place  of  business 
at   613   Seventh  st.,    has    livid    in 


Rock  ford 


tfu 


kockforil  since  1880,  when  he 
came  over  from  the  old  country. 
He  was  born  in  the  little  citv    of 


OSCAR  A.   THOLIN 

Grenna,  Snialand,  May  5,  1863. 
Mr.  Tholin  has  taken  contracts 
for  interior  decoration  and  fresco- 
ing of  a  number  of  churches,  in- 
cluding the  Swedish  Lutheran 
edifices  at  De  Kalb,  Woodhull. 
Lily  Lake,  Geneva,  Sycamore, 
Pecatonica,  Belvidere,  and  the 
Salem  Church  in  Chicago;  also  a 
church  in    Bergen,   Wisconsin. 

With  his  wife,  Ida,  he  has  two 
sons,  Agder  and  Rudolph.  Mr. 
Tholin  s  a  member  of  Camp  20, 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 


CARL  E.  TRAGARDH, 

has  been  in  the  drug  business  in 
Rockford  since  he  came  to  Rock- 
ford  from  the  old  country  in 
1 888.  The  first  two  years  he 
clerked  in  different  drug  stores 
and  in  1890  engaged  in  the  busi- 
ness for  himself,  going  into   part- 


nership witli  O.  Ivbbesen  and 
opening  a  drug  store  under  the 
firm  name  of  Tragardh  and  Kb- 
bescn.  In  Lund,  Sweden,  where 
he  was  born  Nov.  i,  1866,  Mr. 
Tragardh  was  educated  in  the 
collegiate  institute  and  subse- 
quently comiileted  the  course  in 
the  Pharmaceutical  Institute  at 
Stockholm. 

He  was  ap])oiiited  state  food 
inspector  in  189.S  by  Governor 
Tamier  and  re-appointed  in  1900 
by  Governor  Yates.  He  is  an 
active  Republican  and  has  served 
as  secretary  of  the  Swedish- 
American  Republican  Club  of 
Winnebago  count}-.  Mr.  .Tra- 
gardh is  a  member  of    the    Pliar- 


C.\RL   E.   TRAGARDH 

maceutical  Association  of  Stock- 
holm and  of  the  National  Drug- 
gists' Association  of  America. 

CHARLES  C.  LOFQUEST, 

dramatic  editor  of  the  Rockford 
Daily  Rrf>!iNii\  was  born  of  Swed- 


1 62 


Winnebaj^o  County 


ish  parentage  in  Copenhagen  Sept. 
7,  1879,  and  was  bronght  to  Amer- 
ica the  following  year.     He  studied 


CHARLES  C.    LOI'OUEST 

at  Adelphi  Academy  and  Brook- 
lyn high  school  while  living  in 
that  city  and  subsequently  at 
Stratton's  Business  College  in  New 
York  and  at  Upsala  University. 
He  l)egan  his  journalistic  career 
as  a  reporter,  working  on  the 
New  York  World,  Brooklyn  ha- 
i;/r,  New  York  yominxl,  and 
Brooklyn  Citizen,  and  was  literary 
editor  of  Music  -and  Stage  in 
1900.  He  was  a  political  speaker 
in  New  York  during  Odell's  gu- 
bernatorial campaign,  and  has 
lectured  on  Swedish  history  before 
the  South  Brooklyn  Historical 
Society  under  the  auspices  of  thi- 
TJrooklyn  Board  of  Education. 
Mr.  Lofquest  has  been  a  resident 
of  Rock  ford  four  years.  Since 
his  connection  with  the  /\'<f^ii/<li, 
he  has  done  some  notable  drama- 
tic  reviewing,    which    has    found 


favor  with  those  who  closely  fol- 
low the  activities  of  the  drama. 

In  the  last  five  years  he  has 
devoted  much  of  his  time  to  short- 
story  writing  and  bids  fair  to 
make  a  name  for  himself  in 
American  literature.  A  number  of 
his  contributions  have  appeared 
in  the  leading  magazines.  Among 
some  of  his  short  tales  which  have 
made  a  hit  may  be  mentioned: 
Prince  Pautqua.  Olt  Peeter,  II 
Rosso  Ruggiero,  Sebastiao,  The 
Little  Brother  of  God.  Col.  Ches- 
ter's Resignation.  Calliof>e  Pete, 
Trespassers,  A  Limb  of  the  Law, 
and  Monsieur  Giffard. 

His  parents  are  Sven  Aaron  Lof- 
quest  and  Johanna  Nilsson.  The 
elder  Lofquest  is  a  shoe  merchant 
on  Broa<hva>',  New  York,  and  re- 
sides in  Brooklyn.  In  the  middle 
seventies  he  was  U.  S.  Consul  at 
a  Swedish  port.  The  mother  of 
the  younger  Lofquest  came  from 
a  family  of  .soldiers:  her  grand- 
father was  a  colonel  in  the  Swed- 
ish army. 

Mr.  Lofquest  is  married  to  Miss 
Christine   Mitchell. 

OTTO  W.  P  AT  I.SOX 

was  lx)rn  Feb.  27,  i!S7,^,  in  Swe- 
den. His  parents  emigrated  with 
their  family  in  May,  1880,  and 
settled  at  Yallcy  Springs,  S.  D., 
removing  to  Rockford  in  Decem- 
ber, 1881.  The  son,  after  finish- 
ing the  grades  of  the  public 
school,  obtained  work  in  furniture 
factories  and  learned  wtxxlcarving. 
He  worked  at  his  trade  until 
January,  1892,  when  he  entered 
the     commercial     deparluK-nt      at 


Rocktord 


'63 


Augustana  College,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  June  7,  KS93. 
After    working    two    years    as     a 


^^V|i 

« 

^ 

■f^ 

1 

r 

1 

f 

OTTO   W.   PAULSON 

bookkeeper,  he  became  agent  and 
then  assistant  superintendent  with 
the  Metropolitan  Life  Insurance 
Co.  Since  March  2,  1902,  Mr. 
Paulson  has  acted  as  general  agent 
and  manager  of  the  Rockford 
district  for  the  Scandia  Life  In- 
surance Co.    of  Chicago. 

Mr.  Paulson  was  elected  alder- 
man of  the  big  Second  ward  in 
May,  1905,  and  was  reelected  in 
1907.  Since  January,  1907,  he 
has  been  secretary  of  Svea  Soner 
Singing  Society. 


and  came  to  Rockford.  His  par- 
ents were  Carl  Johan  Janson,  a 
farmer,  and  Sojihia  I'rboni.  For 
many  years  Mr.  I'rbom  was  a 
shoe  dealer  in  Rockford;  in  the 
meanwhile  he  studied  privately 
with  the'ultiinate  view  of  becoming 
a  physician,  and  was  graduated 
April  II,  1903,  from  the  Hering 
Medical  College,  Chicago.  Since 
July  15th  of  that  \ear  he  has 
practiced  medicine  in  Rockford, 
being  the  only  Swedish  hoinoe- 
pathic  physician  in  the  city. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Sweden- 
borgian  Church  and  has  Ijeen 
president  of  the  Swedish- American 
New  Church  Association. 

His  wife,  Augusta,  nee  Olson, 
born  in   1858,  is  now  dead.   Their 


CARL  VICTOR  URBOM 

CARL   VICTOR   URBOM 

was  born  in  Hammar  parish,  children  are  six  in  number,  Fred- 
Nerike,  Sweden,  Nov.  29,  1859.  rik,  Frantz,  Clara.  Charles.  Anna 
At    the    age    of    24    he   emigrated     and  George. 


DE  KALB  COUNTY 


1)K  KALB    SYCAMORE 


ADOLFH  T.  ANDERSON 

is    a    farmer    at    Elva    Station,   in 
his  native  town  of  De  Kalb.     He 


to  go  to  Batavia.  As  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  church  had  as  yet 
not  been  organized  in  Batavia  he 
joined  the  one  in  Geneva,  the 
neighboring  town,  in  1865  and  at 
the  annual  meeting  of  that  church 
the  following  year  he  was  elected 
deacon.  In  1871  he  moved  to 
Chicago,  where  he  was  burned  out 
in  the  great  fire,  He  now  re* 
turned  to  Batavia,  where  he  hadj 
acquired  a  house  before  he  wenti 
to  Chicago,  into  which  he  now^ 
moved.  In  the  second  story  of] 
that  same  house  the  Swedes  used 
to  gather  and  listen  to  the  Gos-i 
pel,  and  it  was  here  that  thej 
Swedish  Kv.  Lutheran  Bethaniai 
Church    was    organized    in      1872.! 


ADOLPH   THEOnoRE  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  Afton  Township,  this 
county.  Sept.  22,  1865.  He  has 
enjojed  a  common  school  educa- 
tion in  his  home  district.  Mr. 
Anderson  stands  well  in  the  com- 
munity and  the  church:  he  has 
.served  on  the  school  board  and  as 
Commissioner  of  Public  Highways; 
in  the  local  Swedish  Lutheran 
church  he  has  been  a  trustee  for 
a   long  period. 

AUGUST  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  Jerlof,  Veddige,  Hal- 
land,  Jan.  24,  1S44.  He  came  to 
this  country  in  1S65,  and  resided 
for  some  little  time  in  Jamesburg.  Mr,  Anderson  was  elected  aj 
N.  Y.  and  came  from  there  to  deacon  of  the  newly  organized! 
Chicago.  Here  he  met  Rev.  Er-  church  and  served  in  that  capac-, 
land    Carlsson    who    advised    him      it\-      until      he       removed       from 


Ari'.IST   ANPERSl^N 


i68 


De  Kalb  County 


Batavia  in  187.S.  While  he  lived 
there  he  did  much  to  encourage 
the  little  congregation. 

In  1S7S  Mr.  Anderson  moved 
to  the  neighborhood  of  Malta, 
where  he  still  resides  and  is 
owner  of  400  acres  of  land.  He 
joined  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  De  Kalb  of  which  he 
still  is  a  member.  He  has  served 
that  church  as  deacon  for  more 
than  twenty  years. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  married 
in  October,  1868,  to  Inga  Lena 
Erikson  with  whom  he  has  had 
12  children,  two  of  whom  are 
dead  and  two  are  married.  The 
rest  of  the  children  live  with  the 
parents  and  help  on  the  farm 
with  the  exception  of  the  oldest 
son  who  lives  in  Sycamore,  111. 
Mr.  Anderson  has  for  years  been 
school  trustee  in   Malta  town.ship. 


lx)ught  out  his  partner  and  since 
then  conducts  the  business  in  his 
own  name.  Mr.  Bjcirkman  lakes 
pride  in  the  fact  that  l>y  his  own 


JAMES  O.  BJORKMAN, 

clothing  merchant,  is  a  native  of 
the  state,  born  Dec.  21,  1876,  at 
Aledo.  He  attended  the  public 
school  there  until  he  attained  the 
age  of  fourteen.  WIilmi  thirteen 
years  old  he  began  work  as  .sales- 
man in  a  cigar  and  news  stand, 
continuing  until  si.xteen,  when  he 
became  a  clothing  and  dry  goods 
salesman.  He  was  thus  employed 
in  his  native  town  for  ten  years. 
In  the  spring  of  1901  he  came 
to  DeKalb  and  opened  a  retail 
clothing  store.  A  year  later  he 
sold  a  half  interest  to  R.  J.  Fran- 
kle,  conducting  the  business  in 
the  firm  name  of  Bjorkinan  iV 
Erankle.     After    another    year   he 


JA.MES  O.   BJliKK.M.^N 

effort  he  has  built  up  a  business 
that  is  one  of  the  finest  of  its 
kind  in  the  county.  More  recently 
he  has  opened  a  second  store  in 
DeKalb,  known  as  the  Kasl  End 
Clothing   House. 

He  belongs  to  a  number  of 
lodges  and  societies,  such  as  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  M.  \V.  of 
A.,  the  F.  O.  of  Eagles,  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  \"ikings  and  the 
North  Star    Benefit   Association. 

Jan.  22,  1900,  he  was  married  at 
Galesburg  to  Betlie  C.  Voungren, 
born  June  15,  1876.  .\  son,  Les- 
ter Lee,  is  the  fruit  of  this  uniou. 

Mr.  Bjorknian's  i)areiils,  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Charles  Bji)rkman,  came 
to  this  country  in  iS(ii  and  are 
still   living. 


De  Kalb 


169 


PETER  CHRISTIANSON, 
masonry   contractor,  was   born    in 
Skane,    Sweden,    Nov.    30,     1866. 


PKTER  CHRISTIANSON 

He  emigrated  at  the  age  of  twen- 
ty-one, locating  in  Rockford.  Dur- 
ing the  financial  stringenc)'  in  that 
city  he  removed  with  his  family 
to  DeKalb,  where  he  has  since 
been  successfully  engaged  as  a 
contracting  mason.  The  family 
owns  a  comfortable  home  in  the 
Ellwood  addition. 

He  was  married  in  1888  to  Miss 
Bessie  NiLson,  and  they  have  three 
children,  Edward  William,  Ru- 
dolph Evald  and  Percy  Bernhard. 

Mr.  Christianson  is  a  member  of 
the  Court  of  Honor  and  has  served 
as  trea.surer  of  the  local  lodge. 


CLAUS  P.  COLLIN, 

builder  and  masonry  contractor, 
hails  from  Kraksmala,  Smaland, 
Sweden,  wdiere  he  was  born  Jan. 
6,  1874.  Emigrating  in  February, 
1892,   he    settled    in    DeKalb  and. 


after  l)eing  variously  employed  for 
four  years,  engaged  in  the  l)uild- 
ing  business  in  1896.  During  the 
eleven  years  he  has  been  in  business 
for  himself  he  has  met  with 
marked  success. 

Mr.  Collin  is  a  memljer    of    the 
Swedish    Lutheran  Church  at     De 


ci..\rs  p.  cni.i,i.\ 


Kalb    and    of    the    local    lodge    of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias. 


CHARLES  ?;NG, 

foreman  at  the  American  Steel  and 
Wire  Works,  was  born  March  22, 
1869,  at  Bjerka,  X'estergotland, 
Sweden.  He  came  to  this  coun- 
try Feb.  25,  1887,  and  lived  in 
New  York  and  New  Jersey  until 
i88g,  then  in  Braddock  and  Ran- 
kin, Pa.,  for  four  years,  removing 
to  DeKalb  in  1893.  In  April, 
1903,  he  was  elected  alderman  of 
the  Third  ward,  but  prior  to  that 
time  the  wire  manufacturing  bus- 
iness,   he    asserts,    had    engro.ssed 


I70 


De  Kalb  County 


him  so  completely  that  he  had  not      or    of    the    city  and    township    of 

even  found  time  to  get  married.  DeKalb  in   1897.     He  is  a  member 

Mr.   Eng    is    a    member    of    the      of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  Church 


CHARLES  ENC. 

local  lodge  of  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Vikings. 

SIMOX  C.  JOHNSON 

is  a  native  of  DeKalb  couiit\  ,  iie- 
ing  born  in  Milan  township  May 
15,  1866.  His  education  was  ob- 
tained in  the  country  school.  Mr. 
Johnson  is  the  in\-entor  of  several 
useful  articles  and  appliances,  chief 
among  them  being  a  chimney 
staging,  adjustable  to  any  roof 
and  reciuiring  but  a  few  minutes 
to  put  in  place,  and  a  ladder 
hanger  for  the  use  of  painters, 
carpenters,  masons  and  meclianics. 
The  patents  carried  bj'  Mr.  John- 
son are  the  first  to  be  granted  on 
any  similar  appliances,  according 
to  iliL-  ]>atciit  office.  The  articles 
are  manufactured  on  a  small  scale 
by  the  inventor  himself. 

Mr.  John.son  was  elected  coUect- 


Sl.MOS   C.  JOHNSON 

and  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America. 

JOHN  F.  JOHNSTON 

who  has  been  a  resident  of  De 
Kalb  since  1873,  was  born  at 
Sycamore,  this  state,  April  10, 
1870.  His  father,  Christopher 
Johnston,  died  in  1871,  the  same 
year  the  family  settletl  in  De 
Kalb  CO.  Having  finished  public 
school  the  son  entered  the  Daven- 
port, (la.,)  Business  College,  of 
which  he  is  a  graduate.  As  a 
member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  he  has  evinced  great  activ- 
ity. A  teacher  in  the  Sunday 
school  since  1S87,  he  l)ecame  its 
superintendent  in  1S98.  Besides 
he  has  served  for  a  long  period 
as  leader  of  the  church  choir,  has 
been  .secretary  of  the  church  for 
a  number  of  years,  and  is  a  mem- 


De  Kalb 


ber  of  the  board  of  deacons  since 
1903.  He  has  served  one  term  as 
director  in  tlie   V.    M.    C.    A.    of 


JOHN   F.  JOHNSTON 

De  Kalb,  and  is  musical  director 
and  secretary  of  the  Third  Regiment 
Band.  In  1899  he  obtained  a 
letter  carrier's  position  which  he 
still  holds.  He  stood  highest 
among  sixty  applicants  in  the 
civil  service  examination. 

He  was  in  1907  elected  treasu- 
rer of  the  Swedish-American  Re- 
publican League  of  Illinois  at  its 
Rockford  convention. 

Mr.  Johnston  has  served  as  re- 
corder of  the  local  observatory  of 
the  North  Star  Benefit  Association 
since  iSyg.  Nov.  16,  1892,  lie 
was  united  in  marriage  to  Hilda 
S.  Bergquist,  born  March  4,  1874. 
Their  children  are:  Spener  Chris- 
topher, born  1S93;  Paul  Rudolph 
Melanchton,  1S95;  Anna  Marguer- 
ite Evangeline,  1897:  Genevie\e 
Paulina,  1S99;  John  Martin  McKin- 
ley,    1901:    Rachel    Cecilia,     1903, 


Carl  Theodore  Immanuel,  1906, 
and  Gustaf  Adolphus  P'rederick, 
1907. 

ANDRKW  G.  UXDBERG 

has  owned  and  cultivated  a  farm 
in  Afton  town.ship  since  1891.  He 
came  to  the  I'nited  States  in  18S1 
from  ICskilsluna,  Sweden,  where 
he  was  born  Ajjril  23,  1859.  In 
Warren,  Pa.,  he  worked  for  a 
year  at  the  blacksmith's  trade, 
which  he  had  learned  in  his  native 
cit\-.  From  there  he  came  to  De 
Kalb  and  was  employed  for  four 
years  in  the  barb  wire  factories, 
but  his  chief  ambition  was  to  own 
a  home  in  the  country,  so  he 
went  to  Minnesota  and  bought  160 
acres    of    land  in    Murriiv  countv. 


ANDREW  C.    l.INIJBERC. 

In  1888  he  desired  to  .see  the 
mining  country  of  the  West  and 
spent  two  years  in  Aspen,  Breck- 
inridge, Leadville  and  Colorado 
Springs.  Then  he  returned  to  the 
farming  country  of  Illinois,  locat- 


172 


De  Kalb  County 


ing  in  this  county.  After  working 
a  year  for  the  C.  K.  Patten  Co. 
he  purchased  the  farm  he  now 
owns. 

He  has  served  his  county  in 
the  capacities  of  tax  collector  and 
member  of  the  .school  board. 

Mr.  Lindberg  belongs  to  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of  De 
Kalb,  which  he  has  served  as  .sec- 
retary and  as  trustee  for  years. 

In  1S90  he  was  married  to  Helen 
Anderson  of  Afton  township.  They 
have  two  sons  and  three  daughters. 


majority  of  his  fellow  countrymen, 
and  belongs  to  the  local  Swedish 
Republican  Club. 


SAMUEL  PETERSON 
was  born  in  Sweden,  Oct.  13, 
1M55,  the  .son  of  John  Peterson,  a 
carpenter,  and  his  wife  Maria. 
The  family  emigrated  in  1869, 
and  the  mother  died  in  1.S71,  fol- 
lowed by  her  husband  in  1892. 
Having  finished  his  common 
.school  education,  Samuel  Peter- 
.son  turned  to  manual  labor.  Af- 
ter working  for  some  time  in  the 
Daly  Implement  Works  at  De 
Kalb  he  attained  a  position  as 
foreman  which  he  held  for  six 
years.  Quitting  the  factory  at 
twenty-five  years  of  age  he  em- 
barked in  business  as  a  building 
contractor  and  has  continued  in 
the  same  line  with  uniform  .suc- 
cess up  to  the  present   lime. 

Mr.  Peterson  is  an  influential 
citizen  of  De  Kalb  and  enjoys  the 
confidence  of  his  townsmen  to  a 
high  degree.  He  has  served  on 
the  hoard  of  education  for  two 
terms  or  six  years,  and  .as  a 
member  of  tin-  ahleriiKinic  council 
for  four  years.  In  i)()litics  he  is 
a     Kepublican,      with     the     great 


S.\MfEL   PETBRSd.N 

The  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
lias  in  him  a  useful  and  active 
adherent,  Mr.  Peterson  having 
served  on  the  board  of  tiustees 
for  a   period  of  twelve  years. 

Mr.  Peterson  has  a  wife  and 
eight  children.  His  marriage  took 
place  Sept.  26,  18S3.  and  the 
bride  was  Miss  Christine  Pearson 
of  Oregon,  III.,  a  daughter  of 
John  and  Ainia  Pearson  of  that 
city.  The  children  are:  Edna 
Oertrude,  born  Aug.  1,  1S.S4; 
Roy  Milton,  Oct.  7,  1.SS6:  Earl 
Raymond,  Oct.  10,  1SS9:  Irving 
Leonard,Aug.  4,  i8c)i :  Ruth  I.ucile, 
July  19,  1894:  Anna  Marie.  Sei>t. 
16,  1897.  The  family  home  is  at 
326  South   Sixth  street. 

]•:.   A.    RYHKRG 

was  born  April  30,1871,  in  Fryeled 
l)arish,     Smaland,     Sweden.       He 


De   Kalb  173 

emigrated  to    Kansas  in  the  spring  once    obtained    employniont    as    a 

of   iSSS,    and    worked  on    a    farm  mason    tender.     In    a    very    short 

for    over  a  year.     He  thence  went  time  he  learned  the  mason's  trade 


E.   A.    KVHKRG 

to  Topeka,  where  he  obtained 
employment  in  the  shoe  store  of 
Nystrom  Brothers.  With  this  firm 
he  remained  seven  years.  While 
in  Topeka  he  belonged  to  the  local 
Swedish  Mission  Church.  After 
completing  the  courses  at  the 
Chica.jo  Taeological  Seminary  he 
was  ordained  to  the  ministry  and 
took  charge  of  his  first  pastorate 
at  Bay  City,  Michigan.  In  the 
spring  of  igor  he  became  pastor 
of  the  Swedish  Mission  Church 
on  W.  22nd  St.,  Chicago.  Since 
1903  Rev.  Ryberg  has  had  charge 
of  the  Swedish  Congregational 
Church    at   Da  Kalb. 


AXEL  G.  SKOGLIND 

was  born  at  Tossene,  Bohus  Ian, 
Sweden,  Oct.  28,  1878.  He  emi- 
grated to  America  early  in  1899, 
ocatiiig    at    DiKalb,   where   he  at 


AXEI,  (;arib.\i,ui  SKdCLUNIi 

and  established  himself  as  a  ma- 
sonry contractor,  in  which  line 
of  business  he  has  achieved  suc- 
cess. 

Mr.   Skoglund  is  a  Lutheran  by 
faith. 


EMIL  SKOOLrXD, 

former  pastor  of  the  Swedish 
Mission  Church  at  DeKalb,  was 
born  at  Karlskoga,  Sweden, 
Aug.  29,  1872,  and  was  six  years 
old  when  brought  to  this  country 
by  his  parents.  He  was  reared 
in  the  cil>-  of  Chicago  and,  after 
reaching  mature  age,  entered 
North  Park  College  and  was  grad- 
uated from  the  Covenant's  divinit>- 
.school  in  1903.  After  ordination 
to  the  ministry  he  took  charge  as 
pastor  of  the  Swedish  Mission 
Church  at  DeKalb. 


174 


He  is  now  pastor  of    the  Swed- 


EMIL    SKOGLUND 

ish    Mission    Church   at    Waverly, 
Nebraska,  having  removed  in  1907. 


NELS  J.  SMITH, 
engaged    in    farming     near     Elva 
Station,    in    DeKalb    county,    was 


m 

J^^^ 

^« 

r 

i 

^^HRk   S^ 

i 

1 

« 

1 

wJ 

I)e  Kalb  County 

came  to  America  in  iMji.  Willi 
the  exception  of  a  period  sjjent  in 
Chicago,  he  has  lived  in  this 
county  ever  since.  He  has  sen'ed 
on  the  school  board  of  Afton 
township  for  a  long  term  of  years, 
and  as  a  trustee  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  at  DeKalb,  of 
which  he  is  one  of  the  oldest 
menibers. 

May  31,  1877,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  at  Oak  Park,  111.,  to 
Nelly  Nelson,  who  was  born  in 
Skane  June  11,  1845.  and  came 
to  America  in  1870.  Their  union 
has  been  bles.sed  with  four  chil- 
dren, Bert  Herbert,  deceased,  Os- 
car,  David,  and  Waldo,   deceased. 

CHARLES  J.  STONE, 

foreman  in  the  wire  mill  at  De 
Kalb,  was  born  at  Brattfors,  X'crni- 


tll.\K'l.i:s  J.    STONE 

lantl,   Sweden,  Maj'  9,  1856.    Hav- 

Mii.s  |()ii\  SMITH  ing  received  a  conunon  school  ed- 

born  in  Trancmo  parisli,  l<nfsborgs      ucation,   he    went    lo  work  at    the 

Ifm,    Sweden,    Oct.    10,    1847,    and      age  of    fifteen,  learning  the  traile 


De  Kalb 


'75 


of  liis  father,  who  was  em])loyt.-(l 
ill  the  iron  and  steel  works  at 
Brattfors.  In  1874  the  family  re- 
moved to  Degerfors,  Veniilaiul. 
father  and  son  being  employed  in 
the  iron  works  at  that  place  until 
1886.  Mr.  Stone  became  ver>' 
proficient  in  his  work,  for  which 
he  received  the  highest  grade  giv- 
en by  the  firm,  and  was  often 
called  upon  to  give  practical  dem- 
onstrations in  private  to  leading 
iron  masters  of  Sweden. 

At  thirty  Mr.  Stone  came  to 
the  ITnited  States.  After  living  a 
.short  time  in  Manistee,  Mich.,  he 
was  employed  in  the  barbed  wire 
mill  of  the  Haish  Manufacturing 
Co.  of  DeKalb;  later  he  changed 
to  the  Superior  Barb  Wire  Co., 
and  again  to  the  Ellwood  Nail 
and  Wire  Co. ,  now  the  American 
Steel  and  Wire  Co.'s  mills  at  De 
Kalb,  where  he  now  holds  the  po- 
sition of  foreman  in  the  drawing 
department. 

Mr.  Stone  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Mission  Church  and  of 
the  order  of  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America. 


He  grew  up  a  stranger  to  iifflu- 
ence.  As  soon  as  he  was  old 
enough    to    l)e    of    any  assistance, 


AUGUST    WILHELM    STARK. 

pastor  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  De  Kalb,  is  a  native 
of  Sweden.  He  was  born  on  the 
2nd  of  Nov.,  1854,  and  is  a  .son 
of  John  G.  Johnson  (deceased) 
and  Martha  Christine  Stark. 
The  name  Johnson  being  so  com- 
mon among  the  people  of  his 
nationality,  he  assumed  his  moth- 
ers' s  name  as  did  also  a  younger 
brother. 


AUGUST  WII.HEI.M    ST.\KK 

he  was  required  to  lend  a  hand 
in  gaining  a  living.  He  attended 
public  schools  from  his  sixth  year 
until  thirteen  years  of  age  and 
from  that  time  until  his  emigra- 
tion to  the  U.  S.  worked  on  the 
railroad.  In  1873.  he  was  induced 
by  a  brother  and  sister,  who  had 
already  come  to  this  country,  to 
cross  the  Atlantic.  Locating  at 
Tidioute,  Pa.  he  performed  man- 
ual labor  for  a  time.  During  the 
winter  of  1876-77  he  attended 
the  Collegiate  Institute  of  James- 
town, X.  V.  After  his  conversion 
ill  1874  he  had  a  desire  to  be- 
come a  minister  of  the  Gospel 
and  ill  1878  began  preparation  for 
that  work.  In  January  of  that 
year  he  entered  Augustana  Col- 
lege, where  he  was  graduated  in 
1883,  with  the  degree  of  A.  B. 
In    1885    he   was   graduated    from 


176 


De  Kalb  County 


the  Augustana  Theological  Semi- 
nary. While  acquiring  his  educa- 
tion, he  largely  supported  himself 
by  teaching  school  and  preaching. 
He  was  ordained  in  Rockford.Ill., 
in  18S5,  having  received  calls  to 
four  different  charges,  accepting 
one  near  Round  Rock,  Texas. 

In  1 886  Rev.  Stark  was  called 
to  the  pastorate  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Des  Moines, 
Iowa.  Here  he  worked  for  four 
and  a  half  years.  In  the  spring 
of  1 89 1,  he  accepted  a  call  from 
De  Kalb,  111.,  and  has  been  pas- 
tor of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  that  place    since    then. 

During  his  ministry  Rev.  Stark 
has  held  the  following  offices: 
Vice-President  of  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference of  the  Augustana  Synod, 
Swedish  Corresponding  Secretary 
of  the  General  Council  of  the 
Lutheran  Church  in  North  America, 
and  is  at  present  President  of 
the  Board  of  Directors  of  the 
Orphans'  Home  of  the  Illinois 
Conference. 

Rev.  Stark  has  two  brothers  in 
the  ministry,  viz:  Rev.  F.  M. 
Johnson  of  Chicago  and  Rev.  G. 
K.   Stark  of  Evanslon. 

In  Chicago,  on  the  14th  of 
Jan.,  1H86,  Rev.  Stark  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Miss  W'illielmina 
Peterson,  born  in  Chicago,  Nov. 
5,  1.S62,  the  daughter  of  O.  P. 
and  Carrie  Peterson, both  deceased. 
They  have  seven  children,  Minnie 
E.,  Carl  F.  E.,  Paul  W.,  Lutlur 
N.,  Esther  C.  Ebba  M.  L.,  and 
August  W.,  one  .son  having  died 
in  infancv. 


ANDERS  \V.  ANDERSON, 

contractor  and  builder,    was    born 
in    Jarstad    parish,     Ostergiitland, 


ANUliKS   W  ll.lli;i..\l    A.MihKSliN 

May  26,  1849.  He  came  over 
from  Sweden  in  1869,  equipped 
with  a  common  school  education 
and  ambitio!!  to  work.  Prior  to 
settling  down  in  Sycamore,  he 
lived  in  Chicago,  Rock  Island  and 
Moline  for  short  jK-riods. 

He  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  here  for 
35  years,  secretary  of  the  church 
for  some  18  years,  trustee  at 
various  {jeriods  from  1875,  and 
deacon  since  1898.  He  served  as 
alderman  in  Sycamore  for  two 
terms  and  was  then  chairman  of 
the  street  and  walk  connnittee. 
Mr.  Anderson  has  been  twice 
married,  and  had  four  children 
with  his  first  wife  and  five  with 
the  second.  Uoth  wives  are  dead, 
as  also  the  four  children  of  the 
first     marriage    and     one     of     the 


Svcaiiiore 


177 


second.     He    now    lives    with    the 
remaining;;  four  children. 


MAGNUS  FRVKMAN, 

pastor   of    the    Swedish    Lutheran 
Church  at    S\caniore,  is    the    son 


MAr.NTi   KKVKMAN 

of  a  farmer  of  Sunne,  Vermland, 
where  he  was  born  Oct.  3,  1844. 
His  father  was  for  many  \-ears  in 
public  service  in  connection  with 
the  district  court.  In  1873  the 
son  emigrated  to  the  United  States 
and  entered  Augustana  Theologi- 
cal Seminary,  then  located  in 
Paxton,  completing  the  course 
and  being  ordained  to  the  minis- 
try   in    the    spring    of    1875,   at  a 


synodical  meeting  held  at  Vasa, 
Minn.  He  had  previously  pur- 
sued studies  at  the  Ahlberg  School 
at  Hvetlanda,  aside  from  attend- 
ing the  common  school  at  Sunne. 
Since  his  ordination  Rev.  Fryk- 
man  has  had  jiastoral  charge  in 
the  following  places;  Chariton, 
I;i.,  1875-S0;  Marinette,  Wis., 
1880-83;  Republic,  Mich.,  1883- 
85;  Sycamore,  since  Dec.  22,  1885. 

Rev.  Frykman  has  been  one  of 
the  most  active  and  useful  mem- 
bers of  the  Augustana  clergy. 
He  has  served  as  secretary  of  the 
Iowa  Conference  for  two  years, 
of  the  Illinois  Conference  for 
three  years,  vice-president  of  the 
latter  conference  one  year  and  its 
president  for  four  years  (  1895-98). 
For  several  years  he  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Synodical  Council 
of  the  Augustana  Synod  and  of 
the  executive  committee  of  the 
Illinois  Conference,  and  has  be- 
sides been  called  upon  to  serve 
on  various  important  committees. 
He  served  for  a  number  of  years 
on  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
Augustana    Hospital    in    Chicago. 

Dec.  4,  18S4,  Rev.  Frykman  was 
married  at  Marinette,  Wis.,  to 
Miss  Amanda  Odea  Olson,  daugh- 
ter of  Emanuel  and  Gustafva  Ol- 
son,  who  are  still  living  there. 


FORD    COUNTY 


CxIBvSON  CITY    PAXTON-SIBLHY 


OLOF    P.  BARTKLvSON 

is  one  of  the  early  Swedish  settlers 
ill    Kord    county,  coining    here   in 


OLOF  PETKK    KARTELSON 

1868  from  Doderhult  parish,  Siua- 
land,  where  he  was  born  June  17, 
1838.  ITpon  his  arrival  in  Amer- 
ica he  settled  in  Dix  township, 
where  he  has  resided  ever  since, 
with  the  exception  of  six  years 
spent  in  Drummer  township.  His 
father,  Bartel  Olson,  born  in  Feb- 
ruarj-,  1806,  died  in  Dix  township 
in  1894  ^t  the  high  age  of  eighty- 
eight,  and  his  mother  passed  away 
the  same  year  the  family  reached 
America.  Bartel  Olson  was  the 
first  Swedish  settler  in  CTibsoii 
City.  Mr.  Bartelson's  occupation 
is  that  of  a  farmer.  With  his 
famih'  he  belongs  to  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Farmersville, 
where  he  has  been  a  trustee  for 
some  fifteen    vears. 


Mr.  Bartel.son  was  married  in 
1864  at  Hvena  parish,  Snialand, 
to  Carolina  Christina  Anderson, 
daugliter  of  Nils  Peter  Anderson, 
a  farmer  at  Ostra  Hult.  Mrs.  Bar- 
telson  died  in  1897,  leaving  her 
husband  and  five  children,  John 
Kmil,  Selnia  Othilia,  Hilma  Fre- 
doria,  F^phraim  Teodor,  Ernst  Ar- 
thur Emanuel,  three  of  their  chil- 
dren, Amanda  Sophia,  \'ictor  Ed- 
ward and  Otto  Sigfrid,  having 
(lied  before  her.  John  Emil  Bar- 
tel.son was  married  April  15,  1903, 
to  Othilia  Nelson  from  Gammals- 
torp  parish,  Blekinge,  Sweden; 
Selma  Othilia  Bartelson  in  1898 
married  C.  L.  Anderson  of  Cham- 
paign county,  and  Hilma  Fredoria 
Bartelson  married  Cornell  Oleson 
of  Sibley,  Ford  county,  Feb.  14, 
1900. 


ISAAC  O.  BLOOM, 

grocer,  was  born  in  Nassjo,  Snia- 
land, Sweden,  Feb.  19,  1846. 
Since  July,  1867,  when  he  came 
to  this  couiitr\-,  he  has  been  liv- 
ing in  Ford  count}-,  part  of  the 
time  in  Paxton,  before  locating  at 
Gibson  City. 

Mr.  Bloom  has  been  a  trustee 
of  the  Gibson  City  Building  and 
Loan  Association  for  a  long  term 
of  years,  and  has  also  .served  as  a 
trustee  in  the  local  Swedish  Luth- 
eran Church,  of  which  he  is  a 
member. 

His  wife,  Ida  C,  nee  Magnus- 
son,  was  born  at  the  citj-  of  Jon- 


l82 


Ford  County 


koping  in  1859.  The  pair  have  Larson  is  employed  by  the  tele- 
four  children.  Hampton  T.,  Selma  phone  company  in  Hammond,  Ind., 
C,  Herbert  L.  and  May  E.    From      and    the    daughter,    Ada,     is    the 


ISAAC    OTTO   BLOOM 

a  former  marriage  there  are  three 
children,  Theodore  J.,  a  druggist 
in  Texas,  George  H.,  shoe  dealer, 
and  Linda  M.,  stenographer,  both 
in  the  home  city. 

OLIX  LARSON, 

cigar  manufacturer,  was  born  in 
Toarp  parish,  Skane,  Sweden, 
March  21,  1846.  Equipped  with 
a  common  school  education  he 
emigrated  at  the  age  of  22  and 
then  came  to  Gibson  City,  where 
he  has  since  lived. 

He  is  engaged  in  the  manufac- 
ture and  sale  of  cigars,  with  one 
of  his  sous,  John  O.,  as  associate. 

Mr.  Larson  is  married  to  Ellen 
Aukney,  born  in  Somerset  co., 
Pa.,  Sept.  14,  1.H44.  The  fruits 
of  this  union  are  four  children, 
the  other  three  being  George  F., 
Betty     L.     aiul      .\(la    Iv.     George 


OI-IN    LARSON 

wife    of    Mr.   Mullholland  of  Chi- 
cago. 

Besides  his  business  in  the  city, 
Mr.  Larson  owns  a  farm  near 
Gibson  Citv. 


SWAX  PETERSON, 

secretary  and  manager  of  the 
Swan  Peterson  F^loral  Company, 
was  born  in  Norra  Stro,  Skane, 
Sweden,  Dec.  29,  1S60.  April  i, 
1880,  he  landed  on  American  soil 
and  made  his  home  in  Gibson 
City,  where  he  has  lived  ever 
since. 

Mr.  Peterson  learned  horticult- 
ure at  Araslof,  Sweden,  under  one 
of  the  most  capable  gardeners  in 
that  part  of  the  country.  He 
started  in  business  for  himself  as 
a  florist,  continuing  alone  for 
inan\-  Ncars,  until  the  increa.se  of 
business  jiromptcd  him  in   ujoo  to 


Gibson  City 


'«3 


enlar}<e  his  establishineiit.  For 
that  purpose  he  organized  the 
Swan  Peterson  Floral  Company, 
with  $.^o,o(X)  capital,  of  which 
stock  he  holds  one-third.  The 
present  value  of  the  plant  is  about 
?40,cxio.  He  makes  a  specialty  of 
violet,  carnation  and  rose  culture. 
Mr.  Peterson  is  the  originator  of 
several  new  varieties  of  carnations. 
The  company's  shipments  of 
flowers  and  plants  cover  a  wide 
territory.  Their  greenhouses  com- 
prise lOD.ooo  square  feet  of  glass. 
Mr.  Peterson  has  a  beautiful  home 
on  the  nursery  grounds.  He  is 
one  of  the  pillars  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  church  in  the  city,  hav- 
ing .served  as  a  deacon  for  over 
20  years  and  as  Sunday  school 
superintendent  for  a  number  of 
years. 

Mrs.  Peterson,  whose  maiden 
name  was  Sigrid  Molin,  was  born 
at  Vederslfif,  Skane.  Feb.  23,  1867. 
Their  children  are  Frida  M.,  Anna 
E.,  Edith  P.,  Esther  L.,  Freddie 
S.,  Linda  D.,  and  Freddie  E., 
deceased. 

FRANS  A.  SEASTRAND, 

Swedish  Lutheran  clergyman,  was 
born  at  Sjoamalen,  Askerj'd  parish, 
Smaland,  Sweden,  March  8,  1867. 
Having  finished  common  school 
in  his  native  place,  he  worked  for 
a  time,  partly  as  a  carpenter  and 
partly  as  a  farm  laborer.  When 
he  came  over  from  the  old  coun- 
try in  1 887  he  located  at  Mara- 
thon, la.  Here  he  was  employed 
for  two  years  in  the  real  estate 
office  of  C.  A.  Eckman.  After 
another    two  years    Mr.  Seastrand 


entered  Augustana  College  in  i^gt. 
He  graduated  from  the  college  in 
i8q7    and     from     the     theological 


KKANS  AUGUST  SHASTRAND 

seminarj-  in  1901,  being  ordained 
to  the  ministrj'  at  the  synodical 
meeting  in  Jamestown,  N.  V.,  that 
3^ear.  While  a  student.  Rev.  Sea- 
strand  taught  parish  .school  and 
preached  in  various  places  in  Iowa, 
Illinois,  Minnesota,  Michigan  and 
Ma.ssachusetts.  After  his  ordina- 
tion he  assumed  pastoral  charge 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  churches 
at  Gibson  City  and  Sibley,  111.  He 
removed  to  another  field  at  New 
London,   Minn.,  in   1906. 

May  14,  1903,  Rev.  Seastrand's 
marriage  (to  Miss  Beda  Erickson 
took  place  at  Laurens,   la. 

PAUL  GULLANDER, 

minister  of  the  Swedi.sh  Lutheran 
Church  and  former  missionarj-  in 
South  Africa  is  a  man  of  varied 
experience    whose    biographj-,     if 


1 84 


Ford  Countv 


given    in    detail,    would    take    up 
much  space. 

He     was     born     at     Gullackra, 
Bragarp    parish,    Skane,    Sweden, 


PAUL   c-.ULI.ANmjK 

June  1 6,  1863.  His  father,  Nils 
Ericsson,  who  was  a  farmer,  died 
when  Paul  was  six  years  old. 
There  were  five  other  children, 
Paul  being  the  youngest.  He 
was  educated  in  the  common 
school  and  after  confirmation  went 
to  the  nearest  city,  Lund,  and 
began  to  study  privately,  under 
the  tutorship  of  a  student  of  the 
Carolinian  cathedral  school,  niean- 
wliile  coming  in  contact  with  the 
student  body  of  the  old  university 
town  and  joining  the  local  sharp- 
.sliooters'   a.ssociation. 

At  about  eighteen  he  was  con- 
verted and  from  that  time  his 
desire  was  to  work  in  the  interest 
of  Christianity.  He  began  by 
circulating  religious  tracts  and  l)y 
bringing  little  street-urchins  into 
the    Sunday    school,    then    a    new 


thing  in  Lund,  which  was  looked 
upon  with  suspicion  by  conserva- 
tive churchmen  there. 

Despairing  of  ever  being  able 
to  obtain  the  education  needed 
for  the  ministry,  the  goal  of  his 
ambition,  Mr.  GuUander  at  the 
age  of  nineteen  opened  a  small 
shoe  store  in  Lund.  The  business, 
however,  jiroved  unprofitable,  en- 
tailing lo.sses  which  it  took  him 
several  years  to  make  up. 

Several  weeks  each  summer 
Mr.  Gullander — a  name  adapted 
from  his  place  of  birth — spent  as 
colporteur,  or  traveling  preacher 
and  bookseller,  in  Western  Skane. 

In  the  fall  of  1SS7  Mr.  Gul- 
lander emigrated  to  America, 
whither  two  brothers  had  pre- 
ceeded  him.  Coming  to  Chicago, 
he  stopped  with  Rev.  N.  M.  Lil- 
jegren,  a  Swedish  Methodist  cler- 
gyman, whom  he  had  known 
intimately  in  Sweden.  On  his 
recommendation  Mr.  Gullander 
was  enrolled  in  the  Swedish  de- 
partment of  the  Chicago  Theolog- 
ical Seminary,  from  which  he 
was  graduated  in    1S91. 

Soon  after  he  was  given  the 
desired  opportunity  to  go  as  a 
missionary  to  the  heathen,  being 
sent  to  South  .\frica  in  the  si)ring 
of  1892  by  the  Scandinavian 
Alliance  Mission  of  Chicago.  He 
was  stationed  at  Peter  Maritsburg, 
Natal,  for  five  months,  going 
from  there  by  ox-cart  to  Swazie- 
land,  where  the  Alliance  Mission 
established  its  first  station,  with 
Rev.   Gullander  as  secretary. 

Soon  after  his  arrival  in  South 
Africa,       Rev.        (luUander      was 


Paxton 


i«5 


joined  by  his  betrothed,  Augusta 
Kleouora  HultVierg,  a  graduate 
nurse  of  tlie  yueeii  Sophia  Home 
in  Stockholm,  and  they  were 
united  in  marriage.  Within  one 
year  the  union  was  dissolved  by 
her  death,  June  i,  1893.  Tlie 
following  August,  Rev.  Gullander 
went  to  Sweden  to  leave  his 
motherless  child  in  the  care  of 
his  dead  wife's  parents  in  Engel- 
holm. 

From  Sweden  he  went  for  the 
second  time  to  the  United  States, 
intending  to  enter  the  Augustana 
Theological  Seminary  at  Rock 
Island  to  pursue  further  theolog- 
ical studies.  He  was  graduated 
and  ordained  to  the  ministry  in 
the  Augustana  Synod  in  1896  and 
accepted  a  call  to  Washington 
Depot,  Conn.  This  seems  to 
have  been  merely  a  perfunctory 
step,  for  the  following  November, 
after  less  than  .six  months'  ser- 
vice we  find  him  on  his  way  to 
Sweden,  intent  on  a  plan  to  be- 
come missionary  to  the  Scandinav- 
ians of  Johannesburg  and  the 
Boer  Republic.  Through  the  good 
offices  of  influential  churchmen 
there  he  succeeded  in  raising  by 
subscription  the  sum  of  6,000 
crowns.  For  the  accomplishment 
of  this  end  he  visited  many 
Swedish,  Norwegian  and  Danish 
bishops,  and  other  influential 
Scandinavian  churchmen,  and  was 
also  permitted  to  pre.sent  his 
cause  at  an  audience  before  King 
Oscar. 

Leaving  the  bulk  of  the  funds 
in  care  of  Gottfrid  Warholm, 
treasurer     of     the     Lund    Mission 


Society,  Rev.  Gullander  again 
embarked  for  Sotitli  Africa,  arriv- 
ing in  Johannesburg  March  2X, 
1898.  On  Easter  Sunday  of  that 
year  he  conducted  the  first  Swed- 
ish high  mass  ever  celebrated  in 
Transvaal. 

President  Kruger  himself  prom- 
ised that  the  Transvaal  govern- 
ment would  donate  real  estate  for 
the  erection  of  a  Scandinavian 
Lutheran  church,  other  denomin- 
ations having  been  accorded  the 
same  generous  treatment.  But 
the  war  with  England  prevented 
Kruger  from  carrying  out  the 
promi.se.  Furthermore,  the  war 
played  havoc  with  all  mi.ssionary 
work  in  Boer  territory.  Many  of 
the  1500  odd  Scandinavians  in 
Transvaal  joined  the  Boer  Arnn-, 
and  the  loss  of  a  large  percentage 
of  the  Scandinavian  corps  in  the 
battle  of  Magersfonlein  struck 
dismay  into  the  entire  Scandi- 
navian  colony. 

In  order  to  support  himself 
Rev.  Gullander  for  nine  months 
held  a  position  as  librarian  with 
the  Rose  Deep  Company,  one  of 
the  largest  gold  mining  companies 
in  Transvaal,  devoting  only  Sun- 
days to  pastoral  work.  For  half 
a  }-ear  after  the  outbreak  of  the 
war  he  was  compound  manager 
at  the  company's  mine,  his 
duties  consisting  in  keeping  order 
among  the  2.000  native  laborers, 
when  not  at  work  in  the  mine. 
At  one  time  he  had  as  many  as 
90  native  policemen  to  assist  him 
in  this  task. 

Feb.  25,  1900,  about  six  months 
after    the    outbreak    of    the    war, 


1 86 


Ford  County 


Rev.  Gullander  left  Johannesburg 
for  Sweden,  going  by  way  of  an 
East  African  coast  line  to  Suez. 
From  Port  Saiil  he  made  an  ex- 
cursion to  the  Holy  Land,  pro- 
ceeding thence  via  Gibraltar,  Li.s- 
bon  and  Hamburg  to  Malnio. 

After  spending  the  summer  in 
Sweden,  Rev.  Gullander  proceeded 
to  the  United  Slates  in  the  early 
fall.  He  now  entered  upon  a 
lecture  tour  of  the  Scandinavian 
settlements,  designed  to  raise 
money  for  a  church  building  at 
Johannesburg,  a  plan  still  cher- 
ished by  him.  In  furtherance  of 
the  same  cause  Rev.  Gullander 
published  and  sold  4,000  copies 
of  a  pamphlet  dealing  with  mis- 
sion work  in  Africa  and  the  Boer 
War. 

The  principal  literar},-  work  of 
Rev.  Gullander  is  a  264  page 
volume  in  Swedish,  with  addition- 
al 80  pages  of  illustrations,  en- 
titled: "Three  years  in  Africa, 
and  Reminiscences  of  Sweden 
and  of  the  Holy  Land."  At 
present  he  is  engaged  in  writing 
another  book  to  be  entitled: 
"The  Destinies  of  a  Young 
Woman.  ' 

Nov.  I,  1903,  Rev.  Gullander 
took  pastoral  charge  of  the  Swed- 
ish Lutheran  Church  of  Farniers- 
ville,  near  Paxton,   111. 

On  June  28,  1905,  Rev.  Gul- 
lander again  entered  matrimony, 
his  second  wife  being  Esther  El- 
vira, daughter  of  Dr.  E.  J.  Wer- 
ner of  Rush  City,  Minn.  She  is 
an  accomplished  singer  and  musi- 
cian, who  was  educated  at  Giis- 
tavus  Adolpluis  College  Conserva- 


tory and  at  the  time  of  her 
marriage  held  a  call  to  become  one 
of  its  teachers.  A  daughter.  Aurora 
Elvira  Cecilia,  was  born  to  Rev. 
and  Mrs.  Gullander  in  June,  1906. 
Rev.  GuUander's  son  in  the  first 
marriage  died  in  Sweden,  aged 
eight  years. 

In  December,  1907,  Rev.  Gul- 
lander remov^ed  to  the  pastorate 
at  Big  Rapids,   Michigan. 

JOHN  K.  G.  HELMER, 

druggist  and  bookseller,  was  born 
at  Hjertsbo,  Tvered   parish,    \'es- 


joH.N  1-.  c.  111:1. .mi:k 

tergiitland,  Sweden,  Nov.  14, 
1849,  and  educated  at  the  Grenna 
[ledagogy  and  the  higher  element- 
ary school  of  Jiinkoping,  1S63-67. 
In  the  latter  year  he  came  over 
to  America,  .settling  in  Paxton, 
where  he  has  lived  ever  since. 
Since  1887,  he  is  the  pro])rictor 
of  a  prosjierous  drug  l)usiness. 
Prior  to  that  he  worked  on  vari- 
ous   farms    in    the    (k)s,    then    as 


Paxton 


1.H7 


clerk  for  S.  D.  Cooper,  druggist 
at  Paxton.  Mr.  Helmer  is  an 
active  member  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  since  1869  and 
has  served  for  a  number  of  years 
as  one  of  the  trustees  and  as 
treasurer  of  that  board,  also  as 
secretary  of  the  congregation. 
He  was  clerk  of  the  I'axton 
Camp  of  the  Modern  Woodmen 
from  1886  to  1902,  and  is  a  mem- 
ber of  other  orders,  viz.,  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Yeoman  of 
America,  Odd  Fellows  and  Court 
of   Honor. 

In  1876  Mr.  Helmer  was  elected 
Coroner  of  Ford  county  and  re- 
elected two  years  later.  In  1880 
he  was  appointed  Deputy  Circuit 
Court  Clerk  and  Recorder,  serv- 
ing nearly  four  years.  In  1884 
he  was  elected  Circuit  Court 
Clerk  and  Recorder  and  reelected 
in  1888,  serving  eight  years  in 
all.  In  later  years  he  has  served 
as  vice-president  of  the  Carnegie 
Library  of  Paxton.  Besides  Mr. 
Helmer  has  filled  sundry  minor 
positions  of  honor  and  trust  not 
here    mentioned. 

June  4,  1S79,  Mr.  Helmer  was 
married  to  Augusta  W.  Fredrick- 
son,  who  was  born  Oct.  i,  1857, 
at  Skjnnmelsas,  Grenna,  Smaland. 
Two  children  have  been  born  to 
them, viz., a  daughter, Cora  Otelia, in 
1880,  deceased,  and  a  son  Ralph 
Anton,  in   1S85. 

GUSTAF  EMIL  HEMDAHL 
was  born  Jan.  8,    1866,    in  Skede, 
Sweden.     He  came  to  America  in 
1880  from  his'' home    in  Smaland, 
where  his    father,    Anders    Peter- 


son, had  lieen  superintending  an 
orphans'  home.  He  located  at 
Swede   Home,   Neb.,   hired  out    as 


GUSTAl'   liMll,    Hi:.MI>.\H  1. 

a  farm  hand  and  then  rented  a 
farm.  The  years  1886-89  he 
tried  farming  in  eastern  Colorado 
but  the  land  proving  valueless  on 
account  of  lack  of  rain  he  aban- 
doned it.  In  1890  he  was  ma- 
triculated as  a  student  at  Luther 
Academy,  Wahoo,  Neb.,  and 
graduated  in  the  spring  of  1893. 
The  next  fall  he  entered  the 
freshman  class  of  Augustan  a  Col- 
lege and  graduated  with  the  col- 
lege class  of  1897,  having  spent 
the  school  year  of  1895-96  at  the 
state  University  of  Nebraska. 
At  the  opening  of  the  school 
year  of  1897-98  he  was  admitted 
to  Augustana  Theological  Semi- 
nary and  graduated  from  that  in- 
.stitution  in  the  spring  of  1900, 
with  the  degree  of  B.  D.  Hav- 
ing received  a  call  from  the 
Swedish      Lutheran      Church      of 


1 88 


Ford  County 


Princeton,  he  was  ordained  at 
the  annual  meetiug  of  the  Au- 
gustana  Synod  at  Burlington, 
Iowa,  June  17,  1900.  During  his 
pastorate  at  Princeton,  the  con- 
gregation paid  off  a 52,700 church 
debt,  raised  $4,000  for  improve- 
ments and  increased  its  list  of 
communicant  members  by  one 
hundred  and  fifty. 

In  July,  1903,  he  was  married 
to  Miss  Selma  Anderson  of  Mo- 
line,  111.  Miss  Anderson  was  a 
graduate  of  Moline  High  School 
and  Moline  Normal  School  and 
for  six  years  a  teacher  in  the 
Moline  city  schools,  also  for 
several  years  a  member  of  Augus- 
tana  College  Chorus.  The  family 
is  blessed  with  a  son,  Oustaf 
Reuel. 

In  1406  Rev.  Hemdahl  removed 
to  Paxton,  pursuant  to  a  call  from 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
that  city.  This  congregation  is 
now  erecting  a  $30,000  church 
building. 


his  wife,  Anna  M.,  being  a  na- 
tive of  Chicago,  where  she  was 
born    Jan.    5,     1866.     They    have 


CHARLES  ALBERT    LARSON, 

engaged  in  the  clothing  and  fur- 
nishing business,  was  born  of 
Swedish  parents  in  Attica,  Ind., 
Feb.  I,  1859.  The  family  re- 
moved to  Paxton,  where  he  at- 
tended public  school,  and  after- 
wards was  employed  in  the  cloth- 
ing store  opened  here  by  his 
father,  P.  Larson.  Mr.  C.  A. 
Lanson  is  now  secretary  and  treas- 
urer of  the  P.  Larson  Company 
in  Paxton  and  also  jiresident  of 
the  P.  Larson  Clothing  Comjiatiy 
in    Gibson    CJty.     He    is  married. 


CH.ARI.liS  AI.IUiRT    L.\KSl>N 

three  children,  named  Clarence  R. 
Mabel  E.  and  Grace  V.  The  family 
belongs  to  the  local  Swedish  Lu- 
theran Church. 


AUGUSTUS  J.  LAUREN'CE. 

mayor  of  the  city  of  Paxlon,  has 
resided  in  that  city  since  his  emi- 
gration in  1869.  His  father  Jo- 
han  Nilsson,  who  combined  the 
farmer's  occupation  with  the  car- 
penter's trade,  lived  in  tlie  little 
town  of  Grenna,  Sweden,  where 
his  son,  Augustus  Laurence,  was 
born  Dec.  12,  1849.  After  his 
arrival  in  Paxton  he  substituted 
the  given  name,  Laurence,  for 
that  of  Johnson  to  avoid  confusion. 
Having  readied  the  age  of  twenty 
before  coming  to  America  he 
naturally  had  enjoyed  a  conunon 
school  education  in  the  old  coun- 
try.    This    was    supplementetl    by 


Paxt( 


)n 


1S9 


two  years  of  study  at    Auj,aistaua 

College,   then  located    at    Pax  ton. 

In   rSjs   Mr.   Laurence    enjjaged 


ArorSTTS  .1.   LAURENCE 

in  the  dry  goods,  carpet  and  shoe 
business  and  can  now  look  back 
upon  a  successful  career  of  more 
than  a  quarter  century  as  one  of 
the  leading  business  men  of  Pax- 
ton. 

Having  been  united  in  marriage 
May  28,  1878,  to  Jennie  W.  Eg- 
nell, daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  N.  G. 
Eguell  of  Paxton,  Mr.  Laurence 
has  a  family  of  four  sons  and  one 
daughter,  viz.,  Austin  Evald, 
Elmer  Tlieodore,  Agnes  Ottilia, 
Victor  Emanuel  and  Albert  Fred- 
rick.    One  daughter    is   deceased. 

Mr.  Laurence  is  a  devoted 
member  of  the  local  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church,  which  he  has 
given  many  years  of  service,  hav- 
ing been  secretary  of  the  congre- 
gation for  twenty-seven  years,  of 
the     church     council    for    sixteen 


years  and  a  member  of  the  board 
of  deacons    for    twenty-five    years. 

For  a  number  of  years  he  has 
been  a  director  of  the  Young 
Men's  Christian  As.sociation  of 
l-'ord  county  and  was  reelected  in 
January,  1907,  for  three  years  as 
a  director  in  the  Scandia  Life 
Insurance  Company  of  Chicago. 
He  has  served  as  supervisor  of 
Ford  county  for  ten  years.  He 
is  a  director  in  the  Paxton  Chau- 
tauqua Association,  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Paxton  Club  and  of 
the  Paxton   Retail  Association. 

In  recognition  of  his  sterling 
citizenship  the  citizens  of  Paxton 
finally  conferred  upon  Mr.  Laur- 
ence the  highest  honor  within 
their  gift  by  electing  him  to  the 
mayoralty.  This  office  he  has 
filled  for  the  past  two    years. 

ERIC  P.  OLSSON, 

minister  of  the  Lutheran  Church 
and  for  many  years  pastor  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  in 
Paxton,  is  a  native  of  the  province 
of  Helsingland,  where  he  was  born 
Nov.  24,  1857,  at  Undersvik. 
His  parents,  John  Olsson,  a  farmer, 
and  his  wife,  Martha  Erickson, 
both  died  in  recent  jears  at  Paw- 
nee Rock,   Kans. 

The  family  came  to  America  in 
1870,  living  for  four  years  in 
Pennsj'lvauia  before  removing  to 
Kansas.  After  spending  about 
fi\e  years  on  the  farm  at  Pawnee 
Rock,  FIric  Peter  was  sent  to  school 
at  Rock  Island,  where  he  studied 
during  the  years  1880-87  at  Au- 
gustana  College  and  Theological 
Seminary.     Shortly    after   gradua- 


I90 


Ford  County 


tion  ill  llie  spriiiH^  of  1.S.S7  he  was 
ordained  to  the  ministry  and  took 
char<(e    of    a    jiastorate    at     Mar- 


1;k1C    I'liTHR   OI.SSnN 

qtiette,  Kans.  After  a  year  and 
a  lialf  he  assumed  charge  of  the 
church  at  Paxtoii,  and  continued 
to  labor  in  that  historic  field  from 
December,  1888,  until  Ai)iil,  1906, 
On  a  call  from  the  church  in  Fa- 
lun, Kans.,  he  now  removed  there, 
partly  from  the  necessity  of  look- 
ing after  certain  important  prop- 
erty-  interests  in  that  loc:dily. 

In  1897  the  degree  of  A.  M. 
was  conferred  upon  Rev.  Olsson 
by  Bethany  College,  and  in  1901 
he  received  the  honorary  title  of 
D.  I),  from  Wittenberg  College, 
Springfield,  Ohio. 

Dr.  Olsson  has  .served  as  presi- 
dent and  .secretary  of  the  Paxton 
District  of  the  Illinois  Conference 
of  the  Augustana  Synod.  For  five 
years  he  edited  and  ijublishcd 
Olive- ntadct,  a  local  monthly  pa- 
per   in    the   interest  of  his  church 


at  Paxton.  On  the  occasion  of  the 
40th  anniversary  of  the  same 
church  he  edited  a  memorial  al- 
bum, containing  the  history  of  the 
Paxton  congregation  from   1863  to 

1903- 

Dr.  Ol.sson  was  married  to  Miss 
Ivsther  Thorstenberg  May  18,  1893. 
Mrs.  Olsson  is  the  daughter  of  the 
lite  Mr.  and  Mrs.  O.  H.  Thorsten- 
l)erg,  well  known  to  the  Swedish 
settlers  of  Kansas.  She  was  bom 
:it  Assaria,  Kans.,  Feb.  8,  1871. 
The  union  has  been  blessed  with 
three  sons  an:l  three  daughters, 
of  whom  the  following  are  living: 
luic  Paul  Torsten,  i>orn  1894, 
Carl  Birger  Samuel  and  Jarl  Helge 
Sigfrid,  twins,  1902.  and  Edla 
Agnes  Marie,    1904. 

X.   H.    PIv ARSON 

was  born  at  Ousby.  Skane.  Swe- 
ilun,   Nov.   4,    1S4;;,   and   reared  in 


that  locality.     In  i8(>7.  a>  a  young 
man  of  24,  he  came  to   the  United 


Paxton 


lyl 


States,  locating  at  Paxloii.  A 
car])Ciilt.T  by  trade,  he  here  estab- 
lished himself  as  a  building  con- 
tractor and,  as  such,  has  been  the 
architect  of  his  own  fortune.  Mr. 
Pearson  has  put  up  many  of  the 
principal  buildings  in  Paxton,  such 
as  the  Rodeen  Ulock,  the  A.  J. 
Laurence  Block,  the  Buggy  Fac- 
tory Block  and  the  Carnegie  Lib- 
rary building,  besides  many  of  the 
finest  private  residences. 

,  He  has  served  as  an  alderman 
for  eight  years  and  for  main 
years  has  been  a  trustee  of  his 
church,   the  Swedish  Lutheran. 

ANDREW  PETERSON, 
born  at  Strti  parish,  Skane,  Dec. 
7,  1864,  came  over  from  Sweden 
in  October,  1881.  He  has  a  com- 
mon school  education  from  the  old 
country  and  attended  public  school 
for  some  time  in  this  couiitr\-. 
He  lias  lived  for  some  time  at 
Gib.son  City  and  Chicago,  respect- 
ively, .serving  as  a  trustee  and 
Sunday  school  superintendent  of 
local  Swedish  Lutheran  churches. 
Mr.  Peterson  is  a  successful 
horticulturist,  owning  a  green- 
house worth  $8,000  in  Paxton  and 
one  at  Hoopeston,  valued  at  $10,- 
000,  the  latter  being  one  of  the 
finest  in  the  state.  He  makes  a 
specialty  of  carnations  and  roses, 
and  ships  flowers  to  almost  every 
state  in  the  Union  and  to  Canada. 
Nine  years  ago  he  started  in  as  a 
florist  in  a  humble  waj'  at  Pax- 
ton, but  business  increased  rapid- 
ly, necessitating  extensions  at  home 
and  warranting  him,  three  years 
later,   in    building  a  branch  estab- 


lishment   larger    than  the  original 
])huit. 

Ai)ril  II,  1896,  at  Chicago,  Mr. 
Peterson  was  married  to  Mathilda 
Johnson,  born  in  Kalmar,  Sweden. 
Dec.   7,    TSr.i. 

SWEN  ANDERSON 

is    one   of    the  most  distinguished 
citizens    of    the    town    of    Sibley, 


SWEN   ,\NliliKS(>N 

where  he  has  held  many  offices  of 
honor  and  trust,  including  those 
of  postmaster  and  president  of  the 
village.  He  was  born  in  the  par- 
ish of  Felestad,  near  the  city  of 
Lund,  Sweden,  Jan.  *>,  1844.  He 
had  a  common  school  education  in 
the  old  country  and  studied  book- 
keeping; in  Lund  for  a  short  time. 
At  twenty  he  came  to  this  coun- 
try, Sf)ending  two  years  in  Cham- 
paign county,  111.,  and  one  year 
in  Iowa,  subsequently  settling  in 
Sibley,  where  he  has  lived  since 
1868  and  been  a  dealer  in  lumber 
and  coal  for  over  twentv  vears. 


192 


Ford  County 


Among  the  other  offices  he  has 
filled,  besides  those  named  above, 
are  the  following:  school  treas- 
urer for  20  years,  justice  of  the 
peace  for  18  years,  supervisor, 
town  clerk,  assessor,  collector, 
commissioner  of  highways  and 
village  trustee  and  treasurer.  He 
has  been  the  Ford  county  member 
of  the  Republican  Stale  Central 
Committee  for  16  years.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican  and  one  of  the 
leaders  in  Ford  county. 

He  helped  to  organize  and  has 
been  secretary  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  since  its  organ- 
ization in  1879  and  superintendent 
of  its  Sunday  school  for  more  than 
twelve  years. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Miss  Lotta  Swenson 
of  Fairbury,  III.,  on  Christmas 
da  J',  1873.  To  them  seven  chil- 
dren have  been  t)orn,  five  of  whom 
are  dead.  The  living  are:  Carrie 
C,  and  James  L.,  of  whom  the 
latter  has  been  educated  at  Au- 
gustana   College. 

LOUIS  T.  LARSON. 

a  prosperous  farmer  of  Sibley, 
came  over  from  Sweden  in  1869 
and  located  first  at  Gibson  City. 
He  was  born  Nov.  22,  1848,  at 
Broby,  Skane.  He  is  an  active 
member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  at  Sibley,  having  served 
for  many  years  as  a  deacon  and 
assistant  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  school. 

He  was  married  at  (libson  Cil>' 
in  iHSoto  .\nna  Mathilda  Nelson 
from  Strt"),  Skane.  To  them  ten 
children  li.ive  been  born,  viz.,  Al- 


fred Theodor.  John  Arthur,  Joseph 
Lawrence,  Anton  Leonard,  Tyra 
Elvira,  Anna    Malinda,  Alice    Al- 


LOIIS    T.    L.\KSON 

frida,  living,  and  Julius,  Amos 
and  Mertha,  dead. 

Mr.  Larson's  parents  were  Truls 
and  Nilla  Larsson,  farmer  folk  of 
Broby,  and  his  mother,  who  is 
past  eighty,  is  now  living  with 
her  son  on  the  farm  at  Sibley. 

PKTI:r  PEARSON, 

farmer,  and  one  of  the  early  set- 
tlers here,  came  over  to  this  coun- 
try in  1870  as  a  young  man  of 
twenty  and  located  at  Sibley  from 
the  first.  He  was  born  at  Nrif- 
linge,  Skane,  Feb.  27,  1850,  and 
received  his  schooling  in  that 
locality. 

Mr.  Pearson  was  one  of  the 
fouiuliTs  of  tliL-  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  at  Sibley  in  187c).  The 
congregation  has  Si  conununicant 
meml)ers     and      church      ]>roi)erty 


Sibley 


193 


valued  at  >2,oc)0.  Mr.  Pearson 
has  served  it  as  a  trustee  for  a 
long  term  of  years. 

He  is  married  to  Ivlua  Ol.soii, 
born  in  Alms  parish,  Skane,  Feb. 
27,  iJ^SJ.  Of  seven  children  born 
to  them,  the  living  are:  Fanny 
Elida,  Edgar  Lawrence,  Emily 
Dorothy,  James  Walter  and  Lillian 
Virginia;  the  dead,  Alice  Nora 
and  Edna  Viola. 

The  father  of  Mrs.  Pearson  came 
over  in  1862,  located  in  Chicago, 
removed  to  Paxton  and  lived  in 
Ford  county  until  1880,  then  re- 
moved to  Winthrop,  Minn.,  where 
he  is  a  well-to-do  farmer. 


PETER   PEARSON 


Warren,  Mercer,  Whiteside,  Peoria 
and  Marshall  Counties 


MONMOUTH    ALEDO    NEW  WINDSOR 

SHERRARD-PROPHETSTOWN 

PEORIA-WENONA 


AUGUST  JOHNSON, 

minister  of  the  Augustaiia   Synod 
and    for    twenty    years    pastor    of 


AUGUST lOHNSOX 

the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
Monmouth,  was  born  March  15, 
1856,  in  the  early  Swedish  colony 
of  Andover,  111.,  where  his  par- 
ents, Anders  Johnsoii  and  his 
wife,  Stina  Greta  Monsson,  were 
living  on  a  farm.  Both  parents 
are  now  dead,  the  father  having 
passed  away  at  Orion,  111.,  in 
1892  and  the  mother  at  Mon- 
mouth in  1900.  The  son,  August, 
was  educated  at  Augustana  Col- 
lege and  Theological  Seminary, 
Rock  Island.  Just  after  graduat- 
ing from  the  seminary  in  the 
spring  of  1884  he  was  ordained 
to  the   ministr}-    at    a    meeting   of 


the  Augustana  Synod  held  in  the 
place  of  his  birth.  Having  ac- 
cepted a  call  to  become  assistant 
pastor  in  Andover,  he  labored  in 
that  capacitj-  for  three  years.  In 
obedience  to  a  call  from  the  Mon- 
mouth Swedish  Lutheran  Church, 
he  came  there  in  18S7,  remaining 
until  1907,  when  he  removed  to 
I, a  Porte,  Ind.  The  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  at  that  place 
celebrated  its  Jubilee  in  1907, 
i.ssuing  an  illustrated  album  of 
which  Rev.  Johnson  was  the 
editor. 

In  the  affairs  of  the  Illinois 
Conference  and  of  the  Augustana 
Synod  Rev.  Johnson  has  constant- 
ly evinced  great  interest  and 
earnest  activity.  This  was  recog- 
nized in  1907  bj-  his  election  as 
vice-president  of  the  Illinois  Con- 
ference. 

June  3,  1886,  Rev.  John.son 
was  married  at  Altona,  111.,  to 
Miss  Hannah  Larson,  born  Dec. 
30,  185S,  the  daughter  of  Peter 
Larson  and  his  wife  Haiuiah,  nee 
Hawkinson.  Rev.  and  Mrs.  John- 
son are  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren, Anna  EveHne,  born  1S87, 
August  Herman,  1890,  and  Lil- 
lian Henrietta,    1893. 

OSCAR  E.  CARLSTROM. 

attorney  at  law,  was  born  at  New 
Boston,    111.,    July    16,    1S78.     He 


198 


Mercer  County 


is  a  graduate  of  the  Northern  Illi- 
nois College  of  Law  at  Dixon,  111., 
and    began    law  practice  at  Aledo 


OSCAR    E.   CARLSTROM 

just   after    being    admitted    to    the 
bar  ill  February,    1903. 

Aug.  26,  1899,  he  enlisted  for 
militan,'  service  in  the  Phili])pine 
Islands,  and  served  in  the  39th 
U.  S.  V.  Inf.  until  May  6,  1901, 
when  his  regiment  was  mustered 
out,  making  fifteen  months  of 
service  in  the  Philippines.  In  the 
service  he  advanced  to  the  grade 
of  corporal. 

His  father,  Charles  A.  Carl- 
stroni,  came  to  America  from 
Ostergotland,  Sweden,  in  1S69, 
Mrs.  Clara  Carlstriim  following  in 
1870. 

Mr,  Carlstriim  is  the  junior 
member  of  the  law  firm  of  Bassett 
&  Carlstr()m,  and  is  the  onl\- 
Swedish  lawver  in  Mercer  count\- 
and  for  many  miles  outside  its 
boundaries. 


The  family  are  members  of  the 
First  Presbyterian  Church. 

Mr.  Carlstrom  is  affiliated  with 
the  A.  F.  and  A.  Ma.sonic  lodge 
and  the  Modern  Woodmen. 

On  Dec.  30,  1903,  Attorney  Carl- 
striim was  married  to  Miss  Alma 
Christine  Nissen  at  Grand  Mead- 
ow. Minn.  Mrs.  Carlstrom's  father 
is  a  native  of  Denmark  and  her 
mother,  of  Norway.  She  is  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Conservatory  of  Music 
at  Dixon,  111.  They  have  a  son, 
Charles  Henry,  born  in    1905. 

ALC.OT  T.  LUNDHOLM 

was  born  in  Svarttorp.  Nashult 
parish,  Sweden,  March  21,  1875, 
and  emigrated  together  with  the 
family  in    1884,   locating    at    Win- 


AI.COT   TIlliODOKli    I.l'NI>HOI.M 

throji,  Minn.  He  attended  C.us- 
tavus  Adoli)lnis  College,  at  St. 
Peter,  Minn,,  and  was  graduated 
with  (he  class  of  '91),  with  the 
degree  of  A.  B..  Subsci|Uenlly 
he     pursued     di\inity    studies    at 


New  Windsor 


199 


Augiistana  Theological  Seminary, 
beiii}4  graduated  in  1902  with  the 
degree  of  B.  D.  Upon  ordination 
he  assumed  charge  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  congregation  of  Aledo. 
In  1906  he  removed  to  St.  James, 
Minn.,  pursuant  to  a  call  from 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  at 
St.   James,   Minn. 

Rev.  Lundholm  wa.s  married 
Oct.  29,  ic)02,  to  Lydia  Maria, 
daughter  of  John  Olson  of  Minne- 
apolis, born  Jan.  11,  1882,  at 
Nedre  Ullerud,  \'ermland,  Swe- 
den. The  wedding  was  celebrated 
at  Winlhrop,  Minn.,  where  Rev. 
Lundholm' s    parents    are    farmens. 


hardware  store  of  Mr.  Olof  Frenal. 
Three  years  later  his  brother,  Hlias 
Lindorff,  joined  him  as  a  partner, 


JOHAN   G.  LINDORFF, 

who  has  been  in  the  hardware 
business  in  Xew  Windsor  ever 
since  1872,  was  born  in  Langasjo, 
Smaland,  Sweden,  Oct.  20,  1842. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  lost  his 
father,  Jonas  Lindorff,  who  was  a 
farmer  and  a  selfmade  medical 
practitioner  in  the  country  round- 
about. The  son  attended  common 
school  at  home  and  later  went  to 
Visby,  Gotland,  where  he  took  a 
course  in  a  normal  school.  Aged 
seventeen,  he  left  home  to  learn 
the  trade  of  tinner  and  copper  and 
sheetiron  worker.  It  was  from 
1866  to  1 868,  when  he  left  for 
America,  that  Mr.  Lindorff  lived 
in  Visbj-.  Landing  in  New  York, 
he  was  employed  in  a  factory  in 
that  city  for  one  year.  Proceed- 
ing westward,  he  worked  in  Chi- 
cago for  a  few  months,  then  lived 
for  a  time  in  Altona  before  finally 
locating  in  New  Windsor. 

In     1S72    he     bought     out     the 


■V^' 


l»>-.'-r»<{.'T»jK"\ 


JOHAN  GUST.\F   I.IXnORFF 

and  the  business  was  conducted 
under  the  firm  name  of  Lindorff 
Bros,  for  seventeen  years,  or  until 
1892,  when  the  junior  partner  re- 
tired, leaving  J.  G.  Lindorff  as  sole 
proprietor.  He  ^is  still  in  the  bus- 
iness, with  a  fine  stock  of  hard- 
ware, stoves  and  tinware,  and  is 
one  of  the  prosperous  merchants 
of  the  town. 

Mr.  Lindorff  has  served  three 
terms  in  the  aldermanic  council, 
and  in  18S7  was  elected  township 
collector  of  taxes. 

The  Lindorff  family  are  all  con- 
nected with  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  New  Windsor,  to  which 
Mr.  Lindorff  has  ever  contributed 
liberally  of  his  time,  labor  and 
substance.  He  is  at  present  chair- 
man of  its  board  of  trustees. 

Dec.  9,  1 87 1,  he  was  married  to 
Maria  Lovisa  Wahlberg.  who   was 


200 


Mercer  County 


born  at  St.  Anna,  Ostergolland, 
Dec.  28.  1S44.  and  emigrated  in 
1870.  Their  children  now  living 
are:  O.  W.  Lindorff.  born  1873. 
•doctor  of  medicine,  graduated  at 
Ru.sh  Medical  College;  Blanche  A., 
born  1875,  professional  nurse,  grad- 
uated at  the  Augustana  Hospital 
training  school;  Esther  Ouilia, 
born  1878,  now  Mrs.  A.  \V.  An- 
derson; Arthur  L.,  born  1884. 
They  also  adopted  and  raised  Ti 
nie  Swanson,  a  cousin  of  their 
own  children,  now  Mrs.  C.  H. 
Piele. 

CHARLES  A.  SAMUELSOX 

•was  born  in  Haddorp,  Sweden, 
Nov.  18,  1S56.  He  emigrated  to 
this  country  at  the  age  of  14  and 
came  direct  to  his  brother,  Jonas 
Samuelson,  who  owned  and  worked 
a  coal  mine  near  New  Windsor, 
111.  After  four  years  in  the  em- 
ploy of  his  brother,  he  bought  the 
coal  mine  and  continued  to  oper- 
ate it  for  a  period  of  three  years, 
when  he  sold  out  and  engaged  in 
farming.  In  188 1  he  bought  a 
farm  near  where  Sherrard  is  now 
located  and  began  farming  and 
stock  raising.  In  1894,  when  the 
coal  mines  were  opened  up  at 
Sherrard  and  the  Rock  Island  i<: 
Mercer  Countj'  Railroad  built  i\ 
branch  in  there,  Mr.  Samuelson 
<inil  farming  and  began  dealing  in 
bimher,  hardware,  grain  aiul  im- 
plements, in  which  liusiness  he  is 
still  engaged. 

He  has  served  his  school  district 
as  a  trustee  for  ten  years,  ami 
has  been  road  commissioner  and 
treasurer  of  Richland  Ctrove  town- 


ship for  twelve  years.  In  1898 
he  was  elected  to  the  state  legis- 
lature from  the  35th  district,  com- 


CM.\kl.liS    A.  S.WIUELSON 

prising  Mercer,  Warren,  Hender- 
son and  Knox  counties,  and  reelec- 
ted in  1900.  In  1902  he  was  again 
elected  to  the  legislature  from  the 
new "33d  district,  comjirising  Mer- 
cer, Henry  and  Rock  Island  coun- 
ties. As  .such  representative  he 
has  served  his  constituents  with 
credit  to  himself.  IHiring  the  ses- 
sion in  1903  he  was  appointed  by 
Governor  Yates  as  one  of  the 
committee  to  deliver  the  live  thou- 
sand dollars  donated  by  the  state 
of  Illinois  to  the  sufferers  of 
Northern  Sweilen  and  Finland. 
He  has  taken  an  active  part  in 
organizing  and  maintaining  the 
Swedish- American  Republican  State 
League  of  Illinois,  and  was  its 
vice-prcsidi-nt  in  ujoi.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Swedish  Lutlieran 
Church  of  Swedona  and  has  served 
the  church    both  as  a  ileacon  and 


Prophetstown 


20 1 


.1  trustee.  He  is  also  a  ineniber 
and  one  of  the  directors  of  the 
North  Star  Benefit  Association  of 
Moline,  111.,  and  of  the  M.  W.  A. 
and  the  K.  of  P. 

Elected  mayor  of  Sherrard  in 
1905,  he  was  reelected  in   1907. 

Feb.  27,  1879,  he  was  married 
to  Emma  M.  Law.son  of  Swedona, 
Mercer  county.  This  union  has 
been  blessed  with  six  children,  of 
whom  only  two  are  now  living, 
Florence  and  Chester. 

A.  EDGREN 
was  born  Jan.  3,    1844,  in    Nedra 
Ulleryd,  Vermland,   Sweden.      He 


A.    liDGKEN 

emigrated  to  this  country  in  1870, 
and  was  enrolled  at  Augustana 
College  and  Theological  Seminary 
at  Paxton.  Rev.  Edgren  was  or- 
dained June  29,  1873,  in  Paxton, 
and  has  served  the  Swedi.sh  Luth- 
eran congregations  in  Aurora,  111., 
Ishpeming,  Mich.,  Paxton,  Evans- 
ton,  Snmmerdale  in  Chicago, 
Ophiem  and  Prophetstown,   111. 


CHARIJvS  \ICT()R 
IvNGSTROM 
was  born  in  Mcinsteras  parish, 
Smaland,  Sweden,  Nov.  10,  1854. 
He  was  fifteen  years  old  when  he 
came  to  this  countrj-.  His  first 
home  here  was  in  dalesburg.  from 
which  city  he,  like  a  mimber  of 
other  Swedish  .settlers,  removed 
later  to  Peoria.  Here  he  is  now 
established  in  business  as  a  dealer 
in  leather  and  shoe  findings. 

Mr.  Engstnun  belongs  to  the 
orders  of  Odd  Fellows,  Masons 
and  Modern  Woodmen,  and  is  the 
treasurer  of  the  Deaconess  Home 
and  Hospital  Association. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Engstrom,  who 
were  married  in  Chicago  Dec.  31, 
1879,  have  four  children,  Ella  V., 
Roy  v.,  Charles  L.  and  Bessie  L. 
Engstrom. 

AXEL  E.  ELMQUIST, 

])astor  of  the  Swedish  Mission 
Church  of  Peoria,  was  born  in 
Elmhult,  Smaland,  Sweden,  March 
17,  1879.  His  parents,  August 
and  Hedvig  Ander.son.  were  farmer 
folk  in  the  parish  of  Jersnas.  At 
twenty-two  years  of  age  he  emi- 
grated in  1901, going  to  Brockton, 
Mass.,  where  he  availed  himself  of 
the  instruction  in  the  Brockton  eve- 
ning school.  A  \'ear  later  he  en- 
tered North  Park  College  and  in 
three  years  fitted  himself  for  the 
ministry  in  the  Swedish  Mission 
Church,  taking  the  full  course  in 
the  theological  department.  While 
a  student  he  devoted  his  vacations 
to  pastoral  woik  in  Terre  Haute, 
Ind.,  Cromwell,  Ct.,  and  Marshall- 
town,  la.     Since  his  ordination  to 


202 


Peoria  County 


the  niinistr\-  in  the  Swedish  Evan- 
gelical Mission  Covenant  in  June, 
1905,  he  has  served  the  church 
in    Peoria. 


Oskarshamn,  Sweden,  Dec.  9,  1868. 
Kmigrating  in  1882,  he  came  to 
Lindsborg,  Kans.  At  Bethany 
College  in  that  city  he  took  up 
studies,  graduating  from  the  com- 
mercial department  in  1890  and 
from  college  in  1896.  At  Augus- 
tana  Theological  Seminary  he  fit- 
ted himself  for  the  ministry  and 
was  ordained  at  the  synodical 
meeting  in  Burlington,  Iowa,  in 
the  early  summer  of  1900,  subse- 
quently taking  charge  of  the 
Swedish  Lutheran  congregation  in 
Bloomington,  which  he  served  un- 
til the  spring  of  1907,  when  he 
became  pastor  of  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  of  Peoria. 

Oct.     10,     1900,     Rev.     Johnson 
was   united    in    wedlock   to    Anna 


AXEL   ELIAS   ELMQUIST 

Rev.  Elmquist  is  a  freciuent 
contributor  to  the  Swedish-Amer- 
ican press  and  possesses  a  grace- 
ful literary  style  and  a  facile  pen. 
A  May-festival  address  delivered 
by  him  at  North  Park  College 
May  I,  1905,  was  reproduced  atid 
commended  by  a  number  of  papers 
here  and  in  the  old  country. 

Nov.  30,  1906,  Rev.  Elmquist 
entered  matrimony.  His  bride 
was  Miss  Edith  Seaholm  of  Spring- 
field, Mass.,  born  July  15,  1886. 
A  brother  of  Rev.  Elmquist,  Ar- 
vid  G.,  is  pursuing  art  studies  at 
the  Bradley  Polytechnic  Institute 
of  Peoria,  and  a  sister,  Agda  C, 
is  a  professional  nurse. 

CARL  j.  JOHNSON, 

j)astor    of    the    Swedish    Lutheran 
Church,  was    born    in    the  cit\-  of 


CAKl.    J.  JllllNSON 

.\.  Rolander  [of  McPhcrson, 
Kans.,  who  was  born  there  Jan. 
8,  1875.  They  have  a  daughter, 
lulna. 


Peoria 


203 


AXEL  J.   G.   NYSTrOM  and    finally    settling    permanently 

was    born    in    the   city  of  Oskars-      '"Peoria, 
hamn,    Sweden,    July    25,      if^yy. 


He  is  devote<l  to  the  Methodist      1 


AXEL  J.   G.   NVSTR().\I 

He  is  the  son  of  Bnildinj;^  Con- 
tractor Carl  Johan  Nystroni  of 
Peoria  and  follows  the  same  vo- 
cation. With  his  parents  he 
came  to  the  United  States  in 
1881,  growing  up  and  obtaining 
his  education  in  the  public  schools 
of  Galesburg  and  Peoria. 

He  is  a  member  and  steward 
of  the  Swedish  M.  E.  Church 
and  has  been  active  in  the  Ep- 
worth  League  both  privateh'  and 
in  an  official  capacity. 

CARL  JOHAX    XYSTROM, 

who  is  a  building  contractor,  hav- 
ing operated  for  a  number  of 
years  in  the  city  of  Peoria,  is  a 
native  of  Doderhult  parish,  Sma- 
land,  Sweden,  where  he  was  born 
Nov.  22,  1S49.  In  Jul>-,  1881, 
he  came  over  from  the  old  coun- 
try,   locating    first    in    Galesburg 


CAKL  JOHAN  NYSTRO.M 

faith  and  belongs  to  the  local 
Swedish  M.  E.  Church.  In  the 
service  of  this  church  his  activities 
are  varied  including  trusteeship, 
class  leadership  and  superintend- 
ency  of  the  Sunday-  school. 

He  is  married  to  Susanna  Xel- 
son,  also  of  Doderhult  parish. 
Their  children  are,  Carl  Oscar 
Frithiof,  Axel  J.  G.,  Ella  Eu- 
genie, Conrad  Fredrick,  Esther 
Susainia  and  Irene,  two  of  whom 
are  deceased. 


OSCAR  C.  F.  XYSTROM 

was  born  in  Oskarshanm.  Sweden, 
Oct.  20,  1875.  With  his  father, 
Carl  Johan  Nystrom,  and  his 
family,  he  came  to  the  United 
States  in  July,  1881.  After  at- 
tending the  public  school  he  fin- 
ished his  education  at  Hedding 
College,    Abingdon,  111.     Like   his 


204 


Peoria  County 


father  and  a  brother,  he  is  a  build-  Peoria     and    of    the     Locomotive 

ing  contractor.  Engineers'    Association.       In     his 

Mr.    Nystrom  is    a    member    of  church  he  has  Ijeen  elected  to  the 

the     Grace     Methodist     Kpi.scopal  council  as  a  deacon. 


OSC.\K   CARU   FRITllKII-    .\  VSTRI  l.\I 


CHAKl.ES  Ol.SliN 


Cinirch,  giving  much  of  his  time 
to  the  furtherance  of  its  work. 
He  has  served  it  in  various  capac- 
ities, as  president  of  tlie  Epworth 
League,  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  .school  and  steward  of  the 
church. 

CHARLES  OLSON 

was  born  Marcli  26,  1870,  in 
Sjorup  parish,  Skane,  Sweden. 
He  left  his  parental  home  in  1S98, 
coming  to  Peoria  in  April.  Hav- 
ing attended  public  school  and 
obtained  other  necessary  training, 
he  went  into  the  railway  ser\'ice 
and  now  holds  a  position  as  loco- 
motive engineer. 

Mr.    Olson  is  a  member    of    the 
Swedish      Lutheran      Church      at 


His  parents,  Ola  Olson  and 
Elna  Nilson,  remained  in  Sweden, 
where  his  mother  died  at  the  old 
homestead  in  June,    1903. 


DAVID  H.  TINGWALL 

was  born  Sept.  7,  1S71.  at  Inga- 
torp,  Smaland,  Sweden,  whence 
he  emigrated  in  1S93.  settling  in 
Peoria.  He  obtained  his  educa- 
tion in  the  Swedish  common  school 
and  with  previous  training  in 
handicraft,  established  himself  in 
this  city   as  a  cabinetmaker. 

Mr.  Tingwall  is  married  to 
Annie  Newman  and  they  have 
two  children,  Reinhold  and  Judith. 
His  parents,  Pehr  and  Lovisa 
Tingwall  arc  still   living  at    Inga- 


Wenona 


205 


torp,  where  his  father  is  a  village      lated    at    Angustaiia    College.     In 

storekeeper.  the  fall  of   iSy^    he    was    enrolled 

The  Tingwall  family  are    niein-      in     the      Angustana      Theological 


D.WID   H.  TINGWALL 

bers     of     the    Swedi.sh    Lutheran 
Church. 

GUSTAF  ERIKSON, 
minister  of  the  Augustana  Synod 
of  the  Lutheran  Church,  was  born 
on  the  farm  of  his  father,  at  Tols- 
bo,  Stora  Tuna,  Dalarne,  Sweden, 
June  12,  1S67.  His  parents,  Erik 
Hanson  and  Anna  Janson,  both 
died  there  a  few  years  ago.  In 
his  native  place  he  attended  the 
primary  and  people's  schools. 
Emigrating  in  1888,  he  stopped 
for  three  months  at  Negaunee, 
Mich.,  working  in  a  saw-mill  and 
then  located  at  Republic,  remain- 
ing there  until  the  fall  of  1890. 
While  there  he  worked  in  the 
mines,  spending  his  leisure  time 
in  private  study  under  the  tutor- 
ship of  A.  Forsberg,  a  mining 
engineer.  At  the  opening  of  the 
school    year    in     1890  he  matricii- 


GLSTAK   IJRIKSON 

Seminary,  graduating  in  1897  and 
being  ordained  to  the  ministry  in 
the  Augustana  Synod  the  same 
spring.  His  first  pastoral  charge 
after  ordination  was  the  Bethany 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of  We- 
nona, which  he  still  .ser\'es,  to- 
gether with  the  Zioii  Church  of 
Streator. 

Rev.  Erikson  is  the  editor  of 
Betatiia-Hcmmcl,  a  monthlj-  local 
chuich  paper,  his  literary  activi- 
ties, however,  have  not  been  con- 
fined within  this  narrow  compass. 
While  a  student,  he  evinced  ability 
as  a  poet,  which  has  been  culti- 
vated since,  resulting  in  a  large 
number  of  poems,  mainly  religious. 
In  1906  he  published  a  book  en- 
titled "Minnen  och  Bilder  frau 
Hembygden . ' ' 

Rev.  Erikson  was  united  in 
marriage  April  27,  1898,  with 
Mi.ss  Marie  Ede,  daughter  of 
Hokan  and  Anna  Ede  of  Moline, 
III.,  born  Jan.  14,  1866.  ■  Mrs. 
Erikson  died  Sept.  8,    1907. 


i  Qrundy,  La  Salle,  Livingstone, 

McLean  and  Vermilion 


Counties 


MORRIS    LELAND    STREATOR--PONTIAC 

STRAWN    BLOOMINGTON    HOOPES- 

TON    RANKIN 


JONAS  O.  BACKLUND, 
minister    of    the    Swedish    Baptist 
Church,    was  liorn  in    Sorbygden, 


JONAS  O.   BACKH'NIi 

province  of  Janitland,  Sweden, 
Sept.  23,  1S75.  His  parents. 
Anders  Backhmd  and  Brita  Cata- 
rina  Person,  who  were  farmers  in 
that  lo^ahty  are  still  living.  The 
son  emi.s:rated  at  the  age  of 
eighteen,  lived  at  Rush  Point, 
Minn.,  studied  at  Carlton  College, 
and  then  entered  the  Swedish 
Academy  and  Theological  Semin- 
ary at  Morgan  Park,  111.,  a  branch 
of  the  University  of  Chicago, 
graduating  from  that  institution 
in  1905,  with  the  bachelor's  de- 
gree. Twice  he  received  honor- 
able mention  as  a  student  and 
was     elected     to     the     Phi      Beta 


Kappa  society  of  the  university. 
While  studying  theology  at  the 
Swedish  divinity  school  at  Morgan 
Park,  Mr.  Backhmd  had  pastoral 
charges  at  Republic,  Mich.,  White 
Rock  and  Red  Wing,  Minn.,  and 
Morris  and  Evanston,  111.  He 
has  served  temporarily  as  editor 
of  Baiicrcl,  and  is  at  present  in- 
structor in  Greek  and  Latin  in 
Bethel  Academ\-,  at  Minneaptolis. 
Mr.  Backlund's  literarj-  ability  is 
shown  in  contributions  to  Hem- 
»ii/s   I  'd>i  and  other    publications. 

FRITZ  CHARLES  NOEL, 

editor  and  part  owner  of  the  Ice- 
land Tiiius,  is  a  native  of  Stock- 
holm, where  his  father,  Fredrik 
Adolf  Noel,  was  a  manufacturer. 
The  younger  Noel  was  born  May 
II,  1867,  and  educated  at  the 
Hernosand  Seminar}-,  at  the  ele- 
mentary school  at  Ladugardslandet 
in  Stockholm  and  at  the  City  of 
London  College. 

In  1888  he  emigrated,  going  to 
Montreal,  Canada,  where  he  re- 
mained for  three  years,  and  began 
his  journalistic  career  with  the 
Montreal  Herald .  Ten  years  were 
next  spent  in  Chicago  in  the  serv- 
ice of  the  Chicago  Tribune.  Five 
years  ago  he  removed  to  Leland 
and  became  interested  in  the  local 
newspaper,  the  7'imes.  the  editor- 
ship   of    which    he    has   since    as- 


2IO 


La  Salle  Countv 


sumed.  Besides  his  interest  in 
this  paper,  he  is  a  member  of  the 
Leland  Publishing  Company,  pub- 
lishers of  art  calendars  for  the 
trade. 

Mr.  Noel  has  not  held  political 
office,  but  is  active  in  local  polit- 
ical affairs,  and  that  his  opinion 
carries  weight  may  be  inferred 
from  the  fact  that  he  has  been 
called  in  as  advising  member  of 
the  County  Central   Committee. 

He  is  a  Lutheran  and  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Bethany  Church ,  to- 
gether with  his  famih',  consisting 
of  his  wife,  Martha  Audrine,  nee 
Klove,  whom  he  married  Sept.  i8, 
1895,  and  two  children,  Gladys 
Josephine,  born  1898,  and  Fredrik 
Andrew,  born   1906. 


ler  of  John  Samuels  of  Streator, 
and  was  born  in  this  city,  Nov.  10, 
1863.     The    couple   were    married 


ALGOT  CARLSON, 
who  conducts  a  grocerj-  and  meat 
m;irket  at  Streator,  was  born  in 
Langeniala  pari.sh,  Smaland,  Swe- 
den, Feb.  2,  185 1.  Twenty  years 
later  he  came  to  the  United  States 
and  lived  for  some  five  years  in 
Jamestown  liefore  locating  perma- 
nently here.  He  has  now  resided 
here  continuou.sly  for  thirty  years 
and  has  been  a  merchant  for  twenty- 
five  years.  He  has  been  repeatedly 
elected  president  of  the  Scandia 
Club  of  Streator,  is  a  prominent 
member  of  the  local  lodge  of  Odd 
Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias  and 
Maccabees.  Confessionally  he  is 
a  Methodist,  belonging  to  the 
First  American  M.  Iv.  Church  of 
Streator.  Mr.  Carlson's  ])arents, 
Carl  Magnus  and  Lena  Kajsa 
Pehr.son,  are  farmerfolk  at  Lange- 
luala.     Mrs.  Carlson    is   a    dangh- 


Al.GOT  C.\Kl.Si(X 

Nov.  15,  1879.  Mrs.  Carl.son 
died  April  3,  1903.  The  follow- 
ing six  children  have  been  born 
to  them,  viz.,  Carl  A.,  John  E., 
Oscar  A.,  Linda  J.,  Alma  A. 
and  Arthur  W.,  the  last  named 
being  dead. 

HERBKRT  JULIUS    JOHNSON 

was  boni  on  the  farm  of  his 
father.  Swan  P.  John.soii,  in 
Lynn  township,  Henry  county, 
111.,  April  iS,  1.S71.  He  spent 
the  first  twenty  >ears  on  the 
farm,  attending  public  school  at 
intervals.  His  father  died  at  his 
home  near  Andover,  in  1X89,  and 
shortly  after  that  the  son  enlere<l 
.Augustaiia  College,  at  Rock  Is- 
land, where  he  finished  his  edu- 
cation. While  at  college,  he  took 
an  active  part  in  literary  .societies, 
debating    clubs    and    in     athletics. 


Pontiac 


211 


For  two  years  he  was    a    member 
of  the  Aiignstana  football   eleven. 
Mr.  Johnson    is   an    ardent    Re- 
publican, who  has   shown  political 


HERBERT  JULIUS  JOHNSON 

activity  both  locally  and  in  the 
state  at  large.  For  two  terms  he 
served  on  the  Henry  county  cen- 
tral committee.  In  1895  he  was 
chosen  first  assistant  enrolling  and 
engrossing  clerk  of  the  Illinois 
state  .senate.  For  two  years  he 
was  appointed  a.ssistant  antitrust 
clerk  under  the  secretary  of  state. 

He  was  one  of  the  organizers 
of  the  Swedish- American  Repub- 
lican League  of  Illinois  and  was 
elected  its  president  in  1905,  .serv- 
ing one  j'ear.  In  1903  he  was 
elected  assistant  secrelarj-  of  the 
state  senate. 

In  the  gubernational  campaign 
of  1904  Mr.  Johnson,  as  one  of 
Roy  O.  West's  aids,  was  actively 
engaged  in  promoting  Deneen's 
candidacy.  The  following  year 
he  was  appointed    to    his    present 


position  of  chief  clerk  of  the 
Slate  Reformatory  at  Pontiac. 

As  a  student  and  in  subsequent 
years  Mr.  Johnson  lent  substantial 
aid  to  the  work  of  the  Augustana 
University  A.ssociation  for  a  greater 
Augustana,  contributing  liberally 
to  the  cause.  From  1893  to 
1897  he  was  financially  interested 
in  the  Swedish  weekly  newspaper, 
iVya  PrcssfH,  of  Moline.  removed 
to  Chicago  earh'  in  i.sy6  and 
merged  with  Fosterlandet,  another 
Swedish  weekly,  at  the  end  of 
that   year. 

On  April  30,  1S96.  Mr.  John- 
son was  married  to  Miss  Anna 
M.  Bengston,  born  Jan.  29,  1870, 
the  daughter  of  Gustus  and  Lou- 
isa Bengston  of  Cambridge,  111. 
There  are  two  children,  a  son, 
Paul  Oliver,  born  in  1S97,  and  a 
daughter,  Gladys  Marian,  liorn 
in    1902. 

AUGUST    LARSON 

was  born  at  Grinieloii.  Halland, 
Sweden,  Dec.  27.  1S66.  When 
he  came  to  the  United  Slates  in 
December,  1883,  he  worked  for 
some  time  as  a  coal  miner  in  West 
Xewton,  Pa.,  afterward  working 
on  a  farm  in  Indiana  until  he 
went  to  farming  on  his  own  ac- 
count at  Strawn. 

He  belongs  to  the  Swedish  Luth- 
eran congregation  at  Sibley  and 
has  served  as  a  deacon  of  the 
church  for  a  number  of  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  several  lodges, 
such  as  the  Modern  Woodmen, 
the  Royal  Neighbors  and  the 
American  Home  Circle. 

His  wife.   Anna    Elida    Carlson, 


212 


McLean  County 


was   born    Dec.    15,    1S64,  in  Snia-      and    of    the    Modem  Woodmen  of 
land.     Their  children  are:    Elmer      America. 

Gottfrid,  Emma  Linnea  and  Ellen  With    his   wife,   Hnlda    Larson, 

born  Aug.   30.    1S59,   he    has   four 


.AUGUST    L.\RS()N 


Augusta:  in  a  previous  marriage 
Mr.  Larson  had  five  children,  viz.: 
Axel  Julius,  Carl  Hilding  Elis, 
Oscar  Wilhelm,  Arthur  Sigfrid 
and  Roy  Bernhard.  The  eldest  son, 
Axel  Julius,  was  married  May 
14,  1902,  to  Tina  Larson  of  Chi- 
cago and  is  employed  in  that  city. 

JOHN  BYQVIST, 

who  is  a  carpenter  contractor  by 
trade,  was  born  and  reared  in 
Stenstorp,  \'esterg(itland,  Sweden, 
the  date  of  his  birth  being  July 
28,  185S.  In  1880  he  emigrated 
to  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  later  lo- 
cated in  Bloomington.  He  belongs 
to  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Ciuirch 
and  has  served  for  some  time  as 
secretary  of  the  local  congregation. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Scan- 
dia    Aid    Society    of    Bloomington 


JOHN    BVyVIST 

children:  Helena  Alfrida,  Roliert 
Edmond.  Martin  Rudolph,  and 
Ellen  Monica  Cecilia. 


CHARLES  W.  ELFSTRAND, 

who  has  been  a  letter  carrier  in 
the  Bloomington  postal  service  for 
thirteen  years,  is  a  native  of  Sund- 
boru,  Dalarne,  Sweden,  where  he 
was  born  Feb.   2,    1855. 

June  24,  1869,  he  came  to  Amer- 
ica, and  after  living  for  some  time 
ill  Kewanee,  where  he  i)l)tained 
his  schooling,  came  to  Blooming- 
ton, where  he  has  been  a  resilient 
the  greater  part  of  the  lime  since 
1873.  At  first  he  received  eni- 
ploymciit  with  the  McLean  County 
Coal  Company.  Later  he  went  to 
Nebraska  with  the  intention  of 
locating  there  as  a  farmer,  but 
the    lonely    prairies    at    that    time 


Blooniinirton 


21.^ 


had  no  charms  for  him,  so  he 
came  back  to  Bloomingtoii  and 
became    a    grocery    salesman.      In 


CHAKI.E.S  W.   EI.FSTRANU 

1893  he  was  appointed  letter  car- 
rier for  the  city. 

Mr.  Elfstrand  is  a  member  of 
the  Scandia  Benevolent  Society  of 
Bloomingtou  and  of  the  Yeomen 
of  America. 

He  is  married  to  Josephina  An- 
derson of  Cambridge,  born  in  Swe- 
den Dec.  19,  1859,  and  they  have 
four  grown  up  children,  Klnier 
William,  Herbert  Grant,  Florence 
Selnia  Victoria  and  Ida  Josephine. 

ALEXANDER    G.    ERICKSOX, 

grocer  and  dealer  in  meats,  is  one 
of  the  prominent  citizens  of  Bloom- 
ington.  He  was  born  in  Malilla 
parish,  Kalmar  Ian,  Sweden,  July 
7,  1863.  The  family  emigrated 
in  1869,  locating  at  Kewanee  and 
living  there  for  some  time  before 
removing  to  Bloomington.  Mr. 
Erickson    acquired    his    schooling 


in  botli  i)Iaccs.  He  was  a  mail 
carrier  in  Bloomington  for  four 
years  during  Ilarri.son's  presiden- 
tial term.  The  office  of  president 
of  the  Coal  Miners'  I'nion  was 
also  fdled  b>-  him.  He  has  served 
his  city  in  the  capacity  of  alder- 
man from  the  ylh  ward,  being 
elected  and  reelected  on  the  Re- 
publican ticket.  On  Aug.  21,  1906, 
he  was  at  a  sp)ecial  council  meet- 
ing elected  mayor,  to  fill  out  the 
unexpired  term  of  James  S.  Nev- 
ille, deceased. 

Mr.  Ivrick.son  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church, 
and  of  the  following  fraternal  and 
industrial  organizations;  Modern 
Woodmen,    Improved  Order  of  Red 


-MR.   \SD   .MRS.   .\LE.K.  G.    URICKSON 

Men,  K.  of  P.,  A.  O.  U.  W.. 
N.  U.,  Butchers'  Union  and  the 
Scandia  Benevolent  Society.  He 
takes  a  leading  part  in  politics  in 
his  home  city. 

He    was    married    in    his    home 
city    Aug.  30,    1884,  to    Maria  C. 


214 


McLean  County 


Stahlberg,  born  Jan.  27,  1863,  at 
Sandviken.  Sweden.  Their  chil- 
dren are  ten  in  number,  as  fol- 
lows: Elvira  C,  Edward  C,  Delia 
M.,  Grace  A.,  Lilly  T.,  William 
A.,  Roy  W.,  Edna  L.,  Carl  Theo- 
dor,  who  is  dead,  and  Lawrence  A. 

ANDREW  FREEDLUND 

was  born  in  the  city  of  Grenna, 
in  Smaland,  Sweden,  Aug.  24, 
1859,  and  emigrated  at  the  age  of 
twenty-four,  settling  first  at  Gib- 
son City  and  then  at  Bloomington. 
Having  received  his  schooling  in 
the  old  country,  he  engaged  in 
the  carpenter's  trade  here  and 
soon  established  himself  as  a 
building  contractor.  That  he  is 
skilled  in  his  line  and  capable  of 
handling  large  contracts  is  evi- 
denced by  the  city's  $20,000  fire 
.station,  which  was  buili  by  .Mr. 
Freedlund. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen's  fraternity. 

Mr.  Freedlund  is  married  to 
Christina  John.son,  born  at  Grenna 
Feb.  3,  i860.  The  couple  have 
eight  children,  John  Alfred,  Charles, 
Emelie,  Arthur,  Fanny,  Thomas, 
Bettie  and  Annie. 

crsTAF  J.  I'lrri'RSON 

hails  from  Grenna,  Smaland,  Swe- 
den. He  emigrated  to  America 
in  1880,  living  for  .some  time  at 
Paxton,  before  he  made  his  home 
in  Bloomington,  where  he  has 
been  in  the  employ  of  the  Chi- 
cago and  Alton  Railway  Conipanv- 
for  nearly  25  years.  He  now 
holds  the   position  of    foreman    of 


carpenters.  He  is  of  the  Lutheran 
faith  and  has  served  a  nunil)er 
of  years  as  trustee    and    treasurer 


GUSTAF   I.   PETERSON 

of  the  local  Swedish  Church.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  order  of 
Modern  Woodmen. 

Mr.  Peterson  -was  born  in 
Grenna,  Nov.  27,  1857.  He 
married  Miss  Lottie  Ander.son, 
born  at  the  same  place  Dec.  24, 
1859,  and  the  couple  have  two 
children,  Albert  Wilhelm  and 
Berenice  Josephine. 

JOHAN  OSCAR  TORNBLAD 

was  born  in  Stockholm,  Se])t.  16, 
1859,  attended  the  i)ul)lic  schools 
there,  was  later  employed  in  the 
bank  note  printing  office  of  the 
Swedish  rik.sbank.  He  left  Swe- 
den in  1881,  and  came  to  Strcator 
where  he  lived  for  five  years  lie- 
fore  removing  to  Hl(H>mington. 
In  Streator  he  marrieil  .\iuia 
Maria  Ohman,  al.so  from  Slook- 
holni,   in    1S.S2,  and   a    son.    Oscar 


Bloomington 


2'5 


Birger,  was  born  to  them  the 
following  year.  The  family  re- 
moved   to    Blooniington    in     1886, 


Gronqiiist,  was  horn  March  13, 
1854,  at  Ockelho,  Gestrikland, 
Sweden.  They  have  two  children, 
Grace  and  I'lorcnce,  horn  in 
Blooniinglon.  The  faniil\-  are 
members  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church. 

CHARLKS  A,  KRICK.SON 

was  born  near  Paxton,  111.,  Dec. 
8,  1873.  In  February,  1889  he 
went  from  Paxton  to  Chicago  and 
worked  for  the  next  three  \ears 
as  a  grocery  salesman  for  Theo- 
dore Freeman.  After  taking  a 
course  in  Bryant  &  Stratton's 
Business  College,  he  became  a  bill 
clerk  for  Bell,  Conrad  &  Co.  and 
afterward  cashier  for    the    Decker 


IDH.AN   OSC.\R    TORNBI.AD 

where  a  daughter,  Alfhild  Teresia, 
was  born  three  j-ears  years  later. 
Mr.  Tornblad  is  a  carpet  sales- 
man by  occupation.  He  is  an 
active  member  of  the  Swedish 
Methodist  Episcopal  Church  and 
a  member  of  its  board  of  trustees. 
For  some  fifteen  years  past  he 
has  been  superintendent  of  its 
Sunday  school. 


LARS  PETER  WALLBERG 

was  born  in  Renneslof  parish' 
Halland,  March  30,  1843,  whence 
he  emigrated  to  Bloomington  in 
1880.  He  enjoyed  a  common 
school  education  in  his  native 
country.  He  established  himself 
in  the  mercantile  business  in 
Bioomington  and  is  at  present  the 
proprietor  of  a  grocery  and  meat 
market . 

His  wife,    Ka  rin  Wallberg,    nee 


CH.\RLES    A.    ERICKSO.V 

&  Unrath  Packing  Co.  Being 
thus  employed  for  three  years,  he 
then  engaged  in  the  gentlemen's 
furnishing  business  on  East  Divi- 
sion St.  in  1897,  under  the  part- 
nership name  of  Erickson  &  Swan- 
•son.     In  the  spring  of    1898    Mr 


2l6 


Vemiilion  Countv 


Erickson  removed  to  Hoopeston 
and  opened  another  men's  cloth- 
ing and  furnishing  store  under  the 
same  firm  name. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Ben 
Hur  fraternity  and  of  the  Pres- 
byterian Church. 

Mr.  Erickson  was  married  in 
Chicago  June  5,  igoo,  to  Miss 
Anna  E.  Norbeck  of  that  city. 


CHARLES  A.  PETERSON 

was  born  in  the  province  of  Oster- 
giitland,     Sweden,    Jan.    6,     i860. 


CHARLES  AXEL  PETEKSON 

Coming  to  this  country  in  1880 
he  located  first  in  Chicago,  then 
at  Kankakee  and  finally  at  Hoopes- 
ton. For  three  years  from  18S1 
he  was  employed  by  the  North- 
western Horse  Nail  Co.  of  Chica- 
go, and  subsequently  by  the  Su- 
perior Horse  Nail  Co.  of  Kanka- 
kee, remaining  with  the  establish- 
ment after  it  became  the  property 
of  the  Hoo]}eslon  Horse  Nail  Co. 
in     1897     and     up    to    the    ])rfsent 


time.  Mr.  Peterson  is  now  fore- 
man of  the  factory. 

He  was  married  in  Chicago  May 
31,  1890,  to  Miss  Hulda  Johnson, 
who  was  born  in  Smaland.  July  i, 
1866,  and  came  with  her  parents 
to  this  country  in  1870.  The 
children  are  four  in  number:  Char- 
lotta,  born  1.S91.  Raymond,  it>93, 
Carl,    1895,  ^^'^  Violet,    rgoi. 

The  family  belongs  to  the  First 
Presbyterian  Church  of  Hoopeston. 


PF:TER   X.   SW ANSON 

was  born  in  Hultsjo  parish,  Sma- 
land, Sweden,  Jan.  6,  i866.  In 
May,  1883,  he  came  over  from 
Sweden,  going  to  Nalina,  Mich., 
where  he  went  to  work  for  a  lum- 
ber company,  being  employed  in 
Iheir  sawmill,  hotel  and  store  up 
to   1887.     That  year   he  came  out 


PETEK   \.   SWANSDS 

of  the  woods  to  Chicago  and  was 
employed  by  Henry  \V.  King  & 
Co.,  a  whole.sale  clothing  house, 
for    some    four  years.      In   the  fall 


Rankin 


217 


of  1 89 1  he  removed  to  Harting- 
ton,  Neb.,  where  he  opened  a 
retail  clothing  store.  Selling  out 
the  business  in  1896  he  moved 
back  to  Chicago.  In  the  spring 
of  1S98  he  again  left  the  city  and 
moved  to  Hoopeston,  opening  a 
men's  clothing  store  with  Charles 
A.  Erickson,  with  whom  he  had 
been  as.sociated  in  the  same  line 
of  business  in  Chicago. 

Mr.  Swanson  is  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  Church  and  of 
the  orders  of  I.  O.  O.  F.,  M.  W. 
A.  and  Ben  Hur. 

In  the  spring  of  1892  he  was 
married  to  Miss  Tillie  Erickson 
of  Chicago. 

A.  G.  HAMMARSTRAND 
was    born    in   Edsvara,  Skaraborgs 
Ian,  Sweden,   April  7,    1857.     His 


ANDREW  GUST.\F   HAMMARSTRAND 

parents,  now  dead,  were  Anders 
Hammarstrand  and  Inga  Svensson. 
The  son  had  very  little  schooling, 
being  compelled  by  poor  circum- 
stances to  begin  earning  his    own 


living  in  early  boyhood.  When 
he  reached  maturity  young  Ham- 
marstrand emigrated  and  came 
directly  to  Rankin,  .\fter  work- 
ing as  a  farm  hand  for  three 
years,  near  Ivast  Lynne,  in  the 
same  county,  he  rented  a  farm 
and  continued  as  a  renter  until 
1895,  when  he  i)Mrchased  160 
acres  of  land  near  Rankin.  Ten 
years  later  he  added  another  80 
acre  tract  to  the  farm,  which  is 
a  most   valuable  one. 

March  23,  1880,  just  before 
departing  from  the  old  country 
Mr.  Hammarstrand  wedded  Maria 
Christina  Solberg  of  Qvanum,  born 
July  27,  1 85 1.  Seven  children 
have  been  born  to  them,  as  fol- 
lows, Frank  Gustaf  Leonard,  1881, 
John  Richard  Claude,  1885,  Anna 
Matilda,  1886,  Ellen  Charlotta, 
1S88,  Harry  Wilhelm,  1890,  Net- 
lie  Alfrida,  1892,  Laura  Esther 
Alida,  1S96.  The  eldest  son, 
Frank,  after  studying  in  the  com- 
mercial and  collegiate  departments 
at  .\ugustana  College,  is  now 
preparing  for  the  medical  profes- 
sion, while  all  the  other  children 
remain  on   the   farm. 

For  more  than  twenty-five  years 
Mr.  Hammarstrand  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  and  has  held  the  offices 
of  deacon,  secretary  of  the  con- 
gregation and  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  school,  each  for  a 
term  of   3'ears. 

PETER  PEARSON 

was  born  at  Norra  Stroo.  Skane, 
Sweden,  Nov.  5,  1S56.  In  1880 
he  came  to  the  United  States  and 


2l8 


VemiiHon  County 


took  up  his  residence  in  Gibson 
City,  living  there  for  the  next 
eleven    vears.     He    was  a    churrh 


I'lrrHK    I'HAKSON 


deacon  and  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  school  for  many  years 
prior  to  1892,  when  he  began  to 
prepare  for  entering  the  ministry. 
Beginning  his  studies  in  189,^ 
at  the  English  Lutheran  Seminary 
in  Chicago,  he  continued  at  Martin 
Luther  College  in    the  same  citv. 


Having  finished  the  courses  oflered 
he  enteretl  Augustana  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Rock  Lsland. 
He  was  ordained  at  the  synodical 
meeting  in  Burlington  June  17, 
1900,  having  accepted  a  call  from 
the  congregation  at  Rankin  and 
Clarence,  111.  Rev.  Pearson  la- 
bored at  these  places  with  telling 
results.  During  his  incuniliency 
a  parsonage  has  been  built  and  a 
church  edifice  erected  in  each 
place. 

Of  the  six  brothers  of  Rev. 
Pearson,  Swan  Peterson  is  engaged 
in  the  floral  business  at  Gibson 
City  and  Andrew  Peterson  at 
Hoopeston,  while  a  third  brother  is 
a  farmer  at  Rankin. 

Rev.  Pearson  was  married  Sept. 
29,  1888,  at  Chicago  to  Emma 
Christina  Nelson  from  Stafnas, 
\'ermlaiul.  Their  children  are: 
Mertie  Marie,  born  1889;  Ruth 
Laura,  1891;  Carl  Joseph  Lauren- 
tius,  1893,  deceased;  Hanna  Jose- 
fine  Olivia,  1895:  Paul  Rufus  El- 
mer, 1897;  ^Ja>'  Anna  Elizal^th, 
1900;  Carl  Einar  Samuel,   1903. 


McHENRY,  LAKE  and  WILL 
COUNTIES 


CRVvSTAL  LAKE    WAUKEGAN   JOLIET 


AUGUST  CARLSTEDT 

was  born  Oct.  i,  1863,  in  Sweden, 
where  he  received  a  public  school 


ish    Mission    Church     in     Crystal 
Lake. 


^^^  ^V^^^^L 

^Ha 

^La 

H^ 

9h 

^^ 

V  ^^^^1 

Arr.rsT  CAKI,STI-I>T 

education.  In  188H  he  emigrated 
to  America  and  settled  in  Chicago. 
In  1895  he  went  into  business  as 
a  manufacturer  of  guitars  and 
mandolins,  making  high  grade  in- 
struments known  as  the  Ideal 
guitars  and  mandolins.  The  firm 
of  August  Carlstedt  .S:  Co.  in- 
creased their  output  year  by  jear, 
so  that  by  1903  the  firm  had  to 
secure  larger  quarters.  Mr.  Carl- 
stedt bought  a  property  in  Crystal 
Lake,  43  miles  northwest  of  Chi- 
cago, and  built  a  factory  and  resi- 
dence, where  he  is  prospering. 

He  was  married  Feb.  14,  1891, 
to  Alma  Anderson.  They  have  a 
daughter,  born  Aug.  20,  1892. 

The  family  belongs  to  the  Swed- 


LOUIS  M.  EKSTRAND. 

mechanical  engineer  of  the  Amer- 
ican Steel  and  Wire  Company  for 
the  Chicago  district,  is  a  native 
of  Vermland,  Sweden,  l)orn  at 
Ransater  Jan.  2,  1864.  Having 
obtained  his  schooling  there,  he 
emigrated  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
three,  first  locating  in  Worcester, 
Mass.,  before  taking  '.ms  present 
position  at  Waukegan.  Alongside 
of  his  technical  work,  Mr.  Ek- 
strand  gives  much  of  his  time  and 
energj^  to  his  community.  He 
has  served  ^for  longer  or  shorter 
periods  in  the  following  capacities: 
assistant    supervisor    of    the    town 


I. oris   .MAGXrs   EKSTRANLi 

of  Waukegan,  member  of  the  board 
of  education  and  chairman  of  the 
committee    on    education     in     the 


222 


Lake  County 


Count  J-  Board,  member  of  the 
Lake  County  Republican  Central 
Committee  and  member  of  the  Re- 
publican City  Committee. 

He  is  a  member  of  the  Swedish 
Baptist  Church  of  Waukegan  and 
of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica. He  has  served  his  church 
for  many  years  as  a  deacon  and 
chairman  of  the  council. 

In  18S7  Mr.  Ekstrand  was  mar- 
ried in  Worcester,  to  Kristina 
Anderson,  with  whom  he  has  six 
children:  Agnes  Maria,  Henry 
Emanuel,  Adolf  Leroy,  Eva  Mar- 
greta,  died  in  infancj-.  Ruth  Ethel 
and  Louis  Kenneth.  The  family 
has  a  comfortable  home  at  131 
Lenox  ave. 

ERIC  O.  SCHUGREN, 

former  jiastor  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Church    of    Waukegan,   was    born 


15KIC    O     SC  HUG  RUN 

in  Sweden  Ma\-  3,  1H74,  his  birth- 
place Ijcing  Hassela,  Helsinglanii. 
He  came  to  tliis  country  in  July, 


1892,  as  a  youth  of  eighteen,  liv- 
ing first  in  Isanti  county,  Minn. 
After  attending  the  South  Dakota 
State  University,  he  came  to  Chi- 
cago to  study  theology,  entering 
the  Swedish  Baptist  Theological 
Seminary  at  Morgan  Park.  From 
this  institution  he  was  graduated 
May  14,  1902,  and  shortly  after 
ordained  minister,  taking  charge 
of  the  Waukegan  Swedish  Baptist 
Church. 

He  is  now  a  missionary  in  the 
X'inukonda  Nilgiri  di.strict,  Coo- 
noor,    India. 

CARL  JOHAN  KARL, 
minister  of  the  Augustana  Synod 
of  the  Lutheran  Church,  was  bom 
in  Rockford  Feb.  12,  1S71.  His 
father  was  Rev.  Johannes  Magnus 
Nelson,  who,  after  studying  at 
X'exio,  Sweden,  and  Pa.Kton,  111., 
was  ordained  to  the  ministry  and 
served  the  church  at  Pecatonica, 
111.,  where  he  died.  The  widow 
is  still  living  at  Sacred  Heart, 
Minn. 

Thf  son,  Carl  Johan,  was  reared 
at  Pecatonica  and  Rockford.  After 
attending  the  public  schools,  he 
entered  the  academic  department 
at  Augustana  College,  passing  suc- 
cessive classes  as  rapidly  as  jxjs- 
sible  under  the  necessity  of  "stay- 
ing out"  for  a  school  year  now 
ami  llicn  to  earn  his  way.  He 
graduated  with  the  college  class 
of  lyix),  entered  the  theological 
seminary  of  the  same  institution 
and,  completing  the  course  in  1903, 
w;is  ordained  at  Paxton,  where- 
upon he  assumed  charge  of  the 
Waukegan    jiastorate.      There    he 


Joliet 


223 


labored  until  the  fall  of  iyo6, 
when  he  removed  to  Clarkfield, 
Minn.,  on  a  call  from  the  church 
at   that  place. 

May  35,  1904,  Rev.  Karl  was 
married  to  Miss  I{mily  Johnson, 
a  daufjhter  of  ().  H.  Johnson  of 
Assaria,  Kans.,  horn  June  20,  1S79. 
They  have  a  daughter,  Irene,  born 
in  April,    1905. 

JOHN  BERNT  ANDERSON 

was  born  in  \'estra  Hed,  Weddige, 
Halland,  June   i,    1846.     He  came 


lOHN    BKKNT   ANIIKKSON 

from  Sweden  in  June,  1869,  lo- 
cating at  Batavia,  111.  In  1871 
he  went  to  Chicago  and  worked 
as  a  carpenter  until  the  following; 
year,  when  he  entered  the  Swed- 
ish Methodist  theological  school 
at  Galva,  111.  After  the  institu- 
tion had  removed  to  Evanston, 
he  continued  there  from  1874  to 
1876,  pursuing  studies  also  at 
the  Northwestern  Academy.  Af- 
ter graduation  he  joined  the  Cen- 


tral Illinois  M.  E.  Conference  at 
its  meeting  in  Pekin,  in  the  fall 
of  1S76  and  was  then  apixjinted 
to  take  up  work  in  Clay  Centre 
an<I  Randolph,  Kan.sas.  He  re- 
mained there  for  two  years.  In 
the  fall  of  1878,  Rev.  Anderson 
was  transferred  to  Scandia,  Kan- 
sas, upon  being  taken  into  full 
connection  in  the  Northwestern 
Swedish  Conference.  Subsequent- 
ly he  has  had  pastoral  appoint- 
ments as  follows:  X'ictoria,  111., 
I S.So;  Oakland,  Neb.,  1N.S3:  Stroms- 
burg  and  Swede  Plains,  Neb., 1 886; 
Saronville,  Neb.,  1887:  Geneva 
and  Batavia,  111.,  1S90:  Humboldt 
Park,  Chicago,  1.S92:  Melrose 
Park,  1894;  Forest  Glen,  Chicago, 
1896;  Emanuel  Church,  Chicago, 
1.S97;  Joliet,  1900,  Kingsburg, 
Cal.  He  is  now  stationed  at 
Pasadena,  Cal.,  1907.  Rev.  An- 
derson has  actively  encouraged 
the  building  of  churches  and  par- 
sonages and  the  general  rehabili- 
tation of  church  property  wher- 
ever found  necessary. 

While  stationed  at  Clay  Centre 
he  was  married  to  .Miss  Minnie 
Danielson  of  that  place.  The 
union  has  been  blessed  with  two 
children,  Orville  Warren  and  Jen- 
nie Mabel. 

JOHN  L.  CARLSON, 

proprietor  of  the  Seltzer  Drug 
Store,  was  born  in  Malilla,  Swe- 
den, March  24,  1S68.  He  has 
been  in  the  drug  business  from 
his  boyhood,  having  begun  work- 
ing in  a  pharmacy  in  Sweden  at 
the  age  of  fourteen.  Coming  to 
America     in     18.S4,     he    was    em- 


224 


Will  Countv 


ployed  by  druggists  first  in  Rock-  Twenty  years  later  he  emigrated 
ford,  then  in  Chicago.  After  a  to  the  United  States,  locating  at 
few  years  he  went  to  Joliet  where     Joliet,  Will  county,  Illinois.     He  is 


JOHN   1,.   CARLSON 

he  has  been  located  for  more  than 
sixteen  years.  He  is  a  graduate 
of  the  Illinois  College  of  Phar- 
macy of  the  Northwestern  Uni- 
versity. 

Aside  from  his  business  in 
Joliet,  Mr.  Carlson  is  interested 
in  Ross,  Flowers  and  Co., 
manufacturing  chemists  of  Chi- 
cago, and  president  of  the  com- 
pany. He  is  also- a  director  of  the 
Will  County  National  Bank  of 
Joliet. 

For  a  long  term  of  years  Mr. 
Carlson  has  served  as  a  member 
of  the  board  of  supervisors  of 
Will  county.  Fraternally  he  is 
affiliated  with  the  Ma.sonic  order, 
the  Knights  Templar  and  tlu- 
My.stic  Shrine. 

PKTER  E.  HOLMSTROM 
was  born  at  Gardby  on  the  Swed- 
ish island  of  Oland,  Oct.   t,,  1861. 


PETER  E.    HOLMSTROM 

engaged  in  the  grocery  business, 
at  which  he  has  been  fairly  suc- 
cessful. In  religion  he  is  a 
Lutheran  and  has  served  as  trustee 
of  the  local  Swedish  Church  for 
a  number  of  years. 

Active  in  the  local  jwlitical 
circles,  Mr.  Holmstrom  has  served 
as  assistant  supervisor  and  town 
collector  and  also  member  of  the 
township  high  school  iKiaril. 

He  is  a  director  in  the  Citizens' 
National  Bank  and  has  served  as 
director  and  treasurer  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  for  the  Swedi.sh 
Lutheran  Orphans  Home  at  Joliet. 

In  18S7,  Mr.  Holmstrom  l(xik 
in  marriage  Miss  Alma  Swanson. 
The  couple  have  a  family  of  six 
children,  etjually  divided  ln-tween 
the  sexes. 


Joliet 


225 


FRANK  HUBENKT 

was    born    in     Njiiruiula     parish, 
Vesternorrlaiid,  Sweden,   Dec.    30, 


FRANK    HUBENET 

1862.  His  parents  were  Lars 
Wilhelin  Hybinette,  a  blacksmith 
by  trade,  and  Ulrika  Eleonora 
Kjellberg.  The  father  died  in 
March,  1903,  after  having  under- 
gone a  surgical  operation  at  the 
city  hospital  at  Sundsvall.  Young 
Hubenet  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools  up  to  his  19th 
year,  when  he  left  his  parental 
home  and  came  over  to  this  conn- 
try,  locating  in  Joliet.  Here  he 
has  lived  ever  since,  excepting 
the  winters  of  1885  and  1S86 
which  he  spent  working  in  the 
pineries  of  Michigan.  In  1890, 
Mr.  Hubenet,  as  he  now  writes 
his  name,  established  himself  as 
a  coal  merchant,  having  been 
bookkeeper  in  a  coal  office  for 
three  years.  Prior  to  that  he 
was  employed  in  the  stone  quarries 
at  Joliet — from   1882. 


Mr.  Hubenet  has  Ijeen  active 
for  years  in  fraternal  and  church 
circles.  He  has  served  as  trustee 
of  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
since  1888.  He  has  served  as 
secretary  of  the  local  garrison  of 
the  Knights  of  the  Globe,  and  is 
past  astronomer  of  the  local  ob- 
servatory of  the  North  Star 
Benefit  Association  and  chief 
conductor  of  its  grand  observatory. 
From  1895  to  1901  he  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Swedish-American 
Republican  Club  of  Joliet,  and  in 
1900  he  was  chosen  vice-president 
for  Will  county  of  the  Swedish- 
American  Republican  League  of 
Illinois.  From  1898  to  1903  he 
served  as  oil  inspector  for  the 
township  of  Joliet  and  was  special 
agent  of  statistics  of  mantifacture 
for  the  I'nited  States  census  of 
1890  and  again  in   1900. 

Sept.  27,  1890,  Mr.  Hubenet 
was  married  to  Miss  Ellen  Ander- 
.son.  He  is  the  father  of  ten  chil- 
dren, four  sons  and  si.x  daughters, 
to  wit:  Will  Waldemar,  born 
1 891:  Edith  Elenora,  1893;  Elna 
Ulrika,  1894;  Ebba  Henrietta, 
1895:  Blenda  Linnea,  1897;  Grant 
Torsten  and  Leif  Lincoln,  1899; 
Viola  Victoria,  1901:  Ruby  Inge- 
borg,  1904,  and  Grant  Lincoln, 
1906.  Elna,  Grant  and  'Leif  are 
dead.  Mrs.  Hubenet  died  Nov. 
17,    1906. 


ALBIN     AUGUST    JACOBSON, 

pastor  of  the  Bethlehem  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  at  Joliet,  is  a 
native  of  Saby,  Snialand,  Sweden, 
where  he  was  born  ^L^rch  i,  1874. 


226 


Will  County 


At  the  age  of  thirteen  he  came 
in  1887  to  the  United  States. 
He    lived    in    Chicago    until   1S91, 


ALBIN    ATGUST  JACOBSON 

when  he  went  to  Rock  Island  to 
enter  Augustana  College.  Having 
graduated  in  the  college  depart- 
ment with  the  class  of  '98,  he 
entered  the  theological  seminary 
and  completed  the  presented 
courses  in  1901,  graduating  with 
the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Divinity. 
He  received  ministerial  ordination 
at  the  synodical  meeting  at  James- 
town that  year,  whereupon  he 
.served  the  churches  at  Eau  Claire 
and  Levis,  Wis.  In  July,  1903, 
he  was  called  to  the  pastorate  in 
Joliet,  and  entered  upon  liis  new 
duties  the  following  November. 
Rev.  Jacob.son  was  married  Dec. 
9,  1903,  to  Miss  Bertha  Thorsson, 
daughter  of  M.  Thorsson  of  Chi- 
cago, and  a  former  teacher  in  the 
Chicago  public  schools.  Rev. 
Jacobson's  father,  August  Jacob- 
son,  is  still  a  Chicago   resident. 


Rev.  Jacobson  is  an  energetic 
pastor,  and  a  man  who  does  not 
limit  his  activities  to  the  local 
field.  He  has  actively  interested 
himself  in  the  welfare  of  the  or- 
phanage and  home  for  the  aged 
of  tlie  Illinois  Conference,  located 
just  outside  of  the  city  of  Joliet 
and  was  one  of  the  chief  workers 
in  behalf  of  the  new  Salem  Home 
for  the  Aged  recently  established 
along.side  of  the  orphanage.  He 
is  president  of  the  board  of  direct- 
ors of  Salem  Home  and  is  a 
member  of  the  board  of  directors 
of  the  orphanage. 


CARL  M.  LINDVALL 

is  a  native  of  the  city  of  Jiinkop- 
ing,  Sweden,  where    he  was   born 


CAKI.    MAC.NIS   I.INHVAl.L 

Sept.  30,  1S74.  His  parents,  Capt 
C.  .\  I.indvall  and  his  wife, 
W'ilma,  are  now  residing  at  Mo- 
boda,  Snialar.d.  The  son  was  sent 
to  (he  \'exi6  gynuiasium,  which 
he    left    in     1S91     to    take  up    the 


Joliet 


227 


study  of  pharmacy.  He  was  first 
employed  by  an  apothecary  at 
Lund,  and  having  learned  the 
science  of  compounding  and  dis- 
pensing drugs  at  the  Pharmaceut- 
ical Institute  in  Stockholm,  held 
positions  as  a  druggist  in  the  cit- 
ies of  Ulricehamn,  Hernosand, 
Gefle,  Stockholm  and  Giitehorg. 
In  1900  he  emigrated,  arriving  in 
America  on  his  birthday.  He 
went  to  Chicago  and  later  to 
Rockford  and  located  in  Joliet  in 
1902,  engaging  in  the  drug  busi- 
ness on   his  own  account   April    i. 

Sept.  2,  1903,  Mr.  Lindvall  was 
married  to  Alma  Lundgren  from 
Goteborg. 

He  is  an  active  fraternity  man, 
holding  membership  in  the  A.  F. 
and  A.  M.,  the  Svithiod  Order, 
the  N.  A.  R.  D.,  the  N.  S.  B.  A., 
and  the  Nordstjernan  lodge. 


lector.  He  is  a  tneinlier  of  sever- 
al fraternal  and  benevolent  socie- 
ties, including  the  North  Star  and 
the   Knights  of  the  Globe. 


CHARLES  A.  LARSON 
was  born  in  the  Carl  Gustaf  par- 
ish, Elfsborgs  Ian,  Sweden,  July 
14,  1S62,  and  has  resided  in  Joliet 
since  1880,  the  j-ear  of  his  emi- 
gration. He  was  educated  at  Prof. 
Russell's  Business  College,  and  in 
1882  obtained  employment  with 
the  hardware  firm  of  Strong,  Bush 
&  Handwerk,  remaining  wit!i  that 
house  for  twenty  years.  In  1902 
he  formed  a  partnership  with  Mr. 
N.  Benson  and  opened  a  hardware 
store  at  Soi  Cass  st.,  under  the 
firm  name  of  Larson  &  Benson. 

A  Lutheran  in  faith,  Mr.  Lar- 
son has  served  the  local  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  in  the  capacity 
of  trustee  and  treasurer.  In  1.S99 
he    held    the    office    of    town   col- 


CHARLES  A.  LARSON 

Mr.  Larson  is  married  to  W'il- 
helmina  Sophia  Jonson,  who  hails 
from  the  city  of  Oskarshanui.  To 
them  have  been  born  two  sons, 
Harrv  E.  and    Milton  A.   Larson. 


ANDREW  A.  NORDSTEDT 

was  born  at  Bro  parish,  West- 
manland,  Sweden.  Jan.  7,  1865. 
He  early  began  to  work  as  a  fac- 
torjf  hand  in  his  native  place. 
Coming  over  to  this  country  in 
April,  18S6,  he  obtained  employ- 
ment with  the  Washburn  and 
Moen  Manufacturing  Co.  in  Worces- 
ter, Ma.ss.  and  remained  there 
until  1S8S.  When  the  Illinois 
Steel  Companj-'s  rod  mill  at  Joliet 
was  completed  he  there  secured  a 
better  paid  job  as  rod  roller,  his 
residence  in  Joliet  dating  from 
May    25,    1888,     Having    steadily 


228 


Will  County 


worked  his  way  up  Mr.  Nord- 
stedt  is  now  superintendent  of  the 
rod  mill  at  a  handsome  salary. 


ANllHliW   AUGUST   NOKUSTIJDT 

He  is  not  affiliated  with  any 
church  but  holds  membership  in 
the  Knights  of  the  Globe,  the 
North  Star  Benefit  Association 
and  a  number  of  other  fraternal 
orders. 

On  Sept.  6,  1890,  Mr.  Nordstedt 
was  married  to  Selma  Emilia 
Norberg  and  the  pair  has  been 
blessed  with  three  sons,  Einar, 
Gardner  and   Grant. 

C.  OSCAR    SVENvSON 

was  born  A])ril  3,  1.S57,  in  Oskars- 
hamn,  Sweden.  His  parents  were 
Carl  Johan  Alfred  and  Christine 
Svenson.  After  acquiring  a  high 
school  education  he  learned  the 
trade  of  wood-turning  under  his 
father's  instruction.  I^'our  years 
were  spent  in  clerking  for  liis  fa- 
ther, who  had  become  a  merchant. 
After    nuuiing  a  stage    line   for  a 


time,  the  .son  built  the  King  Os- 
car hotel,  which  he  sold  after 
leasing  it   for  a  period. 

Mr.  Svenson  emigrated  to  this 
country  in  May,  1887,  and  settled 
in  Joliet.  For  a  year  he  worked 
at  carpentr}-,  and  then  resumed 
his  old  trade  of  wood-turning. 
He  continued  in  this  vocation  lui- 
til  December,  1894,  when  he  ac- 
cepted an  appointment  as  deputj- 
county  clerk  and  has  since  retained 
this  position. 

Dec.  I,  1888,  Mr.  Svenson  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Mrs.  Ida 
Charlotte  Hedluud,  nee  Jacobson. 
Their  children  are:     C.  O.scar,  Jr  . 


C.  OSCAR    SVENSO.S 

Emily  Olivia,  Knut  Ahlviu  and 
Esther  X'ictoria. 

CHARLES  C  TENGDIX, 

chief  engineer  of  the  Illinois  State 
Penitentiary  at  Joliet,  was  l)orn 
in  the  city  of  Liukoping,  Swetlen, 
Oct.  14,  1862.  He  was  educated 
in     Swedish      public    and     private 


Lockport 


s.iiools.  Coming  to  this  country 
ill  the  year  i88.^,  he  located  at 
Joliet.     Success    has   crowned    his 


CHARLES  G.  TENGMN 

endeavors  and  he  is  now  one  of 
the  prosperous  and  highly  re- 
spected citizens  of  that  city. 
Besides  being  chief  engineer  of 
the  great  penal  institution,  he  is 
financially  interested  in  an  in- 
dustrial enterprise,  known  as  the 
Merchants'  Stone  Company,  hold- 
ing the  office  of  secretary  of  the 
corporation.  They  operate  two 
quarries  and  a  stone  saw-mill, 
employing  altogether  some  fort\- 
men. 

Mr.  Tengdiu  has  long  served 
as  trustee  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church  of  Joliet,  and  president 
of  the  local  Swedish  Repuljlican 
Club.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
National  Engineers'  As.sociation 
and  has  held  the  office  of  vice- 
president  of  the  local  lodge.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  Mt.  Joliet  lodge 
No.  42,  A.   F.  and  A.   M. 


22y 

In  iS.s.S  he  was  married  to 
Anna  Sophia  Johnson,  and  the 
issue  of  their  union  is  a  family 
of  three  sons  and  five    daughters. 

SWAN    II.    XI'WMAX 

was  born  Sept.  27,  1862,  in  Jems- 
hog,  Blekinge,  Sweden.  His 
mother  (lied  when  he  was  six 
years  of  age  and  when  he  was 
thirteen,  his  father,  Hakan  Hakan- 
son  Newman,  went  to  America. 
A  short  time  after  the  father  had 
left,  Swan  was  sold  at  public 
auction  to  the  lowest  bidder  and 
Jons  Jonsson  in  Granum  bought 
him  to  care  for  him  until  con- 
firmed, the  buyer  receiving  from 
the  communilv  the  amount  of  his 


swAX  II.  .\i;\v.\i.\.\ 

bid  toward  the  support  of  the 
child.  In  1S79  his  father  sent 
tickets  for  Swan  and  four  sisters 
to  come  over  to  this  country. 
They  came  to  Assaria,  Kansas, 
where  he  subsequently  worked  as 
clerk  and  carpenter.     In    the    fall 


230 


Will  County 


of  1884  he  was  matriculated  as  a 
student  in  Bethany  College,  Linds- 
borg,  Kans.  After  completing 
the  academic  course,  he  went  to 
Augustana  College  and  Theoloj^i- 
cal  Seminary  in  1887.  Graduat- 
ing from  the  seminary  in  1895, 
he  was  ordained  the  same  year  at 
the  synodical  meeting  in  June. 
He  was  called  to  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  at  McKeesport, 
Pa.,  where  he  labored  nearly  three 
years,  removing  from  there  in 
1898  to  Lockport.  1111898-1902116 
edited  a  local  church  paper  by 
the  name  of  Concordia,  and  in 
1901  published  in  Swedish  a  his- 
tory of  "The  Swedes  of  Lockport 
and  their  work." 

On  Sept.  5,  1895,  he  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Anna  Augusta  An- 
derson from  New  Carlisle,  Ind. 
They  have  five  children,  Esther 
Dorothea,  Sveii  Theodore,  Emil 
Emanuel,  David  Nathaniel,  and 
Albert  Luther. 

Rev.  Newman  in  1904  gave 
up  his  charge  at  Lockport  and 
removed  to  Buniside,  la.,  taking 
charge  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
congregation  in  that  place. 

JOEL   S.  JOHNSON 

was  born  at  Norra  Vram,  in  the 
Swedi.sh  province  of  Skane,  Feb. 
16,    1S76.     Emigrating  in  Novem- 


ber, 1893,  he  came  to  Elkhart, 
III.,  to  live  with  his  uncle,  who 
owns  a  farm.  After  three  years 
he  removed  to  Athens,  III.,  and 
there  preached  his  first  sermon. 
Entering  North  Park  College, 
Chicago,  he  was  graduated  from 
that  institution  in  1902.  There- 
upon he  entered  the  service  of 
the  Swedish  Evangelical  Mission 
Covenant  as  a  regular   pastor  and 


J()i:i.   S.  JOHNSON 

was  stationed  at  Lockjiort,  where 
he  had  served  the  Mi.ssion  Church 
as  a  student  for  several  years  prior 
to  his  ordination. 

Recently.  Rev.  Johnson  resolved 
to  take  up  work  in  the  heathen 
mission  field,  ami  was  sent  as  a 
missionarv   to  China. 


COOK    COUNTY 

(OUTSIDE:  OF  CHICAGO) 


BHRWYN    CHICAGO  HEIGHTS    EVANS- 
TON -LEMONT    MAY  WOOD    MELROSE 
PARK    OAK  PARK 


ANDRHW  ANDERSON, 
walchiiiaker.     was     born    in     C.er- 
nunulslyckc,     Halltorp,     Smalaiid, 


ANDREW   ANDERSON 

Nov.  1 6,  1 85 1.  He  learned  the 
watchmaker's  trade  bj-  apprentice 
ship  in  Kahnar  and  Uj  sala  for 
five  years,  after\vard  going  into 
business  for  himself  at  Morby- 
langa,  Oland,  where  he  remained 
for  nine  years,  and  at  Ekenas,  Sma- 
land,  four  years,  until  he  emigrated 
from  Sweden  in  August,  18S7. 
Coming  to  Chicago  he  was  em- 
ployed as  a  watchmaker  and  jew- 
eler by  B.  F.  Clettenberg  &  Co. 
and  W.  G.  Morris  for  different 
periods  up  to  May,  1896.  Then 
he  established  himself  as  a  watch- 
maker and  jeweler,  doing  business 
for    four    years  in  the  city  proper 


and  after  that  lime  in  the  sul)urb 
of  Herwyii. 

Mr.  Anderson  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  in 
Herwyn  and  has  served  on  its 
board  of  deacons  for  a  number  of 
years.  He  is  an  ardent  temper- 
ance worker  in  the    ranks    of    the 

I.  ( ),  G.  T.  and  tl;e  Templars  of 
Temperance,  and  president  of  the 
sick  lienefit  society  of  that  organ- 
ization: also  a  member  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 
He  has  served  as  president  of  the 
Independent  Political  Club  of  Ker- 

W>11. 

FRITZ   N.    ANDREN 

was  bor!i  in  Skane,  Sweden,  June 
29,  1862.  He  is  a  son  of  Rev.  O. 
C.  T.  Andren,  a  pioneer  clergy- 
man of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Chu''ch  of  America,  who  returned 
to  Sweden  and  was  rector  of  the 
parish  of  Asarum,  Blekinge,  until 
his    death,    which    occurred    June 

II,  1870. 

The  .son  completed  six  cla.sses 
in  the  higher  elementary  school 
of  Jonkiiping  and  completed  his 
college  cour.se  at  Augustana  Col- 
lege, Rock  Island,  after  coming 
to  this  country  in  1880.  Mr.  An- 
dren located  in  Chicago,  where 
for  .seven  j-ears  he  was  bookkeeper 
with  Engberg  &  Holmberg,  pub- 
lishers and   booksellers. 


2  34 


Cook  County 


For  the  past  i6  years  Mr.  An- 
dren  has  been  with  tlie  Chicago 
office    of    the    Phoenix     Insurance 


FRITZ    NATIIANAEI.    ANIIKEN 

Company  of  Hartford,  Conn.,  and 
liolds  the  position  of  ca.sliier. 

He  is  an  active  churchman  and 
has  ser%'ed  for  three  j'ears  as  dea- 
con and  choir  leader  of  the  Au- 
gustana  Church  of  Berwyn. 

For  four  years  he  was  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  B,  2d  Regiment 
of  the  Illinois  National  Guards. 

On  May  4,  1S87,  Mr.  Andtcn 
married  Olga  Charlotta  Wickslrom 
of  La  Porte,  Ind.,  born  Jan.  14, 
186,^.  The\-  have  two  sons  and 
two  daughters,  Amalia,  Olof,  Ivb- 
l)a  and  Carl. 


IlKRMAN   CATHONV 

was  horn  in  Bredaryd  parish,  Sma- 
laiid,  Sweden,  May  23,  1S75,  and 
and  came  to  the  United  States  in 
1893  as  a  young  man  of  eighteen, 
e(|uipped  with  the  education  af- 
forded    li\-    the    Swedisli    common 


schools.  Having  learned  the  paint- 
er's trade  from  his  father,  he  took 
up  that  occupation.  During  his 
first  four  years  in  Chicago  he  was 
employed  by  Thybony  &  Johnson 
and  other  firms  as  interior  decor- 
ator. In  1897  he  started  in  busi- 
ness for  himself  in  Berwyn.  where 
he  has  a  store  and  does  contract 
work  in  painting  and  decorator. 

Mr.  Cathony  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Luth.  Augustana  Church 
and  has  served  as  trustee  and 
treasurer    since    1901.     He  is  also 


IIHK.MA.N    CATHONV 

treasurer  of  the  Temperance  so- 
ciety of  the  Chicago  district. 

CHARIj;S  J.    1-AIRVALLKV 

was  born  in  I'"agerhidl  ])arish, 
Smalaiul,  Sweden,  Nov.  7,  1S60, 
and  came  to  lliis  country  in  1S87, 
after  having  been  educatetl  in  the 
common  schools  and  at  a  military 
acadeuiv  in  the  land  of  his  birih. 
He  has  served  as  a  iwlice  officer 
in   Cicero   for  four  \ears  and  sub- 


Berwyn 


235 


seqiiently  as  village  marshal  of 
Berwyn  and  a  conslahle  of  Cook 
coiinly. 


CH\KI.i:S  JnUN    FAIKVALl.EV 

Prior  to  going  on  the  police 
force  he  was  engaged  in  the  build- 
ing trade,  doing  business  in  thai 
line  in  the  suburbs  west  for  four 
years. 

Mr.  Fairvalley  is  a  member  and 
deacon  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Church  of  Berwyn  and  a  member 
of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica, having  served  as  clerk  of  the 
local  camp. 

He  is  married  and  has  four 
children,  Alma  E.  V.,  Agnes  J. 
R.,   Frances  J.  T.   and  Joseph  H. 


JOHN   A.  JOHNSON, 

minister  of  the  Swedish  Baptist 
Church,  was  born  in  Runsten  par- 
ish, Oland,  Sweden,  June  4,  1874. 
In  1893  he  emigrated,  and  lived 
for  six  years  in  Ida  Grove,  Iowa. 
Harboring  a  desire  to  become  a 
minister  of  the  Gospel,  Mr.  John- 


son in  1899  came  to  Chicago  and 
took  up  the  study  of  thtolojiy  at 
the  Swedish  Baptist  Theological 
Seminary  in  connection  with  the 
University  of  Cliicago.  After  four 
years  spent  at  the  seminary  in 
Morgan  Park  he  was  graduated 
as  a  candidate  for  the  ministry, 
and  upon  being  duly  ordained, 
look  pastoral  charge  of  the  Swed- 
ish Baptist  Church  of  Berw\n. 
This  church  was  organized  in  1895 
and  now  numbers  about  one  hun- 
dred members.  Rev.  Johnson 
served  this  church  for  one  year, 
after  which    he  removed  to  Gard- 


JOIIN    A.  JOHNSON 

ner,     Ma.ss.,    being    succeeded    at 
Berwyn  by  Rev.  Eric  Carlson. 


SVEN  A.   JOHNSON 

was  born  in  Harplinge  parish, 
Halland,  Sweden,  May  12,  1854. 
Emigrating  in  1881,  he  came  to 
Chicago.  He  is  a  furnituremaker 
by  trade  and  has  been  in  the  em- 


236 


Cook  County 


ploy  of  the    Fair  for  a  long    term 
of  years. 

In   1890  he  removed  lo  the  sub- 


SVliN    AKON  JOHNSON 

iirb  of  Berwyn.  There  he  has 
Ijeeii  ail  active  churchman.  When 
the  Swedisli  Lutheran  Auguslana 
Church  was  organized  in  1S98  he 
became  a  member  of  the  church 
council  and  has  served  ever  since 
as  vice-chairman  of  the  board  of 
deacons.  For  the  same  lengtli  of 
time  Mr.  Johnson  has  served  as 
the  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
.school . 

Mr.  Johnson  was  married  Sept. 
II,  1886,  to  Miss  Emma  Johnson. 
The  union  was  dissolved  by  the 
death  of  Mrs.  Johnson  early  in 
1894.  The  children  of  this  mar- 
riage are,  Birdie,  Blanche  and 
Sunny.  Sept.  16,  1894,  he  mar- 
ried his  present  wife,  whose  maid- 
en name  was  Hulda  Charlotta  Ry- 
dflius. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  affiliateil  willi 
the  Royal  League  and  the  Royal 
Circle. 


GUSTAF    JORANSON 
was  born  March   13,    1868,  in  Xy- 
kroppa,    X'ermland,    Sweden,    and 
obtained  a  common  school  educa- 
tion in  his  home  district. 

In  1887  he  came  to  Chicago, 
direct  from  the  old  country,  and 
here  went  lo  work  as  a  machinist. 
Mr.Joranson  is  now  engaged  with 
A  Schauble  &  Co.,  Harrington, 
111.,  ill  the  manufacture  of  gas 
and  gasoline  engines.  He  has 
secured  several  patents  on  some 
of  the  best  gasoline  engines  now 
in  the  market. 

Mr.    Joranson     belongs    lo    the 


f.USTAl"    JOKANSON 

Modern  Woodmen  of  America  and 
resides  in   Berwyn,   111. 


FR.\XS  n.  LIXI)BLO\J 

was  born  Jan.  10,  1S65.  in  IVlc- 
bo,  Maderji.)  parish,  SmAland.  Imoui 
Sweileti  he  came  to  this  country 
in  April,  1888.  A  situation  was 
soon  obtained  in  the  factory  of 
W.  W.   Kiniball   Piano  Co..   where 


Berwvn 


23; 


he  aaiiiired  a  knowledge  of  all  hoj-  of  12  years,  his  four  younger 
the  details  of  ])iano  niakinR.  In  brothers  and  their  mother,  were 
the   meantime    he   attended    night      left  to   care  for    themselves.      For 

three  years  they  occasionally  had 
word  from  their  father,  but  after 
that  he  was  never  heard  from. 

In  1.S86  he  emigrated  to  the 
United  States  and  located  in  Chi- 
cago. He  at  once  secured  work 
at  his  trade,  that  of  a  machinist. 
The  first  three  winters  in  Chicago 
he  attended  the  evening  .sessions 
at  the  Froebel  School,  in  order  to 
acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  Eng- 
lish language.  For  the  past  6  years 
he  has  been  an  employee  of  the 
Union  Horse  Xail  Co. 

He  is  a  member  and  a  deacon 
of  the  Swedish  Baptist  Church  of 


1-K.\NS    UMUKICK    I.INUBI.OM 

school.  Subsequently  he  worked 
in  the  Hallel  C.  Davis  piano  fac- 
torj-  for  a  period.  In  coinpaii\' 
with  \V.  H.  Burns  he  started  the 
Yueill-Lindblom  Piano  Co.  At  that 
time  he  superintended  a  depart- 
ment in  the  Schumann  piano  fac- 
tory until  the}'  removed  from  Chi- 
cago. At  present  he  makes  the 
F.  E.  Lindblom  pianos  at  Berwyn, 
111.  He  also  has  charge  of  a  de- 
partment in  the  Strohber  piano 
factory. 

Mr.    Lindblom     belongs    to    the 
Sw.  Luth.  Zion  Church  at  Berwyn. 


CHARLES  E.  LINDGREN 

was  born  July  10,  1857,  in  Tors- 
aker,  Gestrikland,  Sweden.  His 
father  was  a  miller  in  Hedeniora 
until  1S69,  when  he  emigrated  to 
South  America.  The  family,  con- 
sisting of  C.   E.   Lindgren,  then  a 


W^^M 

t 

i 

^^1 

\ 

P  iB 

i     i 

w^k  "h^  f  iflH 

i      ^ 

i           "f^^H 

r 

^II^jhH 

f 

XHj^^ 

d 

1^^^ 

CHAUl.US    E.    LINDC.REN 

Berwyn,    where     he     has    resided 
since   1894. 

On  Jan.  16,  1884,  C.  E.  Lind- 
gren married  a  native  of  Verm- 
land,  with  whom  he  has  had  si.x 
children,   five  of  whom  are  living. 


238 


Cook  County 


FRANK  L.  MALMSTEDT, 

real    estate    dealer,    was    born    in 
Norrkoping,     Sweden,     Dec.      lo. 


I-RANK     L.    MALMSTieUT 

1848.  He  left  home  when  a  boy. 
Realizing  the  need  of  an  educa- 
tion, he  took  a  four  years'  course 
in  a  school  in  Coi^enliagen,  Den- 
ninrk,  an<l  was  graduated.  He 
went  from  Stockholm  to  this  coun- 
try and  to  Chicago  in   1881. 

Mr.  Malmstedt  is  actually  tlie 
father  of  Bcrwyn,  wliich  was  laid 
out  and  founded  by  him.  He  has 
laid  out  a  number  of  town  sites 
in  Minnesota,  Wisconsin  and  Flor- 
ida, and  for  the  past  fiv^e  years 
he  was  employed  by  the  East  Chi- 
cago Company,  which  is  building 
the  new  cities  of  East  Chicago 
and   Indiana   Harbor. 

In  Ai)iil,  1S07,  he  was  appoint- 
ed superintendent  of  Herwyn,  the 
office  he  now  holds. 

Mr.  Malmstedt  has  held  differ- 
ent oflices  in  the  Methodist  Church 
and  of  various  societies   of    which 


he  is  a  member,  and  has  been  a 
member  of  the  board  of  education 
in  the  school  district  No.    100. 

He  has  traveled  extensively  in 
Europe  and  other  parts  of  the 
world.  He  is  a  good  public  speak- 
er and  has  a  facile  pen,  as  sliowii 
in  numerous  contributions  to  news- 
papers and  periodicals,  especially 
Szri/sA'it  .Inicri/cainiirii  of  Chicago. 

Nov.  2;,,  1883,  Mr.  Malmstedt 
was  married  to  a  (lerman  lady, 
with  whom  he  has  had  three  sons: 
Philip  W.,  George  A.  and  Arthur 
L.,  the  youngest  having  been  ac- 
cidentally killed  in  1903  at  the 
age  of  sixteen. 


CHARLES  M.  MOLINE 

was  born  at  Torslunda,    Snialand, 
Sweden,  June  24.    1875.     He  came 


CllAKl.i:S    .M.     MOI.INi; 

to  this  country  in  181)3  and  has 
been  a  resident  of  Chicago  and 
Berwyn  since  that  time 

Having    had    his    schooling    in 
Sweden,  he  went    lo    work  inime- 


Berwyn 


239 


diately  on  coming  here  Mr.  Mo- 
line  served  for  one  year  on  the 
police  force  and  for  a  time  was  a 
member  of  the  volunteer  fire  de- 
partment. Later  he  established 
himself  as  a  dealer  in  ice  and 
coal,  continuing  in  that  line  of 
business  in  Berwyn  up  to  the 
present. 

Mr.  Moline  in  1903  was  elected 
a  trustee  of  the  village.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Augustana  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church,  of  the  Royal 
League  and  of  the  Hiirolden  Tem- 
perance Society,  having  served  as 
president  of  the  latter. 


ANDREW  M.  NELSON 

was    born    Jul>-    28,    1859,    on    the 
Spjuthult    estate    in    Hjorled   par- 


Chicago.  At  ])resent  he  resides 
in  Herwyn,  where  he  prospers  in 
business  as  the  proprietor  of  a 
laundry. 

Mr.  Nelson  is  a  member  of  the 
First  M.  E.  Church  of  Berwyn. 
He  holds  a  membership  in  Har- 
mony Lodge  No.  110,  Knights  of 
Pythias,  in  which  he  has  held 
every  office  from  inner  guard  to 
president. 


CARL  H.  PETERSON 

was  born  in  Chicago  Nov.  9,  1872. 
He    was   educated    in    the    public 


ANIIKICW    .M.    NELSON 


CARL   II.   PETKKSON 

schools  and  iu  the  Chicago  Man- 
ual Training  School. 

Mr.  Peterson  is  a  mechanical 
engineer  and  superintendent.  His 
office  is  at  623,  9  Jack.son  boule- 
vard, Chicago,  and  his  residence  is 
at  Berwyn. 

He  takes    an    active    interest  in 


isli,  Smaland,  Sweden.  He  ob- 
tained a  public  .school  education 
in  his  native  land. 

In  May,  1879,  he  came  to  this  municipal  matters,  and  has  served 
country,  stopping  first  in  New  one  term  as  a  trustee  on  the  vil- 
York  City.     He    later  removed  to      lage  board. 


240 


Cook  County 


Mr.  Peterson  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish  Baptist  Church  in 
Berwyn  and  has  served  as  chor- 
ister and  church  clerk.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  music  committee 
of  the  male  chorus  Sangarbroder, 
affiliating  with  the  Swedish  Bap- 
tist Church  in  Illinois.  He  was 
president  of  the  Jubilee  Chorus  at 
the  Golden  Jubilee  (1902)  of  the 
Swedish  Baptist  Church  of  Amer- 
ica. Later  he  was  the  president 
of  the  United  Swedish  Choirs  of 
Chicago,  whose  concert  on  April 
4,  1903,  was  brought  to  so  suc- 
cessful an  issue  that  14,000  kronor 
were  sent  to  the  Swedish  Famine 
Relief  Fund.   . 


CHARLES  ADAMS 
was  born  May  15,  1859,  in  the 
parish  of  Ram,  Verniland,  Sweden. 
His  parents  are  Adam  Svenson,  a 
blaster  at  Lesjofors  Iron  Works, 
and  Anna  Carolina  Sven.son.  Mr. 
Adams,  following  in  his  father's 
footsteps,  acquired  skill  as  a  ma- 
chinist. As  such  he  had  no  diffi- 
culty in  obtaining  a  situation 
when  he  came  over  to  this  coun- 
try in  1880.  He  was  first  em- 
ployed at  Fort  Scott,  Kan.,  work- 
ing there  as  a  machinist  for  12 
years  in  the  Walbnrn  cS:  Swanson 
machine  works  and  foundry.  He 
is  still  in  the  service  of  the  same 
concern,  now  the  American  Foun- 
dry and  Machine  Co.,  holding  the 
I)osition  of  foreman  of  the  ma- 
chine shop.  He  has  erected  ma- 
cliines  for  the  company  in  all  the 
southern  and  many  of  the  wcNt- 
eni  states. 

Mr.  Adams  was  mariied  in  1883, 


at  Fort  Scott,  to  Miss  Augusta 
Peterson  from  Nerike.  Their 
children  are  Nettie  and  Edith. 

Mr.  Adams  belongs  to  the  Royal 
Arcanum  and  the  Independent 
Order  of  Svilhiod. 

P.   OLOF  I.  BERSELL 

minister  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Augustana    Svnod.    was    born    at 


rUTRUS  OLOF  I.M.M.\NI-E1.   UHRSHLI- 

Rock  Island,  111.,  May  6,  1882, 
his  parents  being  Prof.  A.  O.  Ber- 
sell,  deceased,  and  I'ma  Botilda, 
nee  Lagerlund. 

After  comjileting  six  grades  of 
the  public  school  he  was  enrolleil 
as  a  student  at  the  academic  de- 
partment of  Augustana  College  in 
1892,  and  graduated  from  college, 
with  the  bachelor's  degree,  in 
1899.  l-'our  years  later  he  en- 
tered the  divinity  school  of  the 
same  institution,  graduating  in 
the  spring  of  1906  with  the  degiie 
of  B.  I).  At  the  annual  meeting 
of     the     .\ngustana      Synod,     held 


Chicag-0  Heij*-hts 


241 


shortly  afterward,  lie  was  ordained 
to  the  ministry  and  assumed  charge 
of  the  Immaniiel  Swedish  Luther- 
an Church  at  Chicago  Heights,  to 
which  he  had  been  called. 

While  a  student,  Bersell  taught 
parochial  school  in  a  number  of 
localities  in  the  central  West. 
During  the  school  year  of  1.S99 — 
1900  he  was  instructor  in  Greek 
and  other  subjects  at  Luther 
Academy,  at  Wahoo,  Neb.  Dur- 
ing the  next  two  years  he  taught 
public  school  in  Valmar,  Mich., 
also  preaching  in  the  mission  field 
of  the  Illinois  Conference  in  North- 
ern Michigan.  For  one  year, 
1904-5,  Mr.  Bersell  was  instructor 
in  United  States  History  at  Au- 
gustana  College.  He  was  pres- 
ident of  the  graduating  class  of 
the  Aiigustana  Theological  Sem- 
inary in    1906. 


partment    at    the     Haldwin    piano 
factory  in  Chicago  Heights. 

Mr.    Carlson    is    a    ver\-    active 


CARL  G.  CARLSON 

was  born  Nov.  17,  1855,  in  Fri- 
dene  parish,  Vestergotland,  Swe- 
den, where  his  parents,  Carl  Peter 
and  Anna  Lisa  Johnson,  still  have 
their  home. 

In  1886  he  emigrated  to  Amer- 
ica, locating  in  Minneapolis.  After 
a  short  stay  he  moved  to  St.  Paul, 
and  from  there  to  Chicago  Heights, 
his  present  place  of  residence. 

Since  he  came  to  this  countrj- 
Mr.  Carlson  has  been  mostly  em- 
ployed in  piano  factories.  He  also 
worked  for  the  Chicago  Coffin 
Co.,  and  has  been  foreman  at  the 
Earhuff  Piano  Factory  in  St.  Paul, 
Minn.  At  present  he  holds  the 
foremanship    in  the    trimming  de- 


CAKI,   (UJSTAl--  CAKl.SON 

member  in  the  Swedish  Mission 
Church  of  Chicago  Heights,  now 
serving  as  a  deacon. 

In  1880  Mr.  Carlson  was  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Justina  Carlson,  born 
April  27,  1857.  Their  children 
are:  Edla  Kardula,  Oscar  Wil- 
helm,  Anna  Emabel  and  Signe 
Frances  Eula. 


[CHARLES  CHAMPENE 

was  born  June  22,  1866,  in  Skal- 
lerud  parish,  Elfsborgs  Ian,  Swe- 
den, and  there  obtained  a  common 
school  education.  In  1886  he 
came  to  the  United  States,  intend- 
ing to  settle  in  New  Haven,  Conn., 
but  after  a  five  weeks'  stay  he 
left  for  Chicago.  He  lived  eight 
years  in  that  citj',  after  which  he 
moved  to  Chicago  Heights.  There 
he  has    been  emploj-ed  as  a  roller 


242 


Cook  County 


in    the    plant  of    the  Inland  Steel 
Co.   for  more  than  ten  years. 
Mr.   Champene    is  a  member   of 


nee  Rabock,  born  Aug.  19,  1866, 
in  Vestervik.  Snialand,  where  her 
father    was    a    lumber    merchant. 


CHAKLHS    CHAMl'IS.NE 

the  I^utheran  Church,  and  also 
belongs  to  Svithiod  Lodge  No.  i , 
I.   O.  vS. 

In  1 89 1  he  married  Miss  Maria 
Stacke.  They  have  three  chil- 
dren, all  boys. 

CHARLES  P.  JOHNSON 

was  born  Jan.  26,  1863,  in  Feme- 
bo  parish,  Vermland.  He  left 
Sweden  in  1886  and  on  reaching 
this  country  settled  first  in  Mc- 
Keesport,  then  in  Chicago  and 
finally  in  Chicago  Heights.  There 
Mr.  Johnson  holds  the  position  of 
foreman  of  coremakers  in  the  plant 
of  the  American  Brake  Shoe  and 
Foundry  Co.  He  was  formerl>- 
emjjloyed  by  the  Calumet  Founilry 
Co.   in   Hnglewood. 

Mr.  Johnson  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedish    Mission  Church. 

His  wife  is    Albertina  Carolina, 


CHARLES    p.  JOHNSON 

Their  children  are,  Arthur  C, 
Florence  E.  C,  Mabel  L.  and 
Nimrod  C.   H. 


FRANK  JOHNSON 

was  born  Jan.  25,  1857,  in  Ljus- 
naberg  parish,  Orebro  liin,  Sweden. 
His  parents  were  Frans  Johnson, 
a  miner  from  Nya  Kopparberget , 
and   Lovisa  Johnson. 

After  attending  the  public  .schools 
in  his  native  land  he  emigrated 
to  this  western  Land  of  Promise 
in  1881.  His  first  home  was  at 
Norway,  Mich.,  where  he  worked 
in  the  mines  for  ten  j'ears.  Leav- 
ing for  Aurora,  111.,  he  secured 
employment  as  a  machinist  suc- 
ces.sively  with  Hoyt  Uros.,  the 
Hercules  Ice  Co.  and  the  Aurora 
Automatic  Co.  At  present  he  is 
a     machinist     with     the    .\incrican 


Chicago  Heiii^hts 


243 


Brake  Shoe  and  Foundry  Co.  at 
Chicago  Heights. 

Mr.s.  Mathilda  Albertina  John- 
son, his  wife,  was  born  1859  in 
Hjulsjb  parish,  Orebro  liin.  They 
have  four  children,  Hilda  Olivia, 
Johanna  Maria,  Ettie  Alida  and 
Frank  Oscar. 

The  family  attend  the  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  at  Chicago 
Heights. 


CARL  H.  JOHNSON 

was  born  March  29,  1856,  in  Hani- 
niar    parish,  Orebro    liin,  Sweden. 


CAKI,    HHRMAN  JOHNSON 

He  was  twenty-six  years  of  age 
when  he  came  to  this  country, 
where  he  immediately  sought  work 
of  any  description.  He  was  in 
turn  employed  as  a  sailor,  a  la- 
borer, a  milk-dealer  and  a  farmer. 
Mr.  Johnson  is  a  member  of 
the  Swedi-sh  Mission  Church  of 
Chicago  Heights.  He  was  mar- 
ried June  29,  1885,  to  Ida  Olson, 
and  is  the  father  of  two  children. 


a  son,   Arthur,   born  in    1.S.S7,  and 
a  daughter,  Annie,  born  in   1890. 

LARS  K.  JOHNSON 

was    born   Nov.    16,    1865,  in  Ore- 
bro,   Sweden.       His    parents     are 


LARS   HMIL  JOHNSON 

Lars  Eric  John.sou,  a  building  con- 
tractor in  Orebro,  and  Mathilda, 
nee  Peterson.  After  receiving  his 
early  training  in  the  public  schools 
of  Sweden,  he  learned  the  paint- 
ing trade.  In  1886  he  emigrated 
to  America  and  spent  eleven  years 
in  Chicago,  working  for  one  of 
the  largest  painting  and  decorat- 
ing concerns  in  the  city.  Subse- 
quently he  located  at  Chicago 
Heights  as  a  painting   contractor. 

Mr.  Johnson  and  his  family  are 
Lutherans  in  faith,  belonging  to 
the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church  of 
Chicago  Heights.  The  fraternal 
orders  of  which  Mr.  Johnson  is  a 
member  are  the  Maccabees  and 
Svithiod. 

Nov.   29,  1894,  ^I''-  Johnson  was 


244 


Cook  Count}' 


married  to  Miss  Ida  Sophia,  the 
daughter  of  Jonas  and  Maria  Mat- 
son  of  Thyfors,  Dalarne.  The 
children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Johnson 
are:  Dora  Alice,  Elna  and  Lars 
Elmer. 

GUSTAF  JOHNSON 

was  born  Dec.  27,  1863,  in  Alem 
parish,    Smaland,    Sweden,   where 


HILDING   LINDMARK 

was   born    Sept.    18,    1865,  in  Ore- 
bro,  Sweden.     At  the  age  of  sev- 


GUSTA!"    lOllNSON 

he  enjoyed  a  coninion  .school  edu- 
cation. He  emigrated  in  1882  and 
since  reaching  this  country  has 
lived  in  Chicago  and  Chicago 
Heights.  Obtaining  employment 
as  a  plasterer,  he  steadily  worked 
his  way  up  and  soon  began  con- 
tracting for  work  on  his  own  ac- 
count. Pie  was  in  this  business 
in  Chicago  for  many  years  before 
locating  in  Chicago  Heights  some 
seven   years  ago. 

Mr.  Johnson's  parents  are  Johan 
Peter  Gustafson  of  Gutuiarsmala, 
Smaland,  and  Johanna  Gustafson, 
nee   Hanson. 


IIII.l'I.N'G    LUNDM.^KK 

enteen  he  left  his  birthplace  and 
became  apprenticed  to  a  machinist. 
After  working  in  the  trade  for 
three  years  he  took  hire  as  a  fire- 
man on  an  Atlantic  steamer.  One 
year  later  he  entered  a  navigation 
school,  from  which  he  was  grad- 
uated in  1887.  After  serving  as 
engineer  in  the  old  country  until 
1893,  he  emigrated  to  the  I'nited 
States.  Here  he  held  a  position 
as  engineer  but  a  short  time  be- 
fore engaging  in  the  grocery  bus- 
iness, a  line  in  which  he  has  con- 
tinued to  the  present   time. 

Mr.  I.undmark  is  an  adherent 
of  the  Lutheran  Church.  He  is 
a  member  of  different  societies, 
including  the  Royal  Arcanum,  the 
Knights  of  the  MaccalK'es,  the 
Modern  Wooilmen  of  America  and 
the  Chicago  IKights  Social   Club. 


Cliicapfo  Ileij^hts 

AI.HICRT    NKLSON 
was  born  Nov.  3,    1.S75,  in    Brun- 
skog,  Verinland,  Sweden.     At  six- 


Al.nKRT    Slil.SON 

teen  years  of  age  he  came  to  this 
country  and  ininiediatelj'  began 
work  as  an  apprentice  boy  for  the 
Sargent  Foundry  Co.  in  Engle- 
wood.  Bj-  ambition  and  industry 
he  soon  rose  from  one  position  to 
another  until  lie  became  foreman. 
At  present  he  is  engaged  in  this 
capacity  with  the  American  Brake 
Shoe  and  Foundry  Co,  at  Chicago 
Heights. 

Mr.  Nelson  and  his  wife,  Lj'dia 
Catharine,  were  married  in  Engle- 
wood  May  18,  1899.  Their  one 
child  is  named  Wilbert. 

Mr.  Xelson  is  a  member  of  the 
Order  of  Svithiod,  and  has  acted 
as  financial  secretary  in  the  local 
lodge. 


JOHN  NELSON 
was  born  Feb.   2-;,    i860,   i 


24.S 

came  over  from  Sweden  and  set- 
tled in  Sycamore,  111.,  removing 
later  to  Chicago  Heights,  where 
he  obtained  work  in  a  foundry 
and  continues  in  the  same  occu- 
pation. 

Mr.  Nelson  is  a  most  active 
worker  in  the  Swedish  Mission 
Church,  in  which  he  has  served 
a  number  of  years  as  Sunday 
school  superintendent.  He  be- 
longs to  the  order  of  United 
Workmen. 

His  wife,  Augusta,  nee  Sund, 
was  born  April  11,  1859,  at  Mot- 
ala,  Sweden.  Their  children  are, 
Carl  Gustaf  and  Dora  Lavinia, 
living,  and  Florence  Lillie  and 
Edna,  deceased. 


JOHN  E.  SJOHOLM 

was  born  in  Munktorp  parish,  Vest- 
manland,  Sweden.       At    an    early 


Boda 


parish,     \'ermland.      In     1879    he 


JOH.S    ERIC  SJOHOLM 

age  he  removed  to  Skinskatteberg 
parish  and  learned  the  carpenter's  i 
trade  as  a  boy.     In  the  .spring  of  J 


246 


Cook  County 


1884  he  came  over  to  this  country 
and  worked  at  his  trade  in  Spring- 
field, Mo.,  for  two  years.  Then 
he  left  for  Kansas,  staying  for 
short  periods  in  Wichita,  Hutch- 
inson and  Topeka.  In  the  spring 
of  1892  he  came  to  Chicago.  Five 
years  later  he  located  in  Chicago 
Heights,  where  he  has  since  been 
engaged  in  business  as  a  building 
contractor. 

Mr.  Sjoholm  is  a  member  and 
a  trustee  of  the  First  Baptist 
Church,  commander  of  the  K.  O. 
T.  M.,  trustee  of  the  I.  O.  O.  F. 
and  vice  commander  of  White 
Cross,  local  lodges.  He  is  chair- 
man of  the  Scandinavian  Hund- 
red Men  Aid  Society  and  super- 
visor of  the  town  of  Bloom,  Cook 
count}-. 

Mr.  Sjoholm  married  Miss  Em- 
ma M.  John.son  of  Verona,  Mo., 
in   1886. 


Sweden.     Incubators  are  used  ex- 
clusively for  brooding  puriroses. 
Mr.  Swenson  and  family  1>eloug 


HJALMAR  SWENSON 
was  born  Sept.  30,  1865,  in  Lund, 
Sweden.  He  emigrated  and  came 
to  Chicago  in  1888,  and  two  years 
later  was  married  to  Miss  Emma 
Nelson.  Mr.  Swen.son  was  a  ma- 
chinist by  trade,  but  during  the 
past  thirteen  years  he  and  his 
wife  have  been  engaged  in  i)0ultry 
breeding,  making  a  specially  of 
hatching  full-blooded  varieties, 
such  as  "White  Crested"  and 
"Black  Polish."  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Swenson  have  received  the  highest 
awards  at  poultry  exhibitions  in 
Chicago,  Indianapolis  and  Chicago 
Heights.  They  ship  eggs  to  all 
parts  of  this  country,  and  also  to 
British     Columbia,      Mexico     and 


HJ.\I-MAR    SWKNSON 

the    Swedish   Lutheran  Church  at 
Chicago  Heights. 

Mrs.  Swenson  was  born  Nov. 
24,  1865,  at  Bovik,  Nerike,  where 
her  father,  Nils  Fredrik  Carlson, 
was  engaged  in  the  mining  in- 
dnstrv. 


ALBERT  F.  ERICSON, 

who  has  distinguished  himself  in 
the  Swedish  Methodist  F^piscopal 
Church  as  a  preacher  and  editor, 
but  more  especially  as  an  educat- 
or, was  born  in  Stockholm,  the 
.son  of  E.  H.  Erikson,  rector  of 
the  Katarina  Church,  and  enjoyed 
splendid  educational  advantages  in 
his  youth.  After  pursuing  studies 
for  several  years  at  the  Maria 
collegiate  school,  followed  by  three 
years  of  private  tutorship,  he  fin- 
ished his  education  at  the  Streng- 
nas  gymnasium. 


Evanston 


247 


As  a  young  man  of  eighteen 
he  emigrated  to  this  country  in 
1857.     Shortly  after  his  arrival  in 


Al.HEKT    I'KEllKIK    EKICSON 

America,  he  became  converted  and 
at  once  began  to  preach  with  zeal 
and  fervor.  Ere  long  the  young 
preacher  proved  to  be  gifted  and 
possess  exceptional  ability  to  in- 
terest his  audience,  and  in  view 
of  the  great  lack  of  preachers  the 
desire  to  acquire  him  for  the 
ministry  of  the  Methodist  Church 
was  all  the  more  urgent.  In  1859 
he  received  his  first  assignment 
from  the  Central  Illinois  Confer- 
ence, that  of  assistant  to  the 
Rev.  Mr.  Anders  J.  Anderson  of 
the  extensive  Andover  circuit. 
After  one  year's  service  in  this 
field  he  in  turn  had  charges  at 
Victoria,  Beaver  and  Rockford  till 
1864,  when,  at  the  removal  of 
Sdiidebudel  from  Rockford  to  Chi- 
ago,    he  became  its  editor.    After 


two  years  he  resigned  the  editor- 
ship to  take  charge  of  the  con- 
gregation at  Andover. 

In  the  fall  of  1866  Ericson  was 
called  as  teacher  of  Swedish  at 
the  propo.sed  Swedish  Methodist 
theological  seminary.  The  better 
to  prepare  himself  for  the  position 
he  was  sent  to  Sweden  to  take  a 
course  in  the  Swedish  language 
and  literature.  While  in  Stock- 
holm for  this  purpose,  lie  also 
engaged  in  preaching,  and  in  a 
short  time  attracted  audiences  that 
filled  the  hall  to  overflowing.  So 
eager  were  the  people  to  hear  his 
sermons  that  nian\-  brought  their 
lunches  in  the  morning  and  re- 
mained the  rest  of  the  day,  in 
order  to  hold  their  seats  for  the 
evening  service.  Several  of  these 
eager  listeners  afterwards  became 
ministers  of  the  Methodist  Church. 
A  good  foundation  for  a  church 
was  laid,  including  the  organiza- 
tion of  a  Sunda>-  school  and  a 
church  choir.  Overtures  were 
made  to  Ericson  to  remain  and 
continue  the  work,  but,  having 
come  to  Swedeu  for  a  different 
purpose,  he  was  obliged  to  decline 
and  to  return  to  America. 

On  his  return,  however,  he  was 
unable  to  assume  the  position  to 
which  he  had  been  called,  for  the 
sufficient  reason  that  the  propo.sed 
institution  was  not  ready  to  open. 
Another  eejually  important  position 
was  then  offered  him,  he  being 
again  made  editor  of  the  denomi- 
national organ.  He  edited  the 
paper  up  to  the  time  of  the  Chi- 
cago fire,  when,  in  consequence 
of   that  disaster,  it  was  discontin- 


248 


Cook  County 


utd  for  a  time,  and  Ericsoii  was 
assigned  to  tlie  church  in  Brook- 
lyn, N.  Y.,  assuming  charge  in 
April,  1872.  After  eight  years  of 
labor  in  this  field,  Ericson  removed 
to  Worcester,  Mass.,  where  he 
founded  the  Swedish  Methodist 
church,  which  is  now  one  of  the 
largest  in  the  East.  He  remained 
in  charge  for  three  years,  till  1883, 
when  he  accepted  the  proffered 
position  of  head  of  the  theological 
seminary  at  Evanston,  which  he 
still  holds,  devoting  himself  to  that 
work  with  undiminished  power 
and  effort.  During  the  first  three 
j'ears  at  the  seminary  he  also  had 
charge  of  the  Swedish  Methodist 
Church  in  Evanston. 

In  the  capacity  of  president  of 
the  theological  seminary,  Ericson 
has  accomplished  his  principal 
work,  although  as  shown,  he  has 
rendered  eminent  service  as  a 
preacher  and  editor.  The  major- 
ity of  the  younger  [and  middle 
aged  clerg)-men  of  the  Swedish 
Methodist  Cluirch  in  America,  to 
the  number  of  170,  have  been 
educated  under  his  direction.  In 
his  capacity  of  educator  Dr.  Ericson 
thus  has  a  sphere  of  influence  com- 
mensurate with  the  denomination 
to  which   he  belongs. 

JOEL  A.  HOLMGREN 
is  the  son  of  Lars  Holmgren,  a 
schoolmaster  of  P^lackarp,  Skane, 
Sweden,  where  he  was  born  Sept. 
9,  1867.  His  childhood  days  were 
spent  at  Flackarp,  near  the  city 
of  Lund.  When  the  b()>-  was 
eleven  years  old,  his  father  gave 
up  teaching  on   account  of  failing 


health,  and  moved  to  Sniljerup, 
.settling  on  a  small  farm.  With 
two    years   of    common    schooling 


.lOEI.  .\fGVST    HUL.MGREN 

as  a  foundation,  to  which  was 
added  private  tutoring  for  a  like 
period,  young  Holmgren  was  pre- 
pared to  enter  the  normal  .semi- 
nary at  Lund  to  fit  himself  for 
his  father's  profession,  but  lacking 
nine  days  in  the  age  required  for 
admission,  his  application  was  re- 
fused. This  caused  him  to  change 
his  plans,  and  he  instead  began 
learning  the  cabinetmaker's  trade. 
After  working  at  that  for  one 
year  at  Horby  and  three  years  in 
Kristianstad,  he  came  to  this  coun- 
try in  the  fall  of  1887,  joining 
his  brother  in  Evanston.  By  him 
he  was  induced  to  become  a  jiaint- 
er.  At  this  trade  he  was  employed 
for  several  years,  in  I-ivanston, 
Chicago,  Brooklyn  and  Memphis, 
Tcnn. 

In    1 894    he  establisheil    himself 
in  business  as  a  painter  and  inte- 


Evanston 


249 


rior  decorator,  and  continues  in 
that  line,  with  oflRce  at  82 1  Main 
St.,  Evanston. 

Mr.  Holmgren  is  an  active 
churclnnan.  As  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  M.  I{.  Church  of  Evans- 
ton, he  has  served  as  president 
and  secretarj'  of  the  Epworlli 
League,  as  steward  for  several 
years,  as  Sunday  school  superin- 
tendent for  five  years,  and  is  now 
holding  that  position,  as  also  that 
of  church  trustee. 

Married  June  22,  1S97,  to  Mary 
Svedlund,  Mr.  Holmgren  has  three 
sons,  born  as  follows;  Irving  Joel, 
1898;  Einar  William,  1891;  Stan- 
ford Laurentius,    1904. 

KNUT  J.  LOWENDAHL 

was  born  Jul\  13,  1869,  in  Gren- 
na,     Smaland.       He     learned     the 


KNUT  .lUEI,    LOWlC.NIiAlII, 

shoemaker's  trade  in  his  father's 
shop,  and  later  worked  at  it  in 
Stockholm  and  other  places  in 
Sweden,    finally    going    into    busi- 


ness for  himself  in  Upsala.  In 
1 89 1  he  left  for  America.  After 
staying  in  New  York  for  a  time, 
he  went  to  Canada,  and  event- 
ually located  in  Evanston.  After 
some  experience  in  the  cement 
sidewalk  l)usiness,  he  spent  a  year 
in  the  shoe  trade  in  Chicago.  In 
1893  he  again  started  in  business 
in  I'!vanston,  in  partnership  with 
Mr.  Ahlberg,  the  two  ojjening  a 
shoe  store  at  602  Dempster  st., 
where  they  are  still  located,  en- 
joying a  w'ell  established  custom. 
Mr.  Lowendahl  was  married 
Oct.  26,  1895,  to  Annette  Ahlberg. 
Thev  have  one  son. 


JONAS  MORTENSON, 

carriage    maker,    was    born    .\j)ril 
II,    1 87 1,  in  Arbra   parish,   (^lefle- 


JONAS   .MORTENS!  )N 

borgs  Ian,  Sweden.  In  his  native 
country  he  was  in  turn  a  baker, 
farm  laborer  and  blacksmith.  The 
last  named  trade  he  mastered  and 
received  a  diploma  for  .skilled  ar- 


250 


Cook  County 


tisanship.  He  emigrated  in  1892. 
going  to  Omaha,  Xeb.  After  a 
four  years'  stay,  he  left  for  Wil- 
mette  and  then  for  Evanston  in 
1898. 

In  1 90 1  he  started  in  business 
as  a  carriageraaker  and  blacksmith 
and  still  runs  a  busy  shop  at  Ma- 
ple ave.   and  University  place. 

Mr.  Mortenson  is  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Maccalx;es.  In 
politics  he  is  a  straight  Republican 
and  in  religion  a  Lutheran. 

Mr.  Mortenson  was  married  in 
1891  to  Miss  Anna  Strid.  They 
have  one  son  and   two  daughters. 


CHARLES  G.  NELSON. 

member  of  the    Methodist  Episco- 
pal clergy  and  at  present  financial 


CHARLES   r.USTAr    NELSON 


agent  of  the  Swedish  M.  E.  Theo- 
logical Seminary  at  Evanston,  was 
born  May  20,  1848,  in  Sweden. 
Hy  his  parents,  Magnus  and  Ing- 
rid  Lena  Nelson,  he  was  brought 
to  this  country  at  the  age  of  six. 
The  fa'n'ly  came  through  Chicago 


in  1854  and  located  in  Wisconsin. 
While  en  route  from  Galena  to 
Stillwater,  the  boy  fell  overboard 
from  a  river  boat  and  had  a  hair- 
breadth escape  from  drowning. 
He  attended  public  school  and  the 
Taylor's  Falls  (Minn.)  Academy, 
and  pursued  subsetiuent  studies  in 
special  subjects  under  the  private 
tutorship  of  professors  at  Knox 
College,  and  under  the  direction 
of  Dr.  Clark  of  Galesburg.  In 
1868-70  Mr.  Xelson  served  as 
county  clerk  of  Burnett  county, 
Wis. 

In  1869  he  gave  his  heart  to 
God,  and  entered  the  ministry  of 
the  Methodist  Iqiiscopal  Church 
the  year  following.  Since  then 
he  has  served  the  following  con- 
gregations in  a  pastoral  capacity, 
viz.,  those  at  Grantsburg,  Wis., 
Stillwater,  St.  Paul,  Minneapolis, 
Lindstrom  and  Red  Wing,  Minn., 
Galesburg,  111.,  Ishpeming,  Mich., 
and  the  First  and  May  st.  churches 
in  Chicago.  Mr.  Xelson  has  been 
presiding  elder  for  four  different 
periods  and  for  six  years  superin- 
tendent of  the  Xorthern  Swedish 
Mission  Conference.  Part  of  the 
time  the  duties  of  these  offices 
were  added  to  his  charge  as  reg- 
ular pastor.  For  the  past  five 
years  he  has  filled  the  position  of 
financial  agent  of  the  seminary  at 
Evanston. 

Rev.  Nelson  has  been  in  charge 
of  the  erection  of  a  number  of 
churches  and  parsonages  and  the 
raising  of  funds  wherewith  bur- 
densome church  debts  were  effaced. 
He  was  active  in  the  (Organization 
of  the  Northwestern  Swedish  Con- 


Evanstoii 


251 


fereiice  in  1.S77  and  in  tlie  move- 
ment for  its  division  into  three 
conferences  in  1893,  and  also  took 
a  live  interest  in  the  location  of 
the  lheolog;ical  seminary  at  Ivvans- 
ton  in  the  year  iSSi.  It  was  he 
who  raised  the  j;reater  part  of  the 
mone\-  for  the  first  seminary  build- 
ing. In  1884  Rev.  Nelson  was  a 
member  of  the  General  Conference 
of  the  M.  E.  Church,  and  he  is 
elected  to  represent  the  Northern 
Conference  at  the  General  Confer- 
ence to  meet  in  190S  at  Baltimore. 
The  title  of  D.  D.  was  conferred 
on  Rev.  Nelson  in  1903,  by  the 
Central  Wesleyan  College  of  War- 
renton,   Mo. 


DAVID  NELSON 

was  born  Nov.  S,  186S,  in  Kuinla, 
Sweden.     In   18S7  he  came  to  this 


opened  a  laundry,  starting  in  on 
a  small  scale.  Now  the  Nelson 
Laundry  is  the  largest  on  the 
North  Shore.  The  main  office  is 
in  Kvanston,  with  branches  in 
W'ilmette,  Lake  Forest  and  Rogers 
I'ark.  Mr.  Nelson  is  business  man- 
ager as  well  as  proprietor. 

Mr.  David  Nelson  is  a  member 
of  the  Sw.  Free  Mission  Church 
of  Evanston.  The  one  society  to 
which  he  belongs  is  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America. 

His  wife  is  Elizabeth  Nel.son, 
and  their  children  are,  John  Wal- 
ter and  Gerda  Margaret. 

VICTOR  ORTLUND 

was  born  Nov.  16,  1862,  in  Filip- 
stad,  Sweden.      He    emigrated    in 


U.WIU    Niei.SON 

country  and  settled  in  Joliet.  He 
soon  left  for  Chicago  and  finally 
located  in  Evanston,  where  he 
now  resides.     In   1893  Mr.  Nelson 


VICTOR    UKTH'XU 


1883  to  South  Amboy,  N.  J.  Ne.Kt 
he  settled  in  Chicago  and  finally 
made  Evanston  his  home.  Here 
he  embarked  in  the  laundry  busi- 
ness and  is  now   the  proprietor  of 


252 


Cook  County 


the  French  Laundry,  at  806  Demp- 
ster St. 

Mr.  Ortlund  is  a  member  of  the 
Swedish  Meth.  Episcopal  Church 
of  Evanston,  and  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen,  Columbian  Knights 
and  Knights  of  Pythias. 

Mr.  Ortlund  and  his  wife,  Em- 
ma Josephine,  have  three  children, 
Victor  E.,  Vincent  E.  R.  and 
Paulina  M. 


MARTIN  P.  ROSENDAHL, 

who  has  been  established  in  Evans- 
ton    since    1891   as  a    ])ainter    and 


MAKTIN    p.    R()SI:NI>.\11I. 

interior  decorator,  came  to  Chica- 
go in  the  spring  of  iS88  and 
worked  in  that  city  until  the  next 
fall,  when  he  located  in  Evanston. 
After  three  years  he  went  into 
business  in  partnership  with  M. 
h.  Holmgren.  In  1893  this  firm 
was  dissolved  and  Mr.  Rosendahl 
started  a  bu.siness  of  his  own.  He 
is  today  one  of  the  leading  paint- 
ers and  decorators  in  the  citv. 


Mr.  Rosendahl  does  not  permit 
business  to  engross  his  attention 
to  the  exclusion  of  higher  inter- 
ests, From  its  organization  in 
1887,  he  has  been  a  member  of 
the  Immanuel  Swedish  Lutheran 
Church.  From  1895  to  1897  he 
acted  as  secretary  of  the  congre- 
gation. Since  1895  he  has  been 
on  the  board  of  trustees  and 
served  as  its  treasurer.  Since  1896 
he  has  been  on  the  board  of  dea- 
cons also  and  acts  as  its  secre- 
tarj'.  Mr.  Rosendahl  has  served 
for  several  years  as  Sunday  school 
superintendent  and  has  been  active 
in  behalf  of  the  church  in  various 
minor  capacities. 

Mr.  Rosendahl  was  born  in  Ost- 
raby,  Skane,  Sweden,  June  16. 
1867.  His  father,  Per  Svenson, 
who  was  the  owner  of  a  country 
estate,  died  in  1882,  and  his 
mother,  Elna  Martenson,  in  1906, 
both  at  Ostraby.  The  son,  after 
completing  the  common  school 
courses,  was  educated  in  the  tech- 
nical school  in  Malmci,  in  which 
city  he  learned  his  trade. 

Mr.  Rosendahl  has  been  twice 
married.  His  first  wife,  whom  he 
wedded  in  1S93,  was  Miss  Lou- 
isa Gustafson,  who  died  within 
four  months  after  marriage.  Jan. 
18,  1902,  he  took  a  second  wife, 
Miss  Lydia  R.  Dahlstriim,  daugh- 
ter of  August  and  Augusta  Dahl- 
striim  of  St.  Charles,  111.  Three 
chiliiren  have  been  born  to  iheni, 
Eleanor  Violet,  Dec.  i,  1902, 
Martin  Carl  Irving,  CVt.  iS,  1904. 
and  Marie  Lillian,  Aug.  23,  1906. 
The  family  residence  is  at  915 
Oieenleaf  st. 


Evanston 


253 


GUST  A  F  K.  STARK., 

minister  of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Augustaiia  Synod,  was    horn  Jan. 


C.L-ST.\F    K.NUT    ST.\KK 

15,  1867,  in  Eksjo,  Smaland,  Swe- 
den, where  his  father,  Johan  Gus- 
taf  Johnson,  was  a  carpenter  by 
trade.  The  family  emigrated  in 
the  summer  of  1875,  settling  first 
in  Tidioute,  Pa.,  where  Gustaf 
began  his  schooling.  In  early 
years  he  left  home  to  seek  em- 
plo\ment,  and  was  for  a  succession 
of  years  a  salesman  in  stores  in 
Pennsj'lvania  and  Chicago,  work- 
ing for  a  time  in  the  wholesale 
house  of  Marshall  Field  cS:  Co. 

At  the  age  of  eighteen  he  was 
enrolled  at  Augustana  College, 
and  for  a  number  of  years  oscil- 
lated between  studying  and  preach- 
ing or  teaching  parochial  and  pub- 
lic school,  for  which  latter  he 
passed  teacher's  examination.  Fin- 
ally he  completed  the  theological 
course  at  Augustana  College  and 
was   ordained    to    the    ministry  in 


1.S94.  His  first  pastoral  charge 
after  ordination  was  at  Pittsburg, 
Pa.,  where  he  .served  until  1897. 
Accepting  a  call  to  work  in  the 
niis-sion  field  in  Illinois  and  Wis- 
consin, he  organized  congregations 
at  Kenosha,  Racine  and  Milwau- 
kee, Wis.,  and  at  Waukegan,  III. 
In  1 90 1  he  transferred  his  activi- 
ties to  Evanston,  where  he  was 
pastor  of  J  the  Immanuel  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church.  Resigning  in 
1907,  he  has  become  superintend- 
ent of  the  work  of  the  Anti-Saloon 
League  of  Illinois  among  the 
Swedish,  Norwegian  and  Danish 
churches. 

Mr.  Stark's  parents  are  both  de- 
ceased. His  father  died  in  Rock- 
ford  in  1.S97,  and  his  mother,  Mrs. 
Martha  C.  Johnson,  nee  Stark, 
passed  awaj'  in  1905.  She  made 
her  home  with  her  .son  in  Evan.s- 
ton.  Two  brothers  of  Mr.  Stark 
are  also  in  the  ministrj',  viz.,  F. 
M.  Johnson  of  Chicago  and  A.  W. 
Stark  of  De  Kalb,   111. 

Rev.  Mr.  G.  K.  Stark  has  served 
as  president  and  secretary  of  the 
North  Chicago  Mission  district  of 
the  Illinois  Conference  and  as  sec- 
retary of  the  Swedish  Lutheran 
Ministers'  As.sociation  of  Chicago. 
He  is  also  a  member  and  secretary 
of  the  board  of  directors  of  the 
Anti-Saloon  League  of  Illinois  and 
of  the  Chicago  Law  and  Order 
League. 

He  was  elected  a  member  of  the 
first  board  of  directors  and  treas- 
urer of  the  Salem  Home  for  the 
Aged  at  Joliet.  He  has  edited 
and  published  for  ten  jears  Luther- 
Bancrct,  a  religious  monthly. 


254 


Cook  County 


He  is  a  fluent  speaker  and 
preaches  with  equal  facility  in  the 
English  and  Swedish  languages. 

Oct.  i8,  1894,  he  was  wedded 
to  Miss  Jennie  \'irginia  Peterson, 
daughter  of  Per  .\ugust  and  Anna 
Peterson  of  Rockford,  111.  Four 
children  have  been  born  to  them: 
Le  Roy  Theophilus  Daniel,  Dec. 
II,  1896;  Linden  Lichty  David 
June  25,  1899;  Ethel  May  Eve- 
line Dec.  15,  1903;  Lelaud  Wil- 
liam Frederick  Sept.  5,  1907. 


CARL  G.  WALLENIUS. 
editor  and  hi.storian  for  his  church, 
was    born    Dec.    18,   1865,  in    Ha- 


CAKI,    C.    WALI.lvNU'S 

tuna,  Upland,  Sweden.  His  par- 
ents were  Carl  Wallenius,  a  Meth- 
odist jiaslor,  and  (lustava,  nee 
IJjilrklund. 

Having  graduated  from  the  col- 
legiate .school  in  Visby,  Gotland, 
in  18.H6,  he  was  matriculated  as  a 
student  in  tin.-  ITniversity  of  Uji- 
sala  with   the  intention  to  ])repare 


himself  for  the  ministry  in  the 
State  Church.  The  next  year, 
however,  he  accepted  a  call  to 
become  assistant  pastor  in  the 
Methodist  Church  at  Jonkoping. 
In  1 888  he  emigrate<l  to  the  United 
Slates  and  studied  theology  at  the 
Uoston  University.  In  January, 
1889,  Mr.  Wallenius  became  an 
instructor  in  the  Swedish  Theolog- 
ical Seminarj-  at  Evanston  and 
assistant  editor  of  I'aklarcn.  a 
weekly-  pajier,  publishetl  by  the 
Swedish  M.  E.  Book  Concern  in 
Chicago.  Professor  Wallenius  gave 
instruction  in  the  seminary  for 
fourteen  years,  resigning  in  1906 
to  become  pastor  of  the  Methodist 
Church  at  Donovan,   111. 

He  is  the  author  of  "Svenska 
Metodismen  i  Amerika,'"  published 
in  1S95,  and  was  associate  editor 
of  Sandcbitdci  1901-02  and  editor 
of  lipicortli  Kloikatt,  a  .semi-monthly 
magazine,    1903-06. 

Prof.  Wallenius  is  one  of  the 
scholarly  men  of  his  church.  He 
was  acting  president  of  the  Swed- 
ish-American Historical  Society 
in    1907. 

Rev.  Prof.  Wallenius  was  mar- 
ried in  Chicago  in  1894  to  Miss 
Hilda  Johnson,  and  they  have 
five  children. 


JOHN  E.  HILLBERG 
was  bom  Dec.  9,  1873,  in  Malni- 
kiiping.  Sweden.  His  father, 
lunannel  Helllicrg,  was  a  pioneer 
preacher  of  Methodism  in  Sweden. 
having  first  sjienl  some  time  as  an 
evangelist  in  luighuul.  His  mother 
was  before  her  marriage  a  school- 
teacher in  Stockholm. 


Evanston 


255 


After  havinj;  j^radiialeil  in  iSS.S 
from  the  luaiiual  training  course 
ill  Maria  Collegiate  School  in  Stock- 


JOIIN   E.MANUI3I.    IIILLHKRG 

lioliii  he  became  a  bookkeeper  at 
Bolinder's  iron  works,  remaining 
there  over  three  j'ears.  At  the 
same  time  he  spent  two  years  as 
civil  engineering  student  at  the 
Technical  Institute  of   Stockholm. 

Arriving  in  America  on  July  4, 
1892.  he  went  to  Worcester,  Mass. 
The  following  year  he  entered  the 
theological  seminary  at  Evanston 
and  graduated  in  1895.  He  has 
served  as  pastor  of  the  Swedish 
Methodist  churches  in  Mt.  Vernon, 
N.Y.,  1895-99,  Bridgeport,  Conn., 
1899-1902,  and  Brooklyn,  N.  Y., 
1902-06.  In  the  lasi  named  city 
he  was  pastor  of  the  largest  Swed- 
ish M.  E.  church  in  this  country. 
In  1901-02  he  spent  some  months 
traveling  and  studying  in  several 
countries  in  Europe.  The  trip 
was  extended  as  far  as  Egfypt, 
Palestine  and  Syria.  On  his  re- 
turn he  wrote  a  book  entitled 
"Bilder  fran  Bibellander"  (Pict- 
ures from  Bible  Lands  ) . 

He  published  (1898-1902)  a 
monthlj-    entitled   L'ngdoinsi'iiiimii. 


Since  1906  he  has  been  editor  of 
hp'icotl/i  Klockan,  the  official  young 
people's  magazine  of  the  Swedish 
M.  I'^.  denomination.  Simultane- 
ously he  accepted  a  call  to  become 
instructor  in  the  Swedish  M.  I-;. 
Theological  Seminary. 

Professor  Hillberg  is  secretary 
of  the  Ivastern  Conference  of  the 
M.  \\.  Church,  and  is  Librarian  of 
the  Swedish -American  Historica 
Society. 

He  was  married  in  1897  to  Miss 
Hannah  Lundgren,  daughter  of 
J.  W.  Lundgren,  foreman  at  the 
rolling  mills   in    Worcester,   Ma.ss. 


FRANK   A.  LUNDBERG, 

instructor  at  the  Swedish  M.  E. 
Theological  Seminary,  was  born 
April      II,     1875,     at      Halsberg, 


FR.\NK    .\.    l-UXDBKRG 

Nerike,  Sweden.  His  father,  a 
railway  track  inspector,  was  a 
prominent  member  of  the  local 
Methodist  church.  At  an  early 
age  the  son  was  brought  to  this 
country  by  his  parents,  who  settled 
on  a  farm  in  Georgetown,  Texas. 
Young  Lundberg  attended  the  uni- 
versity at  Fort  Worth,  and  took 
his  bachelor's  degree  with   honors 


256 


Cook  County 


in  1905.  The  same  year  he  came 
to  Evanstoii  to  i)ursue  philosoph- 
ical studies  at  the  Northwestern 
University.  He  was  called  as  in- 
structor in  Kn}{lish  and  mathe- 
matics in  the  Swedish  Theological 
Seminary  and  assumed  this  posi- 
tion at  the  opening  of  the  school 
year  that  fall. 

Mr.  Lundberg  is  an  eloquent 
speaker,  who  uses  Swedish  and 
English  with  the  same  fluency. 
In  1903  he  was  chosen  to  repre- 
sent the  Fort  Worth  Universitj' 
in  an  inter-collegiate  oratorical 
contest  with  seven  other  jiarticip- 
ants,  and  carried  off  the  honors 
of  the  day.  winning  the  oratorical 
prize,   a   large  gold  medal. 

Mr.  Lundberg  will  graduate  from 
the  Northwestern  University  Med- 
ical School  in   1908. 


and  assistant  pastor  in  Sweden  for 
two  years,  he  left  for  the  United 
States    in    1888    and    entered   Au- 


HENNING  COLUANDER, 
pastor  of  the  Bethan>-  Swedish 
Lutheran  Church  at  Lemont,  111., 
was  born  in  the  parish  of  Weders- 
lof,  Sweden,  March  12,  1S63.  His 
father,  Anders  CoUiander,  who  had 
charge  of  a  railway  station  and 
post  office  in  Sweden,  died  in  1S76. 
His  mother,  Jenny  CoUiander,  is 
still  living  and  owns  a  millinery 
store  in  Vexio,  Sweden. 

Mr.  CoUiander  completed  a  col- 
lege course  in  Sweden  in  1886  and 
intended  to  study  theology  at  the 
University  of  Upsala,  when  a 
Lutheran  pastor  from  America 
visiting  Sweden  and  hearing  him 
preach,  exhorted  him  to  join  the 
Augustana  Synod  and  continue 
his  studies  in  this  country.  After 
holding  a  good  position  as  teacher 


HEN.VING  COLLIANUBR 

gustana  College.  As  a  student 
he  had  charge  of  the  congrega- 
tions in  Irwin,  Greensburg  and 
Houtzdale,  Pa.  He  entered  the 
Theological  Seminary  at  Rock 
Island  in  1889  and  accepted  a  call 
to  the  Swedish  Lutheran  Church 
of  Houtzdale,  Pa.,  when  he  was 
ordained  in  1891.  A  few  years 
after  he  was  called  to  Norway  and 
Bark  Ri\er,  Mich.,  where  he  spent 
nearly  eight  years  and  did  much 
work  as  a  pastor  and  missionary. 
In  the  fall  of  1900  he  moved  to 
Lemont  and  took  charge  of  the 
church  there.  He  is  a  mend>er  of 
the  board  of  directors  of  the 
Lutheran  Orphans'  Home  in  Joliet, 
111.,  and  has  served  as  its  secre- 
tary since   1902. 

Rev.  CoUiander  was  married  Oct. 
28,  1896,  to  Miss  Agnes  Holmherg 
of  Karlskrona,  Sweden.    Tlie  mar- 


Lemont 


257 


riage  is  blessed  witli  two  sons:  Ha- 
rald,  born  in  1897,  and  Einar, 
in   1900. 


PETER  A.  NELSON 

was  born  in  Olaiid,  Sweden,  March 
4,   i860.     He  came  to  this  country 


PETER  A.   NELSON 

when  but  eleven  years  of  age  and 
was  educated  in  Joliet  and  Lock- 
port.  At  present  liis  home  is  in 
Lemont,  where  he  gradually  forged 
ahead  until  he  was  entrusted  with 
the  highest  office  in  the  town, 
that  of  mayor.  Prior  to  this  he 
held  many  offices  of  trust.  In 
January,  1903,  he  was  appointed 
postmaster  of  Lemont,  having 
previously  served  as  treasurer  four 
terms  and  member  of  the  board  of 
education  for  three  years.  Wher- 
ever Mr.  Nelson  happens  to  center 
his  interests,  there  he  soon  attracts 
public  attention,  followed  by  his 
election  to  some  office  or  other. 
In  the  many  societies,  of  which 


he  is  a  member,  he  takes  a  prom- 
inent part. 

He  has  been  secretary  of  the 
Lemont  ICIectric  Light  and  Power 
Co.  and  a  director  of  the  Lemont 
State  Bank. 

In  1882,  at  the  age  of  21,  Mr. 
Nelson  embarked  in  a  general 
merchandise  business,  in  which  he 
has  continued  with  marked  suc- 
cess up  to  the  present. 


JOHN   A.  SKARIN 

was  born  Sept.  25,  1856,  in  Jarbo 
parish,  Dalsland,  Sweden.  He 
attended  public  school  until  he 
was  fifteen  years  of  age,  when  he 
secured  a  position  as  clerk  in  a 
dry  goods  store  in  Goteborg.  Af- 
ter three  years,  the  art  of  pho- 
tography attracted  him,  and  he 
worked  as  a  photographer's  assist- 
ant   for    one     j-ear,    subsequently 


r 


\ 


^  y 


JOHN   .-^UlJUST    SK.XKIN 

opening    a    gallery    of    his 
This    business    he    followed 


own . 
with 


258 


Cook  County 


success    until    his    emigration     to 
Canada  in   1880. 

The  next  j-ear  Mr.  Skarin  was 
working  in  the  mines  in  Michi- 
gan, along  the  shores  of  Lake 
Superior.  From  there  he  came  to 
Lemont,  and  obtained  a  position 
as  clerk  in  a  grocery  store.  After 
two  years  of  conscientious  work 
he  was  enabled  to  open  a  store  of 
his  own  and  is  now  one  of  the 
prosperous  merchants  of  the  place. 

Both  in  the  church  and  in  other 
public  life  Mr.  Skarin  is  an  active 
worker.  As  soon  as  he  reached 
Lemont  he  joined  the  Bethany 
Swedish  Lutheran  Church,  and 
has  been  for  many  years  treasurer 
and  trustee. 

Mr.  Skarin  was  one  of  the  first 
to  hold  public  office  in  Lemont. 
In  1897  he  was  nominated  and 
elected  alderman  on  the  reform 
ticket,  and  the  following  year  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  board  of 
education.  His  popularity  was 
proved  by  his  receiving  an  over- 
whelming majority  at  the  polls. 

Mr.  Skarin  is  a  charter  mem- 
ber of  the  Swedish  Republican 
Benevolent  A.ssociation  and  a  mem- 
ber of  other  organizations. 

He  was  married  in  1878  to  Eliz- 
abeth K.  Anderson,  and  of  their 
six  children,  three  sons  and  two 
daughters  survive.  These  are, 
Adolph  Agalhon,  trav.  salesman 
for  the  Steele-Wedeles  Co.,  mar- 
ried to  Miss  Marjorie  Wahlstroni 
of  Chicago;  Carl  Richard,  book- 
keeper for  the  Chicago  Biscuit 
Co.,  married  to  Mi.ss  Gerda  Lar- 
son  of  Chicago;    Agnes  Ingeborg, 


Alda      Elisabeth    and    Nathanaiel 
Jennison. 


AXEL  F.  BENSON 

was  born  Oct.  28,  1873,  in  the  city 
of    Filipstad,   Sweden.      He    cnme 


.\XEL    FliKIlI.S.WlP    niJNSON 

to  this  country  in  1895  and  re- 
mained for  six  months  in  Brad- 
dock,  Pa.,  acting  as  assistant  to 
Rev.  G.  E.  Carlson.  While  in 
Sweden  he  studied  at  the  Melho- 
tlist  Seminary  in  Up.sala,  and  his 
aim  was  to  continue  that  work 
here.  He  took  up  study  at  the 
Northwestern  Academy  and  com- 
pleted the  same  at  the  Swedish 
Seminary  at  Evanston.  After  la- 
boring in  the  ministry  for  eight 
years  he  went  back  to  the  N'urth- 
western  I'niversity  for  one  year 
and  began  a  course  at  the  tned- 
ical  college  of  tlie  University  of 
Illinois.  In  the  fall  of  1907  he 
again  assumed  his  old  pastorale 
at  Batavia. 

May  31,    1S99,  Rev.  Benson  was 


May  wood 


259 


married  to  Miss  Sclma  Swaiison, 
a  ^racliiateof  Batavia  Ilij^li  School, 
and  their  home  is  in  Batavia. 
Their  one  cliild  is  a  hoy,  Merrill 
Filip,  born  in   1900. 


AUGUST  PETERSON 

was     born    at    Dorarp,    Smaland, 
Oct  26,   1866.     He  left  Sweden  in 


Mr.  Peterson  is  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Swedish  Luth.  Church 
of  May  wood,  liaving  Sf-rved  for 
various  periods  on  the  boards  of 
trustees  and  deacons,  and  as  treas- 
urer of  the  former   body. 

He  has  been  married,  his  wife, 
Annie  Olivia,  nee  Svenson,  pass- 
ing away  in  1902,  leaving  two 
children,  a  daughter,  Esther  Grace 
Olivia,  and  a  son,  Clarence  Au- 
gust. 


AUGUST  PETERSON 

was  born  April  29,  1866,  in  Hor- 
rod,  Stro  parish,  Skane.  In  18.S4 
he  emigrated  from  Sweden  and 
has  lived  ever  since  in  Maywood. 
When  Mr.  Peterson  first  came 
to  this  country,  he  worked  in  the 
Union    Brass    Foundry  of    Adams 


AVGVST   PETERSON 

1885,  at  the  age  of  nineteen,  hav- 
ing obtained  his  early  education 
in  the  common  school  of  the  par- 
ish. Coming  to  this  country,  he 
lived  first  at  Lockporl  and  later 
at  Oak  Park,  before  finally  set- 
tling at  Maywood.  At  Lockport 
he  worked  as  a  farm  hand  and  at 
Oak  Park  was  employed  by  Mr. 
Dunlop,  a  banker.  For  the  past 
eighteen  years  Mr.  Peterson  has 
been  contracting  for  building  and 
carpentry  in  Maywood  and  sur-  &  Westlake  in  Chicago.  Locating 
rounding  villages.  The  carpenter's  in  Maywood,  he  embarked  in  the 
trade  he  learned  from  his  father,  grocery  business  and  has  for  the 
Peter  Svensson,  who  followed  that  past  seventeen  years  met  with 
occupation  in  Dorarp.  ever  increasing  prosperity. 


AUGUST    PETERSON 


26o 


Cook  County 


The  parents  of  Mr.  Peterson  are 
Per  Jonson,  a  farmer  at  Horrod, 
and  Pernilla,   his  wife. 

Mr.  Peterson  is  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  and  has  served  for  a  pe- 
riod on  its   board  of  trustees. 

He  is  married  to  Sehna  Johnson 
from  Ofvarp,  Sweden.  Their  chil- 
dren are,  Alice  E.,  Ethel  P.  and 
Mabel  A. 

The  Peter.son  family  li\e  in  a 
comfortable  home  of  their  own  at 
124  S.   Fifth  ave. 


He  is  one  of  the  trustees  of  the 
Swedish  M.  E.  Church,  superin- 
sendent  of  the  Snndav  school  and 


EDWARD  W.  BENSON, 
for  three  terms  president  of  the 
village  of  Melrose  Park,  has  been 
active  in  the  affairs  of  the  village 
for  ten  years  of  the  twenty  that 
he  has  resided  there.  He  served 
on  the  board  of  village  trustees 
for  five  years  prior  to  his  election 
as  president  of  that  board,  and  was 
also  a  member  of  the  school  board 
for  three  years. 

Mr.  Benson  was  born  in  Upland, 
Sweden,  and  came  to  the  United 
States  with  his  parents  when  two 
years  old.  The  Benson  family 
located  first  at  River  Forest,  com- 
ing to  Melrose  Park  about  twenty 
years  ago.  In  business  Mr.  Ben- 
son is  a  general  contractor.  He 
gained  his  first  experience  in  the 
business  in  Denver,  Colo.,  in  1S8S 
-89,  thereafter  pursuing  his  call- 
ing in  his  home  town. 

Besides  holding  the  reigns  of 
government  in  a  manner  that  won 
the  full  confidence  of  the  people 
of  Melrose  Park,  Mr.  Benson  ha.-^ 
taken  a  leading  part  in  the  social 
and    religions    life    of    the  village. 


EUW.\Rl>    W.    BENSON 

has  served  for  many  years  as  pres- 
ident of  the  Epworth  League.  In 
fraternal  life  Mr.  Benson  affiliates 
with  the  Royal  Circle.  Far  from 
being  a  politician  in  the  general 
acceptation  of  the  term,  he  has 
not  used  his  position  as  a  means 
to  further  political  ambitions.  The 
office  of  village  president  was 
thrust  upon  him  by  the  people  at 
large,  and  he  prized  the  gift  be- 
cause it  carried  with  it  not  only 
the  \otes  of  his  fellow  citizens 
but  their  esteem  and  confidence 
as   well. 

Mr.  Benson  resides  at  51  Seven- 
teenth ave.,  and  his  parents,  John 
and  Ivlsa  Benson,  are  still  living 
in  Melrose  Park. 


CHARLES- P.  BENSON 

was  born  May  17,  1S73,  at  Bofors, 
Vermlaiul,     Sweden.       His     wife. 


Oak  Park 


261 


Jennie,  nee  Magnuson,  was  born 
in  May  of  the  same  year,  in  \'e.s- 
tergbtland. 


CHARI,ES    p.    BKNSDN 

Mr.  Benson  came  to  this  coun- 
try in  May,  1893,  and  settled  in 
Chicago,  where  he  attended  the 
Association  Business  College  and 
then  worked  as  a  bookkeeper. 
Later,  Oak  Park  became  the  field 
for  various  activities.  Here  he 
published  a  non-denominational 
Swedish  quarterly,  explaining  the 
Sunda}-  school  lessons.  He  has 
organized  a  manufacturing  stock 
company,  of  which  he  is  secretary 
and  treasurer.  The  company  man- 
ufactures a  newly  patented  col- 
lapsible baby  carriage. 

Mr.  Benson  is  a  Baptist  and  a 
most  active  church  worker.  He 
has  been  superintendent  of  the 
Sunday  school  for  more  than  ten 
years  and  president  of  the  Young 
People's  Society  for  about  the 
same  period. 

Besides    his    many    other    inter- 


ests, Mr.  Ben.son  is  a  director  of 
the  Laborers'  Gold.  Silver  and 
Copper  Mining  Co.  of  Golden,  B. 
C.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Royal 
Arcanum. 

Two  sons  have  been  born  iir  the 
Benson  family,  Daniel,  in  1900, 
and  Milton  Le  Roy  in   1902. 

AXXV  WERNER  LINDER, 

M.  I).,  was  born  in  Karlskrona, 
Sweden,  Jan.  12,  1.S73.  She  be- 
gan attending  school  at  the  early 
age  of  four  years  and  a  half,  and 
later  entered  high  school,  from 
which  she  graduated  at  the  head 
of  her  class.  The  family  removed 
to  Stockholm,  and  there  she  con- 
tinued her  studies,  at  the  same  time 


ANNV    WERNIiR    LI.NDER 

taking  a  course  in  mechanical 
drawing.  Later  she  studied  man- 
ual therapeutics  and,  after  grad- 
uation, went  first  to  Finland  and 
then  to  Russia,  in  which  coun- 
tries she  lived  for  nearly  six  years, 
practicing  her  profession  and  also 


262 


Cook  County 


doing  translations  for  newspapers. 
While  in  Odessa  she  decided  to 
emigrate  to  America.  Throwing 
up  her  practice,  she  went  to  Stock- 
holm and  thence  to  New  York, 
arriving  in    March,   1S94. 

Here  she  w^as  soon  on  the  way 
to  success,  majiy  physicians  seek- 
ing her  services. 

She  left  her  practice  in  the  fall 
of  1895,  and  went  on  a  lecturing 
and  demonstrating  tour  for  the 
Whitely  Exerciser  Co.  of  Chicago 
and  New  York,  in  the  larger  cities 
of  the  United  States.  For  this 
purpo.se  she  made  several  charts 
of  instruction  for  home  gynniast- 
ics,  based  on  the  Swedish  system. 
She  has  lectured  to  many  prom- 
inent ladies'  clubs,  Y.  W.  C.  A., 
high  and  normal  schools  and  col- 
leges. 

The  medical  profession  being 
her  final  goal,  she  came  to  Chi- 
cago in  1899  and  matriculated  in 
the  National  Medical  University, 
attending  both  the  medical  and 
osteopathic  departments.  In  .Ap- 
ril, 1 901,  she  passed  successfully 
the  State  Board  of  Health  exam- 
ination and  became  a  state  licen- 
tiate in  manual  therapeutics.  In 
1902  .she  received  the  degree  of 
Doctor  of  Medicine  ami  Bachelor 
of  Surgery  from  the  university. 
In  October,  the  same  year,  she  en- 
tered the  American  College  of 
Medicine  and  Surger\-,  the  med- 
ical department  of  Valparaiso  Uni- 
vensity  in  huli;ina,  graduating  in 
May,    1903. 

She  was  elected  professor  of  the 
chair  of  manual  therapeutics  in 
the  Chicago  College  for  Nurses  in 


the  fall  of  1902.  and  has  filled  the 
same  chair  at  both  insiitutions 
since  Oct.    i,    1903. 

She  was  married  to  Mr.  A.  Un- 
der of  Oak  Park  June  2,  1S99. 
and  has  her  honie  and  practice 
there. 

Dr.  Linder  is  an  accomplished 
linguist,  speaking,  besides  the 
Scandinavian  languages,  English, 
Finnish,  Russian,  Spani.sh.  French 
and  German. 


AUGUSTINUS  L.   LINDER 

was  born  Aug.  28,  1867,  in  Nyby, 
Smaland.     He  studied  in  the  high 


AUGUSTINUS  UEU.N.\K1>   Ll.MiHK 

school  in  \'enersborg,  and  in  188S 
left  Swetlen.  In  this  country  he 
has  lived  in  Dunkirk,  N.  V.,  Mil- 
waukee, Wis.,  Chicago  and  Oak 
Park.  While  in  Chicago  he  at- 
tended the  Northweslern  Commer- 
cial School,  from  which  he  grati- 
ualeti. 

Mr.   Linder  is  engaged  in    busi- 
ness   both   in  Oak    Park  and    Chi- 


Oak  Park 


263 


cago.  In  Cliica<;o  he  has  a  store 
for  artistic  dccoratinjj  and  con- 
tracting at  The  Plaza,  646  Korth 
Clark  St.,  at  Oak  Park  he  is  a 
member  of  the  firm  of  Lowrcy  i\: 
Linder  Co.   at    129-131    Lake  si. 

The  many  lodges,  to  which  Mr. 
Linder  belongs,  are,  Odd  P'ellows, 
North  American  Union,  Ironde- 
qiioit  Lodge  No.  301,  A.  F.  and 
A.  M.;  Dunkirk  Chapter  No.  191, 
Royal  Arch  Masons  of  Dunkirk, 
N.  v.;  Siloani  Comniandery  No. 
54,  Kt.  Templars  of  Oak  Park,  and 
Medinah  Temple,  Ancient  Arabic 
Order  of  Noble  Mystic  Shrine  of 
Chicago.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Phoenix  Club,  the  Business  Men's 
Association,  the  Master  Painters' 
and  Decorators'  Ass.,  all  of  Oak 
Park,  and  Master  Painters'  Asso- 
ciation of  Chicago. 

For  several  months  during  the 
years  1893  and  '94  Mr.  Linder 
visited  luigland,  France  and  Swe- 
den. In  1899,  on  June  2,  he  was 
married  to  Mi.ss  Anny  Werner  of 
Stockholm,  Sweden. 


next  learned  the  watchmaker's 
trade,  and  then  embarked  for 
America.     On    his   arrival   in  Chi- 


OTTO  E.  LOVEN 

was  born  in  Sweden  Feb.  11,  1871. 
His  parents  intended  him  to  enter 
upon  a  musical  career,  and  to  that 
end  he  began  taking  piano  le.ssons 
at  twelve  years  of  age.  After  two 
years,  his  father  concluded  to 
change  this  plan.  In  order  to  fit 
him  for  a  commercial  life,  he  set 
him  to  studying  the  elementary 
branche-;.  At  sixteen  the  boy  be- 
came a  salesman  in  a  dry  goods 
store  in  Malmo.  But  having  no 
taste  for  this  occupation,  he  tried, 
with  the  assistance  of  his  brother, 
who  was  a  traveling  postal  clerk, 
to  enter  the  mail  .service.  But  this 
avenue  was  suddenly  closed  to 
him,  a  new  law  requiring  appli- 
cants for  the  postal  service  to  have 
completed    a    college    course.      He 


OTTO   E.   LOVES 

cago  in  June,  1890,  he  discovered 
that  no  one  wanted  to  employ  a 
nineteen  year  old  watchmaker,  so 
he  was  compelled  to  look  for  other 
employment.  All  sorts  of  hard 
and  uncongenial  work  was  done 
until  he  finally  succeeded  in  se- 
curing a  position  as  a  watchmaker. 
He  began  with  the  firm  of  R. 
Chester,  P'rost  vs:  Co  and  remained 
there  until  1895,  when  he  \isited 
the  old  country.  On  his  return 
he  worked  for  the  same  firm,  as 
foreman  and  later  as  manager  of 
a  new  watch  department. 

In  1902  Mr.  Loven  bought  a 
jewelry  store.  Success  attended 
him  here,  and  he  is  now  acknowl- 
edged to  be  the  leading  jeweler 
and  optician  in  Oak  Park.  All 
his  spare  time  had  been  devoted 
to  study  at  the  Northern  Illinois 
Optical  College,  from  which  he 
received  a  diploma. 

Mr.  Loven  was  married  in  Sep- 
tember, 1S9S,  to  Miss  Ellen  Nord, 
the  daughter  of  a  hatter  in  Os- 
karshanni. 


■mmmimi— M 


INDEX 


PART  III.— COUNTIES  AT  LARGE 


Page 

Henry  County 3 

Knox   County 29 

Kane  County 49 

Rock  Island  County   71 

Bureau  County 1 23 

Winnebajjo  County 133 

DeKalb  County 165 


PuRP 

Ford  County 1 79 

Warren,    Mercer,  Whitesitle,    Peoria 

anil   Marshall  Counties 195 

Grundy,    LaSalle,    Livinj^stone.  Mc- 
Lean and   Vermilion  Counties..   207 
McHenry,  Lake  ami  Will  Counties.   219 
Cook  County  (out.side  of  Chicago).   231 


TOWNS  AND  CITIES 


Page 

Aledo 197 

Andover 5 

Au'-ora 51 

Batavia 55 

Benvyn 233 

Bloiiniinyton 212 

Cambridge 7 

Chicago  Heights 240 

Crystal    I,akc 221 

DeKalb 167 

Elgin 61 

Evanston 246 

Galesburg 31 

Galva 10 

Geneseo 13 

Geneva 64 

Gibson  Citj' 181 

Hoope.ston 215 

Joliel 223 

Kewanee 17 

Leland 2119 

Lenii  )nt 256 

LockjKirt 229 

Maywood 25S 

Melrose  I'ark 260 

Moline 73 


Page 

Monmouth 197 

Morris 209 

New  Windsor 199 

Oak  Park 260 

Oneida 47 

Ophieni 21 

Orion 23 

I'axton 183 

Peoria 201 

Pontiac 210 

Princeton 125 

iTophetstown 201 

Rankin 217 

Rockford 135 

Rock   Lslatid 92 

Sherraril 200 

Sibley 191 

St.   Charles 65 

Strawn Jl  I 

Streator    no 

Sycamore 169 

\icliiria 48 

Waukegan 221 

Wcnona 205 

Woodhull 26 


264 


INDEX 
BIOGRAl'IIIHS 


265 


Adams,  Charles,  Chicago  Heights.  .  i^u 

AlslerhiiHl,  Win.   .\.,  Moline 73 

Anilerson.  .\ilolf  I.,  Balavia 55 

Andcrsim,  .\(loli)h    T.,   DeKalb 167 

Aiiilerson,  .Viidrcw    W.,   Sycamore   .  176 

Anderson,   .\ndrc\v,   Herwyn 233 

Anderson,  .Viidrew  (i..  Rock  Island.  93 

Aiiilerson,   Andrew  J.,   Rockford 135 

Anderson,  Andrew   M.,   Aurora 31 

Anderson,  August,  DeKalb 167 

Anderson,  Clans,  St.  Charles 65 

Anderson,  John  A.,  Batavia 56 

Andtrson,  John   I!.,   Rev.,  Joliet 223 

Anderson,  John   ().,   Kewanee 17 

Anderson,  Jonas  M.,  Cambridge....  7 

Anderson,  Nels  F.,  Galva lo 

Anderson,  Oscar,    Batavia 57 

Anderson,  Oscar   B.,  Rockford 135 

Anderson,  Otto   Fr.,  Moline 73 

Anderson,  Swan  A.,  Kewanee 17 

Anderson,  Swen,  Sibley 191 

Andreen.  Ou.stav  A.,  Rock  Island..  121 

Andr^n,   Fritz  N.,   Berwyn 233 

A])]iell.   Rev.   .\lfred,   Rockford 136 

Backlund,   Rev.  Jonas  O..   Morris...  209 

Bargren,  Aug.  K.,  Rockford 138 

Bartelson,  Olof  1'.,  Gibson  City....  181 

Benander,  Rev.  John  A.,  Aurora 51 

Bengston,  Rev.  Carl  J..  Rock  Island  93 

Bengtson,  Frederick,  Rockford 138 

Benson,  Rev.  Axel  F.,  Maywoo<t...  25S 

Benson,  Chas.  P.,  Oak   Park 260 

Benson,  Edward  \V.,  Melrose  Park.  260 

Berg,   Rev,  John  A.,   Princeton 125 

Berggren,  Aug.  W.,  Galesburg 31 

Bergland,  Albert  E.,  Galva 10 

Bersell,  Prof.  A.  O.,  Rock  Island...  95 

Bersell,  Rev.  P.  Olof,  Chicago   H'ts  240 

Billstrom,  Nels   J.,  Rockford 139 

Bjorkman,  James  O.,   DeKalb 168 

Blomgren,   Dr.  Carl  A.,  Rock  Island  94 

Bloom,   Isaac  O.,  Gibson  City 181 

Bohman,  Carl    P.,  Moline 74 

Bonggren,  Jan  M.,   Moline 77 

Brodiue,  Rev.   Per  J.,  Orion 23 

Burgland,  Nels   M.,  Galesburg 33 

Burgquist,  Alfred,  Kewanee 17 

Byquist,  John,   Bloomington 212 

Carlson,  .\lgot,  Streator 210 

Carlson,  Carl  G.,  Chicago  Heights.  241 


Pngc 

Carlson,  Carl    O.,  Rockfonl 139 

Carlson,  John   I,.,  Joliet 223 

Carl.son,   Nels  .A.,  Galva II 

Carlson.  Peter,   St.  Charles 65 

Carlsteilt,  .\ug..  Crystal   Lake 221 

Carlslrom,  Oscar    Iv  ,   .Medo 197 

Calhony,   Merman,  Berwyn 234 

Cervin,   Olof  /,.,   Rock    Island 96 

Champene,  Chas.,  Chicago    Heights  241 

Cliilberg,  Sven  J.,  Cambridge 8 

Christianson,  Peter,  DeKalb 169 

Colliander,  Rev.  Herman,    Lemont.  256 

Collin,  Claus,    DeKalb 169 

Dahlberg,  Rev.  John  G  ,  Rock  Isl'nd  97 

Dahlgren.  Chas.    T.,   Princeton 125 

ICckdahl,   Frank  L.,   Princeton 126 

Ed,  Gust.,   Moline 75 

Edbloni,  Rev.  Carl  P.,  Andover. . . .  5 

Edgren,   Rev.   A.,   Prophetstown.  . . .  201 

Edlen,  Dr.  Eniil  A.,  Moline 75 

F.kstrand,  Louis  M.,  Waukegan  . . . .  221 

Elfstrand,  Chas.  \\'.,  Bloomington..  212 

F.lmquisl,  Rev.  Axel  H.,  Peoria 201 

Eng,  Charles,    DeKalb 169 

Engstrand,   F^ben  O.,  Galva 11 

Engstrand,  Jonas  M.,  tialva il 

Engstrcini,  Chas.   V.,  Peoria 201 

Engstrom,  John  P.,  Rock  Island...  100 

En  wall,  Johan,  Gale.sburg 34 

Erickson,  .^lex.  G.,  Bloomington...  213 

Erickson,  Chas.  A.,  Hoopeston 215 

Ericson,   Dr.  .Albert  F".,   F^vanston...  246 

Erikson,  Rev.   Gustaf,  Wenona 205 

Fair,  Johan  A.,   .\nclover 6 

Fairvalley,   Chas.  J.,   Herwyn 234 

F'loberg,   -\ug.   P.,  Rockford 140 

Forsander,  Dr.  Nils,  Rock   Island..  98 

For.sberg,  Chas.  .■\.,  Rockford 140 

Foss,  Prof.  Claude  W.,  Rock  Island  99 

Fre<llund.   Andrew,    Bloomington...  214 

Freeman,  John   .\.,   .\urora 52 

Freeman,  Peter  A.,  .\urora 53 

Frykman,  Rev.  Magnus,  Sycamore.  177 

Gafvert,   Fritz.    Kewanee iS 

Godehn  John  A.,   Moline 91 

Graflund.   F'red,   Jloline 78 

Grafstrom,  Olof,  Rock  Island loi 

Granere,  Dr.  Carl  O.,  Rock  Island. .  loi 

Granville,  Philip  N.,  Galesburg....  34 

Gullander,  Rev.  Paul,  Paxton 183 


266 


INDEX 


PaRc 
Guslafsoii,   Kev.  John,    Kockford...    141 

Gustafson,  Ncls  1'.,  liatavia 5S 

Gustus,  Oscar  T.,  0]>liieni 21 

Ha.Morf,  Chas.   A,   Roikfonl 141 

Ila^;;;,   Nicholas  A..  Caiiihriilj^e 9 

Ilaiiiniarstrand,  Andrew  (i.,  Rankin  217 

I  led,  John.  Princeton 127 

Heihnan,  Victor  L.,  Geneseo 13 

Hcllerstedt,  C.  A,  Princeton 126 

Helnier,  John  K.  G.,  Paxton 1S6 

Hcnil)orK.  Rev.  Carl  A..  Moline. .  .  7S 
Henidahl,  Rev.  Gustaf  E.,  Paxton.  1.S7 
HiIll)i.T};,  Prof.  John   E.,  Evanston.   254 

IIin(|iiist,  John  A.,  Princeton 127 

HolTsten,  Rev.  C.  E.,  Rock  Island.  104 
Holnifjrain,  Rev.  Oscar  V.,  Rock  I'd   103 

Holnijjren,  Joel  A.,  Evanston 24S 

Ilolniquist,  Chas.  \V..  Rockford 142 

Holniqui.st,  Gideon  A.,  Rockford...    142 

Holnistroin,  Peter  K.,  Joliet 224 

Holt.   Wesley,  Galesburg 35 

Hiilihard,   Dr.   Oscar  W.,   Batavia...      59 

Hiilienet,   Frank,    Joliet 225 

Hull.  John   I,..    Canibridj^e 9 

Hurburxh,   Chas.   F.,   Galesburj; . .  . .      36 

Ivarson,  John  G.,    Aurora 53 

Jacobson,  Rev.  Albin  A.,    Joliet  .. .   225 

Jader,  Rev.  John  A.,  Moline S2 

Johan.son,   Nels  T.,   St.   Charles 66 

Joluiiisoii,  Tliure  A,,  St.  Charles...  66 
Johnson,  Andrew  C,  Rockford...,  143 
Johnson,  Rev.  Andrew  G.,  Moline.  79 
Johnson,  Rev.  Aug..  Monmouth....  197 
Johnson,  Dr.  Carl  G.,  Galesburg. . .  36 
Johnson,  Carl  H.,  Chicajjo    Heights  243 

John.son,  Rev.  Carl  J.,  Peoria 202 

Johnson,  Chas.  J.,  Galesburg 37 

John.son,  Chas.  P.,  Chicago  Heights  242 

Johnson,  C.  T.  E.,    Galesburg 3,S 

Johnson,  l'"rank,  Chicago   Heights..   242 

Johnson,  Geo.   \V.,    Moline .So 

Johnson,  Gunner  A.,  Geneseo [4 

Johnson,  Gustaf,  Chicago  Heights.  .   244 

Johnson,  Gustaf,  Rockford 146 

Johnson,  Gustaf  Iv,  Rockfonl 144 

Johnson,   H,  Julius,   Ponti.-ic 210 

Johnson,  Rev.  Joel  S.,  I.ockport,  .  .  230 
Johnson,  Rev.  John  A.,  Herwyn  .  . . .  235 
John.son,  Rev.  John  J.,  Galesburg..  39 
Johnson,   Lars  E.,  Chicago    Heights  243 

Johnson,  Nels  O.  G.,  Galesburg 39 

Johnson,  Nils  P.,  Rockford 144 


Vagt 

Johnson,  Peter.  Princeton 12S 

Johnson,  Simon  C.  DeKalb 170 

Johnson,  Sven   A.,   Herwyn 235 

Johnson,   Win.,   Rockford 145 

Johnson,  \Vm.,    Rockford 144 

Johnston,  John    F.,  DeKalb 170 

Johnston,  Rev.  Lawrence  A.,  Moline  81 
Jonson,  Rev.  Elof  K.,  Rock   Island  104 

Joranson,  Gustaf,  Rervvyn 236 

Karl.  Rev.  Carl  J.,  Waukegan 222 

Kling,  Prof,  Linus  W.,  Rock  Isl'nd  105 

Lager,  Carl  J,,  Gene.sco 15 

Lagerstrom,  Rev.  Ernest  A., Kewanee  .  18 

Landee,  Frank  A..  Moline S3 

Laon,  Per  G.,  Rockford 146 

Larson,  Alfred  G.,  Rockford 147 

Larson,  Aug.,  Strawn 211 

Larson,  Chas.  A..  Joliet 227 

Larson,  Chas.  Alb..  Paxton  18S 

Larson,  I\mil.  Rock    Island 106 

Larson,  John  A.,  (".alva 12 

Larson,   Louis  T.,  Sibley 192 

Larson,  Olin,  Gibson   City 1S2 

Larson,  Oscar  \V..  Galva 13 

I^rson,  Peter  A.,  Geneseo 16 

Larson,  Vendela,  Rock    Island 107 

Laurence,  Aug.  J.,    Paxton 108 

Laurin,  Sigfrid,  Rock  Island 107 

Lawson.  Albert,   Rockford 148 

Leilin,  Rev.  Carl   J.,  Princeton 129 

Lelhin,    Matthias,    FHgin ...     61 

Lethin,  Swan,  Elgin 62 

Liljegren,  Rev.  Nels  M.,  St.  Charles  67 
Lin.lahl,  Rev.  S.  P.  A,  Rock  IsPd.    111 

I.indberg,  Andrew  (i.,  DeKalb 171 

l.iniiberg.  Dr.  Connid  E.,  Rock  IM  109 

Lindbluni,  Frans  E.,   Herwyn 236 

Linder,  l)r,  .\iniy  W.,  Oak  Park...  261 
Linder,  .\uguslinus  I..,  Oak  Park..  262 
l.indgren,  Alfred  Th.,  Rockfonl....    150 

I.indgren,  Chas.   E.,   Herwyn 237 

I.indorff,  Johan  G  ,  New  Wimlsor. .  199 
Liiid(iuist.  Rev.  Harold  L.,  Gnlesb'g  40 
Lindstrum,  Amlrew    O.,  Galesburg.     41 

l.indvall,  Carl  M.,  Joliet 226 

l.ofgren.  Dr.  Carl  O.  E.,  Rockford.    149 

I.of(|Uest,  Chas,  C,    Rockford 161 

Loven,  t)lto  !•:,,  Oak    Park 263 

l.owendahl,   Knut  J..   I'Aanston 249 

Lund,   ICdla,   Rock   Island no 

Lundl>erg,  Chas.  J.,  Rtn-kfonl 156 

l.undberg.  Prof.  Frank  .\  ,  lunnston  2.S5 


INDEX 


267 


I,iiiuHi..ltii,   Ki-v.  Al^ol  T.,  Ak-ilo...  19.S 

I.imillii)lin,  Joliaii   Victor,  Rockforil.  151 

I.miiliiiark,   IIil(lill^;,  Cliicano  Hei'ts  244 

l.y.leliii,   Allx-n  J..   Moliiie 84 

I.yon,  Aiiilrew   J.,   Moline .S4 

MaliiiiT,  HuKfiif,  Aurora 54 

Malinstedt,  I'rank    I,.,  Berwvu  ....  238 

Moiifjcrson,  John   l'"r.,  St.  Charles.  .  67 

Micholsoii,  John,    Hatavia 60 

Miller,  Rev.  John    I'.,   Moline 85 

Moline,  Clia.s.   M.,   Herwvn 238 

Morlenson,  Jonas,   Ivvanston 249 

Nelson,  Rev.   .-Vdoliili,   Moline 86 

Nelson,   .Mbort,   Cliica,<;o   Hci>;hts...  245 

Nelson,   .\n<lrew    H.,   I'rinceton 129 

Nel.son,  .Xndrew  M.,  Berwyn 239 

Nelson,  Rev.  Charles  (>.,  Kvanslon.  250 

Nelson,  David,  Kvanston 251 

Nelson,  (Uistaf,    Uatavia 61 

Nelson,  John,  Chica>;o  Heights 245 

Nelson,  Nels,  Rockforil 152 

Nelson,   Peter,   Leniont 257 

Nelson,   Wni.,   Rockford 153 

Newman,  Einil,  Kevvanee 19 

Newman,   Rev.  Sven,   I.ockport 229 

Noel,  Fritz  C,  Leland 209 

Nonlstedt,  Andrew,  Joliet 227 

Nor^n,  Dr.  Gunner,  Kewanee 19 

Nvlander,  Auj;.,    Rockford 154 

Nystrotn,  Axel  J.  G.,  Peoria 203 

Nystrom,  Carl  .V.,  Kewanee 20 

Nystrom,  Carl  J.,  Peoria 203 

Nystrom,  Oscar  C.  F.,   Peoria 203 

Oberg,  C.   Enoch,   Princeton 131 

Oberj;,  Claus  J.,  Princeton 130 

Olson,  Charles,    St.  Charles 68 

Olson,  Charles,  Peoria 204 

Olson,  Lars  E.,  Oneida 47 

Olson,  Oliver  O.,  Rock  Island 113 

Ol.son,   Peter  T.,   Galeslnirg 42 

Olson,   Walter,    Woodhull 26 

Olsson,   .\niia.   Rock    Island 113 

Olssoii,   Dr.  Eric    P.,   Paxton 1.S9 

Orthnid,   Victor,    Evanston   251 

Ostroni,  Louis,  Rock  Island 114 

Ottoson,  Rev.  Hans    P..  Ophieni...  22 

Paulson,  Otto   \V.,  Rockford .  162 

Pearson,  N.  11.,    Paxton 190 

Pearson,   Rev.   Peter,    Rankin 217 

Pearson,   Peter,    Sibley- 192 

Peterson,   .\ndrew,    Paxton 191 

Peterson,  Andrew,  Rock    Island 116 


I'llKC 

Peterson,  .Xuj;.,  Maywood 259 

Peterson,  .Aug.,  May  wool 259 

Peterson.  Carl,    Herwyn 239 

Peterson,   Chas.,   Hoopeston 2l6 

Peterson,   Frank  A.,  Gene.seo 16 

Peterson,  Prof.  Frank  IC,  Rock  IM  117 

Peterson,  Franz  O.  .\urora 55 

Peterson,  G.  Leander,  Moline 87 

Peterson,  (Uistaf,  I'rinceton 131 

Peterson,  Gustaf,  Hlooinington 214 

Peterson,  Johannes,    Moline .S6 

Peterson,  Oscar  M.,  Galva 13 

Peterson,  Pehr  A.,  Rockford 155 

Peterson,  Rev.  Peter,  Galesburg. . . .  43 

Peterson.   Samuel.    DeKalb 172 

Peterson,  Swan,  Gib.son   City 182 

Peterson,  Rev.  Theo.  N.,  Geneva...  64 

Peterson,  Victor  O.,  Rock    Island..  116 

Ro.sendahl,   Martin  P.,  Evanston...  252 

Rundquist,  Win.,  Elgin 62 

Ryberg,   Rev.   E.   A..    DeKalb 172 

Sallstrom,  Rev.  Jolian,  Galesburg.  .  45 

Samuel.son,  Chas.   .\.,  Sherrard 200 

Saudehn,  Chas.  G.  W.,  Rockford..  157 

Sandsten,  I'rank   O.,  Amlover 6 

Sea.strand,   Rev.  Fr.  A.,  Gibson  City  183 

Setterdahl,  Rev    Victor,  Andover. ..  7 

Setterdahl,  Albertina,  Andover 7 

Shallene,  Frank  W.,  Moline .88 

Shallene,  John  W.,  Moline 88 

Shugren,  Rev.  Eric    O.  Waukegan.  222 

Sjoholm,  John  E.,  Chicago  Heights  245 

Sjiistrom,   Rev.   Nils  P,  Rockford..  158 

Skarin,  John   .A.,   I.eniont 237 

.Skoglund,   .-Vxel  G.,   DeKalb 173 

Skoglund.   Rev.   F;mil,   DeKalb 173 

Smith,  Nels  J.,  DeKalb 174 

Stark,  Rev.  .\ug.  W.,'  DeKalb 175 

Stark,  Rev.  Gustaf  K.,  Evanston...  253 

Stephenson,  Carl  A.,  Ophiem 23 

Stone,  Chas.   J.,   DeKalb 171 

Stoneberg.  Gust.,  Kewanee 20 

Streed,  Frank   H.,  Cambridge 10 

Strom  berg.  Carl    E.,  Rockford 13S 

Suncleen,   Fred.  Moline .89 

Sundine,  John,  Moline 90 

Sundmark,   Rev.  Carl   W.,   Rockford  159 

Svenson.  C.  Oscar,  Joliet 22S 

Swanburg,  Rev.  G.  A.,  Woodhull..  26 

Swanson,  Chas.  G.,    Princeton 132 

Swanson,  J.  E.,  Rockford 160 

Swanson,   Peter,   Svcaniore 21 


268 


INDEX 


Pajfc 

Swaiison,  Peter  F..  flalesluirj; 44 

Swaiison,   Peter  N..  Iloopestoii 216 

Swensoii,   Hjaliiiar,  Chicaj^o  Heij^hts  246 

TeiiKdiii.  Chas.  G.,  Jolict 228 

Tholiii,  Oscar  A.,  Rockford 160 

Tiii<;\vall,  David  H.,  Peoria 204 

Tornblad,  John    O.,   Ulooiiiiii);toii. .  .    214 

Tra}<ardh,  Carl  E.,  Rockford 161 

Tropp,  Swan,   Moline 91 

rdd^n,  Jolian  A.,   Rock   Island llS 

L'dd^n,  Johanna,  Rock  Island 120 


Pagr 

Irbom,   Dr.  Carl   V.,   Rockford 163 

WalUierj;,  Lars   P.,  Bloomin>;ton. . .   215 
\Valleiiins,  Rev.  Carl  G.,  Evan.ston.  254 

Westerlund.   Peter,  Orion 24 

Widell,  Swan  ()..  Rockford 151 

Williams,  John,  Galva 13 

Williamson.  Moses   O..  Gale.sburg. .     46 
Willing,  Rev.  Hjalniar  W.,  Victoria     48 

Wistrand,  Wilhehnina,  Geneva 64 

Youngert,  Dr.  Sven   G.,  Rock   Isl'd   120 


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THE  UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA  UBRARY 


